Chapter 232: Exclusive Spells
After Zhou Ming had formulated the battle plan, Aina and the others immediately began taking action, clearing out the hidden sentries deployed around the Dark Card Organization stronghold.
Under the cover of night, Aina, who had transformed into a mass of shadow, avoided the surveillance methods arranged throughout the mountain forest—such as cameras and biological magnetic field detectors—and had already quietly infiltrated a rock cave where several hidden sentries were on duty.
Perhaps no one knew that the Dark Card Organization had a stronghold hidden here, or perhaps they feared the Transcendent powerhouse backing the organization. Since the stronghold’s establishment, there had never been a case of external enemies invading.
It was precisely for this reason that the sentries on duty were unusually lax. Several of them were actually playing cards and gambling inside the cave.
Faced with the scene before her, Aina showed no mercy. The slender jade-like hands that had once held a spatula were now gripping a pair of sharp daggers.
As several flashes of silver light burst forth, including two perception-type Apprentice Beast Tamers, all had their throats slit by Aina within a few breaths.
The somewhat lively cave was left with nothing but the sound of blood dripping.
After eliminating the targets, Aina immediately shifted to another location.
On the other side, Su Mei, relying on the innate talent granted through beast feedback, had also smoothly dealt with her own target.
As for the Snake Guards, their performance was equally outstanding.
After undergoing Bloodline Modification training and cultivating the Snake King Body, they not only possessed terrifying physiques but could also freely control the power of their bloodline.
In addition, Su Mei occasionally took time to instruct them in assassination martial arts, so the Snake Guards were highly proficient in stealth killings.
Working in groups of three or four, they cleared out the relatively weaker hidden sentries.
While Aina and the others were eliminating the eyes and ears arranged around the Dark Card Organization stronghold, Zhou Ming had already controlled an ordinary Ironthread Snake and infiltrated the underground karst cave, beginning to investigate the internal situation of the stronghold.
Within the vast underground karst caves beneath Maple Leaf Ridge, there was no damp darkness, nor were there snakes, rats, or insects inhabiting the place. Instead, hidden within was a secret stronghold filled with a sense of advanced technology.
Inside the Dark Card Organization’s secret stronghold, aside from fully armed guards, one could occasionally see researchers dressed in white lab coats.
However, regardless of their identities, almost all of them were expressionless, their eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
Relying on the Descending Possession power of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils, Zhou Ming used shared vision to gradually verify the intelligence provided by the Demonic-looking Man.
Through the crisscrossing ventilation ducts of the underground secret stronghold, Zhou Ming quickly mapped out the internal layout. However, he did not intend to infiltrate the base and start a massacre.
After all, an underground organization like the Dark Card Organization would most likely have self-destruct mechanisms installed.
Facing an explosion dozens of meters underground, even with Zhou Ming’s current strength, there would still be a risk of death. He had no intention of perishing together with them.
Moreover, while destroying the Dark Card Organization’s stronghold, Zhou Ming did not mind obtaining additional benefits from it—such as acquiring experienced scientific research personnel.
Therefore, he did not plan to kill everyone outright. Instead, he intended to first use a paralyzing toxin to control the researchers and guards within the stronghold.
At the same time, he would lure the snake out of its hole and eliminate the Dark Card Organization’s Professional Beast Tamers outside the stronghold.
At the foot of a steep cliff, Zhou Ming summoned a large number of ordinary Ironthread Snakes through his bloodline, then injected specially prepared potions into their bodies and left a strand of bloodline power within them.
Controlling the injected Ironthread Snakes, he guided them through concealed ventilation ducts along the cliff face into the underground secret stronghold. Once the Ironthread Snakes were positioned at key nodes within the ventilation system, Zhou Ming detonated them through the bloodline power he had left behind.
The Ironthread Snakes exploded into fragments of flesh and blood. Combined with the potions injected beforehand, a faint white mist instantly rose and began spreading throughout the stronghold via the ventilation ducts.
This was a neuroparalytic toxin specially formulated by Zhou Ming. Ordinary people who inhaled it would be unable to move within a short time.
“Ding ding…”
A few seconds later, a piercing alarm sounded within the stronghold. It seemed that Zhou Ming’s method of releasing toxic gas had been detected.
However, without hidden sentries transmitting warnings, the ordinary personnel inside the stronghold did not have sufficient reaction time. A large number of researchers and guards began succumbing to the toxin. Only a small portion of those on duty managed to put on gas masks in time.
Yet, given Zhou Ming’s understanding of toxins, gas masks could only delay the onset. Eventually, they would still become completely paralyzed and lose the ability to resist.
“Who dares offend my Dark Card Organization?”
Moments later, an angry roar resounded beneath the night sky.
As Zhou Ming had anticipated, upon discovering that the stronghold had been invaded, the high-level members chose to appear in the wilderness rather than become trapped.
Seeing this, Zhou Ming directly unleashed his strongest Serpentfolk Form and launched a surprise attack on the man who had shouted.
Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Phantom Snake Hands.
Using the Blood Descendant Secret Technique to guide the power of the Ironthread Snake swarm, combined with the bloodline power within his body, he manifested blood-red serpent shadows that seemed almost tangible.
These blood-red serpent shadows rapidly burst forth from Zhou Ming’s hands. Dozens of crimson serpent projections extended continuously, enveloping the shouting man like tentacles.
Sensing the ambush, the opponent immediately manipulated wind-element energy particles to form sharp Wind Blades, rapidly slicing through the ferocious-looking serpent projections.
However, the blood-red serpent projections were condensed from bloodline power and the strength of the Ironthread Snakes. The moment one was severed, another emerged.
Coupled with the disparity in strength between the two sides, the man was strangled to death by dozens of serpent projections in an instant.
“Courting death.”
Upon discovering that Zhou Ming had killed one of their Professional Beast Tamers through a surprise attack, an incomparably scorching Fireball crashed toward him like a meteor.
“Boom…”
Flames shot into the sky, and within dozens of meters, everything was instantly reduced to charred black.
Sensing danger, Zhou Ming had already left his previous position at the first moment, yet he was surrounded by other Professional Beast Tamers of the Dark Card Organization who had rushed over.
A Phantasmal Tamer, a Beast Knight, and the Dark Card Organization’s unique profession—the Crimson Apostle.
Seeing that only Zhou Ming had appeared, they intended to capture him alive to extract intelligence.
“High-level Professional Rank. Is this your confidence in daring to provoke my Dark Card Organization?”
A figure wrapped in fiery-red Phantasmal Beast armor slowly approached.
Diamonds Six—the person in charge of the Dark Card Organization’s stronghold at Maple Leaf Ridge.
However, contrary to the intelligence provided by the Demonic-looking Man, the aura he revealed had already reached High-level Professional Rank.
That said, his aura was somewhat unstable. It appeared he had only recently advanced and had not yet fully stabilized his power.
The Demonic-looking Man had dared to deceive Zhou Ming precisely because Diamonds Six had only recently advanced and could not verify the authenticity of the intelligence he provided.
Faced with Diamonds Six’s questioning, Zhou Ming merely revealed a cold smile and did not answer. Instead, he directly unleashed his own methods.
Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Snake Tide Poison Miasma.
In the next instant, thousands upon thousands of tiny black serpent projections emerged, surging outward like a torrent.
Seeing this, the members of the Dark Card Organization immediately chose to act, intending to first subdue Zhou Ming and interrogate him slowly.
For a time, various methods were unleashed simultaneously. The Phantasmal Tamer cast long-range spells at Zhou Ming, while the Beast Knight and the Crimson Apostle joined forces to clear the black serpent projections before them.
However, when the black serpent projections were blasted apart, strands of purple poisonous mist instantly enveloped the surroundings. Only then did the Dark Card Organization realize they had been outmaneuvered by Zhou Ming.
The two exclusive spells Zhou Ming had deduced through the Blood Descendant Secret Technique—Phantom Snake Hands and Snake Tide Poison Miasma—each had their own advantages.
Phantom Snake Hands primarily relied on his own bloodline aura and the power of the Ironthread Snakes, manifesting blood-red serpent projections that were almost tangible.
Because they were connected to his body, they could receive an unceasing supply of bloodline power, possessing tremendous strangling force.
As for Snake Tide Poison Miasma, it manifested countless tiny black serpent projections. Although they lacked an endless supply of bloodline power, the black serpent projections had been infused with terrifying snake venom.
Even if enemies destroyed the projections, the concealed snake venom would appear in the form of poisonous mist.
As purple toxic mist spread throughout the surroundings, Zhou Ming gripped the Phantasmal Spirit Sword and took the initiative to charge toward the members of the Dark Card Organization.