After dealing with a series of events, Chen Qi set sail in the dawn's first light, heading towards the origin of the shadow entities.
...
...
Noon, within the Sea God Island waters, Black Forest Island.
Under the huge canopy of trees, a scouting expedition team was frantically fleeing, holding lanterns and frequently glancing back.
Behind them, beast-like noises could be heard from time to time.
Forest Island was an island densely covered with trees. The fluffy tree leaves formed a huge, dark cloak that buried the entire island in darkness.
Before attacking, the shadow entities needed a dwelling, and this island, undoubtedly, became the most suitable abode for them.
The expedition team consisted of five people, all second-order Transcendents. They were here for the one million Shell Coins promised by the Sea God Pirate Group.
Upon arrival, the team captain was overjoyed, thinking they had received a simple detection task!
After all, according to reports, shadow beasts could not approach light.
But now, he couldn't help but say with a trembling voice,
"Is, is he still there?"
As a Blade Phase soldier who had activated the Courage Skill, the team captain was still trembling uncontrollably.
"Captain, I don't know. I feel like they are always there, as soon as our lanterns go out!"
In the forest, fierce winds blew as if countless dark hands were trying to snatch the lantern from his grip.
"Damn Sea God Pirate Group! If it weren't for the flames they promised, I wouldn't be here! If it weren't for that damn debt collector!"
The team captain gnashed his teeth. He was a Hunter who had completed three C-tier Crack missions and twenty D-tier missions, brushing with death numerous times.
His family was once a well-known mining merchant in the Moonstone Islands and had even turned down a marriage alliance with the mayor of Maro Town.
However, after the Crack Tide, due to greed, he and his friends borrowed thirty million Shell Coins from the Bank of Shell Country but were unable to repay, and his entire family of fifty became indebted to the debt collectors.
Why? Why must I repay the money, why must I come to this godforsaken place, why can't I have my freedom, if I just ran away, I wouldn't be dying!
The more the team captain thought, the more furious and regretful he became:
"The family had the capability to handle this; I should have pursued my freedom!!"
He had had enough of this exhausting life. As a graduate of the Bei Country Royal University, he was supposed to be searching the great sea for his love, for his legendary path.
"I want to become a legend, even if it means betraying everyone! Once I'm a legend, no one can stop me!"
The team captain said through clenched teeth.
Suddenly, three whips flew out of the darkness, ensnaring the four team members behind him, and then forcefully pierced into their chests.
Dark red blood splashed onto the team captain's face in an instant.
They were a moment too slow, and that moment decided their life or death!
In the darkness ahead, a tall, pitch-black figure with a large scythe approached him.
"Light! Light! Light!"
The team leader held out the lantern, attempting to block the monster before him!
All shadow beasts were afraid of the light!
However, the creature disregarded the brightness, appearing even more excited.
The next moment, a slender arm grabbed his head, lifted the scythe, and like mowing grass, dark red blood spattered everywhere.
Bang!
The five people were carelessly thrown to the ground.
In the span of a breath, wolf-like shadow beasts surged out from the darkness, their tails wagging happily.
After dealing with the five men, the tall figure bent over, extinguished the lantern with the scythe, and looked towards the entrance of the forest.
He faintly heard, coming from afar, the cries of the weak.
...
...
"Ha! Ha! Ha! (Get lost! Get lost! Don't come near the master! Do you know who my master is?)"
"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! (I am a deep-sea monster! A fearsome beast!)"
Inside Black Forest, Water Elf No. 1 and Water Elf No. 3 were trying hard to puff up their bodies, hopping and jumping on either side of Chen Qi, chasing the shadow beasts in the darkness and biting at them.
Water Elf No. 1 and Water Elf No. 3 were crammed full of spherical lamps; they themselves had become sufficient mobile light sources.
Now, they were Light Elves!
Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire
Chen Qi held the lantern, with Meat Cutting Bone Breaking strapped to his waist, ready to fight at any moment.
In Chen Qi's hand was a divine artifact from the seasoned Transcendent in the White Cloak, one of the finest lanterns from the Witch Sea.
With this lantern, even the giant beasts among the shadow beasts wouldn't dare to approach him carelessly.
Therefore, in Chen Qi's view, the only enemy on this trip was the Shadow of the Lantern mentioned in the intelligence reports.
The deranged Transcendent would not miss an opportunity to hunt me down... Chen Qi thought silently.
As long as he patrolled the edge of the Black Forest, encountering the Shadow of the Lantern was just a matter of time.
However, time was a big problem.
Chen Qi furrowed his brow; the current time was the afternoon, and there was just over an hour before nightfall.
Once night fell, it wouldn't be just about killing the Shadow of the Lantern—staying alive would be a problem in itself.
Under the overwhelming number of shadow beasts, even the daylight lantern would not last for too long.
"Wa wa wa wa! (Shadow beasts! You're too weak! Try to kill us if you dare!)"
"Waku waku! (You feeble creatures, don't you even dare to come near us!)"