Chapter Thirty-Nine: Night Sentinels

“Elemental stones are products of the rules. If I forge weapons from elemental stones, can they surpass the rules themselves?” Fang Tang recalled the Frost Lance, but then shook his head. “From the Eye’s description, the Frost Lance is rare, but not top-tier. Perhaps the most powerful weapons can reach the level of the rules, but I haven’t obtained any yet.”

“Spirit-bound weapons might be a good choice, though I don’t know how to acquire them. The appearance of special items in golden chests is just a matter of probability—I can’t rely on luck alone. There must be other methods to obtain them.”

“Apart from weapons, there’s also my own strength. The Eye once mentioned tiered creatures; there must be higher-tiered beings within the underground. Is it possible for me to become a tiered creature, too?”

“I don’t know how to gain a level yet; the Eye hasn’t given me any hints, so I’ll have to figure it out myself. Maybe sequence abilities? I wonder if the second-tier shop sells those.”

“In any case, earning money is the most pressing issue. If I come across a sequence ability in the second-tier shop, I’ll buy it. If not, I’ll settle for blueprints.”

Having sorted out his thoughts, Fang Tang’s gaze grew resolute.

His creed was simple: survive, no matter the means.

He dismantled the golden treasure chest, obtaining three gold ingots. He weighed them in his hand, the crisp clinking sound echoing pleasantly.

“Can these be used in blueprints?” Fang Tang wondered.

After all, the blueprints typically required common materials, like iron, copper, or silver ingots.

But gold ingots—he had yet to see any chest produce them, nor had he seen anyone list them for sale.

Not everyone owned a Disassembly Hammer, after all.

“Soft-bodied creatures that go ‘hohoho’ love shiny things. In their possession, this item fetches a price even higher than gold itself. Although merchants are usually greedy, they’re often generous with things they’re fond of.”

“Then I’ll sell them to the octopus!”

Pocketing the gold ingots, he looked up at the surrounding walls.

Golden subtitles flashed before his eyes, leaving Fang Tang momentarily stunned.

“Oh! Damn that Goddess of Luck, she’s played us for fools again. The golden chest and that ghost have drained all our luck at once. This time, our situation is even more dire than before.

Ahead—piranhas. The rules allow them to swim through soil and leap up to tear apart their enemies.

To the left—the Night Sentinels. Don’t be fooled by the name; they can move freely during the day and are immensely powerful. At night, they become even stronger, surpassing even some tiered creatures.

To the right—venomous bees. Don’t pick this route, even a swarm of regular bees would be too much for you.

Below—Red Light, Green Light creatures. These beings have had their tiers stripped away but possess mutated abilities: the Woodification Game and Reversal of Right and Wrong. They’re a headache to deal with; one misstep could mean death.

Above… You can’t go there, so I won’t elaborate. It’s practically a crocodile pit.”

Fang Tang fell silent.

Is every path a dead end?

He felt a wave of helplessness.

“Do you have any recommendations? Which route is the most suitable?”

He truly didn’t know what to choose; four new underground creatures he’d never faced, and he didn’t feel confident.

“With the Daxia Dragon Sparrow in hand, you can only handle the Night Sentinels. It’s daytime now, so their power isn’t at its peak.

The Sentinels are formidable—they possess immense strength, hardened skin, and a pair of piercing eyes. All you can do is prepare your Daxia Dragon Sparrow and Explosive Bow.”

…Even the AKM is being left out? Makes sense; bullets couldn’t even pierce the skin of the Sand Python.

It seems only magic can defeat a warrior.

Fang Tang drew a deep breath, fastened the Daxia Dragon Sparrow at his waist, gripped the Explosive Bow, and headed toward the left tunnel.

Cave No. 82.

The moment he entered, he saw a towering figure in the distance.

Over five meters tall, its entire body was pitch black with a metallic sheen, its eyes bright as headlights.

Fang Tang didn’t hesitate—he nocked an arrow and aimed at the Sentinel.

Whoosh!

With a howl, the arrow traced a white arc through the air, reaching the Night Sentinel in an instant.

So fast!

Seeing the arrow’s speed, Fang Tang was about to rejoice when a look of shock crossed his face.

The Sentinel raised its arm with lightning speed, swatting the arrow aside. The sizzling electric net burst open on the ground, causing not even a scratch.

“Damn… just a plant!” Fang Tang cursed, quickly nocking another arrow, but the Night Sentinel was already on the move.

Its pace was unhurried, yet with legs nearly three meters long, each step erased a huge distance.

Only a dozen meters separated Fang Tang and the Sentinel—just a few strides would close the gap.

Its towering form radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure.

“Hoo…” Fang Tang exhaled deeply, forcing himself to stay calm.

Days of combat had taught him: in critical moments, composure was key.

He just had to find the Night Sentinel’s weakness.

“Eye, I’m counting on you!”

“The Night Sentinel’s skin is like copper and bone like iron. Its weak spot is between its eyes. With your current archery skills, hitting it is nearly impossible. Maybe you can try the Daxia Dragon Sparrow and gamble on that ten percent chance.”

Fang Tang’s lips twitched with exasperation.

Did you see the size of that fist? If it lands, I might not survive.

Getting close is even riskier than using the Explosive Bow.

With a grim set to his eyes, Fang Tang swiftly drew his bow again.

I refuse to believe I can’t hit you at this distance!

Whoosh!

The Night Sentinel, as if possessing precognitive abilities, twisted its head at an unnatural angle, dodging the arrow that not even the naked eye could track.

Fang Tang’s gaze grew fierce.

Staring at the Sentinel steadily advancing, he planted his feet and pulled the bowstring taut once more.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Three arrows in a line, all aimed at the Sentinel’s chest.

It swatted aside the first, but the second was too close—unable to block, it pierced the Sentinel’s arm.

The electric net exploded on impact, followed by another net bursting on its chest.

The Night Sentinel’s movements paused; it glanced down at the arrows embedded in its chest.

The white light of its eyes turned pink, a clear sign of rage.

It had actually been wounded!

This ant must die!

The Night Sentinel snapped its head up, preparing to charge at Fang Tang, but only caught a flash of white.

The sixth arrow pierced straight through its neck.

An electric net enveloped its head.

Just as Fang Tang thought he’d succeeded, the Night Sentinel sprang into action.

With explosive speed, it lunged at Fang Tang, its fist—larger than a basketball—hurtling toward his head.

Fang Tang’s expression was calm. In a flash, he drew his blade to meet the fist.

The keen edge sliced across, leaving a shallow wound on the Sentinel’s hand.

Fang Tang darted beneath its legs, rolled to his feet, and spun around to face the Sentinel’s back.

You shamed the Soldier Immortal; I’ll let you taste the agony of defeat!

With a fierce glare, Fang Tang gripped the Daxia Dragon Sparrow in both hands and thrust it toward the gap at the base of the Sentinel’s spine.