Chapter 294 – An Existence That Won't Be Attacked

Tianfeng City outskirts, wilderness danger zone.

This was the wilderness danger zone west of Tianfeng City, an area located dozens of kilometers away from the city.

An off-road vehicle raced through this terrain, traversing mountains and rivers, flying across the wilderness as it headed toward the distant mountain range.

“Roar!”

“Howl!”

Within the wilderness danger zone, some Phantom Demons seemed drawn by the off-road vehicle’s movement. With savage roars, they charged toward it.

However, before they could get close to the vehicle, counterattacks were already launched.

“Bang, bang, bang—!”

These were gunshots.

From the off-road vehicle, several gunshots rang out as bullets tore through the air, swiftly striking the approaching Phantom Demons.

“Thud!” “Thud!” “Thud!”…

The sounds of bullets piercing flesh followed, causing bursts of blood to bloom on the bodies of the Phantom Demons.

“Roar!”

“Howl!”

The wounded Phantom Demons let out agonized howls before collapsing to the ground, losing their ability to fight.

The off-road vehicle sped past the fallen Phantom Demons without slowing, continuing its journey toward the mountains.

Inside the vehicle, Su Ming, sitting in the passenger seat, holstered his gun. Stroking the cool barrel, he smiled with satisfaction.

“Not bad. The firepower is even stronger than I expected. It’s truly a Sorcerer weapon designed specifically to deal with Phantom Demons. While its base power is impressive, its true brilliance lies in the damage it inflicts on Phantom Demons.”

Having long wanted to test the gun against Phantom Demons, Su Ming finally had his fill of excitement.

Beside him, Chi Qian, who was controlling the steering wheel with one hand from the driver’s seat, commented,

“This Spirit Energy Gun performs quite well. It’s superior to most spirit energy weapons I’ve seen.”

It seemed Chi Qian also had positive impressions of the Spirit Energy Gun in Su Ming’s hands.

“Right?” Su Ming smiled slightly, then added with some regret, “It’s just a pity it can only handle lower-tier Phantom Demons. Against higher-tier ones, forget about how much damage it could cause—even hitting them would be a challenge.”

Hearing this, Chi Qian chuckled wryly.

“If a weapon that only requires Spirit Power input to attack and has restraining effects against Phantom Demons could easily threaten higher-tier Phantom Demons, then this world wouldn’t need Hunters anymore, nor would we need to fear the threats from the Spirit Demon Abyss.”

Wasn’t that true?

If random bullets could harm higher-tier Phantom Demons without requiring much skill, special abilities, or techniques—just Spirit Power input—such weapons would inevitably reverse humanity’s disadvantaged position.

Then why would we need Hunters? Why would we need Spirit Arts?

Everyone might as well just practice shooting.

Alchemical weapons like the Spirit Energy Gun could at most threaten lower-tier Phantom Demons, remaining ineffective against higher-tier ones.

Of course, human authorities seemed to be continuously researching spirit energy weapons capable of dealing with higher-tier Phantom Demons. If successful, it would become the greatest invention in human history.

But for now, Spirit Energy Guns capable of threatening higher-tier Phantom Demons still did not exist.”I heard that Tianfeng City is also researching Spirit Energy Guns that can be used by ordinary people. If they succeed, armies composed of ordinary people could play a significant role in the war between humans and Phantom Demons.”

Chi Qian shared this news with Su Ming.

“Isn’t there already alchemical ammunition?”

Su Ming fiddled with the Spirit Energy Gun in his hand as he asked curiously.

“It’s different.” Chi Qian shook her head. “Alchemical ammunition is ultimately consumable, and with production issues, every shot is precious. It’s only permitted in truly urgent situations. Once it’s used up, the army is essentially useless.”

“The Spirit Energy Gun is different. It doesn’t require loading bullets—just supplying Spirit Power is enough. Its lethality against Phantom Demons is also greater than alchemical ammunition. If ordinary people could use it, the Major Base Cities would immediately recruit Alchemists to mass-produce Spirit Energy Guns and equip the armies.”

“Unfortunately, ordinary people have no Spirit Power at all. Only Sorcerers with Spirit Power can use Spirit Energy Guns. This is a problem that must be overcome.”

Chi Qian spoke about this matter intermittently.

“Is that so?”

Su Ming nodded to show he understood.

“Alright, we’re almost there.” Chi Qian pointed to the deep mountains not far ahead. “That’s the S-class wonderland, the Venomous Insect Cave.”

Though called a “cave,” this S-class wonderland actually encompassed that entire stretch of deep, ancient forest—not any actual cavern.

Su Ming gazed into the distance, expanding his Spirit Sense, and instantly detected the terror of that ancient forest.

The aura of Phantom Demons felt like swarms of locusts, continuously detected by Su Ming’s Spirit Sense, making his scalp tingle.

The area where the ancient forest stood was also shrouded in a thick demonic presence. The atmospheric composition seemed different from the outside, appearing as if purple mist drifted within, giving off an eerie feeling.

The off-road vehicle stopped before the Venomous Insect Cave, not daring to drive into that ancient forest.

Su Ming and Chi Qian got out of the vehicle one after another, slamming the doors shut with force as they stood side by side, gazing at the eerie mountains.

At this moment, Chi Qian couldn’t help but feel nervous.

This wasn’t her first time here.

Over the past year, Chi Qian had come here countless times. Sometimes she would even come specifically to look, as if it allowed her to sense the presence of her companions sleeping within, making her want to rush in countless times—even if just to see them once and confirm whether they were alive or dead.

Unfortunately, Chi Qian always had to dismiss this dangerous thought.

Not because she feared death, but because she worried that if she died, no one would be left to save her companions.

Now, she had formed a contract with Su Ming and brought him here.

If Su Ming truly had a way to enter and rescue her companions, then…

Thinking of this, the tension in Chi Qian’s heart refused to fade, and her sense of urgency grew stronger.

“What are you going to do?”

Impatiently, Chi Qian asked Su Ming.

But…

“I’m not going to do anything.”

Su Ming’s response left Chi Qian stunned.

Seeing this, Su Ming shrugged.”You yourself said that the environment inside is harsh, with venomous insects comparable to microorganisms. Once you step in, they will inevitably burrow into your body, sucking you dry of blood until you die. Even Seven-Star Professionals don’t want to set foot in there, so how could I possibly have any way to do anything?”

After witnessing the conditions of the Venomous Insect Cave firsthand, Su Ming was certain that even he would struggle to handle it if he carelessly entered, let alone the numerous insect-type Phantom Demons inside, including a Nightmare Species—the Poisonous Insect Queen.

This level of power was something Su Ming couldn’t face alone.

Forget the countless venomous insects and insect-type Phantom Demons inside; even the Nightmare Species Poisonous Insect Queen might be more than he could handle.

Nightmare Species were beings that Six-Star Professionals could barely contend with, and only Seven-Star Professionals had the ability to subdue them.

At his current level, even if Su Ming went all out, he could at most rival a Six-Star Professional. Whether he could take on that Poisonous Insect Queen was truly uncertain.

Moreover, the Poisonous Insect Queen had made the S-class Venomous Insect Cave her stronghold, laying countless venomous insects to gather blood for her, continuously strengthening her power. It was highly likely she now possessed strength ranking among the top even among Nightmare Species.

Faced with such a terrifying existence, Su Ming, who was currently in a phase of rapid power growth, naturally had no desire to provoke her unnecessarily.

However, just because Su Ming couldn’t enter didn’t mean others couldn’t.

“Come out, girl.”

Su Ming spoke these words to the empty space beside him.

Just as Chi Qian was puzzled by Su Ming’s actions, a shocking scene unfolded before her.

“Meeling—”

In response to an ethereal, melodious cry, a dreamlike figure quietly emerged.

She was like an immortal fairy parting the clouds to reveal herself, like a princess stepping out from behind a curtain—so beautiful she seemed otherworldly, as exquisitely crafted as a work of art, evoking awe and breathtaking wonder.

Of course, the dreamlike being appearing before Chi Qian at this moment was neither an immortal fairy nor a princess.

The waterfall-like aqua-blue hair cascading to her waist and the beautiful fishtail were, in Chi Qian’s memory, consistent with only one kind of being—

————「Mermaid」.

The legendary mythical creature said to dwell in the ocean, possessing a beautiful voice and appearance, now stood before Chi Qian.

Chi Qian also knew that mermaids didn’t exist in this world.

The mermaid girl before her wasn’t the beautiful creature from fairy tales but humanity’s natural enemy.

“Phantom Demon!”

Without hesitation, Chi Qian reached back and gripped the longsword strapped to her back.

“Meeling!”

But the moment Chi Qian moved, the mermaid girl acted as well.

With a graceful wave of her slender hand, a chilling wind, light as drifting snow, swept out—small in scale but precisely aimed at Chi Qian’s sword-holding hand.

“Crack, crack, crack…”

In the next second, Chi Qian’s hand and the sword’s hilt began to freeze solid amid a series of unnerving, grating sounds of ice formation.

“Wh-what…!?”

Chi Qian trembled.

In just this one exchange, Chi Qian was certain: she was no match for this overwhelmingly beautiful Phantom Demon.

A Hazardous Species?

No!

Power of this level had to be, at the very least, a mutant Hazardous Species!

That was already the closest to a Nightmare Species, capable of rivaling a Six-Star Professional!Moreover, judging from the faint suppression she felt from her own Bloodline, the other party was likely more than just a mutated Hazardous Species!

A Nightmare Species?

Chi Qian’s throat instantly went dry.

At this moment, in Chi Qian’s eyes, this excessively beautiful being had undoubtedly transformed into an overwhelmingly terrifying existence.

Chi Qian even felt that this might be the end for her.

Until Su Ming spoke.

“Stop messing around!”

Su Ming tapped the mermaid girl on the head.

“Miling!”

The mermaid girl immediately cried out in pain, turned her head, and protested at Su Ming.

“You still have the nerve to protest?” Su Ming glared at the mermaid girl. “She’s on our side. Didn’t you see her following us all the way here?”

“Miling!” The mermaid girl puffed up her cheeks in anger.

“This…” Chi Qian was dumbfounded and bewildered.

What’s going on?

Am I going crazy, or is something off?

Who am I?

Where am I?

What am I supposed to do?

Am I… seeing a human and a Phantom Demon… flirting with each other…?

And that Phantom Demon is even puffing her cheeks in anger—is this really something a Phantom Demon would do?

I must be dreaming, right?

Chi Qian was so shocked by the surreal scene before her that she lost her usual composure and sharpness.

Su Ming then pressed Little Hai’er’s head down, ignoring her protests, and looked at Chi Qian.

“Don’t worry.”

Seeing the shock in Chi Qian’s eyes and the confusion on her face, Su Ming grinned.

“As you can see, this girl is harmless. You can just pretend you didn’t see her.”

Upon hearing Su Ming’s words, Chi Qian wanted to tell him that this was not something she could simply ignore.

But seeing Su Ming grinning and completely unguarded against the mermaid girl, Chi Qian swallowed the words that were about to escape her lips.

“What are you standing there for? Thaw her out!”

Su Ming tapped Little Hai’er on the head again.

“Miling!”

Little Hai’er grew even angrier but still followed Su Ming’s instructions, thawing the ice on Chi Qian.

“Bang!”

As if glass had shattered, the ice encasing Chi Qian’s hand suddenly exploded, turning into shards that scattered into the air, freeing her hand from the sword hilt.

Chi Qian suppressed the urge to immediately draw her sword, took a deep breath, and then withdrew her hand, shifting her intense gaze from Little Hai’er to Su Ming.

“Seriously, who are you?”

Chi Qian questioned with a bitter tone.

Without a doubt, Su Ming’s image in Chi Qian’s mind had become even more mysterious than before.

“That’s not important,” Su Ming said with a smile. “What matters is that I can have this girl enter the Venomous Insect Cave and help rescue your companion.”

“Her?” Chi Qian was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to recall something, her eyes lighting up.

“It seems you’ve figured it out,” Su Ming noticed Chi Qian’s reaction and nodded. “That’s right. It’s difficult for us humans to move freely in the Venomous Insect Cave, but if it’s a Phantom Demon, that’s a different story.”

Chi Qian had mentioned earlier that the venomous insects in the Venomous Insect Cave would drain the blood of all creatures except Phantom Demons, concentrating it and transmitting it to the queen for her consumption.

In that case, wouldn’t it be possible for a Phantom Demon, who wouldn’t be attacked, to enter and rescue Chi Qian’s companion?This was the method Su Ming had thought of.

Coincidentally, Little Hai’er was a Phantom Demon.

Therefore, this method wouldn’t become baseless talk, but rather a plan that could actually be implemented.

Chi Qian thought of this point and couldn’t help but feel excited in her heart.

“Will it work?” Chi Qian said, unable to conceal her excitement and apprehension: “Although it’s said to only attack creatures other than Phantom Demons, the Phantom Demons inhabiting the Venomous Insect Cave are all insect-type Phantom Demons. What if non-insect Phantom Demons who enter also get attacked?”

After all, incidents of Phantom Demons killing each other and devouring each other’s flesh and blood were not uncommon.

Otherwise, before the Spirit Demon Abyss connected with the present world, how did the Phantom Demons in the Spirit Demon Abyss survive by drinking blood and accumulate blood for evolution?

Therefore, Little Hai’er might also be attacked.

“Let’s give it a try.” Su Ming said quite optimistically: “Anyway, even if we fail, it shouldn’t cause any serious trouble for this girl.”

This was what Su Ming thought.

(End of Chapter)