Chapter 375 – Today's Greatest Adventure

“————”

In that instant, all words vanished among the group.

Including Su Ming, everyone simply gazed at that terrifying colossal form, their minds trembling incessantly from the demonic aura radiating from it.

The demonic aura was so thick, the fear it emanated so intense, it felt as if a demonic god from Hell had appeared here.

“Is that the Hell Beast?”

“A Nightmare Species mutant…”

Their minds trembled, unable to regain composure for a long time.

“It’s actually this big?”

Even Su Ming couldn’t help but feel a heavy pressure washing over him.

The demonic aura of the giant beast was truly too terrifying, its appearance too monstrous.

If nothing else, just in terms of size, the giant beast napping on the ground was the largest Phantom Demon Su Ming had ever seen in his life.

Compared to it, even the Giant Phantom Demon that guarded the Purple Snow Essence on the Sixth Floor seemed like a small child, requiring them to look up at this pitch-black giant beast as massive as a small hill.

Before this giant beast, the dozens-of-meters-tall Giant Phantom Demon was nothing but a little brother.

And this was while it was lying down.

If it were to stand up, Su Ming had reason to believe that even the Giant Phantom Demon would be swatted away like a ball with a single claw.

This showed just how terrifying the size of the Nightmare Species mutant known as the Hell Beast was.

“Haa…”

After who knows how long, everyone finally let out a breath one after another.

“Let’s go.” Xu Xiayan forcibly suppressed the shock in her heart and whispered, “The scanning and analysis range of the Alchemy Instruments and Alchemy Devices is limited. We need to advance first and get within a hundred meters to proceed.”

“A hundred meters?” Chi Qian instinctively said, “Do we need to get that close?”

Everyone present also felt a wave of unease instinctively.

A hundred meters—in the world of ordinary people, it might not be considered too close, but in the world of Professionals, it’s practically nothing.

Not to mention an Upper-Rank Professional, even a lower-rank Professional with a bit of strength could reduce this hundred-meter distance to zero in less than a second.

At this distance, in front of the Hell Beast’s colossal body, a single stumble could cover it.

Coupled with the numerous Walking Corpses around the Hell Beast, the thought of crossing through them to reach within a hundred meters of the Hell Beast made everyone’s scalps tingle.

“This won’t work.”

“We can’t do it.”

Qiao Liang and Zhu Qian even shook their heads.

In response, Xu Xiayan just smiled.

“Don’t worry, those Living Dead have no self-awareness; they’re just wandering there instinctively,” Xu Xiayan said. “They’re merely forms created from the Hell Beast’s blood, not even Puppets. If the Hell Beast were awake, it could control them to fight, but if the Hell Beast isn’t awake and no one is controlling them, these Walking Corpses won’t take any action.”

Wang Di and Wang Qian immediately echoed Xu Xiayan’s words.

“That’s right, as long as the Hell Beast doesn’t wake up, even if we walk right past these forms, they won’t react at all.”

“To ensure the reconnaissance goes smoothly, our team has prepared many things that can hypnotize and temporarily put the Hell Beast to sleep. Since it’s napping right now, that’s even better.”The two members of “Summer Chasing Smoke” quickly explained, having clearly learned some details about the Hell Beast from Xu Xiayan in advance.

“If that’s the case…”

“Then there’s still a chance.”

Qiao Liang and Zhu Qian exchanged glances before finally nodding in agreement.

“Commander.”

Chi Qian turned her gaze toward Su Ming.

Su Ming remained silent, continuing to stare intently at the Hell Beast while fully unleashing his Spirit Sense, enveloping the area ahead.

Through Su Ming’s Spirit Sense, he detected at least tens of thousands—perhaps even a hundred thousand—wandering figures below.

Though these forms were merely Walking Corpses, devoid of any self-awareness, Su Ming could still sense formidable auras emanating from them.

These auras told Su Ming that, despite being mere Living Dead, they indeed retained the strength they possessed in life, just as Xu Xiayan had described.

Such a concentrated force was undeniably terrifying.

Consider this: the Hell Beast, a Phantom Demon that had evolved into a Nightmare Species Mutant and served as the top general under a Terror Species, had been manifesting in this world since ancient times. How many humans and Phantom Demons had it devoured over the ages?

Among them were undoubtedly fellow Phantom Demons only slightly weaker than itself, as well as top-tier human Professionals.

These beings were either Nightmare Species or Seven-Star level Professionals.

If these recreated forms truly possessed their original power, wouldn’t that mean Nightmare Species and Seven-Star Professionals were now wandering right before Su Ming and the others’ eyes?

And now, such a horde was gathered directly in front of them.

To pass right under their noses?

The sheer terror of that scenario was self-evident.

Of course, these forms lacked self-awareness and required the Hell Beast’s control to move. Even if their power could be replicated, their combat effectiveness would undoubtedly be far inferior to when they were alive.

Especially with so many forms below, it was nearly impossible for the Hell Beast to control them all to fight with their original prowess.

After all, the Hell Beast didn’t understand human combat techniques or Spirit Arts. Even if it controlled a Seven-Star human expert, how much of that power could it actually utilize?

Similarly, even with fellow Phantom Demons, the Hell Beast would struggle to manipulate bodies and powers so different from its own to execute suitable combat techniques.

Yet even so, the situation remained dreadfully dangerous.

What if the Hell Beast suddenly awakened…

“Damn, this is way too intense.”

At this moment, even Su Ming felt like they were courting death.

If this were some clichéd movie, TV drama, or novel, their current actions would undoubtedly trigger some accident—the Hell Beast would abruptly awaken, and they’d end up as cannon fodder who’d foolishly gotten themselves killed before being written off.

Though Su Ming had always wanted to play a side character, he had no intention of being the type who dies from sheer stupidity.

“Looks like we need to be ready to retreat at any moment.”

Su Ming could only make this mental preparation as he turned to Chi Qian and gave a slight nod.

Understanding his meaning, Chi Qian nodded in response.”It seems no one has any objections.” Seeing this, Xu Xiayan immediately said, “Then let’s get moving right away.”

With that, Xu Xiayan took the lead and jumped down into the basin below.

Wang Di and Wang Qian followed without hesitation.

Qiao Liang and Zhu Qian stood still for a moment before jumping down as well.

Su Ming originally intended to bring Chi Qian along, but noticed Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan standing there with pale faces, their legs visibly trembling.

Undoubtedly, these two female Hunters who had not yet reached the upper ranks were unable to withstand the pressure like the Six-Star existences and continue forward in the face of that terrifying dark giant beast.

The fact that they hadn’t fled on the spot already showed they had good mental fortitude.

“Do you need my help?”

Su Ming scratched his head, then finally sighed and made the suggestion.

“N-no, it’s fine…”

“We can do it!”

Their lips trembled slightly, but they declined Su Ming’s offer.

“Alright then.” Su Ming didn’t press further, simply saying, “Chi Qian and I will guard you from behind. Just take your time moving forward.”

“That’s right.” Chi Qian naturally had no objections.

“Thank you.” The two female Hunters from the Bai Family first gave grateful looks to Su Ming and Chi Qian, then mustered their courage and jumped into the basin while carrying a pile of instruments.

Only then did Su Ming and Chi Qian follow, beginning the day’s greatest adventure.

……

It must be said that this journey was quite thrilling.

Forms emitting astonishing auras wandered about like the Living Dead, while Su Ming’s group had to pass right in front of them – truly stimulating enough.

Sometimes, they would encounter slow-moving human powerhouses coming from the opposite direction.

Other times, they would brush past powerful Phantom Demons staggering past.

Those corpse-like forms were so close by, their auras released without any concealment – the feeling was hardly different from charging into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Under such circumstances, not only Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan, but even the Six-Star Professionals – the highest combatants and leaders of their respective teams – felt their hearts trembling with fear.

Fortunately, just as Xu Xiayan had said, these Living Dead-like forms had no self-awareness, not even instincts. As long as the Hell Beast remained asleep and didn’t control them, they would only wander about here.

So although the process was somewhat thrilling, even when everyone passed right in front of these forms, it didn’t provoke any other reactions.

Thus, Su Ming’s group arrived near the Hell Beast.

“That’s enough.”

Xu Xiayan seemed to have been calculating the distance all along. Seeing the dark giant beast, tall as a small hill, now right before them, she immediately stopped at just the right moment.

“We’re exactly a hundred meters from the Hell Beast. Let’s stop here.”

As she said this, Xu Xiayan had already arrived at the side of a cliff wall.

With the cliff wall serving as cover, this was an excellent hiding spot.

Xu Xiayan seemed to have deliberately looked for such a place to serve as the group’s hiding place.

Otherwise, being directly exposed within the Hell Beast’s line of sight would have been too difficult for everyone present.

And indeed, that was the case.Upon hearing Xu Xiayan’s words and realizing they didn’t need to advance further, even Qiao Liang, Zhu Qian, Wang Di, and Wang Qian couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The demonic nature and aura of the Hell Beast were truly overwhelming—the closer they got, the greater the pressure weighing on everyone’s hearts.

By this point, even Chi Qian had begun sweating on her forehead, let alone beings like Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan.

To go any further would truly be pushing them too far.

“Ruxiang, Xiaoyan, come here,” Xu Xiayan began issuing quiet orders.

“Yes,” Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan promptly responded, starting to set up the Alchemy Device and Alchemy Instrument.

(End of Chapter)