Chapter 45: I've Become a Monster?

“That man has distinctive features, and his back glows. We should be able to find him soon.”

“By the way, is he even a candidate? I suspect he’s a BOSS specially arranged by the officials.”

It wasn’t the first time someone had thought Jiang Yan was arranged by the officials. One could only say that the officials were truly taking the blame for this one.

Jiang Yan was awakened by the sound of dense, hurried footsteps.

Opening his eyes, he saw a massive procession of candidates marching ahead. For some reason, they weren’t attacking each other over points.

Ceasing conflict for mutual benefit.

Clearly, this group had come together because of a shared interest.

“So, what’s the reason?” Jiang Yan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Hey, handsome guy up ahead, want to join us?”

Just then, a young girl suddenly ran over and extended a verbal invitation.

“What’s in it for me if I join?” Jiang Yan asked casually.

“Of course there are benefits.” The girl put her hands on her hips and leaned in close to whisper in Jiang Yan’s ear. “We’re going to fight a big BOSS. Defeating him will probably earn us a lot of points.”

Jiang Yan’s interest was piqued.

“What big BOSS?”

“I’m not sure either. I only caught a glimpse from far away last night. That guy looked human, but also like a monster, with wings on his back that sparkled in the night.”

The girl gave Jiang Yan a strange description, leaving him even more confused.

He summarized it and repeated it back to her: “Human-like but not quite, with wings, and glowing?”

The girl nodded. “Exactly, that’s what I meant.”

“So, do you want to join our hunting party?”

She extended the invitation again, sincerely.

“Sure.” Jiang Yan smiled, clearly intrigued by the so-called big BOSS.

And just like that, Jiang Yan inexplicably joined the hunting party.

Of course, he just wanted to see what this terrifying BOSS, whom people were so eager to team up and hunt, actually looked like.

“Strange, why haven’t I seen it?”

Jiang Yan never expected that someone would describe his cool cloak as fluttering like moth wings.

According to the girl’s description, he could no longer even be considered human.

The group continued to grow. Along the way, almost no one dared to provoke them. In a short time, candidates from all around joined the party, swelling their numbers to five hundred.

The figure hanging in the sky last night had left an indelible shadow on everyone. Moreover, because the cloak glowed, Jiang Yan’s face was in shadow, making it nearly impossible for anyone to recognize him.

In the descriptions passed from person to person, the figure hanging in the sky could no longer be called human.

Some said it had fangs and could devour a candidate in one second.

Others claimed it was covered in tentacles and liked to crawl through hollow spaces in animals.

There were even those who thought the monster was a pervert, specifically targeting tender-skinned girls to defile and then eat.

If Jiang Yan could have heard that it was about him, he’d have needed a master diviner at home.

When the Live Stream switched to this scene, the two commentators fell silent for a moment. The screen played quietly, giving off a sense of calm madness.

The Bullet Comments were practically rolling with laughter. No one had ever imagined that someone would one day join a party hunting themselves.

They began to anticipate the stone-faced reactions these people would have when they discovered that Jiang Yan was actually the BOSS they were trying to defeat.

“Hey, you up ahead, want to join us?”

Li Qingle held a long spear, her hair tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her face was free of makeup, exuding a natural, imposing aura of heroism. Her posture was upright, appearing even more slender against the backdrop of the spear.

“What do you want?”

This was someone who didn’t like to talk much.

“Did you see the monster in the sky last night? We’re a group specifically formed to defeat that monster.”

The leader was a boy who became especially enthusiastic after seeing Li Qingle’s cool and aloof face.

He liked that kind of vibe.

“No, I’ll deal with it myself.”

Li Qingle turned and walked away.

There were too many people here; she didn’t like the chaotic atmosphere.

“Ah, what a shame.” The man sighed and continued to recruit more people around him.

“I alone can handle the monster you’re talking about.”

Meanwhile, Xiao Ziming also declined the invitation from this ragtag group.

“Hah, so that’s the guy who defeated Shang? I’m really looking forward to it~”

Xiao Ziming tightly gripped his longsword, a faint aura of killing intent radiating from his body.

It had to be said that most Geniuses possessed their own pride. Before experiencing failure, they all believed they could defeat their opponents.

In comparison, Jiang Yan was more laid-back. He stayed within the group, listening to these people’s amusing stories about the monster, thoroughly enjoying the gossip.

Finally, night fell.

“Quick, it’s dark! Everyone, stay alert!”

“That monster likes to hang in the sky, and it’s incredibly fast. You all must be very careful.”

The atmosphere in the group grew tense instantly. Everyone looked up at the sky, their expressions grave.

Jiang Yan also followed their lead and glanced upward, but the more he looked, the stranger it seemed.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared ahead.

Jiang Yan focused his gaze and realized it was Shang Xingren, who had escaped from him last time.

“Hey, found you.”

Without another word, Jiang Yan activated his Battle Saint Armor.

Amid the dim campfire light, a beam of golden divine radiance illuminated everyone’s faces.

Jiang Yan flew into the air.

Everyone followed the source of the light and froze in place.

Not far away, Shang Xingren’s legs trembled, and he instinctively wanted to flee.

“No, I can’t run!”

Shang Xingren gritted his teeth. Last time, he ran out of instinct, but what would this time be?

He recalled Xiao Ziming’s words to him, the disappointment in his tone still fresh in his memory.

Once, he had been such a proud person!

Suddenly, the despondence in his eyes vanished, replaced by a thick, burning Battle Intent.

At worst, I’ll just be eliminated. I, Shang Xingren, need a battle to find myself again!

“He… he’s the monster!”

The group formed to defeat the monster descended into chaos.

People screamed in terror, some even scattering in all directions. The once-united front now crumbled like loose sand.

This temporarily united group had no cohesion whatsoever; the slightest external force could easily tear it apart.

To subdue the enemy without fighting.

Jiang Yan instantly understood.

Damn it, so I’m the one you’ve been talking about? The one who devours people without spitting out bones, eats ten children in one meal, and loves to crawl into people’s holes—that big fluttering moth?

“Hah, you all are quite good at spreading rumors, aren’t you?”

Jiang Yan sneered at the fleeing examinees, as if he had truly become the demon they spoke of.

Just then, several figures darted like lightning against the tide of the escaping crowd.