Chapter 31: Assassination

Xia Tong instantly understood the true value of the Moon-Orchid. To her—and indeed to any esper—this was a priceless treasure.

"It can actually repair damaged 'Crystal Cores'!"

One had to understand that the Crystal Core was the core energy source for any esper. Even the slightest damage could impair the use of abilities and the flow of energy, and such damage could not be repaired on its own.

Furthermore, this Moon-Orchid had the potential to activate "Ability Ductility." This was a special skill that espers typically only began to comprehend upon reaching the fourth tier—for instance, transforming basic water elements into mist, steam, or other specialized forms, allowing for the development of more "skills" and versatile ways to utilize one's power.

She never expected... after leaving that base, her luck in this life would truly be this remarkable.

She gazed at the three orchids blooming quietly below, a gleam of determination flashing in her eyes.

"This, truly, is an unexpected windfall." She smiled silently, waiting in the shadows for the perfect moment.

...

Inside the narrow cavern, the scar-faced man and his two companions were still immersed in the joy of being on the verge of obtaining the Moon-Orchid and completing their mission, unaware that a lethal threat had already quietly descended.

"The Moon-Orchid... it really is the Moon-Orchid!"

A look of wild ecstasy spread across the scar-faced man’s rugged features, his voice trembling slightly. He hadn't expected the intelligence provided by the base to be accurate. He took two steps forward, greedily inhaling the energy-rich air, which carried a faint, refreshing fragrance.

"Those old geezers at the base weren't lying to us! This trip wasn't in vain!"

Beside him, Ke Ji adjusted his glasses in excitement. Looking at the mild energy readings on his tablet, he spoke incoherently:

"Captain, this energy response... it's too pure! It’s even better than what was described in the file! With this, we can..."

Although Xiao Ling remained vigilant, the corners of her taut mouth lifted slightly, and a flicker of relief crossed her eyes. The hardships of this journey had finally paid off.

"Don't get too happy yet," the scar-faced man took a deep breath, struggling to calm his excitement, though the fervor in his eyes remained undiminished. "Let's secure the goods first! Ke Ji, you and Xiao Ling, keep watch. I will harvest it myself!"

He knew the value of the Moon-Orchid too well; for such a rare treasure, he had to retrieve it personally to feel at ease. Moreover, he vaguely felt that his fire-type ability had been stirred during the previous battle; if he could obtain a bit of nourishment from the Moon-Orchid, he might be able to break through his current bottleneck.

Just as the scar-faced man took a step toward the Moon-Orchids by the water pool, a cold glint flashed in the eyes of Xia Tong, who was hidden in a crevice high above.

The moment had arrived.

Like a top-tier predator that had been lying in wait for a long time, she had finally caught her prey at their most relaxed. The three of them were now completely focused on the Moon-Orchid; it was the best time for her to strike.

Her target was Ke Ji, who appeared to be the weakest in the group. His ability was entirely support-oriented. She knew the principle of picking the easiest target first!

Once she took one out, the remaining two would be much easier to handle—especially since the other one, the fire-type esper, had borne the brunt of the burden in the previous battle.

With this thought, she silently gathered her water-type energy. Wisps of cold vapor condensed at the tips of her claws, rapidly forming a slender yet incredibly sharp water arrow.

The tip of the arrow shimmered with a faint blue light, carrying extreme piercing power.

Now...

Without the slightest hesitation, just as the scar-faced man's hand was about to touch the petals of the Moon-Orchid:

"Whoosh!"

A sound so faint it was almost negligible pierced the air, swift as a lightning strike!

The arrow, condensed from Xia Tong’s pure water energy, shot out from the dark corner like a dark blue bolt of lightning, aimed precisely at Ke Ji, who was standing with his back to her, fully engrossed in the data on his tablet!

The alarm on the tablet sounded... but it was too late!

"Squelch!"

The sound of the arrow entering flesh was dull and clear.

"Urgh..."

Ke Ji didn't even have time to react. He only felt a heart-wrenching pain in his back, and a cold energy instantly invaded his body, frantically destroying his life force.

The tablet in his hands clattered to the ground, its screen shattering and the data streams instantly descending into chaos. He let out a shrill scream, his body stiffened abruptly, and he slumped forward.

Blood instantly stained his combat suit crimson.

"Ke Ji!"

"Who's there?!"

The scar-faced man and Xiao Ling turned around in horror at the same time, their eyes splitting with rage! The event had happened so fast they hadn't even had time to react!

The scar-faced man’s hand, which had been reaching out, froze in mid-air. The ecstasy on his face was instantly replaced by shock, fury, and disbelief. He whipped around, his giant axe held across his chest, scanning the dark corners of the surroundings as he roared:

"Which bastard is ambushing us? Get the hell out here!"

Xiao Ling reacted even faster. The moment Ke Ji fell, the specialized crossbow in her hand was aimed directly at the direction from which the water arrow had come, and a cold killing intent radiated from her.

"What is going on? How careless... I didn't even sense anything unusual nearby!" A bead of cold sweat slid down her forehead.

Xia Tong’s figure remained hidden in the shadows, watching the two flustered individuals opposite her with calm detachment.

Very good. One was already down.

"Scum, get out here!" The scar-faced man roared, rising from the pool and brandishing his axe.

Xiao Ling held her pistol, staying on guard while her invisible mental energy swept through the area. Strangely, she found nothing; she realized then that her opponent had managed to shield themselves from her perception.

In the current situation, either the enemy was also a mental-type awakened being, or they were extremely adept at concealment. Either way, it was unfavorable for them.

"This is trouble..."

The enemy was in the dark, while they were in the light. The two exchanged a silent look and decided to take the initiative, closing in toward the direction from which the water arrow had been fired.

"You’d better come out on your own..." the scar-faced man threatened in a gravelly voice as he approached, trying to force the hidden enemy to reveal themselves. "Otherwise, once I catch you, I’ll make you wish you were dead!"

His only response was the echo of his own voice in the hollow chamber, and... a faint, mocking meow, so soft it was almost imperceptible.

"Meow~"

The meow was very quiet, yet it reached the ears of the scar-faced man and Xiao Ling clearly, causing their footsteps to halt abruptly.

A meow?

An expression of disbelief appeared on their faces. They immediately thought of the mutated black cat that had killed A'Mo!

They never expected it to have been following them the whole time.

"Playing tricks, you damn beast!" The scar-faced man spat, his expression vicious.