Chapter 33: The Spoils of Total Annihilation

“Damn it…” Xiaoling struggled fiercely, trying to summon her spiritual energy to break free from the binding force, but the water currents were both supple and relentless, continuously wearing down her strength.

“Captain… hurry and leave… it’s too strong…”

Xiaoling’s voice trembled with despair; she knew she couldn’t hold on much longer.

Scarface watched Xiaoling trapped in a hopeless situation, his eyes bloodshot, the fury and helplessness within him nearly consuming him.

He struggled to raise the great axe, its flames extinguished, and roared, “Let her go! Beast! You’re facing me!”

Staggering, he charged toward Summer Tong, attempting to relieve Xiaoling.

Summer Tong didn’t even glance back. With a flick of her tail, a condensed water whip materialized out of thin air, as if alive, striking precisely at Scarface’s knee.

“Crack!”

“Agh!”

Scarface emitted a painful groan, collapsing uncontrollably to one knee. The agony of his shattered kneecap made the veins on his forehead bulge, cold sweat dripping.

His great axe clattered to the ground.

“Captain!” Xiaoling’s eyes filled with sorrow.

“Meow~” Summer Tong let out a teasing call, as if mocking their arrogance.

She gave Xiaoling no chance. The water currents enveloping Xiaoling’s limbs suddenly tightened, and several slender water needles shot out, piercing Xiaoling’s joints and key nerve points with precision.

“Ugh…” Xiaoling’s body trembled violently; all her strength drained like a receding tide, and her specially made pistol slipped helplessly from her grasp.

She felt utterly paralyzed, unable to move even a finger, her consciousness still clear as she watched the black cat stride elegantly closer.

Those crystal-clear cat pupils glowed with a chilling light in the darkness, utterly devoid of emotion.

Summer Tong stood above Xiaoling, looking down calmly.

In the next moment, a sharp water blade appeared out of nowhere, then descended swiftly and decisively. With a splash, Xiaoling was instantly beheaded.

The elite exploratory team dispatched by the base suffered another casualty…

Then, Summer Tong’s gaze passed over Xiaoling, fixing on the enraged Scarface behind.

“Beast! You killed Xiaoling! I’ll fight you to the death!”

Scarface’s eyes were bloodshot, staring at Xiaoling’s bloodied form, his last shred of reason ignited into madness.

He used his remaining intact arm to push against the ground, trying to rise again. His face twisted in pain and fury, filled with desperate insanity.

---

He couldn’t understand why their experienced elite squad would fall to a mutated black cat.

It defied reason! It was sheer fantasy!

Summer Tong’s cold gaze finally landed on the last enemy.

His roars and struggles moved her not at all. The weak’s screams were nothing but death’s final lament.

“Die.” she silently intoned, moving her will.

A water blade, sharper and more condensed than before, like the scythe of death, silently appeared before Scarface. With utmost coldness and unmatched speed, it sliced through the air.

Scarface’s eyes widened, his pupils reflecting the deadly azure glow. He wanted to dodge, to resist, but his shattered knee and depleted powers rendered even basic evasion impossible.

He could only watch helplessly as the water blade slashed toward his neck.

“I’m not willing…” His final thought flickered in his mind before being swallowed by boundless darkness.

“Pfft!”

The water blade cleanly severed his throat and cervical vertebrae. Scalding blood gushed out, partially frozen by the blade’s icy aura.

Scarface’s massive body collapsed heavily, splattering a mixture of blood and mud, his eyes wide open, refusing to close in death.

With that, the elite exploration team, bearing the base’s hopes deep within the underground ruins, was utterly annihilated.

They would remain forever in the depths of this forgotten city, becoming new nourishment for the darkness.

Silence returned to the cave, broken only by the faint glow of the moonlight orchids by the pool and the thick bloodstained air.

[Eliminated First-tier Fire-type Psychic Ability User: +5 Experience]

[Eliminated First-tier Mental-type Psychic Ability User: +5 Experience]

[Eliminated First-tier Support-type Psychic Ability User: +5 Experience]

[Current Experience: First-tier, Two Stars (37/100)]

…

Within her mind, the “Source Core” issued cold beeps in succession. A faint but pure stream of energy merged into Summer Tong’s body, making her feel her water-type ability solidify a little more. Though slight, it was better than nothing.

She shook the water droplets from her paws and walked toward the still-warm bodies.

She had little interest in the humans’ gear—the base-issued equipment was of little use to her. Her eyes remained fixed on the quietly blooming moonlight orchids.

At the water’s edge, her crystal-clear cat eyes carefully examined the strange flowers.

---

Three moonlight orchids, each no larger than a palm, their petals layered like ice-carved jade, radiating a soft and pure white glow. A refreshing energy pulsed from their cores, invigorating the spirit.

“Repair gene chains, nourish the crystal core, activate the extension of psychic abilities…”

Summer Tong silently recited the information from the “Source Core,” growing increasingly amazed by these miraculous treasures. This adventure had yielded far more than expected.

She extended a paw, carefully avoiding the sharp edges, and gently touched the petal of one moonlight orchid with her paw pad. The texture was cool yet supple, brimming with a peculiar vitality.

Without a proper container, such a rare treasure teeming with pure life energy would quickly dissipate. Summer Tong was well aware of this.

After a moment’s hesitation, she made the most direct and effective decision.

She opened her mouth, her sharp teeth lightly biting the root of one moonlight orchid, pulling it whole from the moist soil, a bit of glistening earth clinging to its roots.

Without the slightest hesitation, Summer Tong stuffed the entire orchid into her mouth.

The petals melted immediately, lacking the rich flavor she’d imagined; instead, they carried a faint sweetness, like fresh spring water.

A gentle yet overwhelming pure energy slid down her throat into her stomach, rapidly spreading through her limbs and bones.

The sensation was like parched earth receiving a long-awaited rain, every cell rejoicing.

She could clearly feel the fatigue caused by frequent use of her abilities quickly dissipating, her internal water energy becoming more vibrant and refined.

“Indeed, a precious treasure…”

Summer Tong narrowed her eyes, contentedly licking her lips. She did not stop there, repeating the process with the other two moonlight orchids.

Having consumed all three, the gentle energy streams merged within her, like tiny rivulets gradually nourishing the nascent water-type crystal core deep in her soul. Though not instantaneous, she could feel the core growing more solid and stable.

As for the so-called “extension of psychic abilities,” no clear effect had yet appeared. Perhaps it required time to digest, or maybe it was a matter of chance. This time, luck wasn’t entirely on her side.

Still, the repair and nourishment of the crystal core alone satisfied her greatly.

[Commencing stabilization of water-type crystal core…]

[Reinitializing construction of wood-type psychic ability system…]

[Wood-type psychic ability construction progress bar: 15/100]

Watching the progress bar in her mind, Summer Tong’s eyes shone brilliantly.

“What a pleasant surprise!” she exclaimed inwardly. Thanks to these moonlight orchids, she hadn’t expected the wood-type psychic ability to begin forming as well.