Seized by the System

The sludge demon was enduring innumerable blows as the band conversed.

It was not as dumb as a brick. Its tentacles rose from within the ooze and grabbed hold of the monsters around it as shields, keeping the series of onslaughts at bay.

They saw this coming. Earlier when they were surrounded they did not cease attempts to strike at their conspicuous quarry. However, they were halted by what seemed to be an unlimited number of monsters that were being held as physical impediments.

Ren Ruofeng’s strategy was only viable if someone were to act as a decoy to distract the meat shields.

Most monsters had been lured away by the two sacred cows at present. The number of tentacles it had would never compensate the fact that there were not many meat shields left at its disposal.

The attacks grew vigorous. The meat shields finally proved insufficient. The real blow landed on top of its head and met head-on with the mysterious bricks.

It was super effective. The monster, which stood around a thousand feet tall, burst with a roar!

Pools of filth went scattering, along with those bricks on top of its head. The sludge demon literally shattered into pieces.

“That’s it? All bark and no bite?” The band was surprised.

They were prepared, so prepared, but the easy victory put them clean out of countenance.

They did not notice the sludge demon’s actual powers were mere Pond-level until they figured it out from the smell of the sludge demon’s vaporized carcass. Any Powerhouse right here would have bested it alone with full confidence!

Ren Ruofeng’s facial expressions changed. Looking back suddenly at the two sacred cows running at a distance, he muttered, “Is this God’s wisdom?”

“What do you mean? A sage from China?” Sina felt disturbed and asked hastily.

Ren Ruofeng did not answer and quickly recovered. He exclaimed, “Pick up those bricks and move out at once!”

They did not have time to make out the reason, only to obey his orders. Some hurriedly picked up fragments of the bricks, and all left the pond with the old man.

The remaining monsters were still on their backs.

…

“I knew it, the Black Cat is unscrupulous…” Fang Ning observed and instructed Sir Fang, “Go after those stupid cows.”

“Understood,” Sir Systemresponded.

The miniature green dragon sped along the smoky trail.

After more than ten minutes, Fang Ning saw two sacred cows lying lifeless on the ground, their bodies encircled by beasts.

Those monsters were having their own civil wars, it was every man for himself. All of them wanted to devour the residual energy left in those cows.

“Hey Lil gray, check out where their Death Energy went,” Fang Ning said.

The little gray ant’s antennae wiggled, later pointing to a distance.

The miniature green dragon altered its course and followed.

After flying for more than five hours, Fang Ning was surprised to find that they were back to whence they came.

This time, however, he saw a humanoid lying on its back on some sand dunes.

The antennae of the small gray ant were pointing right at the humanoid.

It was clothed in sand-colored linen. It looked very injured, with gloomy eyes and a weak breath.

“Am I right to say that it is the only native left in this world?” Fang Ning immediately guessed.

“It was not far from us when we were fighting. Strange that I didn’t feel its presence. I hazard it is possessed by Death,” Sir Fang realized.

“Took you long enough…” The dying humanoid suddenly spoke.

Sir Fang handed over the body of the Azure Dragon to Fang Ning. “I figure you are the one behind all this?” The latter asked, appearing unflustered.

“Indeed, I am the one true God … Death. With this final demise, I am finally capable to exit this world,” it spoke to the Azure Dragon, “Say, would you be interested in a trade agreement?”

“The host, what’s its name?” Fang Ning asked.

“There is no point in asking, but very well. Sha Da is its name. It has just killed its last tribesman. Unfortunately, it will die soon. Such is the predestined end of every being. Where life goes, death follows,” pronounced Sha Da, or rather, the Death.

“What do you want?” Fang Ning continued.

“I know you are Vigilante A, the world’s strongest Powerhouse. I will grant you the Order of this world, and you in return will offer me safe passage and guarantee my safety on the other world for a decade. This is a fair bargain,” Death said.

“And what can you tell me about your plot? I mean what was the point?” Fang Ning did not directly agree to the proposition and digressed.

“Nothing. I merely took advantage of their avarice. I asked a priest from your world to bring to the altar a material which was enchanted with my magic and inject it into a monster. I lured them into a trap, and then succeeded in causing casualties so that I could gather enough Death Energy for my graceful exit. I then allowed the last remaining indigenous people murder each other, and with it, I have severed ties with this world. Everything is as simple as that.” Death remarked.

“Slick. So this is a god’s wisdom. Immaculate, squeaky clean.” Fang Ning was impressed.

Death fell silent.

Fang Ning went on, “But what if I don’t agree with your proposal…”

“It will not bode well for you. You will be ostracized by the Heavenly Axiom of your world. It sent you out here to perfect its own rules. The order of death is the fundamental fulcrum in the realm of ineffable mysteries.” Death shook his head.

“Alright, we have a deal.” Fang Ning was up the creek without a paddle. Death considered almost everything. Fortunately, there were no downsides to being part of the agreement.

This was the advantage of having the upper hand. Vigilante A was unimaginably strong. It was akin to being the King in a game of chess, and the sacred cows became mere pawns to the great plan.

Ren Ruofeng’s idea was still successful, and there would still be some extra Heavenly Merit Points to earn. After all, it was his contribution which put their minds at ease.

“Wise indeed,” the Death replied, and its body convulsed.

Sha Da’s eyes lit up for the last time.

Almost simultaneously, one saturated ink droplet emerged from its body.

The little gray ant was lying on the back of the Azure Dragon. It grew tense when it saw the droplet. It was desperate to taste the latter.

Regrettably, it could not fly.

Fang Ning saw it and stretched his claws, extracting a wee bit from the droplet and dripped it into the mouth of the small gray ant.

“Stop using my stuff to display your perfunctory philanthropy,” Sir Fang said bitterly.

“Zip it! Hard work deserves to be rewarded. Who else will work for you?”

Fang Ning then collected what was left of the droplet into the System Space.

Whatever he just did seemed to have triggered an earthquake.

The sky went dark, fading into nothingness; the ground in the distance crumbled into pieces, falling into a bottomless pit.

“Oh, sh*t! Does this mean the server is falling apart?” Fang Ning exclaimed.

“I only know this is our cue to bail,” Sir System said in a faint voice.

“I know! But where to?” Fang Ning was helpless.

“Hey drama prince, you just need to call your frog. Stop making a fuss,” Sir System replied with disdain, “you think I would come here without the convenient escape plan that you have?”

“Oops, totally slipped my mind.” Fang Ning quickly utilized his spirit to contact the green-skinned frog.

A black tiger approached precipitously from afar.

“Master, don’t leave me in the lurch. I offered nothing but blood, toil, tears, and sweat…” Black Cat Tom cried.

Fang Ning did not bother to react. As Sir System expected he established a connection with the green-skinned frog.

A ray of light went past the miniature green dragon and it vanished.

Synchronously, the same indications appeared on the black tiger, the small gray ant, and the fellowship led by Ren Ruofeng…