Chapter Fifty-Six: The Snipe and the Clam in Strife

Chapter Fifty-Six: "When the Sandpiper and the Clam Fight"

The moment the enlarged Fei Beast collided with the toxic smoke fire dragon conjured by Wadsworth, the ground shook violently as if a hurricane had swept through. It was the first time Xia Zheng had seen an esper unleash such overwhelming power. Although Shen Hua was much stronger, she had never fully revealed her abilities before him.

The toxic smoke fire dragon was shattered by the Fei Beast's charge, but its rage remained unquenched. The miasma rising from its body spread again, this time engulfing a thousand miles around. Every living thing touched by the miasma rapidly withered and died. Xia Zheng held Menghu in his arms, forming a protective barrier with his formidable mental strength, and activated the energy shield on his hat, barely warding off this wave of poisonous gas.

Yet something puzzled him. Through his psychic sense, he detected a weak life form within the sinkhole, seemingly a beast, but it was unaffected by the Fei Beast's miasma.

"That must be the Jue Ming Snow Fox. It's probably lived alongside the Fei Beast for so long that it no longer fears its miasma," Menghu speculated after some thought.

Xia Zheng agreed and dismissed the idea of capturing the Snow Fox immediately. With the Fei Beast and Wadsworth locked in a life-or-death struggle, revealing himself now might only divert the Fei Beast's wrath toward him—a risk not worth taking.

"Menghu, when the Fei Beast begins its nirvana, you go after the Snow Fox. I need to settle accounts with that sneak-attacking fellow," Xia Zheng said, his gaze fixed on Wadsworth who battled the Fei Beast in the distance.

Menghu nodded, waiting for the miasma to dissipate before venturing out.

Wadsworth, after enduring the Fei Beast's collision, felt his blood churning, but his preparations paid off. The yellow-green toxic smoke burrowed into his palms, leaving him unharmed. With a gust at his feet, he retreated swiftly, then drew a thick javelin, activated it, and hurled it forward.

The javelin shimmered, transforming into a streak of silver, accelerating rapidly.

Sensing danger, the Fei Beast shrank to its original size; its thick skin grew layers of armor. The javelin struck instantly, detonating and knocking the beast to the ground with tremendous force.

Wadsworth, now clutching another javelin, hovered in midair with a smirk. "You damned beast, do you realize how much wealth and effort I've spent for today? Just die quietly and don't make it harder for me." With that, he threw again.

The Fei Beast, just rising, sensed danger anew. One side of its armored body had been blown apart. It dug at the ground, burrowing in.

But the javelin had a tracking function, following the Fei Beast underground.

A deafening roar shook the earth, and this time the tremors extended to the surrounding snow-capped mountains, triggering an avalanche.

Snow surged like a flood, engulfing everything. Xia Zheng, carrying Menghu, fled swiftly—at the limit of his speed, yet still overtaken and buried by the avalanche.

All fell eerily silent, as if something were brewing beneath the surface.

The thick snow heaved, and Xia Zheng emerged with Menghu, his mental strength having shielded them from the avalanche's impact.

Scanning the area, neither the Fei Beast nor Wadsworth was in sight.

Soon, though, the ground trembled again as Wadsworth burst forth. Xia Zheng quickly concealed himself and Menghu.

"Could the Fei Beast be finished just like that?" Xia Zheng felt disappointed. Wadsworth had suffered no serious harm. With his current abilities, Xia Zheng could not guarantee victory, especially against someone skilled in stealth and flight.

But in the next instant, the Fei Beast reappeared, its entire body ablaze, as if fire raged within it—even its head glowed red.

"It's beginning its nirvana," Menghu reminded him.

Xia Zheng fixed his gaze on the Fei Beast. Wadsworth seemed to sense the mounting threat, the yellow-green smoke around him thickening. He pulled out a small mirror-like device, which expanded into a shield that he held before him.

The Fei Beast endured immense pain—the process of nirvana meant dying before being reborn, tormenting it as its power rapidly waned.

But it refused to die quietly, enraged at the human before it.

With a roar, the Fei Beast became a ball of fire, hurtling at Wadsworth.

"Fool, I anticipated this move," Wadsworth said, raising his shield.

The Fei Beast crashed into the shield, its body disintegrating and melting into a viscous black liquid like oil, instantly corroding Wadsworth's arm and shield with sizzling sounds.

Wadsworth let out a piercing howl, never expecting the Fei Beast's final attack to be so terrifying—a mass of toxic venom now engulfed him.

He hastily drew a short knife, severing his other arm, but much venom remained.

The poison was fiercely corrosive and ablaze, impossible to extinguish.

As he shifted his technique, his body starting to turn into droplets, a psychic force descended from above—like a dagger in the darkness, stabbing at him.

Wadsworth recognized it instantly: a force that once made him tremble.

"Who... Who sent this sneak attack? Who?" In the next moment, the psychic force pierced his mind, rendering his brain blank. He plummeted from the sky, consumed by poison and flames.

With a crash, Wadsworth hit the ground, awakening from psychic trauma only to find his lower body gone, half his body devoured by venom and fire. The Fei Beast's dying blow had nearly killed him, but what angered him most was the psychic attack—a familiar force, a sneak attack.

"Tsk, tsk... You really are tragic, only half a body left," came a young man's voice, and Wadsworth saw the young man he once hunted so desperately.

"It's you?" Wadsworth asked in disbelief. He had considered many enemies, but never imagined it would be this youth.

Xia Zheng nodded, stopping twenty meters away. "Yes, it's me. A month ago, your ambush nearly killed me. I told you then, since you struck first, it would be a fight to the death. Today, I fulfill my promise."

"Hahaha... Retribution, truly retribution! Can't believe I die at the hands of an unknown kid—retribution indeed," Wadsworth seemed to realize something.

Xia Zheng shook his head. "Throughout your career, you've ambushed and murdered at least a dozen other esper hunters. The souls who died at your hands must have awaited your arrival."

"Hmph, I never regret anything I do. Death is just payback. Kid, you're young, probably new to the profession. Let me warn you: being an esper is no honor, and the Federation isn't the clean nation you imagine. I'll be waiting for you in hell..." As Wadsworth spoke, his hand slowly drew something from his coat.

Xia Zheng immediately retreated, his psychic force pushing him backward.

Almost simultaneously, Wadsworth detonated a bomb, blasting his body to pieces—a final act of defiance.

Returning to the spot where Wadsworth vanished, Xia Zheng found only a deep pit, the remains gone.

"Wait, what's that?" Xia Zheng saw a flash of light in the pit, and with psychic force shaped into a giant hand, he retrieved the object.

It was a peculiar alloy cube, apparently a puzzle box whose unlocking mechanism was solving the cube.

"For a box to survive such an explosion, its contents must be extraordinary. I'll figure it out later," Xia Zheng said, storing the box. His eyes had already recorded video and photos to use as evidence for completing the wanted mission.

As for the Fei Beast, there was little left for proof—only video and images would suffice.

"Master, I caught the Jue Ming Snow Fox!" Menghu ran over excitedly, cradling a pure white, adorable little fox.

The Snow Fox seemed close to Menghu, showing no resistance—a fortunate sign.

"Right, Menghu, I need a sample of blood from its forehead. Would you do it?" Xia Zheng asked, a bit hesitant.

"Alright," Menghu replied, quickly collecting the sample. The fox, facing Menghu, didn't resist—otherwise, it would have been difficult.

"Are we just letting it go?" Menghu asked, unwilling.

Xia Zheng considered, then said, "Let it go. It can stay here, awaiting the Fei Beast's revival, or remain protected. If it follows us, it will only attract greedy eyes, putting it in greater danger."

"Master, aren't you thinking of eating it?" Menghu asked, puzzled. The Snow Fox tensed, its fur standing on end—it clearly understood human speech.

Xia Zheng smiled, reaching out to stroke the fox, only for it to warn him off, so he relented.

"No, I'm confident I can grow strong without relying on it," Xia Zheng decided not to eat the Snow Fox. Menghu looked at him gratefully, then released the fox, which immediately ran back to the sinkhole, seeming to await its old friend's revival.

Three B-level missions and one C+ mission were all completed. Xia Zheng had harvested a rich bounty—these missions would likely advance his esper rank to B-level. In half a year, rising from rookie E-level to B-level, he was the best newcomer in the Professional League in three years.

"Let's go, Menghu. I'll take you home." Xia Zheng packed his gear, extended his hand, and for the first time, Menghu accepted a human's invitation, feeling happiness as she took Xia Zheng's hand.