Chapter 512: A Flapping of Wings—A Case of Murder

‘What misfortune,’ Qin Ruo sighed inwardly.

It was a rare encounter with another player from the Underworld, but he never imagined that it would be someone from Netherspirit’s Claw. Looks like there is no doubt that Netherclaw was the person behind the leak and for inciting Violent Army Clan…

With a turn of direction, Qin Ruo swiftly switched vectors in the air, stealthily aiming for that Netherspirit’s Claw Bandit.

***

The Bandit-class would find it difficult to survive in the Underworld since they could not hold up against the lowest tier Skeleton Warriors and Arcane Zombies, while any Hellhounds of a little higher levels would be able to sniff out their hiding place. Phantom Skeletons were a natural enemy of their own ‘peers’ as well, not to mention that Bandits would never be able outrun Skeleton Dragons, Knights, and Spectral Bosses.

A Bandit was essentially a sheep amongst wolves…

The Tier 5 Bandit who the official forums announced to have deleted his account and retrained had precisely done so because he could not see the light at the end of the tunnel, which caused him to hurriedly end his Bandit career.

Now, Qin Ruo at once intended to kill the moment he saw that Netherspirit’s Claw member—it was unsettling to have a Bandit lurking around him.

Still, Qin Ruo did not act at once: his target would revive at once in camp if he killed him now. He would gain nothing, just as his target would lose nothing…

Additionally, it would make his opponent cautious, even giving Netherclaw a valid reason to fight Fallen Angels.

Even if Qin Ruo did not fear Netherclaw, he did not intend to add upon his comrades’ troubles—it was not worthwhile. In fact, there were many ways torment that Bandit, with some not even requiring him being present or acting on his own.

Looking down from above, Qin Ruo smiled…

Several fine plans formed in his mind.

***

After the Bandit cast stealth, he followed a familiar lurking path toward the eastern side of camp. One kilometer over that direction was a group of Skeleton Warriors that he carefully scouted over the last few days, keeping to a spot very suitable for him to train his Pet.

Being one of the rare few Tier 5 Bandits from Netherspirit’s Claw, Windy Groan was one of the more capable in his clan. Unlike that Tier 5 noob who, after six days of being caught in just a little hardship, deleted his account and retrained.

Why would he so easily throw away the levels and Bandit skills trained over half a year?

Furthermore…

Windy Groan still had a supreme trick up his sleeve: a Firewing-type monster that could hold its own against several low-tier Specters. Even if they needed time to heal and restore mana after each battle, they could still survive the Underworld.

Suddenly.

Just a hundred meters away from camp, Windy Groan suddenly slowed down. He suddenly felt a premonition thanks to the extraordinary sense he developed as a result from adventuring by himself for a long time, a reward apart from his spoils of war. Like how he usually spied upon others, he was acutely sensitive to being homed on by others too.

Windy Groan paused his breath at once, carefully listening to everything around him. His sharp, vigilant eyes peered over his face which was covered by a black mask, scanning.

Ten seconds passed.

“Was I mistaken?”

Frowning slightly, Windy Groan stood up suspiciously from his crouched position.

***

“Quite alert.”

Qin Ruo sighed inwardly. It was just two-hundred meters away from camp without any Specters in sight, and yet his target had promptly paused in that time, clearly sensing his homing. It was a sense of awareness that most Bandits did not have.

Still, Qin Ruo did not mind that at all… Now almost hundred meters in the air, even Fateless would not feel his presence with such distance!

And as expected, with his gaze diverted after a few seconds, the Bandit below moved again.

Moving swiftly like wind and thunder and slipping away as if a phantom, the Bandit’s movement had the scent of a real one, with instinctive movements that kept his quality indiscernible, such as avoiding Dark Plants or places with broken boulders. Even if there would not be any Specters nearby camp, the Bandit remained determined.

“Interesting.”

Qin Ruo was suddenly a little interested in his prey. To think that there was a Bandit with such alertness and composure… it looks like he might have to adjust the plans he just made.

***

Minutes passed.

Windy Groan paused nearby a blackthorn bush, looking around.

The nearest Specter was a hundred meters away.

He stayed silent where he was for seconds, summoning his pet Firewing Panther.

A red shadow flashed.

Fiery-red, a monstrous panther that was forty-meter long with a thick, balanced form and aesthetic curves appeared out of thin air in front of Windy Groan. Its sharp claws dug deep into the ground, glaring as intense as bolts while it spread its wings of flame high above. Through it all, its tail that was burning in white flame whipped the air powerfully, highly imposing!

After Windy Groan had summoned his Pet, he kept his back to the blackthorn bush, carefully half-crouching in the shadows behind the Firewing Panther. His eyes were narrowed and his knees arched, his hand holding tightly on a pitch-black short sword, a vicious look in his face.

Qin Ruo understood his intent at once.

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It was a good idea.

He was using his Pet as a lure to draw every Phantom Skeleton that could be hiding nearby or Arcane Zombies that stayed beneath the ground.

With the ability of the Tier 5 Fire-type Firewing Leopard, it was certainly no issue for it to fight against one or two Tier 5 Specters. Being a Flying Pet, any number of Specters were simply more offerings once in the air…

It was a pity that Qin Ruo could not enjoy the Firewing Panther’s performance at once: The Bandit was lucky, there were no Arcane Zombies or Phantom Skeletons nearby…

After ensuring that its surroundings were safe, he quickly dispelled Stealth, seated himself and waited for his mana to recover. It was the third time he had dispelled Stealth and recover MP—despite the fact that every potion was very precious under such an environment and must never be used so easily.

In the air, Qin Ruo was left speechless by what he was seeing…

It was very much a waste of time. While he would be doing well if he could obtain one or two Mana Cores in one day with such progress, it was the only way the Tier 5 Bandit had to slowly train in the Underworld.

“Well, can’t keep this up.”

Having no intention to let things drag on, Qin Ruo turned and glided a circle in the air. As he observed the location of every Specter within sight, he darted towards a valley to the north.

***

After his rest, Windy Groan got Firewing Panther to move forward, man and pet carefully entering the blackthorn bushes, approaching the closest group of Skeleton Warriors.

Usually, he would quickly cast Stealth once his Pet drew the Skeleton Warriors’ attention. With the Firewing Panther leading the monsters around on a wild goose chase (Tier 5 melee monsters had certain long-range attack skills), using the surroundings in the blackthorn bushes to leave individuals behind for him to handle.

But things were unusual today…

Before he could approach, a group of Skeleton Warriors from far aware suddenly turned and strode towards him, their bones clicking as they lunged at his direction!

“Damn!”

Even if he was not sure what was happening and did not at once enter Combat Status, Windy Groan quickly cast Stealth and flew toward Firewing Panther’s flank…

And yet!

In the very instant, a tremendous tremor on the ground swiftly closed in, along with innumerable approaching splashes.

Windy Groan promptly looked up!

As if in an abrupt riot, every Skeleton Warrior in sight within the dark thorn bushes trampled and splashed over the streams in the thicket, agilely and menacingly crossing the bushes!

There were hundreds, even thousands of them—more and more Skeleton Warriors appeared within Windy Groan’s vision, rapidly shaping into a vast siege legion. Like a torrent and combining into a wide-reaching battle formation, they lunged swiftly towards him!

However, what left Windy Groan even more astonished was that there was a giant, all-black skeleton which was draped in a ragged black cloak that covered half its body. Its fingers were half-a-meter long, fearsome and sharp as it hovered over the heads of countless Skeleton Warriors, whistling from far away!

The Bandit’s eyeballs could have fallen off.

A Skeleton Demon!

A Tier 5 Elite Boss which he was most careful about not to provoke…

SHIT!

In that very moment, Windy Groan did not even have the tears to cry with. Firewing Panther had already entered combat status and could not be withdrawn before the status was removed.

The Return Scroll in his backpack was useless too.

Watching the raging legion that extended over hundreds of meters before him, the idea of running did not even occur to Windy Groan…

Run?

Could he?

Where would he run too?

He was a Bandit. Though he could escape the Skeleton Warriors’ sight with Stealth, his mobility was greatly impeded—he simply could not escape the sealed range that simply stretched on.

Additionally, once the swarms of Specters gave chase, he had no safe place to head for apart from the camp.

But if he did, Edgar would at once abandon base and retreat to another spot.

Windy Groan’s face was a pallid ash-gray.

He simply could not imagine how the Skeleton warriors suddenly found him.

Why would all of them go on a rampage out of nowhere!

Gritting his teeth, Windy Groan conveyed his final order for the Firewing Panther to go on a full retreat, while himself recklessly dispelled Stealth and dived toward the swarms of Skeleton Warriors.

***

Unbeknownst to Windy Groan, there were hordes of Skeleton Dragons, Hellhounds and Arcane Zombies that appeared over the horizon appearing over the distant horizon after he died.

However, with his death, the Specters stopped motionlessly where they were as if losing their target, turning back and returning where they came.

None knew that the case of murder and the collective rampage of the Specters was caused simply by a certain person’s flap of his wings at a nearby peak…