Shadow of Death

Chen Feng did not like being passive; he preferred to keep the initiative firmly in his own hands in all things.

The contract time with the Demon Spider was only five minutes. During this period, he had to kill the Broodmother—not just drive it away, but truly kill it, leaving no chance for it to escape.

There was no way he could achieve this on his own; he had to rely on the strength of others.

Zhou Xian.

A renowned figure in J City. Despite his advanced age, the writing brush in his hand wields immense destructive power.

None of the powerful figures in his memory were simple characters.

People like Zhou Xian excel at turning the tide in desperate situations. Now, standing among the crowd, his black-and-white hair lifted by an unseen force, Zhou Xian slowly began to sketch the Broodmother with his brush.

"Finally can't hold back, huh?" Chen Feng muttered to himself, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

Screams echoed all around.

Just as Zhou Xian focused on the Broodmother, the last remaining Bronze-level giant corpse beetle began to go berserk. During the battle, one of the Dretch's tentacles was torn off, and a large chunk of its rotten flesh was ripped from its face.

"Kill it!"

Chen Feng gradually retreated to the perimeter, giving the Dretch the command. Since he had decided to conduct a blood sacrifice here, all unstable factors had to be eliminated.

"In..."

The Dretch roared, receiving the command instantly, and directed its fury towards the enemy.

Slash!

The legs of the giant corpse beetle were as sharp as blades. It slashed at the Dretch, sending mud and flesh splattering everywhere.

A spray of foul blood splattered out.

Even though the giant corpse beetle had defensive traits, and its exoskeleton could block bullets, it suffered a small setback when exposed to the Dretch's blood.

Zizi!

Some of the blood splattered onto the giant corpse beetle, and it immediately felt a burning sensation. Its hardened exoskeleton turned black, and within moments, it became pitted and hollow.

Toxic blood!

An agile figure appeared beside the giant corpse beetle. The Dark Elf drew her bow to its fullest, and the barbed arrow shot through the air, embedding itself deep in the creature's flesh.

Clang!

The giant corpse beetle's defenses had significantly weakened due to the corrosion, allowing the arrow to pierce its body. It let out a pained growl.

The giant corpse beetle spotted the woman.

She was tall, with a full figure and smooth white hair that gleamed like the moon, evoking a sense of desolation.

She drew her bow.

She shot!

Another arrow buried itself in the giant corpse beetle's body, worsening its injuries. It went into a frenzy, lashing out wildly but still failing to hit the dark elf. Elves are the darlings of the heavens, naturally gifted with agility. Meanwhile, the Dretch launched another attack from behind, grabbing the giant corpse beetle in its embrace. As the Dretch's body seemed to melt, it buried the beetle in the muck.

The muck blocked the giant corpse beetle's senses. It struggled, but in vain. Suffocated by the sludge and rotten flesh, the once-mighty creature was dead within seconds.

"Hiss..."

Sensing the death of the last Bronze-level giant corpse beetle, the Broodmother erupted in fury. These two giant corpse beetles had been its most prized offspring.

In the past, the Broodmother had invested significant effort in raising them to Bronze level.

It was as if a martial arts master had painstakingly trained his two sons, relying on them to manage the future of the martial arts school and secure his financial stability. And now, both sons had been killed!

Such hatred was impossible to resolve.

Smash!

Waving its sharp limbs, the Broodmother crushed a soldier's head, making it burst like a watermelon run over by a truck, leaving only half a skull hanging from his neck while the other half was obliterated into a mist of blood.

Rampage!

The loss was too great. The Broodmother needed the blood of all these people to quench its hatred. It charged into the crowd, slaughtering recklessly. Ignoring the bullets, it killed over a dozen people in just a few minutes, scattering limbs and blood all around.

"Savage beast!"

Zhou Xian could no longer restrain himself. He had completed the final stroke, and before him appeared a bright red character: "凶" (Fierce)!

The character was written with force and fluidity, embodying the essence of iron and silver strokes.

Zhou Xian, who had devoted his life to the art of calligraphy, had infused every stroke into his flesh and blood. At this moment, he looked at the Broodmother, not with the fear of ordinary people, but with a burning rage and deep hatred.

"To know the constant is to find wisdom; to stray from it is to invite chaos!" Zhou Xian muttered to himself.

Boom!

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded.

The large "凶" character slammed directly onto the Broodmother, as if imbued with the force of a thousand pounds, completely halting its rampage.

The Broodmother's body was being pressed down inch by inch.

Zhou Xian's eyes glowed with a blood-red light, his desire to punish the creature driving him into a frenzy. He no longer seemed like a frail old man, his blood boiling with an intensity greater than that of a young warrior.

Professional.

Chen Feng was very familiar with the scene before him. Throughout his long journey, he had encountered many strange abilities. Zhou Xian, with just this brush, had created such a terrifying presence—it was truly awe-inspiring.

The Broodmother's struggle slowed, and with a momentary lapse, its spine suddenly cracked open, causing blood to gush out. The wound, five centimeters wide, looked as if it had been squeezed out, with flesh spilling from the gash.

"Ugh..."

Zhou Xian groaned, a trickle of blood dripping from his mouth—he had surpassed his limits.

Hiss...

The excruciating pain drove the Broodmother into an angry roar. As Zhou Xian's strength waned, the creature stood up again, inch by inch, using its limbs for support. The "凶" character on its body gradually faded until it completely disappeared.

Thud!

Zhou Xian collapsed to the ground. His breathing was erratic, and his expression was chaotic. The hand gripping the brush had turned a ghastly shade of black and purple.

In the end...

Even though Zhou Xian might become a legend of this city someday, for now, he was merely a Bronze-level Professional. The fact that he could injure the Broodmother at all, despite the disparity in their strength, was already an impressive feat.

Chen Feng glanced at Zhou Xian, devoid of emotion. The man had fulfilled his role.

Perhaps one day Zhou Xian would become a legend in this city, but for now, he was just another unremarkable Professional.

With the Broodmother injured, Chen Feng had achieved his objective.

There was no time to waste—the blood sacrifice was imminent.

The Broodmother had to die!

Chen Feng's expression was icy as he bit his thumb, letting a drop of red blood fall to the ground. Then, he gripped his right wrist with his left hand, pressing his palm to the earth.

The temperature around him plummeted.

This was a special summoning—a Fair Contract.

"Let there be slaughter!"

"Appear!"

"In the name of the Summoner!"

"By the contract sealed in flesh and blood, I summon you for aid. O assassin of the shadows, descend upon this place... as the Shadow of Death!"