The Immortal Who Shatters Armies With a Counter!

Amidst the corpses and ashes that littered the corrupted ground, Lin Feng calmly approached the mangled remains of the figure the demonic hounds had been devouring moments earlier. Though the body was no longer human in appearance, its tattered clothing hinted at a noble background—embroidered patterns and fine silk, now soaked in blood and dirt, marked him as someone of high standing in life.

Suddenly, a system prompt blinked across his vision.

[Congratulations! You have acquired: Military Secret Letter (Special)!]

He had unknowingly triggered a hidden side quest.

Just as he tucked the letter away, a sudden rumble echoed through the cavern. From deeper within the cave, a group of corrupted centaur warriors surged forward, encircling Lin Feng with bloodshot eyes and murderous intent.

"Human! Hand over the letter!" one of them bellowed, its voice rough like gravel grinding against stone.

Lin Feng didn't bother responding. Instead, he stomped the ground with immense force, activating one of his combat skills.

[War Stomp (Lv1)]

A thunderous shockwave erupted around him. The entire cave trembled under the impact.

[-4600 Physical Damage]

[-4600 Physical Damage]

The centaurs didn't stand a chance. Their hulking frames collapsed to the ground like rag dolls thrown by a storm.

Though War Stomp was originally a crowd-control skill for Shield Warriors, Lin Feng's insane stats pushed it far beyond its normal capacity. With sheer brute force, he had turned a mere control move into a deadly attack. Every centaur caught in the blast radius was instantly wiped out.

[You have slain: Corrupted Centaur Warrior (Silver Rank). Gained: 440 (+150) EXP. Permanent HP +10]

One after another, notifications popped up. The remaining centaurs, now trembling with fear, backed away in panic before scattering like frightened animals.

Lin Feng ignored them entirely. His focus returned to the sealed military letter now burning a hole in his inventory. With a flick of his hand, he opened it.

[Notification: You have activated Hidden Side Quest – Optional Path!]

[Quest: Royal Rescue (SSS Rank)]

Description: "Soldiers from the Royal Army ventured into the Corruption Cavern to suppress a rebel force but were instead ambushed and trapped. No aid could be summoned. Deliver this letter back to the capital's military headquarters to request reinforcements."

Quest Choice 1: Return the letter to Dragonspire Command. Rewards: +3000 EXP, +50,000 Gold, +50 Royal Army Favor.

Quest Choice 2: Venture deeper alone. Rescue the trapped soldiers and eliminate the rebels. Higher risk, but potential for greater, mysterious rewards.

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.

Two options. The first—safe and easy. Deliver the letter, collect a modest reward, and move on.

The second—dangerous, unknown… but potentially much more rewarding.

He didn't hesitate.

With a smooth motion, he tore the letter in half, choosing the second path without a second thought. A mere courier mission held no value for him. If the rebel scum needed purging, he alone would be enough.

[You have selected: Quest Choice 2. Locating coordinates of trapped Royal Army unit...]

The letter's contents disintegrated, and a new waypoint appeared on Lin Feng's map—deep within the corrupted dungeon. He moved immediately, guided by the system's navigation.

Soon, he arrived at a crumbling village nestled within the darkness of the dungeon. From afar, he could already see the glow of torches, the sounds of movement. A hundred twisted figures were surrounding the area. These weren't ordinary soldiers.

They were something far worse.

Their bodies were swollen, grotesquely mutated. Some bore horns sprouting from their heads, others had limbs elongated into monstrous claws. These were no longer men.

[Corrupted Rebel Soldier (Silver Rank)]

Type: Normal

Level: 30

HP: 4300/4300

ATK: 320

DEF: 150

Skills: Demonic Slash Lv5, Demon Bloodline Lv5, Death Charge Lv5, Shield Up Lv5

Description: Former rebel soldiers who willingly embraced corruption to gain power. Their souls sacrificed in exchange for monstrous strength...

Lin Feng's gaze sharpened.

No wonder the Royal Army had fallen into a trap. These weren't mere rebels anymore—they had harnessed the dungeon's corruption, mutating into demons. The military had underestimated the enemy.

Without a shred of hesitation, Lin Feng stepped forward into the open.

"Who's there?!" a voice barked from the front line of the rebel formation.

A dozen soldiers turned to see a lone figure approaching. Their corrupted eyes flared with rage.

But Lin Feng said nothing. Instead, his hand rose slowly, and the ground beneath him began to crack.

A surge of dark energy burst forth. A massive insectoid beast emerged at his side, writhing and clicking its armored limbs.

[Summoned: Abyssal Swarm Guardian]

Level: 20 (Scales with summoner)

HP: 30,000

ATK: 2800

DEF: 780

Skills: Taunt Lv10, Hardened Shell Lv10, Damage Reflection Lv10, Swarm Instinct Lv10

Description: A heavily armored bug-like guardian summoned from the Abyss. Possesses 60% of the summoner's stats...

Thanks to Lin Feng's absurd attributes, the summoned beast looked more like a raid boss than a pet. Even as a tank-type summon, its attack stat rivaled elite monsters.

"Light the signal! We're under attack!" one of the rebels screamed.

Within seconds, the corrupted soldiers began converging on Lin Feng's position. Flames burst into the air, illuminating the ruined village in a red glow.

Dozens—no, hundreds—of corrupted rebels stormed from the shadows.

Lin Feng remained unbothered. His voice was calm as he addressed his summoned beast.

"Find the trapped soldiers. I'll hold them off."

The beast let out a screech and darted into the shadows.

Rebel blades slashed toward Lin Feng—only to meet a wall of invisible force.

[-1 Damage received. Counterattack: 60,000 Damage!]

[-1 Damage received. Counterattack: 60,000 Damage!]

The moment the blades touched his armor, the attackers exploded in a burst of light and ash. His passive damage reflection once again proved unstoppable.

As more rebels rushed forward, they were instantly turned to dust by their aggression.

Lin Feng walked calmly through the chaos, like a god of war wading through ants. The battlefield was his dominion—and he was the executioner.