Chapter 127: Employment (Part I)

A thin layer of black mist rose, veiling Karei’s mangled, blood-streaked face. Within moments, a faint numbness began to emanate from his skin, providing him with immediate, if temporary, relief from the searing pain. He bared his teeth and opened his blood-red mouth, licking his raw, blistered lips; the tip of his tongue immediately tasted the bitter tang of fresh blood.

Though this numbness dulled the agony, Karei knew it was only a stopgap measure. Applying toxic mist to open wounds would not aid in their healing; rather, it would only cause them to fester further. Yet, Karei had no concern for such things now. His eyes were locked firmly onto Peipero from the start, his burning gaze scanning her curvaceous body with near-predatory greed. As for Rosty and Rodin standing nearby, he seemed to choose to ignore them entirely.

"Peipero, prepare yourself. Don't let me get my hands on you, or I’ll tear you apart, you bitch!"

A cruel grin twisted Karei’s mutilated face. Because one of his spider-legs had been severed by Rosty, his balance was compromised. He was forced to lower his body, which had been suspended in mid-air by the remaining limbs, back to the ground. In an instant, his five meter-long, venom-dripping spider-legs transformed into lethal weapons. As he moved with deliberate, heavy strides, the limbs lunged and pierced repeatedly. The sharp, whistling sounds of the air being sliced served as a constant warning to Peipero and her companions: the terrifying destructive power of those fangs was not to be underestimated.

"Prepare to retreat! In our current state, it is impossible to defeat that monster!"

Although Rodin’s strength was equal to Peipero’s, he held the second-in-command position within the Slaughter Moon mercenary group and carried significant authority. Upon hearing Rodin’s words, Rosty nodded immediately; it was indeed impossible to contend with Karei in their weakened condition. The two exchanged a look before turning their gaze toward Peipero.

The only remaining problem, it seemed, was her.

"Peipero..."

Rosty had only just begun to speak, intending to urge Peipero to flee with them, when the beautiful young woman bit her lip hard. With her arms defiantly akimbo, she shrieked at Karei like a fishwife: "Go to hell! You bastard! You want to take me? If I don’t finish you off today, I’ll change my name and stop calling myself Peipero!"

Before Rodin and Rosty could react to her outburst, Peipero hunched down. A surge of blood-red flames erupted across her delicate frame, shimmering like a magnificent fur coat. With a leap of her long, shapely legs, she transformed into a streak of crimson light, hurtling toward Karei with astonishing speed.

"Peipero!"

Rodin cried out in alarm, but Peipero was too fast. By the time he registered her movement, she had already lunged at Karei. Left with no choice, he unleashed the last of his soul power and, gritting his teeth, charged forward to join her.

"Well come!"

Watching the crimson streak barrel toward him, Karei let out an excited, maniacal laugh. The five fangs on his back erupted with power. A thick, pitch-black mist gathered at the tip of each razor-sharp limb, coalescing into concentrated, tangible energy that spun violently. With a shrill whistle, the five fangs struck downward simultaneously at the red blur. The massive, dark limbs shattered the crimson flames, slamming into the earth with such force that they left a deep, jagged crater. Under the shockwave, debris and dust flew everywhere. Amidst the swirling haze, Peipero’s figure flickered back into view. Faint red flames still danced over her, though they were dimmer than before, and her leather armor had been torn, revealing pale skin beneath. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and spat out a mouthful of crimson foam.

"Hmph, you’re quick on your feet!"

Karei snorted coldly. Taking a step forward, he brought his two sharpest fangs crashing down with unimaginable force. A deafening "boom" echoed as the impact cleared the surrounding dust, instantly revealing Peipero’s position.

"You won't escape!"

Karei laughed cruelly, twitching his five fangs as he slowly stalked toward her. To everyone's surprise, Peipero did not retreat or dodge; she let out a roar and charged at him once more.

"That crazy girl!"

Rodin wailed in frustration, yet he did not hesitate. Years of coordination had forged a powerful, unspoken synergy between him and Peipero. Without a single word or even a glance, Rodin flanked toward Karei’s blind spot, ready to support Peipero’s assault. Seeming to anticipate his move, Peipero waved her arm, wrapping herself in a torrent of red fire that surged like a tidal wave toward Karei.

Like him, both Rodin and Peipero were Second-Tier Grand Soul Masters. In the past, either one of them would have been enough to give Karei a headache for days. But things were different now. After half a month of preparation, the Slaughter Moon mercenaries had fallen straight into the trap set by the Rotting Wolves. Karei did not know what had happened in the north, but here, he had exhausted almost every resource at his disposal to deal with them. After devastating them with a swarm of magical beasts and hounding them through the dense forest for days and nights, he had successfully driven them to this desperate end. At this point, neither Peipero nor Rodin could possibly possess the strength to pose a real threat to him.

As for Rosty? He was currently sprawled on the ground, completely incapacitated. In other words, the Slaughter Moon was at the end of its rope. No matter how desperately they struggled, they were no longer a threat!