Volume Two, The Devil's Game Chapter Thirty-Five: The Dominant Guardian

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Yang Tonghua clearly hadn’t expected his casual suggestion to receive the captain’s approval. He scratched his head and said, “But boss, since earth can’t deal with it, shouldn’t we try using fire? Ice doesn’t seem to be an option.”

Ge Wendong chuckled, “Theoretically, it’s possible, but in practice, it won’t work. Remember how the guardian moved through the pit and the house? As a shapeshifter who can alter form at will, trapping it in fire is nearly impossible.”

Yang Tonghua pondered for a moment before suddenly realizing, “You’re right, boss. Even if we could create a large enough flame, it wouldn’t be able to hold the guardian.”

“Exactly. Now I’m starting to miss Liang Feisong, with his earth talent,” Ge Wendong murmured, squinting as he ran.

“Hey, why are you thinking about him?” Yang Tonghua asked Deng Yuqi beside him. “Yuqi, can you freeze the guardian behind us? Maybe we could try that.”

Deng Yuqi rolled her eyes. “That depends on how large it really is.”

“Don’t rush. Let’s find a place that favors Yuqi’s abilities first,” Ge Wendong said, leading the group toward the cold storage. The chill inside caused an involuntary shiver to run through everyone.

“Yuqi, prepare your spell. Wang Ge, keep watch outside. The other two, get ready to come with me to hold the guardian back,” Ge Wendong arranged.

Soon, the guardian swaggered in through the door, its crimson eyes narrowing mockingly. “Why don’t you keep fleeing like rats?”

“Pah! Fleeing like rats?” Yang Tonghua pointed at the guardian’s face and shouted, “No, no, this is...”

Seeing Yang Tonghua struggling for the right words, Huayang Hui offered a prompt, “This is a deliberate distraction.”

“Exactly,” Yang Tonghua said, tapping his double-edged axe. “This is your death trap.” He then swung a fiery slash.

“Tch, petty tricks,” the guardian sneered. Without waiting for the attack, it split its body in two, letting the flames pass harmlessly through the gap.

“Take this!” Yang Tonghua leapt up, axe raised high.

“I’ve seen that move too,” the guardian said, waving its right hand. A whip of water instantly coiled around Yang Tonghua’s hands.

“Noisy pest, come here!” The guardian pulled the whip tight.

Quick as lightning, Ge Wendong severed the water whip first. Despite this, Yang Tonghua’s balance shifted, and he fell face-first to the ground with an “ouch.”

“Heh, is that all you’ve got?” The guardian had just finished speaking when three holes appeared on its body. It turned to look.

Huayang Hui had somehow put on a gauntlet, which was still emitting wisps of blue smoke.

Ge Wendong glanced back at Deng Yuqi, who was now at a critical point in casting her spell. As captain, Ge Wendong gritted his teeth and stepped forward, the phantom image of a fierce tiger merging into his body once more.

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“Let me have another go,” he said and surged forward.

“Try all you want, it’s the same result,” the guardian snarled, conjuring a watery blade in his hand.

They charged at each other; the watery blade clashed with Ge Wendong’s broad sword, which sliced clean through it. Without hesitation, he then cleaved the guardian wielding the blade in two.

Though victorious, Ge Wendong’s face showed no joy. The guardian looked at him with a mocking smile.

With a wave of its right hand, the shattered droplets reformed into a chain, wrapping around Ge Wendong’s waist.

“Not good,” Ge Wendong’s expression darkened.

But it was too late. The guardian suddenly raised its right hand and violently pulled downward. Though Ge Wendong severed the water whip at the start, he still crashed hard onto the ground.

Trying to rise immediately, Ge Wendong was kicked in the chest by the guardian and sent stumbling back to Yang Tonghua’s side.

The captain was helped up by the others, his face grim. He had fallen exactly where Yang Tonghua had before—clearly the guardian was toying with him.

“Oh? You noticed,” the guardian reformed from two halves. “You should understand now. You are destined prey. No matter how much you struggle, your fate cannot be changed.”

A sinister smile curled its lips. “When the time comes, I’ll stack you like candied hawthorn skewers.”

Ge Wendong and the others exchanged silent glances.

“I know what you’re waiting for. Don’t worry, I won’t disturb her,” the guardian said with a generous wave. “But if you’re done fighting, then just drift quietly on the side.”

Everyone tensed.

“That’s right. Watch closely. Maybe you’ll survive until her spell finishes,” the guardian said, raising its right hand slowly.

Its fingers shifted continuously, a cold smile playing on its lips as it snapped its fingers toward the three.

Ge Wendong’s face changed instantly. He raised his broad sword defensively, but with a sharp crack, the sword was knocked away.

Huayang Hui and Yang Tonghua, slower to react, each erupted blood from their mouths and collapsed to their knees.

Lying on the ground, disbelief etched on their faces, they gasped, “W-What is that?”

“Water bullets. Rapid, compressed water bullets,” the guardian explained, snapping its fingers again. A small pit appeared on the ground in front of them.

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The guardian looked at Huayang Hui with a grin. “Familiar, isn’t it?”

Huayang Hui’s face showed frustration. He had used the same attack against the guardian with no effect, but now it was their undoing.

Struggling, Huayang Hui and Yang Tonghua tried to rise, but failing, they pulled out healing talismans.

“Oh no, that won’t do,” the water bullets shattered the talisman papers instantly. The guardian stretched out its left hand, smiling broadly. “Since you’re too weak to fight, the losers are out.”

A surge of water rapidly enveloped the two, encasing them in spheres that lifted into the air.

Though struggling still, any attack on the water spheres caused them to expand; when the attack ceased, the spheres contracted again.

The guardian tilted its head. “Losers just watch quietly on the side.”

It flicked several water bullets at Ge Wendong, who deftly dodged each one. Unable to catch Ge Wendong and frustrated by the two struggling prisoners, the guardian’s irritation grew.

Raising its left palm toward the two, it said, “Since you won’t sit still, I’ll make sure you’re out for good—execution.”

The calm water spheres suddenly transformed into several water snakes, which squeezed and strangled the two. Sounds of bones dislocating echoed as the two screamed.

Ge Wendong watched anxiously. He pulled out a talisman to break the bindings but hesitated. The talisman could only be used on one person at a time, and standing still to activate it would leave him vulnerable to the guardian’s attack.

Suddenly, the screams quieted. The strangling water snakes reverted to spheres.

“Let’s play a game,” the guardian said with a smile to Ge Wendong.

“You stand still and take one water bullet. If you get back up, I won’t execute them,” it continued. “Of course, you can refuse. I still won’t attack the girl casting the spell. But these two? Heh.”

The meaning was clear. Ge Wendong was silent a moment. “Seriously?”

“Of course!” The guardian seemed to prove its sincerity. “At first, I just left them be. And I know there’s someone else outside—I intend to have you all stacked together.”

Ge Wendong was quiet again, then said, “Alright.”