The Perfect Work

Hathaway looked at Xu Mu. “Do you think there’s danger inside?”

“No. It’s just that the main gate is tightly shut, and I’m worried there might be some monster in there.”

Xu Mu smiled and shrugged.

“That’s easy enough.”

Hathaway threw a punch.

Boom!

Golden light burst from her fist.

The radiance struck the building before them, yet it wasn’t damaged in the slightest. Like a mirage, the attack passed straight through it.

Hathaway frowned slightly. “Is this a formation?”

She stepped forward and reached out to push open the door. But the moment her hand touched it, several black hands emerged from the wooden door.

They looked like claws, with nails that resembled the fangs of wild beasts.

Swish, swish, swish…

In the blink of an eye, the claws seized Hathaway’s hand. A powerful suction force began dragging her body inside.

Xu Mu first used his perception to inspect the building’s interior, but he still couldn’t see anything.

Moreover, all the buildings here were clustered together, and his perception was broad enough to cover the entire area.

He hadn’t seen Xiao Gui anywhere, so there was a high probability that he was inside the building.

Since Xu Mu had to go in anyway, he might as well do Hathaway a favor.

“Watch out!”

Xu Mu immediately activated his technique and switched places with Hathaway.

Hathaway appeared where Xu Mu had been standing, while Xu Mu was seized by the monster’s hands and dragged into the building.

As Xu Mu vanished from sight, the building returned to its original appearance.

Hathaway’s one exposed eye widened like a bell. She immediately shouted, “Xu Mu!”

But no one answered her call.

[Favorability +8]

Hathaway had never expected Xu Mu to choose to save her at such a critical moment.

“I never thought that a boring woman like you could have such a loyal follower. You’ve truly opened my eyes,” Zilan Yin remarked coolly from the side.

Hathaway glared at Zilan Yin, then charged toward the entrance without hesitation.

The moment her body touched the door, several large hands emerged again. They seized her and dragged her inside.

“Seriously? Is she really that brainless?”

Zilan Yin furrowed her delicate brows slightly.

Anyone who approached the building would be forcibly dragged inside. That clearly meant there was danger within—most likely something akin to a killing formation.

Going inside would be no different from seeking death.

Zilan Yin glanced at the other buildings around her, drew a long sword from her body, and walked over.

She lightly poked the door with her sword, only to find that the blade couldn’t pierce it. Clearly, all the buildings were the same.

Only when someone’s body came into contact with them would they be dragged inside.

Just as Zilan Yin was at a loss for what to do, she noticed a disturbance in the formation in the distance. Someone else had entered.

…

Xu Mu had arrived in a dim space. It truly looked just like the inside of a building.

There were enormous windows beside the building, through which he could see the desert outside.

However, he couldn’t leave. Even his own black shadow was unable to pass through, proving that this place was completely fake.

At the same time, a vast horde of black zombies stood before Xu Mu.

They were entirely black and as thin as skeletons, with green light glowing in their eyes.

When the monsters saw Xu Mu, they let out a series of howls and charged toward him like mad.

Xu Mu drew his sword and was just about to attack when a gigantic golden cross descended from above.

Boom!

The golden light produced by the explosion was so intense that even Xu Mu could barely keep his eyes open.

At the same time, Hathaway’s figure dropped from above.

“What happened to you? How did you get in here too?”

Xu Mu looked at Hathaway beside him.

“I have a flaw. I keep my word. Since I promised to protect you, I’ll see it through.”

Hathaway folded her arms and glanced at Xu Mu indifferently.

The light ahead faded, revealing that all the monsters had been reduced to pieces.

Hathaway looked at Xu Mu. “What are you standing around for? Let’s go! Don’t tell me you’re waiting for that woman?”

“No. I knew from the beginning that she wasn’t a good person. At least, compared to you, she isn’t.”

With one hand in his trouser pocket and a black sword in the other, Xu Mu walked forward.

“Why?”

Hathaway asked the question flatly.

“Because you’re bigger than she is.”

Xu Mu answered without hesitation.

“Impudent! Believe it or not, I’ll saw your head off!”

At that, Hathaway recalled what Xu Mu had done to her before. But then she became somewhat puzzled. “Are all men interested in that sort of thing?”

“Do you really have to ask? You seriously don’t know?”

Xu Mu looked at her as though she were an idiot.

“I’m just curious. I’m usually busy carrying out missions, so I rarely have the free time to discuss things like this with men.”

As she spoke, Hathaway looked toward the monsters attacking from ahead.

She raised her hand and unleashed another Light Judgment, blasting the monsters apart.

“I’m an atheist, but sometimes I really do feel that a Creator exists in this world—someone capable of creating perfect works that are beautiful, fun, and even delicious.”

Xu Mu smiled and glanced at Hathaway’s armor.

“Shameless! If I hadn’t agreed to help you this time, I would have judged you myself!”

Hathaway snorted and continued striding forward.

Xu Mu followed behind her, gazing at the golden hair spilling across her white cloak.

This woman’s filial piety value toward him had actually reached 2. Perhaps it was because he had saved her just now.

When they reached the end of the building, Xu Mu discovered a wooden staircase.

He used his perception, but he still couldn’t sense anything above. That proved this was still part of the formation, and that no one else had entered.

Hathaway took the initiative and stepped onto the stairs, heading toward the second floor.

Xu Mu followed closely behind her.

After reaching the second floor, Xu Mu discovered that the space here had become smaller, with a diameter of only about thirty meters.

He could still see the desert outside through the windows beside him.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a figure clad in armor appeared in the distance. Wielding a long sword, it charged toward Xu Mu.

Seeing this, Hathaway quickly stepped in front of him.

Boom!

She lowered her center of gravity, dodged the long sword with her shoulder, and punched the armored figure in the chest.

With a loud crash, the armored figure was sent flying, slamming into the wall dozens of meters away.

But the armored figure was completely unharmed. It climbed back to its feet and charged at Hathaway again.

“Stay there and don’t move. Leave this one to me.”

Hathaway rolled her wrist. “Perfect for a warm-up.”

Whoosh!

The long sword struck again. Hathaway moved swiftly, sweeping her leg into the inner joint of the armored figure’s knee.

Bang!

The armored figure fell uncontrollably to one knee.

Hathaway extended one finger and pointed at it. “Light Judgment.”

Whoosh!

This time, the golden cross that appeared overhead was only one meter across, far smaller than before.

But it was much faster.

The cross crashed down in an instant, completely shattering the armored figure’s armor.

“Boring!”

As she spoke, Hathaway glanced toward Xu Mu in the distance. Fighting him was still far more satisfying.

She had practiced physical combat since childhood. Relying solely on martial ability, she was far stronger than her father and was practically unrivaled among the Holy Light Clan.

Yet Xu Mu had managed to suppress her.

“Watch out!”

Xu Mu suddenly shouted.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already experienced this monster’s strength.”

Hathaway spun around, golden light erupting from her body.

Bang!

Suddenly, a sharp sword cleaved through the golden glow, slicing straight through Hathaway’s armor.

Boom!

Her body slammed into a wall dozens of meters away, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

A hint of red also appeared through the slit in the armor that had been cut open at her waist.