117: Is Chapter 117 really that difficult to understand?

"Huh?" Gu Changming was momentarily stunned.

His gaze shifted downward.

[Notification: One of our 'Examiners' has been killed.]

[Remaining Examiners: 8.]

"Another one dead." Gu Changming curled his lip and chuckled to himself, "Don't tell me they're coming for me next."

As he spoke, he floated forward.

Just then, his figure suddenly came to a halt.

At the very edge of his mental perception, twenty meters away, an Eclipse Clan member was standing at a corner.

It was an Eclipse Clan male, currently leaning against the wall, his four eyes darting left and right as if surveying the surroundings.

From his appearance, he seemed unaware that Gu Changming was there, acting tense and alert.

But Gu Changming saw through the act immediately.

The guy's movements were too stiff; although his shoulders were hunched, the direction of his toes was unnatural. Furthermore, there were small habits he likely didn't even notice himself, all betraying a deep sense of nervous anticipation.

Yet his expression remained one of total ignorance, maintaining a facade of guarding against the environment.

Pretending not to notice me?

A trap?

The corners of Gu Changming's mouth curled slightly.

They really have targeted me.

...

Outside the stone building was a fairly large square.

Luo An and nearly ten Eclipse Clan members stood at the edge of the square, staring nervously at the activity within the building.

Knowing that the Nether Soul Clan's perception range was only twenty meters, they didn't bother hiding their presence, merely keeping a sufficient distance.

In addition to those on the ground, several other Eclipse Clan members specializing in long-range spells were lying in ambush atop nearby high-rise buildings, their spells already prepared and ready to fire.

"He's been in there so long without any movement... nothing happened, right?" Aila lowered her voice, sounding worried.

Luo An's gaze remained locked on the deep darkness of the building's entrance.

Then, he slowly shook his head: "Nothing will happen."

"I've been observing these Nether Soul Clan Examiners from the start. Unlike the others, this one has a weak desire to attack, and his hunting methods are mediocre. The time he takes to kill is far longer than the other Nether Soul Clan Examiners. His strength... is clearly inferior to the others."

Not only that.

Through his 'True Sight Eye,' he had clearly seen the physical stats of these Nether Soul Clan members.

The stats of the other Nether Soul Clan Examiners were like they were nailed down, firmly locked at 230 points.

Only this one had uneven stats; his constitution didn't even reach the C-rank standard of 200 points, and his strength barely met the mark.

With a target of this strength, if he didn't pick this one, who else could he pick?

Hearing this, Aila nodded gently and relaxed slightly.

As the lack of movement inside made the atmosphere uneasy, Luo An continued speaking:

"Don't panic. Once it's lured out to the square, this open ground will be our home field."

"As long as we stay beyond twenty meters, it can't 'see' us at all. The advantage is ours."

The Eclipse Clan's vision in the night could cover hundreds of meters, while the opponent's was only twenty. Even if the enemy had C-rank strength, as long as they maintained a distance of over twenty meters, they held an absolute advantage.

So, as long as they could promptly restrict its movement once it emerged...

Then, by continuously kiting it, they could take it down without even suffering casualties. This would increase their score for this trial and make the rewards more plentiful.

Listening to Luo An's words, the eyes of the surrounding Eclipse Clan members gradually calmed, and they gripped their weapons tightly.

They continued to wait.

Minutes and seconds passed, yet the expected commotion from the building never came.

The composure that had just arisen from his words quickly began to fade.

Several Eclipse Clan members shifted their feet unconsciously, their brows furrowing.

Luo An's gaze also darkened. His four eyes stared intently at the dark entrance, various possibilities flashing through his mind. Had something unexpected happened?

Had they not met yet? Or had the target left their line of sight and wasn't even in the building?

Or, the worst-case scenario: their man had been killed by the target.

But even if he was killed, there should have at least been some sound.

The atmosphere began to grow anxious.

But it was at this moment.

A sound came out.

However, it wasn't the sound of urgent running or fighting.

Rather, it was a... sharp, ear-grating scraping sound.

Everyone instantly held their breath.

They prepared for battle, their eyes locked onto the exit.

Under their gaze, a pale, translucent ghost-like shadow gradually emerged from the dim entrance.

The opponent rested a grayish-white claw on the stone wall by the door and slowly moved forward. That piercing sound just now was the sound of those claws digging into and moving across the stone slabs.

Before they could see the figure's full body, in the next instant...

*Thud.*

A soft sound.

The Nether Soul Clan member suddenly threw something out.

The object hit the ground, rolled a few times, and stopped in the center of the square.

Their eyes involuntarily followed it.

Then, their pupils suddenly contracted.

It was a head.

It was the head of the Eclipse Clan member who had just been sent in to lure the target out.

The moment they saw it clearly.

The air in the square completely froze at that instant.

Luo An's breathing also hitched.

He stared fixedly at the shadow. For some reason, he felt as if the other party was looking at them.

Even though he was fifty meters away, well beyond the opponent's twenty-meter perception range.

Silent and calm.

The head lay quietly in the center of the square, no longer rolling.

After standing still for a few seconds, the Nether Soul Clan member's claw resting on the stone wall slowly dropped. He turned around, preparing to fade back into the darkness of the building.

Seeing this, Luo An's heart gave a violent thud.

His body was the first to charge out as he roared loudly:

"It's coming out! Pin it down! Don't let it run!"

This loud shout also snapped the dazed crowd awake.

Watching Luo An's charging back, a flash of internal struggle crossed their eyes before they, too, followed and rushed forward.

They weren't novices; they knew that any adventure would have casualties.

It was just that the scene earlier was too sudden and too blunt, leaving them in a brief state of shock.

Now, regardless of the cost, even though one person had died, the target had been lured out according to plan.

Next, as long as they trapped it and followed their established tactical cooperation, they could take it down.

"Go!"

"Surround it! Drag it out into the square!"

Several low growls rang out in succession as nearly ten figures blurred from the edge of the square, lunging toward the shadow that was about to retreat into the darkness.

...

Sensing the nearly ten weapon-wielding Eclipse Clan members rapidly entering his twenty-meter range...

Gu Changming was also a bit baffled at this moment.

Eh?

Didn't he just... give a warning?

Could throwing that head out not count as a warning? Was it like his jokes—really that hard to read?

Why are they still charging at me?