Chapter 2081 - 556: Still Lost the MVP

The early-July night wind had blown midsummer's sultry heat into Cold Crow City, yet in the dense Forest on its northern outskirts, the air was clammy and cold, like dew congealed on a tombstone.

Wild-grown blades of grass were pressed low by the figures flashing past, then sprang back up, rustling softly, accompanied by the grinding of rats' teeth.

Two hundred Plague Tooth Assassins swept through the silent Forest like a tide of gray.

"Move it, faster! You half-starved swine!"

Shrek cursed under his breath, his tiny bean-green eyes flickering in the dark with a mix of terror and viciousness.

A heavy iron canister was strapped to his back with leather bands, the liquid sloshing inside like Death's own spit.

Just pour this stuff into the wells of Cold Crow City, and in less than three days, the human trash living there will turn into Purgatory's walking dead!

At that thought, Shrek was so smug he almost burst out laughing; his beady ratty eyes bloomed with the joy of vengeance finally at hand.

He had no doubt the stupid human guards were snoring atop the city walls right this moment, clueless that Death's poisoned fangs were already pressed against their throats!

Night—

was the rats' home turf!

Too bad these rats were still paying the price for being uneducated; they didn't know that beyond their caves there was another creature called "bat."

The Blood Race, at least, were among the High-level Demons blessed by Demon God Bayele. And Geluo, the Gluttonous Rat—what the hell was that supposed to be?

Let His original form come over if He wants to talk!

"Squeak—"

A short, sharp scream sounded from up ahead, snapping Shrek out of his high spirits; he instinctively skidded to a halt.

With their leader's footsteps stopping, the advancing group jerked to a stop as well, their eyes wary as they scanned the surroundings, looking surprisingly disciplined.

"What happened?" Shrek growled in rat-tongue, but the Scout ahead gave no response at all, as if swallowed whole by the night.

That brief cry seemed to be the only piece of information.

Shrek's expression grew more and more unsettled; his furred claws pressed against the Poisoned Dagger at his waist, every inch of his nerves drawn taut.

Time flowed silently through the hush.

The once-raucous chorus of insects had vanished at some point; the entire forest was dead quiet, eerily so, with only the moan of the night wind combing the treetops, like the breathing of a carnivorous Demon Beast.

The scent of fear slowly spread among the Ratmen. Tiny eyes beneath their hoods glittered with panic, and their powerful hind paws edged backward of their own accord.

Just then, a faint veil of mist began to creep in from the Forest's edge. It drifted slowly, yet in the span of a few breaths, it had flooded the entire woodland.

Shrek's nerves finally stretched to the breaking point. Just as he was about to give the order to retreat, a soft chuckle slipped into his ears.

"Ku-ku-ku..."

The laughter was clear and pleasant, yet carried a chill that dropped straight into the bones.

"Playing Stealth in front of the Daughter of Night—don't you think you're getting a bit full of yourselves?" An Evil voice rang out from within the mist, the lilting tone tinged with mockery, like a wildcat toying with its prey.

At that moment, moonlight speared through the clouds.

Shrek's pupils shrank sharply.

Out in the clearing ahead, a figure had appeared at some unknown point—a girl in a Nun's habit, black with white trim.

Her hair was like blooming violets, her eyes brilliant as Ruby, shimmering with a blood-red thickness. A holy veil covered her head, yet there wasn't a trace of springlike warmth about her; instead, it felt even more profaned—

As if a real Nun had been eaten by her, and the one standing here was just a bat occupying another's nest.

"Who are you! Who dares block Lord Shrek's path!" Shrek shrieked in panic, his Dagger flashing out like lightning.

Rats are clever, it must be said, but they can never quite shake off their habitual ruts. The moment danger appears, they start waving their arms around, terrified others won't notice their bluff.

Vivian's eyes narrowed slightly. Aside from one person, no one had ever dared speak to the Little Tyrant of Magic City like that.

She didn't even need to give an order. Twenty Knights in Fine Steel Light Armor had already stepped soundlessly out of the night, their pairs of crimson eyes like blades sliding free of their scabbards.

"Sh-something…? Never mind, your name's not important—just like your little scheme. If you've got complaints, take them up with the existence you shouldn't have provoked—"

"Kill them all!" Shrek screamed, fear driving him to seize the initiative. "There's only twenty of them!"

Their aura was terrifying enough to freeze the guts, but when Lower Transcendents faced Upper Extraordinary foes, it didn't mean they had no chance at all.

Two hundred Plague Tooth Assassins roared as they charged, poison-laced blades gleaming with ghostly blue death-light under the moon, vowing to tear a chunk of flesh from their enemies!

Yet—

This was doomed to be an unequal hunt.

They never even saw what weapons those twenty Knights carried before streaks of blood-red afterimages had already slammed into their ranks.

"Squelch—"

The first muffled rip of cloth sounded.

A Ratman Assassin leading the charge didn't even catch his enemy's movement before a pale hand punched straight through his chest.

The Knight clad in Fine Steel Silver Armor didn't so much as glance at the heart in his grasp; razor-sharp nails turned into a stream of blood-colored light, stamping that manic expression into the eyes of each and every Ratman.