Volume 1: The Spiral Carving - Chapter 22: Cave Exploration Part 5: Headshot Sniper

In the left passage of the cave, Feng Ming was engaged in a fierce battle with the giant red-headed centipede. Under the pressure of the creature, he fought while retreating, moving further and further away from the bone-filled cavern.

Rumble!

Even from a distance, he heard a booming sound echoing from the distant cavern. It seemed as if something had burst out, yet there was no sign of it.

"What is that?" He furrowed his brows. "If there were only one giant centipede, I would be confident in defeating it, but if there are more, I will truly have to retreat!"

The rumbling in the distance gradually faded. Seeing that no other giant centipedes appeared, he finally felt relieved and focused on the immediate situation. Although this giant centipede was terrifying, he was confident he could slay it. It was not as clever as the giant black spider; it only knew how to attack blindly without any concept of defense. Its body was incredibly tough, which was perhaps why it charged so recklessly.

Feng Ming sneered, cast a glance at the two grenades hanging from his waist, and stood still, waiting for the creature to attack. The giant centipede did not miss the opportunity; it opened its mouthparts and lunged at him from above.

Cold light flashed in Feng Ming's eyes. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled the pin of a grenade with his finger. The grenade shot into the centipede's gaping maw like a bullet. The creature was far too confident; it did not dodge at all, letting the grenade fall into its mouth as it continued to charge at Feng Ming.

A thunderous explosion shook the earth. The centipede let out a shrill cry as its head was blown apart. A large amount of white fluid sprayed from its body, and after a few violent twitches, it slammed onto the ground and died moments later.

"Beasts are beasts, after all!" Feng Ming sneered. He reached back to touch the brown backpack on his shoulders, then stepped over the centipede's carcass and headed toward the bone-filled cavern. "Chen Fan, you must stay alive!" A deep sense of worry filled his eyes. He needed Chen Fan alive; a corpse would be of little value to him. He suspected that Chen Fan’s secret lightning technique could only be acquired through oral instruction—a mantra of sorts—and as everyone knew, the dead could not speak.

He arrived at the vast bone cavern, and there, he saw a sight that made his heart constrict: five giant red-headed centipedes were staring straight at him, their eyes glowing with a crimson light.

"Why are there more?" Terror beyond measure overwhelmed him. Petrified, he turned and fled with incredible speed.

***

The cave exit was nestled among vast mountain ranges, shrouded in thin mist.

Eight hundred meters away on another mountain peak, Chen Fan’s flesh hung precariously from his skeleton, threatening to fall off at any moment. Yet, thanks to the "Zhen" technique and the longevity serum, he remained alive. A cold glint flickered in his eyes as he found a small patch of flat ground. He took a large safe out of his system inventory, climbed inside, turned around, and positioned his head so he could see out.

This blood feud... he would never forget it!

He pulled out the heavy, pitch-black sniper rifle and attached the silencer. He had taken this weapon from Zhou Qiyuan, and it had an effective range of nearly 3,000 meters. Through the scope, he aimed at the flat ground outside the cave exit. He guessed that Feng Ming was not yet dead. As long as he survived the encounter with the five centipedes, he would surely flee through this exit. Once he did, Chen Fan would pull the trigger and execute him!

He was furious—never had he been so enraged! If it weren't for this man’s relentless pursuit, would he be in such a miserable state?

His cheek pressed tightly against the cold cheek rest, his right hand gripped the handle, and his thick index finger rested on the rough trigger. His gaze was solemn and focused; nothing could distract him now. He was ready to fire at any moment. He needed to unleash his fury, or he felt he would choke to death. He had never been this focused—more focused than ever before!

His eyes narrowed slightly. Under his intense observation, the cave exit 800 meters away finally showed movement. Through the scope, he saw the entrance shaking, with stones rolling out from the cracks in the rock wall and clattering to the ground. As time passed, the vibrations intensified, signaling that something inside was about to burst out.

He held his breath, his eyes fixed on the entrance without blinking, forgetting to even inhale.

Under his silent watch, Feng Ming finally appeared. Panic-stricken and pale, he bolted from the cave.

Bang!

The moment his feet touched the ground, Chen Fan pulled the trigger.

Amidst the massive recoil, Feng Ming’s head was pierced from 800 meters away. Crimson blood and gray brain matter sprayed instantly from his skull. His eyes went blank, unable to comprehend what had happened. After standing in place for two seconds, his body collapsed backward. He was dead.

The recoil was so immense that Chen Fan’s flesh shivered like a turbulent sea. A large amount of blood welled up from his wounds again, staining the ground beneath him. Chen Fan remained unmoved, continuing to observe the situation outside the cave exit through the scope.

His gaze sharpened. Amidst the dust and mist, a hideous red-headed centipede broke through, rushing toward Feng Ming’s body at high speed, its massive mouthparts agape.

Feng Ming’s body belonged to him; he would not allow the centipede to devour it. Fighting through the pain, he pulled the trigger again.

1.2 seconds later, the bullet traversed the 800-meter distance, striking the centipede in the head. The power of the shot was so great that it pierced through the skull, carrying away a mass of viscous fluid. The creature hissed and lunged for the body again, clearly unwilling to give up.

The recoil of the shots felt like torture; fresh blood sprayed from his wounds. Pale and gritting his teeth, he continued to pull the trigger. Another hole was blasted into the centipede’s head, and thick liquid coated its crimson eyes. It finally dared not advance further; with a hiss, it retreated into the mist.

Although it was scared, four other centipedes remained undeterred, charging toward the corpse. Chen Fan understood their madness: Feng Ming was a Level 1 mutant, and his body was akin to a potent medicinal substance, far more valuable than any ordinary animal carcass. But the brown backpack on Feng Ming’s back was of great use to him, and he would not let these centipedes consume it. He continued to fire, again and again.

After a while, the five centipedes finally withdrew. Chen Fan forced himself to gather his strength, crawled over to retrieve the backpack, and returned to his mountain peak.

An hour later, the five centipedes, driven by instinct and forgetting their pain, rushed out of the cave once more toward Feng Ming’s remains. This time, Chen Fan did not stop them, allowing them to devour the corpse.

He pulled his gaze away, found a mountain stream to wash his body, and then used a roll of white cloth to wrap himself layer by layer. He walked forward, found a hollow, placed the safe inside, and covered it with a large boulder, leaving only a tiny crack for air. He leaned against the wall of the safe, finally able to rest.

A golden-red light shimmered, and Catherine appeared in the safe, sitting beside him. "You’re not going to die, are you?" she asked, her brows furrowed in concern for his injuries.

Chen Fan shook his head slightly to show he was fine. After a long moment, he forced a smile and said, "Why don't you 'tutor' me? My mood will improve, and once my mood is better, my body will heal faster!" Even now, he remained incorrigible, and he was amused by his own persistence.

Catherine looked thoughtful, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. She flicked her finger, and 99 golden-red light spots appeared in his field of vision. Her cheeks flushed, and she looked shyly at him. "You can only choose one. Choose."

Chen Fan endured the pain and grinned mischievously. After a glance at her stunning figure, he randomly selected one of the golden-red light spots.

The spot shot toward his head like a bullet. Chen Fan’s vision blurred, and an intense drowsiness struck him instantly, as if he had been sedated; he could not resist it. Five seconds later, amidst Catherine’s playful laughter, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

High-rise buildings appeared in his view, their walls embedded with screens and pixel lights. One screen was playing an animated series featuring a white-haired man. The road nearby was bustling with traffic. It was night, and the sidewalks were crowded with pedestrians.

"Where is this?" Chen Fan wondered, looking around. He was sitting outside a café. The chair beneath him felt smooth and delicate, and the beige circular table before him refracted light under the streetlamps.

"This is your choice. Not satisfied? Later, we can go to a bar for a drink, then have dinner at a restaurant, watch a movie, and then..." Catherine’s voice rang out. She walked toward him from a sea of brilliant golden-red light, wearing sexy sky-blue shorts, her long hair swaying in the breeze.

A beauty! Absolutely stunning! She seemed even more beautiful than a goddess from the heavens. Especially her upright bosom and fair, long legs—it was nearly impossible to look away. Chen Fan could almost smell her warm feminine scent. It was primal, intoxicating, and stirred one’s impulses.

Chen Fan was stunned. He hadn't expected this "tutoring" to be so unique! He had thought it would just be a casual interaction. She walked over and sat opposite him, her eyes brimming with warmth as she stared at him.

"What is this place?" Chen Fan asked.

"A virtual city, but extremely realistic. It's almost indistinguishable from the real world!" She placed her smooth, delicate hand on the back of his and rubbed it firmly. "Do you feel it now?"

Chen Fan shivered slightly. "I feel it." The sensation was indeed tangible, no different from reality.

Time passed. When Chen Fan finally opened his eyes, he licked his lips, his expression full of lingering aftertaste. Because she was shy, Catherine did not manifest her physical form, but she said in a stern voice, "Get well quickly, or I won't spare you!"

Chen Fan nodded. After this period of recuperation, his injuries had largely healed. He was grateful for the "Zhen" technique and the longevity serum; otherwise, his body would have long since rotted and become infested with maggots.

He changed into a new set of clothes and opened the brown backpack. "This is..." His eyes flashed. Inside was a pile of crystal gems. Each one was the size of a bottle cap, oval-shaped, emitting a faint, dazzling seven-colored light.

"These are Head Crystals, obtained by killing specific visitors. The last time Mu Luo pursued you, it was to get these!" Catherine explained. "To obtain the Hunyuan Stone Inscription, you must first gather enough Head Crystals."

"I see." Chen Fan understood. He counted them: there were twenty-five. "How many in total are required?"

"I estimate around two hundred, perhaps more." She added, "By the way, your mental pollution index is slowly rising again. You must find a way to get another Lightning Source Stone. If you can't find one, stones of other attributes might barely suffice!"

Chen Fan frowned and looked inward. The golden-red panel was much dimmer, while the black abyss beneath it had become clearer. He could almost hear the screams of vengeful spirits.

"Understood." Chen Fan sighed and took out the 51 Alien Demon Stones, refining them as quickly as possible. Before long, he had absorbed their essence to temper his body. So far, he had refined over 100 Alien Demon Stones; he needed about 400 more to successfully advance to a Level 1 mutant.

He packed away the safe, left the mountain peak, and sped off into the distance. He had to check on Lu Yan’s younger sister, Xiao Ya. He had promised Lu Yan he would look after her, and he could not break his word. Of course, he would do it indirectly—he still lacked the confidence to defeat Yang Yu and could not risk approaching the Ninth Base.