Chapter 633: Hammer

Chapter 633 Hammer

A convertible jeep slowly made its way through a ruined, desolate city.

“Damn it, Terry! If we keep this up, we’ll end up taking too long!” The man in the driver’s seat had a beefy body. He placed one hand on the steering wheel as his other hand propped up his chin. He continued complaining, “Just why did the two of us end up getting assigned to this city-type instance dungeon?”

“There is no way around it… … Mr Hammer.” Terry, the man beside him, glanced cautiously at the man in the driver’s seat. “This is the result of the draw…”

“The problem is this senior doesn’t have the necessary equipment! Since the last refresh, not a single life signature detector could be found!” Hammer gave a harrumph. “It’s been three days, but we have yet to cover even one-tenth of this instance dungeon area. Without a life signature detector, we have to use our own eyes to look around this city. How long will this take?! Damn it! This is pissing me off! Might as well just go back and report to them that this place is clear!”

Terry anxiously waved his hand and said, “Mr Hammer, please don’t joke around! We are not doing this clearing duty for others, this is for all of us! If we fail to clear all the Awakened ones, then, should this World’s End be manually cleared, could any of us survive?”

“That is why, shouldn’t they give each of us some equipment? At the very least… … those assigned to clear city-type instance dungeons should be given a life signature detector!” Hammer slammed the jeep’s horn. He continued, “Since the refresh stopped working, the number of instance dungeons have only continued to increase. They can only assign one or two fellows to clear an instance dungeon. Do you think… … do you think there is a chance for us to clear them all before the Development Team discovers this problem?”

As he talked, the grimness on Hammer’s face increased. Pointing his finger upward, he said, “What do you say, those fellows… … when do you think those fellows will realize there is something wrong here?”

“I… … I don’t know either…” Terry smiled along.

“Argh! Boring!” Hammer struck the steering wheel again and the jeep’s horn blared out. “Being unable to find the Awakened ones is one thing, but why isn’t the traitor appearing?”

A confused look washed over Terry’s face. “Traitor? What do you mean?”

Hammer gave Terry a glance and scoffed. “You don’t know? You… … a minor character like you, it is only natural. Recently, the Palace received a report. Some of our members had been killed.”

“Wha… … what?” Terry was stunned and he stammered, “Even before entering World’s End, the Awakened ones have already lost all their abilities and memories, becoming ordinary humans. How could they…”

“Naturally, it is not the Awakened ones!” Hammer sent Terry a glare. “The one who could kill off those three groups must naturally be an Irregularity. Why did you think I called that fellow a traitor?”

Terry’s body turned stiff. He turned to face Hammer in disbelief. “How could there be such a fool! Does that fellow not value his or her own life? Forget about the Coalition’s vengeance… … if the Development Team chooses to manually clear the Recycle Bin, does that fellow believe that he or she could escape?”

“Who knows?” There was a disdainful look on Hammer’s face. “However, this matter is absolutely true. After clearing my last instance dungeon, I returned to report to the Palace. There, I heard the news. At least three groups had been killed while performing their clearing duties!”

“Mr Hammer… … don’t scare me!” Terry glanced around at his surroundings, incapable of stopping a chill from running down his spine. “Maybe it is due to some leftover monsters from the instance dungeons…”

“Impossible!” Hammer shook his head. “The Palace sent out an investigative team and confirmed that those three instance dungeons are clean! Additionally… … they found the corpses of the three groups!”

Terry blink as he looked at Hammer, not speaking at all.

Hammer continued, “The way the people from those three groups died… … it was done decisively. Moreover, they all died in the same manner! A type of force had vibrated away all the muscles, flesh, and bones from their bodies, leaving only a layer of skin behind… … the monsters inside instance dungeons are restricted by the system. Even after entering World’s End, there is no way for them to casually step out of an instance dungeon’s edge! Other than them being killed by other Irregularities, what other explanation is there?”

“Then… … then, we…” Terry took a deep breath.

“You and I are in the same group, what are you worried about?” Hammer gave a harrumph. “Those three groups are just trash. If I get to meet the traitor, I will teach that fellow how to write the word ‘regret’.”

“Of… of course! With Mr Hammer here… …” Terry forced out a smile. However, the expression on his face suddenly changed.

The roaring sound of an engine could be heard coming from the distant sky.

“This instance dungeon… … there are others assigned to clear it as well?” Terry watched as a Devourer fighter aircraft swiftly flew toward them, a pale look on his face.

“Impossible…” Hammer shook his head. Looking at the Devourer fighter aircraft, which was still far away, he quickly halted the jeep and jumped down.

At the same time, his body began transforming. A layer of hardened organic tissues rapidly grew out to envelop his skin, making it look as though he was wearing a suit of armour. A blade made of bone slid out from each of his fists.

“Mr Hammer, if we actually encounter the one you are talking about…” Terry looked at the Devourer fighter aircraft, which was coming closer, and whispered to Hammer. “We… … should we take the initiative to attack, or run?”

“You? Just stay quiet and watch.” Hammer smiled arrogantly. He used the bone blades on each of his fists to strike each other, creating a hoarse clashing sound. “If it is the traitor, humph… …”

The Devourere fighter aircraft quickly made its way to their position. After hovering above them for a while, it landed.

As the hatch was slowly opening, Terry was unable to stop himself from gulping. 

The hatch opened to reveal both Chen Xiaolian and Bluesea.

“Seniors! Don’t! Don’t attack us!”

The moment he appeared, Chen Xiaolian immediately put up both hands and put on a façade of fear.

Hammer stood still and gazed at Chen Xiaolian coldly, a look of disappointment flashed across his face.

“Who are you people?”

Terry straightened himself and shouted out.

“My… … my name is Chen Xiaolian. He is Bluesea! Are you two from the Coalition? I… … I want to join you!” Chen Xiaolian’s hands maintained its upraised position and he looked left and right before stammering.

“Join?” Terry breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Hammer. Seeing no signs of objection from him, Terry beckoned to Chen Xiaolian. “Come closer and talk.”

“Yes!” Chen Xiaolian led Bluesea down the Devourer fighter aircraft and the two of them came to stand before the Hammer and Terry.

“Speak up, you two! What is the situation here?” Hammer regarded both Chen Xiaolian and Bluesea for a moment before saying coldly.

“We are both Irregularities. We have only arrived here not too long ago… … we don’t quite understand what is going on.” Moving to stand before Hammer, Chen Xiaolian said, “Earlier on, in another instance dungeon, we had encountered another senior. He more or less informed us what is going on in World’s End. Then, he told us to go find the other Irregularities and join the Coalition.”

Terry looked at Chen Xiaolian. “Senior? Which one? Why didn’t you just follow him?”

“His name is… … Deiha. Originally, he was supposed to bring us back to the headquarters. However, on the way back, we encountered a large group of Awakened ones. As he was too occupied with hunting the Awakened ones, he did not have the time to deal with us. He let us use this Devourer fighter aircraft and gave us the directions. According to him, if we follow this path, we will be able to find the other Irregularities.” As he spoke, Chen Xiaolian turned to look at the Devourer fighter aircraft. “I… … even back when I was still alive, I had only managed to see this aircraft. Never had I gotten the chance to even touch it. Senior brothers, in this World’s End… … does everyone have such amazing equipment?”

“Deiha? That piece of trash?” Hammer and Terry exchanged glances before bursting into laughter. “When did that trash qualify to be called senior? To think he could bring out a Devourer fighter aircraft to loan others! He’s grown up!”

Chen Xiaolian smiled along beside them.

“Which instance dungeon is it?” Hammer asked casually.

“Manhattan instance dungeon,” Chen Xiaolian was quick to answer.

“Mm… …” Terry glanced at Hammer, who gave a light nod. “That sounds correct.”

“So… … fellow seniors, is this instance dungeon cleared already? When do we head to the headquarters?” There was an anxious look on Chen Xiaolian’s face. “According to senior Deiha… … we are currently in a critical situation. If we can get confirmation that we are innocent, we want to immediately contribute to the Coalition… …”

“Oh? So hasty?” Hammer glanced at Chen Xiaolian with a lackadaisical smile.

“Of course!” Chen Xiaolian quickly nodded his head. “Senior Deiha had informed us about it. If we fail the find the bugged out Awakened, this entire World’s End might end up getting manually cleared. I… … I had just died. I am not keen on dying a second time so soon! Unless … … could there be any Irregularities who are unwilling to join the Coalition?”

“Humph… … could there be any Irregularities who are unwilling to join?” Hammer sneered but gave no answer. “At least you two understand.”

“Mr Hammer… …” Terry revealed a slight frown. “This instance dungeon… … is not completely cleared yet.”

“This city-type instance dungeon is filled with ruins. If the Awakened ones hide themselves in some corner and choose to not show themselves, how can the two of us clear this place?” Hammer rolled his eyes. “Let’s head back first, then… …”

A smile suddenly appeared on Hammer’s face. He turned to Chen Xiaolian. “The Devourer fighter aircraft’s radar system is working, right?”

…

“That snotty Deiha, what kind of crazy luck does he have? To think he could find such a good item!”

Hammer, who was piloting the Devourer fighter aircraft, pushed it to maximum velocity and performed two high-speed manoeuvres in the sky. He screamed out in glee, an excited expression on his face.

The second pilot’s seat was empty. The other three were seated in the back. Terry maintained his combat-ready posture as he sat in the last row. Every now and then, his eyes would turn to regard both Chen Xiaolian and Bluesea.

“If senior likes it… …” Chen Xiaolian looked at Hammer and gave a light laugh.

“Mm…” Hammer pulled the Devourer fighter aircraft up from a diving manoeuvre and nodded his head satisfactorily. “Not bad, you’re a sensible one. When we reach the Palace, I will put in a good word for you.”

“Yes, thank you, senior Hammer.”

After he was done enjoying the Devourer fighter aircraft, he turned the aircraft toward the right direction and it sped forward at full speed.

…