Masu looked at Tao Yu's dissipating figure once more and his entire countenance seemed extremely grave.
Evading that attack just now had not come without a price!
He kept retreating toward the statue and said in a deep voice,
"Friend, your abilities aren't exactly aboveboard either. There's no need for us to fight to the death. I only follow the Heretic God for power, and there's no conflict between us..."
There was no response. Masu maintained a high level of vigilance, faintly feeling that the other was always looking for a breach around him.
"These ghostly times are not peaceful; it's understandable to seek power. There's no need to risk your life for the big shots of the Floating City. People should live for themselves! Am I right?
"I only joined the Heretic God Church for self-protection too. I can quit. I still have my wits about me. What do you say to shaking hands and making peace?"
Masu kept up his beguiling speech, which seemed to have a strange effect that easily persuaded others.
However, to Tao Yu in the shadows, this was completely meaningless!
Moving continuously to the side, he found that Masu was always facing him directly.
Thinking about Masu's previous strike that had decapitated Wino, Tao Yu knew he wouldn't withstand a similar blow.
After several tentative attempts, the next moment, Tao Yu began to rapidly retreat, while the headless Wino and Cao Shaolin with corpses still hanging from his body both pounced toward Masu.
Meanwhile, Tao Yu himself drew his AT200 and started to fire at Masu from a distance.
If he couldn't take him down in close combat, then he would just start shooting!
Streams of shadows clung to the bullets, turning them as soon as they left the barrel into a thick coat of ink!
The moment Tao Yu retreated, Masu ducked behind the statue, shouting fiercely,
"You forced my hand! You're asking for death!"
Many bullets hit the statue but couldn't penetrate it at all.
The shadow force, like ink, splashed onto the statue, seemingly seeping into its many cracks and spreading the fissures.
Even combining the bullets with armor-piercing capabilities failed to break the statue.
However, several bullets, focused with Tao Yu's mental force, moved in an arched trajectory the moment they left the barrel. As they approached the statue, they had gained enough of an angle to envelop Masu from behind!
Clang~
The statue was cut down by Masu himself, and at the same time, a succession of bullets penetrated Masu's head.
Before Masu's body hit the ground, Tao Yu's pupils contracted at the sight of a strange, arc-shaped ripple spreading rapidly from the broken center of the statue,
The all-encompassing mode of coverage left no room for Tao Yu to dodge, even in "Bullet Time."
He barely managed to slip into the shadows using "Bullet Time," hoping the shifting form could buffer the blow.
His bear form layered his inner strength, and the Qi and Blood Pill was activated, covering his whole body.
His mental force was highly concentrated, and his Yuan Force was ready to restore at any moment.
Then...
It's completely a potential breakthrough point.
"I just don't know how many there are; even the Inner City people joined the Church of the Heretic God, what are they after..."
Tao Yu sighed.
He felt that the Outsiders really provided fertile ground for the growth of the cult of the Heretic God; their situation was indeed complicated.
But as for Masu, being from the Inner City...
"Perhaps their family originally rose to power by these means. Judging from their strength, joining the Church of the Heretic God is probably beneficial."
Although Tao Yu possessed Godhood and Mental Immunity, when it came to Evil Gods and Demon Gods of the Abyss, he had no intention of testing his limits.
Who knows how powerful those things can be?
There's no need to take risks when a clear path is already laid out.
"Let the big shots worry about it; I'm just a small fry like Karami, no need to stir up trouble. Tsk, does this mean I have to go back again? I wonder if I can find a telegraph or radio..."
While Tao Yu was mulling this over, Cao Shaolin had already come over with the corpse-looting gear.
All was still well; it turns out Masu wasn't some sort of suicide bomber maniac.
Er, perhaps other people would be more at risk from the statue's explosion, but for Tao Yu, it was rather good news.
"This knife is quite nice..."
The first thing Tao Yu got his hands on was Masu's tachi-like long sword, an unquestionable Yuan Force item, and its attributes were quite impressive.
Treasonous Blade: [Sturdy][Sharp][Armor-Piercing][Self-Repair], capable of absorbing one thousand two hundred points of Yuan Force.
Four-fold traits, and they complement each other nicely.
Actually, Tao Yu's current Colossal Lizard's Fang was also very good, but the Colossal Lizard's Fang was a short weapon. Having a longer weapon to complement it was quite beneficial.
The main reason he hadn't attempted another close-combat attack after his first failed attempt was the gap in weapon length.
The influence of Fist Intention from a distance was reduced quite a bit beyond the range of one's arm plus the length of a blade.
After all, the maximum destructive impact of Fist Intention was after a successful hit, and the effect would decrease with distance.
So, he temporarily switched to using a spear.
"After taking down a Heretic God nest, the rewards won't be lacking, right? It can't be less than what I got for killing an alien, surely..."
After fiddling with the Treasonous Blade for a bit, Tao Yu unapologetically hung it at his waist, displaying it openly.
Compared to some equipment that seems shady, this one is absolutely above board.
What could be a more legitimate source than spoils of war from smashing a Heretic God lair?
But then Tao Yu's expression became rigid as he thought,
"Er, wouldn't that possibly draw retaliation from those zealots of the Church of the Heretic God..."
Thinking this, he silently tore off some strips of cloth and wrapped them around the sheath and handle of the Treasonous Blade, deciding it's better to keep a low profile...