Chapter 460: Chapter 269: The Secret of the Whig Society 2
In truth, they were less human and more like non-human creatures in human form.
The one in the lead wore a black noble’s robe, which was inlaid with various rune-like metal patterns and gemstones.
In his left hand, the man held a short scepter, about the length of his forearm. At its tip was a red skull, an eye-catching jewel that appeared to have been carved from a piece of agate or some similar gemstone as large as an infant’s skull. It looked exceptionally valuable.
Fang Zhen had a hunch that the one holding the short, red-skulled scepter was the one who had just fired the red ray. The man was continuously waving his right hand in front of his body, seemingly performing the initial gestures for some skill in preparation for his next attack.
Fang Zhen didn’t waste words. He immediately used his AWP sniper rifle’s scope to lock onto the man with the red-skulled scepter from a distance.
Although others were visible in his line of sight, Fang Zhen ignored them completely, focusing all his attention on the man holding the scepter.
Just then, Fang Zhen was struck by a flash of insight.
In that instant, his "Headshot Fiend" passive and other sniper-related skills all triggered at once, their effects stacking.
Acting on this instinct, Fang Zhen pulled the trigger.
BANG! The shot rang out.
The bullet flew.
Through his scope, Fang Zhen saw the bullet reach its target just a second later.
The man in black noble attire, holding the short, red-skulled scepter, also seemed to sense something.
The instant the bullet arrived, he suddenly raised his left hand and blocked with the scepter.
CRACK! Through Fang Zhen’s scope, he saw the AWP bullet—which should have been a fatal headshot—strike the large gemstone on the man’s scepter instead.
The red skull crystal on the scepter’s head instantly shattered into countless fragments, and the bullet tore a gaping hole through the man’s left arm.
But surprisingly, the red skull crystal seemed exceptionally hard. It absorbed most of the AWP bullet’s kinetic energy. The remaining force was just enough to shatter the bone in the man’s left arm.
After being slowed by both the crystal and the bone, the bullet’s velocity and destructive power had significantly weakened. Although it continued on its path toward the man’s head, he had just enough time to jerk his head to the side.
The bullet tore off the left side of his face, ripping away all the flesh between his forehead and cheekbone. Yet, he didn’t die. The bullet had only taken off half his face; it hadn’t pierced his skull.
Despite suffering such a grievous injury, the man showed no significant emotional reaction. He merely stared coldly in Fang Zhen’s direction atop the walls of Lanxi City, his lips on the remaining half of his face twisting a few times as if uttering a curse.
Then, the man’s figure suddenly dissolved into a black, illusory shadow. The movement felt similar to Fang Zhen’s own Assassination Step, but the technique seemed even more advanced.
Through the scope, the man’s form looked like a wisp of black smoke that instantly vanished into the mountain forest, making it impossible for Fang Zhen to lock onto him again.
Fang Zhen sighed to himself.
’What a shame.’
’If I’m not mistaken, that was the Vice-Chairman of the Eternal Night Council.’
’I was aiming for a long-range headshot, but I didn’t expect the target to react so quickly. He actually used that Extraordinary Alchemy Artifact in his hand to block the shot.’
Still, Fang Zhen had achieved something.
’At least I don’t have to worry about him sniping me from afar with that Alchemy Artifact anymore.’
Seeing that the Vice-Chairman of the Eternal Night Council had escaped into the forest, Fang Zhen put away his sniper rifle, abandoning the idea of trying to pick him off with the AWP.
The Vice-Chairman seemed to have sharp survival instincts. After being attacked from a distance like that, he was unlikely to expose himself so carelessly again. He would avoid showing his face where Fang Zhen could snipe him.
By now, counting his daytime activities, Fang Zhen had been fighting continuously for a full day and was starting to feel fatigued.
He had eaten a few energy gels while defending the city. He had received supplies from the Whig Society earlier and now had over thirty gels on hand—more than enough for the time being.
His opinion of Alexander had also changed.
He already had a decent impression of Alexander, but now he realized the Chairman of the Whig Society was truly a man of his word. At a critical moment, he had helped Fang Zhen by blocking a long-range shot from the Chairman of the Eternal Night Council.
While Fang Zhen might have been able to block the attack himself, Alexander’s actions spoke volumes. He was someone worth building a deeper connection with.
By now, the greatest threats to Lanxi City—the Giant Poisonous Cannon Fiends and the Poisonous Soaring Ghosts—had been all but wiped out. The creatures currently attacking the city were just some Abnormal Ghosts and Ghost-faced Spiders.
The members of the Eternal Night Council seemed to have realized this as well, noticing the lack of any remaining monstrous siege units that could pose a serious threat to Lanxi City.
For the moment, the Eternal Night Council only sent waves of Abnormal Ghosts to harass the defenders, but they were incapable of inflicting any substantial threat or damage on Lanxi City’s forces.
