Chapter 40: The Ancient Armored Crocodile

Gradually, the surrounding mist began to dissipate, and the scenery grew brighter. The six members of Yeyu’s party looked around, realizing they were in a forested area. Yet, the forest around them was strangely fantastical, with a faint glow shimmering on the leaves, where an overwhelming vitality could be felt—far beyond the limits of imagination.

A colossal figure soon became visible before their eyes: a giant serpent, thirty meters long, its body pitch-black with a subtle violet sheen. Beneath the deep, unfathomable radiance, there was a metallic glint that betrayed the hardness of its scales.

Not far ahead, a swamp stretched into the distance. The pools within the deeper regions of the marsh were noticeably more numerous than those right before the party, making it clear that the path ahead would only grow more perilous. Aquatic plants and clear streams divided the road into several possible routes.

“Director Guo, we’ve temporarily expanded the field of view for these six according to your instructions,” reported a staff member from the Department of Game Technology Intelligence.

“Hmm. President Feng,” Guo Yuan nodded, then turned to the focused man behind him, eyes fixed on the screen. “Let’s continue. I want to see what choice they make. Under normal circumstances, which route would Sakura and her team pick?”

President Feng spoke calmly. His eyes, usually placid, now glimmered with a rare, vivid light, as if he had suddenly taken a keen interest in something he’d ordinarily brush aside. “Typically, players would split up to scout ahead. In similar scenarios involving unexplored mechanics, group players tend to divide and search,” Sakura replied. She closed the dark folder in her hands, glanced at the screen with composure, then stepped to a colleague’s side to examine the data before responding.

“Guo Yuan, let’s make a wager,” President Feng’s words immediately caught Guo’s attention.

“President Feng? I believe they’ll split up to scout,” Guo replied, knowing full well that the president was proposing a bet.

“Is that so? Then I wager they won’t split up. Their captain will give the command, and the others will follow his lead without question.”

Guo nodded slightly at this, turning back to the screen. Though the wager itself was trivial—President Feng was, after all, indisputably his superior—there was an increasing weight to Guo’s expression.

“Third Brother, what do you think? What’s the plan?” Luo Feng glanced at the branching paths ahead, then turned to Yeyu for guidance.

The others, too, turned their gaze to Yeyu, their faces betraying their own expectations. Yeyu considered for a moment before speaking. “If we split up, it’s not a bad option, but due to our level and the unknown nature of this place, we’d each face different challenges.”

His eyes never left the distant giant serpent. Though it hadn’t attacked, Yeyu remained vigilant, wary of a sudden strike.

“So what do you propose?” someone asked.

“I think we should all take the same path. I don’t know where the other roads may lead, but right now, the best plan is to stick together. We’re not strong enough to handle the unknown alone; even the blood-red demon wolf earlier nearly overwhelmed us.”

Yeyu’s words were not empty. Had it not been for his discovery of the demon wolf’s weakness and his skillful use of abilities to hold it off, they might already have been ejected from the instance.

“In that case, Third Brother, let’s go together. You pick the way,” Luo Feng said.

“Yes,” the others all nodded in agreement, accepting Yeyu’s reasoning. Yeyu smiled, glancing at Luo Feng. “Buff up—let’s move.”

The six of them advanced at a measured pace. Shortly after they set off, the thirty-meter serpent glanced at them once more, then, with a subtle movement, vanished with a swish from sight.

Because Luo Wei’s class was defensive, he took the lead. He soon called out a warning: “There’s a monster ahead. Looks a bit like a crocodile!”

Yeyu’s eyes narrowed as he looked toward the spot Luo Wei indicated.

“It’s an Ancient Armored Croc, and it’s level forty,” Qu Zheng’s face showed his shock. For such a powerful monster to appear so soon after entering was alarming.

The Ancient Armored Croc’s body was covered in plates resembling metal armor, and its forty-meter bulk was even greater than the serpent they had seen earlier. The sight left them all momentarily stunned.

“There’s no info on this thing online, but judging by its appearance, its defense is obviously formidable. As for its attack, it’s probably focused on the tail. Its agility should be quite low,” Yeyu mused. “We can kite it, wear it down slowly. Its tail attacks must deal tremendous damage.”

Yeyu’s analysis proved accurate. To test the croc’s power, Luo Wei sent his bronze puppet to attack from a distance. The croc’s tail lashed out, dealing massive damage—the puppet’s defense couldn’t withstand it, its health dropping instantly to zero before collapsing to the ground.

“That’s a huge amount of damage. Can we handle this?” Luo Wei asked, his face grave as he glanced at Yeyu.

“It is high, but not impossible. Let’s try,” Yeyu replied. At his signal, the group prepared for battle. Yeyu was the first to act, sending out a Light String Gale. Chains wreathed in violet energy shot forth, striking the croc’s body—but snapped instantly, unable to restrain it.

“This is going to be trouble,” Huang Hong muttered, a rare glint of fighting spirit in his eyes as he charged forward with his spear, a flash of blue light drawing the croc’s attention. Its tail swept out, colliding with his weapon.

Boom.

Luo Wei summoned another bronze puppet, its fists wreathed in searing flames, and sent it charging forward. In a few breaths, it reached the Ancient Armored Croc and struck hard with a flaming punch. The croc’s claw met it head-on, sending out a gust of wind.

Huang Hong and Luo Wei launched attack after attack, the croc’s slow movements giving them enough time to dodge. Even its sweeping tail strikes narrowly missed them.

“Youngest, find the best spot to hit it!” Yeyu called, launching ranged attacks of his own. With his gear focused on damage, he was able to inflict wounds nearly on par with Huang Hong and Luo Wei.

The croc let out a piercing roar, its gaze fierce and unyielding. With a shudder, it released a terrifying surge of power, knocking Luo Wei and Huang Hong back, its tail sweeping out in a deadly arc.

Yeyu’s eyes narrowed. With a swift motion, he strummed his strings, sending out another Light String Gale. This time, the chains successfully bound the croc’s body, even suspending its tail in the air.

That brief moment of restraint gave Huang Hong and Luo Wei precious time to retreat—just enough. But after about three seconds, the croc broke free, its tail accelerating in a blur, sweeping across and catching Huang Hong with a blast of wind. In an instant, his health plummeted.

Seeing this, Luo Feng’s eyes flashed with concern. He raised his left hand, releasing a green radiance, and the rapid drain of Huang Hong’s health slowed at once, finally stopping at a mere seven points. If not for Luo Feng’s timely healing, Huang Hong would surely have collapsed, possibly ejected from the instance altogether.

Huang Hong quickly downed a potion, watching his health begin to recover. Yet a debilitation set in—five minutes of weakness, a direct result of the croc’s attack. The effect was clear: both his movement and attack power were reduced by fifty to seventy percent. The drop in overall stats meant that for the next five minutes, Huang Hong would be ineffective against the croc. Worse still, his slowed movement made him an easy target for another tail sweep—a certain death. For now, he had become a burden to the team.