The flashbang exploded, instantly illuminating the area with a blinding white light. Li Cunxu and Xiao Ruan quickly ducked and closed their eyes, avoiding the blinding effect, but the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion wasn't so lucky.
Its eyes were dazzled by the flash.
"Now, Xiao Ruan, use Grass Blade to strike its tail!"
Before he finished speaking, Li Cunxu had already grabbed the Spirit Restriction Ram Horn Hammer and smashed it toward the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion's head. The scorpion instinctively fought back, its massive pincers sending the hammer flying.
At that moment, a Grass Blade formed from green light slashed at the weak point of the scorpion's tail, where the black and red colors met.
The Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion had a previous injury at the base of its tail, and Xiao Ruan's strike hit its mark.
The crucial red tail was severed, causing the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion's aura to plummet, as if its lifeline had been cut.
"Keep using Grass Blade!"
Several more Grass Blades followed, cutting off the scorpion's pincers and opening a gash on its head.
The Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion lay motionless, seemingly dead.
"Who do you think you're fooling with this trick?"
Li Cunxu sneered.
Corrupted creatures were incredibly tenacious; unless their heads were severed, they wouldn't die.
In the game, Li Cunxu had fallen for this trap before. The health bar appeared empty, but as soon as he got close, the scorpion would suddenly lunge and bite him.
"Xiao Ruan, use Grass Blade to cut it in half!"
The Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion could no longer keep up the act and charged at Li Cunxu with all its might.
Li Cunxu hurled a Water Orb, knocking it back into the path of the Grass Blade, and the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion was split in two from head to tail.
"Finally, it's dealt with."
Li Cunxu let out a sigh of relief. Although he had defeated it many times in the game, this was reality, where he only had one life and no chance to start over.
He stuffed the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion's corpse into his backpack, retrieved the Spirit Restriction Ram Horn Hammer that had been knocked away earlier, and hurriedly left the sewer.
Although he had taken a Detoxification Pill and a Scorpion Venom Treatment Pill, this was a Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion. Its venom was extremely potent, and the pills could only suppress the poison, not fully neutralize it.
By the time Li Cunxu climbed out of the sewer, his left hand, which had been stung by the scorpion, was numb and devoid of sensation.
Li Cunxu had no choice but to take another Detoxification Pill and rush to the police station.
"I've killed the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion."
He handed the scorpion's corpse to the police officer for verification, left his identification, and then hurried to the hospital to have the remaining venom removed.
A subordinate reported, "A young man just brought a Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion to the Sacred Lotus District Police Station. After examination, it was confirmed that the venom that killed the Sludge Monster came from that scorpion."
"That's great, it's resolved."
The Investigation Team Leader was overjoyed. Over the past few days, the Mayor and various higher-ups had been calling to pressure him to quickly identify the culprit, causing him immense stress. He had lost so much hair that he was nearly bald.
The Team Leader immediately went to the Sacred Lotus District Police Station to verify the findings once more.
"If there are no large-scale deaths among the Sludge Monsters, it means this incident is over."
"By the way, where is that young man?"
"He went to the hospital to detoxify."
After detoxifying, Li Cunxu didn't return to the police station but went straight back to the Ranch.
He had already given his statement and had nothing more to say. Now, he just had to wait for the reward.
"Not a bad haul."
Li Cunxu turned his backpack upside down and shook out its contents.
The crystal core of a Black Iron Level 9 Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion, a Skill Seed for Mimicry, a Skill Seed for Scorpion Venom, a Skill Seed for Scorpion Venom Needle, and a Skill Seed for Poison Surge.
Both Mimicry and Poison Surge are Gold-level skills, Scorpion Venom is a Black Iron-level skill, and Scorpion Venom Needle is a Bronze-level skill.
"Three poison-based skills can be kept to train the next Pet Beast, but what about Mimicry?"
Mimicry would suit Xiao Ruan quite well, but Li Cunxu decided to sell it.
Because there was a better option. In the False Ancient Ice Field Secret Realm, there was a type of Slime called the Mimicry Slime, which could transform into the appearance of various Pet Beasts.
Once tamed, Mimicry could be learned through taxation.
Li Cunxu waited for a long time but didn't receive the reward for defeating the Corrupted Red-Tailed Poison Scorpion. Instead, he received a reward for lending out the Garbage Slime.
A cash reward of three million.
It seemed like a lot of money, but in reality, it wasn't much. Buying two or three Beast Tamer resources would deplete it quickly.
The game Divine Taming was notoriously pay-to-win.
But lending out the Garbage Slime and receiving such a reward still left Li Cunxu quite satisfied.
What made Li Cunxu even happier than the reward was that an environmental organization wanted to rent his Garbage Slime.
Renting out the Garbage Slime meant he could earn money effortlessly.
The environmental organization had taken a liking to the Garbage Slime. Although it wasn't as fast at cleaning up trash as the Sludge Monster, it was much cleaner and easier to handle.
When the Sludge Monster died, its body would turn into Rotten Sludge, which was extremely foul-smelling. If not manually disposed of, the stench would grow worse, filling the entire street with the smell of rotten eggs. It would also produce large amounts of flammable and explosive toxic methane, posing a danger to the city.
The Garbage Slime was different. When it died, it would only leave behind a clump of toxic Trash Slime Gel. Aside from being a bit sticky, it had no major drawbacks and could even be sold as a poison-based resource.
The Rotten Sludge from the Sludge Monster was also a poison-based resource, but poison-specialized Beast Tamers were reluctant to use it. Those who tried it knew why.
Pet Beasts that used Rotten Sludge would be tainted with an unbearable stench that couldn't be removed.
Who could tolerate a poison-based Pet Beast turning into a foul-smelling one? Unless the Beast Tamer themselves had a nose problem.
The quarterfinals began.
Li Cunxu's opponent was an acquaintance, Chen Lu.
As soon as they met, Chen Lu praised him, "You're amazing! You defeated so many opponents with just a Water Slime."
Li Cunxu, who hadn't yet summoned Xiao Ruan, asked in confusion, "How did you know my Pet Beast is a Water Slime?"
Chen Lu stuck out her tongue, "Of course, I watched your match videos."
"Match videos?"
"You didn't know? You're really popular! You defeated so many people with just a Water Slime."
"But I'm strong too, don't underestimate me!" Chen Lu raised her small fist and said softly.
A dual-purple talent holder—who would dare underestimate her?
"Come out, my little deer!"
With fur as tender as fresh grass, large antlers, and a graceful figure, the Little Medicine Deer happily circled around Chen Lu.
"It's actually a Little Medicine Deer," Li Cunxu was somewhat surprised.
The Little Medicine Deer was a unique Pet Beast from the Medicine King Valley in Mountain Capital, rarely seen outside.
The Little Medicine Deer was as rare as a Pureblood Dragon, and its final evolution form, the Medicine King Cauldron Deer, was comparable in strength and potential to a Pureblood Dragon.
Its value is exceptionally high. The antlers on its head, when consumed, can cure all diseases and neutralize all poisons, including some incurable diseases and deadly toxins with no known antidotes.
Its research value is also remarkably high.
The antlers are often sold by the gram, but they are generally scarce in the market. Even in the black market, where almost anything can be bought, the antlers of the Little Medicine Deer are a rare sight.
Is it a waste to use such a Pet Beast for combat?
Not at all.
When the Little Medicine Deer experiences pain, its antlers grow faster.
Deliberately tormenting the Little Medicine Deer? That won't work. If the Little Medicine Deer is in a low mood, the quality of its antlers will decrease.
Only when it is in a joyful mood will the quality of its antlers improve.
Therefore, combat is the best method to raise a Little Me
dicine Deer, as it allows the deer to experience pain while also keeping it in a happy state.
(End of Chapter)