Yellow sand filled the sky, obscuring the sun, and a gigantic sand scorpion appeared in the distance. This colossal boss, level 80, resembled a moving sand dune, inspiring fear in all who beheld it.

The members of the adventure team were already on high alert, gripping their weapons tightly and staring intently ahead.

The commander stood at the very front of the column, his voice booming like a bell: "Entimesis, you're with me, charging ahead!"

Lu Cang responded without hesitation, "Okay!"

"Meli, Xinong, Amor, support our left and right flanks!" the commander continued to issue orders.

Merri, Xinong, and Amor responded in unison, "Yes!"

They quickly dispersed, forming an arc-shaped defensive line to protect the flanks of the commander and Entimemes.

"Second, third, and fourth squads, provide remote support and ensure our healing!" The commander's gaze swept over the squad behind him as he spoke with a firm tone.

At the leader's command, the members of the adventure team sprang into action like a well-trained army.

Bang! As he spoke, the captain had already spurred the sand wolf, charging towards the giant sand scorpion like a bolt of lightning.

Clang! The greatsword in his hand collided violently with the pincers of the giant sand scorpion, producing a deafening impact.

Small-scale battles like this were commonplace for Lu Cang.

The giant sand scorpion opened its blood-red maw, spewing out a burst of scorching flames in an attempt to stop the captain's attack. The captain dodged to the side, and with a swift swing of his greatsword, left a deep wound on the giant sand scorpion's body.

The ranged attacks from the second, third, and fourth squads rained down on the giant sand scorpion, providing powerful fire support for their teammates ahead. The adventurers coordinated perfectly, their attacks flowing smoothly like water, giving the giant sand scorpion no chance to breathe.

Lu Cang carefully suppressed his divine power, took out a scepter-like weapon from his backpack, and wielded it in close combat using staff techniques.

Bang! The blow was as powerful as a thunderbolt, striking the giant sand scorpion's incredibly hard pincers.

Shockingly, the blow actually created a large, dark crack in the pliers.

The actual damage from this attack is not visible in this world. However, from the shocking wounds, one can clearly feel that this was an extremely painful and devastating blow!

"Well done! As expected of the deputy commander!" Merri shouted excitedly, her figure moving like a ghost as she quickly circled behind the giant scorpion.

At that moment, the sharp long knife in her hand gleamed coldly and swiftly plunged into the crack of the giant scorpion's carapace like lightning! She gritted her teeth, used all her strength, and pried it open! Crack! A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the giant scorpion's carapace instantly shattered.

Unfortunately, Merri's strength was far too insignificant compared to the enormous sand scorpion. Despite his best efforts, his attack failed to completely pry open the scorpion's carapace.

The dark power on Lu Cang's scepter weakened slightly.

Lu Cang did not use any fancy dark divine powers; he simply poured out a little divine power.

This is just a level 80 monster.

If we need to resort to divine authority to deal with it, then that would be a waste of resources.

With a loud clang, Lu Cang's dark scepter slammed down hard on its right pincer.

At the same time, the captain was equally agile, moving like a cheetah as he swiftly pounced on the giant scorpion's left pincer.

Meanwhile, Merri nimbly dodged the scorpion's tail attacks. Her eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, always able to find an opening at the crucial moment, and then strike without hesitation, inflicting fatal blows on the scorpion time and time again!

The remaining members of the adventure team also displayed their unique abilities, unleashing powerful magic and firing strong arrows that rained down on the giant scorpion.

The giant scorpion was completely powerless to fight back and could only struggle desperately under the siege of the group.

"Victory is in the making!"

"I can feel it's going to die!"

"Everyone, give it your all! Keep pushing!"

-----------------

thump--

But in that instant, Lu Cang's heart suddenly stopped for a moment, a feeling of stagnation spread throughout his body, and he couldn't move!

call!

At the same time, in Lu Cang's vision, he saw the giant scorpion's pincers suddenly speed up!

It's more than ten times faster than before!

Even if it were faster, the gap between it and Lu Cang was still huge. But the problem now is that Lu Cang is frozen and can't move!

Bang!

Just one strike!

The guild leader was sent flying in an instant!

Whoosh!

In that instant, Lu Cang was able to move!

Lu Cang instantly burst into speed and moved to the leader's side, but what he received was a blurry mass of flesh and blood!

They could clearly see the giant sand scorpion's movements, but they were unable to act and could only watch helplessly as their leader was sent flying!

"Commander!"

Lu Cang's pupils contracted!

But suddenly my mind tightened!

With a divine sense, Meili looked toward the giant sand scorpion, only to find that she too had been pierced by the scorpion's stinger.

In those two short moments, the commander was killed and Merri was also killed.

Whoosh!

Bang!

The giant sand scorpion's body exploded.

Lu Cang no longer concealed his power, but instead used the power of a demigod to kill it the moment he touched it.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Cang had already pulled Meili into his arms.

Merri's vision blurred; she could no longer see anything, only a very, very blurry silhouette: "Vice Commander..."

All that remained of Merri's chest was a huge hole.

Meanwhile, the toxins had already spread throughout its body... it was already dead.

Lu Cang has no way to save her now.

"cough……"

"I originally intended to tell you my feelings after returning from this expedition."

"It seems... there's no chance... anymore."

That was all she said before Merri fell silent.

She is dead.

Lu Cang held Mei Li's body in his arms. Although he had witnessed so many partings of life and death, this scene still made him feel sad.

She didn't actually have to die.

Click—

"Powerless?"

"It's always the same, failing at crucial moments..."

"Always thinking you can protect everything, but in the end you protect nothing."

wrong.

That shouldn't be the case.

I was only momentarily frozen in place by some unknown force.

Otherwise, I could definitely have saved them.

"Is this the trial of the forbidden zone?"

“They deliberately created this situation to make me see my weakness and powerlessness.” Lu Cang tried to calm down and analyze everything that was happening.

Everything was arranged by the restricted area.

This scene was deliberately staged to shake one's own resolve.

But at that moment, another voice emerged in Lu Cang's heart.

"Do you think all of this is fake?"

"They were all real people, and it was your incompetence that killed them."

"Don't you remember?"

Whoosh!

The scene before Lu Cang's eyes suddenly changed again.

On a dark night filled with torrential rain, Lu Cang knelt on the ground, wailing, holding the corpse of the white deer.

The screen flashed again.

However, Leng Qingying appeared in front of Lu Cang and blocked the fatal blow for him.

These are all things that happened in the past.

Seeing these scenes again.

Lu Cang's heart still trembled.

These are the scenes he least wants to recall.

But the next scene...

Lu Cang saw a figure that looked exactly like him walking towards him.

Behind him were still Bai Lu, the fearless warrior, Leng Qingying, and others...

That being, which looked exactly like him, was incredibly powerful.

"I'm going to kill them."

"You can't stop me."

It rushed past me at a speed I couldn't even react to.

Lu Cang tried to stop him.

But he couldn't move his body, and all he could hear were one painful scream after another.

He tore the brave and fearless to pieces.

Lu Cang slowly turned around and looked at the person whose face was exactly the same as his.

He mocked sarcastically, "You can't protect anything."

"If you are powerful enough, you can ignore everything."

"If you are strong enough, nothing can affect you, neither external forces nor your own heart!"

"You're too weak, so weak and fragile!"

Buzz—

Lu Cang snapped out of his daze from these images!

But he discovered that he was still holding Merri's remains in his arms.

The toxins have now spread throughout her entire body.

It caused her originally exquisite face to become rotten and ugly.

The other members of the adventurer group looked at Entimesis with horror on their faces.

"What kind of expressions are those?"

"Do you hate me?"

"I hate that I didn't protect them!"

Lu Cang's voice was deep and distorted, like a whisper from the depths of antiquity.

"No……"

"Vice Regimental Commander... Vice Regimental Commander!"

"Is this you?!"

Is this you?

What does this mean?

"Don't you even recognize me? I'm your deputy commander. I just killed the giant sand scorpion, ensuring you're no longer in danger."

"Although I failed to save the commander or protect Meili."

"But at least you were the ones I protected."

"If it weren't for me, you would all be killed by the giant sand scorpion by now. This giant sand scorpion can kill the deputy commander, it can kill Meili, so it can kill you all. None of you will escape!"

But Lu Cang said this.

They all covered their ears, their expressions pained.

"Not a single one will escape!"

Lu Cang was furious!

Why are you covering your ears? Why aren't you listening to yourself?

So he could only extend his tentacles, wrap them around their arms, and pry open their fingers and joints so that they could hear him speak.

"No...no!"

"Deputy Commander!"

"No!"

"He's no longer the deputy regimental commander!"

"It's a monster!"

"Run! The commander and Merri have already been eaten by it!"

Hearing their cries, Lu Cang became even more furious!

The regimental commander and Merri were killed by this giant sand scorpion.

I just couldn't save them!

Why do you say I killed him?

Filled with rage, Lu Cang used his tentacles to pull the fleeing members over, intending to have a proper discussion with them.

But the tentacles had just wrapped around their waists.

They then burst open, so fragile.