Seeing his companions successfully kill several moss monsters, Ge Dalong's confidence soared, and he continued to fire ice spikes in all directions. However, the moss monsters seemed to realize the danger of the ice spikes and began to move quickly, dodging their attacks.
Meanwhile, Huo Xiuxiu, in coordination with the bell, attempted to use vortexes to disperse the surrounding mist, creating more space for Zhang Shi and his group. Thanks to her efforts, several miniature tornadoes appeared on the battlefield, the mist gradually thinned, and everyone was finally able to see their surroundings clearly.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhang Shi leaped out, activating his Shadow Step undetected. He appeared behind the moss monsters and delivered a swift strike, retreating immediately regardless of whether he succeeded or not. Zhang Shi's high mobility allowed him to almost blend into the mist, making him impossible to track. Whenever he approached the moss monsters, he would suddenly swing his sword, a sharp blade instantly slicing through their bodies. Without the mist's protection, the moss monsters became incredibly vulnerable and began to retreat rapidly.
The moss monsters that fell under the sword energy began to shrink rapidly, as if their life force had been drained. Their chests caved in, revealing a large hole, in which a diamond-shaped crystal, like a crystal, was exposed, occasionally emitting bursts of sparks.
"Holy crap, is this magic or a robot?"
Zhao Feng noticed the unusual behavior of the moss monster and shouted in shock.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shi frowned, his gaze lingering on the corpses of the moss monsters, a sense of unease rising within him. If these monsters were indeed being controlled, then they were no longer facing a simple biological threat, but a more complex enemy, possibly possessing high intelligence.
"It seems these moss monsters are just in disguise; the real mastermind behind them might be much more troublesome," Zhang Shi said in a deep voice, his tone revealing an unprecedented seriousness.
Huo Xiuxiu nodded in agreement, while shaking the bell in her hand even more rapidly. The tornado formed by the cyclone grew even more violent, not only dispersing the mist but also causing considerable disturbance to the moss monsters. She explained, "These monsters can conceal themselves in the mist and use the environment for camouflage, which shows that they possess a high degree of adaptability and intelligence. We must be even more careful."
Upon hearing this, Ge Dalong and Zhao Feng's fighting spirit was further strengthened. The two cooperated seamlessly, using ice spikes and giant axes to clear away the approaching moss monsters while keeping an eye on their surroundings to prevent any unforeseen events.
However, the mist that had been spreading around suddenly began to surge wildly, and the once open space was once again covered by mist. The retreating moss monsters also surrounded them again, compressing the space for Zhang Shi and the others to move around.
At the same time, a deep roar came from the depths of the mist. Soon after, a colossal creature slowly emerged. Its appearance combined the features of a moss monster and a human. It was enormous, covered in a moss-like substance that shimmered with a metallic sheen, looking like a giant cast in mercury. Its eyes were like two green lanterns, emitting a captivating light.
The mercury giant roared, and the surrounding fog once again gathered towards Zhang Shi and the others. Even though Huo Xiuxiu increased the speed of shaking the bell, it was to no avail. The group was quickly swallowed up by the fog, and Zhang Shi couldn't even tell who was next to him.
Zhang Shi took a deep breath, gripped Lao Duan tightly in his hand, and prepared to face this unknown final battle. He looked at Pipi, who seemed to sense his master's determination, let out a deafening roar, and then his figure blurred, turning into a white light. With his outstanding eyesight, he rushed straight towards the giant mechanical moss monster, trying to attract its attention.
Pippi's white light flashed like lightning in the mist, instantly attracting the Mercury Giant's attention. The giant let out an even more deafening roar, its massive body turning to target Pippi. Pippi nimbly weaved through the mist, leaping and diving, skillfully dodging the giant's swinging arms, while simultaneously letting out provocative roars to further enrage its opponent.
Taking advantage of Pipi drawing the giant's attention, Zhang Shi stealthily approached, trying to find an opening. He knew that a direct confrontation was not a good strategy; he had to outsmart the giant. Using the mobility of the Shadow Step, he appeared and disappeared in the mist, searching for an opportunity to strike a fatal blow.
However, the moss monsters gave Zhang Shi no chance. They seemed to have received instructions, gathering in twos and threes, supporting each other and tightening their encirclement. Every move they made was quite tactical.
Huo Xiuxiu continued to manipulate the cyclone, attempting to carve a clear path through the fog to support Zhang Shi and his team. At the same time, she remained vigilant for any other potential dangers. Ge Dalong and Zhao Feng were responsible for clearing out the small groups of moss monsters that tried to get close, ensuring the safety of the team's rear.
Enraged by Pippi's trickery, the Mercury Giant grew increasingly ferocious, but this also created an opening in its defenses. Zhang Shi seized the opportunity, flashing behind the giant. Old Duan was poised to deliver a fatal blow. However, in that instant, the giant seemed to sense something, abruptly turning around, and a gigantic hand, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed towards Zhang Shi.
Zhang Shi narrowly dodged the attack, but the immense force still made his blood and qi surge. He realized that a direct confrontation was not the solution; he had to change his strategy. So, he quickly retreated, using the space cleared by Huo Xiuxiu to successfully rejoin them and discuss countermeasures.
“They keep shrinking, we can’t go on like this, we have to find their weakness,” Zhang Shi said breathlessly. “Pipi, after your vision was enhanced, did you notice anything unusual?”
Pipi shook its head, but then nodded, seemingly hesitant. It scratched at the ground with its paws, as if trying to express something. Zhang Shi squatted down, carefully observing Pipi's movements, and suddenly his eyes lit up: "You mean, its core is in its chest?"
Pipi nodded vigorously, his eyes gleaming with determination. Zhang Shi looked up at Huo Xiuxiu: "We need to devise a plan to attack its core."
Huo Xiuxiu pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I'll be in charge of holding it back, you guys find an opportunity to attack."
The group devised a simple tactic: Huo Xiuxiu would lead the attack, drawing the Mercury Giant's attention; Zhao Feng and Ge Dalong would clear out the moss monsters along the way; and Zhang Shi would wait for the right opportunity.
One blow kills.
Seeing Huo Xiuxiu's fierce resistance, the Mercury Giant clasped its two large hands together, and the silver moss on its body began to grow wildly, covering its entire body in the blink of an eye, transforming it into a "hairy monster." The newly grown silver moss began to shed continuously, fading in color upon contact with the ground until it turned dark green. The mist began to autonomously penetrate the moss, and soon a new batch of moss monsters was created.
Faced with the Mercury Giant's ability to conjure soldiers from beans, Huo Xiuxiu felt immense pressure. Despite creating several tornadoes, she couldn't withstand the onslaught of the dense fog, and their vision was once again obscured by a hazy mist.
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