C22 The Sinister Kiss of Death

"He claims to be an S-level talent, so he figures he shouldn't have died. But where is he now?"

While Zhang Ze was mulling over this, the surrounded Adventurers had been mercilessly cut down by the Goblin King and his minions.

The Goblin King issued a brutal laugh before settling back on his throne. The other Goblins scattered, restoring calm to the area.

The ground was littered with colorful Devil Soul Spheres and an assortment of low-level equipment and items.

These Devil Soul Spheres and equipment would vanish if left unclaimed for too long. Seeing few Goblins around, Zhang Ze cautiously approached and stowed the items in his backpack.

The Devil Soul Spheres were mostly of low rank, and the equipment was basic—expected, since their former owners were novices unlikely to possess anything of value.

Still, selling these items could net him a decent sum.

As Zhang Ze was collecting his spoils, the Goblin King spotted him. Leaping from his throne, the Goblin King brandished a pair of machetes and bellowed, drawing over a dozen Goblins to his side.

Unfazed, Zhang Ze quickly strategized. He positioned the Sword-shield Goblins on the perimeter and had the Rock Goblins provide ranged support. The Poisonous Spider, Heaven Swallowing Frog, and Iron Tooth Wolf were tasked with his protection, while he stayed safely behind, issuing commands.

To streamline his leadership, Zhang Ze had assigned numbers to the Goblins, making it easier to direct them.

"Poisonous Spider, ensnare the Goblin King with your web. Sword-shield Goblins one and two, hold off the enemies to the left; three and four, handle the right. The remaining Rock Goblins and Heaven Swallowing Frogs, concentrate your attacks and eliminate the lesser monsters on the fringes!"

With his commands flowing, the tide of battle steadied. One by one, the lesser monsters fell, and Zhang Ze began his counteroffensive against the Goblin King.

-411! (Goblin King)

-402! (Goblin King)

-398! (Goblin King)

As the third level's boss, the Goblin King's formidable strength goes without saying. Its scimitars sliced through the air with the speed of a windmill, each strike inflicting over 300 points of damage!

This devastating move was the Goblin King's skill, Whirlwind Slash!

The two Sword-shield Goblins positioned in front of Zhang Ze couldn't hold up against the Goblin King's relentless assault! Despite using their shields to defend, their health plummeted rapidly!

Soon enough, both Goblins lay defeated. Zhang Ze swiftly deployed another pair of Sword-shield Goblins to shield him as he and his summoned creatures pressed on with their attack on the Goblin King!

-157! (Sword-shield Goblin)

-177! (Rock Goblin)

Block!

-162! (Sword-shield Goblin)

Block!

"The Goblin King's defenses are impenetrable! It can even parry with those twin scimitars. Except for the Heaven Swallowing Frog's Fireball, it can block over half of any physical attack! Truly a boss-level monster," Zhang Ze remarked.

With bow in hand, Zhang Ze continued to shoot while keeping a close eye on the Goblin King.

"We've been at this for a while, and it's still at 70% health," Zhang Ze muttered, shaking his head. "I can't use Summon Technique during combat. Now, with three Sword-shield Goblins down, only one remains standing."

"If things turn south, I'll need to figure out an escape plan."

Amidst his strategizing, Zhang Ze suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his back!

-399! (Kiss of Death)

Startled, Zhang Ze darted away. Glancing back, he caught sight of a figure emerging behind him—the man in the purple robe!

"It's you!" Zhang Ze narrowed his eyes. He hadn't noticed the Devil Domain name of the man in purple before, but now he recognized him as Kiss of Death.

"You ambushed me, and yet I'm still alive! You must have some impressive attributes," Kiss of Death remarked, drawing a sharp dagger with a chilling smile on his face.

"I'm down to 20% of my health," Zhang Ze said, eyeing his HP before turning a cold gaze toward Kiss of Death. With a grave tone, he asked, "Did you just use your Innate Skill? Does it grant you the ability to become invisible?"

"Exactly. My Innate Skill is Sneaking. As long as I don't launch an attack or take damage, I can stay invisible indefinitely. Nobody can spot me. Impressive, isn't it? You must admit my Innate Skill is quite powerful," Kiss of Death boasted with a smug look.

His Innate Skill wasn't particularly effective in monster battles. However, with an accomplice, the skill could be quite advantageous.

There was no denying that for assassinations, his Innate Skill was top-notch. Kiss of Death had leveraged it to complete several assassination missions, earning his keep.

But such missions were fraught with peril and not exactly commonplace. Thus, Kiss of Death had devised a more lucrative scheme—conning newcomers.

Posing as a seasoned adventurer, he'd lure novices into his party, then deceive them into facing the Goblin King.

Once there, he'd instruct the newbies to engage the Goblin King while he himself turned invisible and waited out of harm's way.

This area was teeming with the most and the deadliest monsters. The rookies, clueless and uncoordinated like scattered grains of sand, had no concept of teamwork. They were at a loss on how to retaliate or flee when confronted by over a hundred Goblins.

By the time they realized they were in trouble and sought Kiss of Death's aid, he was nowhere to be found.

Ultimately, the rookies met their demise in utter despair.

Their dropped Devil Soul Spheres and assorted gear ended up in Kiss of Death's inventory.

With his Sneaking skill, he could navigate the area with ease, provided he avoided the monsters.

For every group of rookies duped, Kiss of Death could collect over a hundred Devil Soul Spheres and a variety of equipment and items, which could net him a small fortune upon sale.

Once the incident faded from memory, he'd repeat the con, continuing to exploit the rookies for financial gain.

After giving it some thought, Zhang Ze grasped the sinister method by which Kiss of Death made money. His expression turned grim, and he spoke icily, "Doesn't your conscience ache when you profit from such ill-gotten gains? Those were the lives of over a hundred people!"

"Without money, that's when I suffer," Kiss of Death replied with a malevolent tone.

System: "Your Sword-shield Goblin has been slain by the Goblin King."

Upon receiving the system alert, Zhang Ze's brow furrowed in concern.