If only a Level 3 Wu Gu master were facing the opponent, even with the opponent's experience at 90%, the official patrol could still defeat and capture him with a "sea of people" strategy—though capturing him would be challenging, it would still be achievable. But now, with four strong adversaries, the situation has changed entirely. It's hard to tell who is the hunter and who is the hunted. Zhang Yuanqing felt a growing sense of alertness, recognizing the complexity of the situation, yet remained calm. He quietly approached Li Dongze and Guan Ya, knowing he had numerous reserves to draw upon. Should the situation deteriorate, he would prioritize securing their safety. The Qingteng team leader's face was serious as she scanned the four "Gusu beasts," then said firmly: "White Dragon, the big guy—your two will work together to contain the one that's been dominant. Li Dongze, you have excellent mobility—handle the spider woman. I'll take on the insect. Tang Guoqiang, the snake is yours. Guan Ya, your shooting is precise—provide spot support. Yuan Shi, you'll execute a surprise attack and act freely. The rest of you, choose one of the captains to assist "Once we've dealt with the three monsters, we'll combine forces to surround and eliminate the one that's been rampant." Everyone said in unison, "Understood." Dai Ji Baba stepped forward first, raising a ball of fire in his palm. He grasped it firmly and launched it with great force. Thud… thud… thud… Steady on his feet, he reached out, clamped onto the strong muscle of the opponent’s wrist, and grinned, “Good punching—somewhat painful!” As he spoke, he kicked the opponent squarely in the abdomen. Like a football careening through the national team’s defense, the large muscle man skidded sideways and crashed into the wall at the far end of the corridor, sending a deep, resonant tremor through the structure. This wasn’t a lack of technique—it was a clear gap in strength. The gusset that Xinghengwu had assimilated was known for defense and power. At the very moment the large muscle man was sent flying, Bai Long stepped onto a flowing stream of water, which surged beneath her, and ascended to the second floor. She didn’t use her long blade on the back of her hand; instead, she raised two water spheres in her palms and struck them toward Xinghengwu. “Dying!” In Xinghengwu’s eyes, such an attack was full of flaws—clearly a self-imposed death sentence. He pulled his arms back, clenched his fists, briefly gathered strength, and Bai Long’s head burst open, splashing into countless water droplets that instantly re-coalesced a moment later. She pressed on, pushing her water orb against the chest of Hengxing Wuqi. A series of sharp "shush-shush" sounds echoed as the scales previously scorched and heated by the muscle giants now released steady plumes of white steam. Then came two sharp gunshots. Hengxing Wuqi felt a sharp pain in his chest—his once impenetrable scales had been cracked by the bullets. After the alternating cold and heat, the scales had grown brittle. "You damn woman!" he roared, his amber pupils fixed firmly on Guan Ya, who stood at the living room end. Guan Ya paid him no attention and ceased firing, as others still needed her precise support shots. At that moment, the spacious living room was in full chaos. The only night wanderer remained in a corner, calmly observing the battle, patient as a seasoned assassin, waiting for the right moment to strike. On the west side of the living room, the spider maiden faced off against Li Dongze and two earth monsters, along with two wood spirits. The Spider Maiden raised her body high on four legs, the other four resembling spears, swiftly stabbing with rhythmic flashes of motion. Li Dongze faced her directly, using his staff to parry, swing, or strike, and managed to block attacks from all angles delivered by the four "spears" with just one staff. It seemed as though he could anticipate the trajectory of her assaults; when direct defense failed, he skillfully maneuvered to evade them. Though the situation appeared perilous, he consistently turned danger into success. The two wood spirits renowned for their agility circled the Spider Maiden, targeting her abdomen and head with precise shots. Each bullet tore through her dark, bulky abdomen, splashing yellow-green fluid. While the Spider Maiden lacked formidable defensive strength, she possessed remarkable self-healing abilities and good agility—wounds inflicted by the bullets restored to their original state within seconds. How strong was the close-range combat capability of this officer? Sorry, Shichang, I shouldn't have called you the eyes of the 75-coin coin. Zhang Yuanqing was nearly stunned. On the southern side of the living room, a Level 3 wooden spirit, the green ivy, led two water ghosts and two fire masters, fighting fiercely against the insect people, with tables and chairs shattered and cracks spreading across the floor. This elegant lady in a qipao possessed a remarkable strength, matching the insect people in strength and, with the support of her teammates, even pressing them back. The quietest movements belonged to Tang Guoqiang and the serpent-bodied monster. The middle-aged man, wearing a miner's cap, held onto the serpent's tail, his feet firmly planted on the ground, steadily drawing power from the earth, remaining motionless. The large serpent grew increasingly angry, coiling tightly around him, gradually tightening its muscles, attempting to crush the enemy's bones. Yet the earth monster proved tough, like a solid iron block. Tang tried to charge and bite, using his venomous teeth to strike, but each time, the miner's cap on the monster's head generated a yellowish light shield, deflecting his attacks. The two parties remained locked in a tense standoff. Guan Ya stretched out her arms, alternately shooting at the Spider Lady and the Insect Man, constantly shifting her stance to support the entire battlefield. The strong-bodied warrior and the White Dragon were both being pressured; they wouldn't last much longer and had to act quickly to defeat the three Gushi beasts. Zhang Yuanqing observed the characteristics of the enemies, considering which item to use. The Dream-Calling Jade Symbol was for life-saving purposes, and since it summons a master-level evil profession, it should only be used in the most extreme circumstances. The red headdress is also a reserve item—each use diminishes its availability. As for the red slippers, these monsters either have exceptional defenses or possess self-healing abilities. While the red slippers can suppress them, they cannot achieve swift, decisive kills, and doing so would reveal that the speaker possesses a rule-based item. When Zhang Yuanqing first defeated Ou Xiangrong, the red slippers had similarly held the mesmerizing spirit at bay, gradually wearing it down. The most formidable aspect of this rule-based item isn't its destructive power, but rather its relentless, unstoppable pursuit and relentless pressure. I haven't seen them using any props yet... That makes sense—not every Lingjing traveler has access to props. My props were earned at the cost of my life. Xie Lingxi has three props, yet she too faced a Tier-S crisis, and she's a noble lady from a prestigious Lingjing family. There's something odd, though. These creatures should all be Lingjing travelers. Why aren't they using their skills? Is it due to post-remodelation complications, or have they lost their sense of reason and become unable to control their abilities? Zhang Yuanqing was thinking this as he suddenly spotted Li Dongze in danger. Two wood spirits aimed their guns at the spider maiden's head and fired. The spider maiden's head seemed struck hard by a wooden rod, tilting sharply to one side, and her body wavered with the momentum. This saved Li Dongze's life—her two spider legs narrowly missed; one grazed his shoulder, the other pierced the ground beside his waist. "Shhh!" The spider maiden erupted in fury, driven by her instinct for vengeance, turning away from Li Dongze and charging straight at the wood spirit who had fired at her head. The other two earth spirits dragged Li Dongze backward. "Ah!" Li Dongze drew a deep, cool breath. If his shoulder was in agony, his ankles were being repeatedly drenched in hot oil. The spider silk was not only corrosive but also toxic. "Commander, are you all right?" Zhang Yuanqing approached. Li Dongze surveyed his condition—disheveled, bloodied—and sighed helplessly. "Of course I'm not all right," he said. "This is far from elegant." "I can't fight any longer. The level-2 earth monsters can't withstand her thrust attacks, and your dodging has been off, Yuan Shi—your only options are ambushes, not direct engagements to hold them back." At this moment, the two wood spirits are in serious peril. Though they possess exceptional agility, they lack the foresight of scouts to anticipate attacks. Their ability to hold on until now is entirely due to Guan Ya's gunfire support. "Go help them," Li Dongze said, his brows furrowed. The developments here have drawn the attention of Tang Guoqiang, Qingteng, and the others—the official travelers now feel a growing sense of concern. Without Li Dongze, the level-3 scout providing steady pressure, the several level-2 travelers will no longer be able to maintain their defensive lines. This will disrupt the balance: they will have to contend with the current threats while also guarding against the spider woman's ambushes. Should the ambush succeed, even a few casualties could tip the balance of the battle. Meanwhile, the fighting on the second floor remains intense—White Dragon and Da Ji Baba are uncertain how long they can hold out. "Commander, I'll take care of it." Zhang Yuanqing spoke with confident assurance: "I've already seen through the enemy's strategy." Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory, pulled out a long, slender willow-blade. The blade measured forty centimeters in length, gleaming with a cold, sharp light. In Li Dongze's astonished gaze, Zhang Yuanqing struck himself squarely in the thigh with a swift backhand thrust. Instantly, the artifact—originally bestowed by the seductive spirit—revived, greedily siphoning the essence of his blood. Zhang Yuanqing felt himself rapidly weakening as the blade absorbed his vitality. The spider woman possessed self-healing abilities, making ordinary attacks do limited damage. The bleeding effect of the blood-thirsty blade effectively countered her regeneration. "Guan Ya, cover me!" Zhang Yuanqing called out. He entered a night-wanderer state, his form gradually dissolving. As Guan Ya was mid-shot at "Heng Xing Wu Ji," she spun on her feet, twisted her torso, and extended her arms, aligning her gun barrel precisely at the spider woman, then firmly pressed the trigger. Compared to the somewhat casual archery style of the tree spirits, Guan Ya's shooting precision was nothing short of hitting targets at a hundred paces—each bullet struck the spider woman's head, shoulders, and chest, splashing blood and tearing flesh. She staggered under the impact. The two tree spirits exhaled in relief, hastily retreating, nearly overwhelmed. As they fled, they turned to fire more shots at the spider woman. Suddenly, they noticed the spider woman's slender, fair neck splitting open unnaturally, as though severed by a sharp blade. Drip, drip, drip! With her body tilted, the spider woman's eight legs moved with dizzying speed, steadily shifting her body several centimeters to the side, narrowly avoiding being beheaded. A figure rose into the air before her. Guan Ya slid her feet, adjusted her stance, and prepared to fire, aiming to protect Zhang Yuanqing. At that moment, the spider woman, with her carotid artery severed, opened her mouth wide—cracked all the way to her ear—then lifted her head and let out a piercing, mournful roar. The sound waves rolled and resonated, causing everyone inside the villa—including the three gū beasts—to experience a sudden "hum" in their minds, their expressions stunned, their thoughts momentarily blank. The spider woman lifted her upper body high, raised both front limbs, and struck with force. Hey—this woman was actually a musician all along... At the very last moment, Zhang Yuanqing transferred the dizzying negative effects onto his lively, quirky little companion inside him. The infant spirit, curled up and asleep, kicked its legs suddenly, as if having just woken from a nightmare. Trapped in the air and unable to evade, Zhang Yuanqing calmly opened his inventory and summoned the "Steadfast One" pearl. The sharp strikes from the spider's legs were blocked by the yellowish glow emanating from his body. With that, Zhang Yuanqing landed, immediately returned the pearl to his inventory, rolled sideways, and vanished once more, entering his nocturnal state. He confirmed one thing: these creatures still retained their original abilities, but, lacking rationality, they could only rely on instinct to perform them, unable to execute refined maneuvers. Zhang Yuanqing leapt upward, circling around the spider woman from behind, and with his bloodthirsty blade drove it forcefully into the thick, rotund abdomen. With a loud crash, the abdomen split open, gushing out large volumes of yellow-green fluid mingled with unpleasant internal tissues. The spider woman shrieked, recoiling, then raised her head again to emit a piercing, wailing roar whose waves rolled out in succession. Her arteries continued to spurt blood, and her abdomen convulsed and quivered, desperately attempting to repair the wound—but the bleeding suppressed the healing, leaving her helpless as life ebbed away. After a final, desperate surge of violent movements, she collapsed against the window, spasming helplessly before finally succumbing to death.