Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The sunset fell upon the westernmost sand hill as a red and orange veil of light covered and weakened the bright and striking sunlight. What was left was the warm illumination of the remaining sunlight. As for the temperature in the desert, it finally, gradually lowered to below 45 degrees Celsius.
Feng Luo wore his camouflage uniform that automatically changed its color to match the yellow sand that was the same as the desert background while carrying the Eye of the Thunder. He lay unmoving and hiding behind a sandhill that had a few bushes of sharp weeds growing on it. Beside him, the golden 24K did not need any kind of disguise, as it perfectly assimilated into the desert environment. There was no sign of disruption whatsoever.
At that moment, 24K was crouched under the shadows of a sharp weed, its golden claws firmly holding onto the “rock”—the remaining half that had not yet been munched away, that is—which Feng Luo had spent 6,000 credits to purchase.
However, this rock that was originally grayish-blue had undergone a drastic change in its outer appearance. It had gone from its initial grayish-blue to the current light blue. It was so clear that it looked as magnificent as a crystal.
While looking through the scope of the Eye of the Thunder sniper rifle at the monster trap set up with the favorite food of the Desert Rock Lizard lying on the sand over 200 meters away, Feng Luo lamented in his mind that if it weren’t for 24K today, he might have missed out on something good. This piece of simple-looking rock that even the appraisers of the Federation did not recognize injected psionic energy into 24K as it hugged it. After a few minutes, unexpected changes occurred.
The initially hidden information appeared, and the stats of the rock really surprised Feng Luo.
Psionics Crystal
Grade: ??… Psionic Energy Amount: ??… Grade: Excellent.
Although most information had the question marks attached to it, the most important information that was the name that had appeared: Psionics Crystal!
Feng Luo remembered that in 24K’s stats introduction, the system had mentioned a type of rare mineral called the Psionics Crystal that could quickly replenish depleted psionic energy. It could even directly increase its maximum psionic energy.
Just how important was psionic energy to 24K? To put it simply, it was as indispensable as MP was to Manipulators!
Whether it was manipulating normal beetles or laying eggs, as well as all of its skills, 24K needed psionic energy to complete all those tasks and cast those skills. Without psionic energy, 24K would become a “Toothless Tiger,” and its subordinates would fall into chaos.
Feng Luo knew that it was probably the system’s method for restraining 24K’s strength. After all, as a unique pet, 24K was clearly a little too powerful, since it could create and command all kinds of Elite, Commander, and even Boss-grade beetles. Moreover, it was not just one or two of them! With this sort of strength, even when compared to other Boss pets, it was still way overpowered!
As such, after it had become his pet, 24K—who had originally commanded over 10,000 normal beetles to fight one entire day and night against over a thousand players—was greatly nerfed. Its psionic energy recovery rate and maximum amount were reduced.
At the moment, 24K would deplete all of its psionic energy in 30 minutes of continuous combat while commanding 10 normal beetles. And if it commanded Scout Beetles, the psionic energy usage was several times greater; moreover, the further the distance, the more psionic energy required. Commanding at the maximum distance would completely deplete 24K’s psionic energy in just around one minute.
This was also the reason why Feng Luo kept training and leveling 24K instead of trying to develop and grow more normal beetles. The only thing was that although the maximum psionic energy amount would increase when 24K leveled up, even experiencing a slight boost when it reached Level 10 and Level 20, at the moment, 24K did not have enough psionic energy.
That was why obtaining a “Psionics Crystal” that increased maximum psionic energy amount and the psionic energy recovery rate was, without a doubt, finding a treasure!
After munching down half of the Psionics Crystal, there was an extra “Evolving” stat among 24K’s stats, and at that moment, the evolution process was already 95 percent complete.
In just a little while longer, Feng Luo would know how much psionic energy was added after the evolution. Feng Luo even vaguely felt that 24K might experience more than just an increase in psionic energy after the evolution. That was because it had the S-grade talent called Devour. Although he had fed 24K several pieces of core crystals, they had not triggered any extra stats.
But 24K was quite interested in this piece of rock. Even when its “Satiation Level” reached 100 percent, it still clung tightly onto the Psionics Crystal with its claws.
Perhaps it’s different from normal core crystals? Feng Luo thought as he detected some movements through the Eye of the Thunder’s scope.
In the sand field beside the food trap, a bulge suddenly appeared on the ground. After that, a yellowish, lizard-type creature whose exterior was extremely similar to the color of sand, popped its head out of the sand cautiously to scout around. It was a Desert Rock Lizard, and it was also one of Feng Luo’s targets in the Withered Desert.
The habit of the Desert Rock Lizard was different from the other creatures in the Withered Desert. It was mainly active at night, but it was most active in the evening. Foraging during this time allowed it to avoid most of its natural enemies. Moreover, Desert Rock Lizards liked the “not too hot and not too cold” temperature of the evening.
It was also for this reason that Feng Luo would rush to set up a trap at this hour in the Withered Desert, and stay by the thump and wait for the hares!
Desert Rock Lizard. Level 45, Normal-grade creature. Species Code: SMS-O9887. Estimated HP: 5,000.
Distance: 253.78m
Wind speed: 0.544m/s
Humidity −5%
The automatic detection function of the Eye of the Thunder sent real-time data into Feng Luo’s field of vision. However, in an open environment like this that did not have strong winds, given Feng Luo’s marksmanship, even if he were to disregard these factors, he would not miss.
The only unfortunate thing was that it was only a Normal-grade Desert Rock Lizard, and the chances of it dropping the rare material known as “the Crystallized Spit of the Desert Rock Lizard” were quite low.
Before this, he had already lured over a dozen Desert Rock Lizard, and none of them had given him any returns. At this time, the Desert Rock Lizard within Feng Luo’s scope had clearly already scanned its surroundings carefully. It probably did not see any players or other predatory creatures around, so it lowered its alert and crawled out from the sand, exposing its over one-meter-long body while walking toward the trap Feng Luo had made.
As it reached the side of the “delicacy,” with just around one meter to go, it opened its mouth and shot out a bluish-green forked tongue that was about as long as its body to wrap around the food used as a trap.
The only thing was that when it attempted to retract its tongue, it found out that the food was immovable!
With its simple AI, it naturally could not figure out the reason, but, of course, it did not need to figure it out anymore, since…
Bang!
A high-temperature bullet rotating at high speed came from in front of the lizard. It had already flown into its open mouth after flying less than one meter off the ground and almost touching the sandhill. The angle of Feng Luo’s shot was extremely difficult to make. It went in just as the Desert Rock Lizard opened its mouth. Moreover, and more importantly, the bullet was covered in crackling electricity!
Bang!
−1420
−1084
−4537
A rare stat that had a 15 percent trigger chance was triggered. The 1,500 bonus damage inside the Desert Rock Lizard’s soft and weak mouth did not experience any damage reduction. This was added to the effect of the Eye of the Thunder, which was the doubled damage of the double armor-piercing round.
In one shot, the Level-35 Desert Rock Lizard whose pride was its defense was killed without any chance of resisting. It dropped beside the trap with a loud thud.
Killed Desert Rock Lizard (Level 35, Normal). Obtained Experience: 70!
However, the unfortunate thing was that it was just as Feng Luo had expected. After the Desert Rock Lizard died, it only dropped a few pieces of crystal that were not worth much money. The rare material Feng Luo needed, the Crystallized Spit of the Desert Rock Lizard, was nowhere in sight.
“As expected, this material was a rare drop. Otherwise, those people wouldn’t need to stockpile them!”
Feng Luo shook his head but did not put down the Eye of the Thunder in his hands. He only called 24K, who was beside him, through the mental link. After that, in a spot not far from the corpse of the Desert Rock Lizard, two brown scorpion-like Gatherer Beetles crawled out from underneath the sand. Their claws waved in the air as they ran toward the trap.
The Desert Rock Lizard was a very sensitive and perceptive creature that could detect the presence of their species nearby. It was no longer possible to set a trap within around a 100-meter range of the corpse of the Desert Rock Lizard. Feng Luo needed to move the trap elsewhere.
However, for this sort of task, the Gatherer Beetles were there, so Feng Luo did not need to personally traverse over 300 meters to set up the trap. Instead, he only needed to control the Gatherer Beetles through 24K to remove the trap.
The two Gatherer Beetles left two trails in the sand as they moved their brown limbs. After more than a dozen seconds, they had reached the side of the trap. However, at that moment, the sand beside the trap suddenly shook before a large swathe of sand burst upward and flew toward the sky.
After that, a greenish-blue tongue that was as thick as a child’s arm burst out from the sand and ensnared one of the Gatherer Beetles. Then, as quick as lightning, a mouth that had two rows of dense teeth clamped down. Brownish-green blood splattered over the gold-like sand.
And within Feng Luo’s sights through the Eye of the Thunder’s scope, a three-meter-long Desert Rock Lizard covered in densely packed, palm-thick mud and yellow scales appeared as the sand and dust were blown into the air settled.
Desert Rock Lizard (Level 38, Solo-type Commander). Species Code: SMS-O9887. Estimated HP: 50,000!
Ugh, what kind of luck is this?! I just wanted to lure an Elite monster, but a Commander-grade big fella actually appeared instead!