I run a Taoist temple in a bizarre world.

Chapter 45 Insidious Methods

Chi Le walked from the depths of the swamp into the core area.

The anticipated situation of being even wetter, muddier, and having sewage with silt reaching up to the calves did not occur.

The surrounding sewage is disappearing, emitting a foul stench. Walking on it is always a struggle, with each step sinking deep and the mud making a comical splashing sound as you pull your foot out. The silt is also disappearing.

He stood on the damp ground.

This was the first time since he had been drawn into this bizarre, fused area that night that his feet had felt solid, hard ground instead of soft, mushy mud.

"It seems we've reached the heart of the swamp."

We walked from deep within the marshland to this small high ground in the core area.

Chi Le had expected to encounter many toads blocking his way.

Based on my experience playing games over the years.

The closer you get to the end of a level, or the final stage of a dungeon.

The more mobs and monsters there are, the more the player's status should be depleted.

But this swamp, which originated from a bizarre fusion with the present world, is not.

Chi Le made a smooth journey and hardly encountered any toads.

It was so clean that it looked as if it had been cleaned beforehand.

"Could it be that the route I took is exactly the same route taken by two people from the Special Affairs Bureau?"

He looked into the distance with a puzzled expression.

That was the highest point of this highland, and also a meadow.

A dense thicket of unidentified wild grasses, about waist-high, blocked most of Chi Le's view.

He could feel the aura representing the final boss clashing violently with the aura representing the Special Affairs Bureau.

Even the muddy swamp, which should have been calm and undisturbed, was now restless.

After Chi Le arrived at the meadow, gusts of wind rushed out from the wild grass, making his eyes dry.

Peng!

Boom!

Every now and then, dull thuds could be heard coming from the grass with the strong wind.

Being in a low position, Chi Le could not see the specific situation inside with the naked eye.

"However, given the current situation, the Special Operations Bureau personnel and the ultimate boss are most likely right here in this grassy area."

Chi Le paused, noticing the black mud stuck to his shoes.

A door, half-hidden and half-revealed, with its frame shrouded in white mist, floated before Chi Le's eyes.

With one step, Chi Le returned to Qingshan Temple.

Upon arriving at Qingshan Temple, Chi Le immediately offered the newly acquired "Strange Creation" to the statue of the deity.

Previously, I went all in on four [Strange Creatures].

He gained three points of [Incense] and one [Strange Core]!

This briefly boosted Chi Le's confidence in his luck.

[Successfully presented the molted skin of the bizarre creation—the five-legged toad; Spirit-Controlling Lamp Oil +1, Bizarre Core +1]

"...That's it?"

After waiting for a while, Chi Le confirmed that no new prompts would appear.

This is all that was obtained from the [Strange Creation]—the molted skin of a five-legged toad—dropped by a first-tier demon.

A small jar of [Chiling Lamp Oil].

A [Strange Core].

The newly formed confidence collapsed instantly, and Chi Le offered up the last remaining [Strange Creation] without even looking at it.

I was originally hoping that having two [mysterious creations], I could exchange them for two [incense sticks] through offering.

In this way, he could issue two decrees to the local earth god of Changxi Village.

When we act according to plan later, the margin for error will be greater.

But now... that thought can be put aside.

Just then, a notification popped up indicating the results of the offering.

[Successfully offered the fleshy tongue of the bizarre creation—the five-legged toad, incense offering +3]

Chi Le's eyes widened; the surprise came so suddenly that it felt somewhat unreal.

"Three points!"

Although offering the fleshy tongue of the five-legged toad resulted in receiving only incense offerings and nothing else, the sacrifice was ultimately unsuccessful.

But that's a full three sticks of incense!

Chi Le sat down on a wooden chair in the main hall.

Manipulating the [Mountain Gate] to appear in the grass.

With the third-person perspective monitoring provided by the [Mountain Gate], Chi Le can see everything that is happening in the grass clearly.

Even sounds can be heard inside the main hall.

Looking at the two people and a toad engaged in a stalemate in front of them.

Chi Le slowly tapped his index finger on the armrest of the wooden chair.

"The current incense offerings are enough to issue two decrees to the land deities, so the timing doesn't need to be so tight."

As he finished speaking, the wall not far behind him emitted bursts of golden light.

In the light, an elderly man with a peaceful face and a long beard, leaning on a cane, emerged from the mural.

After bowing to Chi Le, he walked towards the [mountain gate].

"The movements feel a bit more agile."

Recalling the gesture of the land deity of Changxi Village just now, Chi Le murmured.

……

A strange and complex region, the core grassland of the swamp.

Yu should wipe away the bloodstains seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He looked at the toad that had used its enormous body to suppress a large amount of weeds, and was now waving its huge fleshy tongue, eyeing them menacingly.

He looked somewhat anxious.

"Hey Lao Zhao, we need to find a way to kill it quickly, we've been dragging this out for too long."

The man Yu Ying called Old Zhao adjusted his slipping glasses.

"You think I don't want to? This thing only has four legs. It's a second-tier monster recorded by our Special Affairs Bureau—a four-legged toad."

"A demon of the same rank as you and me, known for its thick skin and tough flesh."

"You are indeed a martial artist, but you don't have any highly destructive abilities among your skills."

"As for me, needless to say, I'm just a detection-type spiritualist focused on assistance."

"Just the two of us? We'll see how it goes."

As he spoke, Zhao Hai saw the four-legged toad shoot out its fleshy tongue and head straight for Yu Ying.

The fleshy tongue made a sharp, tearing sound as if it wanted to nail Yu Ying to death on the spot.

By the time Yu Ying realized what was happening, the fleshy tongue was already right in front of him.

But he showed no panic; he crossed his arms to protect the spot where the toad's fleshy tongue would land.

Boom!

The dull thud sent Yu Ying staggering back several meters, scattering tattered grass blades as his feet dug two furrows in the ground.

"Sigh, back to work."

Yu Ying waved his numb arms and said to Zhao Hai.

Zhao Hai waved his hand, unleashing a shockwave carrying a massive amount of mental energy that shot straight at the four-legged toad.

The four-legged toad, having steadily consumed the shockwave, paused, and its clenched tongue fell out of its mouth.

This state of mind was clearly affected by Zhao Hai's offensive.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yu Ying leaped up, clenched his fist with brass knuckles, and slammed it hard into the eyes of the four-legged toad.

quack!

The four-legged toad, in pain, let out a strange cry, snapping out of its daze.

It was about to flick its tongue and slap the human who had hit its eye.

But this human seemed only to be thinking of giving it a blow, and had already prepared to retreat.

With my toes touching its mouth, I drifted away like a falling leaf, putting distance between myself and it.

Seeing this, the four-legged toad curled its tongue again and gave Yu Ying another hard slap.

After discarding the [Strange Core] that had turned to ashes, Zhao Hai unleashed another shockwave carrying mental energy, slamming it into the four-legged toad's head.

The four-legged toad was stunned once again.

Yu Ying then swung his fist again, smashing it into the four-legged toad's already sunken eyes.

quack!

The four-legged toad woke up in pain and angrily lashed out at Yu Ying.

Zhao Hai then forcibly shut down the computer, while Yu Ying forcibly restarted it.

And so on and on.

The world where only the four-legged toad and Yu Ying are injured has been achieved.

With this insidious operation.

The two men had broken the four-legged toad's two hind legs to prevent it from escaping.

One eye was also completely mashed into a pulp; in the empty eye socket, there was only a lump of red and yellow bits of meat.

And with Yu Ying's subsequent attacks, he continued to throw out bits of flesh and soft tissue.

"If you blind this eye of its again, I, a spiritual master, will roll up my sleeves and fight you."

Zhao Hai adjusted his glasses, then unleashed another mental shock on the four-legged toad before speaking to Yu Ying.

"But... why do I feel like this thing is a bit weak?"

Zhao Hai looked uncertainly at the four-legged toad that Yu Ying had woken up again.

"It's like...we had a fight first?"