"Mo Chuan… w-what kind of monster is that…?"
Wanshuang's voice trembled violently. She clutched Chen Mo's shirt tightly, almost hiding entirely behind him.
The huge shadow by the pool slowly rose. Its whole body was dark as ink, its back shell covered with ferocious bumps. Its eight legs were like forged iron. Most terrifying were the giant pincers in front—half a man wide when spread, glinting with cold light. Just one glance made one's scalp tingle.
This was one of the overlords deep in Liusha River Beach—the Black Armor Crab King, even stronger than the Giant Pincer Crab General, the true mini-boss of this area.
Chen Mo's heart sank sharply. His sword hand tensed unconsciously.
He could clearly feel the fierce aura radiating from the Crab King, far more powerful than any monster he had faced before. With his beginner-level Sword Control Art and weak warm energy, fighting head-on was simply hitting a rock with an egg.
"Don't make a sound. Retreat slowly. Stay close to the rocky bank!" Chen Mo whispered, his tone extremely grave.
Wanshuang was too scared to speak. She nodded desperately, tiptoeing behind Chen Mo, moving carefully step by step, not even daring to breathe loudly.
But the Black Armor Crab King had abnormally sharp senses. It gave them no chance to slip away.
Hum —
A low vibration came from the Crab King's body. It spun suddenly, its red eyes locking onto Chen Mo and Wanshuang. Its legs stomped the ground, and its massive body charged like a gale!
Its speed was shocking!
"No!"
Chen Mo's face changed drastically. Without thinking, he grabbed Wanshuang's wrist and shoved her toward the rocks: "Hide! Don't come out!"
Before his voice faded, he darted sideways, narrowly dodging the Crab King's smashing pincer.
Boom!
The giant pincer slammed into the mud, sending sand and rocks flying. A huge pit blasted into the ground, cracks spreading outward.
Chen Mo's pupils shrank at the terrifying power.
He couldn't last three moves in a head-on clash!
"I have to stall for time. Find a chance to hit its weak spot!"
Chen Mo calculated rapidly. He didn't stop moving for a second, relying on superhuman reflexes and the basic movement he'd practiced in the game to weave and dodge the Crab King's violent attacks.
His iron sword struck only at the joint gaps, trying to wear down its stamina. But every clash numbed his arm and stung his palm.
The Black Armor Crab King's defense was several times tougher than ordinary crabs!
"Mo Chuan!"
Wanshuang watched from behind the rocks, her heart in her throat. Her eyes turned red at once. She quickly pulled out all her healing potions, gripping them tightly, ready to throw them the second Chen Mo showed fatigue.
But Chen Mo had no time for potions right now.
The Crab King's attacks grew wilder. Its pincers swept, stabbed, and smashed, blocking all his escape routes. Every strike barely missed him. One touch and he would be severely wounded.
Stamina drained rapidly. Sweat rolled down his face and dripped onto the ground. Chen Mo's breath turned ragged.
At this rate, he would be hit sooner or later!
"The underbelly… its only weak spot!" Chen Mo suddenly remembered what Wanshuang had said.
But the Crab King pressed tight to the ground, its underbelly fully protected. There was no way to attack.
Unless… he could make it flip over!
A bold idea sprouted in Chen Mo's mind.
His eyes turned sharp. He stopped dodging blindly and charged straight at the Crab King instead. His iron sword slashed three times in a row, all striking near the monster's eyes!
Sss —
The Crab King shrieked in pain, flying into a total rage. It abandoned all defense and snapped both pincers at Chen Mo, determined to crush him into paste.
The opening was here!
The second the Crab King attacked with full force and lifted its body slightly, its underbelly—pressed tight to the ground—finally revealed a narrow gap!
"Now!"
Chen Mo roared. He poured every last bit of warm energy into his iron sword. His body slid across the ground like an arrow, shooting straight for the Crab King's underbelly!
This was a life-or-death strike!
Wanshuang watched from the rocks, her heart about to burst. She covered her mouth, not daring to make a sound.
Pfft!
The iron sword pierced precisely into the soft flesh of the Crab King's underbelly. With no hard shell blocking it, the blade sank deep.
The Black Armor Crab King let out an ear-splitting scream. Its huge body thrashed and twisted wildly. Its pincers slammed the ground randomly, shaking the entire beach.
Chen Mo held the sword tight, gritting his teeth and refusing to let go. Using the Crab King's own thrashing, he twisted the blade repeatedly, destroying its insides.
One second… two seconds… ten seconds…
In the endless battle, Chen Mo's stamina was completely drained. His vision blurred. He survived only by willpower.
Finally, the Crab King's struggles weakened. Its roars faded. Its massive body trembled once, then crashed heavily to the ground, motionless.
Pant… pant…
Chen Mo collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. He was soaked in sweat. His arms ached so badly they almost lost feeling. The old wound on his shoulder tore open again, sending stabs of pain.
They'd won.
"Mo Chuan!"
Wanshuang couldn't hold back any longer. She rushed out from behind the rocks and ran to Chen Mo's side, her eyes red with worry and heartache. "How are you? Are you hurt? I have lots of healing potions!"
She shoved bottle after bottle of light-green potion into his hands, her own hands shaking.
"I'm okay. Just tired," Chen Mo forced a smile. He took a few sips. The cool healing power spread, easing his exhaustion and pain.
He looked up at the fallen Black Armor Crab King, still a little shaken.
This victory had been extremely close. One small mistake, and he would be the one lying dead.
"You're amazing, Mo Chuan! That's the Black Armor Crab King! I heard other players say even a full team can't beat it—and you defeated it alone!" Wanshuang stared at the corpse, full of admiration.
Chen Mo shook his head, not taking credit. "I got lucky. I hit its weak spot. And your potions saved me."
After resting a few minutes, his stamina recovered a little. Chen Mo pushed himself up, walked to the Crab King's body with his sword, and began dissecting it by the game's rules.
As a mini-boss, the Black Armor Crab King dropped far more valuable materials than ordinary monsters.
Hard black crab shell, sharp giant pincers, a Crab King Core with faint energy, and a whole intact crab skin—all high-value goods in Qingxi Town, enough to trade for large amounts of copper coins and basic supplies.
Wanshuang helped clean up beside him, moving lightly with a sweet smile on her face.
With Mo Chuan, she felt safe even facing the most dangerous monsters.
[You defeated the Black Armor Crab King with Player Wanshuang. Bond +30]
[Current Bond: 40]
The system prompt sounded again, simple text floating before their eyes.
Chen Mo raised an eyebrow slightly. Fighting side by side raised bond quickly—but he still had no idea what bond was for.
"Mo Chuan, look! Our bond went up again!" Wanshuang pointed at the panel happily, like she'd found a new world. "Maybe there will be a surprise later!"
"Maybe," Chen Mo smiled faintly and stuffed the collected materials into his backpack.
His backpack was nearly half full. Both were satisfied.
"It's getting late. Let's go back to Qingxi Town, sell these materials, and get some supplies," Chen Mo said.
"Okay!" Wanshuang nodded obediently and walked beside him. They headed toward Qingxi Town side by side.
Moonlight spilled over the beach, stretching their two shadows. The air was quiet and warm.
Wanshuang stole glances at Chen Mo now and then. Her heart beat strangely fast, her cheeks heating up slightly.
This silent but reliable man had quietly left a mark in her heart.
Chen Mo didn't notice Wanshuang's mood. He was still replaying the battle in his mind.
The Black Armor Crab King's power made him clearly aware of his own weaknesses.
His Sword Control Art was too weak, his warm energy too little, and his physical body far from enough. To survive in this real and dangerous game world, he had to get stronger.
"Once I sell the materials, I'll check the blacksmith's shop to reinforce my sword, then go to the sword-training ground to raise proficiency," Chen Mo resolved silently.
They walked on, gradually leaving Liusha River Beach behind. The lights of Qingxi Town glowed faintly in the distance.
But neither noticed that after they left, the calm pool bottom suddenly rippled with black waves. A pair of vertical pupils—even more terrifying and cold than the Crab King's—slowly opened, locking onto their retreating backs. A murderous aura far stronger than the Crab King's quietly spread.
As soon as Chen Mo and Wanshuang stepped into Qingxi Town, the blacksmith Lao Wang's eyes locked onto the black crab shell sticking out of Chen Mo's backpack. His face changed drastically. He hurried over, grabbed Chen Mo's arm, and spoke urgently:
"Young man! Where did you get that shell? Do you have any idea—killing it will bring you disastrous trouble!"