Chapter 44: The Serpent Demon Butcher

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Society was collapsing, morals were decaying, and it seemed as if everyone was growing less restrained by the day.

Sun Yi clearly saw Sun Miaomiao as nothing more than a burden to be cast off by any means possible.

Sun Miaomiao herself pondered inwardly: if not for attending Zi Hui's concert and obtaining the Star Energy Tempering Technique granted by Zi Hui, she might have been the first to be abandoned, left to die in the midst of disaster.

Many family members of Zi Hui's fans were also shaken by recent events, lapsing into silence.

After the meal, Qin Hao planned to go downstairs, affix the newly delivered cars to the walls, and then head out to hunt.

At this moment, Zi Hui approached him. “Qin Hao, let me join you tonight.”

“You want to come too?”

“Yes. I need to set a positive example for my fans. And with me around, you won’t need to use fireworks.”

Zi Hui’s light-based abilities were, indeed, more useful than fireworks.

“Alright then.”

Qin Hao agreed, and together they descended the building.

More than forty vehicles were parked outside—the ones others had brought over. Qin Hao had them move cars for exercise, believing that, unless one was an Evolver from the start, ordinary people needed strong bodies to face the Fanged Demons in the wild.

But these people were still too weak.

Those able to endure for five days would undergo the Star Energy Tempering, provided they had the perseverance and resolve.

After reinforcing the first three floors of the Celestial Tower with steel, Qin Hao summoned the liquid metal machinery and set out with Zi Hui toward the Television Tower.

Near the Pearl Tower, the number of alien creatures—whether Fanged Demons or Serpent Demons—was not high. But to ensure the spatial black hole would appear here at midnight, more creatures needed to be slain.

The sky had not yet fully darkened; they had to use a more aggressive approach.

Qin Hao took out some firecrackers he’d found along with the fireworks. Although the aliens had poor eyesight, their hearing was acute. Light drew them at night, but during the day, sound and scent lured them.

He placed the firecrackers on the ground and struck a match. In the next instant, the explosive crackle of firecrackers echoed through the area.

Those hiding near the Pearl Tower were startled. Some peered through windows and spotted Qin Hao.

“Is this guy ever going to stop?”

“He’s here again?”

“Why is he fixated on killing monsters here? If this keeps up, maybe we should move somewhere else. Sure, after he wipes out the monsters at night, not many come by during the day, but if he dies, won’t we be overrun?”

Qin Hao couldn’t hear their complaints, but the blast of the firecrackers alerted every monster within five hundred meters, sending them charging toward him.

The Fanged Demons, the most numerous, arrived first. At the sight of Qin Hao and Zi Hui, their jaws gaped wide, ready to devour them.

Sensing the scent of heroes, they were eager to tear their prey apart.

Zi Hui spread her fingers, beams of light streaming from each, searing through the skulls of the infant Fanged Demons with scorching power.

Meanwhile, back at the Celestial Base, those who’d just eaten thought they could rest, but instead were kept in place. Someone began explaining the new social order of the apocalypse.

They’d already seen the writing on the walls, but now, hearing the truth, disbelief and gravity clouded every face.

No one wanted to be a lower-class citizen.

Just then, the sound of firecrackers rang out—even inside the building, it was faintly audible.

“What’s this? The world’s ended and someone’s still celebrating?”

“There have been plenty of reckless people lately; fireworks last night, firecrackers tonight.”

“It’s pretty far away, it should be fine.”

At that moment, the Eye of All Sects floated up and projected a clear view of the outside world onto the wall.

They saw the street on the verge of nightfall, and beneath the Pearl Tower, Qin Hao and Zi Hui in battle.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, as dumbfounded as the survivors last night.

At that instant, any thought of leaving vanished from their minds.

This time, though, they only watched for two hours before being sent to bed. Starting tomorrow, they would be assigned work.

In the darkness, only Qin Hao and Zi Hui fought on.

They continued to attract Fanged Demons and kill them. Over the course of the night, they drew in five thousand Fanged Demons.

When the last was slain, midnight struck. The sheer number of alien deaths caused the Claw Civilization to open a spatial portal at that very spot.

Qin Hao activated the Fanged Demon Butcher title. The curse of the Claw Civilization emanated through the spatial black hole, causing the Fanged Demons to shy away. Only the Serpent Demons charged in madly, eager to tear Qin Hao apart.

And so, the scene from the previous night unfolded again.

The spiked iron cauldron was erected, and Serpent Demons fell one after another. Qin Hao’s kill count climbed rapidly.

By dawn, he had slain four thousand Serpent Demons; the ten-thousand mark was within reach.

Zi Hui fought alongside him, slaying a thousand Serpent Demons herself, growing ever more adept with her powers. Especially after she closed the Eye of All Sects, she used darkness abilities to control over fifty Serpent Demon corpses. However, once under her control, their flesh decayed rapidly and was no longer edible.

They fought until three in the morning before returning.

This time, Zi Hui gained immensely, suddenly understanding why Qin Hao fought so desperately.

A thousand Serpent Demons meant a million hero points, and eight thousand Star Energy Crystals.

Upon returning, she absorbed the crystals and converted the points into psychic power, feeling herself poised to reach a new level.

By day, Qin Hao returned to the Celestial Base, resuming his work of reinforcing the building with metal. None of those who had returned voiced any desire to leave.

That night, Zi Hui once more accompanied Qin Hao to the Pearl Tower to continue the hunt.

At midnight, the spatial black hole appeared right on time. Qin Hao activated the Fanged Demon title, and from the dark portal surged a tide of Serpent Demons.

Forty minutes later, Qin Hao’s Serpent Demon kill count finally reached ten thousand.

A streak of red light from the void fell upon Qin Hao.

The Claw Civilization’s curse struck him once again.

He had earned the title: Serpent Demon Butcher.

“Activate title.”

Now Qin Hao bore two titles, his body shrouded in blood-red light.

This aura emitted a unique presence, causing the Serpent Demons on the other side of the spatial black hole to tremble at the gateway, unwilling to cross.

But the Venomous Demon Spider, drawn by some scent, charged frenziedly in their direction.

In the next moment, the Venomous Demon Spider leapt out of the black hole.