Chapter 2704: Mutual Destruction

Just as those tentacles were about to ensnare Zu An, several red firecrackers suddenly descended from above. The timing and placement of the firecrackers were incredibly precise, landing directly on the tentacles. They exploded on contact, instantly turning the tentacles into clouds of blood mist.

Zu An couldn't help but look up, and seeing the red-clad girl's bright smile, his heart warmed. Regardless of her motives, she had certainly helped him a great deal.

At that moment, the Octopus Fiend let out a sharp shriek, and her tentacles, in pain, rapidly retracted. These "fireworks" were no ordinary cannoncrackers; the flames, once ignited, could use her vital blood as fuel, continuing to burn towards her main body. This forced her to "sever her own arm," completely severing those tentacles. Unlike the damage inflicted by 9527's lightsaber earlier, which had little impact on her regenerative abilities, the damage from these firecrackers meant those tentacles would never grow back.

"You brat!" The Octopus Fiend's eyes filled with venom. She hooked a tentacle onto the ceiling and swung towards Fireworks like Tarzan.

"Watch out!" Zu An wanted to go and help, but he was blocked by the Bird-Headed Monster's silver claws.

The Bird-Headed Monster laughed loudly, "Second Sister, go easy! Don't kill such a pretty girl. Save her for me to 'process' later."

The Octopus Fiend snorted, "Aren't you afraid this brat's firecrackers will blow off your 'thing'?"

The Bird-Headed Monster grinned lewdly at this, "Wouldn't that be even more thrilling?"

Fireworks' eyes glinted coldly, but a smile remained on her face. "Since you like them, I'll give you two." As she spoke, two lit firecrackers flew towards him, one after another.

The Bird-Headed Monster dismissed them. "Even a beauty's firecrackers are lovely." As he spoke, he extended his silver claw to bat the firecrackers away. Unexpectedly, the second firecracker suddenly accelerated, striking the first one. This drastically altered the first firecracker's trajectory and made it incredibly fast, leaving the Bird-Headed Monster no time to react. It landed squarely on his leg.

He shrieked. Learning from the Octopus Fiend's recent lesson, he didn't dare to delay. He immediately ripped off that section of his pants, along with a large chunk of his flesh, leaving a gruesome and highly noticeable bloody wound.

Fireworks clapped her hands and laughed aloud. "Is that thrilling enough for you now?"

The Bird-Headed Monster's expression twisted. "You wretch, I'll make you wish you were dead later—ouch!" He shrieked again. He had just been momentarily distracted, allowing Zu An to seize an opening. Although he tried to avoid vital points, one of his arms had already been severed by Zu An.

"Your opponent is me!" Zu An scoffed, a Tai'e Sword now in his hand.

"Brother Zu, you're amazing!" Fireworks' face lit up. It seemed he wasn't heartless after all; he knew to avenge her.

The Octopus Fiend was secretly alarmed. This girl still had the energy to attack her third brother and chat while under her assault. She dared not be careless. "Third Brother, hurry and deal with that boy, then we'll both handle this wretch."

"Alright!" The Bird-Headed Monster gnashed his teeth, and soon, a new arm had regrown.

Zu An frowned inwardly. These monsters had incredibly strong vitality. In the cultivation world, reaching a certain realm allows for limb regeneration, but it usually requires several months of rest. This speed was simply horrifying.

"Brother Zu, be careful! These monsters can only be truly killed by destroying their energy core. In your world's terms, it would be something like a monster core. The location of each monster's core varies." Fireworks' voice came as a warning.

The Octopus Fiend roared in anger, "You annoying brat, you talk too much!" She continuously lashed out with her tentacles, but Fireworks, like a nimble bird, always found gaps to dart through. She had been attacking for ages without even touching her opponent's clothes.

The Octopus Fiend was secretly astonished. This girl seemed to be fighting with ease, and she had no idea what her true strength was. Fortunately, her opponent seemed to be more focused on playing around and had no intention of using her full strength. She decisively abandoned the idea of a quick capture. Instead, she planned to hold her opponent back, waiting for her companions to arrive so they could jointly seize the girl.

Fourth Brother was clearly no match for Number 9527, but he should be able to hold him off for a short while. On the other side, Third Brother was clearly stronger than that boy, yet he couldn't defeat him and even seemed to be losing ground. Why? Still, her subordinates were gaining the upper hand against the Cosmic Commerce Guild staff, as the Guild hadn't brought many combat personnel this time. Moreover, their Boss hadn't even made a move yet.

At this moment, Number 9527 was roaring at the staff, "How did these guys get in? Why wasn't the spaceship's defense system working?" Under normal circumstances, when the Guild's spaceship traveled through space, enemies would be detected from a great distance. The spaceship had powerful external defense and firepower systems, capable of eliminating many invading enemies from a safe distance. Yet, from start to finish, the spaceship's defense system hadn't issued any warnings; the intruders were only discovered after they had already entered the interior. There was only one explanation: an inside traitor! Who could it be? Had one of the staff members been bribed by the enemy?

Just then, two more figures appeared on the elevated platform: an old hag whose face was covered in pustules, and the Flame Knight in his wheelchair.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a lively scene," the old hag croaked, her voice even harsher than a crow's.

"Lively indeed," the Flame Knight murmured, the two ghostly flames in his eyes flickering, a truly unsettling sight.

The old hag then addressed Number 9527, "It seems you can't handle this trouble yourselves. Would you like this old woman's help?"

Number 9527 had already realized that the situation was gradually slipping beyond his control, so he replied, "If you are willing to lend a hand, the Cosmic Commerce Guild will be eternally grateful!"

"Heh heh, I have no interest in such vague gratitude. If you want my help, agree to provide the item I mentioned last time," the black-robed old hag said coldly.

Number 9527 hesitated. The item she requested was simply too precious... However, the intermittent screams of his colleagues around him made him resolute. If these monsters succeeded this time, and the spaceship was stolen, even if he escaped with his life, his future would be ruined. "Alright, I agree," he said.

"You're wise to be practical. Heh heh, so many living beings, they'll make perfect raw materials for refining my new medicine." The black-robed old hag opened her hands and began muttering incantations. Soon, wisps of black mist enveloped her.

*Pfft!* Suddenly, her body shuddered. She looked down to see a bloody spearhead piercing through her chest. Disbelievingly, she turned her head, only to see the other end of the spear held firmly in the hand of the Flame Knight, who was still in his wheelchair.

"Why?" the black-robed old hag asked, her voice filled with both shock and incomprehension.

"How could I let you ruin my plans?" the Flame Knight said indifferently.

The black-robed old hag glanced at the battling monsters below and then understood. "So they're your subordinates! In that case, let's all die together." After speaking, her body exploded directly, transforming into a dense black mist that rapidly spread in all directions.