Chapter 200: Heavy Losses

Chapter 200: Heavy Losses

Six high-explosive shells landed directly on the giant lizard's head, blinding its right eye. The dual pain caused it to neglect the impending close-quarters assault.

Yuan Chongzhen, transformed into a Black Iron Giant Ape, seized the opportunity to rush forward.

With a running start, he leaped over ten meters high, his heavy body accelerating with the force of gravity. He hugged his fists close to his chest like a sledgehammer, roared, and slammed into the giant lizard's head with all his might.

Boom!

The giant lizard's head was hammered into the ground.

The giant ape flipped over and sat on its back, its two massive fists raining blows like a flurry of punches, causing the riverbank ground to vibrate violently.

At the same time, Jing Ji's figure emerged from the shadows, wielding the Super Power Two-star curved blade, "Night Slaughter." The blade was imbued with a shadow edge that was fiercely sharp, as he slashed at the giant lizard's abdomen. However, as the curved blade cut into the lizard's scaly skin, he felt immense resistance and was unable to go deeper.

A numbing sensation spread from his hand, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

"Not good!"

"Old Yuan, get back quickly!"

Jing Ji shouted a warning to Yuan Chongzhen in his mind, withdrew his curved blade, and employed the Mystical Trace Step, turning into a blur of shadows as he retreated.

But he was still a step too slow.

A violent electrical current sounded in the air, and in an instant, the giant lizard's body was enveloped in a static electric field.

Lightning erupted fiercely!

A blue-white lightning bolt as thick as an arm flashed so quickly that it was impossible to react. It struck the Black Iron Giant Ape riding on the giant lizard's back, then changed direction, resembling a thick iron chain, and hit Jing Ji, who was in the midst of his retreat, knocking him out of his Mystical Trace Step.

Yuan Chongzhen let out a cry of pain as his whole body went numb.

The giant lizard flipped him over, and its tail whipped out, smacking Jing Ji, who had fallen, sending him flying like a cannonball.

Amidst the roars, the giant lizard, now with only one eye left, counterattacked wildly. It opened its massive jaws and bit down on the fallen Black Iron Giant Ape, its two front claws swinging furiously. Lightning crackled from its claws, and in the blink of an eye, it tore open more than a dozen deep wounds on the giant ape, from which blood gushed out.

Ji Xinghuo never ceased his barrage of gunfire.

The iron hammer kept firing, sending high-explosive shells toward the giant lizard's head. However, as soon as the bullets entered the static electric field, they were prematurely detonated and failed to inflict significant damage.

On the contrary, it was Lu Yunhai's electromagnetic rifle, firing metal bullets from a distance, that managed to inflict some harm on the giant lizard, although none of the injuries were fatal.

Ji Xinghuo decisively stopped shooting.

As he ran, his focused eyes flashed with electrical sparks, and he channeled electricity into his hands, unleashing a Thunderclap Hand.

Boom!

A deafening thunderclap reverberated.

Empowered by the rotating magnetic field, a thick lightning bolt crossed a distance of over a hundred meters and struck the giant lizard that was viciously biting Yuan Chongzhen. Although the static electric field appeared to block the attack, it actually enhanced the power of the Thunderclap Hand, striking the giant lizard's back.

Ji Xinghuo dared not aim for its head, fearing he would hurt Yuan Chongzhen.

The giant lizard's body stiffened momentarily.

"Vile beast!"

Chi Zhonglin rushed forward, shouting. The Ink-Green Gun Body of the Heaven's Fury Scarlet Blood Gun glowed with scarlet light as he fiercely stabbed at the giant lizard's neck.

Boom!

A lightning chain struck Chi Zhonglin, causing his green hair to explode.

But this didn't stop him in his tracks. With "Bloody Frenzy" activated and empowered by "Endless Rage," he ignored the pain and injury, pushing the long gun deeper into the giant lizard's neck. Half a meter of the gun tip disappeared into the flesh before it was stuck, and the gun's power exploded, tearing open a larger wound.

In pain, the giant lizard had no choice but to open its mouth and release the Black Iron Giant Ape.

Yuan Chongzhen immediately transformed into a Shadow Panther and leaped into the shadows to escape, putting some distance between them.

At this moment, the giant lizard's tail lashed out at Chi Zhonglin, but he tightly gripped the gun and was knocked to the ground. He immediately got up, his body expanding once more, his arm muscles bulging as he exerted all his strength, shouting as he thrust the gun deeper into the giant lizard's neck.

The giant lizard thrashed and turned violently, generating more lightning within a radius of several dozen meters, with lightning flashing and thunder crashing. Bolt after bolt struck Chi Zhonglin.

Yet he refused to let go.

A massive claw swiped at Chi Zhonglin, and the tough tungsten dragon scales on his body immediately shattered, leaving him with serious injuries.

"I can't hold on anymore!"

Chi Zhonglin shouted, withdrawing the long gun and dodging the giant lizard's second claw swipe.

"Roar!"

Zhu Liguotu's Ferocious Battle Bear charged forward. Its entire body was clad in metal armor, resembling a moving fortress, albeit with slower speed. However, its weight was comparable to that of the giant lizard, and after accelerating, it collided head-on with the lizard, its mouth wide open, ready to bite.

Zhu Liguotu himself leaped up, bringing the hammer crashing down.

Boom!

Before Zhu Liguotu could land, he was struck by a lightning bolt. Despite his armor being insulated, his whole body stiffened, and he was hit by the giant lizard's tail, sending him flying horizontally.

Zhuo Liguotu landed, flipped over, and climbed to his feet, his heavy armor protecting him from injury.

"Heal them!"

Ji Xinghuo's voice sounded in Zhuo Liguotu's mind.

Yuan Chongzhen used Shadow Jump again, appearing in front of Zhuo Liguotu. He was unable to maintain his transformation and reverted to his true form, his body covered in wounds and severely injured. Zhuo Liguotu immediately placed his hands on Yuan Chongzhen, and white light shone as he cast "Life Infusion," channeling his own life force into Yuan Chongzhen and transferring some of the critical injuries to himself to speed up Yuan Chongzhen's recovery.

At this moment, Jing Ji also appeared through Shadow Jump. His injuries were not too serious, mainly electric shock damage, but it affected his speed.

Zhuo Liguotu extended his other hand to heal him.

On the other side.

Chi Zhonglin took over from the Violent Battle Bear and stood firm against the giant lizard.

He maneuvered with his footsteps, ignoring the lightning strikes on his body, as the Heaven's Fury Scarlet Blood Gun clashed repeatedly with the giant lizard's sharp claws, sparking showers of sparks.

Even though Chi Zhonglin was knocked back a few steps each time, his immense strength at this moment was something the giant lizard couldn't completely withstand.

After each collision, the giant lizard would pause for a moment.

Ji Xinghuo stayed back, maintaining a distance of over a hundred meters, outside the range of the static electric field.

His Invisible Sting combined with the Capacitor Arrow, and whenever the giant lizard paused, the Capacitor Arrow would immediately shoot out and hit its target.

The giant lizard was extremely cautious and sensed the danger coming from Ji Xinghuo's direction. It dared not face Ji Xinghuo with its intact left eye and could only shoot at other positions on the giant lizard's body.

Two arrows hit its neck, and one arrow pierced its abdomen.

The giant lizard's scales were extremely tough, resembling a type of horned armor, harder than metal. Ji Xinghuo's Capacitor Arrows, shot with all his might using the Invisible Sting, could only penetrate halfway into the scales and couldn't completely pierce through.

Even so, he inflicted the most damage on the giant lizard.

In the distance, Lu Yunhai wore the "Precision" ring and continuously fired his electromagnetic rifle, trying to hit the wounds that Ji Xinghuo had torn open with his arrows to cause greater harm.

In just over ten seconds, the giant lizard's injuries had worsened.

"Switch out!"

Chi Zhonglin shouted, clashing his long gun against the giant lizard's sharp claws and using the momentum to flip backward.

He was directly wounded by the sharp claws only two or three times, which wasn't severe, but it looked terrible. Within the static electric field, he endured hundreds of lightning strikes, and his whole body turned black, transforming from a green giant into a black giant. This was thanks to the "Blood Drain" ability of the Heaven's Fury Scarlet Blood Gun, which allowed him to siphon some life force from the giant lizard to heal himself, or else he wouldn't have lasted this long.

Zhuo Liguotu quickly healed him.

As soon as Chi Zhonglin flipped backward, the healed Yuan Chongzhen leaped up and transformed into the Black Iron Giant Ape once more, charging into battle.

His injuries hadn't fully recovered, but he had regained his combat strength.

The giant ape and the giant lizard clashed violently once again.

Learning from the previous lesson, Yuan Chongzhen avoided being bitten, but he couldn't withstand the damage from the static electric field and could only hold on for less than three seconds before being pinned down and savagely bitten again.

Ji Xinghuo seized the opportunity to shoot two arrows, both of which sank into the giant lizard's body.

Jing Ji appeared at the giant lizard's side, his figure flickering as he wielded his curved blade, leaving several deep gashes in the giant lizard's abdomen, from which blood gushed out.

The giant lizard howled in pain and turned to attack Jing Ji, but he had already leaped into the shadows to escape.

When the giant lizard turned back, Yuan Chongzhen, now transformed into a Shadow Panther, was also gone.

For a moment, there was no one around the giant lizard.

It immediately locked its gaze on Ji Xinghuo and roared as it charged towards him. Ji Xinghuo's hands moved like lightning, and he fired three arrows in quick succession, all of which sank into the giant lizard's head, but the arrowheads couldn't completely penetrate.

Chi Zhonglin, who was being healed, was about to step forward to block the giant lizard, but he heard Ji Xinghuo's voice.

"Don't come over!"

"I'll hold it off!"

Ji Xinghuo hung the Invisible Sting on his back, drew out Lei Chi and Magic Sound, and dual-wielded them as he charged towards the giant lizard.

The distance of over a hundred meters was crossed in the blink of an eye. As the giant lizard rushed forward, it opened its massive jaws, and countless water vapors converged to form a high-pressure water jet with a diameter of more than one meter, resembling a water cannon that sprayed towards Ji Xinghuo. At the same time, the static electric field enveloped Ji Xinghuo, and lightning bolts struck from all directions.

Boom!

The high-pressure water jet missed its mark, and the lightning bolts all struck empty air.

Ji Xinghuo's figure flickered twice, once to the left and once to the right, getting closer with each flicker. On the third disappearance, he used the Instant Step, vanishing and reappearing above the giant lizard's head, slashing down with all his might.

The giant lizard roared and was about to attack Ji Xinghuo with its lightning control when Devil Sound suddenly erupted with a sharp, buzzing screech. The penetrating sound waves caused its brain to go blank, and the lightning bolts filling the sky disappeared.

Ji Xinghuo's rotating magnetic field was running at full power, his physical strength and stellar power converging. Currents of electricity flowed over his skin, and his blades glowed with electric light.

Electric Spiral Force!

Boom!

With a deafening blast, the Electric Spiral Force exploded from his sword and knife, penetrating deep into the giant lizard's body.

The giant lizard instinctively went into a frenzy, rolling wildly.

Ji Xinghuo withdrew his blades and leaped back, leaving two deep wounds on the lizard's neck and head, from which blood spurted like fountains.

He nimbly dodged the giant lizard's claws and tail strikes, always a step ahead of danger. His blades left more wounds on the giant lizard's body. After fighting for nearly a minute, the giant lizard was bleeding profusely and slowing down, while Ji Xinghuo remained almost unscathed.

Nearby, Zhuo Liguotu had already treated his teammates' injuries.

"I'm coming!"

Chi Zhonglin raised his long gun and charged forward.

Ji Xinghuo felt the pressure lessen, but in the next second, a sense of impending danger arose in his mind. Before he could issue a warning, the giant lizard's massive body suddenly melted and turned into a flood that spread out, like a breached dam, submerging more than half of the dry riverbank.

Everyone's feet were engulfed by the rushing water, as if they were standing in a flood.

"Not good," Ji Xinghuo muttered.

Boom!

Countless lightning bolts exploded in the air and struck the water, causing the flood to become conductive. Everyone standing on the riverbank was hit by the current and cried out in pain.

Only Yuan Chongzhen, who had transformed into a Thunder Feather Eagle, took to the sky and avoided the attack.

Although Ji Xinghuo had leaped into the air, he was still struck by lightning and paralyzed by the pain, falling into the water.

The flood then swept the four of them towards the river.

The river suddenly churned violently, and Qinghong transformed into a twenty-meter-long giant python, poking its head out of the water. It opened its mouth and spat out a massive bolt of lightning, striking the rushing flood. This attack injured both friend and foe, and the four in the water suffered further injuries. However, the giant lizard, which had transformed into a flood, was forced to reveal its true form and appeared as a shadow in the water.

Qinghong immediately pounced, wrapping its longer snake body around the giant lizard, but it could only entangle a stream of water.

The flood had already rushed into the river, causing the entire river bay to tremble.

The hundred-meter stretch of river water churned up giant waves, and Ji Xinghuo's group was pressed to the bottom by the massive volume of water, heavy as Mount Tai. The water was constantly conducting electricity, paralyzing their bodies and rendering them immobile. They could only watch helplessly as the current swept them together.

A water giant, dozens of meters tall, stood in the river, and a fist made of thousands of tons of river water slammed down towards their position.

If this punch landed, everyone except Ji Xinghuo and Chi Zhonglin would die.

Even they would suffer severe injuries.

Just in time, a plasma cannon shell trailed by a blue flame tail flew towards the water giant in the river. The high-temperature plasma exploded, instantly vaporizing countless gallons of water. Only a small portion of the water giant remained and fell back into the river, and a pained roar emanated from the depths.

As the river churned, the giant lizard emerged.

It leaped into the air and transformed into a giant African Secretary Bird, soaring into the sky and turning invisible in the blink of an eye.

Ji Xinghuo jumped out of the water and shouted, "Old Yuan, chase it!"

"I can't see through invisibility," Yuan Chongzhen called out as he descended from the sky.

"Qinghong!"

Ji Xinghuo immediately summoned Qinghong and shrunk him down to just over a meter long. Qinghong coiled around Yuan Chongzhen's Thunder Feather Eagle neck, and Ji Xinghuo activated the "Sight and Sound Hand Ring," sharing his sensory abilities and granting Qinghong a portion of the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil's perception power, enough to see through invisibility.

"Go, quick!"

"It's severely injured and won't be able to fly far. Its speed will also slow down soon. We'll keep in touch by phone and catch up right away."

Before Ji Xinghuo could finish his sentence, Yuan Chongzhen took off with Qinghong, disappearing into the horizon.

Ji Xinghuo jumped into the river and pulled Jing Ji and Zhuo Liguotu to shore. Chi Zhonglin climbed out on his own, and the three of them wore relieved yet shaken expressions.

They turned to see Lu Yunhai putting down his rocket launcher and running towards them.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end