Chapter 2256: The True Face of the Xuanjing Master Thief

Fantasy Novel

Sun Hongye took one look, and the hairs on his back stood on end. What a terrifying, bristly-haired spider! Although it wasn't as tall as a horse, it was incredibly sturdy, and every bristle on its massive spider legs looked sharper than a steel pickaxe! *Hiss*, just looking at it made his eyes ache. However, he seemed to know who this was.

Madam Zhu's multiple eyes focused on him: "Who is this?"

"By the Emperor's command, I have brought back Mr. Sun from Fuguo."

Mr. Sun stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Madam Zhu: "I am Sun Hongye. Greetings, Spider Immortal."

"Oh, so you are Sun Hongye?" Madam Zhu casually ambled over. Despite her massive size, she moved silently, quieter than a person tiptoeing. "Nine Nether has mentioned you many times. Have you just arrived from Giant Deer Port?"

"Yes." Sun Hongye meticulously observed the scorpions in the pit: "Are all the thieves who stole the Xuanjing here?"

Commander Chen replied, "One more scorpion is still at large."

Madam Zhu, however, was sharp and asked Sun Hongye, "Is something wrong?"

"Just now, I encountered a monster killing someone in town. It had a pair of bloodshot red eyes." Sun Hongye gestured with his hand: "About this big! Its glare was fierce, filled with murderous intent, and it emitted a red glow even in the dark alley. They were far larger than the eyes of these scorpions."

"Red eyes larger than oranges?"

"Did they have whites?"

"Uh..." That was an odd question. Sun Hongye thought carefully: "Yes, there was a large ring of it, but it was pale yellow."

Madam Zhu pondered: "How high off the ground were they?"

"Roughly..." Sun Hongye drew a line across his chest: "Chest height."

Madam Zhu remained silent for a few breaths before asking Commander Chen: "Were the vault doors opened earlier?"

"The door to Vault Number Three was opened!" Commander Chen replied. "These scorpions attempted to infiltrate Vault Number Three. While apprehending them, we also opened the vault to inventory the Xuanjing."

Vault Number Three was the largest storage area here.

"Was any Xuanjing stolen?"

"No." Commander Chen was also intelligent; he understood without Madam Zhu needing to elaborate. He turned and quietly instructed, "Get me the keys."

The group tiptoed to the side of Vault Number Three, and Commander Chen cautiously deactivated the defensive formation.

The heavily guarded vault for storing Xuanjing was protected by several layers of formations and barriers. The most basic included formations that prohibited escape techniques and a "Hardstone Formation" that turned the ground as hard as diamond, among others. For external demons or outsiders to cast spells and infiltrate the vault was extremely difficult. The best way, of course, was for someone to deactivate the formation, open the door, and let them in.

Commander Chen was about to insert the key into the lock when Madam Zhu whispered: "No need. All of you, step back. Move further away."

Following her instructions, the group retreated ten *zhang* away. They watched as Madam Zhu pulled out a large bag of medicinal powder from somewhere. She jabbed it with her leg, creating dozens of holes, then walked around Vault Number Three twice, scattering two to three thick layers of powder on the ground, the walls, and the ceiling. The powder was light gray, blending seamlessly with the ground and emitting no smell. However, Madam Zhu herself carefully avoided it.

After only seven or eight breaths, the ground and wooden pillars where the powder had been scattered suddenly stirred: Over a dozen insects crawled out, twisting frantically, their bodies covered in powder!

"Centipedes!" Sun Hongye exclaimed in surprise. "Just like the one Lord Pu stabbed to death at the inn!"

These centipedes had been well-hidden but were choked out by the powder.

"It seems that monster had already spotted you then," Pu Hua whispered. "It sent a centipede to take your life."

Sun Hongye felt a wave of belated fear. Fortunately, Pu Hua had intervened in time.

After only a few twists, the centipedes all died.

Sun Hongye couldn't help but ask, "If the Spider Queen kills these informants, won't the thief inside know?"

"Perhaps. However..."

Before her words finished, there was a loud *crack*, and the eastern outer wall of Vault Number Three suddenly collapsed. Everyone's gaze was drawn to it, and the guards immediately rushed to the east. Immediately afterward, a shadow darted out from behind the western wall on the opposite side! Compared to the commotion it created, its size wasn't large; its body was only a little over a *zhang* long. With tree shadows everywhere, it intended to escape in the confusion.

Among monsters, it was quite cunning. Little did it know, Madam Zhu had quietly climbed onto the vault roof after scattering the powder, coiling her body. As soon as the shadow appeared, the large spider pounced, diving down and leaping onto its back.

"...It seems the Spider Queen did that on purpose."

Madam Zhu knew there was a connection between the small centipedes and the thief. The thief had placed them around the perimeter of the vault to act as an alarm. If someone approached, they could alert their master; if they died, their master would likely know too. For many monsters, this was standard practice, much like the eye-spiders were to Madam Zhu.

Earlier, when the guards opened Vault Number Three to check the Xuanjing inventory, the thief seized the opportunity to slip inside. It had originally intended to eat its fill, grab some extra, and then wait for the next time the door opened to leave. However, Madam Zhu had instantly killed all of its little informants. The thief immediately realized it had been exposed and that enemies were closing in. There was no point in hiding any longer; it was time to fight its way out!

It was also very cunning, collapsing the eastern wall of the vault but escaping from the western wall—a classic feint. But what level was Madam Zhu at? How could it deceive her so easily?

Although the creature darted out fiercely, it seemed to run headfirst into an invisible, massive net. It not only bounced back but also became stuck. Given some time, Madam Zhu could set up powerful insect traps around the vault.

In recent years, she had cultivated a special kind of spider silk, moon-white in color and almost invisible, especially in the dark night. She used this silk to weave double nets, making their stickiness even more terrifying. The more the prey struggled, and the more the net vibrated, the more firmly it became ensnared.

As soon as the monster recoiled, Madam Zhu pounced mid-air, and a dozen or so strands of spider silk stuck to it. The creature raised its tail and sprayed a dense, vividly colored pink mist toward Madam Zhu.

Don't be fooled by Madam Zhu's plump figure; her movements were more agile than a swallow's. Her steel claws lightly hooked onto a strand of spider silk, and she zipped down, landing early. She had already curled up her eight legs and, with two rolling motions on the spot, like a tumbleweed propelled by the wind, instantly crushed her opponent!

Under the lamplight, everyone finally saw the true form of the Xuanjing thief: an enormous centipede, its body plain black with a white stripe running along its side from head to tail.

The moment Madam Zhu pounced on it, its tail lifted, suddenly emitting two bursts of red light—

"Red eyes." Sun Hongye blurted out.

So these were the monster's red eyes he had seen in the dark alley! In fact, they weren't actual eyes, but a deceptive disguise on its tail.

The mist it sprayed diffused onto the warehouse's beams and pillars. With several hissing sounds, these areas were completely corroded, forming pink bubbles.

Pu Hua's expression subtly changed: "What potent acid poison!"

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