Facing an Ancient God for a Year
Chapter 1252 - 1250: Feint to the East, Attack in the West

Chapter 1252: Chapter 1250: Feint to the East, Attack in the West

So, this is where we give up on treatment, huh.

Honestly, Reginald wasn’t wrong.

The changes happening nearby didn’t escape Fu Qian’s notice. He was acutely aware that something inside Brain Fork Brother’s gut was undergoing daily transformations.

It had even reached the verge of some sort of qualitative change by now.

The problem was, Fu Qian doubted Reginald’s ability to perceive this.

His earlier words seemed more like a pure distraction tactic.

Which meant that this relatively brutal fellow was still bound by principles and disagreed with Fu Qian’s plan.

Moreover, the highest degree of "extra steps" he was willing to take had already been attempted by Fu Qian.

With no results to show for it, this project was likely approaching its end.

But Fu Mou had burned the candle at both ends to get to this point. How could he let it end so easily?

"Don’t tell me you guys have a problem with this? Aren’t desk-job types supposed to be more ruthless?"

Fu Qian couldn’t accept this at all.

"You come assist me."

That suggestion made Reginald’s face change several times, but he pretended not to hear it and instead turned to Amila to issue serious instructions.

"Alright... put on the mask."

Surprisingly, Amila agreed instantly, even responding with a whispered reminder while avoiding making eye contact with the volunteer.

Cautious, indeed.

It was obvious to Fu Qian that the advice was meant for him. It seemed that during prior purification efforts, there had been occasional resistance.

Lowering his presence by putting on the mask wasn’t guaranteed to help, but Fu Qian wasn’t bored enough to reject such well-meaning advice.

As he donned the mask, Amila’s entire body began to glow with intricate patterns. The lights emanated outward, stretching into midair.

Though their brightness dimmed and they appeared phantasmal, the lines coalesced without dispersing.

In an instant, they formed a ring-like shape in midair, transforming into a unique barrier.

Predictably, Fu Qian found himself isolated outside of it.

"It’s ready."

Amila signaled Reginald to begin the next moment.

"Alright."

Without any wasted words, Reginald stepped forward, adopting a gesture reminiscent of Amila’s psychic soothe technique.

Only, the thing that appeared in his palm wasn’t soothing at all—it was a pulsating, deep silver-gray mass.

So, no Judgment Light, then? Turns out fire really is the best option for cleansing filth?

Though an outsider, Fu Qian could clearly tell that this fire bore a remarkable resemblance to the Lead Flame that had been affixed to the Hunter’s Knife earlier.

And he had personally witnessed the destructive power of such a technique before.

What stood out most was how the Lead Flame in Reginald’s hand continued swelling, visibly accumulating power for what was sure to be a decisive blow. Unfortunately...

BOOM!

A muffled detonation tore through the air like molten silver splashing everywhere. A mass of metallic flames burst violently in all directions.

The heat was palpable even through the barrier, and the concussive force was staggering.

A nearby pool was completely pulverized, scattering water into the air, alongside Reginald’s body.

Flung away by the furious force, he slammed hard against Amila’s barrier in the next instant.

Thankfully, the shield seemed to be more of a forcefield, not too rigid. Supported by its cushioning, Reginald quickly regained his footing and dodged the charge of a horse barreling at him.

Yes, a horse. Despite its crude appearance, an actual multicolored "horse" had emerged from the lingering mist.

With no time to turn its head, the creature rammed straight into the barrier with such force that it triggered visible ripples upon impact.

Of course, the cost to itself was a chunk of its head shattering, its remains scattering as a burst of colorful flatworms.

Indeed, this bizarre creation was a result of the contamination affecting Brain Fork Brother.

While Reginald had been concentrating and gathering energy moments earlier, he had been blindsided by the assault, causing his Lead Flame to lose control and explode.

Clearly, the earlier judgment was right. His claim that the situation was deteriorating was mostly subjective; he lacked precise awareness of the advancement level and paid the price for it.

Now, the resulting scene was one of torn flesh and broken bodies, with his outfit reduced to little more than an intact ornamental cape.

"I’m fine. Reinforce the barrier. Don’t let it escape."

Despite appearances, his combat capabilities had not been significantly impacted.

Landing on his feet, Reginald immediately signaled for Amila to hold her position while locking eyes on the mist ahead.

A diminutive horse, barely half a meter tall, wobbled its way out of the haze.

From its head, missing a third of itself, it was clear this was the same creature that had launched the savage assault earlier.

The front half of its body was composed entirely of those brightly colored leeches.

As they wriggled back, the rear extended into a hollow, empty cavity.

Although the creature was nearly torn in two, Brain Fork Brother was clearly not dead yet, emitting an inhuman wail from its mouth.

The only silver lining was that the chains binding its body were now almost entirely rotted away, restoring it to freedom.

...

This place certainly had its fair share of eye-watering sights.

Even Fu Qian couldn’t help but marvel at the grotesque design before him.

The scene before him closely aligned with what Amila had previously described as the intangible influence caused by Nightmare-adjacent information.

The only detail worthy of mockery was how absurdly far-fetched it was to manifest horses. If anything, transforming into a medical staff would be more logical.

It just went to show how utterly unpredictable contamination could be.

"I underestimated this. The mutation’s pace is even faster than anticipated, but it’s still manageable."

Reginald sighed in amazement, his confidence unshaken.

As he spoke, both hands once again flared with metallic flames, now burning fiercely. Yet instead of charging forward, he maintained his position while facing down the little horse.

Was he planning to wait for the target to come to him, only to embrace it in a fiery hug?

Fu Qian instantly understood the meaning behind the tactic.

It was, in fact, a prudent approach—especially given that the little horse seemed driven purely by instinct, showing no understanding of retreat.

Before Fu Qian could finish analyzing the situation, he saw the little horse lurch forward, its target unmistakably Reginald.

It even launched itself with an explosive jump, its hollow rear body staying behind while its writhing leech-half propelled the front half forward in an unsettling manner.

The method defied all imagination, and its speed was remarkable. But with ample preparation, Reginald had plenty of time to extend his arms for an embrace.

Yet, despite his anticipation, the move was ultimately for naught.

The little horse, charging at him with abandon, suddenly changed direction mid-stride, smashing headfirst into the barrier instead.

What stunned everyone even more was how the creature wasn’t just feigning; its impact force was astonishingly destructive.

The previously unyielding barrier instantly quaked and was punctured outright.

Rebounding from the force, the "horse," now barely a coherent form, hurtled towards the volunteer who had been protected behind the barrier.

...

Oh, young ones, so close yet so far.

Not dodging or resisting, allowing the creature to pounce onto his body, Fu Qian let out a sigh in his heart after using Thread of Concern.

Let this old man show you what it means to find new light after perseverance.