Chapter 37: Chainsaw Back-Splitting

Wang Xi crouched down halfway and gently lowered the injured old goblin.

"Thank you, little Gurui."

The old fellow flashed a smile that was ugly yet kind. Wang Xi drew the longsword from his waist and nodded, saying, "I’ll help you!"

With that, he lunged forward.

Guruwen, the "Sun Goblin" who had previously been sent flying by the giant turtle's headbutt, hurried over, clutching his chest, and helped the one-armed chieftain to his feet.

"Great King, your arm..."

"I’m fine," Guruchi shook his head. "What matters now is driving away the enemy. We cannot lose this home the Witch has bestowed upon us."

Guruwen nodded vigorously, then turned his gaze toward the black-haired, green-skinned comrade, his expression moved. "I never expected that Gurui, having just arrived, would be willing to help us... He is a good goblin."

*Clang!!*

A merman raised his heavy blade, blocking the incoming sword strike.

As sparks flew, the dark, bulging eyes on the slippery head of the corrupted merman reflected the image of this strange "goblin."

The merman let out a guttural, incomprehensible sound, shoved the blade away with a harsh *clang*, and then, gripping the handle tightly with webbed claws, launched a vicious diagonal slash. Its eyes were cruel, saliva dripping from its lips as it sought to hack the head off the "goblin" before it.

*Screech—*

The black-haired "goblin" tilted his longsword, letting the spine of his blade slide against the merman’s edge. With a specific technique and precise force, he deflected the blow.

Dazzling sparks showered down.

Wang Xi pivoted his sword, opening his stance like a folding fan. Seizing the moment when the merman’s guard was wide open, he unleashed a swift, brutal horizontal slash that cut straight across the creature's slick neck.

*Shing!!*

The fat, fishy head went rolling as blue-green blood sprayed into the air.

[Target eliminated!]
[Capture the "Corrupted Merman" ability?]

Wang Xi silently thought, "Yes."

A green light flickered over the headless corpse and vanished into his brow.

[Card added to independent card pool.]

He hoisted his sword and, using the giant turtle’s head as a stepping stone, leaped onto its back amidst the creature's angry bellows, charging toward the remaining mermen.

The goblin vanguard, Gurulu, and his companions were both astonished and exhilarated to see him decapitate the merman with a single stroke.

"Gurui! Good goblin!" The vanguard roared, throwing a punch into the air.

"Good goblin!" The other goblins cheered, their morale soaring.

Gurulu gripped his spear with thick arms, parried a short sword swung by a merman, and thrust forward, piercing the creature's chest. Just as he prepared to pull out his stone dagger to finish the merman off, *shing*—a flash of sword light swept by, and a large fish head went flying.

Gurulu turned to see that it was Gurui who had taken down his opponent. Far from being annoyed, he chuckled, "Nice assist, Gurui!"

"You’re not bad yourself, Gurulu," Wang Xi replied with a laugh. He thought to himself, if only all teammates in games were goblins... they don't even get mad when you steal their kills; they just praise you.

Nearby, several two-star goblin warriors were surrounding a crossbow-wielding merman. They had already riddled it with holes and were about to finish it off when—*shing!*—that peerless, sharp sword light descended, decapitating the creature. The headless body tumbled off the turtle’s back, spraying gore.

"Great! Gurui, you’re truly something else!" the goblins cheered.

"You’re all impressive too!" Wang Xi responded with a grin.

Just then, a sword-and-shield-wielding merman poked its head out, opened its sharp-toothed mouth, and spat. A blade-like jet of water shot out like a throwing knife, heading straight for the cheering goblins.

Seeing this, Wang Xi flicked his finger.

—"Water Bolt."

*Splash!!*

A matching jet of water erupted, colliding with the first in mid-air and scattering into a mist of rain.

"?! "

The goblins, and even the corrupted mermen, were stunned.

"The Witch be praised! Gurui!" the vanguard shouted in shock. "You... you are a magic-wielding goblin!!"

"Fantastic! It's magic! We're saved!" The little goblins in the wooden hut danced with joy. Nearby, the goblin girl Gurusha covered her mouth in astonishment, her yellow, horizontal pupils filled with disbelief. Even the chieftain, Guruchi, lying on the ground, stared blankly, murmuring, "I never thought that in my lifetime, I would see a high-level goblin gifted with magic."

"Kill!"

Ignoring their shock, Wang Xi seized the moment of the merman's hesitation, dual-wielding his sword as he brought it down with force. The merman hurriedly raised its shield.

Wang Xi’s expression remained cold. He stepped forward, engaged his waist, and in that instant, his longsword seemed to transform into an axe, a faint white light shimmering along the blade.

"Sever All!!"

*Crash—*

The sword struck the iron-reinforced wooden shield, and with a crisp snap, it cleaved right through it! The momentum of the strike did not falter, continuing through to bisect the merman’s head behind it.

[Target eliminated]
[Capture the "Corrupted Merman" ability?]

'Yes.'

Wang Xi kicked the corpse off the turtle's back and joined the other goblins to finish off the final two mermen.

Only the giant turtle remained.

Vanguard Gurulu and his men prodded the turtle’s legs with their spears, drawing jets of blue-black blood.

*ROAR—*

The Corrupted Land-Turtle was a three-star elite, after all. Stung by the pain, it bellowed, its massive body heaving and shaking off the surrounding goblins.

"Ah!"
"Waya!"
"Watch out!"

The goblin warriors, Gurulu included, were sent tumbling like gourds. The giant turtle seized the chance to retract its limbs, its massive frame slamming into the ground with a cloud of dust. Leaving only its head exposed, it opened its maw and fired a high-pressure water jet that sliced through a goblin warrior’s body.

*Squelch!!*

The two-star goblin was crushed on the spot, green blood and limbs spraying in every direction.

"Guruba!!" the goblins wailed in grief.

The furious Gurulu leaped up with his spear, aiming for the crocodile-like head. But the turtle was cunning; it pulled its head back into the safety of its thick shell. The spear that the old goblin had previously lodged in its eye snapped off.

*Clang!!*

Gurulu’s strike hit the shell with a dull thud. The black stone spearhead shattered upon impact.

"Damn it!" the vanguard raged, kicking the turtle's head-hole repeatedly, but a thick layer of keratin protected it, rendering their attacks useless.

"What do we do now?" The goblins huddled together, looking at the behemoth inside its shell.

The old goblin, supported by Guruwen, walked over and said in a deep voice, "Once a Land-Turtle enters its defensive state, even the Stone Giants from the 'Silent Hills' can do nothing against it..."

"But Great King," Gurulu said, restless and kicking the turtle again with a loud *thud*. "If we leave this beast alone, it’ll just spit us all to death!"

The old goblin wore a sorrowful expression. The goblins were at a loss, pacing around the turtle.

"I'll handle it."

A figure stepped forward. The goblins turned to see their new, powerful companion, Gurui, holding a strange metallic weapon.

"Little Gurui, you have a way?" the chieftain asked in astonishment.

Wang Xi didn't speak; he simply pulled the cord on the chainsaw.

*Vrrr—RRRRRROOOOOM!!*

He took a step, leaped onto the turtle’s back, and with the posture of a swordsman, brought the chainsaw down hard.

The armor-piercing effect from his "Bloody Knight" skill imbued the "Chainsaw Sword," which bit into the top of the shell with a roar.

*SCREEECH!!*

The high-speed rotating saw blade cut downward, emitting a shrill, piercing whine. The barnacles and mollusks on the shell exploded instantly, sending juice and fragments flying.

The goblins recoiled in shock.

*ROAR—*

A pained, low growl emanated from inside the shell. Wang Xi held the chainsaw with both hands, slowly forcing the long blade into the turtle's body—

*Vrrr-vrrr-vrrr!!*

Blue-black blood sprayed from the shell like rain.

"The Land-Turtle is being cut open!" the goblins cheered.

Finally, unable to bear the agony, the turtle extended its four legs, stood up, and thrashed wildly, trying to shake off the "goblin" on its back. But Wang Xi held on tight, using the chainsaw to carve an even larger gash.

*Whoosh—*

The crocodile head could no longer stay retracted and lunged out. The one-eyed beast stretched its neck, opened its maw, and prepared to fire a water jet to crush the accursed "goblin."

"I was waiting for you to show your head!"

Wang Xi grinned. He raised his laser pistol and aimed it at the crocodile head.

"Avada Kedavra—"

*BEEP!!!*

A red laser flashed. The crocodile head remained wide open, but a charred, bloody hole had appeared in its forehead.

[Target eliminated]
[Capture the "Corrupted Land-Turtle" ability?]

With a thunderous crash, the giant turtle collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The goblins were stunned for a moment before erupting into a frenzy.

"Magic! It's magic!" they cheered wildly. "Gurui used magic to kill the Land-Turtle!"

Wang Xi confirmed the capture prompt and leaped off the turtle’s back. The goblins swarmed him, cheering and celebrating. They didn't notice the deep green light flashing from the turtle's corpse and flying into Wang Xi's brow.

'A Deep Green card!' Wang Xi thought, pleasantly surprised. 'Plus four green cards from the mermen!'

Although not every merman dropped a card, it was still a massive haul. He smiled, blending into the crowd of goblins. Looking at them, he noticed the tags above their heads had quietly changed to "Green: Friendly Unit."

A moment later, the vanguard Gurulu and his companions finished clearing the battlefield and returned, holding a large, green, oily mushroom.

"This is the mushroom left behind by Guruba."

The goblin warrior who had been killed by the turtle's water jet had transformed into this mushroom. The goblins gathered around it, the mood turning somber.

The old chieftain, Guruchi, looked up at Wang Xi and said, "Little Gurui, we leave this to you."

The other goblins turned hopeful eyes toward him, leaving Wang Xi completely confused.

Before long, the goblin girl Gurusha walked out, head bowed, and said shyly:

"Gu... Gurui, let's make goblins together."

"???"