The Record of Unusual Creatures

Hao Ren had quickly found out that his gun was not suitable for the occasion—it was not because the gun was too small but because, its firepower was too strong.     

When fired, the gun could crystalise an area as large as 10 m in radius, and strike any target within sight. As the evacation was still underway been completed, use of the gun could have caused civilian casualty, not to mention the harm the radioactive crystalised particles could cause. He had no choice but to tuck his gun and take on the tentacles CQC style.     

Fortunately, he had his Steel Membrane Shield, so it was not going to be a problem.     

He reached his hand into his Dimensional Pocket and found an alloy staff with a pointed head. It was like a spear. The weapon was not made in the Empire, instead it was a hand-to-hand combat weapon, which he received as a souvenir from the Aerymians. He was not trained to use it, but he could wield the two-metre long, alloy spear like Kung Fu Panda thanks to his enhanced body.     

He sensed a sudden change of wind pressure behind him. With a quick manoeuvre, he dodged the tentacle coming at him from behind before he wheeled and stabbed the tentacle's mid-section. The tentacle pulled back, trying to fling him away in the process. Hao Ren clenched his spear, which he planted firmly in the tentacle and got carried into the air. Despite getting himself flung around, he remained focused. He turned the handle of the spear and a bright light exploded from the spear's pointed head, blowing the tentacle in half.     

"This toy is better than my professional gear." Hao Ren landed on the ground and took a satisfied look at the spear. "I should've asked Hilda for more weapons of surgical destruction like this. I'm short of this category of weapon right now."     

The MDT, now working as Hao Ren's intelligent, hovering interceptor brick casually said, "It's all about experience. Like every other inspector, from a warrior with a divine weapon, you will slowly become a Jack of all trades. Sooner or later, you'll discover that when fighting the war of mortal civilisations, sometimes smaller mortal weapons are far more practical than divine weapons."     

Having dodged another tentacle, Hao Ren replied, "You should've f*cking told me earlier! I only managed to get one staff from Hilda!"     

The tentacles' attack moves were very simple—sweep and thrust. They only attacked physically unlike earlier the assumption that they had psychic powers and neurotoxins. Fighthing them with conventional techniques would suffice. Lily wielded her Frostfire Claws and sliced a tentacle in half like a whirlwind. She came up to Hao Ren happily, babbling, "Yeah, it's payback time! That thing scared the hell out of me the previous night. Looks like they're not that powerful..."     

"Watch out!" A voice was heard accompanied by a loud boom in the air. The Lightning Strike from the bat swarm struck and scorched a severed tentacle Lily was battling a while ago. It was Vivian who had saved the husky. "This thing's very tough. It can live for at least another 10 seconds after being severed."     

A burst of hot whirlwind came up back with Becky emerging from it. Despite being an experienced mercenary, she was still the weakest among them all. She was already exhausted, gasping for air. "Why... why did they come out all of a sudden? I thought it's supposed to be in another two days?"     

Hao Ren looked at the tentacles, which kept bursting out from the ground. His knitted his brows together. "I have no idea. There's probably been some changes. Say something MDT."     

The MDT spoke very calmly, "It's normal. I said, the thing would be fully awake in two days time, but I didn't say it wouldn't toss and turn before it wakes up. What do you usually do when you first open your eyes in the morning?"     

Lily replied, "I usually yawn!"     

A loud bang was heard as another tentacle emerged from the street. The MDT said, "Right! It's yawning now!"     

Just as Hao Ren was about to take a jab at the MDT, he suddenly frowned. He felt an unusual trembling through his feet. Unlike the earth-shattering quake when the tentacles emerged, the trembling was more subtle. This chilled him to his bone.     

At that critical juncture, Hao Ren and Lily came to their senses. "Get out!"     

A loud boom came underneath the pavement and the street burst open as the two leaped away. Yet another tentacle was rising up from the ground.     

However, this tentacle was not at all similar to the rest. It had rougher, lavender-coloured skin with smaller lumps on its tip, which was covered in a mysterious pattern. Hao Ren managed to get a glance before an overwhelming sense of dizziness struck him.     

Just when everyone thought it was just another normal tentacle rising up, here came a mutated version!     

Becky, the weakest of all was standing closest to the tentacle. She was struck by the tentacle's psychic assault and got into a trance. She then walked towards the tentacle as the glow of her magical body armour disappeared!     

At that exact moment, a sonic boom was heard from afar. A white light pierced through the air and the psychic-powered tentacle froze in the air before it was engulfed in white flames. After the loud boom, it burned into ashes.     

"Are you guys okay?" Ophra was heard approaching from afar. Hao Ren turned his head around and saw the female marshal who always wore her body armour. She emerged from the end of the street with a team of knights. The silver sword in her hand was still emanating an afterglow. She was obviously the one who issued the attack.     

As Hao Ren waved at Ophra, he saw the air warp around her and at the next second, she was already teleported next to him!     

"Let's deal with them first." Ophra wielded her sword. Her body was covered in a layer of sacred white flame and she charged at the tentacles, leaving behind a trail of ashes wherever she went. The knights were just standing by as if they were used to watching their marshal going on a killing spree.     

Hao Ren and Vivian withdrew from the fight. They both gaped at Ophra, who was engulfed in a white flame. They were in awe of the non-standard sword she was wielding in her hand, and her spatial moves. Vivian exclaimed quietly, "This is..."     

The White Sacred Flame, a rune-carved sword specially made for demon-slaying. This was almost like an inborn spatial movement skill... These figthing styles were almost a little too familiar.     

"She's like a demon hunter!" Nangong Wuyue was now back, exclaiming in awe as she saw the way Ophra fought.     

Becky was pulled out by Y'zaks. Feeling stupefied, she was still recovering from the tentacle's psychic influence as she glanced at them. "Demon hunter? A demon hunter has come from the real world?"     

Hao Ren pointed to Ophra and said, "We're talking about her!"     

Ophra had finished the last few tentacles off. Since half of the "subterrainean monster" had already been killed off by Hao Ren as well as his company, and the rest was now scorched by Ophra, the monster instinctively knew that this was not the most welcoming breach to the surface. A moment of rumbling later, it left the area. Ophra tucked her sword away and came up to Hao Ren. "Are you guys alright? Why are you guys staring at me like that?"     

Hao Ren could not help but say, "Your fighting skill is..."     

"Ahh... I see. I know, it's unusual," Ophra said matter-of-factly as she dusted her windcoat. "It's just an ancient sword fighting technique. Is there anything wrong?"     

That stirred a storm in Hao Ren's mind. The ancients of The Plane of Dreams... are demon hunters in the real world?     

But, they did not have the slightest hostility toward the unusual creatures! Ophra was not hostile towards Vivian!     

What happened back then on Earth?     

Unfortunately, he did not have the opportunity to ask her as sirens were blaring from multiple places at that time.