Chapter 86: The Terrifying Giant

Chapter 86: The Terrifying Giant

The atmosphere was quiet and oppressive. Everyone lay on the ground, breathing heavily.

After what felt like an eternity, the Horse-faced Middle-aged Man finally broke the silence and asked, "Should we go after the Giant first, or the barbarian tribe? Or should we split up?"

"Let's kill the Giant. It poses the greatest threat, and it's still fast asleep right now. If we're careful, there’s little risk. Attacking the barbarians might wake the Giant, making things far more dangerous," the Short Young Man argued.

"I agree."

"Me too!"

...

Everyone quickly voiced their agreement.

As for splitting up, no one even mentioned it.

Sticking together meant safety in numbers, especially with the three Notaries present. Dividing the group would only multiply the risks for everyone.

The slope below was open and exposed, offering no cover. With it being broad daylight, any tactical maneuvers were out of the question.

Fortunately, the weeds here grew thick and tall, nearly half a meter high—enough to conceal their movements.

The group hunched low, using the weeds as cover as they slowly advanced toward the Giant.

No one spoke a word along the way. The only sounds were their heavy breaths.

Occasionally, small animals darted out from the grass, startling them and sending their hearts racing.

Everything in the Otherworld demanded extreme caution. Even a bizarrely colorful beetle was enough to make them keep their distance.

The three Notaries walked at the rear. Since entering the passage, they had remained silent.

Eighteen people were participating in this Combat Test—three women and fifteen men.

Most were in their twenties or thirties, with the oldest nearing forty. The youngest was Chen Shouyi, at just seventeen.

Yet, in terms of experience and composure, Chen Shouyi was the most seasoned among them.

After all, he had already killed over twenty barbarians.

After creeping forward for about ten minutes, the Giant’s snoring grew louder, vibrating faintly against their eardrums. At the same time, the stench of rotting corpses mixed with excrement became increasingly overpowering.

Suddenly, the Woman let out a soft gasp before quickly covering her mouth and turning her head away.

The group, already on edge, froze at the sound.

Lying on the ground was a human skull, crushed at the top and hollowed out, its brain long gone. Half of its face was covered in decayed skin, and in its pus-filled, cloudy eyes, fat maggots writhed in and out.

Despite the advanced decomposition, Chen Shouyi immediately recognized it as a human head.

Aside from the facial structure, the exposed front teeth showed clear signs of having been filled.

"Everyone, keep your mouths shut no matter what you see. If you can’t, stay where you are—don’t get us all killed," someone hissed through gritted teeth, his face dark with anger.

"Exactly. If you don’t have the nerves for this, you shouldn’t be taking the Martial Artist Combat Test!" another voice added in a low whisper.

The Woman’s gasp had startled many in the group.

Her face flushed with embarrassment, she opened her mouth as if to speak but ultimately said nothing.

The team paused briefly before continuing forward. The number of white bones ahead increased, some of which were still not completely decayed corpses. Most were human.

That time, the "food" had clearly been too much for the Giant, and it had died too quickly, leaving the excess to rot.

Besides the bones and corpses, feces were also scattered everywhere. Each pile was over half a meter tall, attracting swarms of fly-like insects.

The group hid in the grass, nearly getting covered by the swarming bugs. Amid his tension, Chen Shouyi couldn't help but feel shocked by the Giant's filth and laziness—it practically lived in a pile of feces and rotting food scraps.

But soon, he had no time to dwell on it.

The thunderous snoring filled the air, accompanied by a faint oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.

One person gathered their courage, stood up for a quick glance, then immediately crouched back down and whispered, "Let's discuss—we're only about 60 to 70 meters away. Should we attack now?"

"Too far, no guarantee. Let's get closer—at least within 50 meters," Chen Shouyi spoke up for the first time since entering the Otherworld.

Everyone looked at Chen Shouyi, then at the giant bow in his hands—a 600-pound war bow, the heaviest among them aside from the one wielded by the Director.

Though the youngest in the group, strength was the greatest authority.

"This brother is right. Let's get closer and aim for a fatal strike."

"It should be fine. The Giant is still deep asleep."

After a brief discussion, everyone agreed.

The group cautiously advanced a bit further before finally stopping.

Slowly, they all rose to their feet.

In the distance, the Giant lay sprawled on the grass, its massive size delivering a powerful visual impact.

Six or seven meters might not sound like much, but if the Giant stood up, its head would reach the third floor, and with an outstretched arm, it could easily touch the fourth.

Its head alone was as large as a basket.

Disheveled and filthy, its original skin color was unrecognizable under layers of grime. The toenails on its huge feet were curled and overgrown—clearly, the concept of trimming them was foreign to it.

The surroundings were eerily quiet. Many couldn't help but gulp nervously, sweat beading on their foreheads.

Chen Shouyi's heart pounded as well. He swiftly drew an arrow, nocked it, and aimed at the Giant's head. Glancing at the scattered movements of those nearby, he turned and whispered, "This won't work. Who's going to take command?"

"I'll do it," the middle-aged man with a horse-like face stepped forward.

"Watch my hand signals—this is three, this is two, this is one, and this is attack. We'll synchronize on the count."

His universal hand signals were simple and clear, instantly understood by all. He lowered his bow and stepped aside.

Chen Shouyi took a deep breath, nocked another arrow, and drew the heavy 600-pound bow with effort, aiming at the Giant's temple.

"3"

"2"

"1"

No one fired prematurely out of nervousness—after all, as quasi-Martial Artists, their mental fortitude far surpassed that of ordinary people.

As the opponent's hand swung down, Chen Shouyi instantly released the bowstring.

The arrow shot forth with a sharp whistle.

At a distance of 40 to 50 meters, the supersonic arrow fired from such a heavy bow arrived in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, his aim was slightly off, only striking the giant's cheekbone.

Archery was a fundamental skill for every Martial Artist Apprentice, and though many were tense, none missed their shots.

In an instant, the giant's head was riddled with arrows.

Regrettably, the arrows penetrated too shallowly, most merely embedding in the surface flesh of the giant's face. A few skilled marksmen managed to hit the temple, but the arrows only sank a few inches before seemingly getting stuck.

Chen Shouyi had just begun to sense something amiss.

The next moment, the giant let out a terrifying howl and abruptly stood up. At the same time, faint wisps of yellow glow began to shimmer across his body.

Enraged, the giant bared his jagged, yellowed fangs, sharp as daggers, his face twisted into a snarl. With a casual swipe of his massive hand, he brushed off most of the arrows embedded in his face.

The remaining arrows were plucked out one by one, and the bleeding wounds quickly ceased to flow.

During this, several more arrows were loosed at his head or chest, but they were either deflected by his massive hand or blocked by the glow enveloping his body.

A wave of intense fear washed over the onlookers. Some had already begun to retreat slowly. Were it not for the three Notaries standing firm at the rear, many would have likely turned and fled in terror.

This giant was far stronger than anticipated. The mysterious yellow glow emanating from his body marked him as a supernatural being.

"Foolish mortals, daring to offend the mighty Giant. As punishment, I shall devour you all!" His furious voice rumbled like thunder, its echoes lingering.

No sooner had he spoken than a carefully aimed arrow shot through his swinging hand, piercing the faint glow on his skin. However, having expended its force breaking through the barrier, the arrow only lodged shallowly in the giant's cheek.

Chen Shouyi's heart turned cold. Slowly retreating, he swiftly drew another arrow.

The giant yanked the arrow from his face and immediately locked his blazing, eerie eyes on Chen Shouyi. Bending down, he picked up a massive wooden club from the ground and charged toward him, each step causing the earth to tremble faintly.

The giant's speed was indescribable—like a 45-meter-long truck barreling forward at full speed. Before he even arrived, a fierce gale swept through.

Some turned deathly pale and fled in terror. Others stood frozen, as if petrified by fear.

Chen Shouyi barely had time to loose one last arrow before tossing aside his War Bow and drawing his Longsword in one swift motion.

Watching the rapidly approaching giant, his heart pounded like a war drum, his scalp tingling with dread.

Damn it, why chase me?

I wasn’t the only one shooting at you!

He could clearly sense the giant was targeting him specifically.

By now, escape was impossible. Even if he ran with all his might, he could never outpace this monstrous creature.

Just as he braced himself for a desperate fight, a sharp arrow flashed like lightning through the air, piercing the giant's eye socket with a heavy thud.

The next moment, the Giant shuddered, staggered a few more steps, then collapsed heavily to the ground, causing the earth to tremble slightly.

Chen Shouyi turned his head and saw Director Fang not far away, holding a giant bow in a shooting stance, its string still vibrating intensely.