Pretending To Be A Boss

Feeling the rare uncertainty and astonishment in Tang Xian's tone, Li Xiaoyu nodded, appearing calm and serious.

An expression befitting a minor errand.

However, she corrected herself, saying, "In the yellow zone of the western mining area, the Blade Forbidden Lake, about forty years ago, we discovered a three-tailed Dragon Spine Crocodile. According to the bestiary unlocked at the sixth level, this is a creature that's on the lower end among the Calamity-level boss creatures."

"But it's very clever. You can't imagine, sometimes these animals exhibit intelligence that surpasses human beings. Yet, after being worn down by humanity for forty years, its demise is considered a military secret. Currently, the hunter squads of Lincoln Fortress haven't discovered it, and the area has already been placed under martial law by the Li family's forces. It will die soon."

Li Xiaoyu said, "So you only need to kill one more. I believe in you."

Tang Xian couldn't help but think that he wasn't even that confident in himself; how could this woman have so much faith in him?

If it was just a Calamity-level creature, he might be able to do it by using his connection with Qing JiuYu. He had planned to track the Nvwa Snake for Qiao Shanshan.

But to take on a Calamity-level boss creature was simply a fool's dream.

The Nvwa Snake was a Calamity-level creature, and its leader, the White Phosphorus Serpent Demon, was a Calamity-level boss creature. The difference in strength between boss and non-boss creatures differed at other levels. At the Calamity level, the gap between boss and non-boss creatures is even wider.

Being a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, Qing JiuYu was the most powerful creature in the entire mining area, leading the fox clan against the snake clan for so long without gaining an advantage over the White Phosphorus Serpent Demon.

Even if we spoke purely in terms of strength values, Qing JiuYu's strength should be several times, if not ten times, more formidable than that of the White Phosphorus Serpent Demon.

Of course, this might have something to do with the White Phosphorus Serpent Demon's innate resistance to fox fire.

Since the incident with Qing JiuYu, Tang Xian had elevated his estimation of the intelligence of Calamity-level and Catastrophe-level boss creatures.

They possessed human intelligence; the methods used to kill their kin might not work on them.

Tang Xian shook his head and said, "Creatures with boss markers, although their ability values are only slightly higher than those of ordinary Calamity-level creatures, actually exhibit combat power that far exceeds non-boss creatures.

If the gap between elite and perfect class can be compared to the difference between a stream and a lake, then the gap between the perfect class and Calamity-level is like that of a lake to an ocean."

Li Xiaoyu tilted her head slightly, puzzled, and said:

"My understanding is that you're trying to jack up the price."

Tang Xian shook his head. Based on his life goal to eat a Catastrophe-level creature, he hadn't thought of anything like jacking up the price. The main issue was that he genuinely had no confidence in accomplishing this task.

"The intelligence of boss creatures is indeed close to that of humans, a point I've also verified. That's the most critical aspect. Didn't the Li family also take nearly forty years to kill a Calamity-level creature? I don't think I'll be stronger than the Li family, so it'll probably take me forty years as well. By the time you're fifty-eight, marriage shouldn't be so urgent for you, right?"

Tang Xian nodded to himself, thinking it made sense, and continued to speak despite Li Xiaoyu's cooling expression:

"Let's change to a different task. Would dealing with a secondary Calamity-level creature be acceptable?"

"No. I'm not asking you to do this alone. Aren't you known as Tang Wudi?"

"That's in reference to dealing with human beings."

"There are many humans who can beat you. Your specialty is here." Li Xiaoyu pointed derisively at her temple.

"Not anymore. At best, it's a draw." Tang Xian said very objectively.

Li Xiaoyu wasn't interested in Tang Xian's bragging. Sometimes he would say things that made no sense.

"I'll assemble the team members for you, about ten of the top hunting squads under your command, with a one-year deadline."

Tang Xian frowned.

He hadn't expected Li Xiaoyu to be so earnest.

He started to carefully consider whether he could achieve the task within a year.

Tang Xian had always been confident in his abilities. He believed that with his team and a comprehensive plan covering at least a quarter, along with many high-level pieces of equipment, he could confidently hunt Calamity-level creatures.

But at that time, he had underestimated the power of Calamity-level creatures.

Especially their heightened intelligence.

And this time, he was up against a Calamity-level boss creature.

"In one year's time, is that for Lincoln Fortress to take down the last Calamity-level boss creature, or for your marriage to Fortress Number One?"

"The former. I will be getting married in four months," Li Xiaoyu said.

Tang Xian was somewhat surprised.

Li Xiaoyu hadn't set the deadline within four months.
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"Our Li family, among the first to unlock the seventh layer of technology, didn't monopolize it but instead integrated its content into educational resources, disseminating it to every fortress in Huaxia. However, Lincoln Fortress and Sky Guardian Fortress are different. These countries will monopolize such technology to strengthen their own fortresses, thereby controlling others."

"You might not believe this, but the Li family has always prioritized the world over personal affairs. So it's no surprise that completing the eighth level before Lincoln Fortress is much more important than some of my personal feelings," Li Xiaoyu said with an unchanged expression, even though she had previously mentioned her marriage with a trace of begrudging determination.

Tang Xian couldn't help but be surprised. This differed slightly from his impression of the brainless second young mistress.