Chapter 341: Their Choices
The stone dragon had chosen an opportune time to sneak an attack. The deadlock situation Shi Xiaobai and Speechless were in was just like they were on either side of a see-saw. If they pulled back to defend the stone dragon’s tail, they would be sent ‘flying’ by the see-saw.
Compared to the stone dragon’s attack, the force that was pent up in the deadlock was even stronger, but being hit by the dragon’s strike would cause the deadlock to be broken, resulting in an internecine outcome.
Hence, this tail’s strike was an extremely cheap shot.
However, the target of the attack was not Shi Xiaobai, but Speechless!
As the stone tail swept over, a wind whistled. At that instant, Shi Xiaobai had two choices.
The first choice was to continue in the stalemate. It could be predicted that even if Speechless had been able to defend against the strike, he would have to pay a certain price. Therefore, Shi Xiaobai would have easily obtained victory. Later he could explain it away by using excuses like how he ‘did not react in time’ or that he was ‘stupefied from shock’.
And the second choice was to take the initiative to separate. If Shi Xiaobai took the initiative to separate, he would have to take a certain level of risk. This was because if Speechless ignored the stone dragon’s strike and continued imbuing strength into the embroilment, Shi Xiaobai’s separation would be like he had lifted his butt from the see-saw, and he would be sent flying.
But if he took the initiative to separate, it would allow Speechless an opportunity to defend against the stone dragon without any injuries.
There were two choices—victory and danger, but they were of unequal weighting. Most people would usually choose the former.
However, Speechless was very lucky that his opponent was Shi Xiaobai!
Shi Xiaobai took the initiative to separate without any hesitation. He found cheap victories disdainful. Despicable sneak attacks were something he abhorred. As for danger, it was something Shi Xiaobai was long accustomed to!
At that instant, Speechless was also facing two choices.
The first choice was separation so that he could defend against the dragon’s strike, but whether he would be injured was left up to Shi Xiaobai.
The second choice was to continue the stalemate and withstand the hard blow from the dragon’s tail. Then, whether he would be injured or not depended on how he would react.
Believing in someone else or himself was similarly of unequal weighting. Most people would tend to choose the latter!
Speechless was a person with great confidence in himself. Logically speaking, it was very likely that he would choose the second choice.
But this time, Speechless believed in himself, but what he chose to believe in was his ability to read someone.
As a person with regal standing, he naturally had to master the art of reading someone!
Speechless believed in his ability to read others.
Shi Xiaobai was not a despicable person that would take advantage of someone else!
Therefore, Speechless chose the first choice in an instant. He took the initiative to withdraw and turned around to face the dragon’s tail!
At that moment, Speechless’s back was facing Shi Xiaobai!
If Shi Xiaobai did not stand down, Speechless’s back would be imprinted with two deep sword scars or he might even die for this.
However, there were no ifs. Shi Xiaobai had withdrawn his strength almost at the same time with Speechless. It was just like two people had jumped off from both ends of the see-saw spontaneously. The equilibrium was not broken; therefore, no one was injured!
Shi Xiaobai’s eyes flashed with a look of appreciation. Speechless’s choice was courageous and decisive. It surprised and also impressed him.
A smile suffused across Speechless’s lips. Shi Xiaobai’s choice, which was upright and benevolent, did not catch him by surprise, but it made him feel a form of respect!
The stone dragon’s ferocious eyes flashed a look of stupefaction, but it immediately turned to horror. It never expected that the two would make a choice that was detrimental to its wellbeing in such a short period of time. It was going to suffer from this happening!
But spilled water was difficult to retrieve, the flick of a tail could not be retracted!
With two sword beams flashing, the shimmering stone tail was diced into three segments!
Speechless’ eyes were cold and he looked enraged. Sneak attackers had to die!
“Roar!”
The stone dragon cried out as it tried to flap its wings to fly higher, but its nightmare had only just begun.
Shi Xiaobai had already leaped up!
“Go down for This King!” Shi Xiaobai roared as he slashed out!
“Boom!”
The stone dragon’s wings were instantly severed, and its massive body in mid-air immediately plummeted, crashing heavily to the ground.
The stone dragon cried out tragically, but its instinct for survival made it continuously squirm its body in an attempt to escape.
Speechless apparently did not have a habit of torture. With a sneer, he slashed out, decapitating the stone dragon as it bellowed tragically.
The tiny episode of a sneak attack came to an end.
The two looked each other in the eyes and immediately laughed, clearly very satisfied with each other’s choices.
A smile vanquished any enmity. After all, the two of them did not have much hatred for each other, to begin with.
Speechless was the first to stand down.
Shi Xiaobai asked with a smile, “This stone dragon isn’t your mount? Why did it sneak an attack on you instead of This King?”
Speechless said with a scoff, “How can that trash dragon be qualified to be This Emperor’s mount? It was encountered on the road and captured for the road. This stone dragon was taught several lessons by This Emperor, so it probably held a grudge all this time.”
Shi Xiaobai also shook his head with a scoff. This person was posturing with every word he said and it did not seem to have an end to it.
Shi Xiaobai turned his head at the decapitated stone dragon. Immediately, hunger reared its head at him, as he nearly drooled.
Since this stone dragon was already dead and it was not Speechless’s mount…
Shi Xiaobai said with a chuckle, “This King won’t be standing on ceremony.”
Speechless was slightly taken aback, unsure of what Shi Xiaobai meant.
He watched Shi Xiaobai turn around and walk towards the decapitated stone dragon. Breaking off a piece of rock, Shi Xiaobai stuffed it into his mouth and began chewing on it.
The stone dragon was made of stone, and despite it being beheaded, not a single drop of blood flowed. After it died, it was like a stone sculpture, so Shi Xiaobai just ate it ‘raw’.
After chewing a few times, Shi Xiaobai felt somewhat disappointed.
“It’s chicken-flavored again. This King is already getting a little sick of it.”
Shi Xiaobai muttered to himself. The stone dragon’s meat was not much different from the flavor of ordinary rocks.
However, having just been engaged in a bit of action, Shi Xiaobai immediately felt famished again. He began to focus on eating the stone dragon.
Speechless was left silent and speechless. After a moment of silence, he walked forward and broke off a piece of rock and hesitantly placed it in his mouth to bite at it…
“Pui! You are really eating rocks!?”
Speechless widened his eyes slightly.
Shi Xiaobai chewed on the rocks with relish and muttered, “Didn’t you realize that from the beginning?”
Speechless curled his mouth. “Realize my ass. I thought you were using some illusion… Fuck, you sure are a talent when it comes to eating rocks!”
Shi Xiaobai shrugged. He couldn’t do a thing either. None of this made much sense, and he too was unsure of why this was happening.
However, the chicken-flavored rock was still rather delicious.
For his hunger that was driving him crazy finally felt some sense of satiation. It was as though pee that had been held for an entire day was released at one go. It was a refreshing feeling and made one only crave for more.
Shi Xiaobai was getting a bit addicted to eating.
Furthermore, the stone dragon was much better than the ordinary rocks. It could slightly increase his physical strength and defense.
Shi Xiaobai began eating at an even faster speed. Soon, the stone dragon that was larger than a whale had been wiped clean by him!
Speechless turned more and more speechless seeing this. With a loud sigh, he said, “In terms of eating, I, Speechless, am willing to acknowledge defeat!”
Suddenly, Speechless seemed to sense something as his eyebrows pricked up. He cast his gaze towards the deep ravine.
“Something’s coming!” Speechless alerted with a soft whisper.
Shi Xiaobai swallowed the rubble in his mouth and wondered aloud, “What’s coming?”
Before Speechless answered, the answer had already come crawling.
Suddenly, deep in the ravine, black gigantic scorpions crawled out one after another!
Like a wave, dense hordes of black scorpions crept up towards the duo. The rustling sound they produced was extremely creepy.
At the same time, there was a sudden wind that resounded through the clouds in the sky. As though a dark cloud had suddenly eclipsed the sun, a look at the sky revealed hundreds, if not thousands of stone dragons flying towards them in an assault!
The ground began to quake, with roaring sounds in the distance.
Turning to take a look, they saw the horizon behind them filled with spiky steel rhinoceroses rushing over in a stampede!
Shi Xiaobai gulped as his eyes brightened up slightly.
“So, it’s because the food is here!”