Finally, a shadow loomed behind the dragonfly, as the fallen rock slab began to roll down.
Ren Zhong thrust upward with renewed vigor, subtly pushing the metal stick, while swiftly rolling to the left.
The dragonfly pressed downward again.
The lower end of the Alloy Stick brushed against Ren Zhong's ribs.
Ren Zhong pushed with his right hand, clutching the stick's lower end with one hand.
Instead of resisting, he aligned with the dragonfly's downward momentum, relaxing his right hand.
Bam!
The bottom of the Alloy Stick hit the ground, and at the same moment, the rock slab smacked squarely onto the dragonfly's back!
A grating creak resounded, making one's teeth ache.
Ren Zhong released his right hand, rolling further to the left several times.
Turning back, he saw.
The stone slab rested at an angle.
The Alloy Stick's upper end propped it up.
The lower end was deeply embedded in the soil.
As for the once-mighty dragonfly, it was skewered on the stick.
The stick pierced through the soft tissue connecting its head and thorax, with a greenish fluid slowly trickling down the length of the stick.
The dragonfly struggled on, attempting to break free.
Its throat was punctured, and one of its wings was pinned by the stone slab, preventing its escape.
Unwillingly, its slender legs curved, slashing the stick repeatedly.
However, it was much weakened, each strike leaving only shallow cuts, unable to sever the Alloy Stick in short order.
"You've killed me so many times, yet you've met your match today."
Seeing this, Ren Zhong climbed up again, picked a stone from the side, and with all his might, smashed it onto its head.
Throwing one stone, then picking another.
Again and again, strike after strike...
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...
In the wilderness, the muffling echoes resounded repeatedly.
Unsure how much time had passed, Ren Zhong flopped to the ground, lying on his back, gasping for air, his face utterly pale.
Even now, traces of the sunset's glow could still be seen in the sky, not yet night.
Ren Zhong's clothes were tattered, the exposed skin bruised and purplish, with some lacerations seeping blood from unknown moments.
The persistent dragonfly was finally truly dead.
Its distorted head sagged aside, the huge compound eyes marked and pitted like gnawed bicycle headlights.
Ren Zhong tried to sit up, made several efforts, but couldn't get up.
He was already very ill, and achieving this outcome had taken every ounce of his strength.
With the dragonfly dead, his mind relaxed abruptly, collapsing.
Every part of his body screamed in pain, completely void of strength, even moving a finger was impossible.
Sensing the dwindling strength leaving his body, Ren Zhong hazily thought.
I am exhausted, spent.
Having struggled this long and finally slaying the dragonfly, yet still facing a desolate end like a wandering ghost dying in the wild.
Dejected.
But he knew there was still a chance to start over.
Next time, when sliding down from the ravine, I'll be more careful to avoid a fall, this should make things easier.
However, there were new problems too.
This time, accurately piercing the joint connecting the dragonfly's head and thorax with the Alloy Stick involved significant luck.
The rock slab's rolling stance as it fell, and the force direction when it finally hit the dragonfly's back were subtle; if slightly off, the stick might not have pierced the dragonfly.
This success was ten percent skill, ninety percent luck.
If repeating, nine out of ten times would likely result in failure.
Yet he was unconcerned; if he could kill it once, he could do it ten or a hundred times.
He wasn't disheartened, even felt a bit proud.
A predator like the dragonfly, transported to Earth in the 21st century, could easily dispatch a Siberian tiger.
A dying cancer patient from the "ancient times" managing to fight it to a standstill, even if perishing alongside, was honorable.
Death with no regrets.
The weary and battered Ren Zhong felt his consciousness sinking, his eyelids heavy, increasingly succumbing to sleep.
In his daze, he vaguely perceived several shadows descending from the sky.
Too weary to resist, he simply cursed in his mind.
I'm truly jinxed, what a choice of breakthrough, killing one only for several more to show up.
Isn't this unfair?
Next time, no dragonflies; can't take it.
"Hey, why is there a person lying in the ravine? Wow, no way, there's even a First Level Ruined Beast pinned under this stone slab! Just recently killed! What a find."
A sudden crisp and melodious female voice, heavenly to his ears, echoed around Ren Zhong.
He abruptly opened his eyes.
In that instant, he identified two critical pieces of information.
First, there were indeed humans on this planet!
Finally encountering living people!
Second, they spoke Mandarin.
Ah, I'm home.