Full health is the kill threshold, no matter if you're a god or a demon!

The monsters here are generally level 100 or above, with high health, perfectly meeting the trigger conditions for Heart of Steel.

While the returns from a single transaction may not be as explosive as those from kidnapping a group of elite pigmen, they are more stable.

More importantly, he doesn't need to worry about anything else, allowing him to focus wholeheartedly on maximizing the benefits of each kill.

He didn't need Arachne's assistance, so he simply left her there and continued his technical discussions with Hector.

Having made up his mind, Liu Nian conveyed this message to Arachne and then, without further delay, turned and stepped alone into the magnificent ruins that resembled a sleeping behemoth.

Looking down at the ruins from a distance, one is already awestruck by their terrifying scale.

But only when you actually step onto those ancient streets paved with countless huge stone slabs can you truly feel the overwhelming sense of oppression that comes with a lost civilization.

The dilapidated yet still towering spires cast shadows that seem to devour the light; the main road, wide enough for giant beasts to walk side by side, stretches into the unknown darkness; sculptures and architectural ruins of a style unlike any other race can be seen everywhere, silently telling tales of past glory.

The air here is dry and cold, filled with the smell of dust from weathered stones and a hint of decay emanating from the depths of the ruins.

Most buildings and area entrances were sealed off by a dim energy barrier, with clear system prompts appearing on the barrier: [Area Not Unlocked] or [Entry Level Requirement: 150], [200]... like individual copies, dividing and protecting the secrets of this vast city.

Liu Nian walked steadily along the central avenue, and would not encounter any monsters until he reached the designated area.

After passing through several quiet streets and around several collapsed rocky hills, the view suddenly opened up before me.

A huge circular plaza appeared in front of us.

The plaza is paved with black stone with a huge star trail pattern carved on it, and is surrounded by twelve giant stone pillars that are still majestic even though they are mostly broken.

At the end of the square stands a 30-meter-high arched gate inlaid with complex metal gears and unidentified crystal structures.

At this moment, the energy barrier on the surface of the gate is a soft white color, with a line of text appearing on it: [Ascalon Core Defense Zone - Outer Perimeter - Entry Level: 100].

It is here.

Liu Nian took a deep breath and stepped through the barrier.

"Buzz..."

It was as if I had passed through a film of icy water, and the environment suddenly changed.

The interior of the square was more dilapidated, but also more "lively".

The stench of decay and metallic corrosion in the air was even stronger, and the light seemed to be distorted by some force, appearing dim and bleak.

Almost the instant he stepped in, countless eyes lit up with a murky or scarlet light amidst the shadows and ruins.

The first attack came from the sound of wind breaking overhead!

"Gah—!"

A sharp screech shattered the silence, and several gray-black shadows, like statues breaking free from their restraints, leaped down from the towering, dilapidated eaves surrounding the square, spreading their four- or five-meter-wide stone wings and gliding as they swooped down!

【Gargoyle with Anti-Magic Elemental (Lv.100)】!

Their appearance is ferocious, like a hybrid of bat and demon crudely sculpted from rough, dark gray rock, with rough friction surfaces at the joints and scarlet energy points dancing in their eyes.

In a magic-free environment, they lose all spell-like abilities, but their extreme physical properties are amplified to a terrifying degree.

Their attack methods are very simple: using the high speed brought by their dive, they tear through the air with their sharp stone claws, which are comparable to those of refined steel; or they suddenly change speed in the air, actively peeling off sharp stone spikes from their bodies and throwing them down like crossbows, with a piercing sound as they cut through the air; when they are in groups, they even show simple hunting intelligence, trying to launch coordinated dives from different heights and angles to block the prey's escape space.

Following the gargoyle, a heavy, muffled thud, like a giant hammer striking the earth, came from the ground.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The large metal fragments that Liu Nian had initially dismissed as decorations or ruins at the edge of the plaza suddenly came to life! Layers of thick, dark obsidian-like plates, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, unfolded, revealing intricate gear structures and energy cores emitting an ominous dark red glow. When they stood, they were generally over five meters tall, resembling mobile miniature fortresses.

【Corrupted Magicsteel Construct (Lv.100)】!

These war machines, clearly bearing the ancient engineering style of Ascalon, have been corrupted by an unknown force.

They moved with heavy, steady steps, each step of their giant steel feet causing the ground to tremble slightly.

Their attacks are pure and brutal: their battering ram-like steel fists can smash steel shields into iron discs; their heavy footsteps can cause small-scale physical shocks, making people lose their footing; the tips of their arms can deform, ejecting high-speed rotating, serrated cutting blades that emit a tooth-grinding metallic screeching sound. Some constructs also intermittently release small-scale high-temperature radiation rays from their glowing red cores on their chests (non-magic).

At the same time, more monsters of various shapes and sizes poured out from every corner of the ruins:

Clad in heavy, moss-covered, and strangely spawned rock armor, the Corrupted Rock Armor Guardians (Lv.100) may have been loyal guards of Ascalon in life. Now, they drag their heavy steps, wielding broken but still deadly massive stone axes or spears, and silently surround us.

From the cracks in the ground, slippery, sucker-cup-covered, barbed [Devil Tentacles (Lv.100)] suddenly sprang out without warning. Like predators from the abyss, they nimbly and swiftly lashed and entangled, trying to drag their prey into the darkness.

There were even a few scattered, incomplete, but far more terrifying, [Colossus Remains (Lv.100)], some with only an arm or half a torso remaining, yet still relying on their remaining kinetic energy to carry out blind and destructive sweeping and hammering...

Without exception, all monsters primarily employ the purest and most savage physical attacks, with some attacks accompanied by special physical effects such as armor penetration, shockwave, piercing, critical strike, bleeding, and life steal.

Their health and physical defense are generally high, which is exactly what Liu Nian wanted – the perfect punching bag!

Facing the oncoming monster horde, Liu Nian showed no fear whatsoever.

His figure flashed like a ghost, narrowly dodging several whistling stone spikes, and Liu Nian instantly closed in on a gargoyle that had just landed.

His right fist struck the core stone in his chest without any fancy moves.

The heavy, muffled sound of a normal attack.

then--

Duang~~

[Heart of Steel activated, HP +8123!]

After those two attacks, a single [Soul Drain Strike] finishes the job! (Soul Drain Strike is an enhanced basic attack, not a magic attack!)

He only threw three punches.

"Crack—Boom!"

The gargoyle's massive body stiffened and then shattered into countless fragments of stone.

Clean, efficient, and completed in one go.

[Soul Drain Strike Damage +5]

[Hell Cursed Souls +3]