Chapter 68: Assessment Passed, Wessuri

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Assessment Passed, Wessuri

She couldn’t figure it out, but Seraphina couldn’t dwell on it.

There was simply no time.

The Hogman before her had already broken some of its chains and was charging at her manically, foul-smelling saliva spraying from between its tusks.

Its bloodshot eyes were now completely consumed by appetite.

’So that’s how it is...’ Seraphina instantly understood the cruel nature of the assessment.

This wasn’t just a simple slaughtering test; it was a fight to the death.

If you couldn’t kill the target, the target would kill you.

And the losers, naturally, became "ingredients."

She didn’t have time to check on the others; her entire focus was on the threat before her.

CRASH!

The Hogman slammed into the dissection table, and the metal surface let out a piercing shriek as it buckled.

Seraphina seized the opportunity, sliding nimbly around to the knife rack in the corner of the operating room.

The rack was filled with all sorts of butchering tools: Bone Cutting Knives, bloodletting spikes, and even a great cleaver that was half her height.

"You’ll do!" She grabbed the largest cleaver without hesitation.

Luckily, she had eaten a [Power Apple]; otherwise, she probably couldn’t have even lifted the heavy weapon.

The blade was cool to the touch, its heavy, solid feel reassuring.

Seraphina immediately activated her [Butcher] Profession Skill—

"[Sharpening Knife]!"

SHIIING—

A cold glint flashed across the blade. The entire cleaver instantly became incomparably sharp, its edge even faintly glowing with a pale green light.

ROAR!!

The Hogman finally snapped its chains completely and charged like an out-of-control truck!

Seraphina didn’t dodge or evade. She gripped the handle with both hands, twisted at her waist, and poured all her strength into her arms.

SWISH!

The blade arced through the air like a sliver of the moon!

Time seemed to freeze in that instant.

The Hogman’s body was still in its forward-charging posture, but its head was already flying high into the air, its murky eyes frozen in a look of disbelief.

THUD.

The head landed with a dull sound.

Immediately after, the headless body crashed to the ground. Dark red blood gushed out, instantly staining the entire operating room.

Seraphina panted heavily, the cleaver in her hand still dripping blood.

A single, fatal blow.

She looked down at her own hands, finding it hard to believe.

’Is this the Power of the [Butcher] Profession?’

However, killing the Hogman wasn’t the end.

Seraphina still needed to process the corpse.

At first, Seraphina felt a little unsettled.

But the butchering techniques flooding her mind were boiling over, urging her to complete the remaining steps.

Seraphina was breathing heavily and noticed her hands were trembling slightly.

It wasn’t fear, but a strange kind of excitement.

She crouched down, the tip of her blade plunging precisely into the Hogman’s throat.

Bleeding, Skinning, deboning...

The entire sequence of movements was as smooth as flowing water, as if she had repeated it tens of millions of times.

When the last piece of tenderloin was neatly arranged on a tray,

Seraphina finally snapped back to her senses.

Looking at the neatly processed results before her, Seraphina was in disbelief.

Then, she was startled by a system notification.

[Ding! Main Quest 2: Instance Assessment complete.]

[Ding! Reward: Instance Temp Worker Status.]

After the system notifications finished, Seraphina finally had a moment to look at the others.

The others were also in the middle of their assessments.

Some had been torn to pieces by their assessment targets, while others who had killed their Hogman were beginning to dismember the corpses.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"Not bad. You finished the assessment so quickly, and your butchering is so skilled. Very good. You’re well-suited for work in a slaughterhouse."

"You. You pass the assessment."

Evander Hogan’s coarse voice came from above. Seraphina kept her head down, showing no emotion.

She stared at her bloodstained hands. Her knuckles were still trembling slightly, not from fear, but from the lingering aftereffects of adrenaline.

"There are quite a few capable ones in this batch of ’material’."

Evander Hogan glanced meaningfully in the direction of the other four Players.

Seraphina glanced over out of the corner of her eye—Lily Underwood and the other three Players had also finished their assessments.

’As expected, they all passed.’

Among the Native People, only a single skinny boy had survived.

He was covered in blood, his Bone Cutting Knife still dripping some kind of viscous fluid, but his eyes were unusually calm.

"Very good. You’ve successfully avoided becoming ingredients."

Evander Hogan grinned, revealing a bloodcurdling smile. "But don’t get too happy just yet. You are now officially temporary workers at the slaughterhouse. If you fail to complete your daily tasks..."

He deliberately drew out his words, pointing his cleaver at the ceiling.

Dozens of already-processed "ingredients" were hanging there, moving slowly along a conveyor belt.

"You’ll be joining them~"

Seraphina silently breathed a sigh of relief, but her nerves remained taut.

Passing the assessment was only the first step. The real danger had likely just begun.

Evander Hogan turned to lead the way, his fat body swaying as he walked ahead.

The group followed him through several dim corridors, finally stopping before an ornate mahogany door.

Surprisingly, Evander Hogan suddenly became reserved.

He first straightened his blood-stained apron, then used a claw to wipe away the scraps of meat stuck to his tusks, and even nervously cleared his throat.

"Boss, the new temp workers are ready." He knocked lightly on the door, his voice unnaturally respectful.

A lazy female voice came from inside the door: "Come in."

The moment the door opened, Seraphina’s pupils contracted sharply—

Standing before them was a stunningly beautiful woman.

She wore a well-tailored suit that made her skin look as white as snow.

Her jet-black hair fell to her waist, the tips shimmering with a faint silver light.

But what was most captivating were her amber eyes.

They seemed to see right through a person’s heart, yet they held an inhuman coldness.

[Name: Wessuri]

[Gender: Female] (Demon)

[Professional Skills: Spirit Whip]

[Weaknesses: Gourmet Perplexity]

Seeing this person, Seraphina and the others were a bit confused. Why would a slaughterhouse, clearly not a place for ordinary people, have a human as a leader?

What was even more horrifying was that she clearly looked human, yet she stood above the Hogmen, the true master of this slaughterhouse.

And the single word "Demon" noted by the Eye of Resume was very thought-provoking.

It wasn’t just her; the other Players also looked bewildered.

In a slaughterhouse filled with mutated Hogmen, for a woman to hold the highest position of leadership, to the point that even the savage Evander Hogan was utterly respectful, was simply unbelievable.

What was even more chilling was that Wessuri’s gaze held not a shred of pity for the group. Instead, it was filled with undisguised disgust, as if she were looking at a pack of inferior creatures.

"Evander Hogan," she began, her red lips parting, her voice as cold as ice, "get these ’temp workers’ to their stations at once."

"I’d rather not have the efficiency of our [Pork Slaughterhouse] fall behind the [Broiler Chicken Slaughterhouse] next door."

She narrowed her pitch-black eyes, which had no whites. "You don’t want to become an ingredient either, do you? Hm?"

Evander Hogan’s fat body clearly trembled, and his tusks chattered involuntarily. "Y-Yes! Right away!"

Seraphina keenly noted Wessuri’s mention of the "Broiler Chicken Slaughterhouse."

’Could it be that this instance has many different kinds of slaughterhouses?’