As Lin accepted the bowl of soup that Xiao Feng handed to him, he spoke with quiet intensity.
"If these magical beasts have indeed evolved to the point where they can absorb the magic cores from others of their kind to further their transformation, then humanity stands on the brink of a grave crisis. The virus before the Great Purge may have spared us, but these mutated creatures could very well herald our downfall. Just think — something that can slay an E-rank beast in mere minutes... that's beyond terrifying."
Xiao Feng nodded solemnly, clearly agreeing.
"You're right. But such matters lie far beyond the reach of people like us. These are problems for the Alliance government to wrestle with. Beasts of C or even B rank… those are already beyond our imagination. Only the Alliance has the resources and manpower to confront threats of that magnitude."
Rice drained his bowl and added with a serious tone,
"Xiao Feng speaks the truth. Even my mercenary corps, with all our firepower, wouldn't dare to provoke a D-rank beast lightly."
"Right," Xiao Feng nodded again. "Let's rest well after finishing this soup. Tomorrow, we must track down an E-rank beast. We can't afford to return empty-handed again."
"Understood. I'll take the first watch. Lin, you'll relieve me in three hours. Xiao Feng, you're the youngest — you'll take the last shift. By then, you'll have had enough sleep to stay alert."
"Agreed," Xiao Feng replied. "Here, take my watch — it works like a mini radar for detecting beasts."
Rice accepted the device. "You two get some rest. I've got it for now."
Spring had only just begun, and the night air still carried a biting chill. But Rice was unbothered — a man who went shirtless through freezing winters wasn't one to mind a little cold.
Perched atop the off-road vehicle, he smoked idly, eyes scanning both the darkness and the digital readout on the watch. Beside him lay his silenced rifle, the "Blood Ghost," ever ready. The nocturnal beasts of this wilderness were bold; more than once, reckless G-rank creatures had tried their luck. Night was when the wilderness came alive — a domain of prowling monsters.
Through the thermal scope of his rifle, Rice spotted the outline of a giant rat. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. Whizz—the bullet cut a line of light through the darkness and buried itself in the creature's skull.
Still scanning the surroundings, Rice muttered,
"That brat's got a treasure trove of good stuff… This sniper rifle's a beauty, and that black combat blade, and this watch… even this rugged vehicle — damn, where did he get all this luck?"
The muted gunshot had roused Xiao Feng from sleep. Though barely a whisper, his sharp instincts kicked in. Rising, he glanced at the still-sleeping Lin by the fire, stretched lazily, and stepped outside. With a single nimble leap, he landed atop the vehicle beside Rice.
"Rough night to be out in the wilds, huh?"
Rice grinned.
"Honestly, I kind of like it out here…" — Bang! Another shot, another rodent slain.
"It sharpens my aim. Can't complain."
Xiao Feng chuckled.
"Well, you might enjoy your target practice, but you woke me up in the process…"
He picked up the watch. "I'll join you for a bit. I'll monitor the scanner while you focus on your shooting."
Rice pulled out a cigarette and offered it to him.
Xiao Feng frowned. "Still not used to these…"
"You will be, sooner or later," Rice said with a smirk. A small flame flared up on his fingertip. Xiao Feng leaned in to light the cigarette.
Rice lit his own and took a drag, rifle once again in hand.
"Once you're alone out here, a cigarette's all the company you need."
Just as Xiao Feng opened his mouth to reply, a green blip flashed onto the watch's screen.
"Huh?" He narrowed his eyes and snatched the rifle from Rice, peering into the distance through the scope. A shadow burst into view — a six-legged black panther racing across the plains at terrifying speed.
This wasn't like the giant bat they'd seen before. This beast — fast, low, lethal — was clearly an E-rank. And it was headed straight for them.
"E-rank target spotted! Rice — wake Lin up, now!"
Rice leapt from the roof, dashed into the stone hut, and shook Lin awake.
"Get up — we've found an E-rank beast!"
Still dazed, Lin rubbed his eyes and groaned,
"Damn it, couldn't it have waited? I was dreaming I was in a hot spring with a bunch of girls…"
Rice ignored him, already back at the vehicle, retrieving a laser cannon from the trunk. He climbed to the roof and turned to Xiao Feng.
"Where is it?"
"Ten o'clock. Closing in fast — about 170 kilometers per hour. We'll have visual in thirty seconds. Lin, point the headlights toward ten o'clock!"
Understanding the gravity of the situation from Xiao Feng's tone, Lin wasted no time. He jumped into the vehicle and expertly turned the wheels. His driving skills were second to none among Xiao Feng's acquaintances — a task like this was effortless for him.
"Lin, when I say so, light up the night. Turn on every damn headlight."
"Got it."
Xiao Feng steadied his breathing, eyes locked through the scope. His heart pounded with both fear and excitement. An E-rank beast wasn't a trivial threat — there was every chance someone might not make it through this. He forced himself to calm down, breath by breath.
"Three… two… one… Lights on!"
With a click, Lin cranked the knob all the way. A burst of dazzling white beams split the darkness, cutting through the night like blades — illuminating the beast charging toward them.