Atop the cliff, a tempest of gunfire suddenly erupted. Zaxi had set up an old, large-caliber heavy machine gun there, desperately pouring a metal storm onto the werewolves. The newly emerged werewolves were knocked off balance, their bodies blossoming with blood.
However, the thick skin and sturdy flesh of the werewolves made it difficult for the heavy machine gun to shatter their bones and cause truly fatal damage at this range; they only suffered superficial wounds. To utterly kill a werewolf, one would still need a primordial energy gun or, better yet, close combat.
Zaxi’s task was merely to stall the werewolves, allowing his comrades to escape the valley unharmed. In a blink, he emptied four boxes of ammunition, and the barrel of the heavy machine gun turned red-hot, rendering it unusable. Meanwhile, Yu Yingnan, Qian Ye, and the others had already left the valley, heading towards the predetermined rendezvous point.
Zaxi discarded the powder-driven heavy machine gun. His work was done, and he dashed away along the prearranged escape route.
More werewolves poured out of the cave, their angry howls echoing. But in the valley, a series of explosions sounded, as Zaxi’s traps were triggered, sending the leading werewolves flying.
Soon, the entire hunter team reconvened at the rendezvous point. The howls of the distant werewolves and the sound of their swift approach drew near.
Zaxi quickly pushed out a small four-wheeled off-road truck, adding black crystal powder to the combustion chamber. The power gauge rapidly surged. The truck began to rumble and shake, then lumbered towards Dark Blood City.
Zaxi drove while Qian Ye and the others climbed into the back of the truck. Li Renzhe pulled out a second-level primordial energy gun, aiming it behind the truck. Yu Yingnan and Yang Tian busied themselves treating their wounds, while Qian Ye focused on restoring his primordial energy, every bit of recovery was crucial.
Li Renzhe’s expression was blank, but his eyes were dark. Just a moment ago in the werewolf den, he almost acted. If not for Qian Ye’s sudden shout, he would have stabbed Yu Yingnan in the lower back and then struck the unprepared Yang Tian, before fleeing alone.
Injured as they were, Yu Yingnan and Yang Tian would not stand a chance against the pack of werewolves. After escaping the den, Li Renzhe could easily eliminate the tech-savvy Zaxi.
But when Qian Ye seized the totem with unexpected speed, Li Renzhe hesitated, and the opportunity slipped away.
At the edge of his vision, he saw several dark shadows—werewolves in pursuit. They quickly closed the distance to the slow-moving truck, which crawled at a mere 40 kilometers per hour. Li Renzhe steeled himself, focusing intently on the lead werewolf, waiting until it was within a hundred meters before pulling the trigger!
A blue light shot from the gun, hitting the werewolf squarely in the head, causing it to tumble mid-air and crash heavily to the ground. Seeing the blood and entrails splatter, Li Renzhe felt some of his dark anger subside.
Two primordial energy guns appeared on either side, also aimed at the pursuing werewolves. It was Qian Ye and Yang Tian, who had recovered enough primordial energy to fire one more shot.
The shots rang out, and two more werewolves flew, leaving trails of blood as they fell.
Six chasing werewolves were reduced to three. The remaining werewolves slowed, wary of approaching the truck, staying just out of the primordial energy guns’ range, waiting for reinforcements.
As the chase and escape continued, they neared the place where Qian Ye had first encountered the mysterious black-robed figure.
The werewolves grew restless, many stopping and looking around, whimpering in fear. Those tracking in wolf form stood stiff, their hackles raised.
More and more werewolves slowed, murmuring to each other. A few particularly large ones sniffed the night air, then abruptly turned, tails between their legs, running full speed, followed by the rest, all disappearing in a flash.
The abrupt retreat of the werewolves left Yu Yingnan and the others perplexed, on high alert. Few dangers in the wilderness could make werewolves back down.
Qian Ye guessed it might be related to the mysterious black-robed figure, though he didn’t think it wise to spread the word.
The four of them reached Dark Blood City without further incident, delivering the totem. It was highly praised by a specialist from the Imperial Research Institute attached to the expeditionary force, doubling the reward to two hundred gold coins. Thirty percent went to the Hunter’s Guild, the rest to be divided among the team.
This good news invigorated the team. Most hunters were poor, without the basic equipment issued to regular mercenaries, and most of their income went to upgrading gear and weapons. Without sufficient strength, death was inevitable in the wilderness.
Qian Ye’s unexpected excellence earned him forty gold coins, well above the average share. Li Renzhe, though grim, said nothing, and quickly departed.
Yang Tian and Zaxi bid farewell, leaving only Yu Yingnan and Qian Ye at the Hunter’s Guild.
“Want to get a drink?” Yu Yingnan asked.
Qian Ye shook his head. “No, I need to rest.”
“Then I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
This time, Qian Ye nodded, not refusing.
Returning to his dwelling, Qian Ye first checked inside and out. Apart from a few bloodstains on the top of the wall and in the corners, there were no signs of intrusion. It seemed the thieves learned their lesson and avoided this dangerous building.
Shutting the door, Qian Ye rushed into the kitchen, devouring everything edible. He ate until his stomach was uncomfortably full, finally stopping.
The sensation of fullness dulled Qian Ye’s thirst for blood.
It started during the latter part of the escape from the werewolf den, perhaps due to physical exhaustion and nearly depleted primordial energy. When the werewolves’ blood splattered, Qian Ye felt a long-lost desire for blood, different from the previous burning hunger. He was fully aware, but the scent of the blood, rich in energy, lured him to taste it.
Qian Ye laughed bitterly, sensing the implications. For a vampire, drinking blood is a quick way to recover strength and heal. Having inherited the vampiric traits, he could easily suppress the hunger after using military stimulants, with no lingering pain.
Not dwelling on it, Qian Ye washed off the dust and headed to the Hunter’s Guild to see what new equipment he could buy. Strength ensured survival, and he had plenty of trouble.
Er Yeye still sat reading behind the counter. As Qian Ye entered the hall, he briefly glanced up, then returned to his book.
Today, the Hunter’s Guild was bustling. The two tables in the hall were nearly full, with seven or eight hunters crowding the space.
They were chatting about recent events and exchanging intelligence from their adventures. Qian Ye heard a common thread: recently, dark creatures had become unusually agitated, even normally docile ones, attacking adventurers more frequently. Thus, rumors of casualties among adventurers, hunters, and mercenaries abounded.
Qian Ye sensed their unease.
Approaching the counter, Qian Ye asked, “Er Yeye, when can I become a two-star hunter?”
Without looking up, Er Yeye replied, “When you’ve accumulated a hundred gold coins in rewards. Not yet.”
“Okay. I want to look at what I can buy now.”
Er Yeye nodded, calling out Xiaomi to guide Qian Ye to the warehouse. The same warehouse, but now, each weapon and piece of armor looked different to Qian Ye.
After the battle in the werewolf den, Qian Ye found himself drawn to the feeling.
In a one-on-one fight, humans were usually weaker than most dark races. Werewolves, known for their strength, instinctively relied on it to overpower humans. But when they faced Qian Ye, who was stronger, they were defeated quickly.
Qian Ye, already strong in the Red Scorpion, had his strength enhanced by the vampiric body, now rivaling a level-five warrior. Strength was advantageous in close combat.
Originally, Qian Ye focused on primordial energy guns and accessories, but this time, melee weapons caught his eye. He picked up various pieces of armor, tried them on, and eventually settled on a forearm guard, examining it closely.
The metal arm guard offered excellent protection and, with its weight, could serve as a formidable blunt weapon. It also had a slot for attachments like a military knife, and a small primordial energy array that, when activated, formed a shield capable of withstanding mid-range attacks from a first-level primordial energy gun.
Qian Ye was satisfied, though the arm guard weighed ten kilograms. For his current strength, it was manageable.
The arm guard, marked with two stars, was for two-star hunters. To get it early, Qian Ye would pay an additional 20%. Besides the arm guard, he selected several armor plates made from cave spider shells, intending to upgrade his existing armor—a cost-effective method.
These items would cost over thirty gold coins, the arm guard being the most expensive.
Leaving the warehouse, Qian Ye returned to the counter, saying, “I have some equipment. Can someone modify it?”
Finally, Er Yeye reluctantly put down his book and led Qian Ye to a separate workshop, closing the door.
Qian Ye presented the tactical attachments of the Flowing Gold Rose, including a scope, a power amplifier, and a silencer.
“I want to modify these so they fit the ‘Assaulter’ rifle.”
Er Yeye examined the attachments. “These are standard components made by vampires, quite well-crafted. Originally, they were part of your Flowing Gold Rose, right?”
“You know about that?”
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