Chapter 132: Ambush (Part II)

Boom!

The Thunder lived up to its name, each shot sounding like a thunderclap. In the scope’s view, the left trunk of the giant tree suddenly exploded, leaving a large gap, and the bullet flew through the tree and into the mist.

A dark shadow flashed on the right side of the giant tree, vanishing into the fog in an instant.

“Damn, wrong choice again.” Qian Ye put away the Thunder and couldn’t help but curse.

Without needing a second glance, Qian Ye could confirm that the fleeing shadow was the dark race attacker. This missed opportunity had brought both sides back to the same starting line, and now it was a matter of who would spot the other first.

He and Aiden had been entangled in this deadly dance for several days, with the roles of hunter and prey constantly switching, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Qian Ye fully realized how dangerous and tenacious his opponent was.

Overall, Qian Ye had a slight advantage. Occasionally, he discovered that Aiden had additional followers. After much effort and using himself as bait, he managed to kill the followers and escape, though not without paying the price of severe injuries.

Aiden, thinking he had the upper hand, left his main force behind and pursued Qian Ye relentlessly. He never expected that just one night later, Qian Ye seemed to have fully recovered and nearly succeeded in ambushing him in return.

For days, neither could shake off the other, repeatedly clashing and evading.

After escorting two dark armies to the edge of the Misty Forest, Aiden did not leave. The troop movements of the Evernight faction were still ongoing, with more units scheduled to pass through this route in the coming days. He could not allow Qian Ye to hunt freely in the forest, or the losses of the elite forces would exceed those on the main battlefield.

And Aiden’s presence suited Qian Ye’s plans. The dark race had gathered more troops in this area than expected. If Aiden, a powerful individual, continued to roam with a well-organized army, it would result in a one-sided slaughter. At least, the free warriors Qian Ye had seen at the Li family base, even if they couldn’t be Aiden’s match, would not be able to escape if targeted.

Thus, the two were mutually restraining each other, hunting and being hunted, gradually gaining a deep understanding of their opponent.

Qian Ye’s visual range was slightly better than Aiden’s, albeit only by about fifty meters, which gave him a significant advantage. Moreover, Qian Ye’s physical defense and recovery abilities surpassed Aiden’s.

However, Aiden had his own strengths. His stealth and concealment were superior to Qian Ye’s, and his hunting skills were on par. His final ace was the powerful heavy sniper, Shadow Ode. Qian Ye had barely survived a hit, but he definitely didn’t want to take another one.

Another brief skirmish, and both emerged empty-handed.

Qian Ye made the first move, and when he missed, he immediately retreated. After running for several kilometers, he circled back, slowly approaching the original area.

At this moment, a squad of dark warriors, about a hundred strong, mostly composed of spider demons and werewolves, appeared within his perception. This was a classic combat formation, with the combination of spider demons and werewolves being quite common on the battlefield.

Spider demons were Qian Ye’s favorite target, even more so than bloodkin. These large-bodied creatures were like live targets under long-range sniping.

Leading the group was a spider demon baron, a highly valuable target. On the battlefield, the spider demon, akin to a tank, could play a role far beyond that of wolves or bloodkin of the same rank.

This target was equally tempting to Qian Ye, as it required only one shot from five hundred meters. Without activating any special abilities, Qian Ye could rely on the Thunder’s power to penetrate the heavy armor and deliver a fatal blow.

But was this really a normal squad?

Until the last spider demon left his field of vision, Qian Ye did not pull the trigger. He was waiting, waiting for a more valuable target: Aiden.

Qian Ye did not wait for Aiden; instead, he waited for a bullet. The moment he sensed danger, he leaped into the air, covering over ten meters, leaving his position. The giant tree he used as cover suddenly exploded, a black origin bullet piercing through and continuing to chase Qian Ye.

This origin bullet was clearly imbued with numerous powers, far exceeding its usual strength, blasting through the giant tree and still pursuing its target.

As Qian Ye jumped into the air, his body suddenly shifted, changing his trajectory and avoiding the fatal bullet. No sooner had his feet touched the ground than he quickly chose a direction and ran, not bothering to search for Aiden in reverse.

After such a long struggle, both understood each other very well. If Qian Ye charged forward now, he would find nothing, and might even fall into another ambush.

While running, Qian Ye felt a pain in his arm. Looking down, he saw a fragment of the giant tree embedded in his arm guard, cutting a shallow wound in his skin.

“A small victory for you,” Qian Ye casually pulled out the fragment. This minor injury was like a mosquito bite, requiring no treatment, as it would heal on its own.

As Qian Ye disappeared into the Misty Forest, in a nearby area, the giant tree trunk, empty of life, distorted, and Aiden’s figure appeared. He did not immediately pursue, instead sitting down and taking a small sip from a black crystal bottle, his pale face regaining some color.

This bottle contained a top-tier demonic aura restorative, which could restore Aiden’s demonic aura to its peak within minutes. It was a lifesaver on the battlefield, and its price matched its effectiveness.

Aiden hadn’t expected to encounter such a formidable opponent, and he had nearly exhausted all his restoratives. This top-tier medicine was not supplied to ordinary armies; he had to go back to his clan or request it from the Evernight Council.

But he couldn’t afford to save it. Qian Ye’s recovery speed was astonishing, and if not for experiencing it firsthand, Aiden wouldn’t believe a human could recover so quickly. If he didn’t keep up with his demonic aura, his situation would become extremely dangerous. The roles of hunter and prey could switch at any time.

Since the first shot, the relentless pursuit and combat had lasted for over ten days and nights. Aiden could still recover his demonic aura through secret techniques and potions, but his physical and mental fatigue could not be alleviated. He wanted nothing more than to find a place and sleep for a few days.

Putting the crystal bottle back in his pocket, Aiden turned to look into the depths of the forest. He had a hunch that Qian Ye had circled back and was approaching from that direction.

The sense of danger grew stronger, and Aiden finally couldn’t hold back, “Why the hell aren’t you tired?”

His answer came in the form of a thunderous gunshot.

Aiden rolled to the side, falling from the tree trunk, planning to roll behind a giant tree to the southeast. But his luck was poor; he felt a searing pain in his thigh, followed by the terrifying sensation of burning flesh.

Mithril! Aiden immediately sealed the wound with his clan’s secret technique and quickly hid, fleeing. This time, he was chased by Qian Ye for half an hour, escaping in a wretched manner, only managing to shake off the pursuit by exploiting the sudden eruption of a strange beast in the giant tree’s crown.

Aiden collapsed onto the ground, not wanting to move even a finger. His hair was disheveled, and his battle suit was tattered, leaving no trace of his noble lineage.

Rolling over, he gazed at the intertwining, strange branches above, where the eternal mist never dissipated. Even with a vision twice as sharp as his peers, he could not see through the mist to the floating land’s sky, nor find the guiding stars of the world’s pinnacle.

He took a deep breath, reaching into his inner pocket and touching the simple lines on a crystal. Aiden could picture the profile without looking, cold, perfect, and proud. If someone saw the pattern on the crystal, they would recognize a lifelike depiction of a young girl, Nighteye.

No, he couldn’t give up here. He would die! There was still much to do. Gritting his teeth, Aiden sat up, looked at the black, charred wound on his leg, then stood and limped away, black smoke enveloping him as he disappeared.

Moments later, Qian Ye stepped out of the mist, his eyes glowing with a deep blue, and a faint trail of black vapor appeared in his vision, indicating Aiden’s direction.

“Still running?” Qian Ye was surprised. Just as Aiden understood Qian Ye, Qian Ye understood Aiden. This pursuit should have severely wounded Aiden, and according to Qian Ye’s estimation, Aiden should have collapsed by now. How was he still capable of running?

Hesitating for a moment, Qian Ye did not immediately pursue. He sat down to rest and regain some stamina. Like Aiden, although Qian Ye wasn’t worried about his origin power, the prolonged, intense hunting and counter-hunting had drained his energy, and there was no quick fix for physical exhaustion.

Qian Ye’s shot, disregarding the cost, activated true vision despite the forest’s interference, charging the Thunder and adding all possible special abilities to ensure a decisive strike. However, Qian Ye did not expect a miscalculation.

The black vapor in the forest was rapidly fading, disappearing. The remaining demonic aura of Aiden was quickly absorbed by the Misty Forest. Qian Ye chased for a while but could no longer detect any traces, and he had to stop in frustration.

Victory had been within reach, but Aiden escaped, leaving Qian Ye deeply regretful. Such a valuable target was rare. Clearly, Aiden was from a noble lineage, with a rank between that of a baron and a count, and such figures usually traveled with a large retinue, rarely venturing alone.

Missing this opportunity, Qian Ye might not encounter such prey for a long time. Looking at the unchanging mist between the giant trees, Qian Ye shook his head and prepared to return to the base.

After this severe injury, Aiden likely wouldn’t be interested in another confrontation and would probably withdraw from this battlefield.

The Misty Forest looked the same everywhere, but during the prolonged engagement, both sides had utilized the environment to the fullest. Now, even the slightest difference was a clear landmark in Qian Ye’s eyes.

Qian Ye’s return journey was swift, covering hundreds of kilometers in just over a day, appearing outside the Li family base. If his path was traced, it would appear almost perfectly straight.

Compared to when he left, the Li family base was busier. The unfinished campsite was now fully operational, with more people moving around, and a new campsite was being set up.