Chapter 20: Hunting

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Hunting

The convoy traveled along the bumpy road for about an hour before a stretch of ruins finally appeared ahead.

"We’re here," He Yanbing said, standing up. "Shihu Town."

"So this is Shihu Town..."

Ji Zhixing looked through the window. A dilapidated town came into view. Crumbling walls and overgrown weeds were everywhere. Many of the houses had collapsed, leaving only bare frames standing. Some walls still bore the blackened, scorched marks of fire. Occasional rusted vehicles were parked crookedly by the roadside, their windows shattered long ago.

The convoy slowly pulled to a halt in a clearing at the town’s entrance.

"Everyone off!" a teacher shouted.

Over a hundred and fifty students disembarked one after another, gathering in the clearing. More than thirty squads lined up in their designated positions.

He Yanbing walked to the front of Class Five’s formation. His gaze swept over the students as he said in a deep voice, "Remember, hunting Genetic Beasts is no child’s play. Although most of the beasts in Shihu Town are low-tier, you might still encounter danger.

"Follow the commands of your senior guides. Do not act on your own, and do not let the greed for glory make you reckless."

"Yes, sir!" the crowd responded.

Teachers from the other classes were also giving final instructions to their respective formations. Before long, the squads began to enter Shihu Town. The squads whose members had fused with Tier Two genes were especially bold, marching straight toward the depths of the town.

The teachers remained behind to guard the school buses.

Chen Ye’s gaze swept over the departing squads. As the chief captain of all the teams, he was responsible for overseeing the overall situation and handling emergencies, so he didn’t need to lead a squad himself.

"How about it?" Zhao Qing looked at Ji Zhixing’s group of five and smiled. "Is everyone ready?"

"Ready!" the five replied in unison.

"Good, then let’s head out," Zhao Qing said. "Remember, once we enter the town, do not panic when you encounter a Genetic Beast. Stick to the plan we discussed. Unless you’re in grave danger, I will try my best not to intervene."

"Understood." Ji Zhixing and the others nodded.

Just as they were about to set off, a voice called out from the side.

"Ji Zhixing, Zhang Haocheng, want to bet on who can kill more Genetic Beasts?"

They turned to see Zhou Yuan, who had fused with the Sword Arm Mantis Gene. Four classmates stood beside him, all members of his squad.

"You’re on!" Zhang Haocheng immediately accepted the challenge. "The loser buys everyone a drink when we get back."

"Drinks are nothing. The loser pays for barbecue!" Zhou Yuan laughed.

"Sure thing!" Zhang Haocheng chuckled. "Just don’t cry over your wallet later."

They were all classmates, and the two often bickered like this on normal days.

Zhao Qing watched them from the side and smiled. "Alright, enough bickering. We’ll see who has the real skills later."

She nodded at the guide of Zhou Yuan’s squad, evidently acquainted with him. The man returned the nod and then led Zhou Yuan’s squad away.

"Let’s get going too," Ji Zhixing said. "As agreed, we’ll scout the outskirts of the town first. No need to rush in deep."

The others agreed. Their squad was entirely made up of those who had fused with Tier One genes. With their limited overall strength, they wouldn’t dare charge ahead recklessly like the Tier Two squads.

Zhao Qing followed behind them without saying much, simply observing quietly. Over on the other side, Zhou Yuan’s squad was doing the same, keeping a certain distance away from them.

At the edge of the town, ruined houses and overgrown weeds were everywhere. The group walked cautiously, scanning their surroundings with vigilance.

Suddenly, Ji Zhixing’s footsteps halted. Dozens of meters ahead, a dark silhouette flashed by.

"There’s something there!" Liu Qifan had also seen it and lowered his voice.

They immediately stopped in their tracks and held their breath. The dark silhouette poked its head out from behind a broken wall. It was a dog. A black dog, half the height of a human, with coarse fur and long, slender limbs.

"It’s a Black-Furred Hound," Zhao Qing’s soft voice came from behind. "A relatively common Genetic Beast in Shihu Town. Judging by its size, its strength should be on par with a newly advanced Tier One Gene Cultivator."

GRRR...

The Black-Furred Hound noticed them. A low, threatening growl rumbled in its throat, but its body slowly backed away. It was obvious that it didn’t dare to attack after seeing their numbers.

"It’s going to run!" Liu Qifan said anxiously.

Sure enough, the Black-Furred Hound let out a low bark, turned around, and bolted into the distance.

"Don’t let it escape!" Ji Zhixing blurted out. "Go! Surround it!"

"Got it!" The group sprang into action.

Luo Yongguang raised his shield and charged forward with large strides. Ji Zhixing and Zhang Haocheng split up, flanking left and right. Liu Qifan was the fastest. His legs exploded with power as he instantly activated his Wolf Sprint ability. Like a dark shadow, he chased after the Black-Furred Hound.

Xie Jia followed behind Luo Yongguang. She was the slowest, having fused with the Paralyzing Vine gene. With only a sword in hand, she wasn’t suited for head-on combat.

GRRR!

The Black-Furred Hound let out a low growl from its throat. It was fast, but Liu Qifan was faster. In no time, Liu Qifan caught up to it. With a blur of motion, he blocked its path.

"Stop right there!" Liu Qifan shouted, slashing down fiercely with his long saber.

The Black-Furred Hound skidded to a halt and twisted its body, trying to change direction and flee. But at that very moment, Ji Zhixing and Zhang Haocheng had already completed their flanking maneuver.

After mastering his foundational rod techniques, Ji Zhixing’s strikes were not only fierce, but he could also mobilize most of his body’s strength while sprinting, making him even faster. He wasn’t as fast as Liu Qifan, but he certainly wasn’t slower than Zhang Haocheng. Wielding the Breaking Army Rod, he leaped into the air and brought the weapon smashing down!

Void-Shattering Stance!

Accompanied by the sound of tearing wind, the rod aimed straight for the Black-Furred Hound’s head. Zhang Haocheng’s long spear thrust inward from the other side.

The Black-Furred Hound barely managed to dodge, but Ji Zhixing’s rod still slammed into its spine. It let out a shrill yelp as its body buckled toward the ground. Immediately after, Zhang Haocheng’s spear pierced its hind leg.

YELP!

The Black-Furred Hound tried to struggle, but Luo Yongguang had already rushed up, violently bashing his heavy shield against its body. Under their coordinated assault, the beast quickly gave out, collapsing to the ground and twitching.

"It’s dead already?" Liu Qifan walked over.

"It probably has a little life left," Ji Zhixing said, following up with another strike of his rod.

With this final blow, the Black-Furred Hound stopped moving completely.

"We really just killed a Genetic Beast?" Liu Qifan, who hadn’t even managed to land a proper slash, felt a bit unsatisfied.

"What else did you expect?" Zhang Haocheng rolled his eyes. "Five of us ganged up on it. Did you think it was going to turn the tables?"

"Not bad. Your coordination was decent," Zhao Qing said as she walked over. She inspected the Black-Furred Hound’s corpse and nodded. "To be this calm during your first hunt is excellent."

She looked back down at the carcass and continued, "As you know, after a Genetic Beast dies, it must be absorbed into a Genetic Furnace within a few minutes. If you wait too long, the effectiveness diminishes, and you won’t be able to refine anything from it. Which of you wants to try?"

The five students exchanged glances.

Refining a Genetic Beast was like opening a mystery box and testing one’s luck; everyone wanted a turn. This Black-Furred Hound wasn’t particularly strong, but if they could extract a piece of Genetic Equipment or a Genetic Potion, they would still make a small profit.