Chapter 36: Human-Faced Black Leopard

After finalizing the mission, Chu Danqing planned to first head outside the city to deal with the beast infestation at the mine.

1,000 contribution points can directly complete the trial mission and grant return eligibility.

It’s essentially a guaranteed escape method—if you encounter an unstoppable danger, you can flee instantly.

No matter how great the reward, you must survive to claim it.

If we move quickly, we can finish by morning, visit the Ji household at noon to discuss grain, and maintain the porridge distribution order in the afternoon.

“Supervisor, this is the mine.” The steward pulled back the carriage curtain for Chu Danqing.

“If there’s a beast infestation, why isn’t work halted?” Chu Danqing stepped out of the carriage and saw miners laboring vigorously.

On the way here, Chu Danqing had reviewed the intelligence: over a dozen people had been dragged off and eaten.

The attacker was a leopard-like aberration—extremely stealthy and immensely strong.

“We can’t stop. This mine belongs to the government,” the steward hurriedly explained. “Delay the schedule, and the Lu family will be ruined.”

“The authorities don’t care what’s happening at the mine—they only demand sufficient ore deliveries.”

Chu Danqing disagreed. He didn’t believe the Lu family lacked sufficient ore reserves—it was simply that during disasters, human lives meant nothing.

There were always people willing to come here and mine just for a meal.

“Where’s the leopard? Any leads?” Chu Danqing dropped the topic and turned to the matter at hand.

“We don’t know. It appears and vanishes without a trace—dragged off over a dozen people, but only seen one or two times.”

“Two other supervisors came to investigate and left empty-handed,” the steward said.

Hearing this, Chu Danqing understood: those 1,000 contribution points wouldn’t be easy to earn.

“Da Bao, what do you think?” Chu Danqing turned to Da Bao, relying on his keen perception.

Da Bao scanned the area, then shook his head: “First, check the traces.”

He found no clues.

“Take us to the scene of the incidents,” Chu Danqing said to the steward after stepping down from the carriage.

The steward readily agreed, ordered someone to guard the carriage, and led Chu Danqing and Da Bao forward.

Along the way, he explained the mine’s conditions and recounted eyewitness descriptions.

“A black leopard—with hair on its head resembling a human face,” Chu Danqing muttered.

A leopard that drags off people is rare.

Otherwise, there were no major issues.

After circling the entire area, Chu Danqing found nothing—but Da Bao did.

He tugged Chu Danqing’s sleeve and pointed in a direction: “Something’s there.”

Chu Danqing halted, his gaze falling on where Da Bao pointed. From afar, nothing seemed amiss.

He picked up a stone and threw it toward the spot.

As the stone landed, ripples appeared, like water disturbed.

“Camouflage?!” Chu Danqing instantly retreated; Da Bao surged forward.

The rippling camouflage slowly rose, its colors reversing to match the surroundings—revealing a black leopard.

The leopard was large, comparable to a tiger, its most striking feature the human face on its head—vivid and lifelike.

Chu Danqing estimated the distance, made no hesitation, and launched five energy links, then summoned the crossbowmen while activating the Scan Technique.

[Human-Faced Black Leopard]

[Attributes]

[Health: 100%]

[Mana: 1]

[Strength: ???]

[Agility: ???]

[Constitution: 6]

[Spirit: 3]

[Perception: 5]

[Talent]

[???]

[Skills]

[???]

The Human-Faced Black Leopard staggered, its face twisting with a human-like expression of shock.

Chu Danqing immediately severed two energy links, then added two more—reducing the Human-Faced Black Leopard’s energy to zero on the spot.

Because the Human-Faced Black Leopard had absorbed Chu Danqing’s energy expenditure, its data showed only 1 point of mana remaining.

The sudden loss of most of its energy caused the leopard to stagger upon rising.

Now that it was zero, a secondary effect occurred.

The crossbowmen adjusted their magazine behind him and instantly fired all bolts in rapid succession.

Da Bao followed the bolts, activating his Rending Claws.

“Strength and agility must be at least 8,” Chu Danqing muttered, then watched as the bolts struck the Human-Faced Black Leopard, followed by Da Bao’s claws.

The Human-Faced Black Leopard was riddled with arrows while Da Bao tore open a massive wound on its vital spot.

It died instantly.

The crossbowmen began reloading; Da Bao reached for the treasure chest.

Five seconds passed—but no chest appeared.

“More than one?” Chu Danqing stared at the Human-Faced Black Leopard—it was undeniably dead.

No chest meant not all were slain.

But leopards are solitary, and this was a male—no cubs possible.

Suddenly, Da Bao stepped back, his gaze locked on the leopard’s corpse—he sensed an abnormal aura emanating from it.

In the next instant, the human face on the leopard’s head stretched out—and bit at empty air.

Had Da Bao not retreated, he would have been too late to dodge.

The human face retracted swiftly, merging back into the leopard’s corpse and slowly spreading outward.

The dead leopard shook its head; the crossbow bolts were ejected, and it rose onto two legs.

Its fur writhed, transforming into a new monster—a leopard head atop a human body—though its wounds remained.

Chu Danqing immediately severed the energy links, but the Scan Technique’s one-minute cooldown hadn’t ended—he couldn’t identify this undead leopard-human.

Da Bao didn’t pause—he rushed forward and attacked immediately.

[Brutal Beast · Cave-Child deals 20 physical damage + 9 rending damage + 9 bleeding damage to target, restores 3.8% health]

The crossbowmen had loaded half their bolts and began firing in bursts.

[Crossbowman deals 10 physical damage to target]

Damage was low, and the critical hit description that should have appeared vanished—now only physical damage registered.

The leopard-human extended its right claw in a stiff, mechanical motion and launched its first attack.

[Target deals 17 physical damage to Brutal Beast · Cave-Child]

Seeing this combat log, Chu Danqing realized: this leopard-human’s strength and constitution were likely 9 or 10.

It was nearly half of Da Bao’s damage output.

As the battle continued, its previously stiff body gradually grew more agile.

Its attack speed increased rapidly—luckily, Da Bao’s life-drain effect allowed him to endure.

The moment the Scan Technique’s cooldown ended, Chu Danqing activated it without hesitation.

But the result surprised him.

(End of Chapter)