Chapter 193: Epiphany, Hunter and Prey

Xia Nan rarely operated in the Mist Forest at night.

Since the beginning of his crossing, the experience in the stinky fish and rotten shrimp squad, and the repeated warnings from his teammates along the way.

Had already deeply engraved the concept that "the Mist Forest at night is very dangerous" into his heart.

Even though he has gained professional levels and his trump cards for survival have increased, he still follows this principle summarized by countless adventurers at the cost of their lives.

At the moment, forced by mission requirements, he had to walk out of the camp at night.

Xia Nan raised his vigilance to 120% in his heart.

While highly concentrating his attention, his perception also condensed invisibly.

Holding the decapitation longsword tightly with both hands, his body tensed slightly, and with a thought, whether it was 【Tooth Hunting】 or the "Deflection Field" of the 【Dead Line】 ring, he could use them at the first moment.

And perhaps precisely because of the increase in his perception ability compared to before, he had a deeper understanding of the Mist Forest under the night.

First, it was quiet.

Not absolute silence.

To a certain extent, the sources of sound could be described as "numerous".

The "sha sha" sound of branches and leaves rubbing and colliding under the blowing night wind, the strange insect chirps that rose and fell and piled up together, the occasional flapping sound from above the canopy, the unknown beast roars from afar...

And it was precisely against the backdrop of these noises that the surrounding environment appeared even more tranquil.

Then, it was darkness.

The Sea Spine squad prepared lighting tools, which was a lantern carried by Kashi.

It came from a grocery store in Hegu Town with a decent reputation.

On the road just after leaving Hegu Town and entering the Mist Forest.

Xia Nan had seen with his own eyes the bright light scattered from the inner cover of the lantern, illuminating almost half of the camp with everyone as the center.

But at the moment, the thick fog filling the air suppressed the lantern light, which should have brought everyone a sense of brightness and safety, into a small, extremely cramped space.

He couldn't even see the shrubs and grass on both sides clearly, only seeing a blur of outlines.

The only thing worth rejoicing was that Xia Nan's current perception ability had been greatly enhanced, and although it was affected by the grey fog in the forest, the range of perception was still much larger than before.

This added a few more points of stability to his heart.

As for the smell...

It could only be said that the masking powder Kashi specially sprinkled on everyone before leaving was two-way.

Other creatures couldn't smell the human scent on them.

Xia Nan's nose was left with only a rich pine resin fragrance.

Moving carefully through the dark dense forest.

Unlike the formation when traveling during the day, the formation of the Sea Spine squad had undergone obvious changes at the moment.

Mint was still protected in the very center.

As a spellcaster, healer, and crowd controller in the team, her own close-combat ability was slightly weaker, and she didn't have any tough defensive ability.

As the core of the team, being protected by a few people inside was reasonable.

Kashi walked at the very front, holding his long spear.

But walking one step behind him was Weiruisi, who should have been wandering on the side of the squad as a "Rogue".

The dark elf from the underground, the Drow bloodline.

Allowed this tall mixed-blood person to possess night vision far exceeding ordinary people, requiring her to see the road clearly and warn of danger for her teammates at the front of the team.

As for Xia Nan, he dragged at the end of the team.

After a few days of contact, the impression he left on several people was that of a warrior image who was quick to react, had decent perception ability, and was good at close-quarters combat.

And he was the only one in the team besides Kashi who possessed medium armor.

With this as a premise, letting him drag at the back could not only guard against enemies sneaking up from behind but also provide timely support to teammates when encountering danger, having a certain tolerance for error.

Regarding this, Xia Nan had no objection.

He was even quite happy in his heart.

At least this way, compared to walking at the very front, he didn't have to guard against teammates behind him backstabbing him.

This was Xia Nan's first formal adventure with professional-level teammates.

Setting aside the little thoughts in everyone's hearts, overall, the experience was not bad.

At least in his view, the members of the Sea Spine squad all possessed the professional qualities that a professional should have in his impression.

Walking at the end of the team, he could clearly see that the few people in front were maintaining a high degree of vigilance, but they weren't as nervous and panicked as ordinary adventurers.

Everyone was doing what they should be doing.

Even the frail girl "Mint", who might have lacked experience in his prediction, walked in the center of the team with a calm face while holding her branch-like purple sandalwood staff.

Considering her "Druid" background, this environment might even be her home field.

Hmm... this was very normal.

In his pitch-black eyes, the orange-red lantern light swaying was reflected.

Xia Nan's gaze crossed Mint and swept over the backs of Weiruisi and Kashi without a trace.

Thoughts flowed in his heart.

Regarding the "Temple Night-Walking Wolves" and the missions he might accept later, they were not the purpose of the two coming to Hegu Town.

According to their statement, the reason they came to Hegu Town was for a target they had been tracking all the way.

Staying here was just suspecting that the beast turmoil in the forest might be related to the target.

This was why they were looking for temporary teammates, accepting commissions, and trying to track the target's trail through the mission information provided by the Association.

The two seemed not to want to disclose too much, and Xia Nan was too lazy to get involved, so he didn't ask deeply.

Anyway, it was already agreed that they would help him complete the mission regarding "Beastmen" later.

As long as he could get the metal materials needed to upgrade the Snake Scale Arm Shield, he didn't want to care about other messy things.

Hum—

The wooden sword 【Green Pine】 slung behind his back suddenly transmitted a familiar warmth.

Xia Nan's footsteps stopped suddenly.

Always maintaining vigilance toward the surrounding environment, his abrupt movement was noticed by the three teammates in front almost instantly.

The squad that was originally moving forward also stopped in place accordingly.

"Sss..."

Before he had time to open his mouth to ask.

As if noticing the movement of the few people, a dense shrub not far ahead suddenly shook.

Accompanied by the mottled scales that flashed fleetingly under the lantern light, and the hissing sound unique to snakes, the movement moved away rapidly.

The warmth behind him faded gradually, and Xia Nan stared at the direction where the venomous snake disappeared, shaking his head lightly.

"It's nothing, continue."

The few people then breathed a sigh of relief.

And just at this moment,

Awooo—

A strange, short, and sharp wolf howl came from the night again.

And compared to before, the sound was clearer.

Clearly, they were not far apart.

Kashi looked serious and waved his hand toward the crowd behind him.

Looking around carefully, he lowered his voice: "We're close, get ready!"

The Sea Spine squad naturally wouldn't force a search for such a dangerous and powerful wolf pack in such a complex and dangerous environment, under the night, in the dense forest filled with fog.

The most significant difference between humans and wild beasts is the level of intelligence and whether they are good at using tools.

After confirming that the wolf pack was close, the Sea Spine squad didn't move forward.

Instead, they stayed in place and set up.

First, naturally, were various traps.

Traps and mechanisms specially aimed at large wild beasts, which had been quite popular in Hegu Town recently, were skillfully set in the passages between two trees, rock crevices, and under fallen leaves.

To limit the wolf pack's activities, some simple live loops made of vines, ropes, and branches were also set up around them at the same time.

Secondly, it was a cloth bag the size of a palm that Kashi buried deep in his backpack, protected and hidden by an oak box and an oil-skin bag layer by layer.

The moment Kashi carefully took it out of the bag, everyone on the field smelled an extremely rich, bloody, and rotten stench.

This was a scent bait they had specially purchased before coming, specifically used to attract carnivores.

After setting it up carefully, Kashi sprinkled masking powder on everyone one by one, and then, as planned before, led a few people to climb up several towering oak trees near the bait.

Pitch-black night, thick fog, plus dense canopy.

Hiding inside, even if you stood below and looked straight up, it was very difficult to find the human figures in the dense branches and leaves.

As long as you didn't actively make noise, there was basically no possibility of exposure.

His chest rose and fell slightly, Xia Nan controlled his breathing, making it more slow and long.

His body was in a semi-squatting position, his left hand supporting lightly on one side of the tree trunk, maintaining his body's center of gravity.

The heavy iron armor and the two longswords behind him made his posture look a bit awkward.

But the leather boots landing on the thick tree branch were exceptionally steady.

The invisible effect of the professional feat 【Tide Shaping】 made him nail himself to it like an iron nail, motionless.

Waiting quietly.

The cold night wind brushed his cheeks, and the air was filled with the fishy stench of the bait and the pine resin fragrance of the powder.

Xia Nan's gaze passed through the gaps between the branches and leaves, staring at the forest floor without any movement below.

His body didn't move at all.

I don't know why, at this moment, he suddenly remembered the scene when he was learning 【Tooth Hunting】 from Fugang.

That winter wolf from the depths of the ice field, crawling in the snow, blending its huge figure with nature, patiently waiting for the prey to approach.

It seemed to merge with his figure at this moment invisibly.

The branches and leaves swaying with the wind, the nameless flying insects rising and falling under the moonlight, the long, slow breathing that almost disappeared, the attention concentrated to the extreme...

A subtle feeling arose in his heart, and an inexplicable realization appeared in his mind.

"Proficiency +5"

"【Tooth Hunting】 lv3: (39/100)"

The semi-transparent characters flashed before his eyes.

Xia Nan was stunned, and the whole person also recovered from that special state.

"What does it mean, added 5 points of proficiency directly!?"

He wondered in his heart.

Regarding the proficiency value that determined the upgrade progress of combat techniques, the Xia Nan of the past only thought that it must be accumulated slowly through daily training and use in battle.

In the Moon Goddess Church in Niumu, the proficiency increase after observing the divine art structure through 【Heart-Seeking Vision】 made Xia Nan realize:

"Proficiency", perhaps it didn't just represent its literal meaning.

It was a collective term for some broader and grander concept.

To a certain extent, it seemed to represent his own degree of understanding of combat techniques.

Recalling that wonderful experience for a moment, he clicked his tongue silently.

"Does this count as some kind of... 'epiphany'?"

Xia Nan squatted in the canopy, concentrating his attention again, trying to enter that mysterious state again.

But no matter how he tried, there was no reaction.

Realizing that this kind of opportunity was hard to come by, he didn't waste any more mental effort, just kept that wonderful experience in his heart and returned to reality.

I don't know if there was a problem in which link.

Until the silver moon hung high above his head, and the strange noises in the forest became more and more frequent.

The forest floor below, where a large number of traps were set, still didn't transmit any movement.

It was already the second half of the night.

If he continued to wait, the danger would increase geometrically.

Only to see Kashi give a few secret signals, indicating that everyone should retreat temporarily and continue tomorrow night.

He then fell from the canopy to the ground quite nimbly.

"It's really strange." Kashi muttered suspiciously while packing up the traps.

"Could it be that the kid in the grocery store took a kickback and sold the inferior goods to me?"

"Shouldn't be, didn't they say the reputation is quite good?"

Beside him, Mint yawned lightly, but didn't relax her vigilance, holding her branch-like staff and warning of the surroundings for everyone.

Although Weiruisi didn't have any fatigue, a look of complaint appeared on her face:

"I told you, go to the few grocery stores recommended in the 'Adventurer's Handbook'; for this kind of thing, it doesn't matter if it's a bit more expensive."

"Been out for so long, don't you know the tricks in the handbook yet?" Kashi carefully picked up the bait from the ground and put it back into the oil-skin bag. "If I had connections in the Association, I could open a shop too!"

"The truly conscientious ones are just those few."

"No matter if it's Hegu Town or Shoal Islands, it's all the same!"

Xia Nan didn't speak, while maintaining vigilance, his gaze swept over the scent bait in Kashi's hand.

As if realizing something, he suddenly frowned.

Opened his mouth and asked:

"This bait of yours shouldn't just be aimed at Night-Walking Wolves, right?"

"Of course!" Kashi nodded. "Baboons, vultures, spotted tigers, cave bears... as long as they eat meat, they are useful."

"And because it's near the wolf pack, there won't be any more dangerous magic beasts attracted."

"But we've been guarding here for most of the night; if your bait really hasn't failed, it shouldn't be that there's not even a little movement."

As soon as the words fell, he also realized the problem, and Kashi was stunned for a moment.

The next second, that blue-grey stone long spear was already held tightly in his hand.

"Alert!!!"

The low roar spread across the field in an instant.

The traps that hadn't been fully cleared yet lay quietly on the ground;

What filled the air was the rotten stench unique to carnivore bait.

The identities of hunter and prey

Seemed to have changed at some moment.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 194 =====

The identities of hunter and prey

seem to have shifted in an instant.

(End of Chapter)