Chapter 43

These three looked extremely disheveled, as if they had just gone through a fierce battle.

"Méngméng, look over there!"

Lóu Wǎnqīng woke Zhāng Méng beside her, pointing at the several figures and shouting: "Those three are coming this way; I don't know what they want."

Zhāng Méng followed Lóu Wǎnqīng's gaze and saw Wu Li and his two companions, their bodies covered in bloodstains.

"Could these people be Lù Jǐng's teammates? He got in through the hunting team's quota, didn't he?"

Huáng Qǐtiān smoothed his yellow bangs, speaking in a strange tone: "Do you think Lù Jǐng needs teammates? This guy is absurdly strong—his combat power alone rivals the entire hunting team!"

Lóu Wǎnqīng gave him an annoyed glance and sneered: "I'm telling you, Huáng Qǐtiān, can't you have a bit of backbone? What happened to your earlier arrogant and overbearing demeanor?"

"'What are you talking about? Lù Jǐng is my real brother; what's wrong with me bragging about my brother?'"

"......"

Just as they were chatting, Wù Lì and his two companions had already walked over.

Lóu Wǎnqīng asked warily: "Who are you?"

Shíxiū glanced at the few people, and upon seeing that the strongest was the Second‑Realm Huáng Qǐtiān, he relaxed.

He walked up to the freight car and said: "We're from the Xuánwǔ Hunting Team; this is our freight car. I also want to ask who you are!"

"'We're friends of Lù Jǐng.'"

Wù Lì didn't see Lù Jǐng's figure, frowned and asked: "Where did that brat Lù Jǐng go?"

Lóu Wǎnqīng felt these people weren't on good terms with Lù Jǐng, and said somewhat nervously: "He's still inside and hasn't come back; are you lot finishing the mission and getting ready to leave?"

"'No, a small mishap occurred midway, causing the mission to fail.'"

Wù Lì said no more, found a spot, sat down, and tended to his chest wound.

Shíxiū, meanwhile, paid no attention to Lóu Wǎnqīng and the others beside him, and snapped: "That little brat, letting him watch the car and yet he dares to run around everywhere—just wait till he gets back, I'll figure out how to kill him."

Guān Yùlán furrowed her brows and whispered a reminder: "Shíxiū, don't just think about personal grudges; first get the penalty money, then talk."

"'Don't worry,' Shíxiū said with a sinister face, coldly laughing: 'I won't kill him until I've squeezed every last bit of profit out of him.'"

"......"

Lóu Wǎnqīng and the two others beside her exchanged glances, hearing much from those words.

These people and Lù Jǐng are more than just at odds—they're basically in a situation of mutual destruction, aren't they?

Cough cough.

Huáng Qǐtiān gave a dry cough twice, then, without changing expression, distanced himself from Shíxiū and his two companions.

Lóu Wǎnqīng couldn't stay seated, turned to Wù Lì beside her and asked: "Lù Jǐng's task was just to watch the vehicle, and he isn't responsible for completing the mission—why does he have to share the penalty with you?"

"'You little girl have quite the nerve,' Wù Lì chuckled, not seeing her as a threat at all, 'because he's weak, and here weakness is the original sin.'"

"'Is that so......'"

Lóu Wǎnqīng's eyes flickered; although she couldn't gauge their exact strength, the highest seemed to be no more than a Third‑Realm Martial Artist.

A Third‑Realm Martial Artist would definitely get no advantage against Lù Jǐng.

Based solely on the strength Lù Jǐng displayed when he killed the One‑Eyed Demon Ape, he is at least a Fourth‑Realm Warrior.

It seems Lù Jǐng has been concealing his strength, just like before, keeping them in the dark.

Thinking of this, Lóu Wǎnqīng wasn't the least bit panicked; she even felt like watching a show.

She could already imagine the expression on Lù Jǐng's face when he returns and is threatened by them—it would surely be quite spectacular.

Evil needs to be ground by evil.

Lù Jǐng is certainly no pushover.

"'Why hasn't that brat Lù Jǐng come back yet,' Wù Lì said, his wound already treated, 'he won't have died in there, will he? Running around without strength is pointless!'"

"'You're overthinking it; even if you died, he wouldn't.'"

Zhāng Méng beside them held a piece of bread, nibbling it as she spoke with a laugh.

Lóu Wǎnqīng and Huáng Qǐtiān also had looks of suppressed laughter; they were ready to watch the show.

"'Hehe, you guys are pretty optimistic about him.'"

Shíxiū let out a cold snort, his gaze unfriendly as he looked at them.

"'Quick, look—Lù Jǐng is back!'"

Just then, Huáng Qǐtiān pointed at two figures approaching in the distance and shouted.

Everyone present followed the direction he indicated and looked over.

From the forest ahead, a man and a woman emerged at a leisurely pace.

What made everyone's eyelids twitch was that the man was carrying a fully fire‑red lizard on his back.

Not counting the tail, the lizard's body alone was seven or eight meters long, and Lù Jǐng was holding it up on his shoulder with one hand.

This caused the ground to tremble slightly with each step he took.

"'Did Lù Jǐng kill a fourth‑rank demon beast?'"

Lóu Wǎnqīng froze—and not just her; Wù Lì and Shíxiū with their two companions also stood rooted, their throats going dry.

Wù Lì swallowed, trembling as he said: 'This is...... a Cannon Dragon Lizard?'

"'It's definitely a Cannon Dragon Lizard, and it's the very one that was hunting us!'"

Guān Yùlán nodded; this demon beast had nearly taken her life, and even reduced to ashes she could still recognize it.

And now, this Cannon Dragon Lizard that had nearly wiped out their team was being casually shouldered by Lù Jǐng.

Step...... step...... he walked toward them.

"'Bang!'"

Lù Jǐng threw the Cannon Dragon Lizard's corpse to the ground, producing a tremendous boom.

Lù Jǐng said to Lóu Wǎnqīng: 'Your campus mission is complete; I'm returning the mission swords to you.'

After saying that, he took out the mission sword and handed it over.

"Okay, thank you, let's exchange contact info; once we're out, I'll transfer the money to you."

Lóu Wǎnqīng stepped forward, her pretty face slightly blushing, and finally obtained Lù Jǐng's contact information.

Zhāng Méng glanced at the cannon dragon lizard on the ground, astonished, and said: "Your strength is truly terrifying; this must be a fourth-rank Demon Beast cannon dragon lizard, right?"

"Hmm," Lù Jǐng nodded, "I happened to run into it on the way back, so I casually killed it."

"As expected of a big shot!"

Huáng Qǐtiān gave a thumbs up, then quietly informed Lù Jǐng of the recent conversation between Wǔ Lì and Shí Xiū and the others.

After saying that, he also glanced at the corpse of the cannon dragon lizard on the ground, holding back a laugh, and said: "Big shot, these few people were preparing to deal with you; how should I put it, do you need brothers' help?"

"Oh?"

Lù Jǐng slightly raised his brows and eyes, glancing at the blankly standing Shí Xiū and Wǔ Lì beside him.

"I heard your mission wasn't completed? You're trying to squeeze some profit out of me?"

"We... uh... the mission is short a few shadow wolves."

Wǔ Lì stammered, unable to speak.

"Let's go out first; I need to meet the client of the Dan Medicine Company, and this matter needs to be clarified face-to-face with them."

Lù Jǐng wore a smile on his face, but his gaze was chillingly frightening.

I originally thought these few people were just the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, but I didn't expect they'd actually come up with the idea of killing and looting.

However, before dealing with these people, I still need to get the Dan Medicine Company personnel back through Wǔ Lì.

Otherwise, after killing them, I wouldn't be able to find the client, and would lose this commission's fee for nothing.

The shadow wolf materials that Wǔ Lì and the others lacked, Lù Jǐng happened to have, and they were inside the cargo truck's compartment.