Chapter 12: Wilderness Slaughter

Awooo~~

Awooo~~

From the fields beside the road and the ruined villages came a series of monster roars, and even Xiao Yu could see many monster silhouettes. The other six members of the Iron Blood Squad were relaxed, but Xiao Yu dared not be the slightest lax, after all this was his first time entering the wilderness.

"Xiao Yu, there's an F‑grade single‑horned wild boar ahead, you take care of it," Xiao Dingguo said. "This is your first time entering Huang Ye Qu, be careful!"

"Charge bravely! Don't worry, I've got your back!" Uncle Liu encouraged from the side.

Xiao Yu gave a slight smile; he could feel his father's and Uncle Liu's concern and support for him.

"Come on, Xiao Yu, aim for the weak point; this kind of monster is nothing more than a single slash!" Zuo Yan said.

The other three said nothing, but also held weapons.

"Dad, Uncle Liu, wait a moment, watch me take the horn of that single‑horned wild boar," Xiao Yu said, quickly closing in.

"Captain, Xiao Yu may be your son, but letting him face an F‑grade almost E‑grade single‑horned wild boar in his first battle—doesn't that set the bar too high?" Uncle Liu asked. "Although you hope he matures quickly, it must be step by step; taking too big a stride can tear his balls."

"Right, we can't rush him either," Zuo Yan added.

"Don't you know what kind of person I am?" Xiao Dingguo said calmly. "Watch closely!"

Li Chao, who had been staring ahead, said, "Look, Xiao Yu's speed must be about 90 m/s, matching the speed of a mid‑rank battle general; his strength should be similar."

Li Chao's words caused Liu Yuanping, Zuo Yan and the other two to glance sideways.

They needed to reassess this newcomer warrior.

Xiao Yu drew the Silver Moon Battle Knife; he understood that his joining the Iron Blood Squad was because his father was the captain. Though they obeyed Xiao Dingguo's decision, it's hard to say how much respect they truly felt.

This battle, he resolved cleanly and decisively.

Ho~~ Ho~~

The single‑horned wild boar let out a series of hoarse roars, staring at the rapidly approaching humanoid shape ahead.

Xiao Yu's heartbeat quickened; for a moment he was ecstatic, feeling a hint of the battlefield spirit.

"Boom~~" The single‑horned wild boar's massive hind hooves slammed the ground, it surged forward, turning into a high‑speed tank that slammed into the dilapidated sedan ahead of Xiao Yu.

As the single‑horned wild boar approached, Xiao Yu sidestepped its charge, and with his right hand he lifted the Silver Moon Battle Knife to slash upward at the boar's neck, the blade penetrating thirty centimeters at an angle. At the same time his left hand raised the other Silver Moon Battle Knife, guarding against the boar's whip‑like tail.

Simultaneously, a dark silhouette swung down toward Xiao Yu's head.

Seeing the shadow, Xiao Yu's left Silver Moon slashed down, cutting the boar's tail in two.

The twin blades almost simultaneously scored.

The single‑horned wild boar, using its inertia to fling the broken car, also surged forward more than twenty meters before collapsing on the ground, its whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Countless battles in his past lives gave him an almost flawless grasp of the battlefield; not only could he handle equal‑level fights, even against higher‑grade opponents he wouldn't lose.

While the boar surged forward by inertia, Xiao Yu's right foot stepped forward at an angle, and as he turned, a graceful move shifted his direction.

This was a technique he had refined over decades of past‑life combat, known as the "Floating Leg."

Watching the boar below, its belly opened and its neck half‑sliced, its entrails streaming, blood nearly dried, its hooves still kicking resentfully.

"Its vitality is really strong!" Xiao Yu muttered to himself.

The right Silver Moon Battle Knife flashed coldly, piercing its heart and ending it.

The Silver Moon Battle Knife ran along the boar's head, removing its horn.

……

"What!"

"One glance and it's done!" The faces of Li Chao and the others showed shock.

"That lethal strike on the single‑horned wild boar is unbelievable!" Zhang Shaoyong said. "He actually dared to attack while moving quickly; the power of that blow is comparable to a mid‑rank battle general's strike."

"Being able to seize the moment while moving fast, slaying an equal‑grade monster in one hit and still anticipating the opponent's sneak attack, preparing in advance—truly remarkable!" Zuo Yan praised.

"That eyesight and timing, truly seasoned!" Uncle Liu exclaimed. "Old Xiao, you've truly raised an outstanding son!"

"This kid still has some strength," Xiao Dingguo said with a smile.

"Pervert!" Zuo Xuan said.

"Dad." Xiao Yu approached holding the horn, "This horn…"

"You killed it, so the horn is yours," Xiao Dingguo said. "If we sell this horn to the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, it should fetch five thousand yuan and earn a few Contribution Points. If we sell it to the Underground Alliance, we could get eight thousand."

"Xiao Yu, your performance just now doesn't seem like a first time entering Huang Ye Qu!" Zuo Yan said.

Xiao Yu was taken aback by the words, wondering if he had overperformed.

"Kid, your recent move really gave me a cold sweat!" Uncle Liu laughed. "Be more cautious next time; this method is too risky."

"Mm." Xiao Yu nodded.

"Alright, let's keep moving."

……

After a short trek, Xiao Yu and the others encountered a solitary F‑grade feline "tiger cat monster." This tiger cat bore speckled markings, its bulk comparable to a calf, and in agility and ferocity far surpassing the single‑horned wild boar.

Xiao Dingguo looked at Xiao Yu and said, "Continue."

"Alright." Xiao Yu replied.

The six kept their eyes on every move Xiao Yu made, missing no detail.

Xiao Yu rushed straight toward the tiger cat, while the tiger cat roared and charged. At the moment the tiger cat landed, it accelerated into a jump; at the collision, Xiao Yu sidestepped, and a curved flash of cold light sliced across the tiger cat's neck and throat from below, spraying blood like a torrent. Xiao Yu retreated sharply, coldly watching the tiger cat monster howl in pain, gradually weakening and collapsing, its life fading.

He cut off the tiger cat monster's tail, extracted one nearly transparent tendon, placed it in his backpack, and returned.

Seeing that Xiao Yu remained completely free of blood, Xiao Dingguo said, "Improvement!"

"He managed to use speed to numb the tiger cat, causing it to misjudge its pounce timing and expose a weak point," Zuo Yan praised.

"This kid, really not bad!" Uncle Liu laughed.

……

The purpose of the Iron Blood Squad's trip was to train Xiao Yu; throughout the journey, whenever they met solitary monsters they no longer left Xiao Yu to handle alone, teaching by example. Everyone got a few turns, and Xiao Yu, by summarizing their combat techniques, made great progress himself.

All along the way we never encountered a monster pack, and that left Xiao Yu constantly frustrated.

Two days later.

At dusk, on the dilapidated ring road, the Iron Blood Squad's seven members pressed forward.

"Three F‑grade Lion Mastiffs ahead, Xiao Yu, you take them," Squad Leader Xiao Dingguo ordered.

"Yes, Captain."

Xiao Yu ran toward the Lion Mastiffs with a grin, his speed not particularly fast.

"Roar~~" The three Lion Mastiffs howled and charged at Xiao Yu; their beast eyes burned with blood‑thirsty madness, indifferent to the human before them. When the distance closed, Xiao Yu's face showed a faint cold smile.

Speed suddenly surged! The three Lion Mastiffs' fur bristled instantly.

Xiao Yu closed in in an instant; the strange double stride beneath his feet was the 'Flowing Light' footwork of the Nine‑Layer Thunder Blade, drawing the two Lion Mastiffs' claws forward. He twisted his body, precisely evading their claws, and as the three bodies staggered, Xiao Yu slipped between the two and wickedly thrust his two Silver Moon Battle Knives in a split second!

Puff! It pierced straight into the vital neck.

He lunged forward swiftly, then turned his head toward the other Lion Mastiff.

"Roar~~" The remaining Lion Mastiff, seeing its companion's neck spray blood, let out a low growl and fled at speed.

Xiao Dingguo, Liu Yuanping and the others of the Iron Blood Squad smiled at the sight.

"Xiao Yu, move, let's hurry into the county town! Lion Mastiffs are pack animals; the one that fled will soon bring a horde of Lion Mastiffs," Uncle Liu said.

The seven members of the Iron Blood Squad slipped into the outskirts of County Town No. 0201 through the night, needing to find a high ground as a base.

The wilderness was fraught with danger, and the night outskirts were even more perilous.

"Roar~~"

"Roar~~"

"Captain!" Xiao Yu heard the snarling roar of a Lion Mastiff behind him.

"Stop," Xiao Dingguo commanded.

He scanned the silhouettes crowded on the surrounding high rises and said, "Everyone spread out. Zuo Xuan, Zuo Yan, set up two searchlights; the rest find your positions, stay orderly, support each other, and prepare for the enemy."

"Got it," Zuo Xuan and Zuo Yan replied.

The two brothers took several searchlights from their packs, illuminating the scene atop the surrounding three‑hundred‑meter‑high buildings clearly.

They were deep within a small plaza, surrounded by ruined buildings of varying heights, with several Lion Mastiffs perched on almost every roof, like feral wolves watching prey under the moon.

"It's a Lion Mastiff pack," Uncle Liu said, "By the count, there must be several hundred of them!"

"Hmm," Xiao Dingguo's expression darkened, "Look, the biggest one is their leader; its size and strength have reached Advanced Beast General Rank!"

"Then this pack likely contains a number of Mid‑grade Beast Generals and Junior Beast Generals as well," Zhang Shaoyong grinned, "Now it's fun; all this time Xiao Yu's been showing off."

"Making such a racket late at night will probably attract many monsters," Zuo Yan said.

If it were daytime, this horde of monsters would be invisible to them, but now it's night—the monsters' most active period.

"Alright, good, a swift strike and finish," Xiao Dingguo ordered.

Everyone instantly grew serious, no longer laughing.

"Roar~~" With the massive Lion Mastiff's bellow, the whole pack—hundreds of Lion Mastiffs—sprang into action, charging at them from all directions.

"Brothers, don't be afraid; these are minor skirmishes," Zuo Yan said, one hand on a shield, the other gripping a battle axe.

"I'll take the leader; Old Liu, provide support, you all attack freely," Xiao Dingguo ordered.

"Understood," the others replied.

Xiao Dingguo advanced toward the Lion Mastiff leader, swinging his battle axes, reaping the life of every approaching Lion Mastiff.

Close behind, Liu Yuanping lunged forward; his spear instantly pierced the eye of a sneaking Lion Mastiff, penetrating its skull!

"Hoho~~" The Lion Mastiff, its four claws flailing twice mindlessly, collapsed powerless.

The two coordinated flawlessly, harvesting the Lion Mastiff underlings while closing in on the leader.

The Zuo brothers each charged the nearest F‑grade Lion Mastiff; at the moment of impact their shields clanged, their battle axes flashed coldly, and the knocked‑back Lion Mastiff was cleaved in two.

Seeing everyone achieve results, they each surged toward an F‑grade Lion Mastiff. One leapt, passing the beast's side in mid‑air; at the point of contact a flash of cold light streaked, the Silver Moon sliced straight across the Lion Mastiff's neck, decapitating it, blood gushing like a burst pipe.

"Careful, Xiao Yu," Li Chao warned.

Xiao Yu landed and saw a Lion Mastiff three sizes larger than an F‑grade, lunging from the side at breakneck speed. As Xiao Yu prepared to dodge, the beast, two meters away, was struck by a flash of cold light from behind and sent flying forward.

It was Li Chao; his battle rifle pierced the Lion Mastiff's skull through its ear hole! Its four claws flailed twice before it collapsed powerless.

"Thanks," Xiao Yu said.

"Be careful when fighting the pack; keep eyes on all sides and ears listening everywhere," Li Chao said with a smile.

"Hmm."

After this lesson, Xiao Yu no longer dared to be careless.

In just a moment, more than half of the Lion Mastiffs in the whole district were slaughtered.

"Roar~~" The Lion Mastiff leader bellowed, calling several E‑grade and D‑grade Lion Mastiffs behind it to charge at the approaching Xiao Dingguo and Liu Yuanping.

These Lion Mastiffs were far more agile and faster than the previous ones, even more nimble.

"Old Liu, Zhang Shaoyong, I'll handle the leader; you can take care of the others, right?" Xiao Dingguo said, staring at the Lion Mastiff's every move.

"No problem!" Old Liu and Zhang Shaoyong nodded.

When monsters reach Beast General Rank, they gain a certain intelligence; even fighting at the same level becomes far harder than against Beast Soldier Rank, as they now know how to protect their weak points.

While everyone was busy fighting, Xiao Yu flashed, leapt from the balcony of a three‑story residential building, and at the corner of the wall lay the corpse of an F‑grade Lion Mastiff he had just slain.

With no one around, Xiao Yu crouched, his finger touching the F‑grade Lion Mastiff's corpse, and silently thought, "System, absorb the F‑grade Lion Mastiff's corpse."

In less than a second, the corpse vanished, even the blood trails on the ground disappeared without a trace.

【Absorbed F‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gained 50 Wish Points.】

After several consecutive jumps, he found another.

【Absorbed H‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gained 20 Wish Points.】

【Absorb H‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gain 22 Wish Points.】

【Absorb F‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gain 43 Wish Points.】

……

【Absorb F‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gain 60 Wish Points.】

Absorbed the corpses of 30 Lion Mastiffs in succession, gaining 1300 Wish Points.

Xiao Yu felt great joy in his heart.

"System, check wish fulfillment status."

【Host: Xiao Yu】

【First Wish: Perfectly comprehend the first layer of the Ninefold Thunder Blade.】

【Wish fulfillment status: 1421.2/1800 Wish Points.】

It's close; soon I will be able to perfectly comprehend the first layer of the Ninefold Thunder Blade.

Xiao Yu, secretly delighted, saw that his side had gained a huge advantage, with fewer than 30 Lion Mastiffs remaining.

"Xiao Yu, where did you just go?" Li Chao leapt onto the rooftop of the four‑story residential building and came beside Xiao Yu.

"I just dealt with two Lion Mastiffs down below," Xiao Yu said.

Listening to the distant battlefield's boom, Xiao Yu kept charging at an F‑grade Lion Mastiff monster; the moment it landed, he closed in, the Silver Moon Battle Knife flashed coldly, and he sliced off its head.

Suddenly, the remaining fewer than twenty Lion Mastiffs, as if without a target, scattered away in panic.

"Stop the chase." As Xiao Yu was about to pursue, a loud voice called out to him.

"Dad?" Xiao Yu turned, seeing his blood‑smeared father Xiao Dingguo, and trembled, "Are you okay?"

"Hmm, I'm fine. These bloodstains aren't mine; it's just a barely C‑grade monster." Xiao Dingguo approached, patted Xiao Yu's shoulder, turned and said to everyone, "Alright, clean up quickly and leave here."

"With the Lion Mastiff leader's aura present, monsters shouldn't approach for a while," Liu Shu said.

Everyone went to harvest materials from the monsters. After Xiao Yu finished harvesting the materials from the Lion Mastiffs he killed, he saw everyone focused on cutting, no one attending to him, so he absorbed the corpses of twenty more Lion Mastiffs, gaining 600 Wish Points.

"Dad, should I help?" Xiao Yu walked to Xiao Dingguo, who was carefully cutting the leader's fur piece by piece.

"Sure!" Xiao Dingguo said, "Then you handle this one."

The Lion Mastiff leader before him had lost all its former majesty; its head was shattered, skin torn, flesh exposed, three ribs in its chest and abdomen were broken, one of which pierced the heart—a fatal wound it should have received.

"Xiao Yu, finish up and come over; we'll regroup at the spot we were just at, then set out together," Xiao Dingguo said.

Seeing that Xiao Yu had carefully harvested all the important Lion Mastiff materials, he confidently leapt down from the tall building to rejoin the group.

Xiao Yu saw his father and the others had already gathered at the square, and he relaxed.

"System, absorb this Lion Mastiff corpse."

【Absorb C‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gain 800 Wish Points.】

Xiao Yu looked at the leader's subordinate lying nearby, a strange smile appearing on his face.

【Absorb D‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gain 400 Wish Points.】

【Absorb E‑grade Lion Mastiff corpse, gain 160 Wish Points.】

"Check wish fulfillment status."

【Host: Xiao Yu】

【First Wish: Perfectly comprehend the first layer of the Ninefold Thunder Blade.】

【Wish fulfillment status: 3381.2/1800 Wish Points.】

"Let's go." Xiao Yu also leapt down from the tall building to rejoin the group.

The remaining monster corpses were scattered around the square with no cover; Xiao Yu dared not act rashly.

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(End of chapter)