Li Hu's face bore a new scar, ripping from the right side of his head down to his jaw.
After completing the bounty task, he shaved off the little hair he had left, now sporting a bald head that, paired with his fresh scars, gave him an unusually fierce appearance.
With a towering frame nearing two meters, he transformed from the smiling tiger he once was to a fearsome one.
Anyone seeing such a fierce-looking bald man emerge from the shadows would be startled.
Lin Feng was momentarily stunned, instinctively reaching for his right waist, but quickly calmed down, took a step back, and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"I'm just looking. Brother Li, feel free to take it if you want; don't mind us."
From the aura emanating from Li Hu, he appeared even stronger than Level 9 Chen Shanshan and Liu Mingfei. Though he hadn't reached the level of an Evolver, among Level 9 Enhanced People, he was definitely one of the best.
In addition, his top-notch group of Deserters was far more powerful than Lin Feng and his companions.
But this wasn't the wild wilderness.
This was the heart of the Fifth Village, the Hunting Wilderness Guild.
Even the elderly security guard at the door was a retired Evolver, and many hidden masters were among the nearby staff.
No matter what Li Hu intended, he couldn't possibly take action here.
Hearing Lin Feng's response, Li Hu's scar-faced bald head still smiled with a sinister and terrifying expression.
He reached out and patted Lin Feng on the shoulder:
"You've gotten much stronger recently. I'm not teasing you anymore. Where's your captain, Chen Shanshan? I have something to discuss with her."
As soon as he finished speaking, from the second-floor stairway, Chen Shanshan came striding quickly, full of momentum, with Ding Yi, who had gone to inform her, following behind.
When Li Hu appeared, Ding Yi realized something was wrong and immediately thought to find the captain.
Now that she arrived, Chen Shanshan stood in front of Lin Feng, staring up at the bald man in front of her, her tone cold:
"You need something from me?"
Seeing the group in front of him, Li Hu narrowed his eyes slightly.
Just half a day ago, he had returned from the brink of death with his teammates, completed a task, and coincidentally encountered Chen Shanshan's group, not fully noticing their changes.
Now, upon closer inspection, Chen Shanshan's aura was no weaker than his. After tidying herself up, she was full of energy and spirit.
No longer did she have that previously desperate, hungry look.
In just two days, she had strengthened to Level 9, and the team members with her were also Level 9 Enhanced People.
In merely two days, Chen Shanshan's team had transformed from a state of desperate hopelessness to the first-class strength in front of him.
Enough to match his own...
Perhaps this matter might indeed be achievable.
Thinking this, Li Hu revealed a slight "friendly" smile under everyone's gaze:
"Originally, it was nothing, but now there's a big issue we need to discuss."
Saying this, Li Hu pointed towards the bounty order on the notice board:
"Interested in this task?"
Everyone followed his direction and saw the bounty order Lin Feng had discovered earlier.
Chen Shanshan skimmed it roughly and shook her head:
"Desert wolves are the most cunning desolate beasts. This task involves a pack of desert wolves; even hunting teams of Evolvers have a hard time completing it. Why do you think we could do it?"
"Although the evolution agent reward is tempting, three Level 9 desert wolves—do you think they're easy to deal with?"
Li Hu nodded:
"Exactly, it is very difficult, but what if their leader is already injured?"
As he spoke, he pointed to the new, bloody scar on his face, his expression showing a trace of vengeful ferocity:
"This was left by it!"
"Before the Holy Spring Day ended, we accepted a bounty. The task was to capture a live Rock-Horned Horse. The reward for a mature female was 300 points, 400 points for a mature male, and if it was a Tier One evolving Rock-Horned Horse, there was an additional evolution agent."
"We obviously couldn't manage that; after all, among the herd, there were several Tier One Rock-Horned Horses, impervious to blades and bullets."
"So our real target was the lower-reward young Rock-Horned Horse: 200 points for a female, and 300 for a male."
"And the reason for taking this bounty was information that within the next three or four days, a herd of Rock-Horned Horses would pass near Oasis Town. Several female Rock-Horned Horses among them were heavily pregnant and could give birth at any moment."
"After giving birth, Rock-Horned Horses are very weak, and the entire group's migration speed would consequently slow down, making it the perfect opportunity to hunt them down."
"So I led the team to track them down."
"But I didn't expect, not only us, but also a pack of desert wolves would be following the Rock-Horned Horses from afar!"
At this point, Li Hu looked in front at Lin Feng and the others:
"Incidentally, during this time, we encountered you in your desperate situation, and considering that the three of you could act as bait to lure away the desert wolf pack, I decided to continue hunting the Rock-Horned Horses..."
Lin Feng squinted his eyes, roughly calculating what might have happened next:
"In the end, although you found the Rock-Horned Horse herd, the cunning desert wolves intercepted you halfway. After a fierce fight and suffering heavy losses, you only managed to capture one juvenile?"
Li Hu nodded grimly:
"The wolf pack killed four of us, including three of us at Level 9 Enhanced Persons, two lightly injured, one seriously hurt, and the rest of the team covered in scars."
"But I'm not to be trifled with either. I gave the lead wolf two hits, punched it in the head, causing its eye to burst and bleed, and kicked it in the stomach—it's sure to have internal bleeding."
"The other desert wolves were also wounded to varying degrees. Now their range of activity won't be too wide and they're definitely lingering near Oasis Town, preying on humans to recover."
Saying this, Li Hu revealed his true intention:
"Didn't you previously take down a desert wolf?"
"Are you interested this time in working together?"
"Laozi wants revenge and to take down that lead wolf as an offering for becoming an Evolver!"
Lin Feng and Chen Shanshan exchanged a glance; all the questions they encountered along the way were finally answered through Li Hu's narration.
The elderly Desolate Wolf they first encountered was merely a scout for the pack, sniffing out the trail of the Rock-Horned Horse herd following the scent of blood and gunfire.
It eventually died in the trap set by Lin Feng and others.
The other Desert Wolf Pack, due to their hunting of the Rock-Horned Horses, couldn't pay attention to this matter.
Afterwards, as Li Hu and party discovered the Rock-Horned Horse herd and began hunting, they encountered an ambush by the wolf pack, leading to a chaotic scene.
The startled Rock-Horned Horse herd scattered.
Unexpectedly, Liu Mingfei and his sister found a pregnant mare separated from the herd.
Due to limited strength, they went to the market to find a partner to cooperate with and found Lin Feng, who was selling wolf meat and Wolf Fangs.
Ultimately, they cooperated to kill the Level 9 Female Rock-Horned Horse, exhausted from being frightened and struggling to give birth.
Following a battle, the injured wolf pack, guided by gunfire and howls, followed slowly.
But due to severe injuries, they could only watch with red eyes as Lin Feng and the others took away the prey, scavenging from Qi Mountain's four subordinates to recover.
If they had encountered the Desert Wolf Pack in full strength, just relying on then five-member Lin Feng's team...
Two Level 7 or 8 Enhanced Persons, plus three Mid-stage Enhanced Persons, two of whom had no combat ability at all, wouldn't stand a chance against over ten Desert Wolves!
Lin Feng and others' smooth journey was built upon the successive losses suffered by Li Hu, the Desert Wolf Pack, and the Rock-Horned Horse herd.
It was a twist of fate, as destiny chose them.
And now, as fate gathered, it was Lin Feng's turn to make a decision.
Regarding Li Hu's proposal and invitation, Lin Feng had no objections; instead, he was somewhat eager to try.
After all, with the support of his revolver, plus the soon-to-be assembled ventilation combat suit...
The combat strength and endurance were maximized.
Having been enhanced to Level 7, an ordinary Level 9 Enhanced Person was just a matter of a few more bullets.
Hunting the Desert Wolf Pack wasn't just a simple task!
Just as Lin Feng was preparing to speak and agree to it...
Chen Shanshan, after a moment of contemplation, interrupted:
"We just went through a battle and nearly had a conflict with these Desert Wolves, we need to rest. Let's discuss it when we get back, then we'll give you a reply."
Li Hu nodded and didn't insist.
Currently, Chen Shanshan's team was in better condition and even slightly stronger.
But Li Hu, nearing forty, bore too many old combat injuries, his health deteriorating every day.
This was his last chance.
If he couldn't complete the task and become an Evolver, he would have to consider withdrawing from frontline combat to start saving and plan for his retirement, becoming a regular permanent resident.
Yet Li Hu didn't want to rot away without purpose, until his death.
He wanted to burn brightly one last time.
He raised his hand slowly and took down the bounty order from the notice board, standing up to approach the staff.
As he passed by everyone, he left a piece of advice:
"You've already tainted your hands with the blood of the Desert Wolves; they won't give up their chase. That Leader of the Wolf Pack is close to evolving into a Tier One Desolate Beast—this is your last chance."
Finishing his words, he left decisively.
Chen Shanshan took a deep breath.
Lin Feng noticed the slight tremor in her tightly gripped titanium rod.
As Li Hu left, the episode of the invitation to hunt wolves was brought to an end.
Everyone moved to return downstairs, but just as they were about to leave, Lin Feng thought of something and turned back.
He saw a manhole cover symbol on the notice board.
His eyes narrowed slightly...
...
Soon after, the heavy-hearted group went to a shop downstairs, purchasing a pile of defensive equipment.
Including four steel shields weighing a hundred kilograms each.
As they left the guild and retraced their steps, Lin Feng touched the upgraded Level 6 revolver:
"Expanded Capacity Revolver lv6, White Quality"
"Basic Attributes: Damage 25, Effective Range 600 meters, Remaining Ordinary Ammo: 200, Wolf Fang Bullets: 6; upgraded to host level limit"
"Extra Attributes: Bullet Recovery 1/1s, Space Magazine 200 rounds, Wolf Fang Bullet Damage +5"
"Evaluation: A handgun with two hundred rounds of ammo, its sustained firepower is equivalent to a light machine gun, boasting twenty-five points of damage and a range of six hundred meters, the rate of fire depends on the user's trigger speed, practice pulling the trigger more often."
Twenty-five points of basic damage and a six hundred meter range, combined with the two hundred rounds of ammo...
This was the confidence behind Lin Feng's willingness to agree.
But if it were the Tier One evolving Leader of the Wolf Pack...
A firing rate of one shot per second was a bit insufficient.
Because the upgrade foundation of the 05 Revolver had a basic firing rate of one shot per second.
Lin Feng then looked at the advanced enhancer in his arms.
Having enhanced to the later stage of Level 7, to continue upgrading the expanded capacity revolver, as long as attributes related to firing speed improvements were unlocked,
even if it were a Tier One Desert Wolf...
Lin Feng would have the confidence to challenge it!