Liou Wenxin had two suggestions for the next extract Su Ze should absorb: one from the Forest Giant Cockroach and the other from the Undying Salamander.
Su Ze later did some research and found that both were Tier 2 S-class aberrant beasts. They were at the apex of Tier 2, possessing formidable combat strength.
Forest Giant Cockroaches typically lived in the dense woodlands of the plains. If Su Ze wanted its extract, his only option would be to purchase it through Evolutionary Technology.
The Undying Salamander, however, frequented various mountain forests. People had even spotted them deep within the Black Rock Mountain Range, so there was still a chance he could obtain its extract by hunting.
However, S-class aberrant beasts were naturally scarce and extremely rare. Su Ze figured his luck wasn't that good, so he just gave Mrs. Yun a heads-up in case they stumbled upon one.
Once they entered the mountains, Su Ze clearly felt a shift in the group. Everyone grew more cautious. The loud chatter died down, and all of them were now scanning their surroundings, vigilant for any potential danger.
The mountains before them were towering and vast, but fortunately, they weren't steep. The climb was relatively gentle.
After about an hour of climbing, they finally encountered the first Tier 2 aberrant beast of the expedition.
"Look, a mosquito!" someone in the group cried out.
'Using the measure word for cattle to describe a mosquito?'
'They tell you to go to school, but you insist on herding oxen. Look at you now, a casualty of the public education system...' Su Ze grumbled to himself.
However, when Su Ze shifted his gaze to the mosquito in the air—a creature the size of a full-grown sow—he was stunned.
'So it really *is* the kind of mosquito you count by the head!'
"A Tier 2 C-class Blood Gun Mosquito!"
One look at the mosquito's enormous, spear-like proboscis, and you understood where it got its name. If that thing took a bite out of you, it would probably punch a clean hole right through you.
The Pupa Stage Hunters in the group quickly closed ranks, huddling together. A few of the Cocoon Stage members wore grave expressions as they prepared to make their move.
But just then, Mrs. Yun, who had been standing guard by Liou Wenxin's side, suddenly shot forward like a rocket. In an instant, she was next to the Blood Gun Mosquito, swatting at it with her palm as casually as if she were shooing away a common housefly.
Su Ze, however, noticed arcs of electricity crackling across Mrs. Yun's palm. The moment her hand struck the Blood Gun Mosquito, it was knocked straight out of the sky.
Sparks danced across the Blood Gun Mosquito's body with an audible SIZZLE. It fell to the ground, twitched for two seconds, and then went still.
"Holy shit! Mrs. Yun is incredible!"
'I'd call her a human-sized bug zapper.'
"Mrs. Yun absorbed Deep Sea Electric Eel Extract," Liou Wenxin quietly explained to Su Ze. "She gained a passive skill that imbues her attacks with an electric shock."
"Amazing," Su Ze praised. "Her attacks come with their own lightning effects. She'd look even cooler if she had a hammer."
"Why do you think a woman wielding a hammer would be cool?"
"Well, lightning and hammers are a classic combination."
"Really?" Liou Wenxin mused. "I'll have Mrs. Yun try it out when we get back."
Mrs. Yun landed beside the Blood Gun Mosquito's corpse. She first harvested its extract, then detached its massive proboscis—a valuable material.
After collecting the spoils, Mrs. Yun returned to Liou Wenxin's side. Su Ze could clearly sense a shift in the group's atmosphere; everyone now looked at Mrs. Yun with a mixture of deeper respect and fear.
The Blood Gun Mosquito was only the first Tier 2 aberrant beast they had encountered. With six Cocoon Stage evolvers, the team was more than capable of handling it. But Mrs. Yun had struck first, insta-killing it with overwhelming power. Her purpose was to intimidate them—to establish her authority.
She was demonstrating her power as a Butterfly Stage evolver, ensuring that anyone with ulterior motives would squash those thoughts immediately.
...
As dusk fell, Su Ze and the group reached a spot halfway up the mountain.
"We'll make camp here for the night," Mrs. Yun announced.
Of course, no one else in the group had any objections. They were being paid a daily commission, so they'd be more than happy to drag the trip out for a few extra days.
Besides, traveling at night was a bad idea. Many aberrant beasts were nocturnal, and nighttime was their hunting hour. Combined with the poor visibility, the dangers of traveling after dark far outweighed those of the day.
It wasn't completely dark yet, and they could have kept going, but any farther and they might run into Tier 3 aberrant beasts.
Camping on the mountainside for the night and crossing the summit region in the morning was the safest option.
The group lit a campfire and began eating their respective dinners.
Some had brought their own provisions, while others roasted aberrant beast meat over the fire. Su Ze roasted two frog legs for his dinner.
As they ate, people gathered in small groups to chat. Someone even tried to cozy up to the taciturn Li Gaojie, but Su Ze was completely ignored.
Su Ze wasn't surprised. Throughout the day, everyone else in the escort party had participated in combat to some extent. He was the only one who had slacked off the entire time, focused only on chatting with the pretty girl. It was only natural they were annoyed with him.
Behind his back, they called him a pretty boy, a freeloader living off a woman, a total suck-up.
But so what?
'A single conversation with a wise person is worth ten years of study,' as the saying goes. He had chatted with Liou Wenxin all day and benefited immensely, gaining a much deeper understanding of the science of evolution.
'What's wrong with being a pretty boy in the pursuit of knowledge?'
'Besides, when a scholar does it, can you really call it 'sucking up'?'
Su Ze picked up a sizzling, fragrant frog leg and offered it to Liou Wenxin. "You have to try this. It's delicious!"
...
After dinner, everyone began to settle down for the night. Aside from those assigned to the night watch, the others found places to sleep. Some leaned against trees, some climbed up into the branches, and others simply spread some leaves on the ground and lay down.
Only Liou Wenxin had a small tent.
Mrs. Yun stood guard outside, never straying from the entrance.
So, Su Ze lay down right outside the tent's entrance. It was definitely the safest place to sleep.
He swallowed two Strengthening Elixirs, as was his routine, and closed his eyes. The warmth of the not-so-distant campfire washed over him.
Having not slept at all the previous night and after a full day of hiking, Su Ze was exhausted. He quickly drifted off to sleep.
He slept soundly. Though he was sleeping in the wilderness, it was the most peaceful rest he'd had since arriving in this world. He had finally left Mu Country and escaped the reach of the Zhao Family.
He was sleeping soundly when, sometime in the middle of the night, a powerful roar startled him awake.
Su Ze scrambled to his feet. The others, all seasoned Hunters, instantly shook off their drowsiness and were on high alert.
"We're under attack!"
Mrs. Yun's expression was grim. "Get ready to fight!" she barked, her low voice a sharp warning to the others.
She seemed to know something, absolutely certain that a major battle was imminent.
Liou Wenxin emerged from her tent, and everyone immediately formed a protective circle around her.
Mrs. Yun scanned the darkness, searching for the enemy.
"We're screwed!"
Someone cried out, pointing into the dark woods. Pairs of eerily glowing eyes were closing in from all sides—from the ground, from the trees, from everywhere!
"Is this... a beast tide?"
...