Approximately 180 kilometers west of Settlement 11, Blood Wolf Canyon.
Dried grass stood like halberds; rocks were as hard as iron.
An eight-person team cautiously moved through the canyon. The leader, Cao Gang, was the oldest at 39, just one month shy of entering the year of no doubt. The team's sole female member was Wang Xiaoxin, Cao Gang's girlfriend, whom he had pursued for three years before winning her over. At 25, she had a classic oval face, fair skin, and delicate features, serving as the team's medic. Cao Gang, like an old cow eating tender grass, doted on her immensely. Li Juxu was the youngest in the team. This nameless squad was the organization he had long served.
Five days had passed since taking on the side job. After returning to the settlement, he had gone nowhere, focusing on healing. Despite this, his injuries hadn't fully recovered. The team leader had accepted a mission—this was official work, so he had to participate. A peaked cap covered his bald spot, hiding his injury from the outside. He hadn't told the others either; side work was disreputable, and while Cao Gang hadn't explicitly forbidden it, he certainly wouldn't approve.
"Ah—"
Suddenly, a faint moan came from among the rocks. Monkey, who was scouting ahead, immediately signaled a warning.
"Something's up!"
The team swiftly dispersed, each finding cover. They waited a few seconds, but nothing happened.
"Monkey!" Cao Gang stared toward the rocks.
Monkey understood. He left cover and cautiously approached the source of the moan. The team members watched intently. Li Juxu, half-crouched behind a waist-high rock, moved his sniper rifle in sync with Monkey's steps. As the team's only sniper, he was responsible for long-range suppression.
Planet Myriad Beasts was home to billions of savage, cunning, and extremely dangerous beasts. Here, one had to sleep with one eye open; a moment of carelessness could lead to being devoured without a trace. Countless predecessors had used their blood and lives to sum up a most simple truth for those who came after: caution is the parent of safety.
Weaving through a pile of meter-high rocks, Monkey found the source of the moan in a crevice. After a brief check, he returned the same way.
"It's a lone wolf. Chased by blood wolves, he took a bad fall from up there. Both legs and one arm are wrecked, at least four broken ribs. Lucky for him, his backpack cushioned his head—saved him from instant death. It's been about six hours; he's nearing his limit."
"A lone wolf?" Wild Boar, one of the team's assaulters, was particularly interested in this detail.
"Judging by the size of his pack, he's not lying," Monkey said, confident in his judgment. If it were a team, supplies were usually distributed to avoid overburdening any one person. Food, weapons, water, emergency items, clothing—these were essentials for hunting. Only a lone wolf would carry everything alone, with no one to share the load. Their eight-person team carried nearly 400 jin of supplies, 50 jin per person—just right. If one person carried it all, even if they could manage the weight, they'd lose all mobility.
Everyone looked at Cao Gang. A solitary person, severely injured, in the desolate wilderness—it was like manna from heaven. But doing this would invite moral condemnation, and if discovered, legal sanctions. The gain was high, but so was the risk.
Cao Gang turned to look at Li Juxu in the distance, his eyes asking, "Night Owl?"
"No abnormalities detected. But there are two blind spots; can't be sure." Besides long-range fire support, Li Juxu also acted as a lookout. Night Owl was his callsign—hunters usually gave themselves nicknames to avoid revealing their true identities.
"Monkey, Hound Dog!" Cao Gang called out.
Monkey and another team member understood. Following Li Juxu's指示, they immediately went to check the two blind spots. One was a dark cave halfway up the slope; the other was across the canyon, blocked by large rocks—perfect for hiding.
While waiting, the other team members remained alert, watching their surroundings, ready to fight at any moment. On Planet Myriad Beasts, anything could happen. This injured lone wolf could be a gift or bait. They wanted the gift but definitely didn't want to become someone else's prey. Soon, Monkey and Hound Dog signaled that it was safe.
A ruthless glint flashed in Cao Gang's eyes. Just as he was about to give the order, Wang Xiaoxin suddenly seemed to understand and demanded fiercely, "What are you planning to do? This violates the Interstellar Treaty! He's a person, one of our kind! He's injured, dying! We should help him!"
Li Juxu was stunned. The team members were stunned. Cao Gang was stunned, staring blankly at Wang Xiaoxin. Were these the words of an adult? Could it be sarcasm?
"Article 11 of the Interstellar Treaty: When encountering an injured person in need of help, we must provide assistance within our ability. You haven't forgotten, have you? Cao Gang, you promised me—to be a law-abiding person." Wang Xiaoxin stared at Cao Gang, her words righteous and stern.
Wild Boar immediately wanted to speak, but Drummer beside him held him back. Drummer looked at Cao Gang, waiting to see how he would handle this. Their team's previous medic was an old man who had died in a mission. Coincidentally, Wang Xiaoxin, moved by Cao Gang's persistent and不计成本的 efforts, had agreed to be his girlfriend. She was a medical worker, so Cao Gang invited her to join the team. It was a good thing for the team, so they unanimously approved.
Wang Xiaoxin had been with the team for three months. However, missions had been scarce during this period; they'd only gone out twice, and coordination had been good. This was their third. No one expected that, because of an injured person, Wang Xiaoxin would hold a different opinion from the rest.
"Xiaoxin, this is the wilderness. No one will know." Cao Gang's speech faltered, lacking the decisiveness he showed when giving orders.
"So what if it's the wilderness? Does the wilderness permit breaking the law? The wilderness is precisely where we should be more upright. Only when everyone abides by the law can the world become a better place." Wang Xiaoxin's eyes were bright and spirited, her face seemingly glowing with holy light.
"We take on missions for money. If we hadn't passed by here, this person would die soon anyway. His belongings would be picked up by someone else. Better we take them than let others benefit," Cao Gang tried to convince Wang Xiaoxin.
"He's not dead yet. He's alive. He can still be saved." Wang Xiaoxin's voice was loud, her intense gaze making Cao Gang inexplicably guilty.
"In his condition, he'll die soon," Cao Gang said, trying to sound sincere.
"We can save him," Wang Xiaoxin said earnestly.
"He has nothing to do with us. We don't know him." Cao Gang suppressed his growing discontent.
"He's human, one of us. We have a duty to save him. Even without the Interstellar Treaty, that's still a life." Wang Xiaoxin's tone was, her expression resolute. The team members said nothing, but their displeasure was evident.