11: Chapter 11 The Rotten Wolf Pack, the Wolf King

Lin Mo sheathed his saber, panting slightly.

The continuous high-intensity combat had drained a lot of his physical energy, but the rewards were also immense.

His Basic Saber Technique had broken through to Lv6, and he had also made progress with the Aurora Flowing Cloud Slash.

He pulled up the system panel:

[Name: Lin Mo]

[Class: Awakener]

[trait: God Speed (Purple High-Grade)]

[cultivation: Rank 1, Level 2]

[Strength: 27]

[Agility: 32]

[Constitution: 26]

[Spirit: 27]

[Techniques: Flowing Cloud Aurora Slash LV1 (1/100), Basic Saber Technique LV6 (4/100), Basic Movement Technique LV6 (93/100)]

[slaughter value: 27]

[achievement points: 1]

"Only 27 points..."

Lin Mo was somewhat dissatisfied; at this rate, it would take forever to save up the 10,000 slaughter value points needed for the next trait advancement.

"It seems that in the short term, I should use the slaughter value to increase my cultivation!"

He understood the principle that sharpening the axe would not delay the woodcutting.

Hoarding slaughter value without using it was the height of stupidity!

With higher cultivation and greater strength, he could obtain slaughter value even faster.

However, just as Lin Mo was distracted while checking the panel...

In the distant bushes, a pair of crimson eyes were staring fixedly at Lin Mo.

Another Rotten Wolf!

But this Rotten Wolf was surprisingly large, nearly double the size of the previous three; it was an Elite Rotten Wolf whose strength had fully reached Rank 1.

The beast stared at Lin Mo for a few seconds, seemingly analyzing the prey's threat level.

Soon, it reached a conclusion—

It couldn't win; it needed to call for backup!

Thus, the creature suppressed its killing intent and slowly receded into the bushes.

However, after advancing Swift Step to God Speed, Lin Mo's five senses were incredibly sharp, and he instantly detected something was wrong.

He suddenly looked up, his gaze darting toward the source of the sound.

The bushes didn't move, and only darkness was visible through the gaps, but Lin Mo could sense that something was hiding inside!

He gripped the hilt of his saber and approached slowly. Standing a meter away, he extended his combat saber to part the bushes.

"Nothing?"

Lin Mo was somewhat surprised.

"No, it's the scent of a Rotten Wolf!"

Lin Mo looked down at the faint paw print on the ground; it was twice as large as that of an ordinary Rotten Wolf!

"What a huge Rotten Wolf! It definitely has the strength of Rank 1!"

"An Elite Rotten Wolf?"

Lin Mo's eyes were filled with annoyance.

"Damn, I must have been distracted while looking at the panel and let this guy slip away!"

Lin Mo did not turn back but continued deeper into the forest.

The appearance of an Elite Rotten Wolf meant there was likely a wolf den nearby, and a wolf den meant more slaughter value.

After walking about another kilometer, the terrain began to slope downward, entering a valley.

The trees here were even denser, blocking out almost all the starlight; only the portable light stick Lin Mo carried emitted a cold, dim glow.

Soon, Lin Mo stopped.

Not because he chose to, but because he had to.

Because in the darkness ahead, a pair of glowing green eyes lit up.

Then, a second pair, a third... a twentieth...

They slowly emerged from the shadows of the rocks.

"All Rotten Wolves!"

Lin Mo was secretly excited; these were all slaughter value points!

Every Rotten Wolf that appeared bared its teeth, but their sizes varied; the largest ones were almost as big as small calves.

The wolf pack surrounded him in a semi-circle but did not attack immediately; they were waiting.

Waiting for their leader.

Light footsteps came from behind the wolf pack.

The Rotten Wolves automatically parted to create a path, and a massive creature slowly walked out.

It stood over 1.5 meters tall at the shoulder and was nearly three meters long. Its fur was pitch black, and its left eye was nothing but a gruesome, empty socket.

It was a gunshot wound, but it clearly hadn't killed it.

The pupil of its intact right eye was a vertical slit, shimmering with a cruel and cunning light.

"Not a Rank 1 Elite Rotten Wolf, it seems to be... a Rotten Wolf Leader, commonly known as a Wolf King."

Lin Mo's eyes were full of excitement.

Soon, the wolf pack slowly approached within ten meters of Lin Mo. Four Elite Rotten Wolves stood in four directions, while the other ordinary Rotten Wolves stood scattered, completely blocking all of Lin Mo's possible escape routes.

The Wolf King's single eye stared at Lin Mo as it let out a long howl squeezed from deep within its chest.

"Awoooo——"

The howl echoed through the valley, making Lin Mo's eardrums ring.

The next second, over twenty Rotten Wolves lunged at once!

Lin Mo's pupils constricted.

Without hesitation or retreat, he took a step forward and charged toward the wolf pack!

Saber light exploded in the darkness.

...

...

"Damn it... looking for trouble in the middle of the night!"

Chen Hai kicked aside a pebble by the road, grumbling and cursing.

He was the captain of the Third Patrol Squad of the Seventh Battalion, an early Rank 2 Awakener with extensive experience.

At this moment, Chen Hai was followed by three veterans and four newcomers—Student Soldiers who had just been assigned to his squad today. He had been in a pretty good mood, finally having a few more people under his command.

However, his happiness didn't last two minutes before he received an order to immediately take a few people up the mountain to find someone...

"Captain, did the sentries really say someone went up the mountain alone?"

His deputy, Old Zhou, shouldered a rifle, his brow furrowed into a knot.

"Nonsense! Why else would they make me go up the mountain in the middle of the night?"

"The sentries said it's that brat from the Bait Post. He took a saber and headed straight for the mountain, and those two idiots at the gate actually let him through!"

Chen Hai's teeth itched with anger.

"If the Battalion Commander finds out about this, he'll skin those two alive!"

The four newcomers followed at the back, stumbling as they walked.

Two men and two women, all students from Jiangcheng University assigned to his patrol squad.

At this moment, the faces of the four newcomers were pale, not from exhaustion or cold, but from fear and the unknown.

The mountain forest in the darkness was like a giant maw; every rustle of the wind and grass made their hearts skip a beat.

"In... instructor..."

"Could that Lin Mo... already have..."

A boy wearing glasses spoke with a trembling voice.

"Instructor! Instructor my ass!"

"I've said it eight hundred times: there are no instructors here! If you want an instructor, go back home and find one!"

Chen Hai was already fuming, and now he vented all his anger on this boy.

"S... sorry, Captain!"

The boy with glasses trembled even more violently.

"If he really died that easily, it would save us the trouble! I'm just afraid he's not quite dead and is dragging around a bunch of injuries, so we'll have to carry him back!"

A veteran beside him said nonchalantly.

"It's better if he's dead; he's such a damn troublemaker!"

Though he was still cursing, Chen Hai quickened his pace.

He hated these search and rescue missions, especially having to clean up after rule-breaking rookies.

But he hated even more watching his own people die in vain near the base, even if the person was looking for death themselves.

Twenty minutes after the search began, they found the first corpse—it was a fierce beast's.

"Stop."

Chen Hai suddenly raised his hand and crouched down.