138: Chapter 138 Another Stray Dog Encounter!

"So that's how it is." Xiao Niao breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Hu Gualing's explanation. As long as the monsters didn't just spawn out of thin air, there was less to worry about. However, he became curious—how did Gualing know these things? After all, this kind of knowledge about natural creatures didn't seem like something he, a Student Athlete, would study.

Tang Yao was also impressed, praising Gualing, saying: "Gualing, you're amazing! I didn't know you had this kind of knowledge. You've really impressed me again."

Hu Gualing wasn't too smug about being praised this time. He just rubbed his cheek and said, without much pride, "This isn't really 'knowledge.' I just spent some time out in the wasteland before, so it's just a bit of common sense I picked up."

Tang Yao nodded thoughtfully.

Hu Gualing reminded them, "Actually, it's not just Wild Dogs. Other wasteland creatures are similar. Their bodies are a dusty yellow color, and once they burrow into the sand or dry grass, they're very hard to spot. So we must stay vigilant and be ready for battle at any time."

When he said this, Tang Yao only nodded in understanding without much reaction, but Xiao Niao instantly became timid, involuntarily leaning closer to Hu Gualing.

Hu Gualing, already traumatized, quickly held out his palm to stop Xiao Niao's potential next Move. "I told you to get ready for battle, so why are you leaning on me? Don't you have a bow and arrows in your backpack?"

"Oh, right!" Xiao Niao realized and took the [old wooden bow] out of his backpack.

Holding the bow handle in his left hand, he also took a [wooden shaft steel arrow] from his backpack with his right.

Truth be told, once he held these two items, he really didn't feel as scared. It seemed that regardless of how effective they were against monsters, they were perfectly effective for boosting one's courage.

It was the first time for all three of them to leave the village. They didn't know the way or the directions, so they just picked a random direction after leaving Xiao Huang Village and started walking.

After walking for a while, Hu Gualing signaled for everyone to stop, his gaze warily fixed on a spot about seven or eight zhang away. "There's something there!"

Xiao Niao immediately became alert, squinting his eyes at the spot Hu Gualing was watching. Sure enough, he spotted a yellowish beast. Looking closer, it was just another Wild Dog. He felt relieved and remarked casually, "Don't panic, it's just a Wild Dog."

Hearing this, Tang Yao immediately looked disappointed. She had come out for some novelty, but encountering two bottom-tier fodder monsters in a row meant nothing interesting would drop even if they killed them. Her interest instantly waned.

Hu Gualing, on the other hand, got excited. "A Wild Dog is great! Don't try to take this one from me. Let me show you Hu Gualing's good luck!"

"Alright, alright, go for it, Gualing! Go take care of it!" Xiao Niao wished he could hand over every monster they encountered to his teammates. He gave a thumbs-up in support, but soon his expression froze, and he said seriously, "Wait! This isn't a normal Wild Dog. It's a Bloodthirsty Wild Dog!"

"Bloodthirsty?" Hu Gualing was a bit skeptical. From his perspective, he could only see a creature that looked like a Wild Dog, crawling slowly across the yellow sand. It seemed to be flanking them to launch an ambush from behind. However, once it noticed them, the Wild Dog immediately lowered its body and blended into the loess, making it hard to distinguish with the naked eye. Thus, Hu Gualing hadn't seen its name yet, but Xiao Niao's expression didn't look like he was lying...

Just as he was thinking, the Wild Dog suddenly leapt from the Loess Slope on the side. It had silently moved three or four zhang while stealthed and was now actively pouncing toward the three of them!

Xiao Niao panicked instantly and scrambled behind Gualing, suppressing his instinctive urge to jump. He urged, "Gualing, go! Take down this Wild Dog!"

Hu Gualing, naturally unafraid, took the opportunity to calmly read the monster's name. It really was a [Bloodthirsty Wild Dog]!

This "Bloodthirsty" Prefix definitely meant it was stronger than a "Hungry" one. This was evident from the fact that instead of running away after being spotted, the Wild Dog actively attacked the three of them.

"Good! As expected of a Bloodthirsty Wild Dog. You didn't even run when you saw your Grandpa Gualing!" Staring intently at the pair of red eyes pouncing through the air, Hu Gualing felt no fear. Instead, he felt a faint surge of excitement. This was his usual state before a fight, and knowing the Prefix was special, he looked forward to what good items might drop after killing it.

Hu Gualing clenched his fists. The slight pain from the steel knuckle duster pressing against his palm made him feel incredibly grounded. As someone who loved fighting, he immediately charged toward the Bloodthirsty Wild Dog while it was still mid-air.

This Bloodthirsty Wild Dog likely had better combat capabilities than the previous one, so it was better fed. Although its fur was also dusty and dirty, its build was significantly sturdier. Using the momentum from leaping behind the Loess Slope, it reached the three of them in the blink of an eye. Its front and back paws hit the ground in sequence, its body coiled and then sprang up again, pouncing through the air straight for Hu Gualing's abdomen.

Hu Gualing's expression tightened. He could see clearly that this Wild Dog was full of Killing Intent. Its opening Move was a lethal strike aimed straight for the throat. However, because he was tall, the high-leaping Wild Dog only reached his abdomen. But this area was perhaps even more vital than the neck. If it really bit him there, the psychological trauma would be unimaginable, even if he could commit suicide and use Resurrection afterward...

At this thought, Hu Gualing halted his forward charge and threw a full-force punch from his waist directly at the dog's head.

This punch was none other than the [Farmers Three Punches], known for its simple and unadorned style. However, Hu Gualing poured so much strength into it that he didn't even have time to shout the Move's name.

Faced with such a fierce punch that offered no room for adjustment, the [Bloodthirsty Wild Dog], despite being just a beast, felt a threatening aura rushing at its face. But since the man and the dog were already inches apart, neither had room to retreat or dodge. The Wild Dog suddenly turned vicious, its blood-red eyes gleaming with ferocity. It opened its mouth wide, revealing two long, slender fangs.

Hu Gualing could already smell the stench emanating from the dog's mouth. Knowing the Wild Dog intended to meet him head-on, he cold-snorted inwardly: Let's see which is harder—dog teeth or brass knuckles!

In the blink of an eye, the man and the dog collided without suspense.

Tang Yao watched the show while holding onto Sharp Tooth. This Wild Dog was clearly stronger than the last one, and she couldn't let Little Sharp-Teeth try to be a hero and charge in again.

Xiao Niao wanted to draw his bow and provide some fire support, but he forgot about the injury on his buttocks. As soon as he started to crouch, his legs gave out from the pain. With a splat, he fell face-first into the loess. He decided to just stay down where he fell, silently praying for Gualing: Please be strong, don't let that tough-looking Bloodthirsty Wild Dog get past you.