43: Chapter 43 People can leave, but things must be left behind.

Zhou Xiang was not stupid; anyone capable of getting two snake-skin bags full of beast heads was definitely not an ordinary person. However, upon hearing from his beast that the three of them were all some distance away from the bags, his inner greed surged uncontrollably.

The first-place prize was a 10-cubic-meter Storage Ring, which had a market value of 500,000. Even if he sold it for a bit less, getting over 400,000 for it would be no problem at all. By then, his own Earth Rat could also...

Not knowing if he was thinking of some wonderful benefit, the corners of Zhou Xiang's mouth curled up involuntarily, and he even cast a meaningful glance down at the oblivious Earth Rat.

"Follow me. Once we steal the goods, we leave."

Chen Rui and Cao Yun exchanged a glance, saying nothing—or perhaps, they dared not say anything.

"Um, if I can make it into the top ten and get the 30,000 prize money, that's enough for me."

"Yeah, yeah, Zhou Xiang, my goal isn't that high either. I'd be very satisfied just getting 30,000."

Fearing that Zhou Xiang would lead them to their deaths, the two hurriedly stated their positions, which was also their way of subtly reminding Zhou Xiang.

"Hmm."

However, the only response they received was a cold "Hmm."

Regarding this, they were helpless. After each took a look at their own weak beasts, they followed him.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Xiang, who had been walking hunched over, finally arrived at the target location following the Earth Rat, and he also saw Qin Ding and the other two resting by the river.

As the person with the best physical test results at No. 11 High School, most people at No. 11 High School knew Qin Ding, so Zhou Xiang was somewhat stunned when he saw him.

A day had passed. Hadn't Li Dong and his group gone to cause trouble for Qin Ding? Had they not gone, or had they already been dealt with by him?

However, Zhou Xiang only thought about this question for a moment before stopping.

"All three of them are some distance away from that tree. If we steal the goods immediately and run, they shouldn't be able to react in time. Besides, it looks like their beasts are all taking a bath in the river..."

As Zhou Xiang spoke, his eyes didn't stop moving. He saw the Pink Pig taking a cold bath, as well as the Black Dog and the white fox frolicking in the stream.

It was just that Zhou Xiang didn't quite realize that Qin Ding's Black Dog looked a bit different from the last time he saw it; did it seem to have grown a bit larger?

Cao Yun looked thoughtfully at the Black Dog floating on the water's surface and splashing the white fox, his tone hesitant.

"That Black Dog... it seems a bit different?"

Chen Rui glanced at Cao Yun with disdain. "It's been over a month. It should have grown at least a little, right? Isn't it normal for it to get bigger?"

"Just like your Claw Cat, didn't it also bulk up a size?"

Hearing this, Cao Yun looked down at the Claw Cat following by his feet. It had indeed grown quite a bit. His Claw Cat was already Level 7, and he had spent quite a bit of money buying cultivation fluid.

Even if he couldn't get the top-ten prize this time, he had to strive to kill more spirit beasts to use as rations for his Claw Cat. Who knows, maybe it would level up after eating more spirit beast meat?

Zhou Xiang, who was assessing the situation, blinked his eyes and turned back to look at the whispering Chen Rui and the other one.

"Hold your knives in your hands. We'll all approach together. When the time comes, you two grab the snake-skin bags and run. I'll cover your retreat."

"Our beasts will follow behind us. When the time comes, I'll have my Earth Rat lead the way back, which can to some extent ensure we won't run into spirit beasts while escaping."

This time, Chen Rui and Cao Yun did not hesitate and nodded decisively.

There was no other reason; they had reached this point, and to say no now would just be self-deception. If they truly weren't willing, they would have already run away halfway through when Zhou Xiang wasn't paying attention.

On the river surface.

The Black Dog, who was using its claws to bathe the white fox, saw its relaxed and comfortable wolf face instantly turn sharp and serious.

[Earth Dog: Boss, someone is coming over, they are approaching the bags.]

Qin Ding, who had been rinsing his feet, suddenly heard the Black Dog's voice in his mind. This was the beast communicating remotely with its Beast Tamer through their contract.

A normal Beast Tamer would need Tier 2 Mental Power to achieve this, but with a Life and Death Contract, Tier 1 was sufficient. As for Qin Ding, he possessed both.

"Is that so... Thieves, huh..."

"Hmm? What?"

"Someone is coming. Their target is to steal our loot."

A faint light flashed in Bai Muxue's eyes. Using her peripheral vision, she snuck a peek toward the snake-skin bags, and indeed, she could see slight movements in the grass over there.

Clearly, there was someone.

Before Bai Muxue could say anything, a splashing sound rang out first. It was the Black Dog, which had quickly leaped from the stream onto the bank and arrived by Qin Ding's side, with the white fox following closely behind.

"Awooo?"

[Boss, what do you say? They have three beasts, and their strength is decent. Should we eat them all or what?]

This question only spent a few seconds in Qin Ding's mind before he had his answer.

"Just kill the lead beast. Let's go over."

Qin Ding rose from the bank without putting on his shoes. Barefoot, he headed toward the spear standing not far away, with Bai Muxue following closely behind.

"Uh? What's going on? Didn't they just start rinsing their feet?"

Wan Kang, who was clueless, only saw the two who had just taken off their shoes and started rinsing their feet a moment ago rise again and head barefoot to retrieve their spears.

It wasn't until Wan Kang saw the sharp edge in Qin Ding's eyes as he turned around and walked toward the snake-skin bags under the tree that his mind went blank with a buzz.

"F*ck! Someone wants to steal our stuff, right?!"

Splash.

"Damn pig, stop soaking! Our home is being robbed!"

"Oink oink?"

The Pink Pig didn't understand why its master's temper had suddenly become so explosive and froze in the river. Seeing this, the veins on Wan Kang's forehead throbbed, and he immediately changed his wording.

"All your rations are about to be gone!"

"Snort!"

The Pink Pig, having understood this time, swooshed like a small tank, charging straight from the middle of the stream onto the bank, splashing a huge amount of water.

Qin Ding looked back and saw that Wan Kang had already followed them, aggressively wielding his mace and bringing the Pink Pig along. He quite approved of Wan Kang's reaction speed and ability to keep up.

In the meter-high bushes, Zhou Xiang, who was walking hunched over and almost squatting, suddenly stopped, because his Earth Rat had suddenly started trembling, making squeaky, shaky sounds.

With just one glance, Zhou Xiang's pupils constricted. "Don't hide anymore! Let's hurry up and attack! Grab it and run!"

Grab? Isn't it stealing?

Before the question could even register and be understood in Chen Rui and the other's heads, they found that Zhou Xiang had already stood up and charged out while speaking, his objective extremely clear.

The two of them, like ducks forced onto a perch, were compelled to follow suit and stand up. As a result, the moment they stood up, they saw Qin Ding and the other two holding weapons and bringing their beasts, staring coldly at them.

"Have we been discovered?"

"You seem to be spouting nonsense..."

Qin Ding narrowed his eyes, his full attention focused on Zhou Xiang, who had a bandage on his shoulder. At the same time, he saw the rat, which was nearly half a meter long, following at Zhou Xiang's feet, and immediately identified him as the leader.

Actually, who was the leader didn't matter; who was the first to come out and be the sitting duck was what mattered.

"Black Dog, go..."

"White Fox, go bite that rat to death."