When Li Zimo saw the bastards from Toro City, he almost pounced on them. They were the reason why Fang Rou and Wu Rui had almost died in battle! 

Wu Rui held him back, sneering, “There’s no need to talk to trash like them. I thought I’d met a decent opponent but, oh, no, I forgot that I only have one worthy opponent, Xiang Ning. You all disgust me.” 

“Oh?” Charotis smirked, amused. He obviously knew who Wu Rui was referring to, but he was too lazy to explain the situation from the other day. It was true that they had been the reason for what’d happened, after all. 

“Team leader, let’s go. Don’t talk to those lukangs. They’re weak but still go to battle, it’s hilarious. It wouldn’t have been a surprise if they died in battle that day.” 

“Hehe. Who do you think you are? You think you’re our team leader’s opponent with that cultivation? You think too highly of yourself, no?” 

In the past, Wu Rui would have beaten them up after their mockery, but he had grown after many experiences. Along the journey of chasing Xiang Ning, he had learned many things, including controlling his temper. 

“Also, aren’t you guys understrength? I remember that lukang girl was hurt. I can’t believe you guys let her fight. You’d better be careful or she’ll die in battle.” 

“Hahaha, if that’s what—” 

Before he could finish, Wu Rui’s rod appeared at his neck at lightning speed. When Charotis saw that his teammate was in danger, he squinted. As the strongest fighter of his generation in Toro City, he had his pride as well. It was humiliating enough having a gun to his head the last time. So would he let himself be humiliated like that again? 

Similarly, he appeared by Fang Rou’s side in a flash, pressing his dagger to her neck. “Hehe, you can try. We’ll see who is faster.” 

Tempers instantly rose, especially Lu Shiyu, who was glaring daggers. “You… you must have a death wish!” 

“Death wish? No, no. You were the ones that attacked first. This is just self-defense, getting myself a hostage to exchange for my teammate. Hehehe,” Charotis coldly chuckled. 

Suddenly, Wu Rui laughed. And what kind of laughter was it? 

It was a reckless bout of laughter, though laced with fury. But it was mainly pity. He pitied them for their ignorance. Wu Rui put away his rod, smirked, and turned to approach Charotis. “Great, great! You’re the strongest person I have met. You say you’re the strongest fighter among the younger generation of Karan tribesmen, right? Indeed, you’re a genius. No, you’re a genius among geniuses! I admit defeat.” 

Seeing as Wu Rui had put away his rod, Charotis had no more reason to continue pressing his blade against Fang Rou’s neck. They were still within the fortress, so it would be impossible for him to actually proceed with anything. However, he couldn’t discern the meaning behind the laughter. 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“I didn’t mean anything by that. Although I really want to teach you all a lesson, from now on, you’re no longer my target.” The two of them brushed shoulders as Wui Rui passed. He whispered in Charotis’ ear, “Be prepared.” 

Charotis’ face fell. He strongly hated this feeling. He knew Wu Rui’s capabilities, and if they were to engage in an actual fight, he only had a sixty percent chance of winning. That was the highest compliment he could give anyone, because in the past, he would beat everyone seven to eight times out of ten. He had never scored anyone his age that highly. But based on Wu Rui’s tone, there was another stronger contender who wasn’t present. That person must be an important person to the girl he had threatened. Yes, looking at their team, it was indeed lacking two people. 

“Team leader, are you alright?” his teammate asked in concern, looking at his grave expression. 

“I’m fine, let’s go.” 

The truck left the fortress. 

“Cannons One, Seven, and Twelve, take note. Fire two rounds at Zone Twenty-Seven, clear a path for them.” 

“Cannon One, copy! Cannon Seven, copy! Cannon Twelve, copy!” 

Ten minutes later, six blue rays of light fell accurately on Zone Twenty-Seven, killing more than a thousand Beast Soldiers. The group in the truck was shaken by the grand scale of the attack, but no matter how powerful scientific technology had become, it still cost them greatly. 

About a hundred and twenty years ago, humans had invented hot weapons powered by spirit stones, or energy crystals as referred to by the researchers. That had greatly decreased the number of deaths on the human side, but due to overexploitation at the time, their prices flew sky-high. A hundred years later, spirit stone weapons were no longer frivolously used. 

That had determined the fate of the humans, becoming the reason why Xiang Ning could barely survive. 

By a stream two kilometers outside of Fortress One, three trucks stopped. There were more than a hundred beasts gradually closing in from not far away, and they could see a hound-type tier four Beast General among them. 

“There’s a pack of Crimson Fang Hounds four hundred meters ahead, about thirty-one of them. Based on the size of the alpha, it’s a tier four, two-star beast. Not far from it is a Slaughter Python. That’s odd, we don’t see a third Beast General.”

“Contact the fortress and ask them about it.” 

“The fortress replied that they can’t detect any. Must’ve left.” 

Other than Toro City and Wu Rui’s teams, there was one more team that was participating in this mission. 

“Team Leader, let’s make the first move. We’ll earn more points.” 

“Hmm? Why’s the bottom of this stream brown?” 

“Let me see…. Dammit, fall back!” 

Just as they were about to cross the stream, waves formed as if something that’d been sound asleep beneath the waters had awoken. 

Wu Rui and Charotis’ teams, who were behind them, were startled, but could still stop in time as there was some distance between them. 

But the team in front wasn’t as lucky. 

An eight-meter-tall centipede burst out of the mud, towering over the crowd. 

“It’s a tier four, eight-star Beast General! A Demonpede!” 

Terrestrial arthropods were generally ruthless. They were gigantic beasts, one of the few truly venomous species left after the Great Disaster. 

“Fall back!” Wu Rui and Charotis yelled almost at the same time. 

A participant from the team in front who had been charging ahead was picked up by the Demonpede’s mandibles, crushed out of shape, then flung toward the herd of beasts. 

Wu Rui and Charotis’ teams listened to the shrieks of agony in their earpieces. A tier four, eight-star beast wasn’t the scary part; two teams could work together to defeat it. The scary part was that the Demonpede was ranked just slightly under Grimclaws and Pale Moons!

Centipede demon lets goooooooo