Kill

The Giant Wolf that had been kicked away was an E-class Beast General level Phantom Wolf, equivalent in strength to a Beginner Wargod level Human Warrior.

The Phantom Wolf's pale yellow eyes fixed on the human before it. The faintly dangerous aura emanating from the human holding two guns, in particular, made it deeply uneasy.

Having reached Beast General level, its intelligence far surpassed that of ordinary beasts.

It bared its fangs to intimidate the human while slowly backing away, preparing to seize an opportunity to escape.

Liu Yan and Xu Kui had also arrived by then. The two protected the still-shaken Yiyi and Ailin as they headed toward the off-road vehicle in the distance.

"Xia Zhi, this is your first battle in the Wilderness Zone. Don't let your guard down."

"This Phantom Wolf is far stronger than those captive monsters you encountered during the assessment." Liu Yan gave him a stern reminder.

Hearing Liu Yan's words, Yiyi, who was walking back with them, could not help turning to look at Xia Zhi. Seeing him confronting the Phantom Wolf, she asked worriedly, "Sister Yan, will Xia Zhi be okay?"

"He'll be fine. Xia Zhi is already a Beginner Wargod level warrior, equal in strength to that Phantom Wolf."

"We humans have weapons and equipment, as well as cultivation manuals and techniques. Dealing with a little wolf won't be a problem."

Liu Yan comforted her, though she still felt faintly worried inside.

After all, this was his first time fighting monsters in the Wilderness Zone, yet he was using a Beast General level Phantom Wolf as his trial right from the start.

Wolf-type monsters were already top predators among monsters of the same level.

Even if Xia Zhi's strength matched the Phantom Wolf's, how much of it could he bring out when facing a Wilderness Zone monster for the first time?

Ailin and Xu Kui were both watching Xia Zhi as well.

"Shing!"

Xia Zhi drew his Blood Shadow Battle Saber. Feeling everyone's worried gazes behind him, he said without looking back, "Captain! Watch me skin this Phantom Wolf."

With that, he advanced toward the Phantom Wolf, which had already retreated more than twenty meters away.

When less than ten meters remained between them, the Phantom Wolf let out a low growl.

Captain Qin Feng's killing gaze had been fixed on the Phantom Wolf the entire time, keeping it from daring to turn and flee.

When it saw the saber-wielding human approaching, the pain from being kicked in the stomach earlier flashed through its mind. It roared and pounced at Xia Zhi.

Facing the Phantom Wolf flying toward him, Xia Zhi did not rush to dodge.

Wolf- and dog-type monsters had become far stronger than beasts before the Great Nirvana due to evolution, but their methods of attack were still limited to pouncing, biting, and the like.

He had already killed dozens of Tiger Mastiffs and Shadow Cats. He was completely confident in dealing with this type of monster.

Using the third layer of Hidden Strength from the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade, Xia Zhi could directly contend with a D-class Beast General in terms of strength. He did not take this Phantom Wolf seriously at all.

Only when the wolf's claws were nearly upon him did he move. With Microscopic level movement technique boosted by 2.8 times speed, he left behind a faint afterimage where he stood, and the Phantom Wolf passed straight through it.

The Phantom Wolf had thought the human before it was frozen with fear and would be easily torn apart. Then it suddenly discovered that the human had vanished. Before it could react, pain shot through its throat, followed by a chill in its lower body. It felt its strength draining away, and under the force of inertia, its body slammed heavily into the ground.

From afar, the three members of the Golden Spear Squad only saw Xia Zhi's figure flash before he appeared to the Phantom Wolf's right. His Blood Shadow Battle Saber slashed diagonally upward across the Phantom Wolf's neck, then continued downward, cutting it open from throat to belly.

Wolf blood and its internal organs sprayed across the ground.

Xia Zhi won this battle with ease.

"Captain, Xia Zhi's combat strength is pretty good, isn't it?" Liu Yan said with a smile. "I was worried he might suffer a little."

Captain Qin Feng had been watching with a stern expression. Now, he smiled and nodded. "Not bad. He killed a Beginner Wargod level monster so easily. Xia Zhi's adaptability is extremely strong. He doesn't look like someone entering the Wilderness Zone for the first time at all."

Xu Kui, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "His reaction speed is fast, and his movement technique is excellent. His strength is comparable to an Intermediate Wargod level warrior."

Captain Qin Feng smiled. "That only makes our squad stronger."

Yiyi and Ailin stared blankly at the Phantom Wolf that had nearly killed them moments earlier, only to be so easily disemboweled by Xia Zhi. Yiyi murmured, "Xia Zhi is amazing."

"Captain, this wolf hide..." Xia Zhi ran over from the distance, carrying the skinned wolf hide.

"You killed it, so naturally the hide is yours," Qin Feng said.

Xia Zhi nodded and did not refuse.

Among monsters, Beast Soldier level monster materials generally were not worth much. Elite Squads like the Golden Spear Squad did not even take the corpse materials from ordinary Beast Soldier level monsters, lest they take up backpack space.

Only Beast General level monsters were worth some money, and even then, they usually only collected the most valuable materials from them.

"This Phantom Wolf hide should be worth a hundred thousand if sold to the martial arts school. If you sell it to the HR Alliance, it should fetch a hundred and eighty thousand."

Liu Yan smiled. "You've made quite a bit on this trip, kid. When we get back to the base city, Xia Zhi, you're treating us."

"Sure, no problem." Xia Zhi agreed with a smile.

"Let's go. The mission is complete. We need to get Miss Yiyi and Miss Ailin back quickly. The Wilderness Zone is too dangerous. Attacks can happen at any time," Qin Feng said.

"Right, right. We've finished all our location scouting. Let's hurry back."

Still flustered by the danger of the attack, Ailin hurriedly agreed upon hearing Qin Feng's words.

The journey back to the city was uneventful. Perhaps all their bad luck had ended with the Phantom Wolf's attack.

The Hummer sped straight toward the Military rest point without encountering nearly any monsters along the way, leaving Liu Yan, who had been guarding the Vulcan Cannon, crying out that it was no fun at all.

After returning to the rest point and resting briefly, Yiyi was dragged away by Ailin, who was eager to return to the base city and wanted to catch the night train.

Xia Zhi and Liu Yan escorted the two of them to the station again.

Before boarding, Yiyi's lips were still pouting. She was extremely dissatisfied that, after finally getting the chance to leave the city, Ailin was dragging her back before she had even properly experienced it.

Looking at the sulking girl, Xia Zhi smiled. "Yiyi, after every battle from now on, I'll tell you all about it. Wouldn't that be the same as experiencing the battle yourself?"

"I'll also take more photos for you to see."

Yiyi's eyes lit up at Xia Zhi's words.

"Alright, Xia Zhi. Don't forget—you have to tell me after every battle. If I'm rehearsing, leave me a message."

"No problem." Xia Zhi agreed with a smile.

After seeing Yiyi and Ailin onto the train, Liu Yan looked at Xia Zhi, who was still silently watching it slowly depart, and teased, "Xia Zhi, kid, fallen for her?"

"No. We're classmates, friends."

"Hehe, classmates and friends are great! That makes dating even easier! Go for it, Xia Zhi. Win over our superstar, Qin Yiyi."

On the train, Ailin and Yiyi, seated together, were also talking about Xia Zhi.

"Got a crush, little girl?" Ailin asked.

Yiyi's face turned red at the question, and she denied it. "I just want to know more about fighting monsters. Maybe I can turn it into a novel someday."

Seeing Yiyi's flushed face, Ailin smiled and pressed on, "If you don't have a crush, why are you blushing?"

"What blushing? It's stuffy in the carriage. I'm hot," Yiyi refused to admit it.

"Seriously, Yiyi. Xia Zhi is so young and so strong. If the two of you really want something to happen, that wouldn't be bad at all."

"What do you mean, the two of us? We're just classmates," Yiyi argued.

"Oh, classmates," Ailin teased.

"Oh, Sister Ailin! I'm ignoring you."

Yiyi angrily turned her head away and stopped paying attention to Ailin, but Xia Zhi suddenly appearing before her when the Phantom Wolf pounced came to mind.

Thinking of how he had said that he would describe every battle to her afterward, the corners of her lips curved upward, and she could not suppress her smile no matter how hard she tried.

At this moment, inside a small building at the Military rest point.

In the silent room, a rat-faced man was speaking to the light screen projected by his communication watch. "Elder Ying, it's confirmed. It's Xia Zhi. He has joined the Golden Spear Squad and is currently inside the rest point."

"Very good. Keep a close watch on him. I want to know which direction they head when they enter the Wilderness Zone." The person appearing on the light screen was Elder Ying, the Old Man who had previously negotiated with Xia Zhi.

"Rest assured, Elder Ying. I'll keep a close eye on him," the man hurriedly said.

Elder Ying nodded in satisfaction from within the light screen. "I'll give you the money I promised once I arrive. Be careful not to get discovered."

"Understood, Elder Ying."

The light screen then faded, and the room fell silent once more.

This is Chapter Two for today. Thank you for your support, readers! No matter how busy work gets, I'll keep trying to write and guarantee updates.