Powerful Pursuers

"Four? How far away are they now?"

"About a kilometer."

Su Shijie spoke as he controlled the drone.

Su Ren said nothing further, only making a slight adjustment to their direction. It was subtle, but enough to distinguish their route.

When Su Shijie confirmed a moment later that the other party had followed this route as well, Su Ren said decisively,

"There aren't that many coincidences. I'm afraid we've been targeted.

"I checked our equipment. No one tampered with it. There's a scholar among the people following us."

Su Ren was an experienced old hand. After retrieving their equipment, he had scanned it with something like a detector, so they were not being tracked by a positioning device or anything similar.

He immediately concluded that there was a scholar among their pursuers.

And the presence of a scholar meant they were at least Transformation Tier!

Although scholars' enhanced genes mainly focused on mental aspects such as observation, calculation, and fine control, their direct combat ability was neither like workers, who could rely on equipment such as Power Armor, nor like warriors and gunners, who relied on their own enhanced strength.

Their main focus was actually scientific research.

But if there was a scholar in the team, then whether it was tracking or countertracking, their grasp of every detail would be exceptionally precise.

Just like how Chuan Feng had seen through Su Shijie's evolutionary level at a glance.

A scholar was absolutely the core of a team.

And if a four-man squad had a Transformation Tier scholar, then given the scholar's importance, there would likely also be a Transformation Tier combat profession!

Sending at least two Transformation Tier individuals to pursue two Awakened Rank individuals was an extremely extravagant lineup.

Although the wilderness saw plenty of cases where weaker people killed stronger ones for all sorts of reasons, with such a gap in strength and a numerical advantage, this ensured there would be no mistakes!

Just consider how Sergei was the sole Transformation Tier strongest person in Shelter P-314, and it was clear how rare they were.

Previously, Chuan Feng, a Transformation Tier individual, had personally escorted Su Shijie to the city guard station only because of the importance placed on Evil God Cultists!

Su Ren had said that Prosperous City only had two Evolutionary Tier individuals. Transformation Tier individuals could absolutely be considered part of the management class. Under Prosperous City's laws, even if a Transformation Tier individual used violence against an Awakened Rank individual, they could pay money to reduce their punishment.

But now, they had dispatched at least two of them to pursue them at once. The other two could not be ruled out as Transformation Tier either. This was clearly an attempt to wipe them out completely!

They were not leaving them even the slightest chance.

Su Shijie had the Star Crossbow, which could inflict tremendous damage even on Transformation Tier opponents. However, due to the bolts' mass and aerodynamics, it was incredibly powerful at close range and had almost no recoil, but its range certainly could not compare to Firearms of equal power.

At a distance of one kilometer, even the Star Crossbow X-6 would lose its ability to threaten Transformation Tier opponents.

And at close range, with his current frail body, even a graze would injure him, while a direct hit would kill him...

"Don't think about shooting yet. With a Transformation Tier scholar's danger sense, he'll notice the moment you aim at him.

"Our only advantage right now is that we found them first.

"And the reason they've been tailing us without making a move is more likely because we only just entered the forest and they're worried about other passersby. That also means they probably never intended to let us live. They just consider silencing bystanders too troublesome."

Su Ren rapidly laid out their current situation.

"The people we offended at the hotel with that honey trap scam wouldn't possibly spend this much to target us.

"So the only possibility is the Evil God Cultists. I let my guard down. That dead fatso is unreliable after all."

Su Ren clicked his tongue.

He had originally thought that finding an acquaintance would make it easier to hide himself as well.

But he had not expected that dead fatso to have such a loose mouth.

At the same time, the fact that they had mobilized such a powerful team and come after them directly showed that this report had truly ruined their plans.

"Are there any other teams nearby? Preferably ones moving fast enough to reach us faster than we can travel."

Su Ren spoke in a low voice.

"There are two other teams, but judging by their speed, both are pretty ordinary."

Su Shijie answered. Those two teams were merely ordinary passersby. If they continued at this pace, they would soon leave his surveillance range.

"Fine. Don't count on outside help. We'll have to solve this ourselves.

"Listen. The only variable this time is you. The fact that they didn't catch up to us from the start means they don't have anyone above Transformation Tier Level Four. They're most likely only Level One or Two, perhaps even enhanced through drugs.

"And the contaminated black wolf we encountered last time had raw stats roughly equal to a Transformation Tier Level One warrior who had taken enhancement drugs. It was even somewhat stronger than a scholar."

Su Ren explained the situation before them quickly and clearly, using examples to give Su Shijie a concrete impression as soon as possible.

Thinking of how the two of them had already killed a Contaminated Beast with similar raw stats, Su Shijie's tense heart did relax somewhat. He no longer had that nearly uncontrollable urge to start aiming immediately.

Their side was indeed still at an absolute disadvantage, but just as his father had said, the enemy did not know their circumstances. If they caught them off guard, it was not as though they had no chance at all!

People died when they were killed!

Still, Su Shijie knew that the raw stats of a Contaminated Beast and those of a human could not be compared as equals.

That Contaminated Beast had no brain at all and only knew how to charge blindly. Though the tough bristle armor covering its body gave it extremely high resistance to bullets, it could not truly be compared with a Transformation Tier human.

Whether in weapon usage or fighting style, they were not on the same level.

"We need to choose the most favorable timing and terrain, then take the initiative ourselves.

"The reason the scholar can roughly maintain our distance is because he can predict based on the timing of the traces our movements leave behind. In other words, if we suddenly stop moving, he won't know."

As Su Ren spoke, he took a test tube sealed with metal caps at both ends from the pocket of his Combat Suit. Inside was a somewhat viscous transparent liquid.

"Take this. Later, we'll use telekinesis to control it together. There's a switch on the tube. Flip it open, and when we attack, spread the contents evenly over the scatter bolts."

Seeing the test tube his father had produced so solemnly, Su Shijie froze for only a moment before immediately realizing what it was.

Poison!

Damn! That's so underhanded, but I like it...

For his father to take it out with such gravity, its toxicity was definitely not low. Judging by its viscous appearance, its ability to adhere to surfaces was surely impressive as well.

Although one's physique continuously improved with evolutionary level, increasing resistance to poisons in turn, poisons themselves could also be upgraded!

Applying poison to weapons was indeed best done right before use. It could prevent evaporation, degradation, and other factors from reducing the poison's potency, while also reducing the risk of accidental injury.

Otherwise, if a small poisoned dagger accidentally cut its owner's skin, that would be a terrible loss.

Using telekinesis to apply it was indeed perfect.

"Unlike last time, I'm only the bait this time. You're the main attacker. Remember, among Transformation Tier individuals, scholars have the sharpest danger sense. But likewise, danger sense can be used to set traps.

"At least in the early stages of the Transformation Tier, danger sense does not have much predictive power. If your attacks are frequent enough, you can use their danger sense to force them to predictively dodge first.

"Set the M-7 to burst mode. Switch all the ordinary pistols to armor-piercing mode. Aim for places where they aren't wearing Protective Suits. If low-level Transformation Tier individuals get hit by ordinary armor-piercing rounds, unless they have a bloodline like yours, they'll still suffer some injuries, especially in places like the eyes..."

Su Ren continuously explained the methods and plan for the battle to Su Shijie.

Although it was merely cramming at the last minute and discussing tactics on paper, it still gradually gave Su Shijie a clear framework.

After all, he had never truly experienced a proper battle. Without being reminded about such details, he would definitely perform terribly if he went in blind.

"That's enough. We'll use the area ahead. Run a little farther forward first and naturally leave tracks, creating the illusion that I'm buying time for you to escape. Climb behind that tree and make full use of the maximum range of your telekinesis. Hold the M-7 yourself. With your arm strength, that little recoil doesn't matter.

"Your telekinetic control strength is still slightly insufficient. While stationary, deploy six Star Crossbows. Use ordinary pistols for the rest of your slots. Assemble and load the seventh Star Crossbow beforehand, then keep it beside you as a spare for convenient switching."

As he spoke, Su Ren stopped and gestured for Su Shijie to climb the tree, then gave him one final instruction.

"Remember, battle changes endlessly. There are no fixed routines. You must adapt as circumstances demand.

"People die when they're killed!"

Su Shijie nodded at that, then tossed an M-7 to Su Ren.

"That's adapting as circumstances demand. You shoot more accurately than I do. Don't let us run out of bullets like last time."

Catching the gun Su Shijie had thrown him, Su Ren revealed a faint smile. This kid...

This time, he did not mention running away again, because with a scholar among the enemy, there was no possibility of escape.

Only one side could survive!

Su Shijie then climbed the tree behind them and hid amid the crown roughly thirty meters above the ground, maximizing the control space of his telekinesis.

On the ground, he only had a roughly hemispherical range. Up here, the control area of the entire sphere was effectively doubled!

It made it easier for him to position his weapons in more diverse ways.

His powerful mental recovery ability could also ensure he maintained control over his telekinesis the entire time.

Meanwhile, his drone continued to keep track of their positions.

As he calmed himself, their movement paths, as well as their predicted movement paths, gradually took shape in Su Shijie's mind.

The nearby trees, branches, roots, and vines likewise settled into place in his mind, dividing the environment into individual coordinate points.

The weapons under his control incorporated every one of those coordinate points.

Which weapon should move when, and where it should fire, gradually became matters of prediction and calculation.

I'm a pay-to-win warrior!

I spent so much money, prepared for so long, seized the advantage of an ambush and favorable terrain, and brought every advantage I have into play. I absolutely cannot lose!

Though based on my current raw strength, if they get their hands on me, I'm finished.

But as long as I kill you before you reach me, there's no problem!

If you want me dead, then trade your lives for it!

Faced with enemies who wanted him dead, countless thoughts began to stir within Su Shijie...