Forming a Team and Setting Off, First Cooperation

At 10:30 AM, the sunlight had already begun to feel scorching.

Lin Fan and the other three passed through the west exit of the academy, officially stepping into the wilderness.

Before them lay an open area, overgrown with weeds and littered with gravel. Sparse trees and rolling hills could be seen in the distance. The air was filled with the scent of earth and vegetation, occasionally carrying a faint, musky odor—the trace of Demonic Beasts.

The academy's tall walls gradually receded behind them, replaced by a sense of vastness and danger.

"This is the wilderness..." Zhao Tie Zhu gripped his shield, his voice trembling slightly.

Zhou Ming pushed up his glasses and took out a notebook and pen from his backpack. "According to the map, the main activity area for Steel Tooth Rats is at 'Gravel Slope,' about two kilometers ahead. The terrain there is complex, with many caves, suitable for rodent-like Demonic Beasts to inhabit."

"Gravel Slope..." Lin Fan recalled the mission information. "Is there a more specific route?"

"Yes," Zhou Ming flipped open his notebook. "Starting from our current location, follow this abandoned path for about a kilometer, then turn northwest and pass through a patch of bushes. You'll see Gravel Slope. The whole journey is estimated to take forty minutes."

"There might be Demonic Beasts along the way," Chen Dahu scanned their surroundings warily. "My dad said there are no absolutely safe paths in the wilderness."

"Then let's stay alert," Lin Fan said. "I'll take the lead, Dahu will cover the rear, and Zhou Ming and Tie Zhu will be in the middle. Pay attention to your surroundings and be ready to fight at any moment."

"Yes!" the three responded.

The group began to move forward.

Lin Fan walked at the very front, each step steady and light. He pushed his [Basic Footwork] to its limits, his footsteps landing almost silently as his sharp gaze swept the surroundings.

The wilderness gradually unfolded before them.

To their left was waist-high grass, swaying in the wind with a rustling sound. To their right stood a row of dead trees, their trunks covered in claw marks and bite marks, clear signs of Demonic Beast activity. The path ahead was uneven, occasionally revealing scattered bones—it was unclear if they belonged to Demonic Beasts or humans.

"Brother Fan, I hear something," Chen Dahu suddenly whispered.

Lin Fan immediately raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.

Everyone held their breath.

From the bushes about fifty meters ahead, a faint rustling sound could be heard, like something moving.

"Could it be a Steel Tooth Rat?" Zhou Ming whispered.

"Doesn't sound like it," Lin Fan shook his head. "Steel Tooth Rats make more continuous, fragmented noises. This... sounds more like a larger animal."

He motioned for the others to crouch down, while he cautiously moved forward about ten meters, hiding behind a large rock to observe.

The rustling in the bushes became more pronounced.

Suddenly, two gray figures darted out from the undergrowth.

They were two wolf-like Demonic Beasts, about 1.5 meters long, with grayish-brown fur, eyes glowing green, and drool dripping from their mouths. Their movements were agile and coordinated, splitting left and right as they emerged from the bushes, positioning themselves to flank Lin Fan.

"Wind Wolves!" Zhou Ming exclaimed. "1st Tier wind-attribute Demonic Beasts, extremely fast, skilled at coordinated attacks!"

Lin Fan's heart sank.

Although Wind Wolves were also 1st Tier Demonic Beasts, they were much more difficult to deal with than Steel Tooth Rats. They possessed rudimentary intelligence, understood tactical coordination, and their speed was a significant advantage.

More importantly, the presence of Wind Wolves here suggested that the Steel Tooth Rat territory might have already been occupied or driven out by more powerful Demonic Beasts—this was not good news.

"Prepare to fight," Lin Fan returned to the group. "Dahu, you take the one on the left, I'll take the one on the right. Zhou Ming, observe their weaknesses and remind us. Tie Zhu, use your shield to protect Zhou Ming. If a Wind Wolf breaks through the defense, you must block it."

"Can... can I do it?" Zhao Tie Zhu's voice trembled.

"You have to, whether you can or not," Lin Fan glanced at him. "If we retreat now, all of us might die."

The words were harsh, but they were the truth.

In the wilderness, weakness meant death.

Zhao Tie Zhu took a deep breath and nodded forcefully. "I understand!"

"Good," Lin Fan drew his training dagger. "Remember, the Wind Wolves' weaknesses are their waists and eyes. Their fur is enhanced with wind attributes, making them difficult to damage with ordinary attacks. Aim for the weak points."

Before he finished speaking, the two Wind Wolves launched their attack.

They lunged almost simultaneously, their speed leaving two afterimages in the air. The one on the left lunged at Chen Dahu, while the one on the right lunged at Lin Fan.

"Here they come!" Chen Dahu roared, gripping his long saber with both hands and charging towards the Wind Wolf.

He used a powerful downward slash, the blade cutting through the air with a whistling sound. This was the opening move of the "Mountain Splitting Saber Technique" taught to him by Chen Dashan. Although he had only practiced it to an introductory level, its power was considerable.

However, the Wind Wolf twisted unnaturally in mid-air, dodging the strike, and simultaneously slashed its claws towards Chen Dahu's chest.

"Careful!" Zhou Ming shouted.

Chen Dahu reacted quickly, retreating, but three bloody gashes still appeared on his chest. Fortunately, the wounds were not deep, merely superficial.

On the other side, Lin Fan's battle was even more perilous.

The Wind Wolf's lunge was at a tricky angle and incredibly fast. Lin Fan didn't try to block it head-on. Instead, he used his [Basic Footwork] to sidestep, narrowly avoiding the wolf's claws, and simultaneously thrust his dagger backwards towards the Wind Wolf's waist.

The Wind Wolf seemed to sense the danger and twisted forcefully in mid-air, the blade only managing to graze its fur.

"So fast!" Lin Fan's heart tightened.

This Wind Wolf was even faster than he had anticipated and reacted with extreme agility. Without his master-level [Basic Footwork], he would have been seriously injured by that claw strike.

In the first exchange, neither side gained an advantage.

After landing, the two Wind Wolves immediately adjusted their positions, one to the left and one to the right, emitting low growls. Their green eyes fixed on the four, seemingly assessing their prey's strength.

"Brother Fan, their coordination is really good," Chen Dahu said, clutching his chest, his expression grave. "When I attacked the one on the left just now, the one on the right tried to sneak attack my flank. If you hadn't drawn its attention, I would have been in danger."

Lin Fan nodded. "That's why we can't fight them separately. Let's back to back, covering each other."

The four immediately adjusted their formation: Lin Fan and Chen Dahu stood back to back, facing the two Wind Wolves; Zhou Ming and Zhao Tie Zhu were in the middle, one observing, the other holding a shield for defense.

The Wind Wolves seemed to sense the change in formation and began circling the four, looking for an opening.

"What are they thinking?" Zhao Tie Zhu asked nervously.

"They're thinking about how to break through our defense," Zhou Ming quickly analyzed. "Wind Wolves have simple tactical thinking; they'll prioritize attacking the weakest link. Tie Zhu, your stance with the shield is too stiff. Relax a bit, and adjust the shield's angle as they move."

"Oh... right!" Zhao Tie Zhu quickly adjusted.

As expected, the Wind Wolf on the right suddenly accelerated, lunging straight at Zhao Tie Zhu!

Its target was clear—this human with the shield was clumsy and the weak point.

"Tie Zhu, raise your shield!" Lin Fan shouted.

Zhao Tie Zhu instinctively raised his shield.

The Wind Wolf's claws slammed heavily onto the shield, emitting a dull thud. The immense force made Zhao Tie Zhu stumble back three steps, his arm going numb, almost losing his grip on the shield.

But the moment the Wind Wolf attacked, Lin Fan moved.

He didn't go to save Zhao Tie Zhu; instead, he lunged at the Wind Wolf on the left!

Because he knew that the two Wind Wolves' coordination was seamless. When one attacked, the other would definitely be ready to act or cover its companion.

Indeed, the Wind Wolf on the left, seeing its companion's successful attack, was about to seize the opportunity to lunge at Chen Dahu's flank. It never expected Lin Fan to suddenly turn and attack it.

Basic Footwork activated to its fullest!

Lin Fan's speed instantly reached its peak, his figure ghosting close to the Wind Wolf. His short blade whistled through the air, aiming straight for the Wind Wolf's right eye.

The Wind Wolf was shocked and tried to retreat, but Lin Fan was too fast.

The blade sank in!

"Awooo—!"

A piercing wolf howl echoed.

The Wind Wolf's right eye burst in a spray of blood. The intense pain made it struggle frantically. Lin Fan seized the opportunity and kicked its waist—the most vulnerable part of wolf-like Demonic Beasts.

"Crack!"

A clear bone-cracking sound.

The Wind Wolf let out a miserable cry and collapsed to the ground, still struggling.

"Dahu, finish it!" Lin Fan called out.

Chen Dahu, who had been ready, immediately charged forward. His saber, imbued with all his strength, chopped down!

The blade sliced into the Wind Wolf's neck, and blood gushed out.

[Killed 1st Tier Demonic Beast Wind Wolf, Basic Fist Technique proficiency +12, Combat Experience +2]

The system notification flashed.

At the same time, the Wind Wolf that had attacked Zhao Tie Zhu, seeing its companion killed, let out an enraged howl. It abandoned its original target and turned to pounce on Lin Fan!

Its speed was even faster than before, its eyes filled with madness and hatred.

"Brother Fan, be careful!" Chen Dahu wanted to help, but he was too far away.

Zhou Ming also exclaimed, "Its weakness is its abdomen!"

Lin Fan, however, remained unusually calm.

The moment the Wind Wolf lunged, he made an unexpected move—not dodging, not blocking, but stepping forward!

With a step forward, his body tilted slightly.

The Wind Wolf's claws grazed his shoulder, leaving three bloody marks. Lin Fan's short blade, however, had already precisely pierced the Wind Wolf's exposed abdomen.

The blade sank into flesh, all the way to the hilt.

"Wooo..."

The Wind Wolf's body froze in mid-air. The madness in its eyes quickly faded, replaced by confusion and pain.

Lin Fan twisted the blade forcefully and pulled it out.

Blood gushed out like a fountain.

The Wind Wolf fell heavily to the ground, twitched a few times, and lay still.

[Killed 1st Tier Demonic Beast Wind Wolf, Basic Footwork proficiency +15, Combat Experience +2]

[Side Quest "Team Synergy" progress updated: Lin Fan (57), Chen Dahu (10), Zhou Ming (2), Zhao Tie Zhu (1), Average Combat Experience: 17.5]

The battle was over.

Only the heavy breaths of the four people and the rustling of the wind through the grass remained in the wilderness.

"Is... is it over?" Zhao Tie Zhu's voice trembled as he looked down at the claw marks on his shield and then at the two Wind Wolf corpses on the ground, seemingly unable to believe he had survived.

"It's over," Lin Fan said, wiping blood from his blade and examining the wound on his shoulder.

Fortunately, it was only a superficial injury, not deep.

"Brother Fan, are you okay?" Chen Dahu walked over, his chest wound had stopped bleeding, but his clothes were stained red.

"I'm fine," Lin Fan looked at Zhou Ming and Zhao Tie Zhu. "How about you two?"

"I... I'm fine," Zhao Tie Zhu lowered his shield, his hands still trembling slightly, but a hint of resolve flickered in his eyes. "I blocked it... I actually blocked it!"

Zhou Ming's face was pale, but he forced a calm expression. "I'm fine too. But Lin Fan, you were too reckless just now. If that claw had been a little deeper, or if you had missed..."

"Combat is about taking risks," Lin Fan said calmly. "Besides, I trust my judgment."

He walked over to the Wind Wolf corpses and began to process the spoils of war.

The Wind Wolves' pelts, teeth, and claws were all valuable materials, and their Demonic Cores were even more so. However, they lacked professional skinning tools, so they could only take the Demonic Cores and the most valuable wolf teeth.

"Two Wind Wolves, two Tier 1 Demonic Cores, worth at least 60 Academic Credits," Zhou Ming calculated. "Plus eight wolf teeth, about 5 Academic Credits each, for a total of 40 Academic Credits. Add in the pelts... we've made at least 120 Academic Credits from this fight."

"But we also expended energy and got injured," Chen Dahu said. "And this is just the beginning; we haven't even reached the Steel Tooth Rat area yet."

"This is the wilderness," Lin Fan said, storing the Demonic Cores and wolf teeth. "Rewards and risks go hand in hand. Your father should have taught you that."

Chen Dahu nodded. "My dad said that in the wilderness, every battle is a gamble with your life. Win, and you gain resources; lose, and you become buried in the wilderness."

The atmosphere grew heavy.

"But we won," Lin Fan stood up. "Moreover, through this battle, we've learned how to cooperate, identified our weaknesses, and discovered the Wind Wolves' vulnerabilities. This experience is more valuable than Academic Credits."

He looked at the other three. "Now, who wants to talk about the problems during the fight?"

Zhou Ming spoke first. "My problem was not giving a timely warning. When the Wind Wolves emerged from the bushes, I should have noticed their movements earlier."

"I was too nervous," Zhao Tie Zhu lowered his head. "I held my shield too stiffly and almost didn't block it. And... and when I saw the Wind Wolves pounce, my mind went blank."

"I was too reckless," Chen Dahu scratched his head. "I swung my first strike too hard, without reserving any strength for changes. If I had held back a bit, that strike might have injured the Wind Wolf instead of being easily dodged."

Lin Fan nodded. "My problem was misjudging the risk. That stab to the abdomen just now had only a 70% success rate. In team combat, I shouldn't have gambled on such a high risk."

He paused and continued, "But these are all things we can improve. Zhou Ming, you need to enhance your observation and prediction skills. Tie Zhu, you need more practical combat experience to overcome your fear. Dahu, you need to practice variations in your sword techniques. And I need to be more cautious."

"So, what do we do now?" Chen Dahu asked.

"We press on," Lin Fan said, looking towards the gravel slope. "But we need to be more careful. The appearance of Wind Wolves here suggests there might be more Demonic Beasts nearby. Also, the Steel Tooth Rat area might have changed."

The four regrouped and continued their journey.

But this time, the atmosphere within the team was noticeably different.

Having experienced a life-and-death battle, coordinated combat, and post-battle reflection, this hastily formed team was rapidly growing.

Lin Fan could feel that Chen Dahu's vigilance had increased, Zhou Ming's observations were more meticulous, and even Zhao Tie Zhu's grip on his shield had steadied.

And he himself had gained valuable proficiency through the combat.

[Basic Fist Technique: Proficient (2024/5000)]
[Basic Footwork: Proficient (1576/5000)]
[Combat Experience: 57]

He was one step closer to the Minor Accomplishment level.

More importantly, he had gained a deeper understanding of combat.

In his previous life on Earth, he was just a programmer, and the greatest danger he faced was overwork leading to sudden death. But in this world, danger was everywhere, and life and death could be decided in an instant.

If he wanted to survive, to become stronger, to protect his sister, he had to adapt to the rules of this world.

And combat was the core of those rules.

"Brother Fan, the bushes are up ahead," Zhou Ming's voice broke Lin Fan's thoughts.

A dense thicket of bushes, over two meters high, appeared before them, their branches and leaves intertwined, obstructing their view.

"Pass through carefully," Lin Fan said. "This kind of terrain is prone to ambushes."

He took the lead into the bushes, his short blade clearing the path ahead.

The light within the bushes was dim, and the air was filled with the scent of decaying vegetation. The ground beneath their feet was soft soil and fallen leaves, making almost no sound when stepped upon.

The four advanced in a single file, each person warily observing their surroundings.

After about ten minutes of walking, a strange sound suddenly came from ahead.

"Squeak... squeak..."

It sounded like a mouse's cry, but sharper and more numerous.

"It's Steel Tooth Rats!" Zhou Ming whispered. "And quite a few of them!"

Lin Fan signaled for everyone to stop and quietly parted the branches ahead to observe.

The sight that greeted him made his pupils contract.

The end of the bushes opened onto a wide gravel slope, dotted with caves of various sizes. At this moment, at least twenty Steel Tooth Rats were active on the slope. They were about half a meter long, with earthy yellow fur, and their teeth glinted metallically in the sunlight.

Some of the Steel Tooth Rats were gnawing on plant roots, some were chasing each other, and some were digging new burrows. It looked like a normal Demonic Beast habitat.

But Lin Fan noticed a detail: the activity range of these Steel Tooth Rats was very concentrated, almost all gathered in the central area of the slope. On the edges of the slope, several burrows were sealed with rubble, and some white bones were scattered around—not like the prey of Steel Tooth Rats.

"Something's wrong," Lin Fan whispered.

"What is it?" Chen Dahu leaned over.

"Look at those sealed burrows," Lin Fan pointed to the edge of the slope. "Steel Tooth Rats are pack Demonic Beasts, but their burrows should be distributed more evenly. Now they're so dense in the central area, and the edges are sealed, which means..."

"It means they're forced to gather together," Zhou Ming chimed in, "Maybe a more powerful Demonic Beast has occupied the edge areas, or... something is making them afraid to spread out."

"What could it be?" Zhao Tie Zhu asked nervously.

Lin Fan didn't answer, continuing to observe.

Suddenly, he noticed a burrow at the highest point of the slope.

That burrow was much larger than the others, with an entrance diameter exceeding one meter. No Steel Tooth Rats dared to go near it. Deep inside the burrow, two red lights could be vaguely seen flickering.

Like... a pair of eyes.

"There's something there," Lin Fan said.

As soon as he spoke, the red lights in the burrow suddenly flared.

Immediately after, a huge dark shadow slowly emerged from the burrow.

When the full appearance of the creature became clear, even Lin Fan gasped.

It was a giant Steel Tooth Rat, over two meters long! Its fur was dark gold, its teeth were as sharp as daggers, and its eyes flashed with ferocious red light. Even more terrifying was that the aura it exuded far surpassed ordinary Steel Tooth Rats, and was even stronger than the Wind Wolf from before!

"Is this... the Steel Fang Rat King?" Zhou Ming's voice trembled. "A peak first-tier, possibly even approaching second-tier Demonic Beast!"

The Steel Fang Rat King walked to the center of the slope and let out a sharp hiss.

"Squeak—!"

All the Steel Tooth Rats immediately stopped their activities and looked uniformly at the Rat King, as if awaiting orders.

The Rat King's red eyes scanned the area, finally... fixing on the direction of the bushes where Lin Fan and the other three were hiding.

It had found them.

"Prepare to fight," Lin Fan gripped his short knife, his voice calm but resolute. "This time... we might really die."

On the rubble slope, over twenty Steel Tooth Rats began to move towards the bushes.

And behind them, the Steel Fang Rat King paced slowly, its red eyes flashing with the light of a predator.

The four youths were about to face their first life-or-death trial since enrolling.