Chance Encounter, Qin Yuan: Killed Him in Passing

Around three in the morning.

Qin Yuan was still wandering around Snow Peak Mountain, occasionally catching a few Demonic Beasts to practice on and improve his close-quarters combat ability.

He could choose not to fight hand-to-hand, but he could not afford not to know how.

"Awoo..."

"Coo coo..."

"Awoo awoo..."

In just one short hour, many Servant-level Demonic Beasts had received a vicious beating from Qin Yuan, all in the name of "training."

Qin Yuan had clearly turned Snow Peak Mountain into his own "Training Ground."

As dawn gradually broke, it was nearly six o'clock.

Only then did Qin Yuan leave Snow Peak Mountain and head toward the Posthouse Small Stockade. The rugged mountain paths were as flat ground beneath his feet, and he sprinted all the way at astonishing speed.

"Hmm?"

Qin Yuan halted abruptly and suddenly spotted a squad of Military mages in uniform not far away. "A patrol team?"

The Military mages of the Posthouse Small Stockade patrolled the surrounding area every morning, investigating the situation to prevent Demonic Beasts from approaching.

Qin Yuan slowed down, intending to slip away quietly.

However, just as he was about to pass the patrol team, Qin Yuan saw a familiar figure among them.

"Bai Yang?"

Qin Yuan froze slightly, and a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind. Why not just take him out?

Bai Yang was a member of the Black Vatican.

Rather than wait for him to harm others, why not make him disappear now?

Qin Yuan pondered for a long while before finally deciding, "Since I ran into him, I'll kill him."

There were only six Military mages in this patrol squad. Judging from their uniforms and ranks, they should all be Beginner Mages.

There were not many Intermediate Level Mages in Bocheng. Forget a hundred—even fifty or sixty would be questionable.

Qin Yuan concealed himself atop a large tree and quietly observed the six members of the patrol team.

He was waiting for a chance for Bai Yang to be alone.

As long as Bai Yang was alone, he could deal with him without anyone noticing.

"Awoo!"

A wolf howl rang out. It came from a lone One-eyed Demonic Wolf that had already approached the Posthouse Small Stockade.

As a patrol team, their duties included not only scouting for Demonic Beasts, but also taking care of stray ones they encountered.

"Let's go!"

A somewhat older Military mage in the patrol team waved his hand and led the other five toward the source of the wolf howl.

"The opportunity's here."

Qin Yuan smiled faintly from the corner of his mouth and followed close behind.

On a relatively open stretch of grassland.

The six Military mages were confronting a One-eyed Demonic Wolf.

As a mage of the Summoning System, Bai Yang should have been the core strength of the squad. Unfortunately, the approval process above had not yet gone through, and without an auxiliary Magic Tool, he could not tame another Summoned Beast for the time being.

Thus, Bai Yang could only stand guard at the side.

"Hmm?" Bai Yang frowned, suddenly feeling a deep sense of unease. My right eyelid has been twitching nonstop. Could I really be facing a bloody calamity?

"Bai Yang, don't lose focus. Keep watch on the surroundings!"

The older Military mage shouted.

When surrounding and killing Demonic Beasts in the wilderness, what they feared most was often not that the Demonic Beast was too strong, but that another one would suddenly appear...

"Ah!!!"

All of a sudden, Bai Yang let out a miserable scream.

The five Military mages were instantly startled and reflexively turned around. Yet with just one look, their pupils sharply contracted.

"Bai Yang!"

The five cried out in alarm.

At some point, a Giant-eyed Starry Rat had appeared on Bai Yang's body.

"Argh!!!"

The Giant-eyed Starry Rat had clamped down hard on Bai Yang's chest, its fangs and sharp teeth tearing through flesh.

The five were just about to rush over and save him.

"Awoo!"

The One-eyed Demonic Wolf charged again. They had no choice but to abandon the rescue and continue dealing with it.

"Save... save... save me..."

Bai Yang collapsed to the ground and reached out toward the five Military mages.

"Puchi!"

The Giant-eyed Starry Rat bit down on Bai Yang's neck, directly separating his head from his body. He was dead beyond doubt.

Even in death, Bai Yang's eyes were wide as bells, his gaze seeming to catch sight of a familiar figure atop a distant tree...

"Heh heh."

Qin Yuan watched Bai Yang die with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

He had caught that Giant-eyed Starry Rat, then, while Bai Yang was not paying attention, thrown it directly onto him to give the rat an "extra meal."

Bai Yang might have had a Black Beast Demon, but faced with such a sudden "ambush," he had no time to react at all.

Qin Yuan remained there a while longer. Only after seeing the other five Military mages successfully deal with the One-eyed Demonic Wolf and the Giant-eyed Starry Rat did he leave.

"Bai Yang!"

Only the sorrowful cries of the five Military mages remained in the mountain forest.

Several days later.

Snow Peak Mountain Post Station, at the center of the square.

After Zhan Kong's training, the students of the Elite Class had finally gained a little of the bearing expected of mages and were no longer so delicate and fragile.

"That's good too. When the Bocheng Catastrophe comes, you'll have a better chance of surviving."

Qin Yuan watched from the side and murmured softly.

After spending two years with these people, there was certainly some bond between classmates. Therefore, he still hoped they could survive better.

"Hoo hoo hoo..."

A gentle breeze swept in, carrying a fragrant scent.

Qin Yuan knew who it was without looking. He smiled lightly and called, "Sister Tang Yue."

"Mm."

Tang Yue sat down beside Qin Yuan and followed his gaze toward the Elite Class students. "Mo Fan's talent is quite good too. His Fire Element has reached Elementary Level Two."

"If nothing unexpected happens, Mo Fan will win that defensive Magic Tool of yours."

"If he can win it, that's his skill."

Qin Yuan shrugged, then asked with feigned curiosity, "Sister Tang Yue, how come I haven't seen Instructor Bai Yang these past few days?"

Bai Yang was also one of the training instructors for the Elite Class.

Therefore, there was nothing strange about him taking the initiative to ask that question.

"I'll tell you secretly."

After thinking for a moment, Tang Yue leaned close to Qin Yuan's ear and whispered, "Bai Yang died in the line of duty during a patrol mission a few days ago."

"He died in the line of duty?"

Qin Yuan revealed just the right amount of "shock," then put on a "guilty" expression. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't killed the Ghost Wolf Beast, Instructor Bai Yang wouldn't have died in the line of duty."

Seeing this.

Tang Yue felt that something was odd, yet she could not say what exactly was odd.

She could only comfort Qin Yuan gently. "Little Yuan, this isn't your fault."

"According to the accounts of the several instructors who were there, Bai Yang lost focus while standing watch and was ambushed to death by a Giant-eyed Starry Rat hiding in the shadows."

"...Can I go see Instructor Bai Yang?"

Qin Yuan asked sorrowfully.

"Um..." Seeing this, Tang Yue ultimately nodded and went with Qin Yuan to find Zhan Kong.

After they explained their purpose to Zhan Kong, he nodded in understanding.

"Qin Yuan, Bai Yang's death in the line of duty wasn't your fault. You don't need to blame yourself." Zhan Kong comforted him as he led the way.

"Mm."

Qin Yuan answered, looking "rather downcast."

Tang Yue and Zhan Kong both sighed softly at the sight.

Qin Yuan... was a kind-hearted good child.

Since I'm free anyway, I'll confirm whether Bai Yang is really dead one more time, Qin Yuan muttered inwardly.

Led by Zhan Kong.

Qin Yuan successfully got to see "Several Bai Yang."

He stood there, seemingly mourning, while inwardly muttering, Not leaving you an intact corpse was my mistake. But I'm sure you don't mind.

After watching for a while, Qin Yuan finally left with Tang Yue.

Back at the square, Qin Yuan continued watching several instructors drill the Elite Class.

Time passed just like that. Over the next month, Qin Yuan was either cultivating or secretly slipping out of the Waystation to use Snow Peak Mountain as his Training Ground.

After a month, although Qin Yuan had yet to successfully construct an Ice Element Star Map, his strength had already taken shape.