You Will Always Be Prey

Lan Mu said gravely, "Where is the competition held? Doesn't the government intervene when people die?"

Fang Moqi replied without the slightest ripple in his eyes, "Each event is held in a different location. The organizers are immensely wealthy, and every archer voluntarily signs a life-and-death agreement before competing, so this tournament has continued peacefully for years."

Lan Mu asked seriously, "You entered that kind of competition and came in second?"

"Yes," Fang Moqi said. "I defeated experts from every country along the way. I killed no one, yet won every match and reached the finals, where I faced one person."

Lan Mu stared at Fang Moqi in surprise. He had not expected Fang Moqi to win consecutively without killing anyone in that kind of Life and Death Duel. That meant every opponent he had faced had been far weaker than him.

Fang Moqi continued, "That man was very strong. He was the true strongest archer in the world, America's number one explorer, and the genius of the adventurer Gates family."

"His name was Benrato Gates. He entered three tournaments and took first place three times in a row, killing no one and winning every match with ease."

"He had never been hit by a single arrow!"

Lan Mu blinked. He saw memories, nostalgia, and the mutual respect of powerful opponents in Fang Moqi's eyes.

"You fought him in the final battle to determine the world's number one? You lost, so you came in second?"

"Yes," Fang Moqi said in a low voice. "He and I signed a life-and-death agreement and fought the final duel. At the time, many people said I was the one most likely to defeat him and become the new king, because I had crushed my way to the finals as well."

"The duel took place in the virgin rainforest of Costa Rica. The organizers marked out an area, and we could only fight within that zone, which was filled with hidden cameras."

"Under the rules, we could hide anywhere, and there was no time limit. He and I were both hunters and prey to each other."

"The duel would continue until one side died or surrendered. If the steel plate over the heart was hit, it was judged as 'death,' which meant defeat."

Lan Mu listened intently and did not interrupt.

Fang Moqi continued recalling, "He and I hid, searched, tested each other, and fought to the death within a three-kilometer radius..."

"His reactions and archery both surpassed mine, and his jungle scouting and counter-scouting abilities were exceptional as well."

"I was suppressed the entire time. The duel lasted a full three days. During those three days, when we were both challenging the limits of life and death, I grew quickly and endured several crises."

"For three days, neither of us ate, drank, or slept. We were both nearing our limits when the final battle took place in the rainforest."

"Gates was ultimately stronger. He fired first. My reaction was a fraction of a second slower. Instead of dodging, I immediately fired back."

Lan Mu's eyes widened. "You were slower! So you lost?"

"His arrow struck my heart and pierced through the steel plate, nearly burying itself in my flesh," Fang Moqi said in a deep voice.

"My arrow should have struck his heart as well, but he... was too proud. Even though he had a steel plate protecting his heart, he insisted on dodging the arrow."

"In that split second, he performed a movement that I was utterly incapable of at the time. He shifted his heart out of the arrow's path, and the arrow hit his lung."

"Afterward, the organizers ruled that I had lost. He became the world's number one archer for the fourth time, while I became the undisputed second place because I was the only person who had ever hit Gates."

Lan Mu patted Fang Moqi on the shoulder. "Don't lose heart. You can do it again next time. The gap between you two isn't that great."

"That was exactly what I thought," Fang Moqi said. "Afterward, I trained my archery relentlessly and kept venturing into dangerous places to temper myself, forcing myself to grow in extreme environments."

"A year passed, and I improved quickly. At thirty, I had tempered my reactions to the limits of the human body. In terms of raw ability, I could say I was no weaker than Gates."

"But when I tried to challenge him again, I was told that not long after that tournament ended, he had died from a bacterial infection caused by my arrow."

At that point, Fang Moqi frowned deeply, both unwilling and regretful.

"The Gates family told me that after three days in the rainforest, my arrow had been covered in viruses and bacteria. When it hit him, it caused a lung infection that killed him."

"That guy wouldn't have died at all if he hadn't dodged my arrow back then!"

"But he was too proud. For honor, so that no one could say they had hit him, he desperately tried to evade it."

"To win, he would rather truly be shot through the lung than let the steel plate over his heart be hit. Even if my arrow had struck his heart, I still would have lost because I had been declared 'dead' first."

"So the result of that battle was... I lost, and he died."

"That guy... I'll never have the chance to defeat him again."

After saying that, Fang Moqi looked dejected. He was saddened by the death of the greatest opponent of his life.

Lan Mu remembered seeing a steel plate riddled through with a hole among the pile of weapons in Fang Moqi's backpack at the club.

After thinking about it, Lan Mu understood that Fang Moqi had kept the steel plate Gates had shot through all this time. That steel plate represented his only defeat.

Perhaps Fang Moqi had never truly found peace. He had always remembered the man who died by his hand, yet had defeated him.

Perhaps that was the mutual respect between rivals.

"But... why do you want a Life and Death Duel with me? Do you want me to join that tournament with you?" Lan Mu suddenly remembered what Fang Moqi had said at the beginning and asked with a baffled expression.

Fang Moqi calmed himself slightly and said to Lan Mu, "It has been three years. Other than Gates, no one has ever defeated me again. Yet you beat me with a bow, and you utterly crushed me."

"To be honest, in archery alone, you have already surpassed both Gates and me by far."

"But true combat archers can only determine victory and defeat through a duel balanced on life and death."

Fang Moqi said with a serious expression, "Gates defeated me, and I had nothing to say about it! He paid for it with his life as well."

"But I will never allow myself to lose to anyone else! So... fight a Life and Death Duel with me!"

"Only if you defeat me in a true duel like this will I acknowledge you."

Seeing Fang Moqi so solemn, as though he truly meant it, Lan Mu hesitated slightly.

It was not that he was afraid. So far, both of Lan Mu's transformation forms had their home ground in the jungle.

If they dueled here, he did not believe he could still die.

"But... I consider you a friend. Is a life-and-death duel really a good idea?"

Fang Moqi froze when he heard that, then burst into laughter. "I consider you a friend too!"

"Put it on. I've already prepared everything."

As he spoke, Fang Moqi took out two sets of heart-protecting steel plates, fastened together with straps that protected both the front and back of the heart.

Lan Mu took the protective gear and sighed. "But you just fought a crocodile and used up energy. Do we really need to compete right now?"

"It's fine. I barely used any energy, and I've been through this jungle many times. I know it much better than you do, so you're at a big disadvantage."

Lan Mu was somewhat speechless and could only say, "All right! If you insist..."

"I accept!"

"But I hope this is the last time. I truly don't want to duel with you again."

Fang Moqi smiled and backed away, disappearing into the jungle as he spoke.

"All right... the range will be from here to the previous camp..."

"But be careful to stay hidden. I won't go easy on you."

With that, he vanished completely into the jungle.

Lan Mu also took out his bow and arrows and grew serious. He turned and changed positions, continuously running through the jungle. After about five minutes, he hid behind a large tree.

"With no time limit, the longer this drags on, the more stamina we'll expend."

"In the jungle, unless you eat raw food to replenish your energy, lighting a fire will likely expose your trail."

"If the enemy is hidden while I am exposed, I'll be at an absolute disadvantage."

At first, Lan Mu put on an act and analyzed the situation, but in the end, he realized he had no experience at all. Why was he pretending to be some expert?

"Tch, should I just transform and get it over with? A quick battle would be best. Du Yu and the others are still waiting for us to go back for lunch."

With that thought, Lan Mu first transformed into an elf, then put on his hat and lightly climbed more than forty meters up a tree.

His sharp eyes watched the surroundings. Although his ears were hidden beneath the hat, they still twitched restlessly as they listened for movement.

Suddenly, a bowstring twanged.

An arrow shot out from the branches and flew straight at him.

Lan Mu was startled. Natural Power flooded into his legs, and he suddenly shifted away, narrowly dodging the arrow.

"That was close! He found me so quickly?"

Lan Mu did not dare linger. He nimbly leaped across the treetops, springing and landing as he raced into the distance.

This time, his speed far surpassed his human form's. In around five minutes, he had already disappeared into the jungle.

After looking around, Lan Mu hid beneath the leaves and considered his options.

"Fang Moqi really knows his stuff. He found where my human form was hiding so easily and so quickly."

"Thankfully, I transformed into an elf beforehand. Otherwise, I couldn't have dodged that arrow."

"If I had been any later, I probably wouldn't even have had time to transform before being shot dead."

Lan Mu felt a lingering fear. If he had still been in human form, he might not have reacted until the arrow struck him. If he had died at Fang Moqi's hands like that, it would have been a truly unjust death.

That made Lan Mu even more cautious. He decided to remain transformed at all times.

His human form was too weak. In a Life and Death Duel against an ultimate powerhouse like Fang Moqi, his human self had no ability to fight back at all.

"Hmm, I did my best to observe his location just now, but even in elf form, I still couldn't spot the hidden Fang Moqi. His concealment skills are clearly profound. Without scouting experience, even senses far beyond those of humans aren't enough."

"So I still have to rely on the White-haired Lion?"

"A duel where we are both hunters and prey..."

"The Hunter is undoubtedly the most suitable transformation form."

Taking off his shirt and hat, Lan Mu instantly transformed into the White-haired Lion. His crimson gaze pierced through layer upon layer of cover, and countless creatures entered his perception.

"Before a Hunter, you will always be prey!"