The Heart of the Strong

A minute later, with the tacit cooperation of Yang Wu and the others, the last Elementary Beast General Level One-Horned Wild Boar attempting to flee was slain.

Naturally, although none of Yang Wu's group suffered fatal injuries, they were all exhausted by this point.

However, they were forced to steel themselves, because the captain of the Phantom Squad was still locked in battle with the Lord Level Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig.

At this moment, Chu Tian and the Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig fighting not far away were both in a bad state. Chu Tian's Spiritual Force was heavily depleted and he was nearing his limit; meanwhile, the Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig was covered in wounds, and while none were fatal, they had significantly impacted its speed and power.

Watching the man and beast locked in combat, Zhou Zheng hurriedly ordered: "Old Zheng, Wang Zhi, Yang Wu, you three quickly process the monster carcasses. I'm going to help the captain deal with that Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig!"

The speed and power of a Lord Level monster were astonishing. Within the Phantom Squad, aside from Chu Tian, who was a Spiritual Master, only the Advanced War General Level Zhou Zheng could trade blows with a Lord Level monster.

As for the four of them, if they were caught in the shockwaves of a Lord Level monster's attack, it would likely result in death or severe injury, and their own attacks could not inflict effective damage on a Lord Level monster anyway.

"Understood!"

Yang Wu and the others knew the gravity of the situation and quickly responded.

Whoosh!

Instantly, Zhou Zheng transformed into a blurred afterimage, charging toward the clashing Chu Tian and the Lord Level Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig.

In truth, while Chu Tian and the Lord Level Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig were fighting, they were also constantly monitoring the movements of Yang Wu's group.

When he saw Yang Wu in danger, Chu Tian had felt a moment of panic, but once Yang Wu turned the tide, it was the Lord Level Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig that began to feel the headache.

Seeing Zhou Zheng charge over now, Chu Tian was overjoyed.

With the two of them working together, there was a high probability they could take down this Elementary Lord Level Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig!

However, the Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig was feeling a sense of dread.

A single Spiritual Master had already given it a massive headache, and it didn't know that Chu Tian's Spiritual Force was nearly exhausted. If an Advanced War General Level martial artist were to assist from the side, it would truly be in danger.

"Roar!"

The Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig let out a thunderous roar, one filled with endless rage, immense unwillingness, and a hint of fear.

Whoosh!

The speed of the Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig instantly broke the sound barrier, turning into a streak of light as it fled toward the northwest.

The Beast General Level monsters under its command had been wiped out by these detestable humans, and most importantly, its only child had also been killed by them.

It wanted revenge!

The intelligence of a Lord Level monster was no less than that of an ordinary human. The Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig knew that relying on its own strength alone, it would be difficult to take revenge on this detestable human squad.

Therefore, it intended to defect to the much stronger Intermediate Lord Level Great Strength Demon Ape and use the other's power to exact its revenge.

"It actually fled? Isn't it said that Lord Level monsters are all incredibly ferocious?"

Seeing the Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig escape, Yang Wu, who had been watching the battle, was stunned.

Perhaps noticing Yang Wu's confusion, Zheng Tao, who was busy collecting monster materials nearby, smiled and said: "Yang Wu, you have to understand that Lord Level monsters possess extremely high intelligence. If they see that the situation is unfavorable, they will flee quickly.

With the powerful vitality of a Lord Level monster, combined with the monster herds one might encounter at any time in the Wilderness Area, the chances of them escaping are quite high.

Even many War God Level martial artists usually choose to hunt Advanced Beast General Level monsters. The captain and Brother Zhou couldn't match the speed of that Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig, so it's perfectly normal for it to have escaped!"

"So that's how it is!" Yang Wu suddenly realized.

Just then, Chu Tian and Zhou Zheng arrived beside the group.

"The direction that Fire-Scaled Three-Pronged Pig fled in seems to be the direction of the Great Strength Demon Ape's lair. I fear it is going to seek help from the Great Strength Demon Ape!"

Chu Tian said sternly: "We must leave immediately and return to the Base City at once!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Everyone responded in unison.

The six of them worked simultaneously, quickly harvesting the materials from all the Beast General Level monsters before the Phantom Squad swiftly departed toward the southeast.

To avoid a genuine encounter with the Great Strength Demon Ape, they decided to take a detour back to the Base City.

Half a day later, having left the vicinity of City 023, the Phantom Squad decided to take a short rest. It was now the evening of August 31st.

As it happened, it was Yang Wu and Zhou Zheng's turn to stand guard.

Beside a highway in the Wilderness Area, inside an abandoned service station, Zhou Zheng and Yang Wu sat at the entrance of a relatively intact room to keep watch.

It was midsummer, and there were many mosquitoes and insects in the wild, but fortunately, Yang Wu and the others had lit special incense, so no insects came to bite them.

Yang Wu sat cross-legged on a tattered mat, his mind constantly replaying everything that had happened today.

The scene of the life-and-death crisis, and the opportunity to break through in the face of death.

Yang Wu was contemplating whether all of this was worth it.

"Today, my footwork broke through to the Micro-Level in the face of death; the gains were indeed significant! But, I also nearly died!"

Thinking of the moment that Intermediate Beast General Level monster charged at him, Yang Wu couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. If he had been hit head-on, he would have undoubtedly died.

"With the Simulator, even if I stayed in the Base City, my strength could still steadily improve. Even if it were a bit slower, it would be safe!"

Yang Wu gently wiped the now-gleaming Pojun Spear in his hand, his heart filled with hesitation: "If I want to earn money to buy secret manuals and equipment, I could just wait until I break through to the War God Level or Planetary Level before coming to the Wilderness Area to hunt monsters. Earning money would be much faster then!"

Yang Wu thought more and more that coming to the Wilderness Area right now was far too impulsive; he could have slowly grown stronger, yet he insisted on putting himself in danger.

Gradually, the thought of returning to the Base City and quitting the Phantom Squad began to form in Yang Wu's mind!

No!

His line of thinking was completely wrong!

Suddenly, Yang Wu began to shake his head repeatedly.

Fragments of memories kept surfacing in his mind.

There were his own personal experiences, the text displayed on the Simulator during his two simulations, and even the content from the novels he had read in his past life...

"That's right, even in the Base City, it is not absolutely safe! In the first simulation, I died right inside the Base City, and even in the second simulation, I most likely died at the hands of Li Yao."

"If one truly offends a powerful martial artist, even hiding in the Base City is not absolutely safe!"

"The Golden Horned Beast, the Nuolanshan Family, and even the various powerhouses who will covet Earth in the future..."

"In this world, where is there any place that is absolutely safe? Even someone as strong as the Founder of the Giant Axe would eventually fall!"

"In the original story, even among the most core geniuses of the Virtual Universe Company, only a very small number can break through to become Immortals! And I am nothing more than an ordinary person; even with the existence of the Simulator, it doesn't mean I am guaranteed to become a powerhouse!"

"To keep growing stronger, relying solely on the Simulator is not enough!"

At this moment, Yang Wu's heart was surprisingly firm.

"The path of a powerhouse is not something everyone can walk! If I shrink back, even if I become an Immortal, a Venerable, or a Universe Master with the help of the Simulator, I would be nothing more than a lucky fool."

"A true powerhouse, beyond all external resources, must above all possess the heart of a powerhouse!"