First Experience in the "Wilderness"

Early the next morning, a tense atmosphere condensed on the training grounds. A large quantity of weapons and armor was laid out on the open field, and the students were ordered to gather their required gear within 15 minutes before assembling for departure. The entire scene was designed to evoke the urgency of preparing for a major battle.

Armored buses, packed with young descendants from various prominent families, traveled along a potholed, weed-choked abandoned highway. The bus bodies were covered in mottled scratches and dents that looked suspiciously like claw marks.

Outside the windows lay a scene of ruin and desolation. The skeletons of collapsed buildings resembled the carcasses of giant beasts, with twisted steel bars stubbornly piercing the gray sky. Abandoned vehicles were rusted through, swallowed by tangled vines.

Inside the bus, the atmosphere was heavy. These young elites, who lived in the lap of luxury within the base city, had never seen such a raw, unvarnished glimpse of the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Each of them had their face pulled tight, subconsciously gripping the alloy sabers or spears in their hands, while their other hands constantly stroked the similarly restless battle pets beside them, as if drawing courage from these furry (or scale-covered) companions.

"Do you all see this?" At the front of the bus, a scarred, fierce-looking instructor growled through the vehicle's intercom. "This is the world outside! No high walls, no automated defense turrets! Only the law of the jungle! The weapons in your hands and the battle pets by your sides are the only things you can rely on!"

"Remember! The greatest danger doesn't just come from monsters! You might also encounter... other hunting squads in the wilderness! Human hearts are unpredictable!" The instructor's voice carried a chilling edge, causing many of the boys and girls to shiver.

Lin Mo was being hugged tightly around the neck by Wang Keke (it was getting a bit difficult now). He rested his massive tiger head against the window, his amber eyes darting around as he carefully scrutinized the outside world.

Hmm, the ruins were very realistic, the weeds were growing with a wild aesthetic, and the atmosphere was well-rendered.

However...

He keenly noticed that some of the windows in the seemingly collapsed buildings had extremely subtle reflections—the telltale sign of high-definition cameras.

In the shadows of certain vantage points, the presence of individuals was suppressed almost perfectly, but that rock-solid, steady aura belonging to a War General rank martial artist could not escape his perception, which had been enhanced by his Devour Talent. Further away, he could even sense the occasional cold glint of a sniper scope.

Good grief! Lin Mo thought, impressed. This security is tighter than the Wang Family Manor! And they call these 'wilderness squads'? And 'unpredictable human hearts'?

Which fool would dare to cause trouble in a 'theme park' built jointly by the five great families and the military? They'd probably be wiped out in the next second by a sniper bullet flying from who knows where or a War General expert jumping out!

He instantly understood that this was another meticulously planned "reality show." It allowed these little rookies to experience the tension of the wild while ensuring their safety to the greatest extent possible. Truly... a painstaking effort!

"Damn it, so this is a large-scale immersive role-playing site?" Lin Mo looked up at the ceiling of the bus, speechless. "No wonder that old fox Wang Qingtian was willing to let his precious daughter come out."

The vehicles finally stopped in front of a heavily guarded outpost. After a final identity verification and equipment check, the boys and girls were ordered to form groups.

"At most two people per group! Form your own teams! The mission is to collect the left ears of ten Beast Soldier Rank monsters as proof! Time limit: until sunset!" the scarred instructor roared. "Now, begin!"

The crowd immediately became restless, and those who were familiar with each other quickly huddled together. Wang Keke had a special status and was quite strong (mostly because her battle pet was strong), so while a few people wanted to team up with her, she politely declined them all.

"Mimi and I will be a team." Wang Keke patted Lin Mo's sturdy shoulder, her tone tinged with nervousness but filled with trust. She wore a piece of light combat armor that fit her body, outlining the curves of a girl just beginning to mature, with two gleaming throwing knives—specially crafted for a Spirit Reader—crossed on her back.

Lin Mo let out a low growl to signal his agreement. Teaming up? Wouldn't that just mean someone else to split the experience (monsters) with?

Man and tiger, under the sympathetic or expectant gazes of the other groups, were the first to step into the trial grounds known as "Pei Town."

Once they entered the town, the sense of decay became even more intense. The air was filled with dust, mold, and a faint, lingering scent of blood. Collapsed walls, shattered glass, and dark, abandoned shops seemed as if some monster might rush out at any moment.

Wang Keke was visibly nervous, her focus at its peak, with two throwing knives hovering silently beside her like vigilant vipers. She followed closely behind Lin Mo, whispering, "Mimi, be careful..."

Lin Mo, however, had completely relaxed. After confirming that this was a "safe zone," he fully unleashed some of the instincts he had been suppressing for so long. He was no longer the house pet who had to carefully play the role of a "clever cub," but was gradually reclaiming the feeling of being the King of the Jungle.

His nostrils flared, catching the lingering scent of monsters in the air. His ears swiveled, filtering through the sound of the wind and distant movements. His pace was light and steady, his paw pads landing without a sound, like a seasoned hunter.

They hadn't gone far when Lin Mo stopped at a ruined supermarket intersection, a low, warning growl rumbling in his throat.

Wang Keke immediately clenched her fists in tension, her hovering throwing knives pointing toward the pitch-black entrance of the supermarket.

"Snort—snort—"

Heavy breathing and the sound of hooves scraping the ground came from within. Immediately after, three sturdy, thick-skinned monsters with two curved tusks protruding from their mouths—Tusked Wild Boars—rushed out with red eyes! They were clearly angered by the "uninvited guests" who had broken into their territory, their Beast Soldier Rank auras undisguised.

If this had been earlier, Wang Keke might have panicked. But after the high-intensity training she had undergone with Lin Mo during this period, her reaction was lightning-fast!

"Go!"

With a thought, the two throwing knives turned into silver lightning, carrying a faint whistling sound as they precisely shot toward the eyes of the two boars in the lead! This was a tactic Lin Mo and she had practiced countless times—prioritize attacking vulnerable spots!

"Awoo! Awoo!"

With two shrill cries, the two boars were instantly blinded, spinning in place in pain and crashing around wildly.

And almost at the same time the throwing knives were launched, Lin Mo moved!

[Power Burst]!

The muscles in his thick hind legs contracted instantly, then released like a spring compressed to its limit!

Whoosh!

His already swift figure was now so fast it left a white afterimage! He was even faster than Wang Keke's throwing knives, aiming straight for the third and largest boar!

The boar only saw a white blur; before it could react, a massive force slammed into its flank!

Bang!

Crack!

A clear sound of bone breaking rang out! The boar's heavy body, weighing nearly a thousand pounds, was sent flying by Lin Mo's ferocious charge, slamming heavily into the broken wall nearby. It didn't even let out a grunt; it was clearly dead.

The other two blinded boars hadn't recovered from the intense pain when Lin Mo had already returned like a ghost. His sharp claws flashed with a cold light, and with the unshakeable confidence granted by [Tough Skin], he struck directly at the boars' hard skulls!

Puchi! Puchi!

Like a hot knife through butter, his claws easily pierced the skulls, ending their suffering.

The battle lasted less than ten seconds from start to finish.

Three Beast Soldier Rank Tusked Wild Boars, completely wiped out.

Wang Keke opened her mouth wide, watching Lin Mo, who had easily finished the fight and was now leisurely using his claws to poke at the boar carcasses, seemingly choosing where to take a bite. Her previous nervousness vanished, replaced by pure excitement and admiration.

"Mimi! You're so cool!"

Lin Mo raised his head, shook the non-existent blood off his claws, and sent a smug thought through their mental link, roughly meaning: 'Basic operation, don't be surprised. Hurry up and cut the ears, let's find a place to roast some pork!'

He remembered that the Bestiary said the tenderloin of a Tusked Wild Boar tasted quite good...

This trial seemed much more interesting than he had imagined.