Hidden inside a high-rise, Wang Keke and Lin Mo listened as the commotion of the Rat Tide gradually faded into the distance, and both breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Keke took out her canteen and sipped from it, calming her pounding heart, while Lin Mo carefully licked the rat blood and dust from his fur. His amber eyes still held a trace of irritation at being mobbed.
"These rats are terrifying..." Wang Keke said, still shaken. "We absolutely can't stay in one place for too long from now on, especially... um, especially after grilling meat." She looked a little embarrassed as she spoke; the idea had been hers, after all.
Lin Mo nodded emphatically and sent her a thought: A lesson paid for in blood. Never forget.
Just as they were resting and preparing to look for their next hunting target, new sounds came from the street below.
It wasn't the rat swarm returning. These sounds were nimbler—and far more dangerous.
"Hsssh—"
"Meow—!"
A low, threatening hiss and a sharp cat's cry rang out, mixed with the brief, dying squeals of rats.
Wang Keke and Lin Mo exchanged a glance, then quietly moved to the shattered window and cautiously looked down.
In the area where they had just fought the rat swarm, a new hunt was unfolding.
Three feline monsters, each about the size of a leopard but with larger heads and a few tiger-like features, were nimbly pouncing on the Iron-Toothed Rats left isolated or wounded after the Rat Tide scattered.
Their movements were graceful and deadly. Every swipe of their claws precisely tore open a rat's throat or spine, while their powerful hind legs gave them astonishing leaping ability. A single bound could carry them several meters.
They were Tiger-Headed Cats at mid-Beast Soldier Rank! They had clearly been drawn by the rat swarm and were now enjoying an "all-you-can-eat buffet."
"Tiger-Headed Cats..." Wang Keke whispered, communicating with Lin Mo through their mental link. "Their senses of smell and hearing are both sharp. We need to be careful and wait for them to finish eating and leave."
Lin Mo watched the three Tiger-Headed Cats. Their fluid hunting movements, and the beauty of their feline agility combined with explosive power, stirred something in him.
If I devoured one of these monsters, could I gain a talent like Agility or Precision? That might go a long way toward compensating for my current, rather straightforward fighting style.
However, he knew that three mid-Beast Soldier Rank Tiger-Headed Cats were no match for the three foolish wild boars they'd fought before. The felines' quick reflexes and cooperative hunting skills made them extremely troublesome. He suppressed his growing eagerness and decided to follow Wang Keke's suggestion and avoid a direct confrontation for now.
But things rarely went as planned.
Just as one of the Tiger-Headed Cats picked up an Iron-Toothed Rat, ready to eat, its massive tiger-like head suddenly froze. Its sensitive nostrils flared several times toward the building where Lin Mo and Wang Keke were hiding.
The air was thick with the smell of rat blood and the cats' own scent, but another trace lingered too... a faint fragrance that didn't belong here, the scent of a human girl, and... a powerful predator's presence that felt unfamiliar, yet somehow made it wary.
"Hsssh—!"
The Tiger-Headed Cat gave a warning growl, dropped its food, and fixed its amber, slit-pupil eyes on a window in the building. The other two cats, still eating, immediately raised their heads and looked over warily.
They'd found them!
No good! We've been spotted! Wang Keke tensed.
The next second, the leading Tiger-Headed Cat bent its limbs, then powerfully launched itself with its strong hind legs!
Whoosh!
It leaped a full four or five meters, its sharp, hook-like claws digging into the damaged wall beneath the second-floor window. Its enormous head, radiating murderous intent, thrust through the opening! Its slit pupils instantly fixed on Wang Keke and Lin Mo inside the room!
"Ah!" Startled by the sudden close encounter, Wang Keke took a step back. The Flying Dagger she controlled with Psychic Power shot out in a flash!
But the Tiger-Headed Cat was far faster than she'd expected! It tilted its head, and the Flying Dagger grazed its ear, shearing off only a few hairs! The cat was already about to leap all the way inside.
At that critical moment, a white blur slammed into it from the side like a cannonball!
It was Lin Mo!
He'd already been poised to strike. Power Burst sent him surging forward at incredible speed, like a rampaging bull charging through a gate, and he slammed hard into half the Tiger-Headed Cat's body!
"Bang!"
A dull impact rang out, followed by the Tiger-Headed Cat's pained hiss. The force of the blow knocked it straight out of the window. It landed awkwardly on the street below and rolled several times before regaining its footing, but it had clearly taken a heavy hit.
However, the danger wasn't over!
As Lin Mo knocked the first cat away, the other two used their incredible leaping ability to spring through different broken windows like twin bolts of gray lightning! They had a clear target: the smaller, "weaker"-seeming Wang Keke!
"Mimi!" Wang Keke cried. She called back her two Flying Daggers, which flashed into silver streaks and guarded her from the front as she desperately tried to hold them off.
One Tiger-Headed Cat twisted in midair with feline agility, dodged the Flying Daggers, and slashed straight at Wang Keke's face! The other pounced from the side, cutting off her escape!
Their coordination was flawless, their attacks vicious!
Lin Mo roared and tried to rush to her aid, but the Tiger-Headed Cat he'd knocked away had already recovered. It growled and pounced on him again, keeping him pinned down!
In an instant, the room became a chaotic and dangerous battlefield!
Using the sharp senses of a Spirit Reader and the flexibility of her Flying Daggers, Wang Keke managed to hold her own, but she was struggling to fend off two mid-Beast Soldier Rank monsters renowned for their agility. She was in constant danger. Several white scratches quickly appeared on her light armor; without the Flying Daggers to disrupt their attacks, she would already have been wounded.
Lin Mo was even more furious. His Tiger-Headed Cat was extremely cunning. It avoided a direct clash, instead using its speed to circle and harass him, its claws striking like a poisonous snake whenever an opening appeared. They left scratch after scratch on his Tough Skin. Though they couldn't break through his defenses, they severely restricted his movements and kept him from helping Wang Keke right away.
I can't let this go on! Lin Mo thought grimly. He could see that Wang Keke was struggling to hold out.
He deliberately exposed an opening and took a claw strike from the Tiger-Headed Cat fighting him. Pain throbbed in his chest, but at the same time, his thick, long tail lashed out like an iron whip, predicting where the cat would land!
"Whap!"
His tail struck the Tiger-Headed Cat squarely in the waist! Felines were known for having "iron heads, iron bones, and tofu waists," and the blow nearly knocked the breath out of it. Its movements faltered for an instant!
Now!
Lin Mo ignored it, activated Power Burst again, and charged like a horse gone Unbridled toward the two Tiger-Headed Cats attacking Wang Keke!
"Roar!"
His furious Tiger Roar shook them to the core! The two cats attacking Wang Keke with all their might were struck by the sudden roar and overwhelming presence. Their movements slowed for a split second.
Wang Keke seized her chance and poured all her Psychic Power into her attack. The two Flying Daggers sped up again, clinging to one of the cats like a pair of silver fish that wouldn't let go.
Lin Mo, a white reaper, pounced straight at the other! This time he held nothing back. His claws gleamed coldly as he brought them down with enough force to tear through anything!
The Tiger-Headed Cat tried to dodge with its superior agility, but Lin Mo's attack came at a devilishly sharp angle, blocking most of its escape routes!
"Thwack!"
His claws slammed into its shoulder blade, and the sound of breaking bone rang out clearly! The Tiger-Headed Cat howled and was driven to the ground by the tremendous force.
Lin Mo showed no mercy. His other claw followed, ending its life on the spot.
On the other side, the Tiger-Headed Cat ensnared by the Flying Daggers saw its companion killed in an instant and panicked. It tried to flee, but Wang Keke wasn't about to let it go. Her Psychic Power locked onto it, and her Flying Daggers darted around like silver fish until one finally found its mark and pierced the cat's throat!
The Tiger-Headed Cat Lin Mo had struck in the waist had just regained its senses when it saw both of its companions dead. Terrified, it spun around and tried to leap out the window.
"Trying to run?" Lin Mo sneered. He pushed off with all four limbs and caught up just as it leaped through the window, clamping his jaws around the back of its neck.
"Crack!"
Its neck bone snapped with a crisp sound.
The battle was over.
The room was a mess, and the thick stench of blood filled the air. Wang Keke leaned limply against the wall, breathing heavily. Sweat covered her forehead, and her face was pale; she'd clearly spent a tremendous amount of Psychic Power.
Lin Mo was panting slightly too. Looking at the three Tiger-Headed Cat corpses on the ground, he felt little joy. Instead, he grew more serious. They'd struggled badly against three mid-Beast Soldier Rank Tiger-Headed Cats, and their teamwork and tactics had both fallen short. If he hadn't been so resilient and powerful, Wang Keke might have been in danger just then.
It seems that attributes and talents alone aren't enough. I still need plenty of training in combat experience and quick thinking.
He went over to Wang Keke and gently rubbed his head against her, sending her a thought filled with concern.
Wang Keke felt his care and was warmed by it. She reached out and hugged his furry, oversized head. Her voice was still trembling slightly. "Mimi... we won... but that was so hard..."
Lin Mo growled softly in agreement.
The encounter had taught them an even deeper lesson. In the wilderness, danger lurked everywhere, and the roles of hunter and prey could change at any moment.
He glanced at the Tiger-Headed Cat corpses on the ground, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.
Now it was time to collect their spoils. What kind of surprise might these agile feline monsters bring him?
Before you continue