The Hunt Begins

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and the end of the year drew near.

With the approach of the year-end, Green Sun Town ushered in its most bustling time of the year.

From within a hundred-mile radius, numerous factions and people drawn by reputation swarmed in.

The Hunting Competition was attended by many factions beyond the major ones of Green Sun Town, though their desire for victory was not strong; they were merely there to watch the excitement and incidentally boost their family's reputation, nothing more.

But regardless of their motives, the hunting activity in Green Sun Town was the liveliest and largest event within a hundred miles. Whoever emerged victorious, both their family and the individual would see their fame rise significantly.

The time for the Hunting Competition was set for the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the location was the Beast Horn Arena outside Green Sun Town. This was the most magnificent structure in the town, occupying a vast area that even encompassed a forest spanning dozens of miles. In the center of that forest lay a massive platform converted from a small mountain peak, where countless eyes would be fixed, and where the champion of the hunt would be born.

As the hand of the clock slowly pointed to the day of the Hunting Competition, countless people marched in a grand procession toward the Beast Horn Arena.

"Is this the Beast Horn Arena?"

Lin Ge stood on a high platform, looking down at the entire arena and the dense forest, feeling slightly surprised.

"Yes."

Behind Lin Ge stood the members of the Lin Clan, including Lin Zhentian, Lin Xiao, and Lin Dong.

"The forest below connects directly to the deep mountains, so it is filled with ferocious beasts. Participants in the Hunting Competition will each receive a badge marking their identity before being thrown inside. In that forest, you must rely on your own abilities to survive the claws of those beasts."

Lin Zhentian said with a chuckle, "Furthermore, while surviving those beasts, you must also find a way to take ten identity badges from others to qualify for stepping onto the giant platform in the center of the forest. A hunt is a hunt; it is not just about hunting beasts, but in truth, it is even more about hunting people."

Lin Ge's eyes narrowed gradually. This Hunting Competition was truly not simple. To need ten identity badges to qualify for the giant platform meant one had to defeat ten people. But everyone participating in the hunt was a genius from their respective family; how could they be so easily defeated?

Lin Ge could imagine just how intense the competition within the forest would be.

"There are over a hundred identity badges in total, which means at most only a dozen or so people will be able to ascend the giant platform in the end. Many participants in the hunt will end in failure; this competition can be considered quite fierce," Lin Zhentian said, his hands clasped behind his back.

"One hundred to ten? That's interesting."

Lin Ge nodded slightly, a smile playing on his lips.

"Heh, with Lin Ge's current strength, ascending the platform will be a simple matter of reaching out and taking it," Lin Ken said with a smile from the side.

"Is it just about ascending the platform?"

Lin Ge smiled without speaking, but a sharp glint appeared in his eyes, as if he were plotting something.

Lin Dong stood beside Lin Ge and naturally caught the smile on his face. His brows furrowed; he always felt that Lin Ge's smile was somewhat malicious.

"Heh, Lin Zhentian, long time no see. It seems your old bones are still as tough as ever."

Just as the Lin Clan members were chatting, a discordant voice came from afar. Upon hearing this voice, the members of the Lin Clan felt uncomfortable, their brows knitting together.

Lin Ge glanced sideways to see a large group of people marching toward them from a distance. The crowds blocking their path scattered rapidly, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at them.

At the forefront of that group were two men walking side by side. One was dressed in a pale gray silk robe and appeared to be of a similar age to Lin Zhentian. His eyes were deeply sunken, appearing quite cold and sharp. The other was a middle-aged man whose face was always plastered with a smile, appearing very kind; however, only those who knew him well understood that this fellow was actually a smiling tiger.

"Lei Bao, Xie Qian."

Although his memory of the hunting affairs was not particularly clear, Lin Ge knew the leaders of the Lei and Xie clans of Green Sun Town well enough; after all, they were among the few experts at the Heaven Origin Stage in the town.

"Old Man Lei, don't worry, these old bones of mine will enter the coffin later than yours," Lin Zhentian said, looking at the approaching members of the Lei and Xie clans with a radiant smile. If one didn't listen to the tone of their voices and only looked at their expressions, one would think they were the best of friends.

"When you have too many things to worry about, living a long life isn't easy," Lei Bao said indifferently, then shifted his gaze to Lin Ge, his expression tightening slightly.

The name of the number one genius of Green Sun Town had long spread far and wide; how could Lei Bao not know of him?

"Is he the rumored number one genius of Green Sun Town? He is indeed a talent."

"Just a small reputation, how could it compare to your Lei Clan?"

Lin Zhentian spoke with great humility, but anyone could see the pride and arrogance in his eyes.

"I hope he can really give this old man a surprise when the time comes," Xie Qian said with a smile, though a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"He will, the seniors will see it soon enough," Lin Ge said with a faint smile and a calm expression.

Lin Ge understood the character of Xie Qian and Lei Bao well enough; they would surely have the participants from the Lei and Xie clans target him later, but he was not afraid—in fact, he was looking forward to it.

Lin Ge's sudden interjection surprised the two men and also annoyed them, though they masked it well enough that no one else noticed.

"Is that so? Then I shall look forward to your performance later."

After saying this, the two left with their group, leaving the Lin Clan in a deathly silence.

"It looks like they have their eyes on Lin Ge. Father..." Lin Ken whispered.

"Things have reached this point, we can only leave it to fate," Lin Zhentian understood as well, but having no way to resolve it, he simply sighed and offered a word of comfort.

Lin Ge, however, did not share their worries and remained completely calm. He turned to look at Lin Dong and said with a low laugh, "A pack of wolves fighting a lion—who do you think has the better chance of winning?"

Lin Dong's eyelids twitched at the question, and he replied calmly, "Under normal circumstances, the pack of wolves wins, but right now, the lion wins."

Lin Ge seemed to have expected Lin Dong to say this, and he laughed happily, saying, "A mayfly trying to topple a tree—it is time to let those ants know what a true genius is, and what true power is!"

Lin Ge's voice was very soft, audible only to Lin Dong, but it was precisely because of this that Lin Dong felt even more grave.

"Lin Ge intends to fight all the geniuses of the Lei and Xie clans with his own strength!"