The Wilderness was full of dangers, but it was also rich with opportunities.
Perhaps because Exotic Beasts roamed freely there, the soil could nurture all kinds of special medicinal herbs, which were extremely valuable to humanity.
For instance, the Phoenix Tail Grass Lu Chong needed to cultivate the Golden Cicada Robe mainly came from the Wilderness. It was difficult to obtain through artificial cultivation.
So bounty-hunting Martial Artists and Military Department scouts often risked entering the Wilderness. While hunting and clearing out Exotic Beasts, they searched for all kinds of precious medicinal herbs.
Both Exotic Beasts and medicinal herbs were scarce resources in the human world.
"Look, it's a first-grade medicinal herb, Scorching Sun Flower."
As they made their way forward, one student's eyes suddenly lit up. He pointed at a particularly vibrant red flower with three leaves and called out.
As he spoke, he bent down to reach for it. This kind of low-grade medicinal herb wasn't especially valuable, but it was still worth a few hundred bucks.
More importantly, collecting medicinal herbs could also earn military merit.
But just as the student's hand neared the fiery-red petals, a shadow suddenly darted out, making straight for his neck.
"Look out!" a student beside him shouted.
But the shadow was moving too fast. The student reaching for the herb had no time to react.
Just then, a streak of dark light suddenly shot through the air from afar and struck the shadow dead on, sending it flying.
The one who had acted was Lu Chong, a dozen or so meters away. He had been holding two pebbles in his hand, and now they had come in handy.
The students breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the fallen shadow, they couldn't help but stare in alarm.
"That's a third-stage Black Mosquito. One bite could take half our lives. That was close!"
The thing killed by the pebble really was a mosquito.
But it was much larger than the mosquitoes Lu Chong had seen in his previous life. Its bloodsucking proboscis alone was as long as a little finger.
"Thanks, Lu Chong." The student who had been about to pick the flower was pale with fright. If Lu Chong hadn't acted in time, he'd have been sent back for emergency treatment by now.
"No problem."
Lu Chong walked over with a grin, picked up the Scorching Sun Flower, and handed it to the soldier following behind them.
Both the flower and the Black Mosquito counted toward military merit, so naturally, he wasn't about to pass them up.
The student didn't mind. He continued thanking Lu Chong profusely.
The students continued onward, but they became much more cautious.
They realized this was the Wilderness, where deadly dangers could appear at any moment.
At the rear, Instructor Liu Ziqiang quietly put away his pistol. If Lu Chong hadn't acted just now, he would have stopped the Black Mosquito in time himself.
These battle-hardened soldiers knew best that in the Wilderness, any creature could harbor a deadly threat.
Even a low-grade, third-stage Black Mosquito like the one just now could launch a sneak attack and kill a high-stage Martial Disciple.
This wasn't a drill. It was real combat. No one would warn you in advance that they were coming.
The students swept the area methodically, pushing deeper into the Wilderness. They saw more and more medicinal herbs, along with all kinds of hard-to-spot first-grade mosquitoes and insects.
These insects, which normally appeared only in textbooks, always showed up when least expected, then went straight for their prey's life.
Fortunately, the students adapted fairly well. They quickly learned to put their lessons into practice and found their rhythm without making any more mistakes.
What frustrated them was that Lu Chong had already claimed nearly half of the mosquitoes and Exotic Beasts that appeared.
The only things Lu Chong didn't snatch were medicinal herbs that other students had spotted first.
"It all counts toward military merit. When it comes to stealing kills, I'm a pro."
Lu Chong didn't feel the least bit embarrassed. They were competitors, after all. As long as the instructor didn't say otherwise, that meant he had permission to steal their kills.
Besides, most of the students, who were used to living in comfort, didn't care about this little bit of money. They were more bothered by the bloody scenes and would rather let Lu Chong take the kills.
"That kid really isn't afraid of blood," the class monitor muttered in surprise, rejoining Liu Ziqiang at the back of the group.
Liu Ziqiang said indifferently, "All he's doing is killing a few low-stage bugs and swatting some mosquitoes. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Let's see if he can stay calm when it's his own blood—or someone on his side's. That's what real courage is," Liu Ziqiang said meaningfully.
The class monitor remembered the first time he'd seen a fellow soldier bitten clean through the arm, and the first time an Exotic Beast had torn a chunk of flesh from someone. He nodded in deep agreement.
Before they knew it, noon had arrived. They had successfully searched their way to a point twenty kilometers beyond the Fortress, and another five kilometers would bring them back.
Though they'd encountered no serious trouble along the way, the students were already showing signs of fatigue.
Having to keep their nerves on edge every moment in a place like this put far too much psychological pressure on them.
Knowing they'd soon be back at the Fortress, the students relaxed a little. This really wasn't a place for people to live.
But just as they were about to turn back, Lu Chong's nose twitched. He abruptly turned toward a towering tree a dozen or so meters away.
The sight made Lu Chong jump, too.
A large snake, almost indistinguishable from the bark, was coiled around the tree's brown trunk. Its flat head was hidden among the drooping branches, staring at a student passing below, less than two meters away.
Hiss!
At that moment, the snake's head suddenly moved, launching from stillness like a spring. It was incredibly fast.
"Watch out!"
Lu Chong and the instructor at the back reacted almost simultaneously. One threw a pebble; the other drew his gun and fired.
Bang!
The pebble struck the snake's head, while the bullet hit its vital point.
But this snake wasn't like the low-stage mosquitoes and insects from before. It was an Eighth Stage Withered Wood Snake, with far greater vitality.
Though it was in pain, it only swung its body once before dropping even faster. It opened its gaping jaws and bit down on the student's forearm.
The terrified student still reacted in time to shield his head with his arm.
That was all, though. He had completely forgotten the Martial Skills he'd learned, leaving him with nothing but a simple reflex.
The bite made him scream. Panicking, he shook his arm again and again, trying to fling the snake off.
Just then, Lu Chong arrived first. He used the Eagle Claw Technique, fiercely grabbing the snake at its vital point.
His five fingers pierced straight into the snake's body, drawing blood.
With a sudden heave, Lu Chong lifted the Withered Wood Snake, tearing a chunk of flesh from the student's arm along with it.
Caught at its vital point, the Withered Wood Snake shrieked in pain. Its two-meter-long body lashed at Lu Chong like a whip, trying to coil around him.
"I've spoiled you long enough."
Lu Chong steeled himself and thrust out his other hand in a claw, fearlessly grabbing the snake's whipping tail.
Then he suddenly wrenched with all his strength, tearing the snake in two with his bare hands. Blood sprayed everywhere.
The scene was so gruesome that the surrounding students scattered in terror.
"Good grief, that kid's more savage than an Exotic Beast," the class monitor murmured, dumbfounded.
"What are you standing around for? Get over there and help the injured student!" Liu Ziqiang shouted, only after taking in Lu Chong, covered in blood.
Before you continue