Who Was Walking into Whose Trap?

Black Cloud Mountain was vast. Huo Hai had still underestimated its reach. Even if he never got lost, he had no idea how long it would take to search it from end to end. The more frustrated he grew, the more he hurried.

In the shadows, several figures moved toward Huo Hai at an erratic pace, now fast, now slow. Had he been alone, he would never have noticed them. In his agitation, he had even lost his usual composure. But the Star Gu were different. They were insects; impatience and emotions like it never troubled them.

As one figure moved toward Huo Hai, a Star Gu instinctively sent him word that something was nearby. Then it reported that the thing had stopped moving. Huo Hai went on alert.

Without betraying any reaction, he kept walking. What is it? Wait, it's not a Spirit Beast. Is that... a person? Huo Hai studied the creature's features through the information the Star Gu sent him.

It wore clothes, was dressed entirely in black, and had a build much like his own. It was definitely human. Huo Hai grew wary and silently berated himself for rushing. His experience and self-control still weren't good enough.

But these people... Are they here for the World-Spirit Fruit? Wait. Their target is me. So they've come out specifically to get rid of everyone else. Huo Hai's mouth curved. He took them for people sent to clear the area. And if they were clearing it, they intended to keep it to themselves. Huo Hai could guess why.

In games, people usually claimed an area to farm monsters. On Earth, an area was usually cordoned off because something important had happened. Here, on Black Cloud Mountain, it had to have something to do with the World-Spirit Fruit.

Now that