When a Fierce Beast Kneels, It Must Have a Plea

Shi Teng had just turned around when the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros in the distance suddenly roared and flew into a frenzy.

Its enormous heads heaved violently, flinging the two burly men away.

A fierce gleam shot from Shi Linhu's eyes as he bellowed, "Die, you beast!"

He sprang into the air, swinging the huge axe in his hands down toward the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros's heads.

The Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros was merely an ordinary fierce beast, but its body was as hard as iron. Eating its flesh could make a person's muscles, bones, and skin as tough as iron blocks.

Its true blood and true essence were stored in its horns, so it took greater care to protect them.

It watched Shi Linhu bring his huge axe down toward its heads.

Seizing the right moment, the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros suddenly kicked out a hind leg, sending Shi Linhu flying with a single blow.

The Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros stood thirty feet tall, and its hind leg was as thick as a bucket. One kick was enough to kill an ordinary person on the spot!

Luckily, Shi Linhu had thick skin and tough flesh!

"Pfft!"

Shi Linhu slammed into the ground and spat out a mouthful of thick blood. His injuries seemed serious.

Shi Feijiao hurried over to Shi Linhu, his face full of concern. "Brother Hu, are you all right?"

Shi Linhu sat upright on the ground, pressing his right hand to his chest. Unable to move for the moment, he said in a low voice, "Don't worry about me. Kill the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros first. The village has already run out of food!"

Shi Feijiao nodded. He knew that more than three hundred people in the village were waiting for them to bring food home!

His eyes widened as he shouted, "Everyone, attack together!"

Four or five men attacked the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros at once.

Their battle-axes hacked into its hard body, yet failed to break through its skin.

Still, the pain made the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros roar repeatedly. It desperately tried to flee, only to be trapped in their fine-meshed net.

Seeing everyone launch another attack,

the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros suddenly opened its enormous mouth and spat out a scorching fireball. Two men raised their battle-axes to block it.

They were instantly blasted away.

The Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros drove forward with all four limbs, charging straight at Shi Feijiao with its sharp horns.

Shi Feijiao was not as robust as Shi Linhu, but he lived up to his name, moving as nimbly as a flood dragon in water.

Rather than dodge, he rushed toward the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros.

Everyone looked startled, unsure what Shi Feijiao intended. Was he actually planning to meet the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros head-on?

Wasn't that sheer bullheadedness!

But just as man and beast were about to collide,

Shi Feijiao pushed off with both feet and sprang into the air, landing astride the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros's head.

He clung tightly to its horn with one hand while pounding its head with the other.

Thump, thump, thump!

The Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros howled in pain, shaking its heads incessantly.

Meanwhile, the others quickly surrounded it. Seizing the opportunity, four men grabbed its forelegs.

With a powerful heave,

they pulled the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros's forelegs out from under it, sending its entire body crashing to the ground.

It made a series of huffing sounds, seemingly struggling for the last time.

After struggling for a while, it finally stopped moving altogether.

A faint smile appeared on Shi Teng's lips. There was still an enormous gulf between ordinary people and fierce beasts.

Surrounding and killing just one Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros took so much manpower and effort.

But why was this different from what the novel described? Shouldn't a Green-Scaled Eagle show up now to steal their prey?

Only after seeing that the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros had stopped responding did Shi Feijiao leap down.

Joy spread across his face. "Find something to tie this beast up and carry it back. One this big should feed everyone for three to five days!"

Then he turned around. "Brother Hu, are you all right?"

Shi Linhu gently rubbed his chest and shook his head. Relief appeared on his rugged face. At last, the villagers would not have to go hungry!

Then his expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Watch out!"

Before his words had faded, the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros suddenly opened its eyes again.

It opened its enormous mouth and spat a fireball at Shi Feijiao, striking him squarely in the back.

He rolled several times across the ground, his back a bloody mess, and instantly lost consciousness.

With scarlet eyes and blood covering its body, the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros rose from the ground again and roared at the sky.

It radiated an imposing pressure.

At the sight, the other villagers retreated several steps in fear.

They were also deeply puzzled.

They had no idea why this particular Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros was so difficult to deal with.

Shi Linhu clenched his teeth. As Stone Village's leader, he had brought them out here to find prey for their people.

Everyone in the village was waiting for them to return!

Images of hungry villagers and crying children seemed to rise in his mind once more.

Resolve flashed in Shi Linhu's eyes. With some difficulty, he used his battle-axe to support himself and stood up.

He shouted, "Don't be afraid, everyone! This beast is already an arrow at the end of its flight. Together, we can kill it. The villagers are all waiting for us to return!"

Thinking of their loved ones and children back in the village, the four or five men found renewed strength.

Under Shi Linhu's command, they launched another attack.

But no matter how they attacked, the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros refused to give up.

It fell to the ground several times, yet rose again each time. Its once iron-hard body was already covered in blood.

At times, it even deliberately protected its rounded belly.

Shi Tieshan stood where he was, leaning on his battle-axe and gasping for breath.

He muttered, "Brother Hu, I can't go on. I really can't. Is this beast even a Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros? I'm starting to fucking wonder whether it's an ancient remnant beast. It still won't stop fighting!"

Shi Tiezhu spoke up as well. "Brother Hu, I can't go on either. I've got no strength left. I couldn't even run now. If we keep this up, I reckon all of us will die here.

"I think we should give up on this Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros. We can gather some wild fruit in the forest later to fill our people's stomachs!"

Shi Tieshan added, "That's right, Brother Hu. Let's give up. Fei Jiao is badly injured, too. We have to get him back to the clan chief for treatment right away, or his life could be in danger!"

Reluctance showed on Shi Linhu's face.

But there really was no better option now. Losing several brothers over one Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros was not worth it.

Then he nodded lightly.

Two burly men helped Shi Feijiao up. Supporting one another, the group of seven men prepared to leave.

Just then, a figure came running from the distance, calling cheerfully, "How could I let our people go without meat? Leave the rest to me!"

"Shi Teng!"

Shi Teng's arrival left everyone utterly astonished.

They watched as Shi Teng drove a fist toward the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros.

Worry filled Shi Linhu's face. "Little Teng, come back! You're no match for it!"

Before his words had faded, everyone's eyes widened in shock.

Boom!

With just one punch, the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros that had stubbornly refused to fall was sent flying and slammed heavily into the ground.

The ground shook.

Everyone stared in disbelief!

"What-!"

Shi Teng bounded forward, lifted the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros with both hands, and hurled it away.

Then he raised the Xingtian Axe he had obtained through signing in, preparing to extract the treasure blood from its horns and offer it to the Willow Deity.

"Die, you beast!"

Just as Shi Teng raised the Xingtian Axe, the Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros actually stood up again, then buckled at both knees.

With a thud, it knelt at Shi Teng's feet.

Its formerly scarlet eyes brimmed with tears.

Shi Teng hesitated, the Xingtian Axe still raised.

Shi Tiezhu said, "When a fierce beast kneels, it must have a plea!"

Shi Tieshan also spoke up. "When we were attacking it just now, I noticed it kept deliberately protecting its belly. Look how round it is. Could it be carrying a calf?"

Shi Teng's eyes brightened slightly. He examined it carefully and found that this was indeed the case.

The Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros's belly was rounded. Anyone who did not know better might have thought it had simply eaten too much.

But on closer inspection, its udders were full and its skin glossy. It looked as though it would give birth before long.

Eat not the crucian carp of the third month, for thousands of fry dwell in its belly.

Strike not the birds of spring, for their young await their mother's return in the nest.

They needed meat, but they could not be too cruel. This would mean one corpse and two lives lost!