What Was That?!

Jumping down from the Steel-Armored Rhino's back, Liu Gu stretched and smiled easily. "Young boss, what kind of resource are you here to gather?"

"This." Xu Ran plucked a ripe Azure Jade Fruit and held it up for everyone to see. "It's an essential ingredient in all Contract Beast food. Eating it directly can restore some strength, but it tastes bad."

"How bad?" Liu Gu casually picked one and bit into it. His face immediately darkened, and he whipped his head aside, spitting it out. "Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!"

"Hahaha, the young boss told you it tasted bad, but you just had to try it." Liu Xue covered her mouth and laughed, while the other squad members shook their heads helplessly.

"I was curious." Liu Gu scratched his head. "Young boss, you need to gather a hundred jin, right? How about we help?"

"Sure." Xu Ran didn't refuse Liu Gu's kindness.

"Uncle Liu, look. The ripe Azure Jade Fruits are the ones whose surfaces have turned completely blue-green and become translucent."

"Got it!" Liu Gu made an "all good" gesture, ducked into the bushes, and began picking deftly.

"Every extra second outside the city is dangerous. Let's all help so we can finish gathering and head back as soon as possible." Zhang Yun waved everyone over to help. Even the Contract Beasts pitched in.

Each ripe Azure Jade Fruit was the size of a fist. With everyone working together, they soon filled an entire sack.

"About a hundred jin." Liu Gu tied the sack shut, hefted it, and nodded slightly. "Young boss, will this be enough?"

"More than enough."

Xu Ran checked Beginner Mission 3 and confirmed that he had met the requirements. All he had to do was bring these hundred jin of Azure Jade Fruits back to the shop to complete the mission. He nodded.

"In that case, let's get back inside the city as soon as possible." Zhang Yun looked around, his expression rather serious. "I'm worried something will happen if we stay out here too long."

"Captain, aren't you being a little too cautious?" Yan Fan sounded unconcerned. "We've been outside the city for less than an hour, and we haven't run into a single Supernatural Creature in all that time."

"That's exactly why something feels wrong." Zhang Yun's voice was grave. "Have you ever spent an hour outside the city without encountering a hostile Supernatural Creature?"

"Well..." Hearing Zhang Yun put it that way, Yan Fan couldn't help shaking his head. "Now that you mention it, I don't think I have."

"Now that the captain mentions it, I've noticed it too." Liu Xue looked puzzled. "Could we just be having good luck today?"

"Don't count on luck." Zhang Yun shook his head slightly. "When something's this unusual, there's a reason. Whatever that reason is, we have no need to take risks."

Listening to the three of them, Xu Ran instinctively touched the Lucky Charm hidden beneath his collar.

The Lucky Charm was still glowing, a sign that it hadn't taken effect.

Apparently, his Lucky Charm wasn't responsible.

Was something really wrong?

His heart tightened. Zhang Yun's analysis had made him nervous, and he couldn't help interjecting, "We've gathered all the resources. Let's hurry back."

With Xu Ran, their employer, saying so as well, the others said no more. They carefully secured the sack of Azure Jade Fruits to the Steel-Armored Rhino's back armor, then quickly climbed aboard.

"Go!" Du Heng said softly. The Steel-Armored Rhino gave a low growl and set its four powerful legs in motion. Its feet pounded the ground with a rumbling thunder as it quickly retraced their route.

"Once we're back in the city, we'll take a few days to rest properly." Liu Gu stretched and grinned at Xu Ran. "Actually, we were planning to take a break after finishing yesterday's job. But you had a commission for us, young boss, so we came out one more time."

"So if you have any similar commissions in the future, remember to consider our Fierce Tiger Hunting Squad first, young boss." Liu Xue smiled at Xu Ran.

"Sure, if I need anything." Xu Ran nodded.

He had gotten along quite well with the members of the Fierce Tiger Hunting Squad, and their repeated encounters had made them reasonably familiar with one another. If he really needed to hire anyone again, they would naturally be his best choice.

The mood was fairly relaxed on the return journey, and everyone riding the Steel-Armored Rhino chatted idly.

Boom!

The Steel-Armored Rhino abruptly slowed, cutting their conversation short.

It turned its head and scanned its surroundings in alarm, looking deeply unsettled.

"Du Heng, what's wrong?" Zhang Yun froze for a moment, then quickly turned to Du Heng.

"The Steel-Armored Rhino sensed unusual vibrations in the ground." Du Heng stroked its large head to soothe it while communicating with it. Soon, he added, "Those strange vibrations are making it uneasy."

"Unusual vibrations?" Du Heng frowned slightly.

As an earth-type Contract Beast, the Steel-Armored Rhino was more sensitive to vibrations in the ground. Anything strong enough to unsettle it was likely no small matter.

Remembering the ominous feeling he had had ever since leaving the city, Du Heng quickly stood on the Steel-Armored Rhino's back and gazed toward Qingzhou City.

From their current position, they could already faintly make out Qingzhou City's towering walls.

"Have it bear with it for a little longer. We're only fifteen minutes from the city gate." Zhang Yun patted Du Heng's shoulder and was about to say more when Yan Fan suddenly cried out beside him, "What was that?!"

Zhang Yun whipped his head around. The other squad members and Xu Ran followed Yan Fan's gaze into the distance.

On the far side of the vast wilderness, something seemed to be surging endlessly.

At first, they could only faintly make out billowing dust, but just a few breaths later, they saw Supernatural Creatures of every shape lurking within it.

They weren't only on the ground. Many vicious-looking Supernatural Creatures were circling and wheeling through the sky as well.

As though acting on a command, all these Supernatural Creatures charged toward Qingzhou City together, their momentum terrifying.

"It's... a beast tide!" Zhang Yun's pupils abruptly contracted, and his face turned pale with fear.

At those words, the other four squad members' expressions became equally terrified.

This form of slaughter through sheer numbers was the most powerful weapon Supernatural Creatures had against human cities.

Even with towering, sturdy walls, humanity still paid an unimaginable price every time a beast tide struck.

"Turn around and head away from the city!" Zhang Yun's expression was graver than ever, and his voice had grown hoarse. "We're in serious trouble this time."

"Can't we rush to Qingzhou City?" Xu Ran asked anxiously. "With the Steel-Armored Rhino's speed, shouldn't we be able to reach the gate before the beast tide arrives?"

"We won't get in," Liu Gu said heavily. "The Beast Tamers in charge of the city's defenses must have already spotted the beast tide. The gates will be locked by now."

"Given the choice between opening the gates to save us and letting the beast tide strike them with devastating force, or keeping the gates shut, the Beast Tamers defending the city will only choose the latter."