Monkeys

The deeper you go into the woods, the dimmer the light becomes.

The trees on both sides grew too densely, their branches intertwined, blocking most of the sunlight. The wind couldn't get in, making the forest stuffy and damp, filled with the heavy smell of rotting, dead leaves.

The ground beneath my feet was covered with a thick layer of dry leaves.

It feels soft and squeaky underfoot, and makes absolutely no sound.

This kind of silence is the most unsettling.

Lu Heng walked steadily and slowly. He didn't dare to look directly ahead, but would occasionally glance at the bushes on both sides, the blind spots behind the trees, and also look back at the way he came.

His back had been uncomfortable ever since he stepped onto the wooded area on the opposite bank.

It's not an illusion.

There really was something watching from behind.

Several times I turned around abruptly, only to find nothing behind me except for still trees and drooping vines; I couldn't see anything at all.

But the skin on the back of my neck remained taut.

Intuition honed through long-term experience in the wilderness is more accurate than sight.

Lu Heng did not back down.

The Stone has been thoroughly searched for, leaving no surplus resources. To gather materials to upgrade the Shelter, the only option is to venture further in.

He clenched his fists, his muscles relaxed, yet he was fully prepared, ready to pounce, block, or retreat at any moment.

Walking a little further in, a patch of dense woods suddenly opened up.

It's a gentle slope.

Unlike the desolate forests elsewhere, this place was covered with dwarf fruit trees, their branches and leaves lush and green, laden with clusters of wild fruit that weighed the branches down.

The surrounding woods were still barren and desolate in late autumn, but this one patch was full of life, which looked particularly awkward and abnormal.

Lu Heng stepped inside.

A faint fruity acidity filled the air, masking the smell of decaying leaves.

He casually picked a wild fruit; its skin was covered in fine hairs and felt slightly cool to the touch.

Wash it clean, break it open and eat it directly.

It tastes extremely sour, so sour it makes your tongue numb, with a slightly astringent taste and a very faint aftertaste.

It doesn't taste good, but it's not poisonous and can fill your stomach.

In those few short seconds, when my attention was focused on the fruit...

A sudden whoosh of wind rushed out from behind!

Extremely fast and extremely light, it was a surprise attack that had been brewing for a long time.

Lu Heng didn't have time to think; his body instinctively twisted to the side.

A dark shadow slammed into the spot where he had just been standing, grazing his shoulder. The heavy impact sent a sharp, dull pain down his shoulder bone, his muscles instantly went numb, and he staggered back two steps.

The fallen leaves were kicked and sent flying everywhere.

The shadowy figure landed swiftly and decisively, instantly turning and lunging again.

This is a large monkey, much stronger than ordinary mountain monkeys, almost half the height of a person. Its black fur is plastered to its taut muscles, its limbs are long, its claws are sharp and curved, its teeth are fine and sharp, and its eyes are ferocious, without the slightest fear, only the fierceness of a predator.

It went straight down my throat.

That's a killer move.

Lu Heng quickly raised his right arm, using his arm armor to brace himself against the wall.

A click.

The monkey's teeth slammed into the metal, creating a piercing, screeching sound.

Using the force of the monkey's attack, Lu Heng pushed with his left hand, lowering his center of gravity and forcefully pushing the monkey backward more than a meter.

As soon as the distance increased, he immediately regained his balance.

The Wristband flashed a faint light.

Rockhowl Monkey

Grade: Black Iron Tier

Description: A pack of strange beasts inhabiting deep mountain cliffs and dense forests. They possess strong limbs and exceptional jumping ability, hunting with sharp claws and teeth. They have a stronger sense of pack instinct than ordinary wild animals, adept at stalking and spying, waiting for the right moment to hunt as a group. Adult individuals can emit a highly penetrating shriek to summon their pack members over long distances. While a single individual's combat strength is limited, their lethality increases exponentially when they form a pack.

It really is a beast.

The Rockhowl Monkey didn't rush forward anymore. It braced itself on all fours, raised its head, and opened its mouth towards the sky.

A sharp, piercing whistling sound suddenly exploded.

The sound was extremely penetrating, echoing back and forth in the dense forest and traveling very far.

Lu Heng understood immediately.

This is not a protest.

It's calling for companions.

The next second, a dense chorus of monkey calls echoed from all directions through the forest.

The objects, some near and some far, are getting closer and closer.

Things hidden in the shadows all around are converging on this side.

Lu Heng calmed down instead.

He raised his hand and touched his chest; through the fabric, he could feel the smooth texture of the Geothermal Talisman.

Two uses remain.

This is his biggest trump card.

He quickly assessed the situation in his mind.

The spying creatures that had been following him were probably these monkeys. They had been patiently tracking him, waiting for him to go deeper into the territory and become isolated before ambushing him.

The calculations were very meticulous.

But Lu Heng wasn't afraid.

He didn't think these monkeys were strong enough to force him to use the Geothermal Talisman twice in a row.

In fact, there's a high probability that it will never be used.

Having figured this out, he decided not to leave.

If we keep hiding and avoiding, we'll never figure out the fighting strength in this area. Since they've come looking for us, let's test their strength and see what these strange beasts of the mountains are capable of.

As the whistling subsided, the forest began to stir.

Dark shadows darted out from the branches of the large trees one after another.

Numerous monkeys appeared one after another in the grass, tree branches, and along the edges of the slope, quickly gathering around and slowly tightening their encirclement.

The quantity was more than expected.

Lu Heng's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart skipped a beat.

At first glance, the dark mass made him almost believe that all the creatures charging towards him were Black Iron-Level Exotic Beast, and a sudden pressure pressed down on his chest.

He dared not rely solely on visual inspection, so he immediately activated his Wristband to quickly examine the surrounding troop of monkeys.

A few seconds later, the test results popped up one by one.

Most of the individuals were not ranked; they were just ordinary-sized wild monkeys. They darted back and forth on the periphery of the enclosure, their claws scratching at the tree trunks, making a soft scraping sound. They bared their sharp teeth and growled incessantly, only daring to probe around on the outer edge.

Only three of them were noticeably larger than average, plus the one that launched the initial ambush, making a total of four, which were identified as Black Iron Tier Rockhowl Monkey.

The one at the front was exceptionally robust, with bulging muscles on its shoulders and back. It was a head taller than the other three Black Iron Tier Rockhowl Monkey, but this was merely a difference in individual size; its rank remained unchanged.

So that's how it is.

It wasn't a group entirely composed of Black Iron-Level Exotic Beast; these four were the strongest among the entire group of monkeys. The rest, a vast number of ordinary monkeys, were responsible for harassment, relying on their numbers to create an encirclement advantage.

Lu Heng slowly exhaled, suppressing the momentary shock he had felt.

If all dozens of them are of the Black Iron Tier, even with Geothermal Talisman in hand, escaping today would come at a great cost.

The low growls in the woods grew louder and louder.

The ordinary monkeys on the outer perimeter jumped back and forth on the Withered Branch, their tails thrashing anxiously. Every now and then, they would grab pebbles from the ground and throw them in his direction to test the distance. Four Black Iron Tier Rockhowl Monkey were positioned at the front of the encirclement, not rushing to charge. They kept their heads down, their eyes fixed on Lu Heng, and paced back and forth in small steps.

The pungent, pungent breath of wild beasts wafted over us on the forest breeze.

The largest Rockhowl Monkey lowered its body, slightly hunched its shoulders, and gently gripped the ground with the toes of its hind legs, already assuming a posture ready to leap into the air and pounce.

The other three Black Iron Tier Rockhowl Monkey slowly parted to the sides, trying to create an angle and prepare to launch an attack from different directions simultaneously.

A major battle is about to erupt.

Lu Heng planted his feet firmly on the ground, his soles sinking deep into the thick layer of fallen leaves. He gripped the Hunting Blade at his waist, his knuckles tightening slightly, and he was fully prepared for battle.

They neither retreated nor gave way.

Since we can't avoid it, we'll just have to face it head-on.