Differences in terrain
The withered yellow reeds rustled softly in the wind. Lu Heng reached out and pushed aside the waist-high reed stalks, his feet crushing the dry, hardened reed roots as he emerged from the reed thicket.
The four Elite Green Demon on the open ground, who were tearing and feeding on the carcasses of several Big-Horned Sheep, suddenly stopped the sound of flesh and bone being torn apart, and all their movements came to an abrupt halt.
Four blood-stained heads turned around simultaneously, their murky, bloodshot vertical pupils fixed on the suddenly appearing Lu Heng. Soon, a malicious, predatory grin spread across their rough, ugly faces.
This elite squad has long been active in the Withered Reed Plain, and has had many dealings with the human survivors of this land. In their past experience, humans were cowardly prey. Most survivors, upon encountering the Green Demon, would turn and run for their lives. Many could not escape and ended up as their food. Successful hunts time and time again have nurtured the arrogance and confidence in the bones of these four Green Demon.
Lu Heng, standing before them, was clad in a full set of Blood-Red Armor, his attire completely different from the ragged survivors Withered Reed Plain. Yet, this difference did not instill any fear in the Green Demon. In their minds, no matter how unusual the outer shell might look, once peeled away, it was still flesh and blood to be hunted—just a prey that appeared more respectable.
The sneer vanished, and he instantly adopted a hunting stance.
They didn't charge blindly. Hunting experience was ingrained in their instincts. Two Green Demon stayed in front, gripping their rough-hewn Stone Axe tightly, standing firmly and blocking Lu Heng's path forward. The other two lowered their massive bodies and, taking advantage of the vast, flat terrain of the Withered Reed Plain, quietly maneuvered to the sides, attempting to encircle him.
This wilderness has no tall trees, no rocks, and no terrain to hide or maneuver. Once he is surrounded from both sides, Lu Heng will completely lose any space to retreat or dodge.
Lu Heng stood still, his face expressionless. The Blood-Red Armor clung to his body as he gripped the Goblin Battleaxe in one hand, the icy handle sending a chill through his palm. He didn't wait for the enemy to completely close the encirclement; instead, he pushed off with his feet and charged forward.
The Green Demon that was maneuvering on the left saw its prey charging towards it, let out a low growl, and swung its Stone Axe down from above. The force of the blow was immense, creating a whistling sound in the air.
Lu Heng shifted his body to the side, the Stone Axe grazing the shoulder armor of his Blood-Red Armor before slamming heavily into the dry earth beneath his feet. The earth exploded, sending fragments of soil and withered reeds flying everywhere. Green Demon had used all his strength in that axe strike, his old power exhausted, and he didn't have time to immediately retract his weapon. In that brief moment, Lu Heng's battle axe slashed down with the momentum.
The axe blade pierced the Green Demon's outer layer of keratinized skin. The keratin was quite hard, but the Goblin Battleaxe itself had a tearing effect, directly breaking through the protection, and dark blood gushed out from the wound.
The intense pain caused the Green Demon to let out a muffled roar. Ignoring its injuries, it raised its claws and lunged at Lu Heng. Lu Heng didn't engage in a fight. He increased the force of his axe, cutting through the goblin, while simultaneously kicking it hard in the chest. The enormous impact sent the massive Green Demon staggering backward, nearly falling to the ground.
Seeing their companion wounded, the two Green Demon remaining at the front ceased their waiting and charged forward with their axes raised. They swung their Stone Axe alternately, one blow after another, their relentless attack sealing off most of Lu Heng's frontal area.
Lu Heng kept shifting his feet, avoiding taking the full force of the axe blows head-on. He relied on constantly changing positions to find opportunities within the gaps in the attacks. His armor was grazed by the Stone Axe several times, leaving only shallow marks, without truly breaking through the defenses. His attack targets were very clear, specifically targeting areas with weak keratin layers, such as joints, neck, and abdomen.
Each swing of the battle axe tore open a wound, and blood splattered continuously onto the dry earth.
The Green Demon, which had circled around to the right, had already reached Lu Heng's back. It seized the opportunity and pounced, its hard claws aimed straight at Lu Heng's back. Lu Heng caught the wind coming from behind, and he suddenly spun around, sweeping his battle axe horizontally at the same time.
The axe blade struck the Green Demon heavily on the knee, a dull thud as its bone broke. The massive body lost its balance and collapsed to its knees. Before it could struggle to its feet, Lu Heng strode forward and delivered a finishing blow.
By now, two of the four Green Demon have fallen. The remaining two also bear wounds of varying degrees.
The arrogance they had built up from hunting humans had been worn away considerably. But the ferocity of the beasts was fully unleashed by their injuries; they no longer cared about teamwork, abandoned maneuvering, and roared as they charged forward recklessly.
They had witnessed humans crumble and flee when injured, and they assumed their prey would do the same. But Lu Heng did not retreat, continuing to maneuver amidst their attacks. There were no flashy or exaggerated moves, only the most direct offense and defense: dodging the charges and seizing any openings to unleash his axe strike.
The sounds of axes slicing through flesh, heavy objects crashing to the ground, and the Green Demon's furious and painful roars echoed across the open field. Time passed slowly, and the struggle never ceased on this vast open space.
Several minutes later, the last Elite Green Demon's massive body collapsed heavily onto the ground.
The fighting gradually subsided. The bodies on the ground slowly dissipated, leaving behind a Victorious Chest. Lu Heng was already used to this; his gaze merely swept over the location of the treasure chest, his heart remaining completely unmoved.
After a fierce battle, his breathing was rapid, and he had exhausted himself. His Blood-Red Armor was stained with dark bloodstains. He adjusted his condition slightly and was about to step forward to take a look at the loot inside the treasure chest.
From the distant depths of the Withered Reed Plain, a sharp, ferocious roar of Green Demon suddenly pierced through the wind.
Immediately following, from all directions in the distance, the howls of the Green Demon echoed one after another. The roars grew louder and louder, layer upon layer, constantly approaching this place.
Lu Heng immediately looked up and gazed at the vast plains around him.
The Withered Reed Plain offers excellent visibility, allowing one to see far into the distance and detect even distant movements. However, every advantage has its disadvantage; the entire plain is unobstructed, with no mountains or forests to block out sound. The sounds of the recent fight—collisions, roars, and axe strikes—spread unimpeded over a large surrounding area.
The other Green Demon roaming the area were all alerted by the sounds of fighting and are heading over in droves to provide support.
In the distance, vast swathes of reeds swayed incessantly, and countless dark figures darted back and forth among them, their numbers impossible to estimate. The roars that rose and fell merged together, forming a heavy sense of oppression that enveloped the open space where Lu Heng stood.
There is simply no safe environment to open the box now.
Lu Heng gripped the handle of the Goblin Battleaxe tightly again.
Having just finished a battle, without even a moment to catch his breath, a new wave of trouble was already approaching. The sounds from all directions continued to grow louder, and he could tell that there were quite a few coming. He stood firmly with his feet apart, suppressing his distracting thoughts and focusing all his attention on the approaching threat.