Traces of the hunting pack
early morning.
The stench of blood in the forest had not yet dissipated.
Lin Yuan had already examined all nine corpses of the Borisin from last night.
No identification tag.
There is no map.
There is nothing that belongs to the Douluo Continent.
Qian Renxue stood aside, watching Lin Yuan take a small piece of dark red metal Borisin the gap in the armor of the leader of the group.
"What did you find?"
"It's no use."
Lin Yuan casually tossed the metal piece back next to the corpse.
Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So what do we do next?"
Lin Yuan stood up.
His gaze swept across the surroundings.
Last night's battle destroyed many traces.
But something else remains.
A broken shrub.
The soil was trampled and crushed.
Three very deep scratches on the tree bark.
There were also bloodstains that were almost invisible in the distance.
It's not theirs.
It looks more like something left behind by some kind of Soul Beast.
Lin Yuan watched for a while.
"These nine shouldn't be all of them."
Qian Renxue followed his gaze.
"You think it's just one of the teams?"
"Like a reconnaissance team."
"Or an external hunting team."
Lin Yuan squatted down.
My fingertips lightly traced a footprint.
This isn't the first time they've passed through here.
Qian Renxue approached.
There were two distinct types of footprints on the ground, one old and one new.
However, their directions are basically the same.
All heading south.
"Chase?"
"Chase."
Lin Yuan answered decisively.
Qian Renxue's lips curled into a slight smile.
"That's what I think too."
The two did not stay where they were.
We followed the trail directly into the depths of the mountains and forests.
Day 1.
Afternoon.
At the foot of a low hillside.
Lin Yuan suddenly stopped.
Qian Renxue also smelled the blood in the air the next moment.
The two pushed aside the bushes.
A Soul Beast corpse appeared before them.
It is an Ironback Bear that is nearly two thousand years old.
His chest had been completely ripped open.
Half of his body has almost disappeared.
The blood had already congealed.
There were no Soul Ring around.
He had clearly been dead for more than an hour.
Qian Renxue crouched down and took a look.
"It wasn't made by an ordinary Soul Beast."
There were several huge claw marks on the bear carcass's neck.
The sternum looked as if it had been forcibly pried open by something.
Lin Yuan looked around.
"South."
Qian Renxue looked up.
"Still in that direction?"
"Um."
The two continued their pursuit.
Before dusk.
A second body was found.
A Gale Wolf.
The body was hanging from the tree.
His waist was bitten off.
Internal organs were scattered all over the ground.
Lin Yuan did not stay for long.
I only glanced at the wound.
"The same batch."
Qian Renxue looked at the corpse that had begun to rot.
"They were killing all the way?"
"It's not for the food."
"Then why?"
Lin Yuan's gaze fell on the corpse's abdomen.
There was a clean cut made by a sharp instrument.
It's completely different from other bite marks.
"Look at things."
Qian Renxue understood.
"Research?"
Lin Yuan nodded.
He didn't say anything more.
the next day.
The two passed through the first village.
The village is small.
Dozens of households.
Several elderly people were sitting under an old locust tree at the entrance of the village.
As soon as Lin Yuan and Qian Renxue stepped inside, they sensed that something was amiss.
Too quiet.
There aren't even many children.
An old man looked up and glanced at the two of them.
"From out of town?"
"Um."
Lin Yuan asked:
Has something happened in the nearby mountains recently?
The old man's expression changed visibly.
You've heard about it too?
Qian Renxue looked at him.
What happened?
The old man sighed.
Three days ago, Old Zhou from the village took his son into the mountains to hunt.
"He hasn't come back."
We sent people to look for it the next day.
"Only one shoe was found."
Another elderly man nearby chimed in.
"The Soul Beast in the mountains have been acting strangely lately."
"Many died."
"They were all torn to shreds."
Lin Yuan asked:
"Only two people are missing?"
There are only two in our village.
The old man paused.
"However, it seems that people have also lost face in the neighboring Willow Tree Village."
Qian Renxue and Lin Yuan exchanged a glance.
I didn't ask any more questions.
After leaving the village.
The two turned directly towards Willow Tree Village.
Willow Tree Village.
Three people are missing.
Two hunters.
A second-ring Soul Master.
There were no bodies.
There was only one patch of trampled grass outside the village.
On the tree trunk.
Four very deep scratch marks were left behind.
Qian Renxue held up her hand to indicate.
"Similar to what we had last night."
Lin Yuan looked at the ground.
There are more footprints left here.
At least a dozen.
And it doesn't come from just one direction.
It seems they met up in the vicinity.
"There are more of them than the team from last night."
Qian Renxue's eyes turned slightly cold.
"Then we should definitely pursue it."
Lin Yuan stood up.
"Walk."
Day three.
The two did not enter the village.
We walked directly along the mountain path through a dense forest.
The traces here are becoming increasingly clear.
A tree branch that was broken off.
Bloodstained hair.
Huge footprints in the mud.
There was also half a gnawed piece of deer leg.
Lin Yuan walked ahead.
Suddenly he raised his hand.
Qian Renxue stopped immediately.
In the grass ahead.
A person is lying down.
To be precise...
It was already a corpse.
A middle-aged man.
He was wearing mercenary uniform.
A broken dagger was still hanging from his waist.
His chest was ripped open.
The wound is deep enough to expose bone.
Several pieces of metal were scattered nearby.
Qian Renxue squatted down.
He flipped the mercenary's wrist.
There was a faded mercenary group sign there.
"Soul Master."
Lin Yuan glanced at it.
"At least Soul Elder."
Qian Renxue stood up.
Even the Soul Elder was taken away?
"I didn't take this with me."
Lin Yuan looked down at the ground.
The bloodstains stretched deeper into the woods.
"He must have run away."
"The others didn't escape."
The two continued forward along the trail of blood.
They hadn't walked far.
A scene of utter devastation came into view.
The tent is torn.
The fire was trampled out.
The weapon broke into several pieces.
There were drag marks everywhere on the ground.
But there was no body.
Qian Renxue's face darkened.
"The whole team?"
Lin Yuan opened a backpack that had been crushed.
There were also dry rations and water bags inside.
This indicates that the attack came very suddenly.
"At least ten people."
Qian Renxue looked at the drag marks.
"They took people away."
Lin Yuan stood up.
"Um."
Neither of them spoke again.
This wasn't just a chance encounter with a few ferocious monsters.
They have goals.
There are also organizations.
And it's moving south.
The evening of the fourth day.
It was getting dark.
The two finally arrived at a slightly larger village.
Torches have been lit at the entrance of the village.
A dozen or so young men, carrying farm tools and spears, stood guard at the entrance.
There were also two Soul Master among them.
The level is not high.
But he was clearly very nervous.
They saw Lin Yuan and Qian Renxue approaching.
One of them immediately raised his hand.
"Stop!"
Who is it?
Lin Yuan did not proceed further.
"A passing Soul Master."
Upon hearing the words "Soul Master," the other person's expression softened slightly.
What brings you to the village?
Qian Renxue glanced at the villagers who were on high alert.
"Can I stay for the night?"
The man remained silent for a moment.
Finally, they cleared the way.
"Come in."
The two had just entered the village.
Then I saw several hastily drawn portraits posted at the entrance of the village.
The walls are covered with missing people.
Lin Yuan paused slightly.
How many are missing?
The man guarding the village immediately turned pale.
Six.
"When?"
"As early as four days ago."
"The most recent one."
The man looked out of the village.
"Last night."
Qian Renxue asked:
"They all disappeared in the mountains?"
"No."
The man gritted his teeth.
"The one from last night."
It disappeared less than 200 meters outside the village.
Lin Yuan's expression changed instantly.
So close.
This indicates that the group of Borisin were no longer satisfied with hunting in the mountains.
They began to actively approach the settlement.
The man continued:
"We found something over there this morning."
Lin Yuan looked up.
"Take us there."
Outside the village.
At the edge of a low grove of trees.
The man was holding a torch.
Pointing to a tree.
"This is it."
On the tree trunk.
Five scratch marks run from top to bottom.
It almost tore off the entire layer of bark.
There were a few drops of blood, already blackened, on the ground.
Lin Yuan squatted down and observed for a few moments.
Then look up.
Ahead.
The depths of the forest were pitch black.
Qian Renxue stood beside him.
They're very close by.
"Um."
"Shall we continue watching tonight?"
Lin Yuan shook his head.
No, thank you.
Qian Renxue was somewhat surprised.
Lin Yuan looked towards the village.
They've been moving around these past few days.
"But now it has come close to this place twice in a row."
This means there's something they want nearby.
Qian Renxue immediately realized what was happening.
"Wait for them to appear on their own?"
Lin Yuan stood up.
"It's easier than chasing after them."
Qian Renxue smiled.
That makes sense.
The two returned to the village.
The village chief has already vacated a room.
Not big.
There is only one bed.
Qian Renxue stood at the door and glanced inside.
He then looked at Lin Yuan.
Just one.
Lin Yuan's expression remained unchanged.
We are a couple.
Qian Renxue's lips immediately curled into a smile.
"Too."
She simply pushed the door open and went inside.
Lin Yuan followed behind.
Before the door closed.
He took one last look at the dark woods outside the village.
I chased them for four days.
The other party finally stopped.
So next--
It's their turn to wait for their prey to come to them.