Chen hadn't walked far when a massive tiger-type beast came into view—
a creature with two heads, a body as large as a house,
and crimson energy swirling off its skin like burning mist.
Its killing intent was so thick it felt like blood fog.
Several students were fighting it from afar.
None dared step close; getting near it was the same as signing their own death warrant.
Suddenly, the beast moved.
A blur—
a scream choked halfway—
and the two-headed tiger swallowed a student's head whole in a single snap.
No one even had the chance to react.
When the others realized what had just happened,
their entire group trembled in fear.
Their leader forced himself to shout, voice cracking,
"Retreat! All of you, retreat!
We can't fight it anymore—it's gone berserk!
We have no control over this thing!"
His command jolted everyone back to life.
They ran for their lives, hearts pounding,
regretting every foolish second they'd spent hunting small beasts instead of minding their business.
The fast ones escaped.
The slow ones… were torn apart.
Once it had enough prey, the tiger beast calmed down and didn't chase further.
Chen watched quietly.
So it stops once it has eaten…
He avoided the monster entirely.
He wasn't here to waste time—he needed rare herbs,
the real reason he joined the competition.
He slipped away without drawing attention.
---
Haoran slaughtered beast after beast,
channeling all his hatred—
hatred he couldn't yet unleash on Chen.
After killing another creature, he checked his watch.
225 points.
He smirked.
Checking the leaderboard, he saw himself at Rank 8.
At the top stood Xiao Jin, with 698 points.
"Tch… Xiao Family again," Haoran muttered.
"They keep getting stronger.
Strange techniques, mysterious origins… no one knows where they get their stuff."
He scrolled further.
Chen's name appeared at Rank 87.
Haoran burst into laughter.
"I expected him to be in the top ten… at least fifteen.
But this low? Seriously?"
Doubt slipped into his mind.
Was Chen really strong back then?
Or was it all just a trick?
He shook the thought away and continued hunting.
---
While moving through the muddy, rain-soaked forest,
Chen heard a familiar voice—
a cry mixed with fear.
He followed the sound and froze.
Three boys were closing in on Yanyan.
Injured, she couldn't defend herself.
Tears shimmered in her eyes, helpless and furious.
Disgusting words dripped from their mouths.
Chen felt heat rise behind his eyes.
A cold, furious fire.
He didn't speak.
He didn't warn.
He simply struck.
His fist slammed into the first boy's jaw—
the impact sending him flying into a tree,
where he crashed and collapsed, unconscious.
The other two instantly backed away.
"Bastard! Who the hell are you?" one snapped.
"You want to die? Why interfere in our business?"
Chen clenched his fist again, voice low and sharp as a blade.
"This is my business.
She once helped me—
and I repay every favor.
If you don't leave quietly…
you'll end up exactly like him."
They exchanged a look,
then glanced at their unconscious friend—
and fear overtook their arrogance.
They grabbed him and ran.
When they disappeared, Chen lifted Yanyan carefully.
"Who were they?" he asked.
"What happened?"
Yanyan wiped her tears and spoke weakly,
"I came here looking for you… but I couldn't find you.
So I joined a small team.
But I never expected them to be that kind of people.
I tried to leave but—"
Before she could finish,
the ground beneath them groaned,
and a deep rumble shook the forest.
Cracks spread across the earth—
The ground…
was breaking apart.
---