C29 Zhen Heyi's Identity

Zhen Heyi winced in pain, her brow furrowing deeply. She had been roughly hauled by the orcs, and when they tossed her aside, her pale, delicate left leg was left bloodied and torn.

Jiao Yuanju squatted down, turning his back to Heyi, and offered, "Get on, I'll carry you."

"No, there's no need. I can manage on my own!" Heyi protested urgently.

Yet as she spoke, she stubbornly inched forward, grimacing with each painful step.

With a sigh, Jiao Yuanju scooped Heyi onto his back without further discussion and bolted back along the path they had come from.

"What are you doing?" Heyi's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and admiration. Jiao Yuanju's demeanor was undeniably appealing—his unflappable calm in the face of danger, his quick action to rescue her. He was truly her hero.

A thought struck her, and Heyi gasped, "Jiao Yuanju, was it you who conjured those claws and tails in the black mist during the fight with the Crazy Lions?"

He nodded, confirming, "Yes, that was Eoldrai's doing."

"Incredible," Heyi marveled. "But how? Eoldrai is so small, and its bloodline is only valuable and rare. How could it possibly stand against so many Crazy Lions of the same level?"

Jiao Yuanju paused, then offered a smile. "Eoldrai is actually of the rare variety."

Heyi's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could that be? A Mutant Beast's Bloodline Level is innate, tied to its evolutionary strength. How did Eoldrai ascend to rare status?"

"Perhaps it's because Eoldrai is a variant among Green Snakes. It evolved again after shedding its skin twice," Jiao Yuanju explained, maintaining a calm facade as he spun his lie. He couldn't risk exposing his secret ability to evolve his Combat Pet.

Heyi didn't question his explanation, her excitement bubbling over. "Jiao Yuanju, do you realize? With Eoldrai's abilities, you could join the Ace Combat Pet Team in Krukshire!"

Puzzled, Jiao Yuanju inquired, "What's the Ace Combat Pet Team?"

Zhen Heyi offered a smile and said, "That's the most formidable Combat Pet Master team in each city of the Puwhary Alliance, tasked with defending our cities. If you're looking to join, I'll make sure to help you!"

Jiao Yuanju's voice was grave as he asked, "Who are you, really?"

With a touch of embarrassment, Zhen Heyi replied, "My grandfather is the current mayor of Krukshire, General Zhen Gaochang. I apologize for not disclosing my identity earlier."

It clicked for Jiao Yuanju. Zhen Heyi was the granddaughter of Krukshire's City Lord. That explained why Pei Chang had always given her special treatment upon her academy arrival.

Times had changed. The world had undergone a transformation, with the once-renowned cities nearly obliterated. The Puwhary Alliance, standing tall in the Land of the Rising Sun, was the sole human nation, forged from the survivors of neighboring states and the native populace. China's technological prowess had been the shield against the onslaught of Mutant Beasts, safeguarding their cities.

In this new era, a city's mayor held at least the rank of a general, akin to a regional king.

The motive behind the Orcs' attempt to abduct Zhen Heyi was clear—they intended to leverage her to coerce Krukshire!

"Where are you headed?" a detached female voice called out from the treetops.

Jiao Yuanju whirled around to spot a beastman perched above.

The figure was a woman, ghostlike in her treetop stance, with hair covering her body and her clothes in shreds. Her limbs had morphed into feline claws, obscuring her human form.

Beside her stood a repulsive humanoid creature, his skin slick and glistening with a dark sheen. Viscous slime dripped from him. Aside from his human eyes, his mouth resembled a leech's sucker, revealing a ring of serrated teeth as it gaped and snapped. He salivated menacingly at Jiao Yuanju and his companion, seemingly devoid of awareness.

A pallor washed over Zhen Heyi's face as she exclaimed, "Two more beastmen!"

With a cold huff, Jiao Yuanju commanded, "We're leaving, Eoldrai, cover our retreat!"

He hoisted Zhen Heyi onto his back and hastened away. His strength had significantly increased, allowing him to move swiftly even while carrying her. However, the number of lurking beasts remained uncertain.

The woman's laugh was chilling as she commanded, "Go, kill them!"

The creature emitted a dull sound, as though its voice came from deep within its belly. It leaped down on its stubby legs, using all four claws to pursue Jiao Yuanju, leaving a trail of slime in its wake.

Eoldrai, with its petite and agile form, positioned itself squarely in the path, darting swiftly around the beast.

The monster, seemingly ravenous, turned its eyeless head toward the small snake. Its gaping maw snapped hungrily as it lunged at Eoldrai, who nimbly evaded each attack.

The female monster bellowed in frustration, "Fool!"

With a swift motion, the woman lashed out with her claw, aiming for Eoldrai.

In a flash, the green snake spat out a cloud of black mist and vanished into the earth.

By the time Jiao Yuanju and Zhen Heyi reached the outskirts of the city, a sizable crowd had already formed.

"Hey, hold it right there!"

Two youths, about seventeen or eighteen, approached with a swagger, their faces etched with scorn. "Kid, you're from Azure Academy, aren't you?"

Jiao Yuanju glanced at the emblem on their clothing—Starlight Academy.

"What do you want?" he asked, his tone cool and detached.

The pair, full of conceit, demanded, "How many Mutant Beasts have you taken down?"

It was then that Jiao Yuanju remembered the device each Combat Pet Master was issued when leaving the city, designed to tally the number of Mutant Beasts slain. He had been too preoccupied with evading the Orcs to check it.

He glanced down at his wrist where the device displayed the number "113."

Zhen Heyi gasped in astonishment; she hadn't imagined Jiao Yuanju could single-handedly defeat so many Mutant Beasts.

"This device, courtesy of the National Research Department, awards one point per ordinary Mutant Beast and five for each valuable and rare one. How could this kid score so high? He's outdoing even our leader?" the two onlookers exclaimed in disbelief, their voices trailing off in shock.

Their shout drew the immediate attention of the two teams waiting nearby.