C11 Encounter

After dealing with the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants...

Chu Lin brought up his attribute panel in his mind to look at his improved stats.

[Chu Lin.]

[Energy: 1100 points.]

[Stamina: 140 points.]

[Strength: 305 points.]

[Spiritual Force: 38 points.]

[Gene Chain Talent: Strength of the Ants(Complete Ant Gene Chain, 100% complete)]

[Innate Skills: Tenacity.]

Ants are well-known as a species of insects that has lived since ancient times.

Their tenacity and persistent nature had allowed them to survive under any circumstances. No matter how much the odds were against them, they would always find a way to bounce back. Just like how you flick an ant away from your body, it will somehow find a way to get back on you.

After successfully extracting the ant's gene, his prior fatigue had diminished as his entire body brimmed with energy.

Touching his back, he realized that the wound caused by the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ant's sneak attack had mostly healed.

Even Chu Lin himself was shocked by the speed of his recovery.

"To think that a complete gene chain would grant such a powerful skill. I wonder what Ning Feng's other skill is... It seems that I may have underestimated him."

Having experienced the powerful skill brought about by his complete gene chain, he was overjoyed and worried at the same time. After all, Ning Feng possessed two different skills!

Taking the level of his mastery in the wind element into account, Ning Feng's skill should not be underestimated.

If he did not underestimate and insist on a close melee fight with Chu Lin, it probably would not have been that easy for Chu Lin to defeat him.

After completing the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ant's gene chain, Chu Lin's physical strength had increased greatly.

With his recovery-type innate skill, [Tenacity], in mind, a dozen or so Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants would no longer pose a threat to him.

On the the hand, it seemed that other members managed to escape from Area D under the cover of Chu Lin alone.

"Facing more than ten Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants, Lord Chu Lin must be in deep trouble. Since he had just awakened not too long ago, I'm afraid that the odds are against him!"

"Let's retreat quickly. If the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ant catches up to us, we will all be done for. Let's hope Lord Chu Lin will be able to hold on for a bit longer."

"Yeah, Captain Hu, we shoudl leave immediately! I'm afraid that Lord Chulin is…"

Having just barely escaped from their deaths, all the other men suggested out of fear for their lives.

"What are you guys talking about!"

"Lord Chu Lin stayed behind and held back the dozen of Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants to buy time for us to escape. Even then, you bunch of trash still want to abandon and leave our savior behind?"​

"Have your conscience been eaten by dogs?!"

When Hu Biao heard their suggestions, he roared in anger.

"Everyone, standby! If Lord Chulin doesn't come back, don't even think of leaving your position!"

Despite putting on a domineering front, Hu Biao was nevertheless nervous for Chu Lin.

After all, he was facing more than a dozen of the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants by himself!

Even for an experienced Awakened Practitioner, it would surely not be an easy feat to pull off. Having just awakened, he would naturally still be unfamiliar with his abilities compared to the other Awakened Practitioners. It would not be realistic to expect him to hold back a dozen of the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants by himself, much less defeat them.

"God bless us, Lord Chu Lin must return safely!"

Hu Biao prayed sincerely in his heart.

As time passed, there were neither signs of movements nor sound coming from the direction of Area D.

The longer they waited in their temporary camp, the probability of Chu Lin surviving gradually decreased.

With the existence of the Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants, ordinary soldiers like them did not dare to get close. No one knew what was going on with Chu Lin as the only thing they could do is wait and hope for his return.

Finally, as they were anxiously waiting, someone saw a figure slowly walking towards them from a distance.

"Look, there's someone over there!"

After a startled cry, everyone in the team woke up from their stupor and looked into the distance with their heads raised.

"It's not just one person, it looks to be a team."

"It must be the other teams coming over to give us support. Signal our position with the flares and get their attention!"

Immediately, someone from the team lighted the red flare and shouted loudly.

"There's hope for Lord Chu Lin! Surely, there must be an Awakened Practitioner among that group!"

Hu Biao shouted in agitation.

Noticing their signal flare, the team from the distance quickly rushed over towards them.

When the team got closer, however, Hu Biao let out a froawn.

Just from the attire of the small team, it did not look like they belonged to their gathering ground.

When the two teams came into contact, a burly man with a hideous scar on his face walked in front of Hu Biao.

"Hello, we are one of the exploration teams from the Sand Wolf's gathering ground. My name is Sha Meng, the leader of this team."

The man named Sha Meng quickly introduced himself.

"I'm Hu Biao from Weiyang's gathering ground," Hu Biao replied expressionlessly.

"Seeing how you lit your signal flare, did your team encounter any difficulties?"

Sha Meng asked as he swept his gaze across all the members of Hu Biao's team.

Seeing how Hu Biao's team had collected so many resources, their pupils contracted slightly as a hint of greed flashed across their eyes.

"Hehe, everything's fine. We mistakenly your team for another team from our gathering ground and ended up lighting our signal flare." Hu Biao smiled faintly.

Before Hu Biao finished his sentence, however, one of the people from his team shouted.

"Our Awakened Practitioner is currently trapped in Area D with more than ten Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants surrounding him. Please go and save him!"

Hearing this, Hu Biao and Sha Meng were both stunned at the same time.

Hu Biao's expression sunk with a hint of caution in his eyes.

"Oh, your Awakened Practitioner is not currently in your team..."

A trace of surprise flashed through Sha Meng's eyes as he slowly opened his mouth.

"After being surrounded and attacked by more than ten Blood-Thirsty Furious Ant, he would have long broken out of the area if he had the strength to do so. Otherwise, he would most likely be dead by now."

A thin man with a rather sinister expression walked out from behind Sha Meng and said.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am the team's Awakened Practitioner, Sha Lie."

Only then did the members of Hu Biao's team understand their current situation. Seeing the other party's actions, it was obvious that they held ulterior motives to snatch away their medical supplies.

"Hmph, you dare to attack a fellow F-class gathering ground? Are you not afraid of the punishments you'll receive from the Central Royal City?!"

Hu Biao bit his tongue and shouted as he tightened the grip on his broadsword.

As an entry-level warrior, he knew that facing an Awakened Practitioner head-on was still an impossible feat for him.

"Central Royal City? I don't think they would care what happened to a team that's completely wiped out by Blood-Thirsty Furious Ants, right? Captain Hu Biao..."

Sha Lie licked his lips as a bloodthirsty look flashed across his eyes.

Hu Biao's pupils constricted. Not only did the other party want to steal their medical supplies, but they also want to...

... silence everyone!

"Take the supplies and run! I'll try to stop them!"

Hu Biao roared as he raised his broadsword and pointed it at Sha Meng, Sha Lie, and the others.

"Hahaha! You want to hold us back by yourself? We won't even need the assitance from our Awakened Practitioner then."

After a series of mocking laughter, Sha Meng picked up a meteor hammer and smashed it towards Hu Biao.

In response, Hu Biao blocked the attack with a slash of his blade. As the two weapons came into contact, a sharp sound of metal colliding reverberated through the air.

His hands numb from the shock, Hu Biao took a few steps back and stared menacingly at Sha Meng.

An Intermediate Warrior...

From that single exchange, Hu Biao determined that Sha Meng possessed the strength of an intermediate warrior.

Although the pressure he emitted was not as oppressive as Captain Yu Zhen's, Hu Biao clearly knew that he was still not a match for him.

However, with the vital supply of medical resources behind him, Hu Biao could not afford to retreat a single step.

Absolutely not!

"You're courting death!"

Sha Meng roared and swung the meteor hammer towards Hu Biao.

One hammer strike after another...

At this point, Hu Biao could barely resist his attacks. Although blisters had formed in his hands — along with the searing pain in both of his arms — he still refused to let go of his weapon.