C16 Everybody Was Thinking about It

When Lin Yaoyang heard the voice inside his head, his pupils narrowed ever so slightly. Seconds later, a wave of regret surged through him like a tide.

Good heavens! A combat pet with Martial Extreme Level strength, wasted by Kou Quan just like that! Lin Yaoyang stood there, seething with the urge to bellow his frustration to the skies. But he couldn't—too many eyes were upon him. Especially if he still hoped to claim the Snake King with Green Scale's Demonic Core...

He had to keep a cool head; any rash move was out of the question. With two Demonic Cores at stake, the deadly allure could drive the entire Mercenary Team to turn on each other in a heartbeat.

Even as formidable as Lin was at the moment, taking on over a dozen Level 9 Warriors head-on was a fool's errand. One punch from each, and while Lin Yaoyang might not meet his end, he'd be far from unscathed.

Lin Yaoyang's gaze fell upon the Snake King with Green Scale's lifeless form. Dead though it was, the creature's eyes still sparkled with a spirited glow, occasionally flashing with a quick dart of Green Shine.

Kou Quan had rummaged through the Snake King with Green Scale's belly for some time without finding the Demonic Core, but he persisted, enduring the searing pain from the corrosive blood as he continued his search.

Yet the Demonic Core was nowhere near the abdomen, and Kou Quan could slice the snake's belly open all he wanted—it wouldn't make a difference.

After a fruitless search, Kou Quan's face etched with disappointment, he withdrew his hand from the snake's innards and walked away, leaving behind even the other valuables from the Green Python.

Unbeknownst to Lin Yaoyang, the Green Python was considered one of the lowest Demonic Beasts in the Demonic Beast Forest. Aside from the unlikely chance of a Demonic Core, the Green Python held no value. Its meat was tough and unyielding, its skin a challenge to peel away for armor due to the thick scales. But the Snake King with Green Scale's venomous fangs—those were a prize, an exceptional material for crafting weapons.

However, not a single person among Kou Quan and his group could recognize the creature as the Snake King with Green Scale. Naturally, they remained oblivious to the remarkable uses of the Snake King's teeth.

Kou Quan blocked the mercenaries who were stubbornly trying to inspect the Green Python's corpse, exclaiming, "Enough already! What the hell are you still looking at?! I've nearly gutted the snake, and this mutated Green Python didn't even yield a Demonic Core. Talk about damned bad luck!"

It was clear that Kou Quan was in a foul mood, but it was understandable. He had started with such high hopes, energetically taking down the Snake King with Green Scale, only to end up empty-handed. How could he possibly be in good spirits?

"We'll walk another mile and set up camp for the night!" Kou Quan bellowed to the Mercenary Team. He had spoken, and his word was law; no one dared to waste any more time on the Green Python.

Lin Yaoyang was taken aback by this. He hadn't expected Kou Quan to command such respect within the Mercenary Team, always a man who meant what he said.

Yet, Lin Yaoyang couldn't help but worry. If they camped too far away, what if someone knowledgeable came by and snatched up the two Demonic Cores? That would spell disaster! There would be nowhere to turn for justice, and trying to track down the thief in the vast Demonic Beast Forest would be a fool's errand.

These thoughts made Lin Yaoyang anxious, almost tempted to break away from the group and secure the Demonic Cores himself. But he also feared arousing Kou Quan's suspicions. It was a tough spot to be in. If only he had known, he would have ventured into the Demonic Beast Forest alone—no one to slow him down or stand in his way.

Then again, Lin Yaoyang reconsidered. Without joining Kou Quan's Snake Serpent Mercenary Team, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to defeat Yin Zhiping, nor would he have gained the valuable experience points needed to level up.

It's worth noting that he had skyrocketed from a mere First Grade to a Level 9 Warrior! That's an eight-level leap – a vast chasm of progress!

Loss brings gain, loss brings gain, Lin Yaoyang reassured himself internally as he spurred his horse to keep pace with Kou Quan's team.

Just moments before, Kou Quan had been puzzled by Lin Yaoyang's absence, but upon turning around, there he was, casually riding at the back of the group.

Kou Quan breathed a sigh of relief. This young man, whose strength far surpassed his own, was someone he felt compelled to monitor constantly – the thought of losing sight of him was unsettling.

The thought of Lin Yaoyang's Profound Grade technique sparked a flash of insatiable greed in Kou Quan's eyes. He covertly gulped, casting a lingering glance at Lin Yaoyang, who was admiring the Demonic Beast Forest's landscape, then turned and bellowed, "Halt! We'll camp here!"

In his heart, Kou Quan schemed, 'So, you're fond of the scenery, are you? Well, I'll make this the place where you'll lie forever.'

At Kou Quan's command, the team halted and began setting up their tents, readying themselves for a restful stopover.

Since they were on the outskirts of the Demonic Beast Forest, the Mercenary Team felt little fear. They carelessly lit fires that could attract Demonic Beasts, but Kou Quan held his tongue – this was, after all, the forest's fringe, where the beasts that lurked were generally manageable.

Should a beast that the Mercenary Team couldn't fend off appear, the act of lighting or not lighting a fire would become trivial. Once targeted, everyone's fate would likely be sealed.

In no time, the campsite was dotted with tents of all sizes. Mercenaries gathered in groups, munching on their provisions and chatting with their comrades. A woman in a black robe approached Lin Yaoyang, seemingly eager to speak.

But before she could utter a word, her lips barely parting, a scream pierced the air.

"Ah!"

A single, harrowing cry echoed from a short distance away, rising swiftly and vanishing just as quickly. Yet, that one scream was enough to jolt everyone from the fleeting calm.

Kou Quan furrowed his brow and yelled toward the source of the scream, "Li Ping! Get your ass out here, now! Quit messing around with me! If I catch you faking this, I swear I'll beat you so hard your yolks will spill out!"

Having said that, Kou Quan and the rest of the mercenaries fell silent, their eyes fixed on the direction of the noise, straining to hear a reply. But their hope was met with disappointment; no sound came back to them.

All that remained was an eerie silence that sent chills down their spines. Taking a deep, uneasy breath, Kou Quan strode toward the unsettling quiet.