Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“At this rate, we’ll have to walk for a week to reach our destination,” said Gao Peng to his familiars after chasing off the swarm of mosquitoes. “This is the wilderness. All of you better behave yourselves now!”
When he was done reprimanding the familiars, Gao Peng produced a square fur blanket from Silly’s portable space. There was a piece of rope on all four corners of the blanket, and Gao Peng proceeded to tie the ropes around Stripey’s legs. The familiar’s movements wouldn’t be impeded, as the ropes themselves were quite thin.
Gao Peng then mounted Stripey and shifted his rear a few times until he was settled in a comfortable sitting position.
“Dumby, wrap Da Zi around your waist. We’d best get a move on and find a place to sleep for the night.”
After hearing his order, the familiars quickened their paces.
At first, Gao Peng had a bit of motion sickness while riding Stripey. After a while, he grew used to it.
Along the way, they startled a couple of monsters in the area. However, Gao Peng’s party was moving at such a high speed, and the monsters sensed the Commander-tier auras of Stripey and the others, so as a result, they simply let Gao Peng’s party through their territory.
A fierce wind slapped against Gao Peng’s face. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the scenery flying past him.
In front of them was a stream. A couple of mossy rocks jutted out from the middle of the stream. Gao Peng suddenly saw a black silhouette out of the corner of his eye when Stripey entered the stream.
In the next second, he felt himself flying into the air.
It was as if someone had sent him flying with a punch to the chest.
It didn’t hurt much, though. Only after Gao Peng fell into the water with a splash did he see what had attacked him.
A black lump was stuck firmly to his chest like jelly. For a moment, he couldn’t even tell what it was.
Dumby rushed over and pulled the unknown object off his chest. Only then was Gao Peng able to clearly recognize the assailant.
[Monster Name]: Mountain Leech
[Monster Level]: Level 12 (Elite)
[Monster Grade]: Normal
[Monster Attribute]: Water
[Monster Weakness]: 1. Electric attacks 2. Salt-based substances
Gao Peng had been knocked off Stripey’s back by this monster. He looked around him.
A number of translucent shapes in the water were now circling them.
“Let’s get out of here,” said Gao Peng as he clambered up to Dumby’s back. Everyone quickly got out of the stream.
A couple of Mountain Leeches were still clinging onto Da Zi, Stripey, and Dumby after they were out of the water.
With a burst of electricity, Da Zi electrocuted the leeches on his back into ash.
Dumby threw the leech in its hand to the ground with a splat. The leech continued to squirm on the ground, covered with a thick layer of sticky, transparent fluid. Its skin looked coarse and granular.
The leech now looked like a fish out of water. It began crawling desperately towards the stream after figuring out where it was.
A thick mound of leeches had piled up on the edges of the stream. Their bodies had appeared translucent when they were immersed in water, but after leaving the water, their bodies immediately turned black. However, none of them dared to leave the stream. A few leeches cautiously touched the wet dirt before shrinking back, as if going any further would mean death.
A thought suddenly sprung up in Gao Peng’s head after seeing this curious phenomenon. He took out his tablet. There was still one signal bar showing on it.
Gao Peng set his position to his current location, then tapped on the tablet a few times before pressing “Save.”
Putting back his tablet, Gao Peng once again straddled Stripey and said, “Let’s go.”
After travelling another two miles through the forest, another black shape flashed before them. Gao Peng suddenly felt as if he had been plucked off his mount. Everything went dark around him, a pungent smell assaulting his nostrils. It nearly knocked him out.
Dumby had taken the hit for him. A sickening crunching sound came from its skull. Dumby then slammed its right foot into the ground and swung its left arm out in one fluid motion.
The Storm Panther that had attacked them was sent flying into a tree. At that moment, Gao Peng fell to the ground.
Before the enraged Dumby could do any further damage, the Storm Panther quickly got up and slunk back into the shadows.
[Monster Name]: Storm Panther
[Monster Level]: Level 26
[Monster Grade]: Excellent
[Monster Attribute]: Wind
None of the familiars specialized in speed. Dumby’s specialty was close-range bursts of movement. However, long-distance sprinting was simply beyond it.
Flamy wanted to chase after it. However, the forest was just too dangerous. Gao Peng didn’t dare let Flamy pursue the panther in the forest by itself.
Gao Peng glanced at where the Wind Panther had disappeared and spat on the ground. “Don’t let me catch you, panther. The next time we meet, I’ll definitely skin you alive.”
Then he mounted Stripey, and his party continued moving towards their destination.
The sun gradually sank in the west. The temperature had also dropped considerably.
“Let’s keep going for ten more minutes, then we’ll find someplace to rest,” said Gao Peng encouragingly to his familiars.
Suddenly, another black form flashed before them. Gao Peng tensed up and reflexively lowered his head. However, the black figure had moved way too close to him. Gao Peng was once again knocked off his mount.
Stripey came to a halt and began looking around his surroundings in confusion.
Where did my master’s assailant disappear to?
Gao Peng got back to his feet, anger now burning in him. This was the third time!
The third time!
Damn it, I’m the only one being targeted. Do they really think I’m the weakest link of this party?
Gao Peng was about to lose his temper.
They were now standing in a wide clearing with only a huge palm tree in the middle.
Gao Peng’s eyes were fixed on the palm tree. His lips were curved up into a cold smile.
So you like playing games, huh? Let’s see how long you can keep this up then.
Gao Peng called his familiars back, then gave an order to Da Zi and Flamy through his Blood Contracts with them.
“Burn it to the ground!”
Flamy’s eyes lit up. It flew up into the sky, the air around its wings visibly distorted. Seconds later, flames appeared out of thin air and began swirling along with the wind until they turned into fireballs.
The spinning fireballs hurtled towards the palm tree.
Boom, boom, boom…
The fireballs struck the tree so its leaves were on fire. The palm tree, which had been standing motionlessly all this time, suddenly began shaking its trunk, branches, and leaves violently.
[Monster Name]: Golden Palm Tree Spirit
[Monster Level]: Level 29 (Commander)
[Monster Grade]: Normal
[Monster Attribute]: Wood
[Monster Weakness]: 1. Fire 2. Electric
Balls of electricity burst forth from Da Zi’s forehead.
The tree spirit was now covered in flames. Despite gaining consciousness, it was still merely a tree.
The Golden Palm Tree Spirit howled in pain under the flurry of fire and electricity. Finally, it was reduced to nothing more than a smouldering pile of ash.
