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墨書 Inktalez
The piercing screams that had just echoed in their ears were suddenly drowned out by the howling blizzard outside, seeming like nothing more than a figment of their imagination.
Yet the blood-stained snow on the ground and the deep imprint leading into the depths of the Snowfield silently told a different story. It sent chills down the spines of several hunters still lingering near the entrance, causing them to crowd inside, gripping their weapons tightly as they stared at the doorway.
Their faces drained of color.
These were seasoned hunters who frequently ventured into the Snowfield, having encountered fierce Polar Bears and Snowfield Wolf Packs. However, what had just whisked away their companion was certainly not one of those beasts!
Recalling some inexplicable sensations from their journey and the words of the nearly lifeless Living Dead, a deep chill swept through their hearts.
"It seems you really only took a cursory glance and didn’t notice some anomalies among those monsters. Clearly, this thing has also detected you and has been trailing you ever since," Yang Xiaoyou remarked thoughtfully while popping some Seal Jerky into his mouth.
If he wasn’t mistaken, the Advanced Infected following them likely possessed potential to become something more. If nothing unexpected happened, it was very possible that it recognized them or was once one of their companions.
After all, given these hunters' physical capabilities, their chances of becoming something more were significantly higher than that of ordinary people.
And if it had been following them all along with only the potential to become something more, then this sudden ambush indicated that its transformation was already a done deal—it had likely completed its change!
In terms of pure physical prowess, ordinary creatures didn’t have much of an advantage over Lickers. However, Lickers were akin to Brutes that relied solely on brute strength, while those who had transformed exhibited far superior control over their power and cunning.
Just like how Yang Xiaoyou, upon awakening his inner persona, still inhabited this body but displayed an entirely different level of strength.
Ordinary Momentum Level fighters could generally kill a Licker in a one-on-one encounter. Even those close to Momentum Level like Zhang Liang and Qian Kai had a significant chance of success, though they would face greater risks of injury.
But for those who had transformed, the disadvantages of human bodies became starkly evident. Despite having billions in population, the number of Momentum Level fighters began to dwindle after several large-scale outbreaks compared to the number of transformed beings. This was especially true with artificially created biological weapons further skewing the balance.
Not only was there a numerical disparity, but in terms of combat capability, even a slight scratch could be fatal for a Momentum Level fighter.
The most advanced beings capable of living only a few years could even rival someone like Luo Guohui in strength!
The creature hidden within the snowstorm before them might not possess exaggerated power due to time constraints. However, armed with an empty Assault Rifle and only five rounds left in his weapon, facing such an entity would still be too daunting for Qian Kai and Zhang Liang.
From its timing and tactics to the invisible pressure it exerted on everyone around, its cunning nature was unmistakable.
The combat skills far surpassed that of the Licker. With agility and speed, it remained hidden in the dark snowstorm, constantly eroding and consuming its surroundings. As the amount of prey increased, its recovery rate in the short term would likely rise as well.
For such an opponent, these seemingly burly hunters could only serve as meat shields to delay its predatory progress.
They could also help divert attention from others.
"Well, while each time it preys on one of them provides an opportunity for attack, if the first attack fails and alerts that fellow, things will become much more difficult," Yang Xiaoyou thought, feeling quite frustrated by this unexpected disaster. What he had initially considered a generous offering of food had turned into a significant problem.
That creature was clearly following the group of intruding hunters, but now that they were here, Yang Xiaoyou did not believe it would let his group go easily.
"However, under normal circumstances, its primary targets are still those 'acquaintances' of its own," he mused. A glint flashed in his eyes as he prepared to call over Qian Kai and Zhang Liang to give them some instructions.
In just a short moment, his mental energy was being intensely consumed. Even though he still had Huang Yue's barely usable artifact, he was feeling overwhelmed. His physical condition was dire; he had thought they were finally safe and could take a good rest, but a bunch of reckless fools had brought over a huge trouble.
His luck truly seemed to have hit rock bottom.
Just as Yang Xiaoyou was about to signal Qian Kai and the others to come over, he suddenly looked up and scanned the area. Then, with an extremely tragic limp, he rolled and crawled away to the side. Although his posture was somewhat comical, his speed was surprisingly fast, and he managed to distance himself significantly.
With a loud crash, the wooden roof above him was violently shattered. Thick layers of snow fell down, and amidst the falling snow was a faintly visible crimson figure. The spot where the roof broke was directly above where Yang Xiaoyou had been standing!
The red figure that had just burst in from the falling snow seemed taken aback by the sudden movement of its target. However, after a slight adjustment, it shot out a flexible tendril from the snow—just like the one that had previously snatched someone away—striking towards Yang Xiaoyou like a bolt of red lightning!
The sound of rushing wind accompanied by a terrifying shriek and lightning-fast speed carried with it an overwhelming killing intent.
Yet Yang Xiaoyou seemed to have anticipated this attack. Before it launched its strike, he began to tilt his head away. Although his speed couldn't compare to that of the tendril's launch, it still allowed him to narrowly evade the deadly strike!
While a few strands of hair were caught in the attack, that was all!
With this surprise assault failing, the creature adhered to its strategy of striking once and retreating. The moment its tongue shot out, regardless of the outcome, it swiftly left through the gap it had created, causing Qian Kai's fired ammunition to hit the edge of the roof's crack instead, knocking down several splintered pieces of wood.
Then it approached Yang Xiaoyou and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he replied with a frown as he pressed both hands against his legs and forcefully adjusted them with a cracking sound. Yang Xiaoyou couldn't help but show an expression akin to that of a dead fish.
It was a struggle to have a leg bone with healing properties, only for it to be displaced due to this violent evasion. It was truly frustrating!
This was just typical of him. If he were a normal human, the re-injury of a healing fracture would undoubtedly affect him for life.
What he couldn't tolerate the most was that the 'clever' creature seemed to be preparing to target the 'weaker' first, gradually applying pressure step by step, intending to savor its meal in the end.
Without a doubt, as an injured person looking like a weakling on the verge of collapse, he perfectly met its hunting requirements. The first target of this surprise attack turned out to be himself.
This was indeed a rather peculiar creature, but there was no way around it. Just like humans, it had its own thoughts and understanding. Yang Xiaoyou could only rely on experience for judgment, but this time he had made a mistake.
"What was that just now? What was that?! Was it Willy that it took away?!" After the ambush, Bear Head finally reacted, his face filled with anger and his voice trembling slightly.
The unknown is what people fear the most, and that red whip-like thing that resembled a bullet was particularly terrifying. If it had been aimed at him, evading it would have been extremely difficult!
"Why didn't you use your military guns? Are you still thinking about saving bullets at a time like this? We should have shot it down just now." While trying to calm his heaving chest, Bear Head also expressed some complaints. He looked at those imposing Assault Rifles with suspicion, pondering deeply for a moment.
It seemed he had come to some realization.
"Hmph! Do you think it's that easy for us to escape?" Seeing that the other party had finally reacted, Qian Kai couldn't help but snort coldly.
Although he roughly understood that their guns were probably just for show, they had set aside such thoughts in this life-threatening situation.
He merely glanced at Yang Xiaoyou's flickering expression and said, "Why did it target you just now? Is there something about you that attracts it? Quickly throw it away; don't drag everyone here down with you."
To be honest, even in his current perfect state, he couldn't match the speed of that limping person's reaction just now. It was terrifying to think how formidable he would be if uninjured.
But in his current state of looking like he could drop dead at any moment, he had lost all value. If they could throw this fellow away and satisfy that monster enough to leave, it would be for the best.
However, since he was one of their own, they needed to find a way to isolate him.
In the face of life and death, such an impromptu team naturally knew how to make sacrifices.
But what completely caught Bear Head off guard was that after he made a probing remark directed at Yang Xiaoyou, everyone present turned their furious gazes toward him.
Zhang Liang was itching for a fight, seemingly wanting to teach them a lesson despite the crisis outside. It was only when Huang Yue tugged at his sleeve that he reluctantly stopped.
They had been brought out by Yang Xiaoyou, and they all understood just how terrifying this injured, delicate-looking youth could be, as well as how crucial he was to the team.
With his presence, the chances of survival were maximized.
At that moment, whether they had a good relationship with Yang Xiaoyou or were merely temporary allies, everyone felt an extreme aversion towards the hunter who had spoken up.
Just as the hunter himself thought, most people naturally prioritized their own lives in such situations. Undoubtedly, Yang Xiaoyou's existence was the greatest asset for increasing their chances of survival!
Bear Head, who managed to act as a leader among the unruly hunters, naturally had his own cunning. After realizing he had misspoken, he straightforwardly apologized, saying, "Alright, maybe I said something wrong, but we should figure out how to deal with that thing first. You all escaped from the city; you have more experience than we do."
At the same time, his casual remark seemed aimed at getting Yang Xiaoyou and his group to contribute more.
"You’re right; we have more experience. It would be best if we took on the main offensive. But as you can see, I’m heavily injured and out of bullets. So while I can take on the main role, I will need your support," Yang Xiaoyou replied without showing any anger at Bear Head's initial remarks or his subsequent comment. A faint 'friendly' smile appeared on his pale face.
This made Bear Head's heart leap with joy. All he wanted was for the other side to take the lead. After all, he understood that in such a situation, it was impossible not to contribute. To survive, they had to eliminate that terrifying mysterious entity. He hadn’t expected the other party to be so agreeable; truly a good person.
I want to celebrate! I want to celebrate!
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