Chapter 14: Controlled by Others

Yang Fan never expected to encounter his kind in this place, let alone two at once.

His sense of smell was sharper than usual, although not excessively so; the scent of beasts was distinct and easily discernible, while human scents were less noticeable.

Moreover, these two individuals were expertly disguised, covered from head to toe in needle leaves, effectively concealing their scent.

Focused on being alert to exotic beasts, Yang Fan failed to detect them earlier.

Both of them were tall and strong, towering over Yang Fan by a head.

They both held long bows, seemingly made of Grey Pine wood, with bowstrings likely crafted from Iron Spider Vine tendrils, tougher than those of Mountain Vine.

Iron Spider Vine tendrils were incredibly fine, resembling spider silk at first glance. However, when enough tendrils were collected and twisted together, they not only proved effective but also possessed exceptional resilience, rated as one of the best crafting materials by the wrist screen.

Unfortunately, Yang Fan had only come across a small amount of Iron Spider Vine near a massive rock edge. He had briefly considered collecting it for future use in making bows and arrows.

Yet, he faced obstacles. Firstly, climbing the rock was not feasible, and secondly, it was apparent that the quantity of Iron Spider Vine on the rock was limited.

Upon reflection, Yang Fan realized that a bow he could draw probably wouldn’t inflict much harm on exotic beasts. As for the rope, Mountain Vine tendrils were sufficient, prompting him to abandon the idea of collecting more materials.

Unexpectedly, these two individuals had indeed crafted bows and arrows.

They must have come from a different direction to gather enough Iron Spider Vine.

As they approached, both paused briefly, one standing still while the other kept their gaze fixed on Yang Fan.

Soon enough, Yang Fan saw two brown pills fall into their hands.

With keen vision, Yang Fan could confirm that they were two Beast Essence Pills.

After snatching the two Mengji cubs, these two managed to complete the first objective.

As the two approached, Yang Fan noticed a detail: the man with the eagle hook had another arrow ready on his bow, with his other hand poised at the arrow’s end, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice!

Yang Fan squinted slightly.

Were they guarding against other exotic beasts? Yet, their gaze remained fixed on him!

In the Beast Realm, there were no laws. Yang Fan remembered his mother’s advice during his moments of unconsciousness, reminding him to always be cautious of others!

Decisively, Yang Fan chose not to wait for the two to get closer and turned to leave.

“Stop!” a man’s voice came from behind. “Move again, and don’t blame us for striking first!”

Based on the precision and power displayed by those two arrows, it seemed like they were quite skilled with the bow and arrow. Yang Fan realized that now that he was exposed here, escaping would likely be futile.

In the end, Yang Fan had no choice but to turn around, stopping in place to face the two individuals.

As they drew nearer, Yang Fan could now make out their features.

One had sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, a hooked nose, exuding a handsome yet shrewd aura.

This person seemed very familiar, and after a moment of contemplation, Yang Fan suddenly recalled—he was the second person called out by name to enter the passage.

Liu Qi!

The other person had an ordinary appearance, with single eyelids and fair skin, but Yang Fan couldn’t recall his name.

As they approached, Liu Qi slightly led the way, while the other person followed beside and slightly behind him.

Soon, both stood before Yang Fan.

Liu Qi raised his chin slightly, looking down at Yang Fan with a hint of disdain, furrowing his brow slightly. “It’s not easy to come across juvenile exotic beasts fighting each other. If not for our accurate arrows, you would have snatched those two Mengji.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, taking down two Rank 1 exotic beasts in one go, completing the first objective twice. Encountering such a huge benefit, you must have been thrilled at that moment.”

Upon hearing these words, Yang Fan refrained from explaining, his mind racing at full speed.

From Liu Qi’s words, Yang Fan deduced that these two individuals were unaware of the previous events!

If they knew, they wouldn’t have referred to encountering “two Mengji” but rather six!

Just a hundred meters away lay the bodies of four Mengji!

Their earlier use of bows and arrows to threaten him directly, coupled with their unfriendly words now, heightened Yang Fan’s vigilance.

As the saying goes, a wise man doesn’t suffer losses. Even if he had to forfeit a piece of Exotic Beast Spirit Flesh, Yang Fan knew he was no match for these two individuals. With the reward gone, it was best to quickly distance himself from them.

“Sorry, I didn’t notice you earlier and didn’t know you had your eyes on these two Mengji,” Yang Fan chose to yield without hesitation, calmly stating, “I haven’t caused you any trouble anyway, and you’ve both completed your first objective. Given the potential appearance of exotic beasts around us, it’s best we leave quickly.” With that, Yang Fan turned to walk away.

“Stop. Am I allowing you to leave?” Liu Qi’s voice turned cold and malevolent, his tone clearly revealing hostility.

Yang Fan turned around, maintaining his composure, deliberately giving Liu Qi a puzzled look. “Is there something else you need?”

With a disdainful snort, Liu Qi’s face twisted into a cold smirk. In the next moment, he unexpectedly grabbed the bow and fiercely struck Yang Fan without any provocation.

Despite being cautious of Liu Qi, Yang Fan didn’t anticipate such a sudden attack without any reason.

Frantically raising the Grey Pine Gun for defense, Yang Fan was overpowered by the forceful strikes from both the bow and Liu Qi, leaving him vulnerable and in pain.

Weakened and struck forcefully by Liu Qi, Yang Fan stumbled back three to four meters, falling heavily to the ground. The intense pain in his shoulder and waist left him unable to rise for a moment.

The man standing beside Liu Qi was bewildered by his actions, looking at his companion in utter surprise. “Liu Qi, what are you doing? Weren’t we just here to say hello?”

Liu Qi chuckled lightly, glancing at the man. “Say hello? Zhang Jie, you’re so naive.”

“We’ve completed the first objective! You’ve checked the reward too, right? Beast Essence Pills, materials for a physical breakthrough!” Liu Qi grew more excited as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with an intense, almost overwhelming fervor.

“We risk our lives coming to the Scavengers to transcend the ordinary, don’t we? And I’ve just realized that achieving the goals of the trial in the Beast Realm is the fastest shortcut to greatness!”

“Think about it, without the target rewards, would we have obtained these Beast Essence Pills?”

Under Liu Qi’s intense gaze, Zhang Jie started to feel flustered, his confidence diminishing slightly. “Even if what you say is true, but, what does attacking him have to do with it?”

Liu Qi’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. “The first objective of exploring the Beast Realm is to hunt and kill a Rank 1 exotic beast. If we hadn’t been lucky enough to come across those two Mengji in conflict, we would have struggled to accomplish it.”

“If the first objective is already this dangerous, do you think the second won’t pose any risks?”

With a furrowed brow, Zhang Jie listened attentively. His puzzled expression suggested he still hadn’t quite grasped Liu Qi’s intentions.

Liu Qi continued, “Exploring the Qilin Lair, searching for the Crimson Qilin Fruit… I can assure you, none of these tasks will be easy to accomplish.”

“There’s definitely danger in the Qilin Lair; one wrong move, and we could end up dead!”

“But, by completing the second objective, we can achieve a physical breakthrough! In other words, there might be something in the Qilin Lair that could help us break through… most likely the Crimson Qilin Fruit!”

Zhang Jie looked at Liu Qi in astonishment.

They had been a team for several hours, acting together, collecting Iron Spider Vine tendrils, crafting weapons, making needle leaf disguises, and strategizing.

Yet, it was only now that Zhang Jie realized that while it seemed like they both contributed equally, Liu Qi had always been the one leading the way.

Once Liu Qi got serious, Zhang Jie found himself unable to keep up with the speed of his companion’s thoughts!

Take the second objective, for instance. Both had just received it, and Zhang Jie hadn’t given it much thought, focusing on the immediate tasks at hand.

However, Liu Qi was already contemplating the dangers of the Qilin Lair and the potential for a physical breakthrough!

Fortunately, they had agreed earlier not to betray each other. Otherwise, this guy would be truly terrifying.

Liu Qi looked at Zhang Jie, giving a cold smile, before shifting his gaze to the individual on the ground who couldn’t get up.

“I understand that initially, you wanted him to join our team, but Zhang Jie, this is the world of Shan Hai Jing . In front of those exotic beasts, we are no different from ants, ready to become prey for any wild creature.”

“Look at his physical condition; he’s far below us in terms of capability. Do you think having him join us would be beneficial?”

In Liu Qi’s presence, Zhang Jie increasingly lost his assertiveness, as it seemed Liu Qi was always considering both of them.

“If you don’t want him to team up with us, why did you injure him? What exactly are you trying to do?”

“Murder?” Zhang Jie also considered this possibility. “There’s no need for that, right?”

Liu Qi chuckled lightly, his demeanor suddenly relaxing. “Why would I kill him? I’m not a murderer.”

“Just… I was just thinking, if we let this guy take the lead, our chances of success would significantly increase!”

“We can have him clear out the dangers in the Qilin Lair!”

As Liu Qi casually laid out his plan, Zhang Jie felt a chill creeping up his spine.

Liu Qi’s intention was to use that person as bait!

He claimed not to want to kill the individual, but using him as bait was just as despicable!

“I don’t think that’s a good idea… We are all newcomers here for the assessment.”

“Hehe, what’s wrong with it? Haven’t you heard the examiners’ warning not to team up easily? It was just a suggestion, not a mandatory rule. Why do you think that is?”

“Because they can’t enforce supervision! Even if you kill someone, the outside world would never know what happened here!”

“Only those who leave alive have a voice; the dead can’t speak!”

“Forget about your conscience, morality, and all that. They won’t help you survive!” Liu Qi’s gaze bore into Zhang Jie, speaking earnestly. “Zhang Jie, trust me! Not only can I ensure our survival, but I will make us stronger!”

“You and I, together, can transcend limits; we can dominate this era!”

Liu Qi exuded a compelling force, and under his intense gaze, Zhang Jie gradually set aside his principles and compromised.

“Dominate this era…”

“Alright, fine, but let’s not make this a habit. I’ll follow your lead this time.”

Liu Qi finally persuaded Zhang Jie, giving a slight smile. “Use the Iron Spider Vine to bind this guy up! And, seal his mouth too, so he doesn’t try anything desperate.”

Zhang Jie nodded, helping Yang Fan, who was in pain on the ground, to his feet and binding his hands behind his back.

Satisfied, Liu Qi nodded and said, “Let’s go, to the Qilin Lair!”