Published: February 12, 2025
These people are not foolish; they know that the best way to prevent being picked off one by one is to gather together. With so many nine-star evolvers staying in one place, it’s not easy to attack them.
They quickly moved to the position where the sentries should be, but after searching the area, they did not find their two companions who should be there, although they did discover some traces.
“Blood?” the captain asked a member skilled in tracking. This member picked up some soil from the spot and held it to his nose. He nodded then shook his head.
“It’s bloodstains, but…” Seeing the team member hesitating, the captain realized he must have something uncomfortable to say. However, everyone was watching, and he could only urge him to speak directly.
“It looks very much like some ability caused a quick kill; the wounds are very small, and the death process was extremely short—just a moment.”
The captain’s expression darkened; he was somewhat uncertain. “Quick kill?”
At their level, even if ambushed, the chance of being killed instantly was minimal. If someone could really do that, their strength must far exceed theirs.
Undoubtedly, this statement would instill panic among the team.
“I'm afraid so,” the captain took a deep breath, wanting to say something when he suddenly stopped.
“The people to the south haven’t contacted us on time.”
This statement made the already tense atmosphere even more serious.
“Let’s split up to check the situation; the other three directions should also be investigated.” One person kept looking around, clearly starting to be on guard.
“No, we should let the sentries come back voluntarily. If they don’t return, it indicates there’s a problem. We shouldn’t take the risk to check; instead, we should find out the reason together, or leave this place. After all, time is running out.”
Someone raised an objection. No matter what kind of life it was, the instinct in the face of danger was to seek benefits and avoid harm.
“We can’t abandon them, even if there’s only a glimmer of hope.”
“We might have encountered a troublesome parasite or the most powerful red name rookie. With less than half an hour before entering the safety period, acting recklessly will only make things worse!”
“But don’t forget, among the eight sentries sent out, two have special abilities. Without them, our hunting in the next few cycles will be greatly affected!”
“That’s enough!” The captain growled, “The situation is unclear, and you’re already turning on each other?”
“We cannot abandon our companions for our own safety or unwillingness to take risks. Think about how you would feel if you encountered danger and your companions chose to abandon you.”
Upon hearing the captain’s words, the differing voices vanished. Even if they were unwilling, it was impossible to show it; otherwise, they would be the ones abandoned in the future.
“Ailezeya, you take half the people to the south. The rest will come with me to the north. No matter what we find, we will regroup here in five minutes. If there are any accidents, send a signal immediately.”
Ailezeya bowed her head and nodded, her hand resting on the long katana, her expression unreadable except for the coldness visible between her brows.
Some people followed her as she headed south, while the others ran with the captain towards the other side.
The captain, whose score had reached three thousand points, probably didn’t expect that this seemingly foolproof decision would bring trouble to the team.
Not far from here, Jie Kui quickly returned to Ye Zhongming’s side.
“Boss, a third option—split the forces.”
Hearing this, Ye Zhongming and the others smiled. This was what they most hoped to see.
In their expectations, that team would make one of three decisions when facing the silent hunting of the sentries.
The first was to retreat and not care about their companions' lives; this was the outcome Ye Zhongming and Ji Rui Guang dreaded the most, as it would limit their options to a strong assault.