Hunter of Mysterious Creature

Chapter 883 - 113: Camp Setup (2)

And the reward for the other task cannot be measured in money.

However, what frustrates Sun Hang is that these hunters show little enthusiasm for it... Many of them just want a piece of the high-stakes bounty... As seasoned veterans, they know very well that "the more dangerous task" Sun Hang mentioned is beyond their capability.

The intensity of this insect-like creature is absurd enough, but fortunately, as a group hunt, the weaker hunters can do some auxiliary work—commonly referred to as freeloading. As for that more dangerous task, there might not be a freeloading position available.

Even the greediest hunter finds it hard to muster greed when faced with a task where the mortality rate reaches one hundred percent for them.

...

...

"Four days." Nagano Souta controlled the White Tiger to patrol around the edge of the collapsed area. After returning to camp, he said to Sun Hang, "I’ve never seen such a calm no-man’s land."

"Calm? In what regard?" Sun Hang asked.

"Deathly storms," Nagano Souta said. "We have gathered over forty people here, and with such a magnitude of vitality, deathly storms would soon seek us out like sharks smelling blood in the sea... But in these four days, not to mention newly formed deathly storms, even the one that has been chasing us, 5198, dissipated on its own thirty kilometers from Nanhua Town."

"Perhaps because two tigers cannot share one mountain." Sun Hang said, "Deathly storms are mysterious creatures, so is this big insect. And in terms of level, the big insect might rank above the deathly storms, meaning the deathly storms wouldn’t dare rush into the territory of the big insect."

"That makes some sense." The head monitor of the White Tiger turned to one side, where in the open ground, a group of Free Hunters and mercenaries were heating food around a campfire, "When do you plan to launch a probing attack on the target? Wait until the next batch of hunters arrive?"

"Don’t ask me, ask them." Sun Hang pointed to the people by the campfire, "I’m not participating in this group hunt operation, nor will I issue orders to any participant. My mission with Candle Dragon is to observe and record... Just consider us the two pairs of eyes of Dubhe Tower."

"Speaking of which, someone got into a fight yesterday." Sitting on the hood of the off-road vehicle, Ya Qiaoxi held a steaming self-heating bowl of rice, eating while speaking, "Seems it was over the command rights within the team."

"Was there a result?" Candle Dragon asked.

"No." Ya Qiaoxi shrugged and stuffed another mouthful of rice, "No one willing to yield to anyone else. This type of fight can’t lead to a real outcome, naturally no victor can be determined."

"Is there not a single person among them who can unite the group?" Candle Dragon questioned.

"These are a few small groups pieced together, each has its strengths—some have excellent individual combat power, some have the largest numbers, and some have the best equipment... Everyone is worried that if outsiders gain command, they’d hog all the credit while shoving the hard and tiring work onto others, so they can’t unite together." Ya Qiaoxi explained, "This is normal."

"Do they always behave like this in large-scale group hunts?" Sun Hang asked.

"Previously, large-scale group hunts were often led by Dubhe Tower or the City Defense Army, with command rights never falling to these Free Hunters and mercenaries to fight over. Either the funder of the task would appoint a leader to come here, or in worst cases, someone with prestige and combat power would step forward to take on the responsibility..."

Upon saying this, Ya Qiaoxi deliberately set her gaze on the White Tiger: "But now none of you three are willing to step up, leaving that mob to squabble... I’m actually curious if your method can indeed select a suitable candidate?"

"Among the current group, it’s likely difficult." Sun Hang scanned the Free Hunters one by one, and considering only meme intensity, there was not a single one who caught his eye.

Setting aside intelligence, experience, and tactical literacy, just speaking of combat power, the female hunter from Sandthorn Rose with beast transformation ability likely represented the pinnacle among these people.

However, she entered a long period of weakness after ending her beast transformation and eventually died in Giant Hill.

Even if that female hunter were alive, Sun Hang wouldn’t choose her.

Picking the tallest from a bunch of short ones doesn’t mean the chosen one is truly tall, it’s just because the others used for comparison are too inadequate... Besides, the female hunter’s character and personality weren’t ideal either.

Thinking of this, Sun Hang glanced at Suyue tucked away in the corner.

She hasn’t joined the Free Hunters, instead constantly sticking around Sun Hang and the others.

Initially, Ya Qiaoxi wasn’t keen on caring whether she lived or died, but seeing Suyue exposed daily in ragged clothes to the unrestrained gazes of those big guys, she ultimately found a spare set of tactical apparel and threw it Suyue’s way.

Ya Qiaoxi is half a head taller and more robust compared to Suyue, so her clothes were more than one size too large on Suyue. This made Suyue, with arms wrapped in bandages and a cast, look quite pitiful.

But knowing those things she did, Sun Hang certainly didn’t feel a shred of pity for her.

At this moment, she was clutching a piece of compressed biscuit, pecking at it like a chick pecking grain. When she noticed Sun Hang’s gaze shift towards her, she immediately pursed her lips, affecting a look of grievance and weakness.

She’s fooled many men with this trick, except for the two before her.

She overheard Sun Hang and Candle Dragon discussing whether to use her as a live specimen to test the corrosive effect of spores on protective clothing two days ago, scaring her nearly into running away. Luckily, Ya Qiaoxi strongly opposed the notion, allowing the topic to be dropped.

But what she didn’t know was that Sun Hang deliberately spoke those words to her, just to see how she would react.

If she chose to backstab like she did to her benefactor before, then Sun Hang truly wouldn’t have any psychological burden using her for live experimentation.

Then, a mercenary who looked rather casual swaggered over, first glancing cautiously at Sun Hang and Candle Dragon, then approached Suyue: "Hey beauty, munching only compressed biscuits must be quite dry, fancy something to drink?"

As he spoke, he shook the canteen in his hand, the liquid inside making a dull thumping sound.

Suyue swallowed but didn’t respond to him, burying her head lower instead.

"Are you a hunter too? Why do you seem like a wronged little wife?" The mercenary seemed a bit wary of Sun Hang and the others, not daring to get too close, and squatted about two meters from Suyue, curiously observing.

"I’d advise you to stay away from that woman." Ya Qiaoxi on the engine hood spoke.

"Why? Mr. Ya, do you think this lady is prettier than you, so you’re jealous?" The mercenary grinned at Ya Qiaoxi.

"Jealous? Jealous my ass! I’m just afraid you’ll end up dead by her hands... She’s a hunter from Sandthorn Rose, remember to say I didn’t warn you if you get duped." Ya Qiaoxi scolded.

"Sandthorn Rose?" The mercenary immediately stood up, involuntarily stepping back two paces, "Really? How did a member of Sandthorn Rose end up in such a sorry state?"

"She escaped from Giant Hill, what do you think?" Ya Qiaoxi raised an eyebrow.

"Is it to say... all the other members of Sandthorn Rose perished in Giant Hill, leaving only her alive?" The mercenary’s gaze abruptly changed.