31 Chapter 30: Dangerous Creatures (2/2)
I didn't need telling twice. I hastily followed Zhu Jiao as he sprinted into the forest. Behind us, the Spirit Tiger thrashed about wildly, bellowing and shouting in rage as it slashed at the air around it. As we ran further into the forest, its howls gradually grew softer and softer.
”Phew…we somehow survived that. Thanks to you, I managed to calm down and think of a plan to escape that Spirit Tiger.”
Zhu Jiao shook his head and turned to me as he slowed down. He smiled and grabbed both my shoulders, shaking me roughly.
”Where the fuck have you been the past two months?! We thought you were dead!”
”Well, you know…” I shrugged. ”I was busily trying to survive in Sen Lin Forest.”
”You son of a gun!” Zhu Jiao shouted, laughing as he continued to shake me. His actions were making me dizzy. ”I don't believe it! You have no idea how glad I am to see that you're all right!”
”Yeah, I'm so glad to see you too,” I agreed. Under any other circumstances, I would be sobbing from raw emotion, but unfortunately, we were still stuck in the forest and couldn't let our guard down. ”Oh, I need to find Ban Zhang. Last time I saw him, he was being chased by a Diamondback Crocodile.”
”Huh?! What?! Why would Ban Zhang be…?!”
I quickly explained to him what had transpired since my reunion with the students of Wu Ling Academy.
Zhu Jiao shook his head.
”You're crazy, you know that?”
”I know.”
”Anyway, wait here. I think I might know how to contact Ban Zhang.” He fished his cellphone out of his pocket and I gaped at him.
”Wait, aren't we not allowed to bring cellphones during missions?”
Zhu Jiao grinned at me conspiratorially. ”What the teachers don't know won't hurt them, right? And Ban Zhang brought his cellphone too, so this is the easiest way to get in contact with him.”
”…right.”
I had no answer to that. Sighing, I shook my head but left Zhu Jiao to it. This was better than worrying endlessly over the fate of Ban Zhang.
”Oh! Ban Zhang! Yeah, it's me, Zhu Jiao. Are you all right?” Zhu Jiao paused and listened. ”Yeah. Yeah. I know. That's good. I heard that you were chased by a Diamondback Crocodile…” there was a burst of noise, and then Zhu Jiao chuckled. ”Yeah, that's right. I ran into Fei Wu. Don't worry, I'll take care of him. You take care of yourself. I'll take charge of bringing him back to Teacher Jiao.” Another blurt from the other end. ”You focus on your test. Leave Fei Wu to me, okay?”
Then he hung up and showed me a thumb's up.
”Ban Zhang's all right,” he assured me. ”He lost the Diamondback Crocodile. Apparently they don't like traveling too far inland. They need to stay close to the water. So he's safe. Furthermore…” Zhu Jiao glanced at the time display worriedly. ”We don't have much time before the time ends. We need to get a Rank 3 monster core.”
No, you needed to get a Rank 3 monster core. I didn't. But I wasn't the type to leave my friend in the lurch, so I nodded.
”I'll help you.”
”Help me? What about you?” Zhu Jiao stared at me blankly.
”Dude, you do realize that I was lost in Sen Lin Forest for almost two months, right?” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. ”My first course of action is to report to the teachers. The test is the least of my worries right now. I don't think the teachers would even recognize my participation in it.”
”Oh, right!” Zhu Jiao nodded. ”Ban Zhang told me. I'm supposed to escort you to Teacher Jiao immediately.”
But…he looked reluctant, because he knew that meant he would fail this test. I almost felt sorry for him.
”Don't worry, I'll help you with your test first. Then we can go report to the teachers. It's on the way, anyway, so we'll grab a Rank 3 monster core and then look for Teacher Jiao.”
”Really?” Zhu Jiao brightened up. ”You have any idea how to find a Rank 3 magical beast?”
”Uh, well…I guess we'll have to walk around until we find one?” Zhu Jiao stared at me, stupefied by what he thought sounded like a stupid suggestion. I glared back. ”What other methods are there?”
”…you're right.” Zhu Jiao sighed, resigned. ”Well, if we run into a Rank 4 magical beast, we'll have to run. Don't be too reckless.”
”Yes, sir.”
I didn't mention that he was the one who needed to pass this test, not me.
The two of us began scrounging through the forest in the hopes of finding a magical beast that we could easily deal with. As we went deeper into the forest, the sunrays were slowly being blocked out by the dense canopy.
”Whoa…are we going the right way?” I asked nervously. Zhu Jiao glanced around and smiled fearlessly.
”Of course! I might look dumb, but I have a pretty sensitive intuition for these things, you know! Follow me and I'll lead you to a treasure trove of magical beasts!”
”As long as they aren't Rank 4 and above,” I muttered, but I obediently followed him without further complaint.
Unbeknownst to us, there was a slender and huge quadruped beast that had been lurking close by, its dusky, black silhouette camouflaged within the dark canopies of the tall trees that towered over the forest.
We hadn't noticed its presence at all. So stealthy was the magical beast that it soundlessly jumped from treetop to treetop, gracefully perching itself atop thick branches as it stalked the two of us. Its golden eyes shone brightly as it tracked our movements.
Despite me cautiously reaching out with my qi sense and attempting to read the presences of every nearby magical beast, I had completely missed its movements.
The streamlined figure was about the size of an Ironback Wolf, but its fur was silky and highly priced. The color of its black fur, especially, matched that of night, giving a ghostly impression and allowing the creature to melt stealthily into the shadows without being seen.
I was only aware of this later, but this was a nightmarish hunter…a Rank 5 magical beast, the Shadow Leopard.
So deadly was the beast that the moment it revealed its claws and fangs, its prey would most likely be dead. It was the top predator in the peripheries of Sen Lin Forest…and even deep within the forest itself, not many high-class magical beasts dared to challenge it unless absolutely necessary.
And it was this monster that sprang at us out of nowhere, its killing intent flaring up as brightly as if it was day.
”!”
I could barely react in time, crossing my arms as I parried the Shadow Leopard's metallic claws. Despite blocking the attack, the momentum and tremendous force behind the Shadow Leopard's pounce was enough to throw me off my feet.
”Gah!”
”Fei Wu!”
”Stay back!” I shouted as Zhu Jiao made to move forward.
I could barely defend myself in time as the Shadow Leopard struck again. Breathing heavily, with several trails of blood dripping down ragged tears on my face and arms, I yelled at the panicking Zhu Jiao.
”Run away! I'll buy as much time as I can!”
”You've got to be kidding me! I'm not leaving you behind!”
Zhu Jiao had activated his golden field of defensive yang qi and rammed against the Shadow Leopard. The mighty predator gave a grunt as it was rocked off its feet, but it slashed Zhu Jiao, swatting him away.
”Kuh!”
The claws were so sharp and deadly they penetrated the dense field of yang qi and sent spurts of blood out of Zhu Jiao's arms. The blond-haired boy was sent flying into the trees.
”Kyaaah!”
”Whoa!”
A group of students who were running away from another magical beast was startled when Zhu Jiao landed within their midst. They skidded to a stop, panicking when they saw the Shadow Leopard. They turned a complete 180 to run, only to see the gigantic Skull Jackal bound upon them, slavering ravenously.
A Skull Jackal…a Rank 4 magical beast, which was slightly smaller than the Shadow Leopard, but almost as agile.
However, when even the Skull Jackal spotted the Shadow Leopard, it skidded to a stop. The two mighty predators stared at each other, then the smaller Skull Jackal suddenly turned around and fled with a whimper.
Even though they're of similar rank, the Skull Jackal is afraid of the Shadow Leopard?! Then again, the Skull Jackal is only Rank 4 and the Shadow Leopard is Rank 5…
The group of students froze as the Shadow Leopard's murderous gaze flickered toward them.
”Hey!” I shouted to them. ”Grab Zhu Jiao and get out of here!”
”…eh?”
”Ah…”
”Just do it! I'll distract the Shadow Leopard!”
”Huh? How?”
I didn't bother to reply. I was already running toward the Shadow Leopard. The night-colored predator slashed at me, but I dodged under its paws and kicked its jaw, annoying it. The Shadow Leopard snarled and raked its claws through my body, leaving another three huge red lines across my torso.
”Gaaaah!”
I stumbled and crashed into the ground, my mind blanked out by the pain.
”AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Even though I was the one being hurt, the other students were screaming way louder and more fearfully than me.
”Shut up and run!” I hollered at them. ”NOW!”
Mustering every ounce of fury I had in my voice, I struggled back to my feet and gestured toward Zhu Jiao's unmoving body. The spiky-haired protagonist-if-this-was-another-story rose weakly and protested.
”No, wait…”
”Just do it!”
The other students were evidently more afraid of me than him, and they hauled him up to his feet and fled the way they came from. I hoped the Skull Jackal had ran further away from here or they might end up meeting it again. Even if that was the case, it would still be safer than staying here with a Rank 5 Shadow Leopard.
The Shadow Leopard lazily turned toward their direction, but I staggered to put myself between the vicious predator and the escaping group of first year students.
”Your opponent is me,” I spat through bloody lips, and adopted an aggressive stance.