Chapter 50: The Cat and Mouse Begin

Xia Tong remained concealed in the shadows, using her peripheral vision to observe their every move.

Centered around the dilapidated brick hut, they spread out rapidly in all directions like a cast fishing net.

Excitement was etched on everyone's faces, a look of absolute certainty, as they clearly believed that the newly breakthrough mutant creature was now well within their grasp.

An energy crystal core from a mutant creature was, after all, hard currency in the wasteland, functioning as a universal equivalent.

Whether used for trading or absorbing the contained energy, it was an excellent choice. Therefore, once this group had set their minds on hunting her, they would not retreat so easily.

...

"It must be right around here. Having just broken through, it is at its weakest!" Wang Quan's voice remained booming, carrying undisguised greed.

"Search carefully, don't let it slip away!" Liu Ye commanded in a deep voice, his sharp gaze sweeping over every suspicious corner.

"Better stay vigilant. The target possesses wood-type abilities, most likely a plant-type mutant."

"Understood." The others nodded and scattered in all directions.

He Ting said nothing. She simply closed her eyes, once again utilizing her wood-type ability to finely perceive the residual wood-attribute energy fluctuations lingering in the air.

Xia Tong slipped into a dense thicket of bushes. The archaic crown of thorns resting upon her head seemed to merge seamlessly with the surrounding vegetation, elevating her perception of the area to an unprecedented level of clarity.

She could vaguely yet distinctly perceive the position of every ability user and the direction of their movement.

This was her first time formally channeling the wood-type ability within her body, which felt slightly obstructed and sluggish at first, but with the aid of the crown of thorns upon her head, these hurdles were easily resolved.

Now, she was in the dark while the enemy was in the light; in this game of cat and mouse, the advantage was hers.

Heh, these people really took her for a lamb waiting to be slaughtered... With a flick of her eyes, Xia Tong set her first target on Li Sishui, someone she had crossed paths with briefly.

This fellow looked honest and simple-minded, but harbored murderous intent beneath the surface. He had probably backstabbed his previous two teammates as well.

This venomous snake had to be eliminated at the earliest opportunity, or he would become an endless source of trouble if left alive.

...

Meanwhile, Li Sishui had left the group and was advancing at a leisurely pace toward the southeast of the brick hut.

Although he cared little for the wood-type mutant creature, he had managed to worm his way into this group and had to at least put on a show.

Even away from the crowd, an honest, amiable smile remained plastered on his face. From time to time, he parted the blocking vines and branches, looking entirely like an ordinary survivor who had strayed into the area.

However, Xia Tong could sense that a faint, elusive mental energy was spreading out from him like an invisible, dense spiderweb, meticulously probing every rustle and movement in the surroundings.

It was his mental ability: Mental Interference.

An ability focused on influencing or manipulating the minds of others.

[Warning: Weak mental scan detected, suspected target is Li Sishui.]

[Mental shielding activated.]

As the prompt faded, the prickling sensation of being watched vanished instantly, and Xia Tong felt a surge of reassurance.

Yet, she still carefully reined in her presence. The crown of thorns on her head flickered faintly, and relying on her subtle perception of plants, she tailed closely behind Li Sishui at a short distance, waiting for the optimal moment to strike.

This abandoned zoo, enveloped by countless lush plants, was now her home turf.

...

Near the brick hut.

He Ting opened her eyes once again. She walked briskly back to the broken wall where Xia Tong had broken through earlier, squatted down, and pinched a handful of soil that still retained a fresh, crisp scent.

"There's no mistaking it, it's right here!" she said with absolute certainty, excitement flashing in her eyes. "The aftershocks of that life energy are strongest right here, and they're extremely fresh, as if it just underwent a perfect metamorphosis! It definitely hasn't run far!"

"Xiaoting, any discoveries?"

Hearing that there was a new lead, Liu Ye, who had been waiting nearby, immediately walked over with Wang Yang and Yan Wenli.

Compared to Li Sishui, who had joined halfway through, their bond was undeniably closer. They all waited here for He Ting's findings. As for that reckless brute Wang Quan, he was probably far away by now...

"That mutant creature should still be nearby, and might not have even left this area," He Ting stood up and surveyed her surroundings. "Let's split up and search carefully again, especially the abandoned animal enclosures and rockeries; it's very likely hiding inside."

"Judging by current observations, it seems capable of movement, and there are no drag marks on the ground, so it's most likely not a plant-type mutant... In any case, everyone be careful!"

...

Xia Tong had not seen such dazzling sunlight in a very long time. Awakenings of a second ability should have been a joyous occasion, but her hard-earned good mood had been ruined by this sudden intrusion.

Indeed, no one ever knew whether an accident or tomorrow would arrive first.

Li Sishui continuously released his perception, searching carefully for any living beings in the vicinity, but still found nothing out of the ordinary... At that moment, the brilliant sunlight overhead gradually dimmed, the lush tree canopy blocking the glaring rays. The moss beneath his feet was soft, and further ahead lay a dense banyan forest.

"That mutant creature shouldn't be here," Li Sishui muttered, touching his chin.

He was moving further and further away from the hut. Xia Tong, observing from the shadows all along, noticed that he seemed excessively confident in his mental scanning and had not been overly vigilant about his rear from beginning to time.

In that case... the opportunity for an ambush was not far off.

"Right now!" Sensing the opportune moment had arrived, Xia Tong's heart stirred.

Quietly, she stimulated the wood-type ability she had just mastered, sending a subtle ripple spreading into the distance...

In the distance, about ten meters to the left of Li Sishui's path of advance, the leaves at the top of a tall, dense verdant bush suddenly shook violently without warning, producing a clearly audible rustling sound, as if something was darting through it rapidly.

"Hmm?"

As expected, Li Sishui's attention was drawn by the commotion in the distance. He stopped in his tracks, looking suspiciously toward the source of the sound with a taut, wary expression.

Frowning, he instinctively projected his mental energy in that direction.

"What sneaky thing is hiding there? Get out here!" he shouted, a trace of imperceptible, contemptuous sneer curling the corner of his lips.

The very instant his mental energy was diverted and his attention drawn to the bushes, Xia Tong moved!

Like an arrow released from a string, she burst forth from her hiding shadow, her dark figure moving with lightning speed under the dappled sunlight. The water-type crystal core churning in her mental sea operated frantically, rapidly gathering massive amounts of water elemental energy into her mouth.

The next moment, a highly compressed deep-blue water orb tore through space with a piercing screech like a miniature cannonball, hurtling ferociously toward Li Sishui's undefended back!