Chapter 70: Sniping the Werewolf

“[Target Name: Werewolf Chieftain] [Target Type: Otherkin] [Hunting Level: Level 2] [Special Abilities: Hardened Claws, Claw Rending, Shadow Strike] [Strength: 5.4] [Constitution: 5.1] [Agility: 5.2] [Spirit: 1.7] [Weakness: ......]”

As Zhang Ran recited these words, an information panel appeared before his eyes, displaying the attributes of the werewolf chieftain. After confirming the chieftain’s data, Zhang Ran nodded slightly and called upon his mental power. In the sea of his consciousness, the second silver “Space Box” ability rune on the Tree of Evolution suddenly lit up. The AM41 automatic rifle vanished from the space box and appeared in his hands.

Finding a vantage point, Zhang Ran crouched, set up the rifle, steadied himself, and entered shooting mode. The barrel moved smoothly as his aim locked onto the head of a Level 1 werewolf standing before the chieftain. For a Level 2 chieftain, with an agility as high as 5 points, even with chip-assisted targeting, hitting him from such a distance with an automatic rifle was nearly impossible. Zhang Ran did not waste his effort.

Bang!

He squeezed the trigger; the gunshot echoed through the dense forest. A bullet sped toward the distant Level 1 werewolf. Without lingering to observe the outcome, Zhang Ran swiftly vacated his firing position.

With the report of the gun, in the werewolf settlement, the skull of the Level 1 werewolf burst open. Brain matter and blood splattered everywhere as the body lost control, collapsing limply and twitching a few times before it stilled. A stream of evolutionary energy drifted from the corpse and merged into Zhang Ran’s body.

A mournful howl rang out. Seeing the Level 1 werewolf fall dead beside him, the Level 2 chieftain lifted his head and roared in fury, so loud that even Zhang Ran, far away, could hear it. Though Zhang Ran could not decipher the exact meaning of the roar, he understood it must be something akin to “Catch the intruder.” As the chieftain howled, the young werewolves quickly retreated into the wooden huts.

Simultaneously, from other huts, adult werewolves poured forth, wielding war spears, stone axes, bows, and other simple weapons, gathering around the Level 2 chieftain. From the central, towering hut, an elderly werewolf shaman emerged, his fur gray-white, face deeply wrinkled, skin sagging as he shuffled to the chieftain’s side.

Zhang Ran used his chip to tally their numbers: one Level 2 chieftain, one Level 1 shaman, five Level 1 ordinary werewolves, and thirty-two Level 0 ordinary werewolves.

Once assembled, the chieftain let out another thunderous roar, extending his shaggy right paw and pointing toward Zhang Ran’s former shooting position, uttering an indistinct howl. In response, werewolves wielding spears raised them and hurled them in that direction, while those with bows nocked arrows and fired repeatedly.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

With each piercing sound, spears and arrows tore through the forest, raining down furiously on Zhang Ran’s previous location. Among them, four spears thrown by Level 1 werewolves flew faster, struck harder, and carried greater power. A layer of azure light coated their surfaces—this was the effect of “Spear Throw,” an ability all four possessed, which greatly enhanced the speed, strength, and penetration of their throws.

Empowered by Spear Throw, these five spears rivaled bullets in force, easily piercing thin steel plates. If they struck a human, they would surely leave gaping wounds. Had Zhang Ran remained at his former spot, escaping unscathed would have been difficult, for he possessed no defensive abilities and, due to financial constraints, had not yet acquired a Level 2 alloy shield.

Each spear embedded itself deeply in the earth, until only the shaft remained visible. Many struck the great trees, blasting bowl-sized holes into their trunks with tremendous impact.

The spears enhanced by Spear Throw gouged holes several times larger than ordinary spears, and one thinner tree was even severed outright, crashing to the ground.

While the werewolves unleashed their arrows and spears, Zhang Ran, having already shifted positions, found a new sniper’s perch. He set up his AM41 rifle, took aim at the head of the Level 1 werewolf shaman, and pulled the trigger.

Compared to ordinary Level 1 werewolves, the shaman’s strength, constitution, and agility were each 0.3–0.5 points lower, but their spirit was 1–1.5 points higher, even reaching 2.5. They also possessed two abilities from a pool including Inspiration, Weakening, Curse, Venom Bomb, and Trap.

Bang!

The gunshot echoed once more through the forest. The aged shaman had no chance to dodge; his head exploded like a shattered melon, scattering red and white everywhere. A stream of evolutionary energy surged from his body toward Zhang Ran.

Seeing the shaman collapse, the chieftain’s eyes grew fiercer. For a werewolf settlement, shamans held immense importance, greatly boosting their combat strength. Among dozens of Level 1 werewolves, usually only one shaman would emerge; in this settlement, there was only this one.

Witnessing the shaman’s death, the chieftain roared madly, grasping a thick ironwood club and leading the werewolves in a charge toward Zhang Ran’s shooting position.

Faced with the werewolves’ ferocious advance, Zhang Ran continued his guerilla tactics, quietly leaving his previous spot and firing repeatedly, picking off the Level 1 ordinary werewolves.

Under his precise shots, one after another, the Level 1 werewolves’ heads burst open, their bodies falling lifeless to the ground, twitching briefly before dying. Evolutionary energy spilled from their corpses into Zhang Ran, while the chieftain was left raging helplessly, unable to catch him.

After several shots, all the Level 1 werewolves in the settlement lay dead, leaving the chieftain alone with only a group of Level 0 adult werewolves, who were barely stronger than proto-evolved humans. Without firearms, these werewolves had no way to harm a Level 2 evolved being.

Having eliminated the Level 1 werewolves, Zhang Ran no longer played cat-and-mouse with the chieftain. He activated his Space Box ability, stowed the AM41 rifle, gripped his military dagger, and strode directly toward the distant Level 2 chieftain.