Date: February 27th.
Afternoon in the Thousand Needle Forest Valley, the sunlight was just right.
Golden rays filtered through the layered canopy, casting mottled shadows upon the ground.
A gentle breeze brushed past, making the leaves rustle; occasionally, the distant cries of wild beasts could be heard, adding a touch of vitality to this primeval forest.
Leo dragged a massive Bicorne Ox-Horse, walking unhurriedly on the path back to camp.
This beast weighed a full five hundred catties, its two curved horns glinting coldly in the sunlight, yet in Leo's hands, it felt as light as a ball of cotton.
Over a month of hunting had yielded a bountiful harvest.
[Rank: 67 (68%)] From Rank 65 to Rank 67, he had increased by two whole levels.
The variety of biological species in the Thousand Needle Forest Valley was immense, enough for him to farm for a while longer.
Returning to camp, Leo skillfully processed the prey, cutting off the choice fatty portions and setting them over the campfire to roast.
The campfire burned vigorously, orange-red tongues of flame licking the meat.
Fat dripped into the fire with an enticing'sizzle,' and the rich aroma of roasted meat began to permeate the air.
Leo stared at the roasting meat over the fire, his thoughts gradually drifting away.
'At the current pace, I should reach Rank 70 in another two months.'
He calculated silently in his heart.
'Chairman Netero is likely between Rank 75 and Rank 80. The newborn Ant King, based on the original story's performance, should be around Rank 89.'
He shook his head.
'I'm still far from that.'
'To safely venture into the Dark Continent, I need to reach at least Rank 90.'
He thought of the data Satz had deciphered, and the records of the ancient Ancient Kape Civilization regarding that twenty-thousand-meter-tall Dragon.
The mere thought of an existence at that level made one feel powerless.
'I must continue to improve.'
Just then—the sound of a ringing phone interrupted Leo's thoughts.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID—Goreinu.
Leo's brow twitched slightly.
Goreinu?
Calling suddenly like this... something must be up. He pressed the answer button.
"Hello, is this Big Brother Goreinu?"
Goreinu's voice came from the other end, but it wasn't cheerful like usual at all.
His voice was breathless, carrying obvious panic and pain:
"Leo...!"
Leo's brow furrowed instantly.
He waited for two seconds; on the other end, Goreinu's heavy gasping could be heard, as if he were forcefully enduring something.
"I'm injured!"
Goreinu's voice was intermittent.
"I've found... traces of the Doctor!"
Leo stood up abruptly.
The word 'Doctor' exploded in his mind like a clap of thunder.
"What happened?!"
His voice suddenly became serious.
Goreinu took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice, but the pain and tension remained clearly audible.
"I accidentally overheard a conversation... they are related to the Doctor of the Purifier Organization! The residents of the entire town have become their test subjects!"
"They discovered me too... I was besieged by three people and barely managed to escape..."
He paused, seemingly enduring intense pain.
"The location is... Wusong Town in the southern part of the Ejin Continent..."
Leo's gaze instantly became sharp.
Wusong Town.
"I understand."
Leo said in a low voice.
"Say no more, Big Brother Goreinu. Stay hidden; I'm heading there right now. We'll talk when I arrive."
"Don't worry..."
A forced, bitter smile could be heard in Goreinu's voice.
"I won't die just yet."
Leo gave an "Mm" and hung up the phone.
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately dialed Sophia's number.
The phone was picked up after one ring.
"Master!"
Sophia's voice came from the other side, with the sound of wind and faint birdsong in the background.
"Are you looking for us?"
Leo didn't waste words and gave the order directly.
"You and Shizuku must immediately head to the southern part of the Ejin Continent, near Wusong Town. Note: do not approach the town; stay on standby in the surrounding area. Contact me once I arrive."
Sophia caught the seriousness in Leo's tone and immediately responded.
"Understood!"
The call ended.
Leo glanced at the meat still roasting on the fire, waved his hand, and extinguished the campfire.
Then, he turned and dashed toward the exit of the valley.
Meanwhile, deep within the Wusong Forest.
At the edge of a cliff, a rapid river roared below.
Layard stood at the edge of the cliff, hands in his pockets, looking down at the churning water with a bizarre smile on his face.
Hurried footsteps came from behind him.
Ian and Killian arrived almost simultaneously.
Ian, face full of rage, strode to Layard's side, grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around.
"Where is he?!"
Ian's roar shook the leaves, making them fall in rustling cascades.
Layard shrugged, his expression still that same nonchalant look.
"Probably dead."
Killian pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes behind the lenses staring intently at Layard as he spoke slowly.
"How did he die?"
Layard's hands remained in his pockets, his tone relaxed.
"I hit him in the back of the heart with a punch, and he fell down."
He gestured with his chin toward the bottom of the cliff.
"From this height, he's definitely dead."
Ian's face was terrifyingly grim.
He let go of Layard's shoulder and asked word for word,
"Why didn't you stop him and wait for us to arrive?!"
Layard shrugged indifferently, even letting out a smile.
"Couldn't stop him. If I hadn't ambushed him, he might have escaped."
He paused and added,
"If you're not convinced, go down and look for him yourselves. Either way, I'm not going down there."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Ian stared at his back, killing intent flashing in his eyes, but he ultimately held back.
Killian walked to Ian's side and whispered,
"What should we do? If he's not dead, our operation will be exposed. The higher-ups will punish us."
Ian was silent for a few seconds before saying coldly,
"Let Zachary go and search. His ability is perfectly suited for it."
Killian nodded.
"Fine. Then I'll notify him."
He turned and left.
Ian stood alone at the cliff's edge, staring fixedly at the rushing river below.
A moment later, he also turned and departed.
Only Layard, walking through the woods, had a deeper smile on his lips.
He had indeed done it on purpose.
From the moment he discovered Goreinu eavesdropping, he had this plan.
Goreinu's appearance was an accident, but also an opportunity—an opportunity to pass the message out.
He hadn't struck with full force, giving Goreinu a chance to escape, cornering him at the cliff, and then—sending him down.
With Goreinu's strength, he shouldn't die; as long as he lived, he would pass the message along.
This way, the task assigned by the Doctor was completed. Layard hummed a small tune and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Below the cliff, the rapid river rushed past.
Upon a rock by the riverbank, a figure struggled to crawl up.
Goreinu was soaked through, his face pale, with bloodstains at the corner of his mouth.
His left arm hung limply, clearly broken.
There was a deep indentation on his back—left by Layard's punch.
He lay on the rock, gasping for air, every breath accompanied by excruciating pain.
But he was still alive.
"Cough, cough..."
He coughed up a mouthful of bloody water and painfully lifted his head, looking toward the distant sky.
He had already sent the message; Leo would come.
Goreinu gritted his teeth, forcing his body to crawl slowly into a hidden crevice behind the rock.
He closed his eyes, waiting quietly.
Waiting for rescue, waiting for that man to arrive.