The two seed unwilling to disclose much, and Xia Nan was too lazy to involve himself, so he didn’t ask further.
In any case, they had already agreed to help him complete the mission regarding the "Beastman."
As long as he could get the tal materials to upgrade the Snake Scale Arm Shield, he didn’t want to bother with any other ssy affairs.
Buzz——
The Wooden Sword [Green Pine] slung on his back suddenly emanated a familiar warmth.
Xia Nan’s footsteps abruptly paused.
Constantly maintaining vigilance towards his surroundings, his abrupt action was imdiately noticed by the three teammates ahead.
The team, which had been moving forward, also stopped in place.
"Ssss..."
He hadn’t had a chance to inquire.
As if sensing their movents, a dense thicket not far ahead suddenly shook.
Accompanied by the fleeting glimrs of colorful scales and the hissing unique to snakes, the disturbance quickly faded away.
The warmth behind him gradually dissipated, and Xia Nan’s gaze fixed in the direction where the snake had vanished, lightly shaking his head.
"It’s nothing, let’s continue."
Only then did the group breathe a sigh of relief.
And just at this mont,
Awoo——
A short, sharp and peculiar howl of a wolf echoed once again in the night.
Compared to before, the sound was much clearer.
It was obviously not far off.
Cash’s expression turned serious, and he waved his hand towards the group behind him.
Cautiously observing to the left and right, he lowered his voice and said,
"It’s close now, everyone get ready!"
...
The Sea Thorn Squad wouldn’t recklessly search for such a dangerous and powerful wolf pack in the complex and hazardous environnt, under the night sky, filled with misty forest.
The most significant difference between humans and beasts lies in the level of intelligence and whether they are adept at using tools.
After confirming the wolf pack’s proximity, the Sea Thorn Squad ceased advancing.
Instead, they remained where they were and began setting up.
First, of course, various traps.
Traps and chanisms specifically designed for large beasts and recently popular in River Valley Town were skillfully set up between the gaps of two trees, rock crevices, and beneath fallen leaves.
To limit the wolves’ movent, so simple snares constructed from vines, ropes, and branches were also arranged around.
Next, was a small pouch, buried deep in Cash’s backpack, protected and concealed by layers of an oak box and oilskin bag.
The mont Cash carefully took it out, everyone on the scene slled an extrely strong scent, a mixture of blood and decay.
This was a scent lure they had specially purchased beforehand to attract carnivorous animals.
After carefully setting it up.
Cash sprinkled each person with so concealing powder, then as planned, led the team to climb several towering oak trees near the bait.
The pitch-black night sky, dense mist, and lush canopy.
Hiding among them, even staring directly from below, it was hard to spot the figures among the dense branches and leaves.
As long as they didn’t make any noise, there was essentially no risk of exposure.
Xia Nan controlled his breathing, making it slow and deep while his chest rose and fell slightly.
In a half-squat position, with his left hand gently supporting a nearby tree trunk to maintain his balance.
The heavy iron armor and the two longswords on his back made his posture look sowhat awkward.
Yet, the boots on the thick branch were exceptionally steady.
The invisible effect of the professional specialty [Tidal Shaping] made him as stable as if nailed in place, completely still.
Quietly waiting.
The cold night wind brushed his cheeks; in the air were the bait’s putrid stench and the resinous aroma of the concealing powder.
Xia Nan’s gaze pierced through the gaps in the leaves, staring at the motionless forest below.
Without moving a muscle.
For so reason, he suddenly rembered the scene when learning [Teeth Hunting] from Frogon.
The Winter Wolf from the depths of the ice fields, crouched in the snow, blending its massive form with nature, patiently waiting for prey to approach.
As if, in the invisible, his form rged with this scene.
The swaying tree branches, the naless insects flitting under the moonlight, the slow and deep nearly vanished breath, the concentration to the extre...
A subtle feeling rose in his heart, a fleeting insight erged in his mind.
"Skill Level 5"
"[Teeth Hunting] lv3: (39/100)"
Transparent characters flashed before his eyes.
Xia Nan couldn’t help but be stunned, the unique state pulling him back to awareness.
"What does it an, directly increasing by 5 Skill Level!?"
He was astonished in his heart.
For the Skill Level determining the progression of battle skills, Xia Nan previously thought it could only be slowly accumulated through daily training and combat use.
The increase in Skill Level after observing the divine arts structure through [Heart-drawing Vision] at Neum Moon God Church made Xia Nan realize:
"Skill Level" might not rely represent its literal aning.
It is a broader and more comprehensive conceptual term.
To so extent, it seems to also represent one’s understanding of battle skills.
The recent experience assured Xia Nan of his suspicions.
Recalling that mont of wondrous experience, he silently clicked his tongue.
"Could this count as a kind of... ’epiphany’?"
While half-squatting in the canopy, Xia Nan tried to focus again, attempting to re-enter that mysterious state.
No matter how he tried, there was no response.
Realizing such opportunities are likely rare, he decided not to waste ntal energy and kept the marvelous mont in his mory and returned to reality.
He wondered if there was an issue sowhere in the process.
Until the Silver Moon hung high overhead, and strange noises in the forest beca more frequent.
The traps laid below in the forest, though nurous, never seed to trigger any commotion.
The ti had shifted to the latter half of the night.
The danger would geotrically increase if they stayed longer.
Cash gave a few hand signals, hinting for the group to retreat temporarily and continue tomorrow night.
He then lightly leapt down from the treetop to the ground.
"This is seriously strange." Cash grumbled with confusion while packing up the traps.
"Could it be that the kid at the general store took a cut and sold inferior goods?"
"It shouldn’t be, didn’t they all say it had good reviews?"
Beside him, Mint let out a small yawn but remained vigilant, clutching her branch-like Magic Wand, guarding everyone’s surroundings.
Vireis, though not showing signs of fatigue, wore a slightly complaining expression:
"As I said, go to those few stores recomnded by the ’adventurer’s manual’; though a bit more expensive, it doesn’t matter."
"After being out for so long, don’t you know the tricks in the manual?" Cash carefully picked up the bait from the ground and placed it back in the oil pouch, "If I had connections in the Association, any shop I opened could get on that list!"
"The truly reliable ones are just a few."
"Whether in River Valley Town or Suo Yu Bay, it’s the sa!"
Xia Nan said nothing, still maintaining vigilance while his gaze swept over the scent bait in Cash’s hand.
As if realizing sothing, he suddenly frowned.
He asked,
"Isn’t this bait only supposed to attract Night Wolves?"
"Of course!" Cash nodded, "For baboons, vultures, striped tigers, bear caves... as long as they’re carnivorous, it’s effective."
"And since we’re near a wolf pack, no more dangerous Demons should be attracted."
"But we’ve been here for half the night. If your bait really hadn’t failed, there should have been so noise, shouldn’t there?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Cash, who also realized the problem, was instantly stunned.
The next second, that bluish-gray Stone Spear was tightly gripped in his hand.
"Stay alert!!!"
The low growl instantly spread throughout the scene.
The traps, not yet fully dismantled, lay quietly on the ground;
The air was filled with the distinctive rotten stench of the carnivorous bait.
The roles of Hunter and prey
seed to have switched in so mont.
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