Chapter Seventy-Seven: Narrow Encounters Between Foes

Page 1 of 3

February 26th, 9 a.m.

A military-green mid-sized bus was parked beside the main entrance of Tianhe Tower. The bus windows were reinforced with bars and wire mesh, giving it an air of solid security.

From a distance, Gao Wu spotted the bus and muttered to himself, “That thing certainly looks safe.”

Unfortunately, Song Mingyue did not have an apprentice hunter’s identification, so she hadn’t come along this time. In fact, she’d offered to find a way to join him for the assessment. But Gao Wu felt it wasn’t necessary—he didn’t need Song Mingyue’s close protection. Besides, this was an event organized by the Hunter Association. If Song Mingyue insisted on coming, it would probably take a great deal of effort.

As he boarded, Gao Wu’s identification was carefully checked, and only after confirming his apprentice hunter status was he allowed on the bus.

Once inside, Gao Wu was surprised to see Shang Zhenglin sitting in the front row. “Uncle Shang,” he called out.

Shang Zhenglin smiled, “I’m the Hunter Association’s inspector. I’ll be leading the team for this assessment. If you need anything, just come to me.”

“Oh, I see. With you leading, I feel much more at ease,” Gao Wu chuckled. “I’ll be counting on your guidance, Uncle.”

He took the seat behind Shang Zhenglin, not wasting the advantage of their family connection. There was still much about the assessment he didn’t understand, and he was just about to ask some questions.

Shang Zhenglin, being approachable and fond of Gao Wu, was more than willing to chat and draw him closer.

Apprentice hunters continued boarding, and among them were two familiar faces: Han Yang and Yang Ru.

Yang Ru pursed her lips and pretended not to see Gao Wu, but Han Yang greeted him warmly.

Gao Wu stood up politely and exchanged a few words with Han Yang. He’d always thought Han Yang was capable and decent, possessing a rare steadiness for someone so young.

Han Yang and Yang Ru took seats near the back. Yang Ru whispered, “Why is Gao Wu here too?”

She was genuinely surprised to see him at the hunter assessment.

“Didn’t you check the list? Gao Wu’s name is on it,” Han Yang replied with a smile. “Hunters are allowed to carry firearms legally, which is very convenient. With the Song family’s influence, getting him a hunter’s license is easy.”

Yang Ru muttered sourly, “Gao Wu’s really struck it rich. His gear is top-notch.”

She’d noticed as they passed each other—Gao Wu was clad in a snow camouflage suit, clearly a Dragon Scale set, complete with a tactical bulletproof vest and a Thunder Eagle pistol.

He also carried a high-grade sword and a Storm assault rifle, along with a massive military rucksack.

His entire setup was comparable to hers, and his pistol was even superior. All together, it must’ve cost close to a million.

Page 2 of 3

No, with that sword, it must be over two million.

“The Snow Wave Cup champion gets two million—that’s more than enough for him,” Han Yang said, smiling. “He’s also a big internet celebrity with plenty of ways to make money. He’s got more spending power than both of us.”

Yang Ru was speechless. She and Han Yang both came from wealthy families, but their personal allowance was limited. The thought that Gao Wu, from humble beginnings, now had more money than she did, left her even more frustrated.

“Actually, it’s a good thing. He’s a high saint, always helping those in need. Since we know him, if anything happens, he might lend us a hand,” Han Yang said.

He’d seen Gao Wu use his palm-blade to slay Tie Biao; Han Yang knew the gap between himself and Gao Wu was considerable. At this stage, comparison was pointless.

The hunter assessment was still dangerous. Having a trustworthy expert along was always an advantage.

The bus drove for over four hours, arriving at Dachang Town in Yunling City at two in the afternoon. Though called a town, it had a population of over a hundred thousand, with busy streets and low, simple wooden houses that gave off a rustic charm.

Gao Wu gazed greedily out the window. He’d grown up in a place like this until the year he turned fourteen, when exotic beasts destroyed his hometown.

The town’s lively, honest atmosphere was completely different from the bustling city of Dongjiang. Seeing these familiar scenes brought back memories—so many memories…

The best hotel in town was only five stories high, and the Hunter Association had reserved rooms in advance. After a brief rest, Gao Wu picked up his twin pistols to practice pistol-style combat.

Though it looked simple, mastering the pistol style required perfecting hundreds of details.

Using pistols as weapons was actually awkward—the center of gravity was far back, and the grip differed entirely from traditional melee weapons.

Through constant practice, Gao Wu gradually adapted to wielding the pistols like cold weapons—it was like wearing oddly shaped knuckle dusters.

The pistol style explained the art of close combat with firearms in detail, but since Gao Wu rarely used handguns before and had only average martial talent, he needed long training to adjust.

Fortunately, his physique score was fifteen, so he could push himself hard without worrying about injury.

That evening, Gao Wu had a simple meal on the hotel’s second floor.

No sooner had he returned to his room than Han Yang and Yang Ru came to visit. There were risks in the hunter assessment, so they wanted to discuss working together.

Han Yang even brought a tablet, opened the virtual map, and invited Gao Wu to plan their actions.

“There are three days of free hunting; the area is the Dachang mountains, fifty kilometers across, covering more than two thousand square kilometers.

“There’s a large population of snow wolves in these forests, usually in packs of three to five. The requirement is to kill a single adult snow wolf alone to pass the assessment.

“If you can’t hunt an adult snow wolf solo, or don’t return within two days, you’re considered to have failed,” Han Yang explained, tracing an area on the map. “There are thirty-one people on the list. For each to hunt an adult snow wolf isn’t too hard.

“The key is that the virtual realm connects to another world—no one knows what might come through. For safety, it’s best to avoid using firearms when hunting snow wolves.”

Page 3 of 3

“If we look out for each other, we can avoid lots of risks and greatly improve our chances,” Han Yang concluded.

Gao Wu nodded. Han Yang was smart, steady, and organized—a reliable companion. Although Yang Ru could be a bit headstrong, she was sensible.

After a brief discussion, they decided to split into two teams. The source energy interference in the virtual realm was strong—wireless radios worked only within ten kilometers.

By keeping that distance, they could stay in contact and support each other if something happened.

The next morning at seven, three mid-sized buses set out in convoy, driving over an hour deep into the mountains to a large base.

Passing several heavily guarded checkpoints, they finally arrived before a vast cave.

Everyone got off, and apprentice hunters from the three cities formed separate groups.

Gao Wu stood at the front, feeling a chill at the back of his head. Turning around, he spotted a familiar face among the Yunling team.

The man was in his twenties, a long, jagged scar running diagonally across his face, distorting his features into a fierce, broken sneer.

Gao Wu remembered him instantly. After defeating Wan Cangshan in the Snow Wave Cup, this man had come up and cursed him out, brash and overbearing.

Wan Cangshan was from Yunling City, so this man being in the Yunling Hunter team made sense.

But to sit the hunter assessment on the same day as him was quite the coincidence!

The problem was, the man was staring daggers at him, not even trying to hide it. If he meant to cause trouble, shouldn’t he be more subtle?

Gao Wu wondered if he was being too suspicious.

Beside the scar-faced man were two others. One, a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and calm bearing, stood out as exceptional.

Sensing Gao Wu’s gaze, the middle-aged man met his eyes briefly before looking away, his expression serene.

A Hunter Association official stepped forward, roster in hand, and began calling names.

Gao Wu now learned that the scar-faced man was Wan Cangling, and the younger one was Wan Cangyan—neither list included the middle-aged man.

He quietly asked Shang Zhenglin, who glanced over and said, “That’s Wan Cangsong, inspector for the Yunling Hunter Association.”

Relieved to learn the man was staff, Gao Wu relaxed.

Director Cheng Gang continued, sternly emphasizing the rules: “Remember, hunters are not required to assist one another, but under no circumstances may you harm your peers. Anyone violating this rule will be severely punished!”