C4 Wild Hunting

"Moo Niu, what lies within the wilderness?"

Wang Changqing's curiosity about the wilderness was insatiable.

He believed the wilderness to be a realm of both peril and promise, a treasure trove for lords to harvest resources. Yet, with the Nano Reconnaissance Robot still out gathering intelligence, his knowledge of the wilderness remained a blank slate.

"Lord, the wilderness teems with monsters. They roam aimlessly, engaging in relentless battles. Some are native beasts, others are remnants of fallen lords' armies, and some emerge from monster dens..."

As Moo Niu spoke of the wilderness, a flicker of fear involuntarily crossed his eyes. For those living under the constant shadow of wild creatures, the terror of the wilderness was etched into their very marrow.

With Moo Niu's account, Wang Changqing gained an initial grasp of the wilderness. After a brief patrol of his domain with Moo Niu, he estimated it was time to act. "Moo Niu, I have a task for you. Register all our people. I need clear records of their levels, professions, family statuses, and skills."

"At your command, my Lord!"

Having set Moo Niu to his task, Wang Changqing returned straightaway to the Lord Hall, intending to strategize further upon the Nano Reconnaissance Robot's return.

The wait was brief. Shortly after settling into the Lord Hall, the Nano Reconnaissance Robots began to trickle back, piecing together a holographic map in the air before him, detailing his territory and its environs.

The map revealed Wang Changqing's lands sprawling across a vast plain, devoid of any neighboring intelligent life.

"An island of civilization in a sea of wilderness! Yet, such solitude is fitting for a newcomer's rise..." he mused before leading the Mechanical Legion forth.

At the territory's edge, the demarcation from wilderness was stark, with an azure light screen in the heavens cleanly dividing the two realms.

Crossing the barrier unimpeded, Wang Changqing and his Mechanical Legion marched westward. A mere 20 minutes' journey, as reported by the Nano Reconnaissance Robot, would bring them to a pack of creatures resembling wolves, lurking in the wilds.

Deploying five Nano Reconnaissance Robots 200 meters ahead as sentries, 20 Butcher Type 1 Combat Robots took the lead, 20 Defender Type 1 Combat Robots provided protection, and 20 Sniper Type 1 Combat Robots covered the rear.

Ten minutes later, the Nano Reconnaissance Robots returned to Wang Changqing, projecting the intelligence they had gathered. Sixteen wolf-like creatures were spotted resting on the grass.

A few minutes more, and Wang Changqing could finally see the creatures with his own eyes. He nonchalantly accessed the data card of a wild wolf.

Wild Wolf

Level: 1

Identity: Pack Member

Skill: Sharp Claws (G Level) - Razor-sharp claws capable of easily tearing through prey's fur.

Skill: Sharp Teeth (G Level) - Piercing teeth that can effortlessly penetrate a prey's throat.

"Member? So, there's a Wolf King?" He pondered. Surely, a wolf pack would have its leader.

He swiftly checked other Wild Wolves' data cards and after some searching, he found that an inconspicuous Wild Wolf was actually the pack's Wolf King.

Wild Wolf

Level: 2

Identity: Wolf King

Skill: Sharp Claws (G Level) - Claws sharp enough to slice through fur with ease.

Skill: Sharp Teeth (G Level) - Teeth that can puncture a prey's throat without difficulty.

Skill: Bloodthirsty (F Level) - Upon the sight of blood, it becomes fiercely combative, fighting to the death.

"A Level 2 Wolf King presents a bit of a challenge! But with only sixteen, it shouldn't be too difficult. Time to test my skills!" Decided, Wang Changqing had the other Combat Robots hold their positions while he directed the twenty Sniper Type 1 Combat Robots to find sniping spots, planning to take down the Wild Wolves from a distance.

Soon, the Sniper Type 1 Combat Robots signaled they were in position. Without a moment's hesitation, Wang Changqing ordered the attack.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Awoo~" "Awoo~~ Awoo~"

Following a series of muffled gunshots, the dozen or so Wild Wolves that had been lounging on the grassland lay still. Not a single wolf head remained; instead, a grisly mix of red and white was splattered across the terrain. Wang Changqing received a system notification:

Your forces have slain 15 Level 1 Wild Wolves and 1 Level 2 Wild Wolf, eradicating a pack and securing a minor victory. You have gained 20 experience points and 20 units of Soul Crystals.

Level 1 creatures yield 1 experience point each, while Level 2 creatures provide 5 experience points.

"Is it really that powerful? The Wolf King was a Level 2 creature! And it went down without needing a second shot?" Wang Changqing was pleasantly surprised. He had anticipated that kinetic firearms would be potent early on, but he hadn't expected them to be this effective! Still, the satisfaction of taking down a target with a single shot was undeniable.

He dispatched a dozen mechanical soldiers to clear the battlefield and glanced at his Lord's Property Panel.

Level: 1 (20/100)

In just ten minutes since establishing his territory, the experience bar had surged significantly, leaving Wang Changqing feeling quite content.

Once the mechanical soldiers finished cleaning the battlefield and reported back, Wang Changqing strolled over, flanked by twenty Type 1 Defender Combat Robots.

The sight that greeted him was one of blood-soaked earth and the remains of wolves—meat, bones, and pelts—all neatly processed. Despite his mental preparation, the carnage made his throat itch.

Suppressing the urge to retch, he collected the processed trophies into the System Space.

The System Space, a 25 cubic meter area, was bestowed upon each Lord upon arrival. It wasn't particularly large, but for a newly arrived Lord, it was a substantial boon.

Finally, bracing against the wave of nausea, Wang Changqing surveyed the bloodied ground and reminded himself that this was no longer the Blue Planet. This was the Initial Continent, a land of wilderness where laws and morality had vanished. Here, the survival of the fittest and the law of the jungle reigned supreme. If he didn't adapt quickly, he knew he'd eventually be forced to by others.

"I certainly don't want to see that day come!" Wang Changqing murmured to himself, quickly shifting his mindset and guiding his Mechanical Legion toward their next objective.

Intelligence had revealed a sizable herd of 86 Moo Niu. Initially, Changqing was hesitant to engage such formidable creatures, but buoyed by the 'glorious victory' over the Wild Wolves, he felt a spark of daring.

Positioning himself on a modest rise a little over a thousand meters from the herd, Changqing could clearly see the distant cows with the naked eye. Once he verified that they were merely Level-2 horned cows, he instructed 10 Defender Type 1 Combat Robots to establish a defensive front. Meanwhile, 20 Sniper Type 1 Combat Robots took up positions on the flanks, with 20 Butcher Type 1 Combat Robots arrayed behind the defense.

With his forces in place, Changqing led the remaining 10 Defender Type 1 Combat Robots to the rear of the formation, heeding the adage that a wise man keeps a safe distance from danger. His own safety was paramount.

Once safely positioned, he signaled the attack. The first volley from the 20 long-range kinetic sniper rifles took down 20 horned cows in the distance. The rest of the herd, their eyes suddenly bloodshot and enraged, charged toward the source of the gunfire.

The sight of over sixty one-ton beasts thundering across the wilderness was a sight to behold, their charge as formidable as if hell itself had unleashed its beasts, their blood-red eyes mirroring the stuff of nightmarish legends.

But as the herd surged forward, only making it a few dozen meters, the Sniper Type 1 Combat Robots unleashed their second round of deadly precision.