C12 Choice 22

Lin Yuan gripped the Jungle Blade tightly, his brow furrowed as he navigated the dense forest. Redhedge was to the north of the campus, but that was a vast area. He could only estimate his direction by the position of the sun and knew he had to carefully map out his path.

After chopping down a tree as thick as his waist, Lin Yuan sat on the fresh stump, sipping water while pondering his next move. He needed to locate a road sign. There used to be a highway running straight to Redhedge, now stretched to at least ten times its original length and fragmented into sections.

Alternatively, two side roads could lead him there, marked with numerous signs but riddled with junctions. With the significant changes in the terrain, it was uncertain if they were still passable.

After a lengthy deliberation, Lin Yuan finished his water, carefully storing the plastic bottle—it was too valuable a vessel for carrying water to be discarded.

Standing up, he resolved to make do with whatever sign he found. In such an expansive forest, he couldn't afford to be choosy.

He tightened the loosened bandage on his shoulder and pressed on. A large chunk of flesh had been sliced from his shoulder earlier. The wound wasn't deep, but it was wide, and the blood flowed ceaselessly. Reluctant to consume a demutation nut, Lin Yuan applied some white medicine and bandaged it as best he could.

His rapid pace caused the dried scabs to chafe painfully against the wound, and a sheen of cold sweat coated his face.

"Sha Sha, Sha Sha."

The rustling noise halted Lin Yuan in his tracks. Suddenly, five monsters leaped from the brambles, brandishing their spears as they charged him.

With a swift lunge, Lin Yuan unleashed three rapid slashes. The leading monster collapsed, while the second lunged with its spear. Lin Yuan parried with his blade, then counterattacked with a powerful chop.

"Dang!"

The remaining three monsters hurled their spears. Lin Yuan deflected two but the third found its mark, aiming for his belly. Thankfully, the wooden spear was no match for his armor, which repelled it effortlessly.

Lin Yuan retreated two steps and, with a swift spin, unleashed a ferocious slash of his Jungle Blade at the oncoming monster.

With a dull thud, the creature was cleaved in two!

The remaining three monsters, sensing danger, turned tail and fled. Lacking in intelligence, they instinctively sought to escape peril. Disarmed and outmatched by a formidable foe, their primal instinct was to run.

Discarding the massive Jungle Blade, Lin Yuan drew his Rapier and gave chase. Amidst the dense thicket, the slender Rapier proved to be the superior weapon.

Charge!

In an instant, Lin Yuan closed the gap on the fleeing beasts. A few precise thrusts later, the monsters lay motionless on the forest floor.

These creatures were strong and swift; a direct confrontation would have required Lin Yuan to exert considerable effort. But in their flight, they had exposed their vulnerabilities.

He removed their masks to reveal the faces of Ox Monsters, distinguished by their massive horns.

Thick black mists, more substantial than those from Goblins, rose and merged into him. Lin Yuan gave a slight nod, recognizing the significant boost in experience compared to the Goblins.

The Ox Monsters were of a higher race level than Goblins, with abilities around the Sixth Rank of Dark Iron. Though he had slain only five, the experience gained was equivalent to that of a hundred or two hundred Goblins.

Gazing at the bloodied carcasses of the Ox Monsters, Lin Yuan involuntarily swallowed. In his past life, he had often seen fresh Ox Monster meat for sale but had never indulged due to financial constraints. Now, he had his fill.

He gathered a pile of dry branches and leaves, striking his magnesium rod to ignite a fire. Once the beef was sizzling and aromatic, Lin Yuan sank his teeth into it.

Hmm, it was juicy, but the flavor was atrociously bad!

Without salt or seasoning, the meat tasted sour and rank, almost inducing nausea.

Lin Yuan grimaced as he tore into the meat. Despite its unpleasant taste, the meat was highly nutritious. A few bites in, he felt a surge of vitality – it was no wonder such meat commanded high prices in his previous life.

For those who lived on the edge of survival, true delicacy was that which fortified one's strength.

While eating, Lin Yuan quickly tended to the large cuts of meat by the fire. These were provisions for his journey; with over a thousand kilometers to cover, sustenance was essential.

After a hearty meal, Lin Yuan hoisted the blackened chunk of meat onto his back and resumed his brisk pace down the path.

Before long, the forest thinned, opening up his view. Faint mooing sounds drifted through the air.

Lin Yuan quickened his steps and peered through the trees. A clearing of about a thousand square meters lay ahead, with a two-story building at its center. A herd of Ox Monsters milled around it, clearly using the spot as their encampment.

"Why does this place look so familiar?"

Studying the small building, a spark of recognition lit up Lin Yuan's eyes. It was the ticketing office of the long-distance bus station on the city's northern edge, a place where he had once volunteered.

Fortune seemed to be on his side. Following the signs from here, he was sure to find his way to Redhedge!

He took a quick tally of the Ox Monsters near the ticket office, estimating at least a couple hundred. Lin Yuan nodded, pleased with the count.

Not bad at all. He hadn't met his leveling goal back on campus, but now, taking down these creatures would surely propel him to Tenth Rank.

After stashing the meat and his other belongings, Lin Yuan, with the Jungle Blade on his back and a short bow in hand, crept toward the edge of the woods beside the ticket office.

The Ox Monsters were of a high average level; a direct assault would be suicidal. He needed to strike from their blind spots, picking them off one by one.

Reaching the side of the ticket office, Lin Yuan spotted three Ox Monsters constructing a fur shelter. He drew his bow and zeroed in on a swaying rump, releasing the arrow with precision.

"Ding!"

The Ox Monsters glanced around, then resumed their work, unfazed.

"... Overshot it. Archery really is a craft," Lin Yuan muttered, grinning sheepishly as he scratched his head in frustration.

The arrow had struck the ticket office wall, missing the Ox Monster's posterior by a good five meters.

Lin Yuan nocked another arrow, squinted for a better aim, and once more, let the string snap forward with a decisive flick of his fingers!

"Thwack!" The arrow struck its mark squarely, albeit from a horizontal angle.

People who've never tried archery often think it's as simple as pulling back and releasing the string. But that's a common misconception. Without extensive training and skilled arrow control, you might as well be more accurate throwing stones.

"Moo~!"

The Ox Monster, incensed from the hit to its rear, couldn't shrug off the pain despite the arrow's sideways impact, thanks to Lin Yuan's formidable strength. It snatched up a nearby spear and stomped over, fuming.

"Thud!"

Before the Ox Monster could even reach the woods, Lin Yuan floored it with a single punch, then dragged it by the neck into the trees.

"Moo?"

When the other two Ox Monsters noticed their comrade hadn't emerged from the woods after a considerable time, they picked up their spears and approached.

"Thud, thud!"

Lin Yuan swiftly subdued and hauled these two Ox Monsters into the forest by their necks as well.

"Sneak attacks really do make things easier. Now I'm another step closer to the Tenth Rank."

Lin Yuan couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as he looked down at the three muscular Ox Monsters sprawled on the ground. Judging by their bulk, these brutes were clearly of a higher caliber than the five he'd encountered previously—likely Sixth or Seventh Rank. They were worth the experience of at least a hundred ordinary Goblins.