C22 He Killed the Demon Wolf and an Accident Occurred!

The Shadow Devil Wolf let out a deep growl and lunged at one of the mercenaries encircling it.

True to its reputation as a top-tier second-grade Vicious Beast, it could even hold its own against a Grand Martial Master. Despite its injuries, it boldly launched an attack on the mercenaries besieging it!

The mercenaries, evidently unaccustomed to battling a Shadow Devil Wolf, were thrown into disarray when it suddenly struck. The beast broke through their blockade and fled into the distance.

"Chase it down!"

The sole third-grade Martial Master among the mercenaries bellowed, "The Shadow Devil Wolf is wounded; it's no match for us. If we can slay it, we'll make a fortune!"

Buoyed by these words, the rest of the mercenaries surged with renewed vigor and pursued the fleeing Shadow Devil Wolf.

Perched in a tree, Luo Chen's expression was a mixture of amusement and surprise as the Shadow Devil Wolf bolted in his direction.

He had intended to wait until the mercenaries and the Shadow Devil Wolf were both significantly weakened before swooping in for an easy score. He hadn't anticipated the Shadow Devil Wolf would so decisively opt to flee!

Luo Chen massaged his temples, his face etched with resignation.

Given the Shadow Devil Wolf's demonstrated speed, even injured, it was beyond the reach of the mercenaries.

If he didn't act now, once the Shadow Devil Wolf had made good its escape, tracking it down in the Mountain Range of Devilish Beast would be a formidable challenge.

With a soft sigh, Luo Chen's thoughts whirled, and he swiftly came to a decision. He drew his long sword and leapt from the tree, sending two intersecting arcs of sword light, accompanied by a shower of leaves, slicing towards the Shadow Devil Wolf.

Caught off guard by the presence of another adversary, the Shadow Devil Wolf was too slow to evade and collided with Luo Chen's sword light.

It slammed into a tree, stirring up a flurry of leaves.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for defeating the gravely wounded Shadow Devil Wolf. Reward: 200 points of spiritual energy."

"Hardly worth it," Luo Chen muttered disdainfully, then shifted his attention to the mercenaries who had quickly encircled the fallen Shadow Devil Wolf's body, his brow creasing ever so slightly.

"I'm Bai Yupan. Thanks for lending a hand!" said the mercenary, approaching Luo Chen with a respectful bow. The third-grade Martial Master, introducing himself as Bai Yupan, had noticed Luo Chen's attention.

Luo Chen glanced at the man and responded coolly, "I was merely interested in the crystal within the heart of the Shadow Devil Wolf. No need for thanks. The crystal is mine, and the rest is yours. Agreed?"

"You sure have a big appetite!" A younger mercenary blurted out angrily, pointing at Luo Chen. "Even a fool knows the crystal in the Shadow Devil Wolf's heart is the most valuable part! You think you can just..."

"Fourth brother!" Bai Yupan's face darkened as he sharply cut in, "Shut it!"

The young mercenary grumbled under his breath, but one look at Bai Yupan's stern expression was enough to silence him.

With the situation defused, Bai Yupan's demeanor softened. He turned to Luo Chen with a smile, saying, "Naturally. Without your intervention, that Shadow Devil Wolf might have slipped away. To secure its corpse is already a stroke of luck for us."

Luo Chen gave Bai Yupan an approving nod, recognizing the man's ability to stay level-headed in the presence of a Shadow Devil Wolf's remains—a sign of true intelligence.

As Luo Chen prepared to examine the Shadow Devil Wolf's body, a series of haphazard footsteps echoed nearby. He paused and looked toward the noise, spotting a young man with a sharp face and simian features darting out of the thick woods. Catching sight of the Shadow Devil Wolf's carcass, the newcomer exclaimed with glee, "Big brother! We've struck gold with this Shadow Devil Wolf's body!"