Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Desert Hunting Team, Poaching, Level 7 Combat Suit

Steward Li Chengwu followed Qi Mountain’s gaze and saw the special modified tricycle departing in the distance.

He had just been attracted by the appearance of this tricycle as well.

With Qi Mountain’s information, his interest was piqued:

“Oh? Is it related to the people on that tricycle?”

Qi Mountain, clutching a heavy cloth bag, nodded, recalling the recent thrilling danger.

Because he offered the leg meat of the Rust-eating Tiger, Qi Mountain was arranged by Steward Li to work by his side. It was a rare chance to come along to procure goods and visit the Hunting Wilderness Guild, a place he might never have visited in his lifetime.

The air conditioning inside was indeed cool, which brought a chill to Qi Mountain, who had just fortified to Level 8 after consuming the Rust-eating Tiger. He put on his long coat with a hood.

Following Steward Li to extract shopping points from the team account at the counter, he unexpectedly heard a familiar voice.

When Qi Mountain followed the direction of the voice and glanced casually, his pupils dilated instantly, and his breath was caught!

It was like seeing a ghost; the two people, Chen Shanshan, whom he thought should have died in the wilderness, were laughing and joking inside the Hunting Wilderness Guild!

Damn it!

He clearly sent out all his underlings, yet here they were, freely entering and exiting the Hunting Wilderness Guild.

Not only did Chen Shanshan not die, but her strength had greatly increased. She was now looking like a formidable Level 9 Enhanced Person, following Lin Feng and a fierce man, standing just three or four meters away at the very edge of a counter.

Stunned into silence, Qi Mountain quickly pressed the hood down further, lowered his head, and turned his body to face away from Chen Shanshan’s group.

Suppressing the tension and fear inside him, Qi Mountain’s expression changed drastically, continually alert to the people in his diagonal vicinity.

He was also keenly listening to Lin Feng and the group’s quiet conversation with the counter lady.

The keywords “collaboration,” “hunting wolf pack,” “task delivery,” “reward distribution,” and “evolution agent” were especially clear to Qi Mountain.

Linking them together, it wasn’t hard to imagine Chen Shanshan and the others, including the fierce man, were preparing to do something:

They wanted to collaborate to hunt the wolf pack, with a reward involving an evolution agent?!

Earlier, in the Desert Hunting Team’s dorm, Qi Mountain had been stuck at Level 6 enhancement for half a year before advancing to Level 8, and began to dream of the glamour of becoming an Evolver.

So he asked other roommates how to upgrade.

But was met with a wave of laughter, only to understand that upgrading to an Evolver is not as easy as during the Enhanced Person stage, where eating a piece of Enhanced Meat suffices.

One has to either hunt a powerful formidable Tier One Desolate Beast, or go to the Hunting Wilderness Guild to take on bounty tasks and accumulate enough points to exchange.

Of course, sometimes there are exceedingly difficult tasks that offer evolution agents as rewards, but these tasks are invariably only completed by Evolvers.

For Enhanced People, even top desert teams with several Level 9 Enhanced Persons, it is extremely perilous, and the chance of survival slim.

This is why so many Late-stage Enhanced People exist in Oasis Town, but Evolvers are so rare.

Even Lord Wang’s squad, with eight Level 9 Enhanced Persons, who have been following for over three years, still have no hope of upgrading.

The mortality rate of actions conducted following the Lord is also terrifyingly high.

Li, in charge of logistics, is one of the Level 9 Enhanced Persons who has been following for three years. If it weren’t for his skill in managing plans and arrangements, he would have been left in the wilderness long ago.

Now, in the guild, knowing about Chen Shanshan’s coming task, Qi Mountain’s face darkened, the fear inside increasing severalfold.

If Chen Shanshan completes the wolf hunt task and becomes an Evolver, wouldn’t he be in danger?

Even with Lord Wang’s protection, Qi Mountain knows that he is nothing but a dog before an Evolver, given just a meal if pleased.

No way would they fall out with a newly ascended Evolver for a newcomer like himself.

He might even be handed over as a welcoming gift, left to Chen Shanshan for vengeance!

Thinking of this, Qi Mountain’s face twisted grotesquely.

Then, as Chen Shanshan’s group took away a modified armored tricycle from a shop in Mechanical Village…

It confirmed their plan to go out for a dangerous task!

Otherwise, who would spend such a price adding iron plate armor to a tricycle?

The purpose is to fend off the wolf pack’s attack!

Realizing this, Qi Mountain’s mind raced.

He must sabotage Chen Shanshan’s plan, prevent their rising to Evolver status!

Having finished procuring supplies, after seeing the armored tricycle leave afar, Qi Mountain told Steward Li:

“Sure, Li.”

“I heard them discussing collaboration on a task at the counter. Seems like it’s about hunting wolves. What’s crucial is that I overheard the reward involves an evolution agent?”

“For two top Desert Hunting teams to cooperate, I assume it has to do with the evolution agent!”

Li Chengwu’s eyes slightly narrowed.

Qi Mountain’s expression changed, swiftly turning sideways, using the hood to cover his face again.

Over a hundred meters away, on the far-off tricycle, Chen Shanshan suddenly popped her head out from the front sunroof, looking back.

Lin Feng sat behind her:

“What? See something?”

Chen Shanshan frowned slightly, sat back at the driver’s seat, and shook her head:

“I’ve always felt like someone was watching me, intermittently, but just now it was particularly intense.”

Li Hu laughed heartily from across Lin Feng:

“Your modified tricycle is too eye-catching, attracting a crowd of onlookers, so it’s only natural to be watched.”

Chen Shanshan nodded, feeling she was overthinking.

Lin Feng turned around and looked at the guild’s heavy truck that was fading into the distance, his eyes slightly squinted.

At the back of the guild’s truck, Li Chengwu noticed Qi Mountain suddenly avoid him, as if realizing something:

“Do you know those people from before? Were they deserters in the team you joined earlier?”

Qi Mountain nodded, not having anything to hide.

The other party now, at most, were just a few Level 9 Enhanced People.

And he has now joined the Desert Hunting Team. The level difference can easily be leveled out with weapons and equipment, and perhaps even exceed.

In the warehouse managed by Li Chengwu, Qi Mountain saw a lot of exquisite equipment, even shotguns with great power, the barrels three to four centimeters thick, capable of firing buckshot or lead pellets.

One shot could turn a person into a sieve at close range.

“The short woman in that group was my previous captain, named Chen Shanshan. Although she has survived a few years in the wasteland, her character is weak, unable to lead everyone to a comfortable life, forced to starve at the bottom rank.”

“Her threat is not great, it’s mainly that scar-faced bald muscle man who seems very strong.”

Li Chengwu nodded:

“He’s called Li Hu and is an elite strong person in the Fifth Village deserter team. However, during the last mission, his team seemed to have suffered severe energy loss, and now it seems even he himself is injured. It seems the rumors are not false…”

“If that woman is really as you say, easily defeated, maybe this is a perfect interception opportunity!”

“You wait here first.”

With that, Li Chengwu returned to the guild hall, found the backstage staff, spent some points, and successfully discovered that bounty order from Holy Spring Village, as well as the collaboration contract signed by Li Hu and others.

Staring at the word “Evolution Agent” on the bounty order, Li Chengwu’s eyes shone, leaving the hall without showing any emotion.

Although the bounty order was collected, as long as the item is in his possession, he can still claim the reward upon completion.

Standing alone in the corridor, Qi Mountain met the gaze of the security guard sitting nearby, caught by the elderly man’s slightly sinister eyes, feeling a bit unnerved inside,

and thus moved to the back of the truck.

Li Chengwu emerged with a good mood.

He proactively approached Qi Mountain and patted his shoulder:

“Qi old buddy, Lord Wang will set off this afternoon. By then, the Desert Hunting Team will be under my command.”

“If this succeeds, once I become an Evolver, I will definitely support you fully!”

“Keep up the good work!”

Qi Mountain’s mouth twitched, forcing out a smile:

“In advance, congratulations Li, no, Lord Li, for advancing to Evolver, leading the Desert Hunting Team!”

“I don’t have grand ambitions; following adults, becoming a steward, having enough to eat and drink suits me just fine.”

Li Chengwu glanced at Qi Mountain and laughed heartily.

……

The armored tricycle, after traveling two hundred meters, gradually reached the tail of the convoy, which is also the outskirts of Oasis Town, commonly known as the suburbs.

The accompanying vehicles became increasingly scarce.

Ahead, the Oasis Giant Ship stirred up a cloud of dust as it moved, blown by the wind, half of it falling to the rear, separating from the following deserters of Oasis Town.

At this moment, Lin Feng sat in the carriage, the anti-shock effect of the suspension system prevented it from bouncing like before; even at high speed, it merely shook slightly.

A panel of attribute data for the tricycle appeared before Lin Feng’s eyes:

“Armored Tricycle, level unknown, Red Quality”

“Basic Attributes: Defense 60, Durability 8/10, can consume 1 point of Life Value to restore 1 point of durability”

“Evaluation: A grotesque product of industrial assembly, a great tool for hauling cargo; too bulky, the life value cost for upgrading is too high, host level too low, unable to upgrade”

Including the previous dilapidated cart, likewise of Red Quality, Lin Feng estimated that this was the next stage, corresponding to Level 10 or above items once one becomes a Tier One Evolver.

Sixty defense points were decent, capable of slightly resisting attacks from Late-stage Desolate Wolves.

At this moment, Lin Feng’s Exhaust Wind Combat Suit suddenly buzzed, the exhaust fans on either side of the waist simultaneously drawing air in and blowing air out, instantly cooling him.

With the photovoltaic panel on his back, utilizing the weak light source in the armor’s observation window, generating electricity for operation…

In Lin Feng’s peripheral vision came an upgrade notification:

“Exhaust Wind Combat Suit Level 7, White Quality”

“Basic Attributes: Defense 20, Durability 10/10; can consume 1 point of Life Value for upgrading”

“Extra Attributes:…”

Before Lin Feng finished reading, Li Hu, sitting across, glanced out the observation port and reminded:

“We’re almost there, the Oasis Slave Market.”

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