RITAAB 51

Chapter 51

The more Qin Jiulin thought about it, the more it seemed likely. After all, what else could Qin Jiuzhen do with that mouth? Xia Liansheng was probably falling for it.

Suddenly, Liu Zhongyuan noticed that Qin Jiulin was lost in thought.

“Jiulin? Jiulin!”

Qin Jiulin snapped back, “Huh?”

Liu Zhongyuan asked, “Everything okay?”

Qin Jiulin shook his head, “What could be wrong with me?”

Liu Zhongyuan said, “Good, just making sure. What were you thinking about so intensely?”

Qin Jiulin replied, “I wasn’t thinking about anything. Since we have time now, let’s discuss this, as you mentioned earlier. You wanted to talk about this mission, right?”

After saying that, he pointed to the documents on the table, which contained the operational plan on how to kill or permanently drive away the fully atavistic tiger.

Liu Zhongyuan asked, “Operational plan? Isn’t that simple? Although I’ve become faster than before, it’s impossible to catch up with a fully atavistic tiger running at full speed.”

“So we can only lay in ambush at a certain location. As for you, your job is to lure the tiger to the place where I’m hiding. Qi Yue will be in charge of aerial reconnaissance.”

Qin Jiulin asked, “Is it that simple?”

Liu Zhongyuan replied, “It’s not that complicated to begin with. In the animal world, it’s all about the survival of the fittest. Once we face each other, it’s a matter of who is stronger and who is weaker.”

Qin Jiulin suggested, “Let’s assess the situation first.”

After cleaning up the nearby streets that had been cleared, the approximately few hundred soldiers stationed here set up roadblocks and surveillance on the surrounding roads.

This was to prevent any half-beast individuals or animals from approaching. Most of the people patrolling outside were armed, but some were dressed more casually…

Well, it wouldn’t be accurate to say they were dressed casually. They were ordinary beastmen, wearing loose coats that allowed them to easily transform into their beast forms. Of course, some beastmen were directly roaming around in their beast forms or resting in certain areas.

Qin Jiulin stood on the rooftop, observing the surroundings. “There shouldn’t be any problems here for the time being.”

Liu Zhongyuan: “In the past couple of days, we’ve cleared out many of the half-beast individuals in the vicinity. Even if a few stragglers show up, we can handle them.”

Qin Jiulin: “We’ve rested enough. Let’s go and see that tiger tomorrow. Maybe I can test and see who’s more powerful, me or that wild tiger.”

Liu Zhongyuan whistled, “Well, it’s not exactly wild. Captain Gao said it escaped from the zoo, right? It was previously kept by humans.”

Qin Jiulin: “So what you’re saying is that there’s no difference between me and it. We’re on the same starting line?”

Liu Zhongyuan blinked, acknowledging that he did mean that, but somehow Qin Jiulin’s words didn’t sound right when spoken out loud. He didn’t dare to agree.

“I was just speaking casually. Let’s go and find Qi Yue. Let’s inform him so we don’t end up being late tomorrow morning.”

They descended the stairs from the rooftop. The top three rooms downstairs were their living quarters here. Of course, it wasn’t as comfortable as the villas on the other side, but it was much better than living in tents.

Qin Jiulin: “Didn’t Qi Yue go out to find food?”

After they settled here, the soldiers who cleared the streets sent some basic supplies, including various seasonings. This meant they could cook in their living quarters.

If they didn’t feel like it, they could also go to the army canteen to eat, but they felt a bit embarrassed eating too much there, so they preferred to cook for themselves when they were hungry.

After all, they could hunt down higher-level atavistic prey and bring it back. The quality of the food was much better than what was served in the canteen. In terms of taste, it was actually quite good. The two of them had learned a few tricks from the canteen chef, enough to cook meat, they didn’t need anything else.

Liu Zhongyuan: “He went out in the morning, right? It’s almost noon and he hasn’t returned yet?”

Qin Jiulin: “Maybe he spotted a higher-level atavistic animal and is chasing after it?”

Liu Zhongyuan: “Then let’s wait a bit longer.”

Qi Yue’s beast form, the Snow Owl, was actually quite formidable. Its talons were bigger than a human palm. If caught by those sharp claws, no matter what kind of animal’s skin it was, it would definitely be pierced through.

Sure enough, they waited for over half an hour before Qi Yue finally arrived.

Qi Yue circled in the sky twice, with a prey hanging from its claws. It looked like a cow. When they reached the rooftop, Qi Yue had already transformed back into human form.

Qin Jiulin tossed him the clothes in his hand, and Qi Yue quickly put them on. “Liu Ge, Qin Ge, I caught a cow. Look at its horns!”

Qin Jiulin looked at the cow, which appeared to be an ordinary domesticated cow from the countryside, but it had two curved, upward-pointing, pure black horns on its head.

It is indeed a bit strange. This should be a form of atavism, and these atavistic features are concentrated in the areas of attack. If he could turn these two cow horns into weapons…

Qin Jiulin: “What do you think? This weapon…”

Liu Zhongyuan blinked, “Not bad, but we can’t make them ourselves.”

Qin Jiulin: “I didn’t say we should make them ourselves, we can just hand them over to the army.”

Qi Yue: “What?”

Qin Jiulin: “We can give these two cow horns to the army and see if they can find a way to turn them into weapons. After all, firearms, ammunition, and bombs are not being produced anymore. They will eventually run out, and we will need these kinds of melee weapons.”

The best weapons to use against atavistic animals are the ones made from parts obtained from these atavistic animals, such as sharp teeth or horns.

Qi Yue: “Oh, right! We need them too!”

“We can’t transform into our beast forms every time we encounter a half-beast individual. Just use weapons to take them down. It’s easier than transforming back and forth, taking off clothes, and putting them back on.”

Qin Jiulin thought about it, and it made sense. “Indeed, it’s quite troublesome to keep transforming back and forth. If we have weapons, we can undergo special training with the army. Then, when we encounter weak animals, we can easily take them down.”

Qi Yue blinked. Huh? Did he hear correctly? What did he say? How did Qin Jiulin associate it with special training? He didn’t want to do any special training with the army!

He was still young, and he wanted to live a leisurely life. How could he undergo special training? No, no, he had to quickly come up with a way to make Qin Jiulin dismiss this idea.

But he didn’t expect that the next one would be Liu Zhongyuan…

“That’s a good idea. We’re also considering our own safety. It’s settled then. Oh, by the way, Qi Yue, you don’t have any objections, right?”

Qi Yue: “…Uh, no, I… I have no objections. Isn’t this a good thing? What objections could I have?”

Liu Zhongyuan and Qin Jiulin shifted their gaze away from him. Qi Yue turned around and sat with his back facing them, concealing his dreamy expression from them.

Qin Jiulin: “I knew Qi Yue would agree as well.”

Liu Zhongyuan: “It’s getting late today. Let’s quickly prepare the cow.”

Qin Jiulin: “Yes, let’s do it quickly. Shall we roast the meat or try some other method?”

Liu Zhongyuan: “If we have time, let’s try different methods. I’ll go to the small cafeteria and get some ingredients.”

Qin Jiulin: “Okay.”

Qi Yue had also sorted out his emotions by now. After realizing it, he no longer felt averse to the idea of devil training. Though the training process would undoubtedly be extremely difficult, in the end, the benefits would be for himself, right?

Once he becomes strong, really strong, he won’t have to worry about others harming him anymore!

Qi Yue couldn’t help but think of his sister and her so-called boyfriend. These two people had almost killed him before, all because he was too weak.

Although it was due to uncontrollable circumstances that his body was weak, the fact remained that he lacked strength. He would never absolve himself of that.

Qin Jiulin: “What are you daydreaming about?”

Qi Yue blinked, “I’m coming.”

Although there was plenty of beef, the three of them could only eat enough to be barely satisfied. By the time they finished eating, it was already dark outside.

Qin Jiulin: “Let’s go to sleep. We have to leave tomorrow, and we just need to tidy up this place a bit.”

The three of them quickly tidied up. In no time, the kitchen and dining area were clean. They packed up the garbage and left it outside, to be disposed of when they left the next day.

After eating their fill and getting a good night’s sleep, the three of them woke up early the next morning and set out.

As they approached the checkpoint, the soldiers greeted them.

Soldier: “Are you three going out?”

Liu Zhongyuan: “Yes, we’re going on a mission. If everything goes smoothly, we should be back by tonight. If not, it might take about three days.”

Soldier: “Alright, Mr. Liu.”

Liu Zhongyuan led the other two away. Once they were far enough, the soldier who had just spoken to them used his communicator to inform his comrades.

Soldier: “The team of variant beastmen has left. Let’s be on high alert for the next couple of days. No room for any negligence!”

Soldiers: “Yes!”

“Understood!”

“…”

They were aware of the fact that the three variant beastmen were temporarily resting here. With them around, this place was at least 90% safe. But now that the three of them were going out on a mission, it meant that if they encountered danger while away, casualties were highly likely for them.

The strength of variant beastmen is known to everyone, not here, but when dealing with internal military affairs, the military also uses their own variant beastmen.

Eight to nine out of ten people have witnessed the situation of variant beastmen fighting each other. It is absolutely forbidden for a third party to approach!

Qin Jiulin: “Over here.”

At this moment, Qin Jiulin sat on a flat area on Liu Zhongyuan’s giant snake’s head. Qi Yue had already transformed into a snowy owl and was flying in the sky. He looked at a simple map and pointed in a direction.

Liu Zhongyuan followed the direction he pointed and the snowy owl hovering in the sky also surveyed the situation from above, of course, he was a bit further ahead.

However, secretly, he also checked the ground conditions according to the direction the giant snake was moving. After half a day, Qin Jiulin and the others finally approached the area marked on the map where the tiger was spotted.

Qin Jiulin: “I wonder how strong this black and white tiger is…”

Liu Zhongyuan couldn’t speak now, they were on the way.

Qin Jiulin: “We’re already close to the area where it appears, but the range is so large. How can we shorten the time to find it?”

Liu Zhongyuan wagged his tail tip. He felt that if they made some bigger movements here, they could attract the black and white tiger that claimed this territory.

That way, they wouldn’t need to exert much effort to find it, saving time and effort.

Qi Yue flew around in the sky, but didn’t find anything. He could only see many insignificant small animals around, some wandering alone, others in groups.

He just didn’t see the black and white patterned tiger, nor any animals with similar patterns. Maybe the tiger wasn’t nearby at this time.

Qin Jiulin looked at the map and muttered to himself, “Let’s continue moving forward for now.”

Liu Zhongyuan had no objections. After all, they were already inside the territory of this tiger. There was no need to rush now. As he moved forward, he slowly used his tail to break or slap away some trees or rocks around, making a lot of noise.

Qin Jiulin noticed this and had no objections either. After all, this would attract the tiger faster.

“After Qi Yue discovers it, hide as soon as possible. I will lead it to the ambush location, understood?”

In response, the snake tail behind him once again slapped two stones weighing a few dozen pounds, breaking many trees when they fell and rolling to the side.

Qin Jiulin saw this scene and remained silent.

It was quite shocking, something he definitely couldn’t do. No wonder it’s a 50-meter long giant snake, it’s really powerful. When they first met, its strength was truly impressive when it coiled around him.

If he had reacted just one or two seconds later, he might have been killed.

At that moment, Qi Yue, who was flying in the sky, let out a cry. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Here it comes!”

He jumped down from the snake’s head and transformed in mid-air, landing as a giant tiger. Liu Zhongyuan had already found a fairly hidden place to hide. Luckily, the surrounding plants were very lush, so if no one carefully look for him, they couldn’t find him.

Once Qin Jiulin confirmed that Liu Zhongyuan was hidden, he stood on a high place, tense and prepared. Qi Yue was hovering in the sky just below him, about two or three kilometers away from here.

For a giant tiger, not even a minute is needed…

Sure enough, it didn’t take long for him to see a black and white figure appear in front of him. In the blink of an eye, it leaped down from a tree.

Its paws landed lightly on the ground, without making a sound. The two giant tigers faced each other, neither daring to attack first.

If he hadn’t had the experiences from my past life, there’s no way he would have made this wild, fully atavistic giant tiger so cautious.

The countless years of fighting experience in his past life as a beast allowed him to recognize that this was a formidable opponent. The two giant tigers growled at each other on the ground.

The black and white giant tiger slowly moved its paws, and Qin Jiulin followed its path, moving his own body slowly. Gradually, both of them were eager to try and wanted to attempt an attack on each other.

Finally, the first attack was launched by Qin Jiulin.

His large jaws opened as he charged towards the black and white giant tiger. However, the tiger swiftly dodged to the left and swiped at his head. Fortunately, Qin Jiulin managed to adjust his direction just in time and clamped his jaws down on the tiger’s paw!

“Roar!”

He exerted tremendous force, successfully biting off the paw. Seizing the opportunity, when the tiger attempted to bite his neck, Qin Jiulin quickly released his grip and evaded the attack.

Within this brief exchange, which lasted only a couple of seconds, Qin Jiulin could taste the metallic scent of blood in his mouth and nose, which heightened his excitement.

When was the last time he had experienced a fight like this? The giant tiger possessed considerable strength, but unfortunately, it had recently undergone a complete transformation and had been artificially raised for many years, limiting its knowledge of fighting techniques.

Consequently, its current strength… was no match for Qin Jiulin. If the tiger spent a few more years in the wild, the outcome might be different. However, at that time, Qin Jiulin would certainly need to join forces with Liu Zhongyuan to take it down.

The black and white giant tiger now had an injured front paw. Based on Qin Jiulin’s earlier observation, it was likely that the bone was broken, rendering the paw weak.

Given the circumstances, this was the perfect opportunity to kill the tiger. Perhaps there was no need to lure it towards Liu Zhongyuan. Qin Jiulin could finish it off himself.

He decided to give it a try, considering his significant advantage and the fact that he wouldn’t be easily overpowered by the tiger.

While Qin Jiulin continued to face off with the tiger, Liu Zhongyuan, who had been hiding nearby, finally realized his current plan. It seemed he had gotten carried away and forgotten about himself.

Interestingly enough, the fully reverted form of the black and white giant tiger resembled the tiger form Qin Jiulin had transformed into. Apart from the color pattern and eye color, there were few noticeable differences.

Of course, the gaze is definitely quite different. After all, Qin Jiulin is a human, and the clarity and wisdom in his eyes cannot be concealed. On the other hand, the eyes of the black and white giant tiger are purely animalistic, cold, and filled with a bloody and fierce desire for battle.

The two giant tigers were locked in a fierce confrontation. Qin Jiulin couldn’t simply turn his back to the tiger and run towards Liu Zhongyuan’s hiding spot.

As long as no problems arise in the short term, Liu Zhongyuan won’t interfere in Qin Jiulin’s battle. The growth of a beastman is built upon numerous bloody battles.

He also hopes that Qin Jiulin can grow rapidly so that even if he encounters an ambush, he won’t be defenseless. Liu Zhongyuan, hidden in the shadows, kept his vertical pupils fixed on Qin Jiulin.

The black and white giant tiger became more cautious, perhaps due to its injury. Although its eyes were filled with anger and bloodlust, as if it wanted to tear Qin Jiulin into pieces the next moment, it managed to calm down. Its black and white tail swayed slowly behind, as if contemplating how to kill the culprit who injured it earlier.

Qin Jiulin slowly moved his paws, subtly shifting his position on the ground. With only one usable front paw, the black and white giant tiger couldn’t match Qin Jiulin’s agility during these movements.

The ground was stained with the blood of the black and white giant tiger. Drop by drop, it fell from its injured paw, and the scent of blood quickly spread in the air.

However, there was still no sign of anything approaching from a distance. After all, this territory was occupied by some other creature, and the surrounding animals were aware of it. Even if it was injured and bleeding, they wouldn’t dare to come close in the short term. What if it was just a minor injury?

The second attack came from the black and white giant tiger itself. Due to the injury on its front paw, it couldn’t use its claws to attack. So, it suddenly lunged forward, opening its massive jaws towards Qin Jiulin. Qin Jiulin could even smell the unpleasant odor emanating from its mouth!

Indeed, ordinary animals don’t brush their teeth. This stench… is quite unexpected!

Qin Jiulin instinctively crouched down and then swiped at the black and white giant tiger with his paw. The tiger’s mouth missed Qin Jiulin, but he managed to land a swipe on its neck, leaving several wounds with his sharp claws.

When the tiger was startled by the intense pain in its neck, Qin Jiulin took the opportunity to leave a few scratches on its other front paw.

At this moment, Qin Jiulin cautiously retreated again. The fur of the black and white giant tiger was now stained with a lot of fresh blood, forming a small puddle on the ground. The intensity of the bloody smell was becoming stronger.

Just as Qin Jiulin was planning to press on and pursue the advantage, the black and white giant tiger suddenly turned around and ran away while Qin Jiulin was retreating!

Even though Qin Jiulin was prepared, he was taken aback by the tiger’s swift and decisive escape. Qin Jiulin, of course, would not back down and chased after it. Liu Zhongyuan, hiding nearby, realized he no longer needed to hide.

As he slowly followed the trail of the bloody scent, he couldn’t see the figures of the two giant tigers anymore, whether it was the black-red one or the black and white one.

However, luckily he could still determine Qin Jiulin’s current location based on the direction of Qi Yue in the sky. He thought that only a few minutes had passed, and with his own speed not being slow, when he looked up at the sky again, the familiar snowy owl had already reached the side of another mountain ahead!

What does this mean? It means that he absolutely cannot catch up to Qin Jiulin in a short amount of time!

What is going on with all of this? Why is his speed still so slow? Wait, his speed has already improved! Why is there still such a big gap?

Wasn’t he able to keep up with Qin Jiulin’s speed before?

Oh, wait, maybe Qin Jiulin has slowed down his speed to wait for him. Initially, he slowed down by half, and recently maybe by a quarter. In short, he is just too slow!

As Liu Zhongyuan accelerated towards the mountain, the snowy owl disappeared behind it, causing Liu Zhongyuan to shout in his heart.

Wait for me!