Chapter 199 The Hunt
The team had never been away from William for this long before.
Throughout the previous month, William had made a significant impact on everyone's minds.
No one was clueless; they all had some hunches about William's foresight. They didn't buy into the wild idea of reincarnation, but they were sure he had some mysterious background, maybe as an expert on the apocalypse or an insider who knew about its outbreak.
People had gotten used to digging into the root of things during peaceful times. This habit would fade in the apocalypse, but as long as they could, everyone wanted to understand why things happened. Consequently, the team possessed an inherent curiosity and hopeful anticipation to unravel the mystery behind the genesis of the apocalypse.
These thoughts usually came up during quiet moments or life-and-death situations. For now, they were more focused on surviving than on figuring out the truth. But the sense of security and confidence William gave them had taken deep root.
Seeing corpses on clean streets, severed limbs on beautiful buildings, and zombies in grand shopping malls would shake anyone, no matter how tough they were.
Because people who were once like you, or even stronger, had turned into rotting corpses.
The team members were no exception.
Everyone in the apocalypse went through this stage, and William helped them get through it.
Some were more grateful than others, but everyone appreciated it.
Gratitude, if it lasted long enough, could turn into a bond like family. But for now, it was still about benefits.
In essence, choosing to follow William implied a life that surpassed the quality of others.
Not better than everyone, but at least better than most.
If he only saved their lives but left them struggling to eat, the team would eventually fall apart.
It might sound harsh, but that's reality.
In the city they left and the places they passed through, the team felt their own strength, and this feeling grew stronger in Accraville City.
This was the main reason for the team's unity.
Accraville City was a huge hunting ground.
This was the consensus after spending some time there.
This hunting ground belonged to the survivors because the city and its surroundings were full of zombies, mutated creatures, and unseen monsters.
The Magic Crystals on these creatures' foreheads were the most sought-after resources for humans.
Each day, survivors within and around the city acquired resources from these creatures, leading to continuous human evolution and the emergence of new surprises on a daily basis.
Legends and various characters emerged in Accraville City, becoming the main topic for survivors living in dirty sewers and cramped ruins.
This was also a hunting ground for mutated life forms.
Both their kind and humans had the energy they needed for evolution. When there were no humans, they hunted their own kind. When there were humans, they hunted humans.
There were many of them, and many humans. The grand hunting ground was a hunting ground for every life form.
Every day, a lot happened in this place.
"Drop the Magic Crystals and scram!" a bearded guy with a beat-up double-barreled shotgun yelled at a team cleaning up zombie corpses.
Natalie looked up at the newcomers, her gaze steady.
"Hey, isn't that someone? Yeah, it's Natalie, the internet celeb," a young, dirt-covered guy with a field shovel shouted, pointing at her.
The bearded man barked, "Leave the Magic Crystals and the woman, and the rest of you get lost!"
Jack squatted nearby, smoking a cigarette with a smirk. He even whistled at Natalie, as if to say, "Hey, Natalie. You've caught someone's eye again."
Natalie glared at Jack, urging, "Deal with this. You were supposed to be on watch, so fix your mess."
"Jack wasn't slacking. He lured the zombies here earlier. It's thanks to him," David's assistant chimed in, trying to score points.
"You're sharp," Jack said, giving a thumbs-up, making the others laugh.
Witnessing the four individuals held at gunpoint remain completely unfazed, Dennis Barnes and his crew finally grew infuriated.
They had over a dozen people and guns, while these folks had nothing but a whip on the pretty woman and some basic daggers. No match for a shotgun, right?
"You're asking for it!" Dennis said, aiming at Jack. But just as he moved his finger, a figure with a giant shield rushed in, knocking Dennis and a few others aside. The shotgun fired off target, hitting the ground.
"Cecil, how many signals did I send you? Why'd you take so long?" With the shotgun no longer a threat, Jack stood up, grabbed a stick, and quickly knocked everyone down.
"Sorry, I dozed off," Cecil said, scratching his head, making everyone roll their eyes.
Jack tossed the broken stick aside and started looting the downed guys.
The shotgun sounded scary, but it was old, and its lead bullets were no threat to Jack, who wore a gray-level bulletproof vest. His chat with Cecil was full of playful banter.
During William's absence, the team stumbled upon Cloud Peak Manor. Following his guidance, they refrained from occupying it but instead utilized it as a base to gather information about the surrounding area.
Since they decided to set up a base here, they needed to know the surroundings well.
Besides that, the team didn't sit idle. They started collecting Magic Crystals on their own. Level 1 Magic Crystals were a given. As long as they faced fewer than a hundred zombies, they could handle it without losses. If the terrain was good, they'd even take on hundreds.
During William's time in the Land of Death, they collected over a thousand Level 1 Magic Crystals.
What they really cared about were Level 2 Magic Crystals. Whenever they found a lone Level 2 mutated creature, they'd go for it. Even if there were fewer than five, they'd find a way to hunt them down. It was risky, but with better teamwork, Cecil's defense, and Lucy's healing, they collected dozens of Level 2 Magic Crystals.
And this was just their own haul.
Accraville City was a huge metropolis with over ten million people. Including the surrounding areas, the population was even bigger, so there were lots of monsters and lots of survivors.
As people grew accustomed to apocalypse, they embraced the roulette and began to evolve. Consequently, encountering trouble became an inevitable part of their reality.
Robbery was the most common issue.
The team had been here for days, and dealing with this almost daily had become routine. At first, they were super cautious, warning anyone who got close. Later, if there was no threat, they'd let people pass and then rob them.
Over these days, they managed to snag hundreds of Level 1 Magic Crystals and a few Level 2 ones.
This time was no different; they found another dozen Magic Crystals.
"When's Captain Wright coming back? He's been gone for so long. It's worrying," Jack asked.
No one answered. The relaxed looks on their faces turned serious. Jack, feeling a bit bored, packed up and joined Candice, Natalie, and the others.
The team was split into three groups: Michelle, Lucy, and David were waiting for William outside Rivercrest Deadland. Candice led a team with David's three assistants, while Natalie, Jack, Cecil, and another of David's assistants formed another team. The latter two groups kept a certain distance, moving parallel and meeting up every night before dark.
Today was no different. They rendezvoused at a predetermined location to establish their camp. Having encircled Cloud Peak Manor, they planned to rest for the night and meet Michelle and the rest of the group the following morning.
Everyone was now used to outdoor living, each doing their tasks in an orderly manner. Suddenly, a red flare shot up into the dim sky, lighting up the area for miles.
The team was stunned, and one thought crossed everyone's mind.
Something happened!
William looked at the shadow in the sky, his eyes narrowing.
Camo Divine Bird!
Level 4!
William clenched his fists and decided to let it go.
Could he kill this creature now?
With a mid-level ice gem, he had a seventy percent chance. But what would he gain? A Level 4 Magic Crystal and some Level 4 materials.
And the cost? A thirty percent risk and a mid-level ice gem.
Was it worth it?
In the future, definitely. A Level 4 Magic Crystal was a rare resource, hard to get even after ten years in the apocalypse.
But for William, who wasn't even a three-star Evolving person yet, a Level 4 Magic Crystal didn't mean much.
He watched as the colorful bird with bright feathers circled twice in the air before landing in the valley. The Cloud Hoof, at most Level 2 and unable to get up, were easy prey for the Camo Divine Bird. It picked and ate three of them.
After eating its fill, the Level 4 monster, one of the apex predators of Rivercrest Deadland, gracefully flew away.
Camilla and the others were trembling with fear. They were scared of even Level 2 monsters, let alone a Level 4 one!
Observing their reaction, William shook his head. He had personally trained a team comprised entirely of one-star Evolving individuals. These guys were also one-star Evolving persons, but compared to William's team, they were way behind.
Maybe because the Level 4 monster had just been there, the valley stayed calm for over an hour. During this time, some Cloud Hoofs managed to stand up, wandering and wailing, trying to rouse their fallen companions, but with little success. Only a dozen or so could still move.
Outside the valley, strange noises echoed. The standing Cloud Hoofs raised their fiery red manes and roared towards the entrance, issuing warnings. But the scent of blood made these warnings useless.
Monsters with snake-like bodies and four pairs of long legs quickly darted into the valley, screeching excitedly at the sight of the fallen Cloud Hoof.
Frog Crowing Monsters?
William was thrilled. These Level 2 monsters were perfect hunting targets. Their Magic Crystals were valuable, and their gland sacs, when soaked, dried, and consumed with strong alcohol, could enhance resistance to various poisons. This was as good as immunity potions in the apocalypse and highly valuable. Before his rebirth, each Frog Crowing Monster's gland sac could be traded for a bottle of two-star Evolution Elixir, or even better items from those with savings.
Dozens of Frog Crowing Monsters often clashed with Cloud Hoofs, as their territories were close. However, due to the large number of Cloud Hoofs, the Frog Crowing Monsters usually lost.
This time, enticed by the overpowering scent of blood, the monsters discovered their old adversaries in a pitiful state and wouldn't pass up the opportunity to strike. They rushed towards the Cloud Hoof corpses, ready to feast.
The dozen or so strongest Cloud Hoofs wailed and charged forward, knowing they would die but still trying to protect their kind.
Against the well-conditioned and numerically superior Frog Crowing Monsters, these Cloud Hoofs didn't last even a minute.
Just as the victorious Frog Crowing Monsters were about to disperse, they noticed a wooden staff standing not far away. Then, a blue lotus appeared in the air, launching a fierce attack on them.
Under the power of the Blue Blood Lotus, these monsters, lacking speed or defense, had no chance to fight back. A single mid-level ice crystal wiped them out completely.
"Quick, quick, quick! Collect the Magic Crystals!" William urged.
He and his three companions swiftly gathered the Magic Crystals, obtaining dozens of Level 2 Magic Crystals. Then, they returned to their hiding spot on the hillside.
Thus, William began his 'hunting.' He didn't act every time, usually targeting groups of Level 2 monsters and occasionally taking on lone Level 3 monsters. He limited his actions to twice a day, only exceeding this limit in special circumstances. For instance, if some monsters were too voracious, letting them rampage unchecked would deplete the Cloud Hoof, making it impossible to attract other monsters.
However, using the Staff of Nature frequently depleted his Natural crystals. If an unexpected situation arose, William would have to refrain from acting for an entire day. Fortunately, luck was on his side, and this only happened once.
After three days, William had collected over five hundred Level 2 Magic Crystals and seven Level 3 Magic Crystals. The cost was one life, most of the Cloud Hoof corpses, and only four remaining Natural crystals, including three low-level water crystals and one mid-level ice crystal.
William knew his hunting here was over.
Looking at the group of over two hundred Level 2 Fang Beasts led by two Level 3 ones that had entered the valley, William could only sigh in regret.
However, just as he was waiting for these monsters to retreat so he could retrieve the Cloud Hoof eggs hidden deep within, a familiar connection suddenly appeared in his mind.
