The woman clearly started, because the voice had sounded near, right behind her. Instinctively, she pushed off hard with her feet, her entire body shooting out like an arrow, her movement remarkably swift!

As she darted forward, she twisted her body and spun around, gazing toward the source of the sound. Upon looking, a flash of surprise crossed her face, though she quickly masked it!

Scanning the area, she saw two small figures standing on a jutting slab of rock: one, an exquisitely beautiful young girl, and the other, a dashing, handsome young boy! As everyone has likely guessed, these two were none other than Robin and Zhong Shenxiu!

Now, it wasn't just this "Hawkeye" woman observing Zhong Shenxiu and Robin; all the mercenaries behind her were curiously scrutinizing these unexpected guests who had appeared out of thin air!

Every one of them had a similar question burning in their minds: Who were these two, how did they get here, and what was their purpose? The atmosphere instantly grew somewhat oppressive; unsure if they were friend or foe, no one dared to make a rash move!

Zhong Shenxiu displayed no restraint, returning the gaze of the group, though his primary focus was on the "Eyebrowed" woman! Her eyes were as beautiful and captivating as yellow gemstones!

Zhong Shenxiu always exhibited immense curiosity toward the unknown. He and Robin had initially intended to hunt further ahead, but they unexpectedly discovered this mysterious woman, stopping only because of their curiosity!

"Hey, Sister, you still haven't answered my question!" Zhong Shenxiu put on an expression of utter innocence—if the other members of the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" saw him now, they would surely burst out laughing!

By now, Zhong Shenxiu fully utilized his physical appearance; whether being called "Sister" was a good or bad thing was hard to say!

The others were fooled by Zhong Shenxiu’s demeanor and secretly breathed a sigh of relief—they were just children! However, the "Hawkeye" woman did not share this naivety; her expression instead became even more serious!

Anyone who could move about in the "Forest of No Return" was certainly not simple, and the boy’s relaxed expression clearly indicated that nothing in the forest had yet posed a threat or instilled fear in him. Furthermore, the clothes of both individuals were remarkably clean, and the girl’s long hair wasn't even slightly disheveled—all signs suggesting these two were unusual!

More importantly, she had no idea how these two arrived; she hadn't sensed any aura whatsoever, which was truly incredible! And the fact that they had gotten right behind her without her noticing was the most frightening aspect!

Many mercenaries began shifting their gazes toward the woman, eager to see what she would do!

It was worth noting that these mercenaries were not closely acquainted with the woman; their relationship was strictly one of hire. This woman was responsible for guiding them through various dangers in exchange for payment from the mercenaries!

Strangely, this woman asked for no money, only supplies and food, and her temperament was quite eccentric. When facing a magic beast, she would kill without hesitation, but if it was a flying magic beast, she would regard it with distance and forbade any mercenary from attacking!

Although these mercenaries didn't know the woman’s name, they knew her nickname. Because of her exceptional eyes, people had bestowed upon her the title of "Hawkeye"! This woman had appeared in the "Forest of No Return" two years ago, reportedly searching for something, never having left the woods! "Huh—this boy looks somewhat familiar?" A mercenary nearby suddenly muttered softly. "I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere too, but I just can't place it!" murmured another beside him. "Ah, I remember now!" exclaimed a somewhat mature-looking woman suddenly.

Her voice drew the attention of the other mercenaries, but the "Hawkeye" woman remained fixed on Zhong Shenxiu! "Liza, keep your voice down!" cautioned the man who looked like the leader, while simultaneously pressing, "What did you remember?"

"It’s that little boy!" Liza’s voice was tinged with excitement. "Captain, don't you recall? Seven years ago, during a message delivery mission, we encountered two children in an unknown forest. This boy is that child!" "Seven years ago? Two children?" The middle-aged man looked bewildered, contorting his face in an effort to recall. "Captain, don't you remember? The two kids who once sold us roasted sweet potatoes!" Liza reminded him. "Ah, I remember now! You mean those two!" A flash of insight illuminated the middle-aged man's mind, finally retrieving that past memory.

It must be said that this day was proving exceptionally "coincidental." No one expected Zhong Shenxiu and Robin to run into old acquaintances. The mercenaries who had just spoken were, in fact, members of the "Cross Sword Mercenary Group," and those with good memories might even recall their leader was named Cillian! "They’ve both grown so tall... why are they here now?" Cillian murmured to himself.

Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had already surprised them once, and this reunion continued to astonish them beyond measure! As everyone pondered their own thoughts, a loud shout suddenly erupted from Zhong Shenxiu's mouth, startling everyone! "Aaaaaah—~~~!" The sound, processed and amplified by Zhong Shenxiu's inner energy, carried far into the distance.

Everyone was left confused, unable to grasp why Zhong Shenxiu would yell out of the blue, even the "Hawkeye" woman displayed a look of incomprehension.

However, this look of confusion was swiftly replaced by an expression of worry! She had already sensed the nearby presence of magic insect auras moments before, which was precisely why she had warned everyone against making noise. Yet, unexpectedly, this boy was shouting so brazenly!

If he were screaming out of terror or pain, it might be forgivable, but judging by his expression, the boy was doing it purely for amusement—no, to be precise, it was retaliation for her not answering his earlier question! What on earth was he thinking? Didn't he know this was dangerous? The "Hawkeye" woman was furious but could not act, after all, the mouth belonged to someone else; he could yell as he pleased! Influenced by Zhong Shenxiu's shout, flocks of birds were startled, scattering in random directions! The "Hawkeye" woman’s brow suddenly furrowed because a very familiar "buzzing" sound reached her ears! Just then, Zhong Shenxiu spoke again, angering the "Hawkeye" woman even more.

"It looks like something is flying over, you all should watch out!" Zhong Shenxiu said while yawning, seemingly offering a kind reminder, but no one knew what mischief he was truly plotting underneath! "Oh no, it's a magic insect!" A cry of alarm suddenly broke from the mercenaries; they had finally seen the creatures they most dreaded!

A massive black magic insect flapped its wings and soared towards them, its sinister and terrifying fangs sending chills down the spine just to look at it!

Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats, and they anxiously looked toward the "Hawkeye" woman! They knew that in this place, only she could contend with a magic insect! "Sister, you look a little pale, are you alright?" Zhong Shenxiu once again adopted that harmless, innocent expression, as if he were addicted to playing young! The "Hawkeye" woman genuinely wanted to seize Zhong Shenxiu and feed him to the magic insect, but she dared not act, as Robin exuded a palpable pressure!

A woman's intuition, combined with a primal sixth sense, told her that these two individuals should not be provoked; they were extremely dangerous entities!

"Senior Hawkeye, what should we do now? The magic insect is almost here!" The mercenaries grew more anxious when they saw the "Hawkeye" woman standing motionless! "Everyone, don't move rashly. Maintain formation; I will handle this magic insect!"

The "Hawkeye" woman issued another command, shifting her gaze from Zhong Shenxiu to the approaching insect! If it were just one magic insect, she was confident she could deal with it, but if this one attracted more, things would become complicated. Escaping would be no problem for her, but these mercenaries would perish beneath the mandibles of the swarms! Therefore, she had to make this strike fatal!

Her eyes, sharp as a falcon's, locked onto the target, her entire attention heightened to its peak! "Sister, your eyes are so special, were they born that way or did you develop them?" Zhong Shenxiu's irritating voice carried over again.

A prominent vein visibly pulsed on the "Hawkeye" woman's forehead, but she intensely suppressed her reaction, her eyes glued to the magic insect drawing nearer.

In that brief moment, the "buzzing" sound became painful to the eardrums, and the powerful flapping of the insect’s wings kicked up sand and gravel from the ground! Everyone could now clearly see the repulsive bristles on the insect's body just by tilting their heads back!

This magic insect seemed to have poor eyesight, but its auditory organs were exceptionally developed, and it finally noticed the static figures below! Just as it was about to begin its hunt, a black shadow shot toward the sky! The "Hawkeye" woman curled her hand into a claw and met the massive body of the magic insect head-on! With a "poof," she pierced the magic insect, whose shell was as hard as a cymbal—what incredible penetrative force!

All the mercenaries below stared dumbfounded, looking in disbelief at the large hole in the center of the insect’s body, from which copious amounts of bluish-green ichor were now gushing downward!

Zhong Shenxiu, a smile playing on his lips, looked up, but his gaze was fixed on the "Hawkeye" woman's hands! This was the "Hawkeye" woman's decisive, fatal blow!

Perhaps influenced by Zhong Shenxiu, her strike did not kill the magic insect instantly; instead, it emitted a sharp, piercing shriek! "Damn it!" The "Hawkeye" woman’s face suddenly changed...