The insect demon, now pierced clean through, let out a few cries before crashing heavily to the ground. After a few final twitches, it lay still. The woman known as "Hawkeye" descended back to the ground in succession. Although the demon was dead, her expression showed no relief; instead, it had grown even more grave!

The cries of the demon contained a frequency range imperceptible to human ears, a unique waveband specific to the demon species, capable of traveling great distances, received only by other demons through specialized organs.

Only those who frequently dealt with these demons could truly appreciate this characteristic. At that moment, the mercenaries were rejoicing over "Hawkeye's" swift kill, oblivious to the far greater crisis fast approaching them! "Incredible, to kill a demon in a single strike!" one mercenary exclaimed, staring at the corpse on the ground.

More mercenaries looked upon "Hawkeye" with expressions of immense reverence; many of them were witnessing her in action for the very first time! "Everyone, move out quickly! Find cover in rock crevices, and hurry!"

"Hawkeye" suddenly roared, her tone edged with palpable anxiety! She could already sense a massive swarm of demons flying towards them; if they didn't act immediately, they would simply be waiting for death!

The mercenaries were baffled by "Hawkeye's" sudden agitation, standing there utterly confused. Hadn't the demon been killed? Why did they need to hide?

All eyes turned to "Hawkeye," seeking some explanation. Just then, Zhong Shenxiu's voice drifted over, carrying a hint of playful mischief: "If you don't leave now, it'll be too late! It looks like a huge number of things are flying this way!" "Hawkeye's" body jolted once more. She hadn't expected Zhong Shenxiu to also sense the demons' presence. Could this youth be truly hiding his strength?

After a moment of hesitation, the others finally reacted. They weren't foolish, just momentarily stunned by the sudden turn of events. Now, with Zhong Shenxiu's reminder, they understood the gravity of the situation! "Are more demons coming?" one mercenary asked, a note of tension in his voice.

The others held their breath. They certainly didn't possess "Hawkeye's" monstrous power; facing the demons meant either fighting to the death or simply waiting to die! "Everyone, hurry!" Hawkeye urged again.

She was merely fulfilling her duty now. If she hadn't accepted payment from these people, she wouldn't have bothered in the slightest about their lives!

The atmosphere instantly turned tense. Despite their intense fear, some mercenaries merely shuffled their feet in place. It wasn't that they didn't want to hide; it was that they didn't know where to go. Without clear direction from "Hawkeye," they dared not act rashly!

They hoped "Hawkeye" would lead them away from this place immediately, but to their surprise, she showed no intention of leaving, instead fixing her gaze on the distance, maintaining a defensive posture right where they stood!

No one understood the habits of the demon insects better than "Hawkeye." What she needed to do now was lure the incoming swarm away, lest all these people be doomed! "Senior Hawkeye, where should we go?" "Anywhere! Get out of here quickly; I'll draw those demons away!"

The moment "Hawkeye" finished her sentence, that distinct "buzzing" sound returned to everyone's ears. Now everyone was certain: the demons were truly coming, and based on the sound, it wasn't just one or two! "Heavens! Quick... look over there!" A mercenary pointed with a trembling hand toward the distant sky.

In that direction, countless black dots were rapidly approaching, and the incessant "buzzing" was emanating from them!

Every face immediately turned ashen. This time, without waiting for "Hawkeye's" prompt, some mercenaries were already moving, fleeing in the opposite direction with desperate speed!

Soon after, more and more mercenaries snapped out of their shock, ignoring "Hawkeye," and joined the flight. In their minds, they weren't hoping to outrun the demons, only to outrun their companions, as that offered a chance of survival!

The group, which had numbered several hundred moments before, was suddenly reduced to just Zhong Shenxiu, Robin, and "Hawkeye"! "You aren't leaving?" This was the first thing "Hawkeye" had said directly to Zhong Shenxiu.

Zhong Shenxiu smiled faintly and uttered another incredibly irritating line: "Sister, you are so formidable; we need to stay and watch how you handle those demons!"

As Zhong Shenxiu spoke, Robin beside him couldn't help the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth—this could certainly be classified as a 'smile'! "Hawkeye" was utterly defeated. It was the first time she had ever seen someone so relaxed in the face of so many approaching demons!

In a one-on-one fight, she could dispatch a demon easily, but facing a massive swarm, even she would struggle immensely. Furthermore, there were differences in type and rank among the demons; not all could be killed with a single, decisive blow from her!

If she encountered a Super Demon, even "Hawkeye" would have to choose evasion. Fortunately, she hadn't encountered one in all this time; clearly, they hadn't yet fully crossed over from the alternate space into this world! (Whether they would appear in the future remained to be seen! Hehe…)

As the "buzzing" grew closer and the small black dots became clearer, the birds and beasts previously hidden in the woods began to fly up restlessly, many of them even high-level Magical Beasts!

Just then, a colossal bird, seven meters long, suddenly swooped over Zhong Shenxiu and Robin's heads—it was a Ninth-Rank Magical Beast! When "Hawkeye" saw this Ninth-Rank creature, a look of deep reverence crossed her features, a subtle shift that did not escape Zhong Shenxiu's notice. "Sister, do you have a peculiar fondness for birds?" Zhong Shenxiu's sudden question nearly made "Hawkeye" lose her footing. The comment seemed to violate some boundary; she shot Zhong Shenxiu a glare, her expression tinged with hostility!

"Sister, you still haven't answered my question?" Zhong Shenxiu asked, smiling as he pressed the matter. He looked like a child who had found a new game. Had five years of solitary cultivation made him desperate to let loose now?

Black lines began to form on "Hawkeye's" forehead. She was usually a person of immense calm, but for some reason, her emotions were easily provoked in front of Zhong Shenxiu. She truly wanted to smack this annoying boy!

Seeing "Hawkeye's" reaction, Zhong Shenxiu chuckled, then shot a meaningful glance at Robin beside him. Robin understood instantly, raising her delicate hand toward the Ninth-Rank Magical Beast that had just flown past.

Then, a strange cry, not quite a bird's nor a beast's, sounded, and the Ninth-Rank Magical Beast was inexplicably caught in Robin’s grasp!

Robin's hand seemed to possess a miraculous magic. Despite the extreme discomfort of the Ninth-Rank creature, it possessed no strength to resist, able only to fix its desperate gaze upon "Hawkeye" below! (It appeared Robin was deliberately positioning the beast so it faced "Hawkeye"! Ugh!)

"Hawkeye's" pupils contracted sharply. This development was entirely beyond her expectation. She could not fathom how this powerful Ninth-Rank beast had been captured so strangely by this young girl. What on earth had she done just now?

After a brief pause, "Hawkeye's" face abruptly changed, and she roared, "Release it!" As the sound escaped her lips, she lunged forward!

At this juncture, a brief introduction to "Hawkeye" is necessary. As astute readers may have already deduced, she is not a true human but belongs to the Beastmen race! The "Beastmen Race" is a colossal collective. While their total population might not rival that of true humans, the sheer variety of their sub-species is incomparable!

"Hawkeye" belongs to the "Eagle Clan." The defining characteristic of this clan is their eyes, which are exactly like those of a hawk—incredibly sharp! Furthermore, their limbs can instantly harden, turning into devastating weapons for attack!

The "Eagle Clan" is a branch of the greater "Avian Clan." Although they cannot fly like other members of the "Avian Clan" who possess wings, they hold birds and beasts in reverence, treating them as deities!

This explains why "Hawkeye" cared so much about the flying creature; it could be understood as a matter of their racial faith!

Facing "Hawkeye's" lightning-fast charge, Robin didn't even spare her a glance, nor did she move another muscle! Just then, a muffled thud echoed, and "Hawkeye" was sent flying backward!

However, "Hawkeye's" agility was superb. Just as she was about to strike the ground, she forcefully tucked her abdomen, swinging her legs upwards. After a complete three-hundred-and-sixty-degree rotation, she landed safely in a remarkably graceful posture!

Though unharmed, "Hawkeye's" face was contorted with utter shock! In that split second, she had intended to kick Robin, but an invisible force had materialized from nowhere, throwing her back!

"Sister, your skills are indeed impressive!" Zhong Shenxiu somehow managed to praise "Hawkeye," but he immediately shifted gears: "Sister, you still haven't answered my question. If you don't reply soon, we might just roast this little bird!"

Sigh. Calling a Ninth-Rank Magical Beast a "little bird"—only someone like Zhong Shenxiu could manage such a thing! "The flying creatures are the symbol of our gods!" a cold voice stated from "Hawkeye's" lips! She finally understood; she needed to cooperate with this youth, otherwise, she had no idea what outrageous things he might do next!

"Oh, is that so? Then why didn't Sister mention it sooner? If you had, this misunderstanding wouldn't have happened!" Zhong Shenxiu's remark almost made "Hawkeye" snap. He was brazenly shifting the blame onto her! Fortunately, Robin had already released the Ninth-Rank Magical Beast, meaning "Hawkeye's" momentary cooperation had not been in vain!

By this time, the demon insects were drawing ever nearer; their general outlines were visible from their current distance!

And just then, Zhong Shenxiu's voice echoed again: "Sister, I have a very strange bird I'm raising. Can you take a look and tell me what you think of it?"

With that, a mischievous, wicked smile curled at the corner of Zhong Shenxiu's mouth... B