“Who?” The woman in the brown leather armor spun around abruptly. Seeing it wasn't a monster, she visibly relaxed, her gaze lingering briefly on Ye Chen’s mask before she frowned. “Who are you?”

Ye Chen approached her, stopping three zhang away, right at the edge of her alert perimeter. He spoke casually, “I’m here to support you. You can check with Xu Tianguo.”

The group exchanged surprised glances. The woman eyed Ye Chen with suspicion before raising her wrist to dial Xu Tianguo’s communicator—a delicate device resembling a watch. Soon, a voice replied, tinged with the indifference of authority. “What is it?”

The woman respectfully stated, “Guild Master, someone here says he knows you.”

Silence followed on the other end. Then, Ye Chen spoke flatly, “It is I.” His voice was slightly deeper, rougher than before—a deliberate adjustment of his throat to mask his original tone. Given their limited experience, they might otherwise recognize him.

If ordinary people could alter their voices through the tongue and throat, it was certainly easier for someone of Ye Chen’s constitution.

Xu Tianguo had already heard this altered voice when Ye Chen was en route and immediately knew it was him. A flicker of pleasant surprise crossed his face—he hadn't expected Ye Chen so soon. He replied to the woman with his usual command, “That’s correct. He is the founder of our Guild, the true Guild Master. All matters regarding the pioneering expedition must follow his direction!”

The true Guild Master? The woman and the three men froze, then stared at Ye Chen in disbelief. They had never heard rumors of a hidden Guild Master within the Bright Guild.

Ye Chen then moved to stand beside the woman. Without excessive vigilance from her side, he gently took hold of her wrist and spoke into the communicator. “The expedition here will conclude in five days at the latest. You need to accelerate the acquisition of materials on your end and prepare all necessary equipment for constructing the base city as soon as possible. Don't wait until the last minute to prepare.”

Five days?

The woman and the others gaped, their faces etched with shock. From Dingzhou City to Hubei Province spanned over a dozen cities. Their estimation was that carving a bloody path through so many locations would take at least a month and a half, even at their fastest pace! Yet Ye Chen claimed five days? Damn, do you think we can fly?

The group gave Ye Chen odd looks but dared not speak further, thinking to themselves that he could boast now, but he’d learn the true difficulty once the expedition began!

Xu Tianguo also paused briefly before letting out a wry smile. “Understood.” He knew Ye Chen always kept his word.

After ending the communication, Ye Chen released the woman’s wrist and looked at her. “What about the others?”

The woman glanced at him respectfully. “Greetings, Guild Master. My name is Su Xiaochang. The other Hall Masters and Elders are hunting powerful monsters elsewhere.” The three men behind her nodded deferentially, secretly sizing up Ye Chen. They noted his ordinary clothes and the common steel saber in his hand, wondering why the Guild Master looked so impoverished.

Su Xiaochang? Ye Chen frowned slightly. The name seemed familiar, though he couldn't place it immediately. He dismissed the thought and ordered, “Take me to the person in charge of this operation.”

“Yes!” Su Xiaochang nodded and instructed the men behind her, “Skin this Ironclad Mastiff.” It appeared she was the recognized leader among this quartet.

The three men said nothing, drawing their respective weapons to begin flaying the beast—the hide of a Level 50 monster, highly precious.

Moments later, the material was sectioned off. This Ironclad Mastiff was a type of zombie monster and possessed no vital energy, so Ye Chen didn't absorb anything. He led Su Xiaochang and the others away from the immediate area. Occasionally, zombies darted out, and the three men proactively rushed forward to eliminate them.

A cold wind swept through the street.

They hadn't walked far when—

“Gulp!” A bone-chewing sound echoed from within a nearby skyscraper, sending chills down their spines. As the group approached, a black shadow suddenly shattered the window and burst out. It was about three feet tall, moving on four paws, resembling a cat. Its eyes glowed a faint green, and clamped between its protruding, yellowish fangs was a length of intestine…

“No, it’s a Raging Corpse Cat!” Su Xiaochang’s pretty face shifted dramatically. She hastily gripped her curved saber, holding it defensively before her, her arm trembling slightly. She urged Ye Chen urgently, “Guild Master, this Raging Corpse Cat is terrifyingly powerful. I will cover your retreat; you all must pull back first and summon the Hall Masters to handle this!”

“Sister Xiaochang, be careful,” the other three men whispered, their faces pale as they watched the monster. They knew the creature’s specialty was preying on humans. Seeing Su Xiaochang bravely place herself on the line, joy mixed with relief, they offered no pleasantries and prepared to withdraw immediately.

Ye Chen remained stationary, frowning. “Why aren't you activating your Superman Mode?”

One of the Guild's advantages was that when several Superhumans gathered, they could activate their Superman Mode without reservation, knowing comrades would guard them during the subsequent weakened phase.

“We already activated it,” Su Xiaochang replied, her lips white, as the Corpse Cat advanced step by step, its foul, bloody scent washing over them, making them nauseous. Yet, she fought down her terror, gritting her teeth and relying on the sharp pain to stimulate her nerves.

Ye Chen nodded. If all three had used their Superman Mode and still chose to flee rather than fight, it indicated severe flaws in the Guild’s structure—a lack of internal cohesion, replaced by mutual suspicion. Such a Guild was doomed to dissolve.

“Roar!” At that moment, the Raging Corpse Cat arched its back and lunged forward. The leap was astonishingly fast, streaking toward Su Xiaochang like a bullet.

Su Xiaochang cried out in alarm and desperately slashed her saber diagonally.

Clang!

The saber was knocked aside by the Cat’s claw, scraping the ground and sparking briefly. The Cat immediately sprang again, bringing another claw down toward Su Xiaochang’s head.

“Vile creature!” A voice, cold enough to freeze a thousand miles, instantly rang out. Immediately, Su Xiaochang felt her body being pulled backward by a broad, strong hand, causing her to involuntarily tumble. A silhouette stepped forward, taking her place…

In that instant, time seemed to stretch into eternity!

Su Xiaochang felt her heart hollow out, the sounds around her fading away. There was only that imposing figure, vast as a mountain, shielding her—like the reassuring back of her father standing between her and a vicious dog when she was a child—broad and warm…

But had anyone ever stood in the line of fire for you at the moment of death?

The next second, a horrifying scene unfolded. Ye Chen suddenly thrust out his hand and gripped the Corpse Cat’s descending claw. With his other hand, he clenched his fingers into a fist and swung fiercely!

It struck the Raging Corpse Cat square on the head!

Splat!

The Cat’s skull shattered under the single punch, splitting down the middle. Its eyes and nose were mashed together in a gruesome pulp. Ye Chen casually flung the carcass aside, dropping it to the ground.

Instant kill!

The three men, who had been preparing to flee, stared wide-eyed.

They knew perfectly well how terrifying the Raging Corpse Cat’s constitution was—it was at least Level 60—yet Ye Chen had smashed its head like a watermelon!

Ye Chen turned to look at Su Xiaochang, still on the ground. “Are you alright?”

Under the blue sky and sunlight, Ye Chen’s shadow enveloped Su Xiaochang. She snapped back to reality, her pretty face inexplicably flushing. She quickly stood up, brushed the dust off her clothes, and then looked at the dead Corpse Cat. Its state was utterly horrific, its skull violently ruptured. She blinked slowly, her mouth slightly agape, and stammered, “I—I’m fine.”

Ye Chen nodded slightly and commanded the three men nearby, “Dissect this carcass.” The three men, jolted from their stupor, looked momentarily awkward before rushing over, not daring to argue. They squatted down and began rapidly cutting apart the Raging Corpse Cat.

Beep-beep…

Suddenly, Su Xiaochang’s communicator rang. She paused, then quickly checked it. A moment later, her face changed dramatically. “This is bad! The Hall Masters have encountered a powerful aquatic monster that surfaced from the great river—it’s extremely strong! They’ve summoned everyone to the location!”

“What!” The three men dissecting the corpse looked startled and immediately turned to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen asked, “Coordinates?”

Su Xiaochang replied quickly, “It’s just ahead. There’s a large river there.”

“Let’s go!” Ye Chen turned and took the lead. The three men sped up their butchery, swiftly carving out the most valuable parts before sprinting to catch up. Given their strength, they dared not wander carelessly through an undeveloped town.

The group ran swiftly, arriving near the riverbank, killing a few scattered zombies along the way.

Boom…

As Ye Chen ran, he felt the ground tremble faintly. Faint sounds of impact echoed ahead, mingled with heart-wrenching screams and the bellowing roar of a wild ox. These sounds drifted from the hazy sky in the distance, growing more intense as they advanced.

“Huh? Xiaochang?” Five figures—four men and one woman—emerged from another street. A man leading the group spotted Su Xiaochang and seemed slightly surprised, then offered a gentle smile. “What a coincidence.”

“Indeed,” Su Xiaochang replied, then ceased speaking.

Not long after, the group reached the riverbank, where a deafening roar assaulted their ears. Dozens of figures could be seen leaping near the water, surrounding a massive shape. This figure was covered entirely in scales, possessed four powerful claws, and stretched one hundred zhang long. A small lump protruded from its forehead—it was unmistakably a Flood Dragon!

“Roar!!”

The Flood Dragon let out a sky-splitting roar and brought a claw down, seizing a person who had charged forward. Held fast in its grip, the victim screamed as their body exploded into a mess of pulp with a sickening thud.

“What kind of monster is that!” Su Xiaochang stopped dead, her pretty face frozen in shock. She stared, dumbfounded, at the terrifying hundred-zhang silhouette. Even towering skyscrapers twenty stories high looked like mere toys before this Flood Dragon; one swipe could shatter them!

Ye Chen’s gaze sharpened. He hadn't expected a Flood Dragon monster. Truly worthy of an aquatic beast; in just five months, such a terrifying entity had manifested!

“Ah…” A shrill scream pierced the air. A middle-aged man was pinned to the ground by the Flood Dragon’s claw, crushed into the soil, bones pulverized.

“H-Hall Master…” Su Xiaochang’s heart lurched as she recognized the man.

…

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