Chapter 8: A Chance Encounter with Wang Gang's Squad

After advancing about fifty meters, Ye Chuyun suddenly tightened his expression and lunged behind a large tree to conceal himself.

"There's the sound of a fight!"

Ye Chuyun tilted his head slightly to look, his face immediately filling with surprise. Three meters in front of him, five humans were surrounding and attacking a Green-Clawed Beast. Ye Chuyun’s gaze was instantly drawn to the creature. It was clearly different from the ordinary Green-Clawed Beasts he had seen before. While the common ones stood about 1.5 meters tall with light green skin, this one was nearly 1.9 meters tall with dark green skin. Ye Chuyun immediately realized this beast had mutated and was an elite monster.

[Name]: Green-Clawed Beast (Mutated)
[Level]: 1
[Combat Power Rating]: 300
[Traits]: Immense strength, rapid speed, cunning, flees when losing
[Skill]: Speed Boost LV1
[Drop Rate]: 1%

After reading the data, Ye Chuyun’s heart skipped a beat. It was truly an elite mutant; though its level remained the same, its combat power was monstrous. Moreover, this mutant was a crafty one—it possessed the "flee when losing" trait. Combined with its Speed Boost skill, these five people might end up empty-handed if they weren't careful.

Ye Chuyun then shifted his focus to the group of five and realized they were familiar faces—it was Wang Gang’s squad. Zhuang Liang, wielding a Tier 1 shield, was standing at the forefront. Whenever the mutant attacked, he would use his shield to block if he couldn't dodge in time. Beside him stood a man in a black leather jacket, holding a makeshift shield crafted from a wooden chair back, helping to deflect the onslaught. Wang Gang and Liu Qian were searching for opportunities to strike. As a Sanda champion, Wang Gang proved his worth; whenever Zhuang Liang and the man in the leather jacket couldn't hold the line, he would swap in as a secondary tank. He dodged the mutant's attacks one by one, occasionally landing counterattacks that inflicted significant damage. Liu Qian provided support from the rear with her bow, while a girl carrying a medical kit hid behind her.

The mutant grew furious, swinging its heavy bone club down toward Wang Gang’s head. Reacting quickly, Wang Gang sidestepped the blow and took the chance to land a heavy punch on the beast, further drawing its aggression.

The rotation between Wang Gang, Zhuang Liang, and the leather-clad man continued, with Liu Qian maintaining constant pressure. The mutant’s wounds multiplied, green blood pooled on the ground, and its condition began to falter. Ye Chuyun watched quietly from the shadows.

Suddenly, the mutant let out a sharp cry, its body flickering with green light. It turned on its heels and, moving like a blur before the eyes of the group, sprinted away. Wang Gang and his team watched in stunned silence as the creature escaped.

"Damn it, Captain! Should we chase after it?" Zhuang Liang asked urgently.

Wang Gang clutched his chest, gasping for air, and raised a hand to stop him. "It won't get far. We need to heal first. Wang Yun, please."

The girl behind Liu Qian stepped forward, opening her medical kit to begin bandaging the group. Ye Chuyun remained behind the tree, waiting for them to leave so he could continue his search for treasure chests. Inadvertently, he shifted his feet. The girl, however, had keen ears; as a nurse who had obtained a "Hearing Enhancement" skill book from an early lottery, she could detect any movement within ten meters. She abruptly snapped her head toward Ye Chuyun’s hiding spot.

"Who's there!"

Her shout put the rest of the team on high alert. Seeing no other choice, Ye Chuyun sighed and stepped out from behind the tree. He wasn't overly worried, as he could use his Stealth skill if things went south.

"Huh? Is that you?" The man in the leather jacket blinked, seemingly recognizing him.

"Oh? Lei Chen, you know him?" Wang Gang asked, surprised.

Lei Chen smiled awkwardly. "Heh, I just recognize him from before." He recalled the incident at the plaza when he had thrown a chair at a monster; Ye Chuyun had been the first to rush out, leaving a deep impression on him.

After hearing Lei Chen’s brief explanation, Wang Gang turned to Ye Chuyun. "Brother, what’s your name?"

"I’m Ye Chuyun. Please, don't worry, I’m just passing through," Ye Chuyun replied calmly.

Wang Gang nodded, sizing him up. When he saw the Green-Claw Machete in Ye Chuyun's hand, a flash of greed crossed his eyes. "Brother Ye, I can see you have some skill. How about joining our team? We can level up together."

"Don't worry about the loot; we divide it based on contribution."

Lei Chen chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! You won't go hungry with our Captain. He's a Level 2 powerhouse with nearly 190 combat power!"

Zhuang Liang and the others remained silent, looking at Ye Chuyun with indifference. In their eyes, given their squad's strength, many would be begging to join; there was no reason for him to refuse. To their surprise, Ye Chuyun shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I prefer solo grinding. I’ll be taking my leave now."

With that, he walked off in the direction of the treasure chest.

"Damn, he actually refused?" Lei Chen couldn't believe his ears.

"Maybe the more handsome they are, the more confident they get?" Liu Qian muttered to herself.

Wang Gang shook his head. "Forget it. If he doesn't want to join, I won't force him. Let's go chase down that beast." And with that, the squad hurried away.

...

[Divine Demon Coins +200]
[Wind-Runner Boots: +10 Agility when equipped, Tier 1 equipment.]
[Skill Stone]

Opening a grey chest had yielded another great harvest. After equipping the Wind-Runner Boots, his combat power reached 237. Just as he was about to search for the next chest, Ye Chuyun’s eyes flickered, and he rolled sharply to the left.

*Bang!*

A heavy bone club smashed into the exact spot where he had been standing. The mutant Green-Clawed Beast had appeared behind him.

"Grrr!" The mutant glared at Ye Chuyun, a trace of disdain in its eyes. This weak human had dared to trespass into its territory and steal its treasure. It would tear him to pieces!

With a low growl, the mutant raised its bone club and swung again at Ye Chuyun.