Arriving in the northern area, they didn't encounter any other beasts. It was a little past mid-day, so they decided to rest while discussing where to go next.
"As expected, because of the quake earlier, not many beasts are still outside," Thirteen drank a bit, "There are 2 red zones around here and home of 3 beasts. We already collect 3 land-beasts, 2 sky-beasts, and 1 water-beast. The 3 main beasts here are exactly one of each."
"Wow… how can you remember that much?"
"How can you not remember this much?"
"…"
[What? There was an earthquake?]
[It couldn't be seen through the camera, but the beasts and animals really did flee like in the documentaries]
[My friend watches another group next to me and were unlucky enough to almost get stampeded by the running beasts]
[Haha, Little Prince is still bullying Bai Shui]
[Stop calling him Little Prince. Didn't you hear his name?]
[Talking about his name, do you guys think he is the thirteenth prince in his kingdom?]
[LOL! Then his siblings would be Shi Er, Shi Yi, and Shi?]
A/N: Shi Er: 12; Shi Yi: 11; Shi: 10
"If we want to go straightforwardly, we'll start from the Two-Headed Screechers, the furthest up, then the Merlions in the middle, lastly the Blood Worms. The Blood Worms are the closest to the west, but we will have to go through the 2 danger zones with this route," Lixue informed while pointing the route he mentioned, "The other one is safer, but takes more time. We'll start from the Merlions to avoid the red zone between here and the Two-Headed Screechers, go along the outline of the second red zone to the Blood Worms, and lastly to the Two-Headed Screechers."
"Why can't we go from the Merlions to the Two-Headed Screechers?"
"Because we'll be going between the 2 red zones."
"Haha… forget I asked."
"I think the faster the better. If we don't dwell long inside the red zone, it'll be fine." Thirteen proposed.
"But if something attacks us while we're inside then what? I suggest the safer route." Bai Shui chose another.
They both looked at Lixue. But even without asking, Thirteen knew that Lixue would certainly choose the first route. Wasn't that why he exaggerated the length of the second route? There wasn't any problem at all going to the Two-Headed Screechers from the Merlions.
"First route. We don't have much time."
The majority won, so they followed the first route Lixue mentioned. This time he led the way.
---
"Ugh…"
A young man opened his eyes. He was confused for a second before regaining his mind. In his hand was an azure crystal pulsing with light, his only source of light inside the underground darkness.
He looked at it and recalled what happened. There seemed to be an earthquake after he took the crystal. His head was throbbing with blood trickling down his side. Apparently, a rock or something hit him from above.
Sitting up, he looked around before studying the item in his hand.
Suddenly, the blue light from the crystal stirred, and the next thing that happened was the light inexplicably entering itself into the young man's body through his fingertips. The young man was startled and dropped the crystal, but the light's infiltration process didn't stop.
From behind him, a loud, fierce shriek cried. The young man covered his ears, trying to block the sound, but it was in vain. When he opened them, they bled a little and he couldn't hear well with the buzzing in his ears.
The crystal on the ground finished entering his body at that period of time and there was only a grey dull rock on the ground.
There was no drone around him, his team members were actually a set-up, and the emergency button was taken away from him.
He gritted his teeth in resentment before deciding first to find the way out.
---
"We're entering the first red zone. Keep alert." Lixue prompted.
Thirteen and Bai Shui nodded. They ran forward without stopping. But nearing the middle, Bai Shui tripped and fell.
'Let's just leave him. I wasn't in my right mind when I accepted him.' Lixue suggested to Thirteen disdainfully through their mind.
'I know how you feel, but he's necessary.' Thirteen replied.
Lixue recalled their progress and couldn't deny, 'True. We need him to pull our legs down. At least his stamina is good.'
'He's just being human. Don't be too hard on him.'
'Like you have the right to say that.' Lixue almost rolled his eyes.
He shrugged and moved to help Bai Shui, "You okay? Is anywhere injured?"
Bai Shui moved his ankle to check, "It hurts a bit. I can still run, but I don't think I can keep up with Huang Lixue's speed. You were really underrating him when you say he's fast."
"Then you lead. We'll match your speed. Lixue will guide you from behind."
"Huh?" Bai Shui hesitated before nodding, "…Okay."
"Come on. We can't stay too long here." Thirteen offered his hand.
Bai Shui grabbed it and stood up with a pull.
They continued with a much slower pace. Bai Shui actually didn't want to lead, but it was the only reasonable idea for them so they can keep going. It's not like he could ask one of them to carry him.
Distracted by his thoughts, he didn't hear Thirteen's warning to duck. A rock hit his light shield, startling him out of his mind. The rock's force was too strong and broke the shield before he could react. It hit him on his head and knocked him unconscious.
Thirteen and Lixue looked to their side and saw two creatures walking towards them. Their heads were of gruesome-looking flowers with dark purple petals. Their body was tall with long arms made out of what seemed like vines. On the abdomen was a vertically gaping mouth with 3 rows of teeth. The creatures put their arms into their mouth and would shoot out rocks as big as a tennis ball with their whip-like arms, causing the rocks' speed and momentum to be very fast.
They both evaded the rocks aimed at them. Thirteen moved Bai Shui behind a tree. If that guy got accidentally killed, things would be too troublesome. It was also a good opportunity to build his reputation.
"Irregulars. I knew the exam was too easy to be true." He clicked his tongue.
Irregulars were a type of monster that didn't resemble any of the existing animals. They weren't intelligent and would attack anything in their sight. Be it humans, beasts, animals, or even insects.
While beasts were a type of mutant animal with abilities in their genes, Irregulars don't have any abilities. Only innate power or energy with bizarre anatomy.
They didn't have any desires, needs, will, or even mind. So unless you directly met one face-to-face, beasts were still more dangerous because they have the ability to think. Higher-level beasts even have awareness, and some could speak. This was why there were histories of them invading human territories and wars between beasts and humans.
But when you actually met an Irregular, it was better to just run away or hide. Because Irregulars' main objective was to destroy and eliminate every living being in their vicinity without caring whether they themselves live or die.
Thirteen took out his gun, but the Irregulars threw him rocks consecutively that he couldn't have the right timing to shoot. Both Lixue and Thirteen ran in opposite directions, tacitly agreeing to handle one each. One Irregular chased them each as they wanted them to. Their speed was faster than expected.
Before the drone could deploy a small drone, Lixue interfered with it. He just shifted his attention for a split second when he sensed another rock almost reaching him.
He jumped to his side but before he could land, the Irregular whipped forward its arm to capture him. Lixue took out his knife and slashed it just in time. He wanted to take out his gun, but another batch of rocks flew towards him. He gave up and jumped up to a tree near him first.
Although the Irregular didn't have any eyes, it could sense where he was. It swung its restored arm and shockingly cut down the tree he was at. He activated his anti-gravity function and flew up right behind the drone which followed him instead of Thirteen.
The Irregular shot a rock at him and directly smashed the drones to pieces.
Lixue deactivated the anti-gravity function and landed down. When the rocks came at him again, he used his demonic energy to catch them. He looked at the Irregular like it was already dead.
"You're really annoying."
He shot the rocks back at the Irregular with twice the speed and it failed to avoid them. When it toppled back, Lixue disappeared from his spot, creating a gust of wind, before reappearing again above the Irregular.
In addition to his weight when falling down, he smashed it down with his demonic energy just as his feet connected to its shoulders.