Dong Ran had never before seen a creature like the three-headed dog from such close proximity, and even as it was weakened to the brink of death, possibly meeting its fate in the pouring rain, the imposing aura of a boss-level creature still made one's scalp tingle with apprehension.
But observing Tang Xian's calm demeanor and those tranquil, profound eyes, Dong Ran suddenly felt...
That this was the attitude humanity ought to possess.
Once the rulers of Earth, a highly intelligent race that had forged thousands of years of civilization, humans stood at the pinnacle of all life forms by virtue of their wisdom.
As Tang Xian gazed at the hellhound, his look was no different from usual, yet it carried the authoritative presence of a king facing his subjects.
The storm raged with thunder and rain.
The hellhound was finally on its last legs, and the Soul Crystal Mine that flickered with blue light began to dim.
Tang Xian prepared to stand up, retrieve the Soul Crystal Mine, and complete his mission.
But at that moment, his eyes widened ever so slightly.
He glanced around, as if searching for something.
Dong Ran asked in bewilderment, "Tang, what are you looking for?"
"Do you hear any voices?"
"Don't scare me... What voices?" Dong Ran thought Tang Xian was referring to some kind of wild beast.
Tang Xian slowly turned his gaze back to the dying hellhound and took a step back.
"Save me, please save me... don't kill me..."
The voice that Tang Xian had just heard, weak, weary, and helpless, echoed again in his mind.
This was the first time Dong Ran saw Tang Xian, a man who usually had everything under control, reveal such an expression.
"Save me... You are also a powerful being... Why..."
"Are you talking to me?" Tang Xian asked.
There was no one else around, and the sounds of wind and rain battered the eardrums. Even with Dong Ran close by, one had to speak loudly to be heard.
Yet the voice Tang Xian had heard was clearly and crisply echoing in his mind.
After ruling out all impossibilities, no matter how absurd the last possibility was, it had to be real.
With that thought, Tang Xian regained his usual composure.
He had never heard of boss-level creatures being able to communicate with humans. It was just like how he had never known why the data visible to him differed so greatly from that of ordinary people. But when faced with something unchangeable, Tang Xian chose to accept it.
"Yes... save me... I am about to die..."
"Sorry, but I'm a bit hungry."
The hellhound's eyes widened, breathing grew rushed, and with Tang Xian suddenly speaking as if to someone, all these elements together gave off a sinister aura, causing Dong Ran to shiver in fear.
"Why do you, such a powerful being, choose to stay with these weaker creatures?"
"What's it to you? Weak or strong, all I know is that I'm hungry and dog meat tastes good."
"..."
The hellhound probably never expected that the being capable of communicating with it would help humans, despite looking the same as them.
It was reluctant to accept this, but it truly had no strength left.
The rain showed no signs of stopping, and after Dong Ran sneezed, it took another dozen seconds after the hellhound closed its eyes for the last time before Tang Xian, watching the massive beast breathe its last, slowly approached the hellhound.
But suddenly, the creature opened its eyes, and in a final surge of life, the boss-level creature tried to drag the man who refused to save it down with itself!
The damaged head let out a roar as its paws, covered in bite marks and blood, swung through the air.
Tang Xian was quick to react, but his body couldn't keep up with his thoughts.
Just as he was about to be torn apart by those terrifying claws, Dong Ran cried out sharply, and a powerful force emanated from her hands, pushing Tang Xian several meters away through the air.
The hellhound let out a final, frustrated howl, but this time, its immense body finally collapsed completely in the downpour.
The Soul Crystal Mine also lost all its shine, becoming dull and lifeless.
"Tang, are you alright!" Dong Ran ran over and helped Tang Xian up.
Tang Xian nodded, breathing a bit raggedly, but otherwise maintaining a calm demeanor.
"Thanks just now, I was careless. It seems the standards for determining the definite death of boss creatures need further revision. Even after ordinary creatures die, the Soul Crystal Mine still retains its glow for a while, but boss creatures are different."
Barely escaping death, yet Tang Xian started to earnestly embark on an academic analysis. Dong Ran didn't even know how to judge this person.
"With such heavy rain, what should we do?"
Taking into account that Dong Ran had indeed saved him, Tang Xian replied with a slightly gentler tone,
"The heavy rain will wash away our scent, as well as the traces of the fight between the hellhound and the bone hyenas, including the things I left along the way. So we might as well stay in the hellhound's lair openly and feast on dog meat."
"You had all this planned out already?"
Although Dong Ran had an idea of the answer, she couldn't help but ask.
Tang Xian nodded.
A plan should be thorough from start to finish. He had it all worked out before entering the mine.
But he had indeed overlooked a few things.
For instance, how to move the massive hellhound into the cave.
After all, the primary motivation behind hunting the hellhound was his desire to indulge in a dog meat hotpot.