The surviving Velocity Raptors decided that we weren't worth the trouble and retreated. We allowed them to leave, knowing that it would be foolish to pursue them. They were only preying on us because we trespassed into their territory, or because they were looking for food, and we looked delicious. Not out of malice or any weird…deliberate scheme designed to target us because I happened to be the protagonist. They were cunning enough to know they were outmatched and withdrew to search for easier prey.
"You…"
The mustached mercenary glared at me, then shook his head. With a big sigh, he held out a hand grudgingly.
"Thanks for saving my men. We owe you."
"Not at all." I shook his hand. I wasn't some petty, juvenile person who held grudges over something as trivial as disrespect. This was why I didn't bother getting into an argument or whatever it was that the existences beyond the fourth dimension were raging about. It wasn't about being a doormat or being beta or being unable to stand up for myself. The best way of dealing with insults was to prove myself with action, not words.
Anybody could get into a shouting match and jump into a fight, but what would that achieve? The guy not insulting me again? But then, just like every cultivation story ever, instead of learning from his mistakes, he would resent me and plot revenge for the "humiliation." What did that solve? No, instead, I might as well prove his insults wrong with concrete actions, making him look like a fool. But instead of feeling humiliated because I beat him up, he would reflect on his own actions and come to the conclusion that he was wrong – it was a more effective method than simply getting into a shouting match or "standing up for myself." Not only that, I would earn his respect instead of his resentment.
Also, why would I beat someone up and resort to violence just because he insulted me? I was neither a barbarian nor a bully. That sounded like something only elementary school kids or perhaps hotheaded teenagers would do. Ah, that explained a lot. Most of these fourth dimensional commenters were juvenile teenagers whose anger worked quicker than their brains.
I diplomatically fell back to stay near the researchers and scientists while allowing the mercenaries to take point again. They had their pride, and they were professionals. Unlike a cultivation story cliché, they weren't incompetent, bumbling idiots who would get "punished" for insulting the protagonists. They were highly trained paramilitary soldiers who had survived plenty of battlefields.
Come to think of it, it was funny that all those cultivator antagonists survived so long in their respective stories, only to suddenly turn stupid and incompetent when they encountered the protagonists. Probably because the authors couldn't think of a proper way to kill them off. Unfortunately, reality was more complex than fiction. Just because you hated a bully didn't mean he was incompetent or stupid. It might bring some comfort to see them as exaggerated caricatures who existed solely for the protagonists to take revenge on, but more often than not, people weren't that one-dimensional.
And so, I left the vanguard to them while falling back. Jun Hai was curiously studying the charred carcasses of the Velocity Raptors, his brow raised.
"I'm no expert," he began. "But I'm pretty sure they look different from the actual Deinonychus and Velociraptors from over 65 million years ago."
"Yeah, they are probably mutated spirit beasts from that other dimension where they came from. You know, the world on the other side of the rift."
"True, but they might also be mutated forms of birds with dormant genes awakened, allowing them to evolve to such physical forms." He caught my look and shrugged. "A lot of the marine spirit beasts evolve in such a way. Like your Little Anglers and Lantern Fishes. They didn't just migrate in mass from the other dimension. They were deep sea angler fishes and other abyssal organisms that mutated thanks to the influx of qi into our world."
"Right." I nodded. Jun Hai had followed in our mom's footsteps and dabbled quite a lot in marine biology, so I trusted him.
We continued onward, and as we moved, I stared around the surroundings and admired the verdant forest that was teeming with vibrant life. Trees grew in clusters, the ferns unfolding from below like emerald fans. Mountains rose like sentinels along the edges of the forests, their steep slopes livened by vegetation. The air was humid and moist, with a lot of dew collecting on leaves and dripping about, causing a curtain of steam to shimmer as we bashed our way through vividly colored foliage.
I spotted a river not far from our position, with herds of Trumpet Lizards galloping along the river bank. Some stopped to lap up the water from the gushing river, while others frolicked, sending waves crashing against the shore.
A few of the Velocity Raptors lurked, their attention now on the Trumpet Lizards because they had become wary of us. Still, the sheer size of the herd meant that the pack couldn't recklessly attack the much larger Trumpet Lizards and the occasional Thunder Lizard that broke the surface of the river, its long neck allowing it to breathe even as its body was mostly submerged.
"Halt!" The mustached mercenary barked from the front, holding up a hand. Immediately, the soldiers threw themselves to the ground, laying prone in the soil and hefting up their rifles. I nodded to Sylvie and Silvia, who quickly cast a spell to form a dome-shaped barrier around the anxious research team. Jun Hai and I prepared for battle, ready to defend the noncombatants if necessary.
A Giga Rex stepped out, sniffing the air. It growled, a low rumble that actually caused the trees to sway, and planted a massive talon on the soil. Each step caused a tremor and I saw the dew trickle off the shaking leaves.
"Hold fire," the mustached mercenary hissed. His men had their fingers around the guard of their rifles, but no one squeezed the trigger. They watched warily from their sparse cover as the Giga Rex stalked past them, its huge eyes looking around for prey. No one was under any illusions that their small arms would be able to stop a Mystic ranked spirit beast that was as large as a building.
I could probably slay it, but even then I would need to expend a lot of qi, and it might drag the noncombatants into it. And before the existences beyond the fourth dimension start berating me for worrying about other people and demanding that I abandon them or leave them behind (what the fuck was wrong with them? Why were they so…edgy and selfish?), my job was to protect them. Like, seriously, that was the whole reason why they hired me. Otherwise, what was the point of me coming along?
Nonetheless, I ignored the edgelords' rage and screams and braced myself for combat. Fortunately, the Giga Rex didn't notice us. Its predatory gaze darted toward the much larger Trumpet Lizards and Thunder Lizard near the river and it headed in their direction at a loping stride.
As much as I wanted to help, the saurian spirit beasts were not under my charge. I also had to let nature take its course. Fellow humans were one thing, but it was odd to prioritize the safety and lives of saurian spirit beasts just because they were herbivorous. If I interfered, then wouldn't the Giga Rex die of hunger? It wasn't evil because it was carnivorous. I couldn't condemn it for hunting the herbivorous saurian spirit beasts any more than myself for consuming meat.
The mercenaries didn't seem to care about the Trumpet Lizards and Thunder Lizards, and once the Giga Rex was gone, the mustached soldier waved his hand and gestured for us to proceed. Jun Hai and I stood down while Sylvie and Silvia dismissed the barrier, and the expedition team continued their progress.
"The ruins shouldn't be too far from here," Jun Hai said, looking around. He consulted a map, speaking to one of the other scientists. They then informed the mustached fella, who nodded tensely, half his attention on the surroundings. This was dangerous ground and they knew it.
"There seems to be more spirit beasts around here than before," he growled. "Things might get dicey. Stay close to the security team, and nobody wanders off. I don't care if you made the discovery of the century. If you want to live, you better stick close to us. Is that clear?"
"Yeah," the lead scientist responded with a nod. "Discovery is great and all, but it's for naught if we aren't alive to report and share it with the world."
The mustached mercenary snorted and brushed the researcher off before proceeding forward. We followed, and before long, I spotted the ruins the team was after.
At first, I almost missed it. It resembled a hill, a structure of gray rock that was overgrown with moss and ferns. Vines and creepers crawled all over its surface, rendering it more green than gray. But when I spotted it and had the opportunity to scrutinize it further, I saw that it was actually a tower. Shaped almost like a colossal round pillar, it was about ten stories tall, with a few windows here and there that were now veiled by curtains of ferns and leaves. Flowers decorated its grimy hull, blossoming despite the artificial intrusion into their territory.
"There it is," Jun Hai breathed. "Ruins that were constructed by something not…human."
"There are rumors that elves were the ones who build it, but they denied knowing anything about it when we asked them about it," one of the scientists said. "They claim it doesn't belong to them. If they were telling the truth, then it's entirely possible that another race built it."
"It's likely that they're telling the truth," the lead scientist – an old man with messy white hair – mused, stroking his bearded chin. "Elven structures are usually made entirely out of wood, sculpted from the World Tree or whatever forest they live in. They have an intimate affinity with nature. But this seems to be built from stone or other artificial materials."
"We'll reconnoiter the place," the mustached mercenary said stiffly, raising his hand to call his soldiers over. "Secure the site and ensure that there's nothing lurking inside. None of you are to enter until I give you the all-clear. Is that understood?"
"Yeah."
"Wait," I said, stepping forward. "There's something in there. You guys should fall back for now."
"What? Hey, kid, you…"
"Sylvie, Silvia, barrier!"
"Understood!"
"Right away, big bro!"
The fairy sisters complied immediately, erecting a shimmering barrier over the research team. I was already on the move, drawing my sword and approaching the ruins cautiously. As I suspected, something emerged from the gigantic entrance, bellowing as it sprinted.
A Giga Rex, its jaws wide open as it roared. Like the other one, its strides sent quakes across the earth, and it moved with a speed that belied its massive size, almost as fast as a car.
I steeled myself, but when I didn't attack because I didn't sense any hostility or aggression from the charging Giga Rex. Instead, I sensed its fear.
The Giga Rex rushed past me, completely ignoring my presence or the barrier that Sylvie and Silvia had set up. I glanced after it before returning my gaze back to the ruins. As I suspected, the thing I had detected wasn't the Giga Rex.
No…in fact, it was an existence terrifying enough to scare the Giga Rex away. From the type of mana that it was emanating, I could roughly guess what kind of organism it was. It felt very familiar.
"Sir, if you don't mind, please allow me to scout the ruins first. Before you send your men in."
"Why?" The mustached mercenary barked, not at all pleased.
"Because there's something far more dangerous than the Giga Rex inhabiting the ruins," I replied, warily eyeing the vines. Was that movement I saw? A tightening of the green coils, and withdrawal of tendrils? "A plant type spirit beast…a gigantic carnivorous plant, if I'm not mistaken, and one big enough to swallow even a Giga Rex whole."