Just after arriving, Jingjing observed, "This is part of the survey area, but doesn't that municipal building seem odd? Look at those plants—they're not growing toward the sun but instead stretching inward toward the hall. It's unbelievable!"
Ye Chenfeng studied the building intently, and a sudden realization dawned on him. Without hesitation, he ordered, "Everyone, retreat!"
He immediately began to move back, not waiting for anyone to react.
Zhao Manyan, Mu Ningxue, Mo Fan, and the others from Mingzhu Academy promptly obeyed Ye Chenfeng's command, while Lu Zhenghe and the team from the imperial capital hesitated for a moment before reluctantly following.
The sky darkened ominously, and under the shadow of a thick black cloud, enormous fleshy wings unfurled, their span growing larger as the creature approached.
Beneath the wings was a hulking, lizard-like body. Thick, rugged skin stretched across its massive frame, from its sharp, angular head to a long tail ending in a gleaming, golden tip that glinted ominously in the dim light.
"Run for it!" Lu Zhenghe shouted in terror, his voice almost cracking.
He and the others sprinted to catch up with Ye Chenfeng, barely escaping in time.
Ye Chenfeng smirked as they reached him. "It's a good thing you listened. Otherwise, I'd have had to leave my brothers—and my beloved Xiaoxue—behind to fend for themselves."
No one acknowledged his teasing; they were too busy catching their breath and processing their close brush with death.
A sudden crack echoed through the air as the winged monitor lizard struck, its enormous jaws crashing into the municipal building. Reinforced concrete crumbled like sand, scattering debris in all directions.
As the chaos unfolded, the vines and branches inside the building began thrashing violently, as if awakened. They twisted and writhed, surging like living tentacles to ensnare the monitor lizard.
The monstrous plant lashed out from every window, weaving a web of vines that bound the creature tightly, attempting to drag it down.
"This… this is a fake horror!" someone exclaimed.
"It ate it! The whole thing in one gulp!"
"Damn it, I want to go back!"
"Me too! This place is insane. Is Dean Songhe out of his mind for sending us here? Look at what we've faced so far—this isn't something we can handle!" Liao Mingxuan protested, his voice trembling.
Lu Zhenghe tried to calm the group. "The Hunter Alliance's report might not be entirely wrong. It's possible we're just unlucky to have encountered such powerful monsters all at once. If we're more careful, we can still complete the mission."
Liao Mingxuan and Xu Dalong exchanged incredulous glances, surprised by Lu Zhenghe's uncharacteristic display of courage.
Zhao Manyan interrupted, his tone grim. "I don't think the Alliance made a mistake. The hunters who returned alive likely didn't encounter any powerful monsters, so their reports seemed accurate. But those who did face creatures like these? They didn't live to tell the tale."
"What now?" Zheng Bingxiao asked Ye Chenfeng.
Ye Chenfeng shrugged nonchalantly. "If two-thirds of the group votes to quit, we'll go home."
"I'm not leaving," Mu Ningxue said firmly.
"Me neither," Mo Fan added.
Ye Chenfeng glanced around and saw that most of the group was determined to stay. He smirked. "Fine. Let's keep going."
"The forest near here has been cleared. Other than a few demons hunting for food, it's relatively safe," Ye Chenfeng added.
"In that case, let's finish the survey quickly and get out of here," Luo Song grumbled, clearly fatigued. His once-round belly had thinned over the past days, revealing faint abdominal muscles.
"It won't be that simple," Lu Zhenghe interjected from atop his Ghost Pattern Violent Wolf. "If we want to finish quickly, we'll need to split into teams."
All eyes turned to Ye Chenfeng.
"You still want to split up after what we just witnessed?" Ye Chenfeng asked, his tone laced with sarcasm. "What are you planning—dividing your heads among the monsters?"
The group hesitated but eventually nodded.
"Fine," Ye Chenfeng said. "Mo Fan, you take one group, and I'll take another. Everyone else, figure out your teams." Without waiting for a response, he strode off in one direction.
Mo Fan sighed and headed in the opposite direction, leaving the others standing in stunned silence.
"Wait, splitting up wasn't supposed to mean this!"
The remaining group looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Xu Dalong finally spoke up. "Should we even bother splitting up?"
Reluctantly, Lu Zhenghe assumed leadership, though his frustration was palpable. Secretly, he hoped Ye Chenfeng and Mo Fan would get into trouble, reducing the competition for glory.
Meanwhile, Ye Chenfeng was already deep in the forest, hunting a horned monitor lizard. The beast, a general-level demon, was covered in tough scales and stretched over eight meters long. It charged at him, sensing an easy kill.
But as it closed in, a ripple appeared in its vision, and the scenery blurred.
Confused, the lizard found itself airborne, its surroundings unfamiliar. Before it could process what had happened, a fiery red light pierced its abdomen, its scales offering no protection.
The monitor lizard let out a guttural roar before collapsing, defeated. Ye Chenfeng stood over it, unbothered. "Too weak," he muttered, ready to move on to the next challenge.