"Don't hurt my mom!"
The young woman, who was previously a hostage, cried out and rushed to stand in front of the injured beast fox.
Li Ke's punch stopped mid-air.
The wind from his fist brushed past.
Behind the woman, a dent appeared in the wall from the punch.
She sat down in a daze, her mind completely blank.
"We... we are just the guides..."
The injured beast fox slowly rose from the ground, trembling.
...
Fifteen minutes later.
"The situation is like this... my wife and I are just the guides. We never expected... this year there would be such a monster... I mean, such a powerful person," the bruised beast fox said miserably.
"The kid must have held back... otherwise, we wouldn't be standing here talking."
The beast fox's mother sighed.
He was too strong!
They never imagined that a participant in the Hunter Exam would possess such overwhelming strength!
This kid was on par with a professional Hunter!
They originally planned to decide whether to pass the candidates based on their performance.
But now...
"You all passed, adults!" the beast fox father said quickly.
"But we haven't even taken the exam. Why are we passed already?" Xiao Jie asked curiously.
"You are friends of the adults, and since you can become friends with adults, you must be extraordinary in strength. After discussing it, we all agreed that you should pass!"
"Mom, how about we send a few little brothers to the venue tonight? No time to waste."
"Yes, yes, let's go now."
The two beast foxes smiled obsequiously.
This strange behavior left the man and young woman stunned.
They were the children of the beast foxes and had never seen their parents act like this.
Whenever other exam participants came, they were scolded to the point of tears.
"Are your injuries serious? We can rest for the night and continue tomorrow..." Kurapika suggested kindly.
"No, no, no, the exam is most important. Our injuries don't matter. We'll send you off immediately," the beast fox father said hurriedly.
"Yes, yes!"
The two beast foxes shook their heads frantically, afraid Li Ke might linger longer.
They were both traumatized.
Clearly human, yet with strength that was more terrifying than a beast.
Of course, the beast foxes weren't particularly strong, but they shouldn't have been so easily beaten by a participant...
Especially the young beast fox daughter, who was still pale and didn't dare to look Li Ke in the eye.
"Alright, leave your contact information. We'll come to thank you once we officially become Hunters."
Li Ke said politely.
After all, this was a beast that dropped the "Illusion Shape" skill, so he couldn't just let it go.
"This... this..."
The beast fox father trembled at hearing this.
"Sir, here is our contact information! No need for thanks, this is the least we can do! Please, let's go!"
The beast fox mother hurriedly gestured, and they immediately gave Li Ke their contact details.
Afterward, the family nervously escorted Li Ke and his group, hurrying to Saba City overnight.
...
A long night passed.
Saba City.
A bustling mid-sized city, especially lively during the Hunter Exam period, with people from all over the world gathering here.
The streets were crowded with vendors and hawkers.
The beast fox father, in his human disguise, led the way, while the beast fox mother quickly ushered their son and daughter away.
"Wow, they left so quickly. It feels like they're afraid of us," Xiao Jie couldn't help but remark.
"Where are you going?"
The beast fox father smiled awkwardly. He couldn't understand Li Ke's intentions and feared his family might be wiped out.
"Such tall buildings! This must be the tallest building in the city," Xiao Jie, Leorio, and Kurapika said excitedly.
The magnificent skyscraper was indeed a fitting sight for aspiring Hunters.
It made one dream of the amazing journey after becoming a Hunter.
"Everyone... sorry, but the Hunter exam venue is actually inside this barbecue shop," the beast fox father said with an embarrassed expression.
"Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean? How can the exam venue be in a roadside barbecue stall? Are all Hunter exams held like this around the world?" Leorio complained loudly.
He had been imagining luxurious interiors in a skyscraper, but now he felt like he'd fallen from the clouds to the ground.
"This is the reality... sorry, but this is the Association's rule. We can't do anything about it. Sir Li Ke, please follow me."
The beast fox father, now in his human form, squeezed out a smile.
"Let's go, this is where the venue is. By the way, we haven't eaten yet, at least let us have a full meal first," Li Ke said, waving his hand as he led the way in.
"Of course, please rest assured," the beast fox father quickly responded.
The group followed inside.
The barbecue shop wasn't big, only one middle-aged man was grilling meat, and there were a few scattered customers.
The meat sizzled in the pan, releasing an appetizing smell.
"Is that room empty? We want four steak dinners," the beast fox father spoke in code.
The middle-aged, plump uncle glanced curiously at the group and seemed surprised at their youth.
"Wait! Let the guests eat first. Remember, make sure they are full before anything else. Thank you!"
The beast fox father spoke politely, even taking out his frog wallet to pay the boss.
This stunned the plump uncle.
Normally, when he sent people here, they were immediately taken into a small black room, elevator straight to the venue.
But now...
The beast fox was actually treating the candidates to a meal? And ensuring they were full?
"Uh... okay. Got it. I'll do as you ask. What would you like to eat? Our shop has barbecue, steaks, and..." the plump uncle asked.
"I'll have a steak!"
"I'll take half a roasted lamb!"
"A plate of grilled meat fried rice will be enough," Xiao Jie and the others said excitedly.
"Thirty of the best steaks and grilled meat!" Li Ke's order stunned the customers, and the boss was even more dumbfounded.
"Don't worry, I have a great appetite. Mr. Fox, you won't mind the expense, right?"
"No, no, no. Boss, please do as this sir says. It's for the great ones. Please, enjoy your meal!"
The beast fox father quickly said, his smile so wide it almost creased his face.
"You are a good person. Thank you," Li Ke said with a slight bow. With his newfound strength and top-tier skills, his appetite was immense.
With the wealthy beast fox here, of course, he didn't hold back.