"Captain! Vice Captain!"
The voice, tinged with sobs, pierced the eardrums and struck Li Xinyue’s heart directly.
The captain of the seventh squad of the Glazed Group, Hunter of Sequence 4 Pan Yutao, was pierced by the centipede tiger’s sharp fangs. He held onto the severed hand of his lover, the vice captain of the seventh squad, Ji Yue, refusing to let go even in death.
Ji Yue was attacked by the centipede tiger. Pan Yutao tried to save her, but just as he grabbed her hand, one of the centipede tiger’s claws descended, smashing Ji Yue into pulp, while Pan Yutao’s body was severed by the tiger’s bite, his lower half falling to the ground, as his upper half was pierced and hung from the tiger’s mouth.
The silent yet stable elder brother and the witty elder sister died at the same moment, throwing the seventh squad members into disarray.
Someone hastily pressed the button to send a rescue signal, but everyone present knew it was futile.
Not to mention whether any hunters would come to assist upon receiving the signal. The Crimson Abyss was so vast, how many people could detect a rescue signal with only a ten-kilometer radius?
Even if a hunter received the rescue signal and came to aid, could they really hold out until then?
Li Xinyue grasped the shotgun, her body trembling slightly.
The centipede tiger, its mouth and claws stained with blood, lowered its head to look at the little ones standing before it, its mouth upturned, as if it were smiling.
An experienced hunter snapped back to reality after the initial shock and shouted to those around: "Quick! Everyone get in the cars, those inside activate the machine guns to buy time for others!"
The seventh squad had entered the Abyss by vehicle; they had three cars, each mounted with vehicle machine guns.
Although vehicle-mounted machine guns dealt minimal damage to lethal-level demons and couldn’t quickly erode the centipede tiger’s deflection shield, they could buy some time for those outside the cars.
The seasoned hunter’s reminder jolted the others into action.
Those outside turned and sprinted towards the armored vehicles, while those inside used the control panel to operate the machine guns, firing bullets at the centipede tiger.
The rain of bullets couldn’t penetrate the deflection shield but tore apart the half of Pan Yutao’s body exposed outside the shield.
The hunter controlling the gun saw this, eyes reddening, but they couldn’t stop, because if they did, those still outside would be in danger.
Even though the barrage of bullets couldn’t harm it, the centipede tiger disliked their attack, its six claws supporting its massive body, lunging forward.
With one pounce, the centipede tiger knocked down the two slowest runners, both screaming in agony, reaching out desperately to their companions’ backs.
Before they could finish speaking, they were crushed into fragments along with their exoskeletons.
The centipede tiger let out a cheerful cry, mouth slightly open, eyes squinting, as if smiling.
Before a centipede tiger standing four meters at the shoulder, even armored cars seemed like toys.
The shooting from the vehicle-mounted machine guns was useless, unable to pierce the centipede tiger’s deflection shield.
The hunters acted swiftly, the experienced one was the first to run into a vehicle, retrieving a rocket launcher from the ammo box, aiming at the centipede tiger and pressing the launch button.
The rocket flew over the heads of young hunters running towards the armored vehicles, hitting the centipede tiger’s deflection shield. The seasoned hunter deliberately detonated it to prevent the rocket from being deflected.
Flames instantly spewed forth, scorching the centipede tiger’s nose.
This time, the centipede tiger’s cry was no longer joyful, but angry.
Its nose in pain, the centipede tiger roared furiously, all six claws exerting force, its head piercing the flames and smoke of the explosion, its body lunging forward.
At this moment, the seasoned hunter also jumped out of the car with a bundle of explosives, charging towards the centipede tiger in rage.
"Damn beast, I’ll fight you to the end!!"
Another young hunter died in the centipede tiger’s pounce, Li Xinyue being its next target. If it weren’t for her possessing the [Breeze] Engraving, allowing her to somewhat manipulate aerodynamics, she might also have been swatted to death by the tiger.
Having dodged the centipede tiger’s attack, Li Xinyue finally reached an armored vehicle, plunging inside with all her might.
Just as she entered the armored vehicle, the door slammed shut.
Li Xinyue’s heart trembled with the closing of the door, urgently turning to shout at the driver: "Uncle Li hasn’t returned yet!"
The driver hurriedly started the armored vehicle, speaking sadly: "This was Uncle Li’s own request. The vice captain was Uncle Li’s adopted daughter, now that she is dead, he doesn’t wish to live either."
A roar sounded, then the shock of the explosion hit the armored vehicle. The hunters inside turned to look out the window, only to see that only the centipede tiger’s figure remained on the bloodstained ground, leaving the amiable smile, the elder who could have retired long ago but never did, already gone.
His sacrifice was not in vain; one of the centipede tiger’s claws was broken, impairing its movement.
Two armored cars started up, driving towards the direction of the Ruined Iron Hills.
The centipede tiger ran incredibly fast, the armored cars couldn’t escape its pursuit on flat land, let alone flee into the Dark Forest, where the woods and trees imposed greater restrictions on the vehicles. Only fleeing towards the Ruined Iron Hills could give the seventh squad a glimmer of hope.
The furious centipede tiger roared, brandishing the remaining five claws, chasing after the two armored cars.
At this moment, the vehicle-mounted machine guns ceased firing.
Not because they didn’t want to continue shooting, but because the ammo belts were empty and needed reloading.
"Hurry! Quick! Reload! Hurry up!"
Spurred by the driver’s urging, Li Xinyue and the others frantically reloaded the machine gun’s ammo belts, inserting finger-thick bullets into the ammo chamber.
[This is Yan Luo, I received your rescue signal and have arrived!]
A indifferent voice suddenly echoed through the vehicle radio, shortly followed by a motorcycle speeding in from afar.
Yan Luo took a deep breath, looking at the centipede tiger chasing the two armored cars, lowered his body, and drove the motorcycle towards the centipede tiger.
Upon hearing the voice from the radio, the seventh squad hunters were all stunned, and those in the same vehicle as Li Xinyue couldn’t help turning to look at her.
Li Xinyue hesitated for a moment, noticing the gazes around her, she hurriedly shook her head to explain: "Although I know Yan Luo, we’re not even friends, at most acquaintances. He definitely didn’t come because of me!"
But... is it really not because of you?
Just as Li Xinyue was flustered and anxiously explaining, Yan Luo had already reached the vicinity of the centipede tiger.
The centipede tiger noticed this little speck, dismissively swinging its paw.
As the centipede tiger’s front paw came swinging, Yan Luo abruptly turned the handlebar, causing the motorcycle to drift and its tail to whip out.
Like it’s slipping, the motorcycle leaned sideways in an instant but never completely toppled.
The centipede tiger’s paw brushed past the motorcycle’s side, failing to hit Yan Luo and his ride.
Avoiding the centipede tiger’s swipe, Yan Luo deftly maneuvered the motorcycle into a tight ground spin, using centrifugal force to pull it upright, then drove beneath the centipede tiger.
Centipede tigers have six claws and are a quarter to a third longer than typical tiger-type demons, usually attacking with two front claws whilst the other four support its body.
If this centipede tiger was uninjured, Yan Luo wouldn’t have dared such a risky maneuver, but it had lost a front claw, one of its familiar attack tools.
Passing beneath the centipede tiger, Yan Luo swerved and circled back, staring at the tiger chasing the armored vehicles, and straightforwardly asked: "Do you want to kill this centipede tiger?"
His words through the radio stunned the hunters inside the vehicle.
They looked at each other, though wearing helmets and goggles, their expressions were indiscernible.
Yet they all knew the answer to this question.
The hunters answered in unison, voice filled with determination and anger.
Enduring muscle tension, Yan Luo took a deep breath while pulling out a shotgun, murmuring softly: "Then, listen to my command!"
The centipede tiger’s hunting operation officially began!