novelnext Chapter 107 Beastman
Chapter 107 Beastman
Chapter 107 Beastman
Its entire body was covered with wet, coarse, grayish-brown hair that clung tightly to its muscles, with even denser hair on its shoulders and back, resembling a poor-quality mane.
The head is a twisted hybrid of wolf and human—the snout protrudes forward, covered with fangs, the nose is moist and twitching, and the ears are pointed.
But those eyes—
Those eyes weren't entirely murky and bestial; a fragmented human spirit still lingered deep within the pupils. This made them even more terrifying than pure beasts.
It was dressed in tattered clothing, or rather, it was vaguely recognizable as the standard leather armor of a certain team, with torn edges stained with bloodstains of varying ages.
A metal badge, mostly covered in blood, was still hanging precariously on the shoulder armor.
It holds no weapons; its claws, sharper than swords and knives, are the most deadly weapons in themselves.
Damn it. How could there be something like this deep in the forest?!
Anderson cursed inwardly.
He had heard rumors of beastmen.
Those poor creatures, corrupted by curses or diseases, who are transformed into half-human, half-beast forms on the night of the full moon.
But this thing before him—it doesn't just appear during the full moon; it's standing right here in broad daylight, its terrifying form and those eyes that still hold a trace of humanity coldly scrutinizing him.
Even more terrifying, Anderson had a vague feeling that the other party was not in a hurry to kill him.
In several encounters, it had the chance to kill itself. The speed of those claws far exceeded its reaction limit, yet it always "just in time" withdrew its force at the most fatal moment, switching to grappling or blocking its movement.
Like a seasoned hunter, it doesn't rush to bite off the prey's throat, but instead toys with and wears it down, waiting for the prey to fall into its trap one by one.
Its goal is not to kill me.
This realization sent a chill down Anderson's spine.
A familiar cry of alarm came from afar; it was the voice of Timmy, a young member of the team, filled with barely suppressed terror. This was followed by a rapid clash of weapons and the dull thud of heavy objects hitting the ground.
Anderson caught a glimpse of another wolf-like figure in the same form pinning Timmy to the ground, its claws pressing against the side of his neck, but not stabbing him.
They were captured alive?
To stop, or to stay?
The answer is obvious.
This monster was not something he could handle alone. If he chose to run away now, with his speed and familiarity with the forest, he was 30% confident he could shake off the pursuers and survive.
Returning to the town to report and request aid, with the intention of revenge in the future, is the rational choice.
But being rational is one thing, making a choice is another.
The sense of responsibility he felt as a captain prevented him from abandoning the team and running away alone.
He simply gripped his weapon tighter, adjusted his breathing, and peeled away the fear layer by layer from his muscles and will, just as he had done countless times before when facing formidable enemies.
Then he moved.
There was no shout, no unnecessary build-up. The scimitar in his hand transformed into a cold, sharp white light, embodying all the sweat and focus of his professional career, aimed straight for the wolf-like monster's throat!
Across from him, in those eyes that still retained a vestige of humanity, a faint, complex emotion seemed to flash.
Humans, as expected, chose the stupidest path.
That wasn't mockery; it was more like a sigh.
The next second, the blade clashed with the claws.
"Sizzle—"
The corpse of the burrowing worm on the ground was cut open with a sharp dagger.
The battle deep in the forest was still undecided, while in another forest clearing, a temporary guide was basking in the joy of his harvest.
"Start by cutting along the edge of the carapace on the back, along the seam—" Xia Lin squatted beside the three burrowing worm corpses, his sharp skinning tool moving along the natural lines of the carapace, his movements much more skilled than when he first collected the spiky-tailed lion.
He muttered to himself, referring to the records in the collection manual in his memory, and harvested these "gifts of nature" one by one.
He first pried off the three pairs of complete front jaws, their four serrated, crushing mouthparts. These were excellent materials for making heavy armor-piercing arrowheads or trigger mechanisms for certain special traps.
Next came the most recognizable part of the burrowing worm: its carapace. He selected the three most intact and glossy core plates from the worms' bodies and carefully peeled away the muscle fibers attached to them.
These shells are lightweight and sturdy, offering good protection against slashing, making them excellent raw materials for crafting breastplates or arm shields.
Then there are the relatively flexible peritoneum between those segments.
Although not as valuable as carapace and jaw plates, it is still a high-quality acid-resistant hide after processing, which is very popular among adventurers who spend most of their time in swamps and dense forests.
As for the acid glands, Xia Lin only took one intact gland sac in the best condition and carefully placed it into a sealed ceramic jar.
This stuff is difficult to preserve and has high value, but it's prone to spoilage and leakage; don't bite off more than you can chew.
"Seriously, Xia Lin," Kyle said, squatting down beside her watching with great interest, "your harvesting technique is quite skilled. Did you receive formal training?"
"It's written in the manual, just do it." Xia Lin didn't even look up as he steadily severed the tendons of the last pair of burrowing worm leg joints and removed the sharp claws with barbs.
"That's called monetizing knowledge, you know?"
The manual for this claw hook didn't specify how to reuse it, but in order to maximize his profits, he still chose to pack it up and take it with him.
Kyle's tail swept lightly across the fallen leaves: "The claws of this thing, forged with refined steel, can be made into decent climbing hooks."
Xia Lin immediately handed the four pairs of grappling hooks she had taken off to Kyle. Of course, she handed them to Kyle's hand, which was adorned with a storage ring.
Kyle didn't refuse. With a slight thought, the claws covered in bodily fluids disappeared in the faint light emanating from her ring.
Melissa smiled and put the several large bags of shells and jaw fragments that Xia Lin handed over into her storage space.
These are all lovely gold coins. Xia Lin sighed contentedly in her heart.
A forest adventure offers a guide fee as income, and the spoils along the way as extra bonuses.
With the three humanoid storage tools in front of him, Xia Lin no longer had to worry about the weight of the package as before, and wished he could pack up the entire burrowing worm and take it home.
He stood up, shook off the bodily fluids from the dagger, and wiped it clean on a dry cloth.
He was just about to call everyone to continue their journey.
Just then, from the depths of the distant dense forest, came the faint, crisp sound of metal clashing, and—something inhuman, low roar.
Xia Lin suddenly looked up and gripped the cold longsword in his hand.
The group instantly entered combat mode.
"There's something going on in the woods."
Kyle turned his head almost at the same moment, his golden vertical pupils narrowing into sharper slits.
Melissa and Garu finished their treatment and immediately stood up upon hearing this, their weariness replaced by alertness.
"They're not close," Kyle listened intently, "but the wind is carrying the sound. There's more than one person—"
There's something else too.
She didn't need to explain further, because what followed was a short but clear human cry of pain mixed in with the noise.
Kyle's gaze suddenly sharpened: "Let's go. Someone can't hold on anymore."
Garu picked up his giant axe, and the four of them stopped talking and ran quickly toward the direction from which the sound came.