Rustle, rustle, rustle...
A chorus of footsteps echoed through the dense forest of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, shattering the stillness of dawn.
Amidst the hundred-strong expedition, Xiao Jian walked calmly with the crowd.
Around him, seasoned mercenaries moved with wary eyes, their hands clenched around weapons as their gazes swept the dark shadows between the trees.
They were veterans of the mountains .... men who had spent years surviving its dangers. Though this was their first time working together, their silent glances and subtle gestures spoke a shared language of experience ... warnings, signals, and trust forged through countless brushes with death.
But Xiao Jian was different.
His soul perception far surpassed any of theirs. Even when his eyes could not see, his spiritual sense could detect what lurked in the unseen.
Still, constant use drained his mental strength too quickly.
So he limited his detection range to about five meters around him, sending out a pulse every so often to check for threats.
It was a simple balance ... enough to ensure safety, but not enough to exhaust himself.
Besides, surrounded by this many people, if anything attacked, it'd be the poor souls on the outer edges who suffered first.
Their deaths had nothing to do with him ..... he didn't know them, didn't care to.
If it weren't so inappropriate, Xiao Jian would have preferred walking beside the Little Doctor Fairy instead.
For one, walking next to a beautiful woman was far more pleasant than being jostled by sweaty, unwashed men.
For another, she was positioned at the center of the formation ...the safest place, heavily guarded by the elite Wolf Head Mercenary Group, not some random, loosely organized team.
Glancing back toward the heart of the group, Xiao Jian's gaze swept casually over the members of the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion's herb-gathering team, finally resting on the white-robed girl at their center.
At that moment, the Little Doctor Fairy straightened slightly, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
Her soft features and faintly flushed cheeks carried a gentle charm, and her small frame exuded a fragile beauty that stirred a protective instinct in all who looked upon her.
Several mercenaries who had been sneaking glances at her looked as if they'd volunteer to carry her the rest of the way just to stay close.
Of course, that was just wishful thinking. The Little Doctor Fairy was not someone they could approach so casually.
As everyone's eyes lingered on her, a handsome young man stepped out from the guards nearby, a polite smile curving his lips as he bent slightly and said something to her.
They exchanged a few words before the Little Doctor Fairy shook her head lightly, smiled, and continued walking.
Rejected, the young man didn't seem the least bit offended. Instead, he smiled faintly and raised his voice:
Wolf Head Mercenaries! Stay alert! We're about to enter the Magical Beast Range — no one slacks off, understood?"
Yes, Young Captain!"
Dozens of deep, unified voices answered in unison, drawing the attention of everyone nearby ... even the Little Doctor Fairy turned her head briefly to glance back.
Xiao Jian merely looked away, expression cool and indifferent.
Showing off by yelling like that? Not afraid of attracting beasts? Idiot.
The young captain, clearly pleased by the reaction, smiled proudly and quickened his pace to walk beside the Little Doctor Fairy again, eager to show his devotion.
"Damn it," one mercenary beside Xiao Jian muttered under his breath, jealousy dripping from his tone.
"He only dares act so high and mighty because his father's the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's leader. Think that'll win him her heart?"
But before Xiao Jian could respond, his steps faltered slightly.
A sudden pulse of energy spread out from him, rippling through the air like a wave across a still pond.
A moment later, his eyes narrowed.
Speak of the devil… a beast comes indeed.
His soul sense picked up several fast-moving presences approaching through the undergrowth.
That loudmouthed "young captain" really was born a fool ... he'd practically invited danger with his shouting.
Still, Xiao Jian didn't warn anyone. Unless the beasts actually attacked, he had no reason to act.
After all, compared to magical beasts, the Wolf Head Mercenaries themselves were the ones worth keeping an eye on.
A sharp whoosh tore through the silence.
Something dark flashed across the air like lightning.
"Watch out!"
A sharp-eyed fighter shouted in alarm — but too late.
A scream followed almost instantly.
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