Chapter 46: The Headhunter

Chapter 46: The Headhunter

Time seemed to pass swiftly in the rainy season. Endless overcast skies became the daily backdrop, and clothes could only be dried by the hearth. Firewood and dried meat were consumed steadily.

A week ago, Li Li had retrieved his maintained spear from the Elder Ma Sorcerer. After Ma Sorcerer's careful restoration, the spear radiated with renewed spiritual light. The tip shimmered faintly with spiritual resonance, and a slight wave would leave traces of light in the air.

Since reclaiming his spear, Li Li cherished it like a treasure, carrying it everywhere he went. His wife said he even kept it in their bedroom at night, and each morning began with a ritual of wiping it clean.

Over these days, the watchers from the Lang Tribe had been rotated three times. The first group returned and was replaced, but none had seen another hunting team step into the wilds.

This made Li Hongshen anxious, suspecting that the Lang Tribe might have discovered something, or perhaps they had methods of communication unknown to him, already aware that Da Niutou and his group had met with trouble.

This situation differed from past ones—it was not passive defense as in the Trial Grounds, nor a reckless assault like with the remnants of Ma Sorcerer's bamboo tribe. This mission required a span of time, and dark thoughts began to swirl in Li Hongshen's mind.

Fortunately, Ma Sorcerer and Zhao Yun were in the tribe. They calmed Li Hongshen, reasoning with him that hunting teams in the wilds routinely spent a week outside, as did their own tribe. There was no need for haste; it would likely take two to three weeks for the Lang Tribe to react.

Li Hongshen realized his impatience. After hearing their analysis, he regained his composure and began arranging preparations for incoming population and altar advancement.

Matters regarding the Lang Tribe proceeded according to their prior plans. Still, Li Hongshen asked Li Li and others daily for updates, ensuring any changes would be known immediately.

Finally, two weeks after Da Niutou’s ambush, the Lang Tribe sent word from their sentry posts—some disturbance had arisen within, and it appeared someone had starved to death.

By the third week, the Lang Tribe’s second hunting team finally set out, venturing into the wilds.

What they did not know was that, as they followed the tracks of the previous hunting party, they had already stepped into Li Hongshen's carefully laid trap, accelerating toward their doom.

The plan against the Lang Tribe had five stages. The first was preparation—gathering information and locating their settlement. Thanks to Storm Hawk, this was accomplished easily.

The second stage, based on gathered intelligence, confirmed the existence of two hunting teams. Following Ma Sorcerer’s advice, they cleared prey from the Lang Tribe’s periphery, forcing them to venture deeper into the beast-infested forest during the rains, seizing the chance to eliminate one hunting team and erase all traces.

The third stage involved leaving new clues according to the Lang Tribe’s hunting habits, then waiting for their second hunting team to depart, luring subsequent parties into the ambush.

Now, Li Hongshen and his group had received word that the second Lang Tribe hunting team had set out. Li Li and his companions had already departed, while Li Hongshen, Ma Sorcerer, and others remained in the tribe, waiting for news.

"Headhunter, look—these are the traces left by Da Niutou and his group. Seems they've been here for some time."

The warrior known as Headhunter led this hunting team. He appeared much older than Da Niutou, with white at his temples and wrinkles creasing his face.

Yet he stood ramrod straight, his exposed arms thick and powerful, muscles defined. When he swatted away mosquitoes, the movement of his muscles was clear to see.

His visage was terrifying—most who saw it would recoil in shock. The right side of his face was sunken, his eye socket hollow and empty, the right eye vanished. His features were as if torn by claws and stitched back together, with several ghastly scars crisscrossing his face.

His intact left eye darted restlessly, cold and sharp, making it hard for others to meet his gaze.

Unusually, he wielded his weapon in his left hand—not the long-handled tools common in the wilds, but a bone blade. The blade shone with a metallic bone-white luster, marking it as a second-tier weapon.

Headhunter silently examined the Lang Tribe’s unique mark beneath the tree root, digging out a handful of earth beneath it and rubbing it between his fingers.

"The mark seems fine, but we must be cautious."

"What is it, Headhunter? Did you find something?"

"No discovery—just a suspicion."

"What kind of suspicion?"

"Do you recall what I said after returning from my travels? In the wilds, it’s not just about hunting wild beasts or being hunted by them. People are dangerous, too."

"You mean Da Niutou’s disappearance could be due to the new tribe, or that old man’s tribe?"

"Yes, it’s possible. Either way, we must be careful. I can’t imagine what wild beast could wipe out an entire hunting team in this periphery.

In the past, tribes have lost hunting teams to fierce beasts, but someone always manages to escape and report what happened.

Yet this time, not a single tribesman returned, though the marks in the wild confirm our hunters came through, and recently at that."

"Should we still follow the marks? There might be traps ahead waiting for us!"

"We pursue. Why not? What I said is only speculation. Perhaps the hunting team was scattered by some beast, and these marks may belong to a tribesman awaiting our rescue.

Besides, since our Lang Tribe erected the altar years ago, gained a tribe name and warriors, who in the beast forest’s periphery dares provoke us?

That new tribe—though their warriors look tall and strong, they’re nothing but empty shells, lacking any fighting spirit.

As for the old man who casts lightning, we’ve driven him off and wounded him countless times; he now dares not face us.

Even if there’s an ambush, I do not fear. Years ago, I journeyed alone through the hundred-thousand-mile mountains, and with this bone blade, I’ve defeated every human-tier warrior I met.

Now, in the wilds’ periphery, unless a second-tier warrior appears, who can challenge me?"

Headhunter spoke as he rose, tossing aside the soil and dusting off his hands, then led the way, following the marks.

Today’s schedule was tight, with many demands. I managed to squeeze in a chapter. Tomorrow, I’ll be on break—though assignments still pile up, I’ll try to catch up for everyone.

Here, I wish everyone an early Happy New Year and thank you all for your support.

(End of this chapter)