Evolution Begins With A Big Tree

Chapter 70, Squad

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silavin

Suppressing her confusion, Ling Er stepped out of the courtyard.

Her goal was clear, and that was to discreetly gather information from her esteemed professors.

As prominent figures within China’s hierarchy, these professors may have lacked strength and Spiritual Energy to match their status due to their advanced age, but their influence and power were unquestionable.

While Qing Er was discreetly gathering information, within the mountains shrouded in mist…

…

*Tap, tap tap…* a squad of five people emerged from the dense mist accompanied by subtle rhythmic footsteps. Leading the squad was a rugged man, emanating an air of ferocity, armed with a shotgun he had acquired from somewhere, which he gripped firmly in his hand.

His name was Su Hu, a robust individual. He was acting as the leader of this trip, and brought along a few young members to explore the increasingly eerie and mysterious Misty Mountains.

“Hey, Brother Hu, are these Misty Mountains really creepy as they say?“

A nearby well-mannered young man wearing glasses questioned Su Hu, whereupon Su Hu nodded in agreement. These mist-covered mountains were undeniably strange. Until now, very few people had managed to venture deep into its depths, as most would find themselves inexplicably returning to the starting point.

“Hehe, that was before. With Qian Qin by our side, penetrating deeper shouldn’t be difficult,” the refined young man with spectacles stated confidently, adjusting his frames as his gaze settled upon a girl nearby. A barely noticeable glimmer of excitement flickered in his eyes. 

The girl wore a tight black T-shirt with long sleeves, a black jacket over it, and a pair of tight jeans over her long, slender legs. The girl appeared to be just 18-19 years old. Her name was Qian Qin, a mediocre university student from a third-rate institution.

Except for her above-average looks that attracted some attention, she was unexpectedly ordinary. However, with the advent of the Era of Spiritual Energy, she had unwittingly awakened a unique talent–the Sixth Sense, which she dubbed as ‘women’s intuition.’

Thanks to this talent, Qian Qin had made remarkable progress within a few months. She even dropped out of the university and ventured into the world on her own.

Presently, she had been invited by some friends to explore Misty Mountains. According to the rumors, the Misty Mountains held little significance besides its mysterious mist.

Nevertheless, this reputation had enticed the daring and adventurous.

Qian Qin and her companions were among these intrepid adventurers. However, unlike the others, she unexpectedly led her small squad and had ventured deep into the mountains without returning to their starting point, all thanks to her Sixth Sense.

“The objectives of our trip are not that high, just gather some Spirit Flowers and Spirit Grasses, and if the opportunity presents itself, hunt a few Mutant Beasts,“ a burly young man chuckled, his fists tightened as a bloodthirsty grin spread across his face.

Meanwhile, a slim young man clad in black leaning against a tree glanced coldly at this young man, but he did not voice any rebuke. However, a hint of mockery danced within the depths of his eyes, and he made no attempt to hide it.

[Hunt Mutant Beasts!? Hmph, even I dare not claim something like this despite having Spiritual Energy of 5,000. Truly, this guys remains the same as always.]

At this time, it seemed like the burly young man noticed the mocking gaze of the young man. A sinister smile crept across the lips of the burly youth, and he asked in a peculiar tone, “Leng Feng, isn’t this your last chance? Why not aim higher? You know, some rare Mutant Beasts can fetch prices as high as millions, enough to provide you with a comfortable life for half of your life.”

“Not interested,“ Leng Feng responded in a cold manner, averting his gaze.

As someone who had been wandering on the outskirts of the city for a long time, how could he not be aware of the current popularity of Mutant Beasts?

However, unfortunately, they did not have the fate to indulge in such things.

His previous team had set their sights on an Intermediate Level Mutant Antelope, in pursuit of a big score. However, everyone except him had perished under the Antelope’s horns. Even to this date, Leng Feng still vividly remembers the chilling sight of the Antelope’s blood-stained horns.

“Ahem…” Su Hu, the leader of the group, deliberately cleared his throat and glanced at the burly young man and Leng Feng, before interrupting their conversation, “This time, it’s best not to provoke the Mutant Beasts. The Misty Mountains are already mysterious enough, we can’t withstand any more disturbances.“

Saying so, Su Hu cast an envious gaze at the two individuals.

Superhumans, and just any ordinary Superhumans like Qian Qin, but with Combat-Related Talents, set them apart from the rest.

One possessed Enhanced Physique, a very common talent, but still highly coveted.

For example the burly young man, who had undergone complete bodily enhancement, his biceps alone were thicker than most people’s thighs. Were it not for his clothes concealing his muscular physique, the mere sight of his well-toned bulging muscles would send shivers down one’s spine.

Su Hu had witnessed firsthand this man lifting a several tons weighing car.

As for Leng Feng, the second Superhuman, had awakened a peculiar and indescribable talent called Shadow.

Whenever Su Hu thought of Leng Feng’s silhouette under the lights, he found them a bit eerie, which left him with a sense of doubt.

However, inquiring about matters related to ones talent or abilities was close to impossible. After all, they were the closest guarded secret of Superhumans.

Apart from the few individuals, who failed to conceal their talents, or the naive ones who boasted about their talents, the rest remained tight-lipped. After all, in the world of Humans, the most challenging thing was to guard against the Human heart.

Just as the air thickened with tension, a voice suddenly broke the silence, “Be on guard, something strange is approaching.“

After giving the warning, Qian Qin swiftly sought refuge behind others.

Yet, the group of individuals did not find anything strange.

Even if she was Superhuman, Qian Qin’s combat power was marginally stronger than an average man.

“Hehe, perfect timing.“ The burly young man remarked, slowly rising up as he crushed the stick he had picked up somewhere in his hand. His gaze also turned toward the depths of the dense mist, a hint of fervor flashing in his eyes.

After a moment, a dark figure entered their sight. It was not big, but it looked slender.

“It should be a snake.” A cold smirk appeared on the burly young man’s lips. He did not pay much attention to it, and reached toward it.

*Boom!* With a deafening burst of air, the mist dispersed.

Following that, a gleam of determination flickered in the depths of the burly young man’s eyes as he closed his hand.

*Crack–* Accompanied by sounds resembling the snapping of bones, a green snake landed in his grasp.

Yet, observing the snake with its twisted head, it was already beyond salvation.

“Tsk, just another insignificant creature.“ With a disdainful sneer, the burly young man tossed the lifeless green snake aside. Bold as he may be, it was an undeniable fact that this burly young man possessed a certain level of skill.

A Tier-0 Level 1 Mutant Green Snake like this could pose a challenge for the average person. However, this creature held no value, and was insignificant in its worth.