Evolution Begins With A Big Tree

Chapter 71, The Mutant White Tiger

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silavin

In a mountain forest shrouded in a veil of mist…

A group of five men effortlessly traversed the treacherous terrain of Misty Mountains. Leading the way was Su Hu, while Qian Qin served as their guide, and they were accompanied by two formidable Superhumans, the muscular youth and the stoic Ling Feng.

However, the fifth member was a bespectacled scholarly young man, who was just an ordinary second-generation rich kid, who had developed a crush on Qian Qin.

And so, a cliche scene unfolded.

In his pursuit of Qian Qin, this individual actually mustered the courage to join the team.

Rumor had it that Su Hu had even charged him a considerable fee for this privilege.

“Will this fog ever dissipate?” the bespectacled young man grumbled with a tinge of frustration.

“The Misty Mountains are known for its perennial white mist,” Su Hu momentarily stopped and explained, casting a helpless gaze at the ‘weak and fragile’ young man.

At this point, he could also tell that this bespectacled youth did not quite belong with them.

[I guess that no matter how times change, some people remain the same, don’t they!? Trash will always be trash.]

Had it not been for the sake of money, Su Hu would never have brought this fool along into Misty Mountains.

Fortunately, the exploration was only confined to Misty Mountains.

Despite its dangers, it was designated as Yellow Zone. Although there had been recent proposals to elevate its status to Red Zone, owing to its widespread and perennial nature of the fog, which instilled fear in people’s hearts.

However, till this day, no one had discovered the exceptionally powerful Mutant Beast lurking in these Misty Mountains. And without the presence of fearsome Mutant Beasts, the mist itself posed minimal danger. Hence, the military was hesitant to classify the Misty Mountains as a Red Zone.

After all, classifying an area as Red Zone could not be done just like that. Every Red Zone had an army or two deployed in the vicinity of it.

China might be powerful and one of the top countries in the world, its military forces were limited.

Currently, twenty percent of the border defense troops had been redeployed to coastal areas to fend off Mutant Sea Monsters. One could easily imagine the precarious state of China.

Recently, there had been calls for the expansion of the armed forces.

This call had also garnered widespread support from the populace.

…

Meanwhile, the five-men team remained oblivious to the watchful gaze that had been fixated upon them from a distance for a long time—a gaze filled with complexity and apprehension.

“Haaa…” Yu Zi Yu heaved a sigh, he too felt helpless.

[Humans are creatures perpetually driven by curiosity, plagued with insatiable greed…] Yu Zi Yu, observing the big and small bags carried by the team could deduce that they were here to gather Spirit Flowers and Spirit Grasses.

Although such individuals had become increasingly common in recent months, the impenetrable fog hindered them from venturing deeper into the mountains. Most of them just wandered around the outskirts, and would panic and flee in helter-skelter due to Yu Zi Yu playing pranks on them by shape-shifting the fog.

However, this particular team stood apart form the rest. They disregarded the fog, and pressed onward toward the depths of the mountains.

Observing their unwavering path, as straight as an arrow, Yu Zi Yu’s gaze shimmered incessantly.

A fleeting glint of coldness flashed in the depths of his eyes.

With the advent of a new era, one or two people going missing would not be a big deal. After all, according to Qing Er’s account, the concentration of Spiritual Energy had been steadily increasing, resulting in Mutant Beasts becoming stronger and stronger, which in turn resulted in a surge in attacks on Humans.

In just a span of just a month, this province alone had witnessed an alarming number of casualties and disappearances, reaching tens of thousands.

Although most incidents occurred in villages near the mountains, this figure was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

Yu Zi Yu exhaled a long, deep breath, feeling a little hesitant. [To kill or not to kill!?]

These people were not affiliated with the military; eliminating them would have little impact. However, if spared, judging by their trajectory, they were heading straight for North Canyon, where he resided.

If nothing unexpected happened, they would likely arrive at his doorsteps within half a day.

“I’ll give you one final chance, if you venture any closer, then don’t blame me.” Yu Zi Yu’s cold voice no longer concealed his murderous intent.

Compared to these Humans, Yu Zi Yu cared more about himself. However, at that very moment, Yu Zi Yu suddenly froze.

In his gaze, a breathtaking sight unfolded–a colossal White Tiger, about three or four meters tall, approximately three kilometers away from the group, slowly closing the distance between them.

*Tch…* Yu Zi Yu clucked his tongue as an eerie look appeared on his face.

[These guys seemed to have really bad luck. They had unwittingly become the target of this magnificent creature.]    

Race: Mutant White Tiger

Rank: Tier-0 Level 7

Abilities:Mutated Claws–Its sharp claws are as hard as Titanium itself, and are capable of rending through everything. They could even split boulders in an instant.

Tiger Roar–As the king of beasts, its roar alone can send tremors through all living things, robbing the faint-hearted of their courage to resist.

A Mutant White Tiger with very formidable combat power.

It was also a potential pet Yu Zi Yu had been keeping an eye on.

Aside from this creature, there was also a Mutant Chimpanzee residing in the southwest, surpassing even the size of King Kong from the movie.

Excluding Yu Zi Yu and his pets, these two creatures could be considered the fastest evolving within the entire expanse of Misty Mountains, firmly positioned at the apex of the food chain.

And now, this Mutant White Tiger appeared to have honed in on these courageous five adventurers as its prey.

“I wish you all the best of luck.” Extending a final, distant farewell, Yu Zi Yu dismissed any notion of interfering.

With White Tiger making a move, the odds were stacked against the five of them. Furthermore, there lay an undeniable advantage in the White Tiger’s involvement. If their disappearance were to draw Humans’ attention, Yu Zi Yu could effortlessly use the Mutant White Tiger as a scapegoat, diverting attention from himself.

[Perfect.] Entertaining these thoughts, Yu Zi Yu could not help but shamelessly chuckle.

As for himself, well, he decided to bide his time. He would patiently wait until he had mastered the ability of Earth Escape. At that time, he would be able to fight and flee without hesitation, even if it meant exposing himself.

But for now, it was best to keep a low profile.

If he could avoid taking action, he would.

…

Meanwhile, the five-men team led by Su Hu suddenly came to a halt.

“What’s the matter, Qian Qin?” Su Hu furrowed his brow and asked, looking at Qian Qin who had suddenly stopped.

“I have a very bad feeling.” Qian Qin placed her hand on her chest. She felt as if a boulder was pressing on her chest, even her breathing involuntarily became rapid.

“Qian Qin.” With an expression of genuine concern, the bespectacled man approached, seemingly intending to lend his support to the distressed young girl.

However, before he could reach her…

*Swoosh!* Sound of something cutting through the air rang, as a cold gleam flashed before the bespectacled young man’s eyes.

Looking up, the bespectacled young man was astonished to find the usually reticent Leng Feng standing protectively before Qian Qin, holding a dagger perilously close to his forehead.

“Get your gun!” With a cold shout, Leng Feng directed his gaze toward Qian Qin, his expression turning increasingly grave.

“…” Staring at Leng Feng, who was pointing at him with a dagger, the bespectacled man instinctively took a step back, his eyes flickering with fear.

Yet, within a moment, his face reddened with indignation as a realization washed over him.

“You dare to provoke me like this? Are you seeking death?”

To run up to the woman he liked in front of him and say ‘get your gun’—no man could tolerate such insolence. Especially not an arrogant second-generation rich kid like the bespectacled man.

Without a second thought, his hand darted toward his waist.

In an instant, the dark muzzle of a gun was aimed at Leng Feng’s temple.