Death Notice

Most trees deep in the Silent Forest had lush, thick foliage, with many ancient trees so large that it would take over ten people to wrap their arms around them. Standing amidst the woods and looking up, the forest canopy appeared like a leafy dome overhead. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patches of light on the forest floor. Although it was almost noon, the temperature in the forest remained pleasantly cool and refreshing.

“Qin Lun…”

“Quiet!” Qin Lun immediately covered the young Elf boy’s mouth beside him, not daring to move a muscle.

Earlier that morning, Casey had already defeated a drugged Savage Rhino alone in the Arena, meeting Master Vima’s condition for leaving camp. He was no longer under the surveillance of that Ghost Owl.

During the battle, Qin Lun had “helped him out” as promised. However, Qin Lun did not summon his Inferno Hound. Instead, at the critical moment, he used the Spirit Channeling Art on the Savage Rhino.

The Savage Rhino was a Fifth Tier creature, and Qin Lun’s remaining Stamina Points were insufficient to meet the recruitment requirements. Yet, Qin Lun’s own Moon Night Elf Bloodline possessed the Moonlit Summoning ability, granting him great affinity with forest creatures. The Savage Rhino was inevitably affected, its will shaken, allowing Casey to deal a heavy blow and win the fight.

Now, the two of them were hiding in the crown of a giant tree. In front of this tree was a small hill. The hill had no trees growing on it, and the surrounding woods encircled the hill, creating a rare open space deep in the Silent Forest. From above the forest, the hill looked like an ugly scar.

The hill area not only lacked trees but also had very little vegetation. On the side facing Qin Lun and Casey, there was a large cave entrance, six meters high and four meters wide, with a broad, open area in front. Clearly, this hill was not natural but a den dug out by some powerful creature.

The soil in the open area before the cave was a filthy dark brown, with many pale bones scattered around. Some of these bones belonged to large animals even by the standards of the Silent Forest, creating a gruesome sight.

In the center of the clearing was a pile of extinguished campfire ashes, with small bone fragments faintly visible within. On the left side of the clearing stood several animal leg bones as thick as bowls. These leg bones were four meters long, sharpened at the top, standing like flagpoles. One of these bone poles had a fully grown deer impaled on it. The tip of the bone pole was inserted into the deer’s hindquarters and protruded from its throat, hanging it like cured meat. Below the bone pole lay a large creature’s pelvis, half-filled with deer blood that had congealed into a jelly-like clot.

Another bone pole held the torn remains of some animal, too mangled to identify. Surprisingly, next to it was a makeshift “clothes rack.” It was a simple frame made from two fork-shaped animal leg bones and vines, on which several large animal hides were drying.

As gusts of breeze passed by, a strong, foul stench wafted into Qin Lun and Casey’s nostrils, making them extremely uncomfortable.

“Qin Lun, why don’t I see the Hill Giant you mentioned?” Casey whispered close to Qin Lun’s ear.

“Maybe it’s still sleeping inside the cave!” Qin Lun said uncertainly. “Hill Giants are very lazy. They usually come out around noon to eat and bask in the sun.”

“Then let’s get a little closer to look!” Casey said excitedly, starting to rise and climb down the tree.

“Get back here!” Qin Lun urgently grabbed his pant leg and dragged him back, suppressing his anger as he hissed, “Are you trying to get us killed? An adult Hill Giant is an Eighth Tier creature, and according to intel, there are at least two—one big and one small—in this cave! If they spot us, we’re dead.”

“But you said Hill Giants can’t catch up to us in the forest! Ow…” Casey blinked his big eyes, puffing his cheeks and looking innocently at Qin Lun.

“Don’t try to act cute! A Hill Giant is still an Eighth Tier creature. It’s not worth risking our lives.” Qin Lun angrily smacked the back of his head. “I regret bringing you out. We’ll wait five more minutes. If the Hill Giant doesn’t show up by then, we’re going back immediately!”

“Hehe!” Casey scratched his blond hair sheepishly and stuck his tongue out at Qin Lun.

Qin Lun ignored him, closing his eyes to rest.

“… Five minutes are up. Let’s go back. No more waiting!” A short while later, Qin Lun opened his eyes, grabbed Casey, and quietly began climbing down the tree.

“Really, we’re not waiting anymore?” Casey’s expression shifted uncertainly, his eyes darting around.

“Don’t get any ideas. We have plenty of time. I’ll take you to see something else!” Qin Lun warned the young Elf sternly. “If you don’t listen, I won’t bring you out next time!”

“What a pity!” Casey licked his lips, looking regretfully toward the cave not far ahead.

Just as the two cautiously descended the tree and had been away from the Hill Giant’s territory for over ten minutes, a deafening roar came from that direction. The roar was so penetrating that, even two kilometers away, it stirred up commotion in the forest.

Birds nesting in the tree canopy took flight one after another, casting shadows over the two.

“Casey, we should go back! Casey?” Qin Lun looked up solemnly, watching a large golden-eyed eagle swoop overhead.

Receiving no response from Casey, Qin Lun felt puzzled and looked down, only to find the young Elf turning back and running toward the Hill Giant’s cave.

“Casey…” Qin Lun roared, dashing after the disobedient Elf.

“We’re already here. Just one quick look!” Casey turned back with a grin and made a funny face.

“Idiot! You… watch out behind you…” Qin Lun glared angrily at the young Elf, but his expression suddenly changed, eyes widening as he shouted.

From the dense bushes, a massive creature burst out, charging straight toward Casey’s back. This creature looked like a mix between a wild boar and a porcupine from Earth, with a snout and two huge tusks three feet long beneath it, its back covered in porcupine-like spines.

This creature was called an Arrowhog Beast, a Fifth Tier creature. In the heart of the Silent Forest, it was considered low-level, lacking magical abilities. It hunted relying on its long tusks and the sharp spines on its back that it could shoot out.

However, the Arrowhog Beast was naturally irritable. Once provoked, it would charge even at higher-tier creatures. With immense strength, long-range spine shots, and close-range tusks, it was a troublesome opponent among Fifth and Sixth Tier creatures.

This adult Arrowhog Beast stood over two meters tall, nearly four meters long, weighing at least 4000 pounds. Startled by the Hill Giant’s roar, it was already frenzied. Seeing the young Elf before it, its eyes turned bloodshot, and it charged without hesitation.

Casey couldn’t see what was behind him, but he could feel the foul, strong wind at his back. His face paled slightly, and he stamped his feet, nimbly leaping sideways. But though his reaction was quick, it was a bit late. The Arrowhog Beast’s tusks were now less than a meter from his side.

“Cancel predictive mode. Directly call preset firing model. Begin specific calculations…”

“Forest terrain. Current wind speed: level three. Target: large-sized creature. Target at 10 o’clock direction, height 2.2 meters, distance 12.2 meters, elevation angle 4.2 degrees…”

“Target speed 14.2 m/s, sprint acceleration fluctuating 1.2-3 m/s…”

“Aim for target’s left eye. Obstacle at trajectory end—human body. Discard original firing model…”

“Activate third preset gun art, second form—deflection trajectory…”

“Arm length insufficient for trajectory requirements. Law Body must leap laterally. Two-shot angle 31.2 degrees, interval 0.22 seconds…”

“Firing plan assessment: Insufficient data for calculation. Success rate: 83%!”

Qin Lun’s eyes instantly glazed over, his expression blank. He pushed off with his left foot, his body soaring into the air as if on a trampoline, arching backward in a flop style. Burial of Light and Darkness had somehow appeared in his hands.

“Bang! Bang!” One white and one black Colt revolver fired one after another, emitting flashes. The bullet from Demon’s Song veered oddly, almost shooting toward the 2 o’clock direction relative to the Arrowhog Beast. Meanwhile, the bullet from Angel’s Praise was slightly delayed, firing straight toward the 12 o’clock direction, though again, not aimed directly at the Arrowhog.

Though the two golden bullets shot in different directions, due to the slight time difference and Qin Lun’s horizontal mid-air flight, they formed an approximate 30-degree angle.

“Clink!” The trajectories of the two bullets crossed mid-air. The bullet from Angel’s Praise struck the side of the one from Demon’s Song, instantly altering its path and sending it speeding toward the Arrowhog Beast. Moreover, the impact accelerated it to an incredible speed, hitting the beast like a streak of lightning.

A small bullet alone couldn’t stop the massive beast’s final charge, but if it struck the eye, that small metal projectile could still inflict great pain and injury.

“Roar!” As expected, the Arrowhog Beast howled in pain, stomping its hooves and rearing up. Its sharp, knife-like tusks narrowly missed Casey’s body, tearing through the young Elf’s pants and catching him on one long tusk.

“Thud!” Qin Lun fell from the air, landing face down on the ground. His eyes refocused, snapping out of the self-hypnotic state.

Qin Lun didn’t bother checking if he was injured, immediately looking up toward Casey and the Arrowhog Beast. At the sight, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The Arrowhog Beast had one eye tightly shut, filthy blood streaming from the socket. It tucked its tail and fled into the bushes, running wildly away, with Casey dangling and swinging from its tusk.

The young Elf flailed his limbs, face pale, eyes shut, screaming in terror. The pants caught on the Arrowhog Beast’s tusk had a large tear, revealing half of his pale buttocks.

“Qin Lun, save me…” Casey’s panicked cries trailed off as the Arrowhog Beast carrying him raced swiftly away.