svetikya Chapter 1239 - 1229: The Disappeared Fox Hunting Team
Chapter 1239 - 1229: The Disappeared Fox Hunting Team
Several months later, a spaceship from the Dwarf Star landed on the icy peaks of the Arctic of the Witch Star.
The Arctic of the Witch Star boasts temperatures that are below minus thirty degrees all year round. It’s a harsh, cold region with nearly no human activity. Occasionally, some hunters venture here to hunt ice foxes, but they rarely venture deep into the Arctic’s core.
The leader of this operation from the Dwarf Star is named Wu Dai, possessing an Intermediate Realm Emperor Level cultivation. Besides him, there are four other war generals: Shaba, Wu Heng, Xiao Qikan, and Monsu, all of whom are extraordinary experts at the Emperor Level Realm.
Wu Dai emerged from the spaceship with five thousand elite soldiers.
"Brothers, according to our preliminary investigations, this area is part of the Arctic of Witch Star, a desolate and cold place with no humans around. We plan to establish a secret base in the valley of the Ice Mountain. From now on, everyone must be on high alert to avoid being discovered by the Witch Star humans. If any Witch Star people approach our base, eliminate them without mercy."
"Leader Wu Dai, what should we do after establishing the base?"
"First, establish the base and dig out ice cellars within the ice mountain, construct houses; we’ve trained for these tasks back on the Dwarf Star.
Once the base is established, we’ll send people into the heart of the Witch Star to gather intelligence. Remember, our main goal is to wait for Mad Saint Thanos to lead the main force to conquer Witch Star. Once we have conquered Witch Star, this will be our new home."
...
A few months later, a team of about ten hunters entered the vicinity of the Arctic to hunt ice foxes.
The ice fox is a uniquely local demon beast of the Arctic, with levels not very high, usually ranging from ordinary beasts to the King Level Peak. Rarely do they exceed the Empire Level Realm.
The purpose of hunting these ice foxes isn’t for genetic fragments or their meat; it’s for their beautiful, snowy white fur.
The fur of an ice fox, turned into elegant clothing, is highly favored by Witch Star people and fetches a value far exceeding that of hunting an Empire Level Realm demon beast.
Apart from the cold, the threat faced when hunting ice foxes is not very great. Many people from cities near the Arctic often come out to hunt, treating it as a leisure activity.
This hunter team chased a group of snow foxes deep into the Arctic’s core and never returned.
Soon, several more fox-hunting teams also went into the Arctic and vanished without a trace.
For a while, rumors rapidly spread about the Arctic becoming a dangerous place, and no one knew what exactly was happening there.
The empire closest to the Arctic is named the Snow Wolf Country.
The Snow Wolf Emperor specially convened a discussion meeting for this reason.
"Everyone, recently, some bizarre occurrences have happened near the Arctic Ice Mountain. Over ten teams hunting snow foxes have vanished into thin air after entering the Arctic Circle, which is most unusual. Discuss your opinions and what we should do about it."
"Your Majesty, in previous years, there have also been fox-hunting teams that encountered avalanches, or high-level demon beasts, and other disasters causing their teams to be wiped out. However, it wasn’t as frequent as this year. I believe there must be a reason behind this."
"Based on my guess, the most probable reason is the emergence of high-level demon beasts in the Arctic Circle, possibly Empire Level Middle or High snow foxes.
Individuals who venture into the Arctic Circle to hunt snow foxes are generally below Empire Level Primary and mostly at the King Level Advanced realm. If they encountered Empire Level Middle or High realm snow foxes, they wouldn’t stand a chance and would easily be annihilated."
"Right, I also think high-level demon beasts might have appeared."
"Don’t forget, five years ago, it was also an Empire Level Middle Realm snow fox that killed three fox-hunting teams in the Arctic Circle before we managed to obliterate it."
...
After a lot of discussion, most people agreed that high-level demon beasts might have appeared.
The Snow Wolf Emperor listened and finally said:
"Alright, since many agree that high-level demon beasts have appeared, we should send an elite team to hunt these beasts as before to provide a safe hunting environment for everyone."
"General Zhang Can, once again, it’s up to you to lead the team to the Arctic and eliminate these high-level demon beasts."
Zhang Can was also the leader who went to hunt demon beasts five years ago.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Father, I wish to join General Zhang in honing my skills in the Arctic."
The Eldest Prince of the Snow Wolf Empire stood up and said.
The Snow Wolf Emperor nodded,
"Very well, you shall accompany General Zhang and hone your skills. Be cautious."
"Yes, Father."
A few days later, Zhang Can set off with a team of fifty fox hunters. All were experts above Empire Level Primary, among them were twenty experts at the Empire Level Middle Realm, and both Zhang Can and his assistant were at the Empire Level Advanced realm.
In the Snow Wolf Empire, even the Snow Wolf Emperor was merely at the Empire Level Peak, yet to break through to the Emperor Level Realm.
After Zhang Can and his team entered the Arctic Circle, they gradually encountered several groups of snow foxes and dispatched them with ease.
"Have you not encountered any high-level snow foxes?"
"Let’s venture deeper into the Arctic; we might encounter them."
Thus, the group continued to push deeper into the Arctic Circle until one day, they saw a figure standing in the distance.
"Hey, General Zhang, there’s someone ahead?"
"Damn, that’s strange, standing there in such a big snowstorm?"
The Eldest Prince volunteered to say:
"General Zhang, let me ask him, maybe he’s someone who got separated while hunting foxes."
"Alright, be careful."
Those who come to the Arctic to hunt foxes are generally citizens of the Snow Wolf Empire, so neither Zhang Can nor the Eldest Prince considered it dangerous.
The Eldest Prince flew over directly, landing in front of the person.
"Excuse me, you are,"
Before the words fell, the snowman-like figure, who had been standing motionless, suddenly punched the Eldest Prince. The Eldest Prince was caught off guard, only feeling a pain in his chest, and the whole person flew away.
"Bang!"
The Eldest Prince landed directly in front of Zhang Can and others, fell to the ground, and the blood he spat out stained the white snow red.
Zhang Can was startled,
"Prince?"
He wanted to feed the Prince a Big Blood Pill but found that the Prince’s chest had a large hole sunken in. Based on his experience, he judged that the Prince’s chest area had been shattered by the opponent, and it was beyond saving.
Looking at the lifeless and motionless Prince lying on the ground, Zhang Can was extremely shocked. After all, the Prince was at the Empire Level Primary Level Realm, and being killed by a single punch meant the opponent was at least above the Empire Middle Level Realm.
Zhang Can reluctantly fed a Big Blood Pill into the Prince’s mouth, knowing there was no chance of survival. He ordered two guards to watch the Prince, stood up himself, and waved,
"Brothers, kill him for me."
As Zhang Can spoke, his figure flashed, he took out a silver long spear, pierced through the void, and stabbed at the snowman in front.
Forty or fifty people charged towards the snowman, and forty or fifty fierce killing auras shattered the void, surged in, instantly pulverizing the hard ice and snow on the ground, and countless ice and snow danced in the air.
Zhang Can’s cultivation was the highest, both man and spear, he was the first to reach the snowman.
Seeing his killing aura was just a few meters away from the snowman, Zhang Can shouted,
"Bring your life!"
Only to see the snowman suddenly punch towards Zhang Can.
Zhang Can only felt a shock in both arms, as if they were about to break. The long spear in his hand had already turned into an S shape and flew out of his hand, flying backward, directly hitting Zhang Can’s left shoulder,
with a squelching sound, penetrating through.
And Zhang Can also instantly encountered a violent killing aura, his body flying backward.
"Bang, bang, bang..."
Dozens of violent thuds, as ten or so of the forty or fifty guards attacking the snowman were knocked flying.
Zhang Can grabbed a handful of Big Blood Pills and stuffed them in the end, in a flash, transformed into a huge Snow Wolf, roared, and rejoined the battle group, while shouting loudly:
"Guan Hong, take two guards and quickly retreat, inform the Emperor there is a strong enemy here, ask him to seek aid from the Youming Empire, hurry."
With Zhang Can’s years of experience, he knew after exchanging blows with the snowman that the opponent’s cultivation was far above his.
Zhang Can was already at the Empire Level Advanced realm, though not yet at the peak, yet to be so easily repulsed by a single punch, the opponent could only be at the Emperor Level Realm or above.
Extraordinary experts at the Emperor Level Realm on Witch Star were very few, and Zhang Can had seen many of them.
The more serious problem was, no extraordinary expert at the Emperor Level Realm would ambush fox hunters here at Arctic Cold Peak Mountain, nor would they attack without a word, mercilessly killing the Prince of the Snow Wolf Empire.
Zhang Can also knew that the forty to fifty of them were no match, but someone must be sent back with the message.
Guan Hong was the deputy leader of this operation, also at the Empire Level Advanced realm, and he was good brothers with Zhang Can.
Upon hearing this, Guan Hong shouted,
"Zhang Can, you go first, I’ll hold them off, run, it’s too late if you don’t."
In a flash, Guan Hong also transformed into a huge Snow Wolf and madly attacked the snowman.
"Bang, bang, bang..."
Another dozen or so muffled thuds, with many guards being knocked away, some dying instantly.
Zhang Can gritted his teeth and charged wildly at the snowman.
The snowman kicked into the air, a violent airflow sent Zhang Can flying.
Guan Hong and others shouted,
"Kill, fight, brothers!"
These guards from the Snow Wolf Country were usually very fierce, and even facing strong opponents, although a bit scared inside, none retreated. As long as they were alive and could move, they all charged up fearlessly to attack the snowman.
Zhang Can was kicked flying dozens of meters away, gritted his teeth, and seized the chance to fly elsewhere. If he didn’t leave now, he wouldn’t have the opportunity to report back at all. Rather than everyone dying here, it’s better to run back and deliver the message.
Zhang Can grabbed a handful of Big Blood Pills and stuffed them in the end, with a few instantaneous movements, quickly vanished into the vast snowfield.
Knowing they could delay a second longer gave Zhang Can more chance to escape, Guan Hong and others fought tooth and nail. When the snowman killed all of them, Zhang Can had completely disappeared.
The snowman let out a long howl and flew forward, a few jumps spanned several kilometers.
However, it was very difficult to find someone in the vast Arctic Ice Mountain.
The snowman searched around several kilometers in the area, but in the end could only give up reluctantly.
Actually, Zhang Can hadn’t gone far but was hiding in a crevice in an ice mountain several kilometers away from the incident site.
He knew, with his abilities, he couldn’t outrun the pursuer for long before being caught, and as someone rich in Arctic combat experience, Zhang Can naturally knew how to conceal himself.
After nightfall, Zhang Can confirmed he wouldn’t be discovered in the darkness, and then climbed out from the ice mountain crevice.
After half a day’s healing, his injuries were almost healed.
Zhang Can dared not go back to collect the Prince and brother’s bodies, instead flew directly into the air, heading towards the Arctic Circle’s outskirts.