Chapter 1021: The Turbulence Beneath Python Pond

Suddenly, sounds of a fight erupted from below the calm surface of the water. Ripples spread outward and the watchful Wolf Pack instantly fixated on the pond.

“Bang!”

“Splash!”

An explosion went off underwater, sending shockwaves across the pond. A massive fountain shot several meters high. The bodies of water-dwelling creatures floated to the surface one after another. Then, noises like a mountainside collapsing rumbled from the depths. The ground beneath the Wolf Pack trembled as the pond shook violently, water surging and splashing everywhere. The Evolved Wolves that had surrounded the pond quickly retreated, pacing nervously at a distance and howling in agitation.

Alpha and Crippled Wolf stood on the shore, eyes glued to the increasingly murky pond. Neither cared about their limbs getting drenched by the roiling water.

“Awooo—!” Alpha threw back his head and urged Xia Qing to hurry up and get out.

When Xia Qing didn’t appear, Crippled Wolf turned around, dashed to the water-soaked tent, dragged out the underwater robot, and flipped the switch. Just as she was about to set the machine into the cloudy pond, a black shadow suddenly shot from the water, landed on the shore, tore off a protective mask, and gulped down fresh air.

Once she’d caught her breath, Xia Qing introduced herself to her wide-eyed companions. “There’s a giant croc over seven meters long at the bottom of the pond—well, as long as this boulder. It’s a Brain Evolution creature and it ambushed me.”

Alpha bared his fangs at the surface and let out a commanding roar. At once, the Wolf Pack gathered along the pond’s edge, ready for battle.

Crippled Wolf glanced at the boulder, then back at Xia Qing.

“Your Majesty, I already blew up the crocodile.” Xia Qing shook water from her body, walked over to Crippled Wolf, and gently lowered the underwater robot into the pond. The monitor no longer showed the serene depths from before—now the water was a swirling mess. “I used grenades to kill it. After that, a huge rock I’d loosened from the pond wall broke off and collapsed. Tons of stones rained down. I barely dodged them and finally found a waterway to swim up to the surface.”

Caution was second nature to Xia Qing. On every mission, she prepared for the worst. So even though she’d already checked and confirmed there were no giant underwater creatures, and was supposedly only here to pick medicinal herbs and pry up rocks, she still carried grenades and a knife.

Too bad the rockfall happened so fast. She reached her limit and had to surface for air, with no time to drag up that massive slab of meat weighing hundreds of pounds.

“The croc’s hiding spot is now completely buried under rocks. No way to find it again. As I was swimming up, I thought I saw an opening in the wall near the edge of the pond… maybe there’s a tunnel…”

Once the underwater robot reached a depth of about six meters, Xia Qing pressed a control button and changed its direction, hunting for the newly revealed tunnel through the swirling mud and debris.

For three tense minutes, the two wolves and Xia Qing stared at the monitor. At last, they spotted an opening over half a meter tall. Before Xia Qing could celebrate, a head poked out from inside the hole!

“What the—? Is that a giant mutant water rat?”

Crippled Wolf saw the creature on the screen and let out a long howl. The water-dweller, drawn by curiosity, had been swimming closer to investigate. At the sound, it darted upward in a flash.

As it moved, Xia Qing quickly shook her head, dismissing her earlier guess. “Not a water rat. The limbs are short, toes webbed, tail much thicker than a rat’s… this has to be…”

“Splash!”

Xia Qing turned toward the animal that burst from the water—it had a blunt snout, long whiskers, huge round eyes, and tiny round ears—and finished her thought, “…an otter.”

After crawling onto land, the otter shook its plump body, flinging off water droplets. It sat down and used its stubby forepaws to scrub the thick, soft fur around its short, sturdy neck. The Wolf Pack glanced at the otter a couple times, then went back to their own business.

Xia Qing watched the otter for a few seconds, then turned. “Your Majesty, is this one of your companions?”

Seeing Alpha looking completely unbothered, Xia Qing knew her guess was right. “Queen has a soft spot for big eyes, little ears, and long whiskers.”

Though otters were much heavier and longer than yellow weasels, they were actually close relatives—both belonged to the mustelid family, and shared similar facial features and shapes.

Xia Qing lost interest in the harmless otter and went back to piloting the underwater robot to continue exploring the pond.

The good news: the cave-in had blocked off the funnel-shaped bottom and sealed the passage to the Hidden River. Now the pond was only fifteen meters deep, enough to keep giant pythons out. After unleashing Devastation Rain, Xia Qing wouldn’t have to play lifeguard here for half a month.

The bad news: the grenade-blasted crocodile and her black blade, plus her crowbar, were pinned under tons of rock. Xia Qing had lost a favored weapon, a trusty tool, and a giant chunk of crocodile meat.

For a mission that turned into a brawl, losing just some weapons and tools while walking away in one piece was about as lucky as it gets. After letting the two bosses survey the pond with the robot, Xia Qing reeled it in. “Broken Back, hand over my payment. I’m heading back.”

Crippled Wolf didn’t move, deep in thought.

What, just because she finished the job so quickly, they were thinking of ducking out of paying her?

Nearly crushed to death under tons of water, Xia Qing forced a brittle smile. “Broken Back, get over here! We need to talk—now!”

Crippled Wolf followed Xia Qing into the tent. Alpha stretched lazily and leapt onto the boulder to bask in the sun.

Half an hour later, Xia Qing changed into a dry protective suit and crawled out of the tent, only to find the Wolf Pack had dispersed. Every dead fish had vanished from the pond. All that remained were a dozen fat otters, floating belly-up as if asleep, their short limbs drooping in the water.

As Xia Qing started packing up the tent, those otters all raised their heads in perfect unison to watch her. Xia Qing called out to her partner, “Broken Back, come help me pack!”

Packing up the tent didn’t matter—it was just an excuse. The real reason was keeping an eye on those seemingly cute, fuzzy otters in case they climbed out to attack.

Those otters had three pairs of chisel-shaped incisors, conical canine teeth, and razor-like carnassials that could tear flesh with ease.

Besides that bite force, otters—like honey badgers and yellow weasels, all members of the mustelid family—were famous for another trait: their vengeful nature.

Six years after the disaster, an eight-person squad from Hui Three ran a hunting mission. Two teammates were dragged underwater and shredded by a pack of otters. The footage brought back by the survivors was gruesome and shocking.

This was Xia Qing’s first time encountering otters in the Evolved Forest. She had no clue about their habits, so she needed a wolf sidekick as a shield.

Crippled Wolf had no complaints, happily lending a massive paw to help Xia Qing pack the tent. As they left with their supplies, Xia Qing waved goodbye. “I’m off. I’ll come again after the Devastation Rain.”

Damn that conniving wolf! Crippled Wolf had made her fill in the pond until the water was only six meters deep, right near the otter hole. Otherwise, he’d refuse to pay her in Yi Stone.

But to be fair, Crippled Wolf’s reasoning was sound: he wanted Xia Qing to fill in the pond until the wolves could see the bottom as clearly as at Python Pond. Once it was that shallow, there’d be no more risk of giant pythons sneaking in.

Putting herself in the wolf’s shoes, Xia Qing actually agreed. To get paid, she’d have to come back after the rain and finish the job.

Despite a few mishaps, not much time was lost. By the time Xia Qing returned to her territory, it was nearly noon—just in time to make lunch for Old Goat and Number Four.

But as soon as she stepped into Hill Forty-Nine, she got a distress call from Guo Chongjun, the Security Chief of the Ninth Center. “Director, we ran into an ambush outside the Northern Section Three. Our vehicle was destroyed. One dead, three wounded. We’ve got two Magnetic Sense Evolved fighters secured and have retreated to some house ruins three kilometers north of Section Three. Requesting immediate backup!”