Giant rats, about three decimeters long and entirely yellowish-brown, appeared and surged forward like a tide. The giant trees creaked and shuddered from their impact, and the ground trembled violently.
Two sharp fangs protruded from their mouths, reflecting a metallic sheen under the sunlight.
At the forefront of the rat tide, two middle-aged men fled in panic, their eyes filled with despair.
Xu Xiaoyu's face showed a flicker of distress as she looked at her uncle, Zhou Shi.
Zhou Shi, however, merely shook his head indifferently and made a shushing gesture.
Chen Shu remained silent, tightly clutching two ice wild rabbits to prevent them from falling.
He had already given up on two to ensure a smooth takeoff, and these two were not to be easily relinquished.
No!!
One of the middle-aged men lagged half a step behind and was instantly devoured by a Steel Fang Rat, dissolving into a pool of blood with not a single bone remaining.
The other, seizing the opportunity, climbed onto a large tree, hoping for a moment's respite.
But the next scene made his blood run cold.
Around the base of the tree, circles of Steel Fang Rats had gathered. They opened their massive mouths and began to frantically gnaw at the tree.
Screeeech
It sounded like chainsaws continuously cutting the tree, which instantly became precarious and unstable.
Xiaoyu, move!
Zhou Shi's gaze was sharp. Seeing that the large tree was likely to fall onto the Flame Bird, he immediately called out.
Boom!
The giant tree collapsed with a roar, and the Flame Bird narrowly evaded it.
However, Zhou Shi's voice had also revealed his location.
Someone?! Save me!
The middle-aged man clung to a branch, his eyes filled with desperation, shouting hoarsely towards the sky.
However, there was no response.
The middle-aged man was filled with shocked anger, shouting with immense resentment, "If I die, I'll drag you down with me!"
A Green Luo Worm appeared, ferociously leaping towards Zhou Shi's direction.
As a veteran beast tamer, Zhou Shi was naturally prepared and evaded it in advance.
No!!!
The man's expression was one of despair as he fell into the swarm of Steel Fang Rats, the outcome of which was predictable.
His body was completely consumed, leaving behind only a golden fruit.
A giant Steel Fang Rat stepped forward, its gaze fierce. It clutched the fruit tightly and then let out a roar towards the sky, filled with provocation.
A Lord-class Steel Fang Rat!
Zhou Shi's expression changed in surprise. He hadn't expected to encounter a Lord-class fierce beast on the first day, but he harbored no ill intentions.
As long as the eight of them dared to land, the Steel Fang Rats would dare to devour them all.
Finally, the Steel Fang Rat leader let out a roar, and the vast rat tide quickly departed, disappearing from the scene.
A black crow appeared and scouted the surroundings. Once it confirmed the rat tide had dispersed, the eight finally returned to the ground.
Xu Xiaoyu's face looked somewhat somber as she asked, "Uncle, why just now..."
Zhou Shi's expression was grave as he replied, "You saw it yourself, he wanted to drag us all down with him."
Old Deng also sighed from the side, "The Blue Star is different from the异空间 (Yì Kōng Jiān - Otherworld/Dimension). There, there are strict laws and powerful law enforcement. This place is a lawless land; even if you are killed, no one will know."
"I hope you will not be a bad person, nor a good person, but rather learn to be an observer," Zhou Shi advised, looking deeply at Xu Xiaoyu.
Chen Shu, standing nearby, clenched his fists and couldn't help but exclaim, "Shit!"
Observing Chen Shu's demeanor, Zhou Shi shook his head and said, "Xiao Chen, life and death are predetermined..."
"My two ice wild rabbits were eaten by those groundhogs!!" Chen Shu said with a pained expression.
Zhou Shi's words of admonition abruptly stopped. As expected of you.
"Also, what the hell are groundhogs? Can you stop giving fierce beasts silly nicknames?"
"Let's go. We don't know if it's good or bad luck to have run into a Lord-class creature on the very first day."
If it were a one-on-one fight, Zhou Shi could have contended with a Lord of the same level with his two black iron-grade contracted spirits.
However, the enemy's subordinates were too numerous. A single Rending Claw Wolf wouldn't be enough to feed so many Steel Fang Rats.
To avoid further encounters with rat tides, they changed direction.
Night quietly descended, with stars dotting the clear night sky.
Even at night, the Azure Origin Forest was as beautiful as a paradise. Unfortunately, the roars of fierce beasts occasionally echoed from its surroundings.
Crackling
Chen Shu had deliberately set up a simple barbecue grill. Several iron skewers pierced through two giant ice wild rabbits.
The bonfire blazed, and a layer of fragrant oil appeared, not only moistening the ice wild rabbits but also making them crispy.
Salt, cumin, and pepper were sprinkled liberally, and the rising flames emitted an alluring sizzling sound.
As the aroma spread, Old Wang, the driver from before, swallowed hard.
"Xiao Chen, Uncle Wang was wrong. What you brought wasn't useless."
Everyone, wearing heat-resistant gloves, quickly stepped forward and tore the ice wild rabbits apart.
As the tender meat entered their mouths, smiles graced everyone's lips.
Undoubtedly, at this moment, Chen Shu had conquered the entire Beast Taming Team, albeit through the medium of food.
"It's a pity there's no sauce or alcohol," Chen Shu shook his head, a hint of regret in his heart.
In the Otherworld, everyone could only eat compressed food; survival was the only priority.
Who would have thought to bring a pile of spices and a barbecue grill?
The two giant ice wild rabbits were quickly devoured by the eight people. Even Xu Xiaoyu patted her belly, looking content.
After dinner, the 666 Beast Taming Team arranged guard duty, and Chen Shu and Xu Xiaoyu were no exception.
They had been brought here not for enjoyment, but to familiarize them with the survival rules of the Otherworld.
Zhou Shi took out a packet of yellow powder and sprinkled it around everyone. This was the feces of a Silver-grade Lord beast. A small packet alone was worth thousands and could effectively deter low-level fierce beasts.
The Rending Claw Wolf was not recalled either. Instead, it lay by the bonfire, its eyes narrowed, vigilantly watching for any potential crisis.
A peaceful night passed.
The next morning, the group set off again.
Chen Shu, carrying his backpack, very consciously sat on the Flame Bird's back, eliciting a displeased cry from it.
As they ventured deeper into the Azure Origin Forest, the encounters with fierce beasts became more frequent.
The Rending Claw Wolf displayed its might, annihilating all attacking fierce beasts.
The group also successfully captured three Azure-Eyed Snakes, sealing them in specially made pockets and stuffing them into their backpacks.
The party moved deeper into the Azure Origin Forest, attempting to find Level Two Iron Core Fruits.
However, even by the sixth day, they hadn't found any, but they had collected medicinal herbs worth over two hundred thousand Hua Xia Yuan.
The admission ticket to the Azure Origin Forest cost thirty thousand Hua Xia Yuan per person, and they had almost recouped their expenses.
"Uncle Zhou, over there..." Chen Shu, riding the Flame Bird, suddenly spoke.
On the distant giant trees, dazzling banners were planted, bearing the words "镇灵" (Zhèn Líng - Spirit Suppression).
"It's a supply point in the Otherworld."
Zhou Shi also looked to the side. "We don't need supplies now. Let's head forward."
Because it was a supply point, there would likely be no medicinal herbs or fierce beasts around, so they changed direction again.
The next day, as the group reached a fork in the road,
Chen Shu's expression suddenly froze. Options had appeared before him once again.