Bai Ye overheard their conversation clearly, and gathered that they seemed to have designs on him.
He wasn't surprised by this. He had made a very public exit from the Tomb of King Huai Nan, so it was only natural that some people would target him, believing he possessed treasures.
However, judging by their dialogue, quite a few people were after him, and they had already moved to block the mountain pass.
This made Bai Ye a little perplexed.
It was plausible that a group of people were after him, as there had been many present in the great hall at the time. But for a group to be organized and actively hunting him, Bai Ye found it rather strange.
Generally, after struggling in the World Battlefield for a while, some individuals would indeed resort to mutual support to survive better, as humans are, after all, social creatures.
Of course, these groups usually met unfortunate ends. As time went on and people accumulated more God Stone shards, ambitions would inevitably arise. Everyone wished to be the one to leave the World Battlefield, and the consequences were predictable.
These were not mere deductions for Bai Ye; he had witnessed all of this firsthand in his previous life.
But the World Battlefield hadn't been open for too long. Even cross-regional travel was rare. Most people were still operating within their randomly assigned zones, and the World Battlefield was still in a stage of exploration and discovery. How could it be so soon that people were starting to band together for mutual benefit?
With his doubts, Bai Ye waited until the sound of footsteps approached him and then gradually faded away before he cautiously peeked out.
Two men, both appearing to be in their early twenties, and their attire...
Bai Ye's eyebrows shot up. "So, they're from the Hidden Dragon Society. No wonder they gather in groups."
The World Battlefield had appeared sixty years ago, occurring once every ten years. Thus, it had actually opened six times.
In these six openings of the World Battlefield, had no one ever managed to gather ten God Stones and ascend to the summit of the central tower?
That was impossible!
Bai Ye himself had once stood before that so-called Gate of Gods, just one step away. If it weren't for that damned "Try Again" slip of paper, Bai Ye felt he should have already returned to his own world.
So, what would those who left the World Battlefield and returned to their own worlds do?
Bai Ye wasn't entirely sure. His own world wasn't particularly powerful. In the previous five openings of the World Battlefield, all those who entered vanished, or more directly, they all perished.
However, Bai Ye knew that the Hidden Dragon Society was formed by these people.
The Hidden Dragon Society hailed from a certain world of supernatural abilities. Because they had information from "predecessors" who had left the World Battlefield, they would gather as much as possible upon entering and were well-informed about many matters within the World Battlefield, thus gaining a significant advantage.
Furthermore, these individuals were exceptionally ruthless. While most people were still trying to understand what the World Battlefield was, they were already engaged in widespread plunder, taking advantage of the initial confusion.
Those who found treasures in restricted areas were undoubtedly their primary targets. Secondly, in the early stages of the World Battlefield's opening, chosen ones from specific worlds would also become their targets. For example, chosen ones from cultivation worlds, even upon entering the World Battlefield, could bring good items from their cultivation worlds upon defeat, such as flying swords, talismans, and occasionally, decent magical artifacts.
Bai Ye had some grievances with the Hidden Dragon Society in his previous life. He had been targeted by them three or four times, even experiencing near-death encounters. He had been forced by members of the Hidden Dragon Society to jump into a river, and if not for sheer luck, he might have been conversing with King Yama at that very moment.
Musing as he watched the retreating backs of the two men, Bai Ye curled his lips and slowly followed them up the mountain path.
Bai Ye's temperament was always to repay favors and grievances in kind. The grudges from his past life remained unsettled, and he would settle them in this one.
Moreover, judging by their earlier conversation, they had already set up ambushes at the mountain passes on both sides of the path. Therefore, unless Bai Ye intended to scale the treacherous peaks, he was bound to clash with the Hidden Dragon Society.
It was at this very moment...
As Bai Ye was contemplating how to deal with the Hidden Dragon Society and smoothly leave Mount Bagong, the footsteps that had been quietly receding suddenly stopped.
"Hmm?"
Bai Ye quickly pressed himself against the mountainside beside the path. Soon, the footsteps grew closer until they stopped.
Before Bai Ye could comprehend what was happening, about two meters away, two streams of water suddenly appeared and poured down from above, carrying a pungent, foul odor.
Bai Ye cursed inwardly, instantly knowing what these two were doing.
"Bastards, what did you eat," Bai Ye struggled to hold his breath, cursing in his mind. "Such a strong, suffocating stench!"
After enduring until the two finished urinating, Bai Ye hesitated for a moment. Then, a fierce look appeared on his face. He glanced out and, seizing the opportunity as one of them was preparing to pull up his trousers, suddenly leaped out and yanked at the man's pants.
The sudden appearance of someone startled the man. However, his shock was short-lived.
Because...
A cold glint flashed.
Bai Ye, gripping his serrated blade, swung his saber.
"Ah!"
The man immediately clutched his lower abdomen and let out a pained scream before passing out from the agony.
Bai Ye looked somewhat awkward. He had intended to strike the abdomen, but instead, with one blow, he had sent the man to practice the Sunflower Manual. However, the outcome was no different; both served to neutralize the opponent.
The next instant, Bai Ye pushed off with his feet and leaped up the slope, facing the other man. "Were you looking for me?"
That man was also startled by Bai Ye's sudden appearance. Only after Bai Ye jumped up did he react and, without hesitation, threw a punch towards Bai Ye.
Sensing the fierce gust of wind, Bai Ye lightly stepped back half a pace and raised his arm!
*Bang!*
A dull thud of flesh meeting flesh.
The opponent's strength was considerable, but Bai Ye's physique had been enhanced by the T-virus, so taking this punch was effortless.
But just then, the man in front of Bai Ye smirked and suddenly grunted, "Savage Physique!"
Bai Ye's heart sank.
Damn it, he'd forgotten this guy was from a world of supernatural abilities.
In an instant, the muscles of the man before Bai Ye bulged like balloons. His height, which had been shorter than Bai Ye's by a head, around 1.7 meters, now exceeded two meters in the blink of an eye.
Concurrently, the power transmitted through his fist instantly surged, and then...
With a *bang*!
Bai Ye was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into a large tree.
...