Chapter 17: Mutant Water Chestnuts

Orange-red vines snaked and coiled around a hundred-meter-tall giant tree, blooming with eerie blue flowers. Occasionally, flower nectar dripped onto the ground, corroding a pit and sending up plumes of white smoke.

Ying Li led Luo Qiming carefully through the Mutant Flora, simultaneously extending his mental power to capture the surrounding information.

His senses of smell and hearing were also fully unleashed, allowing him to easily hear sounds kilometers away and smell scents from kilometers away.

Very quickly, Ying Li locked onto a target: a juvenile D-Rank Saddleback Beast.

This type of Mutant Beast was D-Rank as a juvenile and matured into C-Rank.

Although juveniles were low in rank, they were ill-tempered, had venomous spines on their backs, and their soft bodies could negate much damage—like stopping bullets. So Sentinels didn’t like hunting them.

But this type of Mutant Beast was very suitable for Luo Qiming and the others to practice on.

Sentinels generally hunted Mutant Beasts one rank lower than themselves; it was safer that way.

Ying Li quickly reached the side of the juvenile Saddleback Beast.

There were many types of Mutant Beasts—mammals, reptiles, birds, and of course, insects.

Compared to before the Great Cataclysm, insects had changed the most. Stimulated by Corrosive Energy, some insects had evolved into behemoths.

The juvenile Saddleback Beast was huge.

It was a terrifying giant caterpillar, about five meters long. Its segmented body was densely packed with sharp bristles, each as thick as an adult’s arm.

At this moment, its head was poking out from the saddle-like depression, its dark brown mouthparts opening and closing like delicate scissors, chewing on the leaves of a Mutant Plant. The venomous bristles on its body quivered slightly with its movements, completely unaware of the approach of Ying Li and Luo Qiming.

Mental power was one of a Sentinel’s weapons. Ying Li’s B-Rank mental power could easily kill this Mutant Beast, but he didn’t do so.

He compressed his mental power down to D-Rank and jabbed the Saddleback Beast.

The Saddleback Beast flew into a rage instantly, charging at Ying Li, its mouthparts opening and closing as it tried to bite him to death.

Ying Li didn’t linger in the fight. He turned and ran while attacking the Saddleback Beast with his mental power.

Finally, he reached the area beside the cave where Hu Xiangyang and the others were hiding.

This cave had previously been occupied by a Mutant Beast, and the Mutant Beast’s scent was very strong, masking the human scent so completely that the Saddleback Beast didn’t notice anything amiss.

Ying Li stopped and ordered: “Attack!”

Hu Xiangyang and the others unleashed their mental power attacks simultaneously, making the Saddleback Beast roll and struggle in pain. Then, throwing spears, they pierced the Saddleback Beast’s belly.

Foul, dark green blood gushed from the Saddleback Beast’s stomach, splashing onto the rock wall with a sizzling corrosive sound.

A D-Rank Mutant Beast had been killed!

“You’re all C-Rank but lack experience. Start by hunting D-Rank Mutant Beasts. Once your coordination is polished, we’ll move on to C-Rank Mutant Beasts.” Ying Li spoke, then left Luo Qiming there and took Hong Mayi to go lure more Mutant Beasts.

This time he wouldn’t look for a Saddleback Beast but another type.

As for the ones left behind, they needed to dig out the Saddleback Beast’s crystal core and deal with its corpse.

Ying Li took the four and successively lured four D-Rank Mutant Beasts back.

Cooperating together, they quickly killed the four D-Rank Mutant Beasts. By then, it was dark.

Ying Li led the four back to the truck and had them stay in the cargo bed. Two would keep watch for the first half of the night, and the other two for the second half, taking turns resting.

As for him, he slept alone on the roof of the truck.

This was the advantage of a team. As the captain, he could sleep the whole night through.

Of course, this was in the wild; he couldn’t possibly sleep soundly.

The wilderness at night was terrifying. Various sounds constantly came from afar, and occasionally Mutant Beasts approached them.

However, in the eyes of Mutant Beasts, a human truck was one of the scariest “Mutant Beasts,” so after getting close, most Mutant Beasts would quietly leave again.

Luo Qiming and the others sat in the truck bed, excitedly typing messages on their Communication Terminals.

As for why they didn’t speak… talking might disturb Ying Li. Besides, what they wanted to discuss was Ying Li, and letting Ying Li hear would be a little embarrassing.

“Captain Ying is teaching us real, solid information!”

“We didn’t even use firearms today and saved so much money! And we didn’t run into danger the whole time.”

“I used to think catching D-Rank Mutant Beasts was so hard. I never knew it could be this simple.”

“Captain Ying hasn’t fooled us one bit.”

…

They felt they had done the right thing joining Ying Li’s hunting team. People in other teams wouldn’t teach them so wholeheartedly.

Luo Qiming said, “I was originally going to find a master to apprentice under. Good thing I didn’t.”

For Sentinels without connections, learning to hunt was very difficult. One of the methods was to find a master.

After becoming an apprentice, all their income would belong to the master for several years, and they’d also have to wait on the master hand and foot.

Even then, the master would still hold back crucial knowledge when teaching them.

But they had no other choice. Who asked them to be the only Sentinels in their family?

If their father was a Sentinel, they could just learn hunting from their father without needing a master.

“Good thing I didn’t. I know one Sentinel who apprenticed himself. The master took his money and didn’t even let him eat his fill.”

“Those masters aren’t nearly as dedicated as Captain Ying when teaching students.”

They had agreed to take turns keeping watch, but because of their excitement, none of them slept a wink all night.

Young Sentinels had good enough stamina. The next day, they were still full of energy!

Seeing them like this, Ying Li told them to pair up, have two go out to provoke Mutant Beasts, while the other two stayed guarding the spot.

Two C-Rank Sentinels together could escape even against a C-Rank Mutant Beast; generally, they wouldn’t run into danger.

After observing for a bit and seeing they could already hunt on their own, Ying Li left the area.

He first circled around nearby, hunting a few of the more ferocious C-Rank Mutant Beasts, then went to the lake.

After the Great Cataclysm, the climate had become very strange. Especially in their area, temperatures were much higher than before the Great Cataclysm, and it didn’t drop below freezing year-round.

But it was, after all, winter, so the temperature was still relatively low. This season happened to be when the Water Chestnuts ripened.

This was also why he came here.

Ying Li dove to the bottom of the lake, killed a few aquatic Mutant Beasts, and then started digging up the lake’s Water Chestnuts, harvesting five hundred jin in one go.

During that time, he didn’t encounter the B-Rank Lobster Beast he had killed in his past life, which was a bit of a pity.

After digging up five hundred jin of Water Chestnuts, Ying Li stopped. Bringing back too many would attract attention. It was better to bring back the rest another time.

By then it was already noon, so Ying Li returned to the cave serving as their base.

When he arrived, Hu Xiangyang was dealing with Mutant Beast corpses, covered head to toe in filth and giving off a stench.

Hu Xiangyang was excited to see him, but Ying Li waved him off. “Don’t get near me. Go dispose of that thing quickly.”

Hu Xiangyang immediately ran off to dump the bodies.

After greeting the others, Ying Li gave them each a plate-sized Water Chestnut. He peeled one for himself with his knife and ate it in large bites.

“This stuff is edible?” Shi Tai was very surprised.

“It’s edible. Have a taste,” Ying Li said.

Shi Tai and the others, following Ying Li’s example, peeled their Water Chestnuts.

Their families’ financial situations were similar to Ying Li’s. They usually filled their stomachs with nutrient paste.

They had never eaten this kind of edible Mutant Plant found in the wild before.

The flesh of the Mutant Water Chestnut was shot through with somewhat terrifying red veins, but the taste was excellent—refreshingly sweet and juicy.

These people quickly devoured them, still craving more. “I’ve never eaten anything so delicious!”

“Yeah, even better than the meat I’ve had before.”

“Captain Ying, is this stuff very expensive?”

Ying Li said, “It’s not cheap. Selling one for two or three thousand Credit Points wouldn’t be a problem.”

The vegetables and meats that people in the Upper City District ate were all rather poor in quality.

Ying Li only learned after going to the Central District that the food the Upper City District residents ate were leftovers from the Central District.

For example, a type of vegetable that people in the Upper City District liked was actually broccoli leaves. And the chicken and such they ate were not only fast-grown but also had the best parts removed.

Even the bones left after Central District people ate chicken were sterilized, fried, and sold to the Upper City District for consumption. Ordinary people couldn’t even afford those fried bones regularly.

“So expensive!” Luo Qiming and the others cried out in surprise. They had just eaten several days’ worth of their wages!

“This is my treat. Follow me, and you’ll definitely eat and drink well in the future.” Ying Li painted a grand picture for them.

He also had the confidence.

He knew exactly where all the edible things near Starlight City were.

But since they had to be inspected every time they returned to Starlight City, even if he could sell some things at the Surface Exchange, it might draw the attention of certain families in Starlight City. So he wouldn’t search for such edible items every time he left the city.

After eating the Water Chestnuts, Ying Li told them to continue hunting. As for him, he’d wander the nearby area.

Tasting the Water Chestnuts ignited an even stronger desire to hunt in Luo Qiming and the others.

No wonder Sentinels all liked to be hunters. Being a hunter indeed meant a good life!

While Ying Li and his team were hunting, on the other side, in the Upper City District, within Ying Li’s residence, Xiang Ye was exercising.

After finishing his workout, he quickly showered and then stood before the mirror, observing his appearance.

Since gaining some weight, he no longer looked so terrifying. Rather, he looked a bit nice-looking.

He wondered if Ying Li liked men. If Ying Li did, he could try to climb into Ying Li’s bed later.

No, he couldn’t do that.

Ying Li didn’t like him. If he did that and Ying Li got angry and kicked him out, what then?

Ying Li was a B-Rank Sentinel and should find a Guide to be his partner, not him.

The more Xiang Ye thought, the more dejected he became. Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Xiang Ye paused, then started checking the monitor at the door. He saw a young man with snow-white skin, clearly someone who’d lived a pampered life, knocking on the door with an impatient expression.

Judging by this person’s attire and appearance, he was most likely a Guide. A Guide came looking for Ying Li?

That made sense. Ying Li was so outstanding; naturally, he would get the favor of Guides.

Guides held a very high status. If a Guide knocked, it made sense to open the door immediately, but Xiang Ye didn’t want to.

Ying Li had told him not to go out or open the door!

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Xiang Ye saw the Guide at the door leave.

This person… couldn’t even wait a moment?

Were Guides so lacking in patience?

But even without patience, a Guide would still be loved by Sentinels. If only he could awaken as a Guide in the future, preferably a high-rank Guide.

Okay, he shouldn’t have such delusions. Awakening as a Sentinel was hard enough for him, let alone a Guide.

Besides, he had already come of age. If he really awakened, he’d probably be captured for research.