Chapter 11: A Confrontation?

“Boss Qin, it seems like something is coming our way.”

As Shen Yan and the others were gathering the Silver Gray Grass, the team member acting as a scout suddenly spoke.

The next second, the eight people, including Shen Yan, became alert and looked toward the direction the scout indicated.

“It’s moving very fast. We can’t rule out that it’s another team.”

Soon after those words were spoken, the faint roar of an engine could be heard.

Aside from Shen Yan, everyone present was a B-rank Martial Artist, so their hearing was naturally keen.

“Looks like another patrol team,” Qin Wei, the leader, said with a serious expression as he stood at the front of the group.

On the other side, Su Aoxue’s group drove over, following the tire tracks.

“They actually found this place. Damn it, it’s so hidden. How did they find it?”

Zhao Jun’s heart sank halfway when he saw the tire tracks leading toward the area in his memory.

Years ago, to prevent others from discovering this place, he had specifically moved several large rocks to block the entrance and even added other things to conceal it.

“What should we do next? There are more of them than us. Won’t we be at a disadvantage if we just go in?”

Shi Lei, a large man, leaned over his front seat and looked at the seven or eight red dots on the Life Monitoring Instrument, unable to help but ask.

In response, Zhao Jun didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he looked at Su Aoxue through the rearview mirror.

“Miss Su, do you have any thoughts? If you step in, we might be able to get a few stalks. It wouldn’t be a wasted trip.”

‘What is he doing? Is he trying to use me?’

Hearing this, Su Aoxue immediately looked at Zhao Jun. At the same time, he was conflicted.

Rare items like Silver Gray Grass were not cheap on the market because they were incredibly difficult to grow. Currently, he couldn’t afford even a single stalk.

Reason told him that since he had only recently gained the power of a Witch, he shouldn’t let it get to his head. However, when the benefits were right in front of him…

After a moment of silence, Su Aoxue only said two words: “Keep going.”

Hearing this, Zhao Jun laughed and said, “Haha, Miss Su is decisive! Actually, everyone is from the same Base City. It’s rare for people to actually try to kill each other. With your strength, Miss Su, plus our four B-rank Martial Artists, even if they have a few more people, the worst that will happen is an unpleasant standoff. Nobody will die.”

With Zhao Jun’s reassurance, the others also lost most of their worries and agreed one after another.

“Fine.”

“No problem.”

……

With no one objecting, Zhao Jun slammed on the accelerator.

They soon arrived in front of a narrow tunnel. Two jeeps were parked on either side of the tunnel, and eight people were standing there.

Most of them looked fiercely at the car.

Su Aoxue, sitting in the back row, tilted his head to look forward. As he counted the opponents, he suddenly saw someone unexpected.

‘Huh? Why is Shen Yan here?’

‘He’s even wearing a gas mask. Did he run into the Grey Mist World without even awakening his Talent?’

Although Su Aoxue was confused, he didn’t show it. He only looked coldly in Shen Yan’s direction.

‘He’s got guts, but how did he join this team? How did he even get in?’

The more he thought about it, the more confused Su Aoxue, who knew Shen Yan’s family situation inside and out, became.

To join a patrol team in the Grey Mist World, the minimum requirement was to be a C-rank Martial Artist who had awakened a Talent—and even then, there was no guarantee of being accepted.

Teams that went deep into the Grey Mist World were, on average, B-rank Martial Artists or higher.

After all, those who dared to enter the Grey Mist World to actively hunt Grey Fog Creatures were the elites of the Base City.

Otherwise, they could only stand on the walls and defend the city!

Thinking about this, Su Aoxue pulled the hood of his cloak back over his head.

The others in the car noticed Su Aoxue’s actions but said nothing.

Just then, a resolute voice suddenly rang out, “The area ahead is our hunting ground. You all should leave.”

Opposite Su Aoxue, Qin Wei, who stood at the front of the team, spoke with a smile.

At the same time, a wave of scorching heat rushed toward them.

The powerful aura caused the expressions of everyone in the car to change.

“It’s an A-rank Martial Artist!”

“Damn it, the worst-case scenario happened. What now? Do we leave?”

Su Aoxue’s eyes widened slightly, but his internal thoughts were: ‘Damn, Old Shen is incredible! He actually managed to cling to an A-rank powerhouse!’

Su Aoxue’s current mindset was like the uncomfortable feeling one gets when a close friend starts driving a luxury car.

However, Su Aoxue soon suppressed his surprise and looked seriously at the person standing in the center of the opposing group.

‘He didn’t get stage fright? Good, that’s half the battle won.’

Seeing that Su Aoxue didn’t show any signs of intimidation, Zhao Jun, in the driver’s seat, immediately opened the door.

His leading action prompted the other four people in the car to get out as well.

As soon as Zhao Jun stepped out, he said with a smile, “Let’s not waste words. Those who see it get a share. You can’t let us make this trip for nothing, right? So, we want a portion of the Silver Gray Grass inside.”

The disdainful expressions on the faces of the group opposite them changed immediately upon hearing Zhao Jun mention the Silver Gray Grass.

“Oh? It seems you knew there was a patch of Silver Gray Grass here?” After a brief pause, Qin Wei sneered. “Even if you were the first to discover this place, that doesn’t mean it belongs to you.”

“If you want a piece of the pie, you’ll have to speak with your strength.”

Qin Wei’s eyes swept over Su Aoxue and the others, and his scorching aura intensified.

Even so, the five people opposite him remained unmoved, seemingly having no intention of backing down.

Seeing this, Qin Wei thought to himself, ‘I’ve already shown my strength, yet they still dare to come down and try to force a share. Do they have an A-rank Martial Artist too? Why haven’t they shown themselves?’

Finally, his gaze landed on the person behind the others, wearing a cloak that only revealed a mouth.

‘Could the source of their confidence be that person in the cloak?’

While Qin Wei was speculating, Su Aoxue took the initiative to step forward, a powerful Power of Extreme Cold gathering at his fingertips.

In an instant, those close to Su Aoxue no longer felt the heat. Instead, they felt a chill.

Seeing Su Aoxue step forward and prepare to act without saying a word, the atmosphere became tense.

If Su Aoxue made a move, they wouldn’t mind ganging up on him.

But Qin Wei’s expression changed, and he immediately shouted, “Wait!”

After speaking, he narrowed his eyes at the Power of Extreme Cold in Su Aoxue’s hand. “I assume you are the source of their confidence?”

“We want a share of the Silver Gray Grass inside.”

Su Aoxue’s voice brooked no argument. In the next second, he crushed the Power of Extreme Cold in his hand, and frost instantly spread across the field.

In a moment, Qin Wei’s scorching aura was extinguished, replaced by a bone-chilling cold.

The entire scene looked as if it had entered a world of ice and snow.

It seemed as though it wouldn’t be long before they were all frozen solid!

At that moment, Shi Lei hugged himself and shivered, his voice trembling slightly.

“Damn, Sister Su… this move of yours doesn’t distinguish between friend and foe.”

Su Aoxue glanced back at him but quickly looked away. Although he said nothing on the surface, he felt somewhat embarrassed.

‘I didn’t want to! Who knew this move was so powerful? I only just got this power; being able to control it to this extent is already pretty good!’

At this stage, Su Aoxue only knew how to use brute force. The power within him was too strong.

Having just acquired it, he was completely unable to release it in a small area to pressure an inferior opponent like Qin Wei could.

Then, Su Aoxue noticed that while Shen Yan was still forcing himself to stand there, his body was trembling.

‘Damn, I forgot that guy Shen Yan hasn’t even awakened his Talent yet…’