CHAPTER 37 — "SMALL FRIES, BIG EGOS"
The moment their boots hit the ground, the island responded.
Not with silence.
But with movement.
Leaves rustled violently.The undergrowth shifted.Low, feral growls echoed from every direction.
Chen Wulian rolled to his feet first, fists already clenched.
"Alright, squad! Landing successful! Captain Chen declares—"
SHHHKK—!
A silver-tier Razorback Hound lunged straight at his face.
"—CONTACT!!"
Chen punched forward instinctively.
BOOM!
The hound was smashed into a tree trunk so hard it slid down like a sack of meat.
Chen blinked.
"…I meant to say that more coolly."
Long Hao landed beside him, already scanning the terrain.
"Silver-tier. Pack-based. They'll keep coming."
Ling Yifan planted his spear into the ground, eyes sharp.
"Gold-tier signatures approaching from the east."
Ouyang Xue'er's frost spread across the soil.
"Then we clean them up quickly."
Bai Qianlan's illusion petals drifted outward, vanishing into the forest.
"I'll mask our presence. Let them come close."
Five Silver-tier Razorback Hounds burst from the bushes.
"Mu Qingxun!" Chen shouted."Front-left!"
Mu Qingxun slammed his foot into the ground.
RUMBLE—!
A slab of earth erupted upward, crushing two hounds instantly.
"Confirmed kill," Mu Qingxun said calmly."Earth Tyrant talent remains effective."
"Nice one, Mu!" Chen grinned.
On the right—
"Zhao Lanyue, high angle!" Ling Yifan called.
"I see them," Zhao Lanyue replied, already drawing her bow.
TWANG— TWANG—!
Two silver streaks pierced through the trees, nailing hounds mid-air.
"Targets neutralized," Zhao Lanyue said."Distance: forty meters."
Han Duwei laughed as lightning crackled around his fists.
"My turn!"
He flashed forward, electrifying a silver-tier beast with a single palm strike.
ZZZRAK—!
The creature twitched once… and didn't move again.
"Han Duwei, one kill!" he announced proudly.
Jin Roulan stepped forward last, sword humming softly.
"One escaped."
She slashed once.
Clean. Precise.
The hound's head slid off before it even realized it had died.
"…Efficient," Bai Qianlan murmured.
The forest suddenly went quiet.
Then—
THUD… THUD…
A Gold-tier Stonehide Boar burst through the trees, tusks gleaming like metal.
Chen's eyes lit up.
"OHO! A GOLD ONE!"
"Captain— wait—" Wang Junxie started.
Too late.
Chen charged.
"LET ME SHOW YOU WHY I'M CAPTAIN—"
The boar lowered its head and rammed him.
BAM—!
Chen flew backward, crashing through two trees before skidding across the dirt.
Silence.
"…Captain?" Zhao Lanyue asked carefully.
Chen stood up slowly, covered in leaves.
"…It's fine."
Long Hao sighed.
"You didn't even activate defense."
"I WAS TESTING IT," Chen protested.
Ling Yifan stepped past him.
"My turn."
One spear thrust.
CRACK—!
The gold-tier boar collapsed instantly, a hole clean through its skull.
Ling Yifan pulled his spear out calmly.
"Gold-tier. Minimal resistance."
Chen stared.
"…I softened it."
"No, you didn't," Ouyang Xue'er said flatly.
She stepped forward, freezing another gold-tier beast mid-lunge.
CRRRK—!
It shattered into ice fragments with a flick of her wrist.
"Two gold-tier kills," she said."This island is generous."
Bai Qianlan's illusion faded, revealing another boar charging blindly into a tree.
It knocked itself out.
"…That works too," Bai said.
Long Hao finished the last one with a simple punch.
No flash.No wasted movement.
The beast dropped.
"…Gold-tier confirmed," he said.
Chen clapped his hands loudly.
"ALRIGHT! Formation Alpha! We're doing great!"
Wang Junxie raised an eyebrow.
"Captain Chen… should we maybe scout before yelling?"
"Yes," Long Hao agreed."You're loud."
Chen puffed his chest.
"LOUD BUILDS MORALE!"
Han Duwei snorted.
"It builds monsters too."
Zhao Lanyue smiled faintly.
"But… teamwork is good so far."
Jin Roulan cleaned her blade.
"No injuries. Acceptable start."
Mu Qingxun nodded.
"Captain Chen draws aggro well."
Chen beamed.
"SEE?! THEY GET IT!"
Ling Yifan glanced at Long Hao.
"…We should move before stronger signatures arrive."
Long Hao nodded.
"Agreed. Silver and gold-tier only so far. That won't last."
Ouyang Xue'er looked around, frost mist curling at her feet.
"Let's enjoy the small fries while we can."
Bai Qianlan's eyes reflected the forest.
"Because soon… they won't be small."
Chen raised his fist.
"ONWARD, TEAM! CAPTAIN CHEN LEADS—"
CRACK.
He stepped into a mud pit and sank knee-deep.
"…I meant AFTER I GET OUT."
Everyone stared.
Han Duwei laughed so hard lightning sparked.
Zhao Lanyue covered her mouth.
Long Hao sighed.
"…Why."
The team moved forward anyway.
The island watched.
And the real monsters were only just waking up.
[CHAPTER ENDS]