Xiao Feng gazed anxiously at the massive black bear before him. It had been a long time since he last carried a blade — a grave oversight. Resolutely, he vowed to acquire a fine knife to keep by his side should the opportunity arise.
Just as Xiao Feng felt utterly at a loss, Bai Bai strolled over nonchalantly. Standing before the bear, Bai Bai's stature was nearly on par with the beast's colossal frame.
Bai Bai extended his right forepaw, and suddenly, a long, sharp claw sprang forth from his paw pad, piercing the bear's thick hide with a sharp thud.
What came next left Xiao Feng utterly astonished. Bai Bai slid his claw downward smoothly, effortlessly carving through the bear's skin with an elegant, practiced motion.
In no time at all, Bai Bai had expertly skinned the black bear bare, tossed the hide into the creek for a thorough rinse, then carried it back to shore, laying it flat upon the ground.
Xiao Feng marveled and gave Bai Bai a thumbs-up before starting a fire to roast the meat.
Half an hour later, two hefty slabs of bear meat sizzled over the campfire, glistening with bubbling fat.
Bai Bai drooled eagerly, waiting patiently. Though capable of eating raw meat, Bai Bai's heightened intelligence now appreciated the exquisite flavor that roasting would bring.
Xiao Feng turned the spit slowly, reflecting that if such a magical beast's intellect reached human levels, it would be truly formidable. Thankfully, Bai Bai remained under his control; otherwise, if such creatures fell into the hands of the Evil Dragon Cult or the Allied Forces, the X Legion would face dire consequences.
Nearly an hour had passed before the meat was ready. Xiao Feng tore off a piece and tossed it to Bai Bai, then grabbed his own slab and began to devour it ravenously.
It was nearly two in the afternoon, and both were famished. Bai Bai finished his portion swiftly, while Xiao Feng had only eaten half of his. Seeing Bai Bai salivating hungrily, Xiao Feng chuckled, "Alright, I'm full. You can have the rest."
The leftover meat was still two-thirds of a chunk—each slab came from the bear's hind legs, weighing nearly ten jin apiece. Xiao Feng couldn't finish it all, so he gave it to Bai Bai.
But such a portion was barely a morsel to Bai Bai. He grabbed the meat and devoured it eagerly, then whimpered softly, pawing toward the fire, clearly signaling for more.
Xiao Feng, now pleasantly full and unwilling to move, laughed, "I'm tired. If you want more, you'll have to cook it yourself."
Bai Bai looked at him in surprise, then glanced toward the shredded bear carcass at the riverbank. He tried diligently to spear pieces of meat with sticks and place them over the fire.
Though Bai Bai had reached B-rank magical beast status, his paws were ill-suited for human tasks. Watching him struggle, Xiao Feng could not help but feel sorry, so he took over, skewering several large chunks and laying them on the fire.
Seeing Xiao Feng's help, Bai Bai grew excited and bounded around joyfully.
Just then, as Xiao Feng chuckled at Bai Bai's enthusiasm, gunfire echoed from the distant mountains.
Xiao Feng furrowed his brow and looked to Bai Bai, who responded with a low growl and bowed his head. Xiao Feng vaulted onto Bai Bai's back, and the beast dashed swiftly toward the source of the gunfire.
The wolf breed was perfectly adapted to mountain terrain, running effortlessly through the rugged landscape as if encoded in its very genes.
Minutes later, Bai Bai brought Xiao Feng to a battleground. Leaping onto a large boulder, Xiao Feng surveyed the scene below.
He saw several figures struggling amidst magical beasts.
Upon closer inspection, Xiao Feng recognized them as mercenary warriors. A pang of sympathy stirred within him; having emerged from such a squad himself, he felt a deep connection to these hunters.
The beasts alongside the mercenaries were several enormous spotted leopards. The warriors fired their automatic rifles frantically, but to these D-rank magical leopards, the bullets were almost useless. The predators steadily tightened their encirclement, closing the distance.
Xiao Feng patted Bai Bai's neck. "Bai Bai, let's save them."
Understanding, Bai Bai howled defiantly to the sky, then charged toward the battle.
At that moment, several mercenaries were already pinned, their bodies torn asunder by the leopards, who feasted gruesomely on their flesh and entrails.
Xiao Feng's heart clenched painfully at the horrific sight. Guilt gnawed at him—had he arrived just a minute earlier, this tragedy might have been averted.
Drawing his Black Angel from his back, Xiao Feng unleashed a barrage of gunfire upon the leopards. Within seconds, the beasts lay slain.
The remaining three mercenaries stared in astonishment as Xiao Feng, mounted atop the towering Bai Bai, landed nearby.
Bai Bai raised his head arrogantly, casting a disdainful glance at the soldiers.
Xiao Feng, perched between Bai Bai's shoulders, patted the beast's neck before turning to the mercenaries.
There was one woman and two men. The men were muscular, dark-skinned African warriors whose impressive physiques struck Xiao Feng with a strong visual impact.
Between them stood a young girl clutching a massive automatic rifle. She appeared scarcely fifteen or sixteen, clad in a somewhat loose-fitting, forest-green combat uniform. Yet even that could not conceal her slender figure or delicate features.
Xiao Feng was struck by her beauty—she surpassed even Alice in charm, embodying the innocent allure of a little sister mixed with the mature grace of Kelly. Her golden hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, stunning enough to leave Xiao Feng momentarily breathless.
Holding his Black Angel, Xiao Feng sat dazed atop Bai Bai's back.
In that instant, the scene seemed like a dream.
The girl gazed back at Xiao Feng, her expression dazed. For a woman like her, Xiao Feng's flowing hair and penetrating gaze were the very embodiment of heavenly allure, evoking in her a euphoric sense of paradise.