I'd like to thank our new Patreon Diamond member, "melonpan," for sponsoring this novel for translation. I've read up to chapter 50, and it's a truly engaging read. It boasts a 4.4 rating on NovelUpdates. So you know it's going to be good.
Thank you again, Melonpan, for the sponsorship
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Tang Xuhai cleared his throat. "Your thinking makes sense. Hunting on the road was one of our prior plans. This cow is too large, and meat is hard to preserve this season."
Swiftly, Tang Xuhai redirected the conversation to a serious topic, concealing Fu Shiwu's divergent thoughts.
Wen Zhaoming quickly chimed in, "But wasting such a large beast isn't wise. Why don't we carve the meat off its spine and limbs? I can use my fire-based ability to dry it out, making jerky. It'll last longer."
"Agreed!" Olande supported, "Eating just grains and vegetables for so long! I haven't had meat in two months. We should take as much of the mutant cow's meat as possible!"
Liao Ke added, "Meat products offer more energy than grains and veggies. With this jerky, at least we won't worry about food for a while."
Turning to Miao Jia, Tang Xuhai instructed, "Check the nearby alien movement and how long until contact."
"Yes!" Miao Jia energetically replied, dashing towards the modified vehicle. "All this is meat! Meat!!"
According to Miao Jia's calculations, they'd encounter the alien wave in 14 hours.
After Fu Shiwu, Tang Xuhai, and Wen Zhaoming conferred, they allocated 4 hours to handle the cow.
Wen Zhaoming and a few others started carving the beast while Olande, hailing from a meat-centric nation, took the lead in this task. Others assisted in drying the meat since Wen Zhaoming couldn't handle the labor.
Tang Xuhai led Fu Shiwu aside, analyzing the map with Miao Jia to plan their confrontation with the aliens.
Fu Shiwu, unable to comprehend the real-time map, observed the terrain and roads as described by Tang Xuhai, struggling to interpret it for combat positioning.
Admiring Tang Xuhai's expertise, Fu Shiwu thought it best to leave such tasks to the professionals.
Focusing on the map, Tang Xuhai pointed, "Miao Jia, zoom in on this area."
Miao Jia complied, enlarging the indicated spot.
"This spot should do," Tang Xuhai affirmed. "We must reach this point before encountering the aliens."
"Is that a hilltop?" Fu Shiwu sought clarification.
"Yes," Tang Xuhai affirmed. "Easy to defend. Even facing many aliens, they can't position more than 20 at once. Advantageous for us."
Calculating 20 versus 11, Fu Shiwu realized their odds were much better.
While processing the cow, they feasted on stewed beef, thoroughly satisfied by its exquisite taste, especially Horn Ting, born with a discerning palate, who nodded in approval repeatedly.
As dusk fell, they swiftly packed the meat, leaving behind entrails, bones, and the colossal cow head, wondering whose stomachs might benefit from these scraps.
Except for the SUV, the other vehicles navigated the sandy terrain, returning to the road.
Beyond the slope where the giant cow resided lay a desolate, silent village.
Fu Shiwu gazed at the deserted village, speculating it might have reared the cow. How the cow had escaped an alien attack remained a mystery.
"How do you feel?" Tang Xuhai inquired.
"?" Fu Shiwu puzzled, as Tang Xuhai, focused ahead, continued, "Your state today, is it similar to the one you had in the air raid shelter?"
"Yes," Fu Shiwu nodded. "Much clearer now."
"Do you still feel drained?"
"No," Fu Shiwu confirmed. "Not very exerted."
Tang Xuhai, hiding his surprise, recalled Fu Shiwu's initial use of this unique ability, amazed at how effortlessly Fu Shiwu now employed it.
Considering, Fu Shiwu had only used this ability in combat three times, each time displaying notable progress.
Observing Fu Shiwu's perplexity, Tang Xuhai realized Fu Shiwu excelled under pressure, a natural in combat situations.
Gripping the steering wheel, Tang Xuhai resolved not to be outdone, intending to develop his metal-based abilities for combat.
As night enveloped them, tension mounted among the group. The sky, tinged with faint red hues, replaced the dark night.
Forced by circumstances, Tang Xuhai switched on the car's headlights.
Even now, people couldn't define the nature of the celestial curtain that unleashed the aliens. However, one thing was certain: it surpassed imagination and reality.
Many believed it an extraterrestrial invasion, but its manifestation contradicted the anticipated high-tech warfare.
Despite the aliens' strength and evolving abilities, they hadn't exhibited a civilization's sophistication. Their social behavior didn't form effective attacks, favoring humans but contradicting their presumed invasion capabilities.
This inherent contradiction baffled many.
"Careful!" Fu Shiwu shouted.
Tang Xuhai's eyes fixated on the alien momentarily blinded by the headlights. Gritting his teeth, he forcefully stepped on the gas, and with a revving roar, the 4x4 vehicle ruthlessly sent the alien flying!
Fu Shiwu's heart raced, surprised by Tang Xuhai's brutal straightforwardness.
"Ha!" Fu Shiwu chuckled.
"What's funny?" Tang Xuhai queried.
"Nothing, I thought you'd stop the car and deal with it, didn't expect you to just ram into it like that," Fu Shiwu shook his head, acknowledging Tang Xuhai's temperament.
Tang Xuhai gave him a wry look. "Stopping and restarting doesn't save fuel, you know. Keeping the engine running unnecessarily wastes it."
Fu Shiwu chuckled softly, as Miao Jia chimed in, astonished. "Xuhai, I didn't expect you to be so straightforward."
"Shoo, shoo!" Tang Xuhai playfully swatted him away.
Encountering several more aliens on the way, some haplessly falling alongside the road while others were chased by the headlights, Tang Xuhai applied the same direct approach, reinforcing the car's bumper to incapacitate them. Their bones, unlike Tang Xuhai's steel frame, couldn't withstand the impact combined with the vehicle's weight, ensuring none escaped.
Those chased from behind were dealt with by Fu Shiwu firing from the car windows.
Finally, they reached the location Tang Xuhai had designated before the alien wave.
With time till dawn, the three vehicles formed a defensive perimeter, taking turns to rest.
Fu Shiwu insisted Tang Xuhai slept first, watching guard with Olande.
Tang Xuhai didn't argue, unraveling his sleeping bag and soon drifting off.
Seated by the flickering campfire, Fu Shiwu, feeling the chilling autumn night on the mountain compounded by moisture, found the warmth essential.
Olande, still a stranger to Fu Shiwu despite mingling with Tang Xuhai and Wen Zhaoming, tried initiating conversation, impressed by Fu Shiwu's marksmanship. However, Fu Shiwu responded sparingly, feeling out of place.
Moments later, Olande grew disheartened, fidgeting with his crossbow.
Peering at
it, Fu Shiwu exclaimed in surprise.
"What's up?" Olande's eyes lit up.
"This crossbow..." Fu Shiwu hesitated. "I think I've seen it before."
The handle was wrapped in a non-slip pad, a color he remembered from Liao Ke's!
"Oh?" Olande looked at the crossbow, responding to Fu Shiwu, "You might have seen it with its original owner. Prince Ping gave it to me."
"Prince Ping?" Fu Shiwu questioned.
"Yes," Olande confirmed, pleased that Fu Shiwu engaged in conversation. "I lived in Prince Ping's consulate. He gave it to me because he knew of my archery skills."
"And what about its previous owner?" Fu Shiwu couldn't help but ask.
Fu Shiwu recalled Liao Ke as a cautious person, surprising him by handing over his personal weapon.
"I don't know," Olande shook his head, uncertain. "Maybe deceased?"
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