White paid no heed to Ivy, who lay sprawled on the ground behind him. His gaze remained locked on the black bear rising to its feet a mere five meters away. The grenade launcher had proven futile against this beast—rendering his shotgun equally ineffective. His sole remaining weapon was his brute strength. A single punch from him could deliver a force of over a thousand kilograms, and combined with his razor-sharp dagger, it might just pierce the hide of an F-class magical beast. For an ordinary G-class creature, it should suffice.
With a thunderous roar, White surged forward, channeling his strength into his right fist—a fist once powerful enough to shatter a truck.
He focused his entire being into this one blow, aiming to crush the bear's nasal bone. But just as he stepped within striking range, the black bear swiped with its massive paw.
Boom!
The impact felt like being struck by a speeding locomotive. White was hurled through the air and smashed into a tree with a deafening thud before collapsing to the ground.
A mouthful of blood burst from his lips. Still, he struggled upright, determined to face the bear once more.
But before he could rise, a shadow flashed above.
Xiao Feng had leapt from a tree branch, landing squarely atop the bear's head. One hand seized a fistful of the beast's coarse mane, while the other thrust a pistol into its right eye with unerring precision. Having hunted alongside White for so long, he knew well that the eyes were a magical beast's most vulnerable point. If he could drive the bullet through the thin skull plate behind the eye, death was certain.
Bang!
The shot rang out.
The black bear bellowed in pain, rearing back.
"You b*st*rd!" Xiao Feng shouted, fury blazing. "How dare you hurt Uncle White? Die!"
As he cursed, he kept firing without pause. In a blink, all six rounds from his revolver were spent.
Though its hide could withstand grenade blasts, the bear's eyes remained its Achilles' heel. After six shots, thick, blackish-red blood streamed from its right socket.
But the beast did not fall as expected. Instead, it reared up again, howling in rage, tossing its massive head in an attempt to throw Xiao Feng from his perch.
The entire Viper Squad watched, stunned into silence. Eyes wide, they stared at the youth atop the beast. Though he had yet to slay it, he had succeeded in wounding the creature—a feat none among them had managed.
Xiao Feng clung tightly to the bear's fur, refusing to be shaken off.
From a short distance away, White, still grimacing in pain, shouted, "Xiao Feng—catch!"
With a powerful motion, he tossed his heavy hunting rifle through the air.
Xiao Feng discarded his empty revolver and snatched the massive firearm mid-flight.
In his clear eyes, a cold, lethal glint sparked to life. Gripping the weapon in both hands, he gave a mighty cry and drove the barrel into the bear's already-blinded eye—then pulled the trigger.
BOOM!
The rifle's chamber erupted with a blast of searing flame.
The colossal bear shuddered, its body suddenly going limp, as though all strength had been drained in an instant. It tottered forward, then collapsed to the earth with a resounding crash—lifeless.
Crimson and ivory fluid gushed from its right eye socket, a grim testament to the fatal shot.
Xiao Feng remained atop its neck, frozen. Cold sweat began to bead down his back. The fear he had stifled during the fight now flooded him all at once.
The jungle fell into a deep silence—so profound that even his ragged breathing echoed.
He still gripped the bear's mane. Not for lack of trying to release it, but because his left hand, locked by sheer tension, refused to unclench.
Around him, every member of the Viper Squad looked at him as though he were a mythical creature. Not even their strongest warrior—nor White himself—had been able to kill the bear. And yet this seemingly frail youth had done so alone.
"He… he killed it!"
"He actually took down a G-class magical beast!"
"Unbelievable…"
"Who is this boy?!"
"They say… White picked him up. Raised him as his own."
The squad approached the slain bear, still bleeding onto the forest floor. They gazed at its immense body with awe and lingering fear. White clutched his aching chest as he walked over, a look of stunned pride etched across his face.
He stopped before Xiao Feng and grinned. "You little brat… well done. You are truly my son."
Xiao Feng forced a faint smile. "Heh… Didn't disgrace you, did I?"
"Far from it," White beamed. "I couldn't be prouder."
Ivy approached at that moment. During the chaos, she hadn't had a chance to properly see Xiao Feng's face. Now, as she studied him up close, she was taken aback—he was strikingly handsome. The way his black bangs nearly veiled his eyes, and the youthful defiance etched into his features, left her completely captivated.
She smiled warmly. "Thank you, little hero."
Xiao Feng glanced at Ivy—undeniably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His eyes dropped, involuntarily, to her exposed chest, where pale curves spilled over her tight vest. A blush bloomed across his pale cheeks, yet he stubbornly muttered, "Don't call me 'little guy.' I'm already a man."
Ivy laughed sweetly. "Alright then, little man. We owe you our lives."
Xiao Feng tossed the rifle back to White and leapt down from the bear's carcass. "If you really want to thank me, help me find my revolver. I dropped it during the fight. If I lose it, Dàshù will have my head."
Ivy gave a signal, and several Viper soldiers fanned out to search for the lost weapon.
Cook, lugging his heavy Browning machine gun, stepped up beside White. "This kid you picked up… he's something else."
White chuckled. "Maybe a gift from the heavens." He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, handed one to Cook, and lit another for himself. Though his chest still ached, the pain had lessened.
"How's your daughter doing?" Cook asked quietly.
"Worse," White replied, eyes dimming. "I'm saving every credit I can to get her treatment in the capital."
"That must cost a fortune."
White exhaled a plume of smoke, sorrow shadowing his face. "Yes… a great deal."
"Join us, White. The Viper Squad can help."
White shook his head. "I'm used to my freedom. I'm not ready to give it up."
"Think of your daughter. You owe it to her to reconsider."
White frowned, eyes drifting to Xiao Feng in the distance. The boy had recovered his revolver and was casually reloading it.
"With him by my side," White said slowly, "I believe we'll earn enough soon. Enough to save Alice."
"Even so," Cook said quietly, "we owe you. You saved all of us today."
White waved him off. "Thank Xiao Feng, not me. He's the one who saved your hides."
With that, he approached the enormous bear. He knew full well its value. Grunting, he attempted to hoist the beast—but it was far too heavy. At least two metric tons.
Thankfully, the Viper Squad rallied together. With combined effort, they hauled the bear out of the jungle and onto their armored transport, bound for Sanctuary No. 64.
White had no intention of claiming the prize alone. He and Ivy agreed to split the bounty evenly. Without the squad's vehicle, transporting the creature would've been impossible.
As they marched back, Xiao Feng lingered at the rear. Ivy kept glancing over her shoulder at him, her eyes glowing with a strange, unreadable light.