"Cheng Shiqin, Huaxia, you two take the young cubs and retreat. Ensure their safety. As for the female teams..."
The Dragon Clan leader hesitated, unsure how to assign them, as he didn't know their strength.
"I'll go with them," Hua Yu volunteered.
"The cub in Mingming's arms relies too much on people; it's safer with her."
"Alright, that's decided."
Lu Mingming nodded and retreated to a safe zone with the scared yet excited young cubs.
However, her spiritual power remained active, spreading along the muddy ground towards where the wild boars were fighting.
Fearing the Dragon Clan leader would discover her unusual abilities, Lu Mingming didn't dare bring her spiritual power too close, instead lurking in the shadows to observe.
The large tree swayed precariously, shaking violently with each impact from the wild boar.
The man clinging tightly to the tree trunk was about to lose his grip. He pressed himself against it with all his might, trying to stabilize his position and avoid falling to become a meal for the mutated wild boar.
The Dragon Clan team emerged from the shadows of the forest.
They had transformed into the appearance Lu Mingming first encountered: snake heads, fish eyes, tiger mouths, and deer antlers. Their forms were monstrous, yet upon closer inspection, they possessed an inviolable majesty.
"Oh my goodness, another group of mutated beasts!"
The man on the tree screamed in despair as he was shaken, but in the next instant, he was silenced as if his throat had been choked.
The man's cry drew the attention of the wild boar to the Dragon Clan group, causing them to immediately change direction and target the new arrivals.
The Dragon Clan members, having recovered to their optimal state, charged forward, their figures becoming blurs as they weaved around the wild boars. Simultaneously, they used their spiritual power to tether and distract the boars.
The Dragon Clan leader stood at the back, continuously condensing white energy in his hand.
Now!
He aimed and unleashed his spatial spiritual power for the first time. The Dragon Clan members immediately retreated rapidly, awaiting the final judgment.
The sharp white blade twisted space into an illusion, and after a few leaps, it appeared before the wild boar.
Warm blood splattered, covering the ground.
The wild boar was effortlessly cut in half, and a finger-sized, dark purple crystal core dropped from its heart, rolling noisily onto the muddy ground.
This attack required extremely precise control and speed. After using it, the Dragon Clan leader's complexion visibly paled, and he appeared significantly weakened.
"So powerful," Lu Mingming exclaimed, covering her mouth in astonishment, while Hua Yu agreed with a sigh.
"If he were to enlist in the Alliance army, he would undoubtedly become a great general within a year. This保育师 (bao yù shī - childcare specialist) competition has truly shown me many talents who shouldn't be confined to childcare!"
The battle ended in less than five minutes.
The man's legs gave out, and he fell from the tree like a ripe red fruit, landing in a pile of leaves and rolling, getting covered in dust.
"What were you muttering about on the tree just now? We can only exert our spiritual power in our original forms. Our leader kindly came to save you, and this is the appraisal you give him?"
One of the Dragon Clan members immediately spoke up, displeased, but was stopped by the leader from his impolite remark.
The man climbed out of the pile of leaves, forcing an embarrassed smile and apologizing profusely:
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I misidentified you. I've been trapped here for too long. There are traps everywhere, and no safe place to land. Many teams have fallen victim."
It seems a lot has happened outside in just one day while we were busy looking for our team members, Lu Mingming mused.
The man grumbled as he tugged at his sportswear, then flashed a charming smile at the Dragon Clan uncle.
"I am Hong Wan, the leader of the Dead Leaf Star team. Would you like to join me? I can offer you a vice-captain position. You look quite weak now, you probably can't beat me, right?"
The Dragon Clan leader paid him no mind, simply stepping aside and waving his arm.
Behind him, Lu Mingming and her group emerged with the young cubs.
The exhausted team was immediately bolstered.
Hong Wan: ...
"Sorry, I was just joking. We're friends, aren't we?"
He quickly bowed and apologized again, resuming his nonchalant demeanor.
Lu Mingming covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"Since we're friends, could you give us some information?"
"Ah, this..." Hong Wan hesitated.
Lu Mingming's eyes curved, her two dimples appearing incredibly friendly.
"I heard you mention some teams falling victim; what was the situation? And it's strange, you didn't bring any cubs with you."
"Oh, I thought you were talking about something major."
Hong Wan breathed a sigh of relief, this much he could share.
"You really don't know? That's quite a failure."
He feigned contemplation, muttering.
"First, to answer your second question, my cubs were snatched by a team from Alpha Star, which is why I don't have them."
The team that was robbed was yours.
Connecting this with the Alpha Star team they had encountered, and the cubs they were leading, Lu Mingming had a clearer picture.
"As for falling victim, you truly don't know? Two teams were found poisoned and are currently in a delirious state, undergoing treatment.
One was a duck team, and the other was... what was it? Squirrel? I can't recall."
Hong Wan scratched his head in frustration.
"Besides that, other teams have been continuously attacked by unknown assailants."
The duck team and the squirrel team.
Some members of the Xingfu Star team suddenly realized something, exchanging glances, but remained silent.
Had the two teams they encountered fighting for tokens all met with misfortune?
While everyone marveled at the strength of the unknown enemy, Lu Mingming calmly considered the situation. The more she thought about it, the more it felt wrong.
If it was as Hong Wan said, wouldn't it be perfect to frame Xingfu Star? After all, they might have been the last to see both teams.
"Never mind that, shall I cook some wild boar meat for you? I've been on the tree for so long, I'm starving!!"
Hong Wan's stomach rumbled in agreement with hunger.
The Dragon Clan leader didn't refuse, leading his team to sit directly on the ground, wordlessly awaiting Hong Wan's actions.
"You guys are not polite at all," Hong Wan commented, twitching his mouth.
Seizing this rare opportunity for a relaxed meal preparation, Lu Mingming gathered all the young cubs.
"Are any of you little ones want to take a bath and get nice and clean?"
Since entering the Great Forest of the Alliance, the environment had been a constant alternation between stifling heat and cool shade.
The young cubs naturally had higher body temperatures. During the rest period, Lu Mingming noticed several of them had broken out in a sweat from the heat.
Upon hearing her question, two young cubs who had fallen into the mud shyly raised their hands.