Three six-stars, seven five-stars, the rest four-stars, plus a level four and level five battle beast.
This squad was noticeably stronger. If they were part of a larger faction, that faction would rank within the nation’s top 500—worthy of appearing on the National Power Rankings.
Five Ring Money’s rankings now extended to 500 entries, with the individual power list reaching 1,000.
The middle-aged leader scrutinized Ye Zhongming first—lone wanderers in the wild were often dangerous. After looking for a moment, he relaxed.
Ye Zhongming’s equipment had reached gold grade. After hiding the glow, others wouldn’t be able to tell. He didn’t bring Yangos, Yellow Ball, or the female guards to cover his tracks. He even wore two silver-grade pieces of armor on him.
He also covered his aura, and he looked similar to a four or five-star evolved.
His level and equipment didn’t look good, which was no wonder the middle-aged man didn’t care.
Satisfied, his gaze shifted to the seven-person team, lingering on the six-star woman with a thoughtful frown.
With overwhelming numbers, the newcomers didn’t hold back. They could crush this squad.
Still, they refrained from lighting a fire, opting for flashlights and luminous pearls instead. As they unpacked rations, a few eyed Ye Zhongming’s leftover boar leg but were stopped by their comrades.
They were domineering but not reckless.
Of course, it might also be because neither Ye Zhongming nor the seven-person team possessed anything worth robbing. Otherwise, bloodshed would’ve been inevitable.
Just as the newcomers settled, Ye Zhongming sighed.
“Again?”
Tonight, this place… was getting suspicious.
Ye Zhongming got more serious.
The third group was the smallest—just five people. But their strength was undeniable: all five were six-star evolved, each equipped with at least one Green-grade item. The rest of their gear was primarily Silver-grade, with the lowest being White.
Confident in their power, they strode in and immediately assessed the room. Wary of the largest group, they targeted the seven-person team’s relatively sheltered corner instead.
The seven were probably regretting choosing this spot. They didn’t say anything and gave it up to the five new people. They came to Ye Zhongming’s side. The leader looked at Cloud Peak’s king and wanted to sit together.
Although he didn’t think Ye Zhongming was strong, he was a four-star evolved. If they stood together, the eight of them would be stronger. To the other two groups, they would be slightly more worried.
Before the five could even sit, one of them spotted the boar leg.
“Hey, wild boar meat?”
Without hesitation, he snatched it up and took a bite.
“Damn, even salted and spiced! Kid, you’re living large.”
The bearded man—his age indeterminable under the scruff—chewed noisily, grease smearing his face. His loud voice seemed utterly unconcerned about attracting mutants.
Five six-star evolved had every right to be bold.
Ye Zhongming gave him a cold glance but held back.
To maintain his anonymity, killing everyone here would be necessary. But neither the seven-person team nor the larger group had provoked him. He wasn’t in the mood for indiscriminate slaughter.
After a few more bites, the man tossed the leg to a companion, wiped his mouth, and glared down at Ye Zhongming.
“You didn’t eat a whole boar, did you? This is clearly from an adult. Where’s the rest?”
Ye Zhongming ignored him.
The man wasn’t worth a response.
“Motherf—”
“Save your energy, Old Four,” one of the five leaned against the wall, chewing boar meat.
The bearded man scoffed but backed off, returning to his group.
Moments later, he was back, swiping the dry firewood Ye Zhongming had gathered earlier. Soon, a new fire blazed in their corner, making it the warmest spot in the house.
Strength was everything. No one protested or stood up for Ye Zhongming.
Ye Zhongming merely smirked inwardly and resumed meditating, replenishing his mental energy.
He’d been crafting nonstop before this trip and needed the recovery time. A boar leg or firewood mattered little compared to his depleted stamina.
The uneasy peace lasted barely ten minutes before the fourth group arrived.
This time, it was a single person—but with three battle beasts in tow. Even Ye Zhongming did a double-take.
A seven-star evolved, leading three level six battle beasts!
This was getting absurd. Why were so many people converging on this insignificant ruin in the middle of a storm?
Interest piqued, Ye Zhongming sensed something was afoot.
The five six-stars immediately toned down their arrogance. A lone seven-star might not intimidate them, but one with three level-six battle beasts? That was a different story.
The newcomer left two massive battle beasts—too large to fit through the door—outside, entering with only a wolf-like creature at his heels.
Surveying the crowded space with displeasure, his gaze settled on Ye Zhongming.
One word:
“Scram.”