Ye Zhongming was also seeing such high-level symbiotic mutated lifeforms for the first time.
Talking Lady and her black cat were the strongest symbiotic lifeforms Ye Zhongming had encountered—a zombie and a mutated animal, an unusual pair. However, the two had likely shared a connection before death, which allowed them to form such a bond.
So, how did this sand fox and the two buckthorns come together?
The thought flashed through his mind before Ye Zhongming shook his head. Spending too much time with Sister Hong had even influenced his way of thinking.
The Ghost-Eyed Sand Fox and the mutated buckthorns were a formidable combination. Their earlier slaughter of the evolved had been swift and ruthless. However, mutated plants were inherently slow-moving. Even though the two buckthorns had evolved into treants, each step took them nearly three seconds. Though they could cover ten meters in a single stride, it still wasn’t enough to shake off the pursuing evolved.
As a Gardener, Ye Zhongming had a deep understanding of mutated plants. His time in the Gene Life Lab had further honed this knowledge.
He recalled the treant in the lab. Though it had been a human transformed into a tree, some of its abilities were common among mutated plants, including a short-term speed boost. He wondered if these two buckthorns possessed a similar skill.
Captain Wang led the seven- and six-star evolved in surrounding the three mutant lifeforms.
Under normal circumstances, with four seven-star evolved and nearly twenty six-stars, they should have been able to take down the Ghost-Eyed Sand Fox and the buckthorns. Yet the battle remained deadlocked.
“Veterinarian Meng, have your battle beasts flank them!” Captain Wang suddenly shouted. The others quickly echoed the suggestion.
Veterinarian Meng’s face darkened. He knew what they really meant—sacrifice.
As the only seven-star evolved without a faction backing him, he was the perfect scapegoat.
With a whistle, his three battle beasts launched a fierce assault from the side. The others brightened—he was surprisingly cooperative! They watched closely, ready to strike at the first opening.
On a night like this, they all wanted to end this quickly.
But… Veterinarian Meng’s battle beasts only attacked once, using ranged abilities, before retrieving their master and bolting into the woods.
Captain Wang and the others froze before cursing loudly.
Losing a seven-star evolved and three six-star battle beasts drastically increased the pressure on them.
Seizing the opportunity, the Ghost-Eyed Sand Fox’s eight eyes suddenly gleamed. The nearest seven-star evolved let out a cry before going berserk, attacking indiscriminately. Several unprepared six-stars were killed instantly.
The encirclement collapsed under Veterinarian Meng’s desertion and the berserker’s rampage.
Moving in eerie unison, the mutated buckthorns followed the fox’s lead. Dozens of wooden spikes shot from their branches, raining down on the surrounding evolved.
Those with higher levels or strong defenses barely held on, but the less fortunate were impaled. A few writhed briefly before going still.
Yet humanity wasn’t so easily defeated. Captain Wang hurled an object that struck the buckthorns mid-attack. The liquid it released made the two treants shudder violently. Another seven-star evolved’s weapon transformed into a blade shadow, slashing across the sand fox’s flank, staining its beautiful fur crimson.
The blade shattered after the strike, but the evolved already had a new one ready—clearly a unique ability.
The Ghost-Eyed Sand Fox retaliated fiercely. Its fluffy tail swept out, releasing a deep pink poison gas cloud. The evolved scrambled back, but those caught in the mist collapsed, screaming as their bodies rotted into pus.
With that, the encirclement shattered entirely.
The three mutants didn’t press their advantage, instead fleeing deep into the woods. The two treants, enduring their injuries, intertwined their roots into wheel-like structures. The sand fox leaped onto them, and the treants sped away, soon reduced to distant shadows.
“After them! Those buckthorns won’t get far with my Soul-Dispelling Water on them!” Captain Wang roared. Two of his six-star subordinates had died—a blow to his squad’s strength and his standing in Jinxiu. Only capturing the sand fox could make up for it.
“That fox won’t last long with the wound I gave it,” the seven-star blade user added, following Captain Wang in pursuit.
The others hesitated briefly before giving chase.
Ye Zhongming followed the main group, but once in the woods, he quietly veered off. His temporary teammates in the Baowen Team didn’t even notice.
After moving through the trees for a while, Ye Zhongming stopped silently behind a trunk, watching a figure twenty meters ahead.
It was the woman who had been with the Baowen Team before Captain Wang took her.
In the chaos of pursuit, he’d forgotten about her, and she had slipped away.
But after running for a while, she now stood lost, looking around helplessly.
“Heh, miss, can’t find your way home?”
A voice suddenly spoke beside her, making her jump.
Veterinarian Meng and his three battle beasts emerged from the shadows.
He hadn’t fled far—he’d been hiding nearby all along.
“You… you…” The woman was too terrified to speak.
“Heh, those fools think the Ghost-Eyed Sand Fox is the only prize. Little do they know, you’re the real treasure!”
Veterinarian Meng’s gaze roamed over her rain-soaked figure, lingering hungrily.
“Play nice with me, then I’ll trade you for a fortune!”
He patted his mutated wolf, and the group prepared to pounce.
Thud!