With that said, the Constable charged forward a few steps, leading the other Constables into the forest.
Whoosh—
At this moment, a rustling sound came from the distant bushes.
Chen Guan, facing an array of ranged weapons, did not hesitate but ran decisively.
Look at the arrows on the nearby trees, embedded so deeply.
Chen Guan didn't think his own layer of fat was harder than those sturdy trees.
"Still trying to escape?"
Seeing this, the Constable chased for two steps but then saw three corpses under a tree ahead.
The fat Mountain Bandit had a caved-in back, a bloody mess.
The heads of the other two Mountain Bandits were completely crushed by immense force, their deaths gruesome.
'A Vicious Beast killed them...'
The Constable paused for a moment upon seeing this scene.
Based on their attire, the blood-stained long sabers that had slipped from their grasp, and the direction the Mountain Bandit Leader initially fled, the Constable quickly confirmed that they were likely accomplices of the Mountain Bandit Leader.
While their deaths were well-deserved as Mountain Bandits, a Vicious Beast killing people, perhaps even eating them? This was different.
'I heard some monsters Cultivate by devouring human essence blood and Origin Qi...'
Thinking of this, the Constable's heart tightened, and he looked intently at the several Constables rushing up behind him.
Most of the Constables were veterans like him, having witnessed various gruesome scenes.
Now, seeing this, they had a certain immunity.
However, a new recruit, skilled in martial arts but whose mindset had not yet been thoroughly tempered, went aside and vomited profusely.
"It has already caused human deaths..."
The Constable ignored him, instead squatting beside the bodies and pulling back the sleeves of the Mountain Bandits' corpses.
He observed for a few seconds.
He felt their thick arms and looked at the calluses on their hands from years of practicing with sabers.
"This Vicious Beast can kill three good swordsmen... Its intelligence is already extraordinary, not like the ignorant wild beasts of the past.
Everyone... be careful."
Unconsciously, the Constable's tone softened a little, losing the initial 'I will kill it today!'
Although he was an 'Acquired Grand Master' in the eyes of the Mountain Bandit Leader, in reality, he was 'just entering Acquired,' with only four or five hundred jin of strength.
Compared to ordinary people, he was very powerful.
But compared to an 'Intelligent Black Bear' with at least a thousand jin, this was completely insufficient.
He knew his own limitations.
The Constable felt it was better to outsmart the Black Bear monster.
So, the Constable laid out a plan to his subordinates: 'Shoot while chasing.'
...An hour later.
The light of the setting sun dimmed further.
Squeak~ The damp branches and rotten leaves on the ground made a sound as they were trampled by bear paws.
Chen Guan was running wildly on all fours, heading deeper into the forest.
The dense forest could serve as an obstacle.
Thump—
While running, Chen Guan occasionally heard the sound of arrows striking trees from behind.
These people seemed determined not to let him go.
'If I stop, they stop.
If I run, they chase.
Is this a war of attrition?'
Chen Guan ran for a few more minutes, then, tired, hid behind a large rock.
The footsteps behind him also suddenly stopped, followed by rustling sounds.
They were also resting nearby.
It was a complete 'you run, I chase; you rest, I stop' situation.
The two sides always maintained an ambiguous distance.
'These people are really persistent; I wonder how many arrows they still have?'
Chen Guan looked back but couldn't see their figures.
During the halftime break, everyone tacitly hid.
Seeing that he couldn't spot them, Chen Guan didn't dare to rashly go over and face a possible volley of arrows.
'Damn it! Although melee is hard against ranged bows and arrows, it's not like I can't 'change class'?
Are they really bullying me, a short-armed little bear?'
Chen Guan gazed forward, through the gaps between the trees in the forest.
In the distance was a pile of broken stones.
If the people behind continued to chase, he would have to equip a weapon and transform into an 'Elite Stone-Throwing Black Bear Monster'.
Although they had no grievances, Chen Guan understood that as a bear who suddenly rose up and killed people, he would naturally make the other party wary.
But he couldn't just surrender.
Given the difference in species, it was no longer about right or wrong, but about survival.
Whoosh, whoosh—
Chen Guan thought to himself, running towards the distant pile of stones.
"Boss! It's moving again!"
"Chase!"
"Quick, quick, quick!"
The Constable led the Constables in pursuit.
He ran.
They chased.
During the chase, the Constables could nock and shoot arrows without significantly affecting their speed or running posture.
They all possessed a certain level of martial prowess.
In a bare-handed fight, each of them could handle 2-3 strong men.
Normally, a bear's stamina is far greater than a human's.
But the Constable and his men, having Cultivated martial arts, also had extraordinary stamina.
If it really came down to an endurance match, it was still unknown who would win.
However, facing the massive Black Bear ahead, the Constables, though appearing serious and decisive in their pursuit, were actually a bit intimidated.
Chen Guan smashing heads was like a brick hitting a watermelon, shattering with one claw.
Who wouldn't be afraid?
"Wear it down..."
While running, the Constable aimed his bow forward and instructed his subordinates around him:
"Everyone, don't be greedy for achievement and rush in. We'll just chase from behind and wear out its strength."
'Who the hell would dare to be greedy?' The Constables really had no such thoughts.
It was the Constable who misunderstood their loyalty.
Whoosh, whoosh—
The chase continued.
After running a hundred meters, Chen Guan reached the pile of broken stones, using it as a stronghold, and grabbed a stone the size of a thermos cup.
Bear paws could achieve some flexible grasping.
This not-so-small stone, in Chen Guan's thick bear paw, was like a normal person holding a cigarette pack filled with pebbles, easily tossed towards the Constable.
"Watch out!"
In the dim light of the setting sun, the Constable saw an object flying towards him and pulled a nearby Constable to dodge.
Thud!
The stone smashed into the tree behind them, cracking the thick bark and leaving a thumb-sized indentation.
"Oh my goodness... If that had hit me, I'd be meeting my ancestors..."
The Constable felt a chill of fear after seeing it and cast a grateful look at the Constable.
The Constable didn't pay him much attention, instead constantly watching Chen Guan, who had just hidden behind the stone, to guard against another incoming stone attack.
Creak, creak~
Several other Constables drew their bows and nocked arrows, concealing themselves behind nearby large trees.
For a moment, silence fell upon the area.
If Chen Guan didn't move, they didn't move.
After a few minutes, the Constable weighed his options and said to the people nearby:
"This beast is too intelligent and understands the art of patience. It's not something we can 'eliminate the monster and gain merit' alone.
Now, who will go back to town and call for more brothers and Jianghu experts from the town?"
The Constable said this, intending to ask and discuss.
But as soon as he finished speaking, four of the five Constables he brought volunteered to return home.
"Big Brother! The night road in the forest is difficult to travel; why don't I go back on behalf of our brothers?"
"I'll go! I'll go!"
"Boss! You know, I'm the fastest runner!"
"Brothers, don't fight over it; let me take on the extra effort, I'll go back..."
They all wanted to go back now, unwilling to continue tangling with this strange Black Bear.
Because this bear really was a bit like a 'person'.
Furthermore, venturing deep into the forest was inherently dangerous.
A normal person would certainly panic.
Now that the Constable had spoken his mind, and his tone already contained a hint of retreat, with their superior's morale slipping, they naturally all decided to back down.
'The County Magistrate is right, I still lack refinement in my speech...' Seeing this situation, the Constable also thought to himself, 'This is bad.'
He had been too hasty and hadn't maintained his composure, completely scattering their morale.
Even if they continued to chase the Black Bear now, it would only be a simple following, a trailing.
Hoping for a desperate fight was out of the question.
However, the Constable was also decisive and quickly composed himself, sending two young Constables back.
Before they left, they also handed their remaining arrows to the Constable.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Just as the Constable sent people away, Chen Guan, seeing from behind the distant stone that they seemed to be calling for reinforcements without martial ethics, where would he fight a positional battle with them?
He continued to flee.
But just as he got up and ran a couple of steps, Chen Guan saw his proficiency change.