Chapter 222: Cleaning Up the Rats
“Thank you, my lord, for saving me.”
Seeing Zhou Ming deal with the two Professional Beast Tamers who had been pursuing her as easily as chopping melons and vegetables, Su Mei was utterly shocked by her lord’s strength. She immediately dropped to one knee and thanked him for intervening.
“Who are these two? Why were they hunting you down?”
Zhou Ming gestured for Su Mei to rise and speak.
“My lord, they are the two deputy leaders of Rat Nest.”
“Rat Nest?”
Hearing those two words again, Zhou Ming immediately felt that the name suited them well—they were as irritating as rats.
“Yes. After you were conscripted by the Alliance, Rat Nest tried to invade. The City Defense Army suppressed them, but they have the Golden Flower Group backing them, so in the end they were only warned.”
“Later, when you did not reappear after being conscripted, they assumed you had died in the Panlong Mountain Range. A month ago, they came to cause trouble again. I had no choice but to reveal my strength and use the Alliance’s official name to force them back.”
“This time, while carrying out your orders, I was discovered by these two. They followed me all the way into the Panlong Mountain Range.”
“I suspect they intended to kill me and then take over the camp you established.”
After Su Mei explained the whole sequence of events, Zhou Ming lowered his head and carefully examined the two corpses on the ground.
The Beast Knight he had beheaded still carried a look of terror, yet the viciousness between his brows had not faded.
His contracted beast had evolved from an Armored Bull into a Black-armored Bull, mastering earth-element energy particles. He should have been Wei Ming, deputy leader of Rat Nest, originally a Wildfolk from the Wilderness.
As for the other Phantasmal Tamer, with thin lips and narrow eyes, he was Cheng Hai, the other deputy leader of Rat Nest. His Phantasmal Beast was a Green-furred Rat, mastering wood-element energy particles and possessing extremely outstanding perception abilities.
Information about Rat Nest surfaced in Zhou Ming’s mind. Comparing it with the two corpses before him, everything matched what he knew.
When Rat Nest had previously attacked the camp, Zhou Ming had chosen not to retaliate. Apart from being wary of the Golden Flower Group behind them, Rat Nest’s own strength had not been weak either.
Besides the two entry-level Professional deputy leaders, their leader, Ying Kui, was a mid-level Professional Beast Knight.
But now, in Zhou Ming’s eyes, they were nothing more than chickens and dogs.
“The spoils on these two belong to you. Take some time to visit the Black Market at Ant Dwelling Ridge and exchange them for the equipment and combat techniques you need.”
“As for Ying Kui of Rat Nest, I’ve heard that after being conscripted by the Alliance, he did not leave. He likely wants to use this opportunity to advance further and break free from the Golden Flower Group’s control.”
“You take the Catwoman back to the camp first. I’ll use this opportunity in the Panlong Mountain Range to eliminate this hidden threat.”
Since Rat Nest had repeatedly come looking for trouble, Zhou Ming decided to take advantage of this chance to earn merit and completely crush this rat.
As for the Golden Flower Group, he had once feared this colossal entity. But now, he already possessed the strength to contend with it.
“Thank you, my lord, for your reward.”
Zhou Ming paid little attention to Su Mei’s gratitude. She was now a Professional Beast Tamer and naturally deserved the treatment befitting her status.
Without further words, he turned and walked toward where Catwoman was.
Seeing her lord leave, Su Mei immediately began clearing the battlefield and collecting the spoils left behind by the two deputy leaders of Rat Nest.
Since Zhou Ming had given her the smallest-capacity Spatial Ring, she was even able to take away the entire corpse of the Black-armored Bull.
After all, to Su Mei, these were her private assets. Not the slightest bit could be wasted.
A moment later, Aina, dressed in Zhou Ming’s protective suit, carefully followed him to Su Mei’s side.
It was Su Mei’s first time seeing Catwoman. Even she was astonished by the beauty capable of beguiling the mind, and she could not help but feel a trace of jealousy.
Normally, Su Mei paid no attention to dressing up and did not care whether she was beautiful or not. She was more obsessed with pursuing strength, so she could protect her father and allow him to enjoy a peaceful old age.
“I’m leaving her to you. She must be brought back to the camp safely.”
“Other than the Snake Guards, this matter is not to be disclosed to anyone.”
“Before I return, have Li Hu personally lead people to guard her. The holding location will be the small building in the middle of the lake.”
Hearing Zhou Ming’s instructions, Su Mei hesitated slightly before voicing her concern.
“My lord, I’ve heard that Catwoman possesses strength comparable to a Professional Beast Tamer. If you’re not present, could there be a problem?”
“Don’t worry. At most, Catwoman’s physical strength is comparable to a low-tier Ferocious Beast. Their true power comes from their bloodline’s control over shadows. I’ve already sealed her bloodline. She can only exert ten to twenty percent of her strength.”
Knowing Zhou Ming had already taken measures to restrict Catwoman’s power, Su Mei’s worries vanished.
She then took out a black hooded robe, had Catwoman put it on properly, and left with her.
As for Zhou Ming, because of Rat Nest, he did not immediately leave the Panlong Mountain Range. Instead, he concealed himself in the outer region near No. 3 Outpost.
Three days later, within a dense forest with luxuriant branches and leaves, fierce sounds of battle echoed in all directions.
The leader of Rat Nest, Ying Kui—whom Zhou Ming intended to kill—had not entered the Panlong Mountain Range alone like Zhou Ming. Instead, he had formed a team with several Beast Tamers of the same rank.
For Zhou Ming, that made no difference. He would kill them all the same.
Once one stepped into the Panlong Mountain Range, there was no such thing as justice or evil—only the law of survival where the strong devoured the weak.
Since they had chosen to team up with Ying Kui, they could only blame their own decision.
Within the forest, three Beast Knights and one Phantasmal Tamer had been reduced to three corpses, leaving only Ying Kui still resisting desperately.
Zhou Ming did not immediately unleash overwhelming force to kill Ying Kui. Instead, in Serpentfolk form, he wielded the Phantasmal Spirit Sword and treated him as a whetstone.
His strength had risen too quickly; his close-combat experience was still lacking. This was the perfect opportunity to make up for it.
“I don’t know how I’ve offended you. If you’re willing to let me go, I’m prepared to offer three thousand Source Crystal Coins as compensation.”
In the core of the forest, trees had been severed at the waist, revealing a flat clearing where sunlight could be seen.
Mounted on a high-tier Violent Lion and wielding a long blade, Ying Kui struggled to block Zhou Ming’s unpredictable soft sword.
The ever-changing soft sword was difficult to defend against, and its surface emitted a toxic aura. Ying Kui did not dare let it break through his defenses.
If he were cut even once, he would most likely die here.
Zhou Ming had no interest in Ying Kui’s proposal. Once he killed him, everything would belong to him anyway.
Seeing that Ying Kui could no longer help refine his close-combat skills, Zhou Ming withdrew the Phantasmal Spirit Sword. With a lift of both hands, dozens of Ironthread Snakes appeared.
These Ironthread Snakes were projections condensed from his bloodline power combined with the Secret Technique · Blood Descendant, ensuring he did not need to worry about exhausting his real snake swarm during battle.
The serpent shadows, almost tangible, rapidly extended their bodies, forming a vast net that enveloped Ying Kui.
“Since you insist on cornering me, then we’ll perish together!”
Seeing Zhou Ming unwilling to spare him, Ying Kui, his face full of coarse flesh, prepared to unleash his desperate trump card.
But the Throne Power of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils caused his consciousness to falter for an instant. The extending serpent shadows wrapped around him and crushed him to death.
Zhou Ming felt no great emotional fluctuation after killing Ying Kui. After collecting the spoils and clearing all traces within several hundred meters, he returned to No. 3 Outpost.