Chapter 726 - 37: Black-robed Man
Even from a distance, Chen Zhou could only see the silhouettes of a few people.
Looking up from a lower position, if the person on the cliff edge just stepped back a little, half of them would disappear from view, and moving further back, they would disappear entirely.
The black-robed man, surrounded by two teams, was clearly aware of the hostility around him.
Compared to the challengers closing in, he had a mount, which was not a small advantage. As long as he rode off on the camel-like creature, the two teams wouldn’t be able to do anything to him.
But the black-robed man didn’t do that.
He stood at the very edge of the cliff, watching the challengers approaching from both sides. Suddenly, he drew a knife from his waist and sliced the camel-like creature in two from the shoulder and neck.
In the gray morning light, the creature’s head rolled off the broken cliff, and the gushing blood was more eye-catching than the slowly rising sun.
Skillfully sheathing the knife, the black-robed man turned to face the astonished challengers on either side, said something, and then leaped off the cliff.
At this moment, he displayed agility that was completely disproportionate to his tall figure. As he fell, his robe flapped like a gigantic bat.
About ten seconds after he jumped off the cliff, the camel-like creature’s body collapsed powerlessly to the ground.
The four people on either side were stunned by his actions, frozen in place, not daring to continue the pursuit.
...
Even Chen Zhou, who was observing from afar, was somewhat shocked—
This person’s ruthlessness far exceeded that of other challengers he’d seen, and his physical qualities and courage were outstanding. Additionally, the person was covered in a black robe, making it hard to determine how many weapons he possessed. Based on his actions, he was likely a formidable opponent.
What puzzled Chen Zhou was why such a strong person acted alone. With a helper, he wouldn’t have to kill his mount and be forced to take the risk of jumping off the cliff.
If by chance someone pursued relentlessly, reached his landing point on the cliff, and threw stones from above, his life would be at risk if luck wasn’t on his side.
Thinking about it, recalling the rules of the challenge, Chen Zhou came up with a bold and plausible theory—
This person’s partner was probably killed by him just like his mount, either at the start or during the challenge.
The seventh rule mentioned, "If you are confident enough, taking survival tools from your partner is a good option."
In most cases, a partner who can help, complement shortcomings, and stand guard during the long nights is more valuable than several tools.
Few would choose to take their partner’s survival tools or even kill their partner, unless they were extremely extreme and confident in their ability to survive alone.
"Dangerous individual," Chen Zhou silently labeled the black-robed man, deciding to focus on him in the subsequent plans.
This was not only because of the black-robed man’s fierce demeanor but also because he could resolve his partner—
Each challenger was a notable figure of strength in their own world. While there were differences in strength between partners, killing a partner was not an easy task.
The black-robed man killing his partner indicated not only his ruthlessness but also that his combat ability far surpassed his partner.
Of course, it’s possible it was a sneak attack.
However, judging by the man’s behavior so far, he was probably very confident, even arrogant. For such a person, directly crushing a bug is far more pleasing than sneakily pulling dirty tricks.
...
Paul didn’t have as good eyesight as Chen Zhou, only vaguely seeing someone moving at the cliff edge without making out the black-robed man’s actions.
Noticing Chen Zhou’s expression growing serious, he couldn’t help but ask what to do next.
Chen Zhou had only slept for two hours, his spirits not fully recovered. He originally planned to take Paul into the Black Forest when it got brighter, but seeing the black-robed man about to reach the cliff top, he lost the mood to continue resting.
"First, figure out the nearby terrain, then let’s have a meal, and resupply right below the landing spot."
Getting up and slinging all his weapons and gear onto his back, Chen Zhou called the three Saw-toothed Tigers to him.
"Aren’t we going to continue observing the movements of other challengers here?"
"Knowing about three teams is enough. They are our first competitors, and since someone has already gone down the cliff, we must maintain our lead."
With that, Chen Zhou headed into the Black Forest.
Paul, although unclear why Chen Zhou suddenly changed his mind, followed orders as a soldier’s duty. Without hesitation, he immediately followed Chen Zhou.
...
The dark green primal forest felt mysterious and lively.
This area made up of black and dark gray gave off a different feeling—
Oppressive, deathly silent, and a pervasive sense of danger.
The ground was especially firm, with nothing soft aside from a thin layer of dust brought by the wind.
The now-fossilized trees stood tall, weaving their dark bodies into a canopy that blocked out the sky. Entering the forest, even the sunlight dimmed significantly as if stepping from dawn into afternoon.
Chen Zhou, Paul, and the three Saw-toothed Tigers moved through the shadows of the overlapping trees, observing the forest terrain, sometimes crossing the boundary between the Black Forest and the outside to spy on the movements of the other two groups of challengers.
As the first group of challengers to reach the tundra’s end, Chen Zhou could well understand the feelings of the other challengers—
Moving towards a distant goal, having walked hundreds of kilometers, feeling mentally and physically exhausted or even self-doubt, only to find that the goal was indeed real and close at hand, who could suppress their excitement?