Chapter 16: The Nightmare of the Azure Wolf Forest

After dinner, the afterglow of the setting sun had yet to fully fade, and a few brilliant streaks of sunset clouds still hung in the sky.

Zhuang Yun began teaching Lin Yiwen the basics of Tai Chi again: "Imagine a watermelon."

Zhuang Yun swung his arms, tracing a smooth, rounded circle, and Lin Yiwen followed suit.

"Cut it in half."

"You take one half."

"I'll take the other half."

...

Third Senior Brother said, "Master, is it really okay for the Grandmaster to teach like this?"

Usually indifferent to the mundane affairs of the sect and focused solely on cultivation, even Third Senior Brother couldn’t watch any longer!

Zhuang Qitong replied, "What do you know?! This is the Grandmaster imparting the Dao and skills! You’re still too young to grasp the true essence of Tai Chi! Off you go, practice!"

...

"Truly a teachable child!" Zhuang Yun gave a thumbs-up in approval.

Lin Yiwen felt no change and looked at Zhuang Yun suspiciously.

"Of course not yet. Do this set every day, and soon you’ll understand!"

Zhuang Yun then added, "Keep practicing this way every day for the next few days. After that, I’ll be busy and won’t be able to accompany you."

Lin Yiwen paused and asked, "Going to hunt star beasts with the bounty hunters?" There was a subtle worry in his eyes, barely perceptible.

"Yeah, why not? Maybe we can earn some money." Zhuang Yun imagined picking up some good loot from the team’s rear.

"With your mech? Are you sure about this?" Though Lin Yiwen had helped Zhuang Yun upgrade his mech and improved its performance, it remained a basic model, with poor defense and attack capabilities.

He felt Zhuang Yun didn’t fully realize how dangerous hunting star beasts was and explained, "The bounty hunters are going to Area One to hunt mostly Grade-A star beasts. One hunter against one beast is already tough, let alone protecting you."

Zhuang Yun nodded, "You’re right! That’s why I asked you to add that— the flight kinetic device that can match the speed of an S-grade star beast. Make sure you check it thoroughly! My survival depends on you!"

Lin Yiwen suddenly understood: no wonder the usually stingy Zhuang Yun was borrowing money everywhere, using the sect’s funds to hasten upgrades on the flight device.

Lin Yiwen shook his head helplessly. "Star beasts are scary, but human nature is even scarier."

"You don’t know how often disputes over shares cause infighting among the hunters, sometimes ending in outright murder," Lin Yiwen said, trying to sound more intimidating to deter Zhuang Yun.

"Have you heard of the ‘Highway Robber Hunters’? They roam the edges of cities and beast dens year-round. Their methods are crueler, torturing their prey for fun. If they catch you, it’s death or mutilation!"

Zhuang Yun sat down, poured a bowl of barley tea for Lin Yiwen, bowed slightly, and handed it over with both hands. "Brother Yiwen, remember that flight device well. My life is literally in your hands!"

Lin Yiwen thought: stubborn fool! Stubborn fool!

Zhuang Yun said confidently, "As long as I run fast, death can’t catch me!"

Soon, the day of departure arrived as scheduled.

At dawn, Zhuang Yun eagerly arrived at the repair shop to conduct a final check on her mech, "Lingkong."

Thanks to Lin Yiwen’s meticulous modifications, "Lingkong" looked brand new. Its joints moved more smoothly, the number of cannon rounds increased from a mere few to a full hundred, and its endurance was greatly enhanced to support longer battles.

"Brother Yiwen! This isn’t just a simple upgrade— it’s a rebirth!" Zhuang Yun fondly stroked every inch of the mech’s surface, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Lin Yiwen, basking in her admiration, smiled proudly. "Well, it helps that I’m the one who repaired it!"

But at that moment, Lin Yiwen felt something different.

In the past, when customers praised his work, he took it for granted—it was just his job to fix mechs and get paid. The satisfaction was always mild.

Now, he felt unprecedented joy.

"Brother Yiwen, I’m off now. See you!" Zhuang Yun stored the mech in her wristband, ready to leave.

"Wait, I’m coming with you!" Lin Yiwen said, already packing his things and heading for the door.

"Huh? You’re coming too?" Zhuang Yun was surprised.

"This mech, though upgraded, still can’t guarantee you won’t get hit by something stronger on the battlefield. If that happens, you’re done for."

"Bring along your mech technician. If it gets damaged, I can fix it right away."

"Don’t worry, Zhuang Daozhang and I have already gotten leave!" Lin Yiwen added.

Listening to this, Zhuang Yun found his reasoning quite convincing...

---

At this time, Jiang Mingxu and Lake were already seated on a private flyer waiting.

Compared to Lin Yiwen’s smaller flyer, this one was larger and more luxurious, complete with robot attendants, exceptionally grand.

Jiang Mingxu noticed Lin Yiwen had packed up and was surprised. Knowing Lin Yiwen couldn’t pilot mechs, he asked, "Brother Lin, you’re coming too?"

Zhuang Yun patted her chest and answered quickly, "Yes! He’ll ride in my mech, and I’ll protect him!"

As if it were obvious—everyone knew Zhuang Yun was the one who needed protection...

Lake, knowing Zhuang Yun’s character, raised his hand teasingly, "I! I need protection too!"

Zhuang Yun laughed heartily, "No problem! I’ll have you fly, but don’t slow me down!"

Jiang Mingxu and Lake were veterans who had participated in many missions, always assigned to support roles at the rear with experienced teams and strong safeguards, rarely confronting star beasts head-on.

This time, the mission was a low-level C-grade task, specially chosen for Zhuang Yun to experience something new.

As the flyer gently rose, Zhuang Yun looked down at Area 11, realizing how tiny the sect was in such vast surroundings.

Then, distant roaring sounds reached her ears. Countless flyers brushed past, all heading in the same direction.

In the distance, on a broad plain, a large-scale mech drill was underway.

Hundreds of mechs formed two teams engaged in fierce combat, the clashing of beam swords and booming energy cannons creating a magnificent spectacle.

"What’s that?" Zhuang Yun asked curiously.

"That’s the Pasa Mech Academy training," Lake explained.

"Looks pretty impressive!" Zhuang Yun admired.

"Pasa Academy... that name sounds familiar," Zhuang Yun mused.

After a long silence, Lin Yiwen reminded, "Remember twenty days ago when you first tried a mech at the repair shop?"

"That mech belonged to Teacher Lu! He’s the admissions officer for Pasa Academy! He arranged for you to enroll for free."

Zhuang Yun slapped her forehead. "I remember now!"

Jiang Mingxu and Lake were shocked.

She had started piloting mechs just twenty days ago and was already running and flying them? It usually took people over half a year just to get a mech moving!

Even more astonishing was that the admissions officer had granted her free enrollment! Globally, only five thousand were recruited, and three full scholarships were given—the highest student status with unlimited resources, essentially grooming future military district leaders.

Even heirs like Jiang Mingxu and Lake wouldn’t dream of those spots without exceptional talent.

They exchanged meaningful glances at Zhuang Yun’s stunned expression.

It must be the Grandmaster’s guidance! Zhuang Yun was so powerful now! They’d have to learn a lot from her in the future.

"Pasa Academy is one of the top five military academies on G33, and everyone agrees it’s the best," Lake added.

"Next month, Jiang Mingxu and I will start school there. Zhuang Yun, see you at Pasa Academy!" Lake said eagerly.

"Ah, but it’s so far from my home!" Zhuang Yun hesitated.

"Pasa Academy is in Area 2, so naturally it’s far from Area 11. But with flyers, it’s convenient to travel."

"What about the other four academies?" Zhuang Yun, besides focusing on ways to make money, knew little else.

"There’s Lambert Academy in Area 4, Santiago Academy in Area 6, Bell Academy in Area 8, and Tianyuan Mansion in Area 10. Tianyuan Mansion is closest to you but has declined in recent years..."

At first, Zhuang Yun was enthusiastic discussing these academies with Lake, but soon her brows knitted, and her gaze grew distant.

After nearly twenty hours of flight, the flyer finally reached its destination.

As soon as she got off, Zhuang Yun began vomiting, emptying her stomach.

She couldn’t help but regret wasting Lin Yiwen’s fine ingredients!

Exhausted and dizzy, her eyes sparkling with stars, Lin Yiwen carried her to the hotel to rest, while the three headed to the bounty hunters’ meeting point.

The mission was led by a scar-faced man, a veteran bounty hunter with a solid reputation in the field, known as "Scar Lord."

At the meeting, he gave a detailed briefing: "There are forty of us hunting a pack of about twenty Nightmare Azure Wolves, all Grade-A star beasts frequently appearing in this area."

As Scar Lord spoke, the terrain was displayed in 3D, giving everyone a clear understanding of the mission zone.

He continued, "Rest early tonight. We depart at dawn and expect to reach Nightmare Azure Forest by noon."

"At night, using darkness as cover, the forty hunters will split into four groups of ten, each approaching the wolf den from different directions quietly."

---

"The team leaders have been my comrades for years, with rich combat experience. Many team members have worked together often. Obey orders."

"Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died." Scar Lord warned sharply, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

He meticulously outlined tactics: "Our group will draw the wolves’ attention from the front while the other three groups flank and encircle from the sides and rear..."

After the briefing and everyone’s return, they rested early.

At noon, they arrived at Nightmare Azure Forest and activated their mechs to familiarize themselves with the terrain.

The mechs varied in form and were equipped with advanced weapons; among them, Zhuang Yun’s "Lingkong" looked oddly out of place.

The four team leaders tacitly agreed to place Zhuang Yun’s ‘insider’ unit at the rear.

Night fell, shrouding the forest in a mysterious darkness, with only occasional moonlight filtering through the treetops, barely illuminating the perilous land.

Zhuang Yun activated night vision, and the map displayed teammates’ locations.

Following Scar Lord’s plan, the forty hunters silently dispersed, moving to their designated positions.

The advanced mechs’ stealth systems were fully engaged, coated with special light-absorbing materials that made them barely visible even under moonlight, blending almost seamlessly with their surroundings.

Of course, Zhuang Yun was the exception, trailing behind the group.

Scar Lord’s gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, vigilant for any movement, while maintaining close communication with the other three groups through their mech radios.

"Teams, be alert. We’re nearing the target area. Stay concealed and wait for my signal," Scar Lord’s voice came through the radio.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

At last, a deep wolf howl shattered the silence—the distinctive call of the Nightmare Azure Wolves.

More howls echoed from deeper within the forest.

"Attack!" Scar Lord ordered, and the first group’s mechs sprang into action, launching a feint assault on the wolf pack.

Lasers, missiles, and live rounds wove a deadly net—not to harm the wolves truly, but to drive them toward the prearranged trap.

Simultaneously, the other three groups launched swift strikes from the flanks and rear.

Their mechs moved like ghosts in the night, silent and sudden, encircling the Nightmare Azure Wolves.

The wolves howled furiously, spitting glowing balls from their mouths, their sharp claws and teeth gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

The fight rapidly intensified.

The wolves madly lunged at the hunters’ mechs, trying to tear through the seemingly fragile metal shells.

The hunters relied on their mechs’ agility and firepower to bring down wolf after wolf, gradually cornering the pack.

"Great!"

"This is going so smoothly!"

Everyone secretly rejoiced at the rich haul.

Suddenly, a louder howl came from the mountain behind the second group.

It was the S-grade Nightmare Azure Wolf King.

"What’s going on?! Didn’t they say there wouldn’t be a wolf king on this mission?" countless voices crackled in disbelief over the radios.

The second group quickly redirected fire toward the wolf king, but their Grade-A mech weapons barely scratched its steel-like hide.

The wolf king’s eyes showed disdain as it effortlessly dodged further attacks and then dashed through the second group’s defenses at incredible speed.

In a flash, it slashed with a claw, ripping through the mech in front of it. The mech’s defenses were useless; the cockpit was breached, exposing the pilot, who was killed instantly by the wolf king.

"It’s over!"

Despair rose among the hunters—they never expected to face an S-grade Nightmare Azure Wolf King here.

Blood stained the forest floor, filling the air with a heavy metallic scent.

Everyone knew the wolf king was vengeful and would spare no one present.