Chapter 123 – Besieged!

Volume 2: Battlefield Between Two Worlds

Chaihe Town was quiet under the cover of night.

Perhaps the only benefit brought by the Apocalypse was this sort of silence that bordered on deathly stillness.

Throughout the Settlement, everyone had drifted off to sleep, save for a few sentries standing guard.

For most people, this was just an ordinary night.

But in the Apocalypse, unusual things were always bound to happen.

Deep in the mountains near Chaihe Town…

As the Sapphire Giant Eagle spread its wings and soared out of the mountains to hunt for food, the Ancient Tree beneath it slowly opened its eyes.

…

The once lush and leafy Ancient Tree looked as if it were on the verge of death. Its withered canopy barely supported the weight of the Giant Eagle's ever-growing body, and even its opened eyes had become increasingly clouded.

The few remaining leaves danced desolately in the wind, with one or two fluttering down from time to time.

However, the Ancient Tree's sacrifices were not without reward.

That reward would come today!

As a rustling sound from its leaves spread into the distance, several creatures in the Mountain Forest-second only to the Giant Eagle in power-heard the signal! They quickly converged toward the Ancient Tree.

Today, they would kill the Giant Eagle! Most importantly, they would destroy the thing atop the Giant Eagle's head…

And the Giant Eagle, currently away hunting, hadn't noticed a thing.

The net had been cast. A great war between Mutant Beasts was about to erupt!

…

The Sapphire Giant Eagle's silhouette flickered as it circled its territory at extreme speed.

But there was nothing.

Given the Giant Eagle's appetite and rate of evolution, it had already devoured almost every large creature within its territory.

This meant the Giant Eagle would go hungry tonight. It also meant that tomorrow, it would need to expand its territory.

This expansion would not be limited to the mountains; it would include the only human Settlement in the town.

"Yes, tomorrow I shall hunt at that human Settlement!"

The Giant Eagle made up its mind.

It held nothing but contempt for those two-legged humans. With its strength as a Level Three peak Mutant Beast, hunting a few humans would be child's play.

The Giant Eagle flew back to its home empty-handed-back to the canopy of that Ancient Tree.

Glancing at the tree beneath it, a flash of mockery crossed the Giant Eagle's eyes.

It knew the Ancient Tree had Mutated and gained intelligence, and it knew the tree harbored a deep-seated enmity toward it.

But so what?

In the face of absolute power, everything else was meaningless.

Closing its eyes quietly, the Giant Eagle entered a state of hibernation. This was an effective way to reduce energy consumption.

While the Giant Eagle was resting quietly, a rustling sound reached its ears.

Then, under the Giant Eagle's puzzled gaze, a Mutant Sheep emerged!

"Screech! Screech!"

The Giant Eagle grew excited. After a whole day without food, a meal had actually delivered itself to its doorstep. This truly was a perfect day!

Looking at the Mutant Sheep's nearly two-meter-tall body, the Giant Eagle immediately lunged!

Panic and confusion filled the Mutant Sheep's eyes. Seeing the Giant Eagle pounce, it turned and tried to flee.

Unfortunately, the gap in strength between a Level 2 Mutant Sheep and a Level Three Giant Eagle was simply too vast.

When the Giant Eagle's talons locked onto the Mutant Sheep, it meant the Giant Eagle's dinner was served-and that the Mutant Sheep's life had reached its end.

But beyond the Giant Eagle's line of sight, a flash of grim determination flickered in the eyes of the Mutant Sheep!

Boom!

The Mutant Sheep's body suddenly distended before erupting in a violent explosion!

Shards of bone and shredded meat sprayed in every direction. However, for a creature of this caliber, even a self-detonation wouldn't cause significant physical damage to the Giant Eagle.

Unfortunately, the Mutant Sheep's self-destruction was never intended for raw lethality!

[Poison Blood Explosion (A-Rank, Active Ability): Detonate one's own body to produce poisonous blood. Any creature contaminated by the poisonous blood will be afflicted by various curses, including weakness, petrification, and deceleration!]

This was the Mutant Sheep's true objective!

To use the strength of a Level 2 creature to weaken a Level 3 Giant Eagle!

The Giant Eagle was caught squarely in the blast.

Abilities were diverse and impossible to guard against completely. In the Apocalypse, one must never assume that the Cannon Fodder in their eyes is truly just Cannon Fodder!

When a creature fights with its life on the line, the potential damage it can cause has no upper limit!

Thus, when the creature the Giant Eagle considered mere food inflicted a massive debuff upon it, the Giant Eagle was unable to react in time.

The Giant Eagle's wings trembled, and its eyes glazed over for a brief moment as the curse took effect!

This meant the Giant Eagle had already consumed the appetizer the Ancient Tree had prepared for it.

And now, the main course was being served!

…

Roars began to echo from all directions, one after another.

A massive dark shadow lunged fiercely toward the Giant Eagle!

It was a Mutant Bear!

Though the number of bears in the Northeast Mountain Forests was not large, they certainly still existed!

As creatures that originally occupied a high tier of the Earth's food chain, their strength was formidable once they Mutated!

Just like the Level 3 Giant Bear currently facing the Giant Eagle.

Its heavy paws glowed with a red light before slamming directly into the Giant Eagle's wing!

[Shattering Claw (Rank C, Active Ability).]

Under the Level 3 strength of the Bear, this simple offensive ability dealt a devastating blow to the Giant Eagle's body!

In an instant, blood splattered everywhere.

The Giant Eagle's blood was actually black, as viscous as oil, looking both evil and terrifying!

The Ancient Tree's eyes snapped open. Simultaneously, its roots, which had been buried deep in the soil, tore free. Countless dancing branches and roots lashed out like whips, striking the Giant Eagle directly!

The Giant Eagle stumbled from the impact. Its injured wing could no longer support its massive frame, and it plummeted from a height of about two meters!

"It's a trap!" 

That was the Giant Eagle's first realization.

"How dare you creatures harm me!!!"

That was its second.

Then, an overwhelming chill enveloped the surroundings.

The Giant Eagle began its counterattack!

Meanwhile, the creatures hidden in the forest began to slowly close in!

One, ten, a hundred…

Every single one was Level 2 or higher!

A small number of Level 3 Mutant Beasts stood at the very front.

The entire field was deathly silent. Over a hundred pairs of eyes, varying in size, stared coldly at the Giant Eagle on the ground. Within them, there was only cold, ruthless killing intent!

Seeing those who were once its prey now revealing themselves, the Giant Eagle fell silent!

This was a long-premeditated ambush!

This was a trap set within its own nest!

This was a coup directed against it, the Mountain Forest Overlord!

Screeech-!

The high-pitched cry of the eagle echoed far and wide!

The Giant Eagle had no intention of compromising.

With the frost energy around it fluctuating wildly, the Giant Eagle launched a direct counterattack against the Ancient Tree behind it!