8: Chapter 8 Forced Migration! Objective: To Find Fresh Water and Highlands

"What? We're leaving right now?"

"But we just settled down!"

"My feet are all blistered, how am I supposed to walk?"

Qin Yu's order was like a giant boulder thrown into the fragile order they had just established, once again stirring up a flurry of panicked discussion.

These girls, who had just experienced the terror of the snake tide and had been forced to process snake carcasses all night, were physically and mentally exhausted. They only wanted to lie on the ground and have a good sleep.

Asking them to immediately embark on a long trek into that treacherous and completely unknown primeval jungle?

It was practically asking for their lives!

"Quiet!"

Qin Yu gave a low growl. The [Basic Dragon Might] contained in his voice caused all the noisy chatter to come to an abrupt halt.

The girls were all as quiet as cicadas in winter, looking at him in fear.

"I am not negotiating with you."

Qin Yu's eyes were as cold as ice. "This is an order!"

He pointed to the seemingly calm ocean not far away, his voice filled with an unquestionable sense of pressure.

"Have you all forgotten Su Qingyao's prophecy? She predicted the snake tide before it happened!"

"Now, she senses danger in the ocean. Do you want to stay here and wait for whatever hellish thing crawls out of the sea to have you as a midnight snack?"

Hearing the words "snake tide," all the girls shuddered violently.

The horrific scene from last night, with corpses everywhere and tens of thousands of snakes writhing, was a nightmare they would never be able to shake off for the rest of their lives.

At the thought that something even more terrifying than the snake tide might come out of the sea, all sounds of opposition and complaining vanished instantly.

Compared to an unknown death threat, fatigue and sore feet didn't seem so unbearable anymore.

"Very good."

Qin Yu was very satisfied with this effect.

Fear is the best motivator.

He began to assign tasks methodically, demonstrating his professional expertise as a hardcore survivalist.

"Chen Xiao, you have the best physical strength. You're responsible for guarding the perimeter!"

"Liu Qian, come here. I'll teach you how to use snake skin and branches to make simple waterproof backpacks and 'travois' for dragging. We need to bring as much roasted snake meat and all the supplies as possible!"

"Lin Waner, you're responsible for supervising the others. Speed up the processing of the snake meat and remove all the snake galls. Those things can neutralize poison and are important medicine!"

"Su Qingyao, save your strength. We'll need you to use your ability to guide us in the safest direction later!"

Instructions were issued clearly and efficiently. Under his command, the entire chaotic camp began to run at high speed again, like a precision machine.

Although the girls were complaining bitterly in their hearts, no one dared to slack off when they thought of Qin Yu's cold gaze and the consequences of disobedience.

In the darkest hour before dawn, the only sounds on the beach were the crackling of the bonfire, the low sobbing of the girls, and the rustling sound of processing snake carcasses.

The sky gradually brightened.

When the first ray of morning light pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the messy beach, the preparations for the migration were basically complete.

A dozen crude backpacks made of snake skin and branches were stuffed with roasted dried snake meat.

On several travois made of thicker branches and vines, water, fabric, and that massive Iron-armored Forest Anaconda skin collected from the train wreckage were also tied down.

All the property of the Tribe was here.

Qin Yu himself carried the largest backpack, which contained at least a hundred pounds of dried snake meat, but he looked as if nothing was wrong, his breathing steady as if he were only carrying a bag of cotton.

After a night of harvesting attributes, his strength and constitution had long since surpassed the limits of humanity.

"Move out!"

With Qin Yu's command, this peculiar migration team, consisting of one man and twenty women, officially set off on their journey.

The atmosphere of the team was oppressive and heavy.

Each girl carried a heavy pack, trudging through the soft sand toward the edge of the rainforest to the southeast.

Their faces were filled with exhaustion, confusion, and fear for the future.

At the very back of the team was Zhao Lei, who was barely keeping up while being supported by two girls.

After a night of suffering, she had miraculously survived.

Perhaps the [Basic Toxin Resistance] aura also provided a faint protection to the Tribe members, or perhaps her own will to survive was tenacious enough.

However, her current condition was extremely poor. Her whole body was swollen, she had a persistent high fever, her mind was clouded, and the hideous wound on her face had begun to inflame and fester, emitting a foul stench.

She had become a complete burden.

The two girls supporting her were filled with disgust and impatience.

"Walk faster! You're as heavy as a pig!"

"If the Chief hadn't stayed silent, I'd really want to just leave you here!"

They cursed in low voices, and their dragging movements became rougher.

In her semi-conscious state, Zhao Lei felt this roughness and let out unconscious groans of pain.

Qin Yu, walking at the front of the team, heard the commotion behind him, but he didn't even turn his head.

He wanted everyone to see the consequences of becoming a burden.

He wanted to use this method to force everyone to squeeze out every last bit of their potential and keep up with the team at all costs.

Because he knew that in this hellish rainforest, falling behind meant death.

There was no mercy, no sympathy, only the most brutal laws of survival.

Soon, the team reached the edge of the rainforest.

A blast of humid, sweltering air mixed with the smell of rotting plants hit them.

Giant trees towering into the clouds blotted out the sun, making the light turn dim.

All sorts of unheard-of insect chirps and bird calls came from deep within the jungle, adding a layer of eeriness and danger to the already tense atmosphere.

The girls' faces all showed expressions of fear.

Compared to the open beach, this dark, unknown jungle was more like a giant beast that could swallow everything.

"Chief... are we really going in?"

Lin Waner walked to Qin Yu's side, her voice trembling slightly.

Qin Yu didn't answer her but looked at Su Qingyao beside him.

Su Qingyao had her eyes closed, and fine beads of sweat were breaking out on her forehead as she pushed her weak divination power to its limit.

After a moment, she opened her eyes and pointed toward a relatively sparse forest path to the front left.

"This way..." Her voice was a bit weak. "I feel... it's slightly safer this way, and... there are signs of water..."

"Very good."

Qin Yu nodded and unhesitatingly led the way into that path.

He pulled out a machete-like axe temporarily fashioned from animal bone and stone from the side of his backpack. He swung it, hacking through the blocking vines and shrubs one by one to clear a path for the team behind him.

As he walked, he didn't forget to impart knowledge to Chen Xiao and Liu Qian beside him.

"See those trees with white spots on the bark? Stay away from them; their sap is highly toxic."

"And those brightly colored mushrooms, don't touch them. The more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it is here."

"Watch your step. Many poisonous insects or small snakes might be hiding under the dead leaves."

His voice was steady and calm, as if he weren't walking through a hellish rainforest but taking a stroll in his own backyard.

This composure and vast store of knowledge made the girls behind him, who were originally terrified, feel a bit more at ease.

They began to realize that following this man closely was their only hope of survival.

The team trudged through the jungle with difficulty.

The sweltering weather, the ubiquitous mosquitoes, and the slippery, muddy path underfoot were constantly draining their strength and will.

"I... I can't do it... I can't walk anymore..."

The girl with the weakest constitution slumped to the ground, crying and wailing.

Several blood blisters had already been rubbed onto her feet, and every step felt like being pricked by needles.

Her collapse seemed to trigger a chain reaction, as several other girls also stopped, panting heavily, their faces filled with despair.

The team came to a standstill.

Qin Yu stopped, turned around, and his cold gaze swept over the girls slumped on the ground.

"I'll say this one last time."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Those who can't keep up will be left here to feed the beasts."

"The team will not wait for anyone."

After saying that, he turned around and continued walking forward without the slightest pause.

Su Qingyao, Chen Xiao, and Liu Qian followed him without hesitation.

Lin Waner gritted her teeth and also dragged her exhausted body to keep up.

Seeing this, the remaining girls' faces showed expressions of utter terror.

He... is he really going to abandon us?

The girls slumped on the ground, watching Qin Yu's receding back and the increasingly dark jungle, felt a bone-deep fear of being abandoned instantly seize their hearts!

"No! Don't! Don't leave me behind!"

"I can walk! I can still walk!"

They screamed, scrambling up from the ground, ignoring the sharp pain in their feet as they chased after him with all their might.

In the face of the threat of death, human potential is infinite.

The team continued forward once more in a strange and tenacious manner.

Qin Yu was not surprised by this at all.

However, just as the team crossed a small hill and a relatively open forest clearing appeared before them.

"Awooo—"

A low wolf howl, filled with aggression and hunger, rang out from the dense forest ahead without warning!

The sound seemed to travel along the ground, making everyone's scalp tingle!

Immediately after, three pairs of eyes glowing with an eerie green light lit up from the shadows.

Three prehistoric giant wolves, their bodies comparable to lions, covered in grayish-black long fur with saliva dripping from their muzzles, walked slowly out of the woods with elegant yet lethal strides, completely blocking the team's path!

Dire Wolves!

A prehistoric top predator several times larger than modern gray wolves!

They stood in a triangular formation, staring intently at this group of "two-legged sheep" that had intruded into their territory, their eyes filled with cruelty and playfulness.

The girls' screams once again echoed through the jungle.

However, this time, Qin Yu made a move that no one expected.

He moved.

Fast as lightning!

Before the Dire Wolves could launch an attack, he had already launched himself like a cannonball, proactively charging toward the largest alpha wolf!

"Roar!"

The alpha wolf clearly didn't expect this "two-legged sheep" to not only not run but also dare to attack proactively. It let out a tyrannical roar, opened its bloody maw, and its sickle-like claws lunged fiercely toward Qin Yu's chest!

However, Qin Yu's speed was even faster!

Just as the two crossed paths, Qin Yu's body suddenly dropped at an incredible angle, and the tactical folding knife in his hand turned into a silver flash, slashing upward fiercely across the alpha wolf's soft belly!

Pfft—!

A muffled sound, like a sharp blade cutting through leather!

The alpha wolf's momentum came to an abrupt halt. It let out a cry of pain and looked down to see that its belly had been slashed open with a massive gash deep enough to see the bone. Its warm intestines and internal organs spilled out onto the ground with a splash!

Instakill!

Another one-hit kill!

However, just as Qin Yu killed the alpha wolf and was about to deal with the other two, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the sports representative Chen Xiao's face. It was filled with terror, but deep in her eyes burned a flicker of unyielding fighting spirit.

A bold idea suddenly popped into his mind.

It was time to test the quality of a "golden legend."

He deliberately left a weakness, stepping back and exposing his back to the other two Dire Wolves flanking him.

Seeing this, the two Dire Wolves' eyes flared with ferocity. They unhesitatingly abandoned Qin Yu and instead pounced toward the group of defenseless, screaming girls behind him!

Their target was precisely Chen Xiao, who was standing on the outermost edge, her face pale with fright, but still subconsciously clutching a thick wooden stick tightly!

"Ah! Look out!"

Su Qingyao cried out in alarm.

Everyone thought Chen Xiao was doomed!

However, just as the Dire Wolf's bloody maw was about to snap Chen Xiao's neck, a sudden change occurred!

"Get away from me!!!"

In a desperate situation, Chen Xiao exploded with unprecedented courage. She let out a roar, turning all her fear into power. Gripping the thick wooden stick with both hands, she used all her strength to swing it fiercely at the Dire Wolf's head!

Vroom—!

At the moment she swung the stick, a faint, almost imperceptible crimson aura suddenly erupted from her body, instantly covering the wooden stick in her hands!

This was... Battle Qi?!