Chapter 26: Doomsday Hunt

Worried that Liu Feng and his lackeys might be standing by the window watching him and Xuebing, Han Ning had Xuebing submerge beneath the surface while he swam toward the entrance of the residential complex.

He positioned himself in a blind spot beneath the gate and called out to Xuebing with his mind.

Splash!

The water rippled to his front left, and Xuebing slowly swam to his side.

"It's up to you now."

Han Ning stepped forward, carefully draping himself over Xuebing’s relatively flat back. He wrapped his arms around its thick neck and clamped his legs tightly against its cold body. This was a method Han Ning had devised for rapid movement through the water. Walking upright in the flooded streets or swimming manually was simply too slow. Xuebing was incredibly strong, so hauling an adult human shouldn’t be much of a problem.

"Let's go!"

"Awooo!"

The moment the command was given, Xuebing lashed its thick tail forward.

Splash!

Water sprayed everywhere as a powerful thrust surged from beneath him. Han Ning felt his body lighten, and he was propelled through the murky water as if riding a small, full-throttle speedboat, darting toward the east.

Xuebing’s underwater speed far exceeded Han Ning’s expectations. Its streamlined body barely stirred up any large waves, its limbs paddling rapidly while its thick tail acted as a propeller. The murky water rushed toward him, carrying a foul, earthy stench, and slapped coldly against his face. Since he was larger than Xuebing, his lower body remained partially submerged, forcing him to endure the friction against the water, which was quite uncomfortable. He could only squint, struggling to make out the blurred scenery ahead.

[Animal Companion (Intermediate) Proficiency +1, current: 55/200]

Along the way, Xuebing nimbly dodged all obstacles—tilted lampposts, half-sunken car roofs, floating trash cans—without losing much speed. Covering several hundred meters took only four or five minutes at Xuebing’s full sprint.

Ahead, a relatively open expanse of water appeared. The terrain here was slightly lower. On the murky surface, one could faintly see the tops of half-submerged pavilions and the crowns of tilted ornamental trees. This was Blue Bay Park, a location Han Ning had confirmed multiple times to be the route toward Egret Port with the lowest density of monsters.

"Head to the right; there's a public restroom there," Han Ning directed, pointing to a square building not far away, of which only the roof and part of the walls remained above water.

Xuebing understood, adjusted its direction, and increased its speed, darting toward the abandoned restroom like a grey-white arrow released from a bow. As they drew close, Han Ning released his grip, pushed off with his body, and barely managed to latch onto the slick tiled edge of the roof. He scrambled up onto the roof, which was covered in shallow water, looking somewhat disheveled.

"Woo?"

Xuebing didn't follow him up. It lurked silently in the water, circling the restroom once to ensure there was no danger before quietly poking its head out from the other side, looking at Han Ning with an inquiring gaze.

The restroom roof was about ten square meters, covered in a thin layer of rainwater and bird droppings, emitting a faint smell of ammonia. It offered a wide field of vision, surrounded by relatively low-lying water, making it an excellent ambush point.

"Wait a moment."

Han Ning wiped the water from his face and took off his backpack. He pulled out a bundle sealed in multiple layers of plastic bags and carefully unwrapped it. A smell of rotting meat immediately filled the air. Inside the bag were several chicken legs that had long since rotted and turned black.

"Hold this." Han Ning held the foul-smelling chicken leg toward Xuebing.

"Gurgle..."

Xuebing nimbly clamped onto the bone. Putrid juices dripped from its mouth, leaving a small oil slick on the murky water.

"Good. Now, dive down and search for other crocodile lizards in the park," Han Ning commanded again. "Then, lure them back here."

"Hiss!"

Xuebing gave a muffled acknowledgement, clamped down on the chicken leg, and plunged its head downward, submerging its entire body into the murky water.

Han Ning pressed his body against the roof of the restroom as much as possible, focusing his attention on Xuebing. Xuebing began exploring the surrounding area, using the restroom as the center.

Time ticked by. Raindrops drummed rhythmically against his black raincoat, producing a monotonous patter. Han Ning remained motionless, lying on the edge of the roof with his right palm pressed against the tiles.

Suddenly, a strong sense of alarm emanated from Xuebing.

In his perception, two relatively large, dark shadows were closing in on Xuebing’s position from the murky waters nearby, like sharks that had caught the scent of blood.

"They're here!" Han Ning’s heart tightened as he immediately directed Xuebing, "Return quickly, and lure them to the base of the restroom wall."

"Hiss..."

Xuebing didn't hesitate; it accelerated back toward the restroom with the rotten chicken leg still in its mouth. It was currently three or four hundred meters away in a straight line, and the two crocodile lizards were larger than it and slightly faster.

The distance between them closed rapidly. Thirty meters... twenty meters... ten meters.

Just as the two crocodile lizards were about to reach Xuebing, their hideous maws wide open in preparation to snatch the rotting meat, Xuebing successfully returned to within five meters of the restroom.

"Now! Let go and dive!" Han Ning’s signal came through.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A total of twelve vines, each as thick as three fingers, shot out from the top of the restroom. Six of them acted like precise lassos, entangling the limbs and long tail of the leading crocodile lizard. The other six lashed out toward the neck and torso of the second one.

"Roar!"

The leading crocodile lizard was caught off guard, its limbs and tail firmly bound by the tough vines. Its massive momentum was brought to a sudden halt, and it let out an angry, terrified roar, twisting its body in a desperate attempt to break free. Its grey-white skin scraped violently against the thorns of the vines, creating a grating sound and splashing water everywhere.

[Vine Technique Proficiency +2, current: 184/200]

"Roar!!"

The second crocodile lizard reacted faster. The moment the vines touched it, it jerked its head and bit down on the encroaching vines.

Snap! Snap!

Two vines broke instantly!

But the remaining four clung to its neck and a hind limb like leeches. It was temporarily trapped in place, frantically scratching at the vines with its free foreclaws and lashing its tail against the water.

"Xuebing, attack the one in the back."

The one in the back was slightly smaller; it was better to eliminate the weaker one first.

"Awooo!"

Almost the instant the vines ensnared the targets, Xuebing dropped the rotten meat as commanded and launched its body upward like a spring.

Splash!

Water erupted as Xuebing’s head broke the surface. Its yellow, slit-pupil eyes locked onto the second crocodile lizard, which was struggling frantically.

"Roar!" Xuebing let out a low, deep growl, distinct from the roars of the other two creatures.

It pushed off the slick wall of the restroom with its thick hind legs. Using the leverage, its entire body leapt through the air toward the temporarily restrained crocodile lizard. Its bloody maw snapped down toward the creature's relatively vulnerable neck.

Squish!

The sickening sound of sharp teeth piercing flesh echoed out. Xuebing’s fangs sank deep into the crocodile lizard’s neck.

"Wooo!!"

In an instant, dark red beast blood sprayed out, staining the murky water red.