At that same moment, Bai Youwei, positioned at the high point on the hillside, also spotted signs of trouble.

Although she had the geographic advantage, she couldn’t see into the forest. Only when the enemy’s eight people emerged from the trees and stepped onto the open grassland with no cover did she get a clear view.

“Zhang Yu, run for the cat’s safety cabin!

Wu Meng’an, run for the fox’s safety cabin!

Watch out for traps!”

At Bai Youwei’s command, Zhang Yu and Wu Meng’an bolted in separate directions into the woods — while Ye Chong’s eight people split into two groups of four, each group giving chase!

Bai Youwei narrowed her eyes, watching those figures disappear from her field of vision, then issued new orders:

“Shen Mo, Yu Chaohui — go to the fox cabin to provide backup!

A’Long and Tan Xiao — go to the cat cabin to provide backup!”

She turned to A’Shalina beside her. “You go provide backup too.”

A’Shalina nodded and nimbly leaped down the hillside, sprinting off in the direction of the safety cabins.

Bai Youwei sat in her wheelchair, gazing at the stretch of seemingly tranquil jungle ahead, deep in thought. “Four people went after the cat… four people after the fox… So where would the mouse be?”

First: Ye Chong had no partner. That meant he trusted no one.

Second: he was passionate about killing. To ensure the mouse stayed out of trouble and didn’t spoil his hunt, he would likely never let the mouse out of his sight. So the mouse was probably in the same group as Ye Chong.

The group that had been with Ye Chong a moment ago had numbered three people — a stocky, muscular man; a young man in a baseball cap; and a girl with her hair in a ponytail.

Which one of them was the mouse?

While Bai Youwei was pondering this, Shen Mo’s voice came through the wristband:

“Wu Meng’an has been eliminated. The enemy moved very fast — they eliminated Wu Meng’an and immediately withdrew.”

A two-second pause, then: “We arrived too late.”

“What’s Wu Meng’an’s situation right now?” Bai Youwei asked.

Shen Mo replied: “He was touched on the body by a tall, slender man with his wristband. Wu Meng’an vanished on the spot. The other person moved very quickly and has already withdrawn. Shall we pursue?”

Tall and slender… that must be the young man in the baseball cap.

“No need to pursue.” Bai Youwei pressed the indicator showing the white dot near the cat cabin, then asked, “Zhang Yu, what’s your situation?”

Zhang Yu didn’t respond.

“Zhang Yu?”

Tan Xiao’s voice came through: “A’Long and I are right near the cat cabin — no sign of Zhang Yu! …Zhang Yu? Zhang Yu, where are you?!”

Finally, Zhang Yu’s voice came through: “I’m up in a tree… I hid. Those people just withdrew.”

So Ye Chong had led all his teammates charging in, struck fast, eliminated one person, and immediately pulled back.

It wasn’t a bad strategy.

With superior numbers, when eight people came rushing in all at once, no matter what animal the target was, they could find the corresponding predator in the food chain above it. And even if they couldn’t determine that, eight people together could use sheer force to drive the target into a trap.

Bai Youwei thought for a moment, then said: “Everyone, come to the hillside.”

Shortly after, Shen Mo, Yu Chaohui, Tan Xiao, and the others all returned. They gathered around Bai Youwei, their spirits somewhat deflated.

They had just lost one of their team.

Even if it was just a wolf, the numbers disadvantage had become apparent.

“There’s no need to worry. Even though we’re one person down, the enemy’s move has given us some information.” Bai Youwei said calmly. “The tall, slender young man in the baseball cap is likely either a leopard or an elephant.”

Yu Chaohui frowned. “He suddenly accelerated within seconds — we had no time to get there before Wu Meng’an was eliminated. If someone like that turns out to be an elephant, we’re going to have a very hard time dealing with him.”

“The sudden burst of speed must have come from an item, right?” A’Shalina said. “A speed boost either has a time limit or a usage limit — infinite acceleration isn’t possible.”

—