Hu Dashan rushed back breathlessly to regroup with his teammates.

When he arrived at camp, he found two people missing.

The elephant and the fox were gone.

Hu Dashan’s expression shifted. It didn’t matter that the fox was gone, but how had the elephant — the apex of the food chain — disappeared too? How were they supposed to fight going forward?

Everyone’s face looked grim, and Ye Chong’s expression was especially dark.

“That person called Shen Mo, and the man beside him — their offensive pressure has been relentless. They’re probably the elephant and the bear. Before the operation, I already said to keep the elephant and bear occupied while our attack targets were the other few people. What exactly did you all do?”

Ye Chong’s cold gaze swept across each person’s face, his voice soft and low: “You all… actually ran.”

The muscular man and the ponytail girl trembled, lowering their heads in fear.

“We… we were afraid of being eliminated.” The muscular man stuttered through his explanation. “The way they came charging at us…”

“Idiots!” Ye Chong hissed. “How did you know it wasn’t a feint?! It’s precisely because you fled so cleanly that they’ve now identified you two as low-tier animals!!!”

The two shook and shivered, heads bowed, not daring to make another sound.

Ye Chong closed his eyes, breathing slowly, his voice and expression alike returning to calm:

“The cat dying doesn’t matter, but the mouse cannot die. Our elephant has already been eliminated, while their elephant is still alive and well. The next step is to find a way to deal with their elephant — otherwise, a six-versus-seven situation is very unfavorable for us.”

Upon hearing this, Hu Dashan raised his head and said carefully, “It’s not six versus seven… it’s six versus six.”

Ye Chong looked at him.

Hu Dashan said with some embarrassment, “That is to say… just now, I managed to get one of their team members into a trap. I don’t know what animal they are, so I didn’t use the predation key.”

—

“Oh…” A glimmer of light flashed in Ye Chong’s eyes, and a faint smile appeared. “Which trap?”

Hu Dashan froze, staring at Ye Chong. “You… do you have another plan?”

A dark smile curled at the corner of Ye Chong’s mouth, his index fingers interlaced as he lightly rubbed them together. “Nothing much. I simply want to invite our guest… to come sit with us…”

—

When Tan Xiao saw Hu Dashan return, he thought the other man had grown a conscience and come to rescue him.

He sat at the bottom of the pit and cursed with some backbone: “It’s too late to regret it now! I’m telling you, Hu Dashan — Brother Xiao here doesn’t need your rescue! I’ve already been eliminated, so what are you doing coming to play the fake good guy? Hypocrite! Scum of the martial world!”

Hu Dashan didn’t dare look at him. He silently tossed down a length of rope.

Tan Xiao ignored it and snorted coldly. “I don’t need your fake charity! I’m perfectly fine here — go cool off somewhere else! I don’t have a brother like you!”

Hu Dashan said nothing.

From the other side of the trap, a lasso dropped down, looped around Tan Xiao’s neck, and hoisted him straight up!

Tan Xiao was startled, grabbing the rope around his neck and yanking hard, cursing, “What the hell?! Hu Dashan, what are you trying to do now?! Can’t you see the spikes up there?! You want to drag me through those and impale me to death?!”

Craning his neck upward, he couldn’t see Hu Dashan — only the rapidly approaching spikes at the edge of the hole. He struggled with all his might, but it was unavoidable — the spikes pierced through him!

The searing pain plunged Tan Xiao into darkness, and he lost consciousness immediately.

When he next awoke, he found himself inside a cave, bound hand and foot, covered in wounds. Surrounding him were people whose faces looked as though they’d lost their closest kin.

A bonfire burned fiercely. Ye Chong walked in from outside, smiling as he looked at everyone: “Why does no one have any energy?”

Hu Dashan answered with cautious quiet: “This… it’s probably because… everyone hasn’t really eaten much these past two days…”

Tan Xiao’s eyes widened in shock.

Holy hell! He’d never seen Hu Dashan look so spineless before!

Hearing this, Ye Chong pressed his palms together, then unhurriedly retrieved crackers, canned goods, bottled water, and other provisions from the center of his palms, placing them before everyone.

“We really are a bit worn out.” He smiled faintly. “Since today’s harvest has been plentiful, let everyone replenish their strength and get some proper rest.”

—