Chapter 324 – Type 2 Mutant Leopard Cat!

Translated by: Kun

Edited by: Ulamog, Dedition

[Book 3: The South]

Yue Zhong rolled to the side, and swiftly leapt back to his feet, pulling out his trusty PF98 that had worked against many Type 2 Mutant Beasts. Although it had only 9 rounds left, at this crucial point in time, he couldn’t care less.

Yue Zhong had just aimed at the Type 2 Leopard Cat, when it used its 4 limbs to push itself off the ground, disappearing from Yue Zhong’s aim like a ghost. This Type 2 Leopard Cat was not like other Type 2 Mutant Beasts which had huge bodies. Although it didn’t have the power and defence that came with the size, its speed on the other hand was extremely terrifying.

The moment the Type 2 Leopard Cat disappeared, it appeared to Yue Zhong’s right, its eyes filled with a cold and cruel tint, as it swiped its claws towards Yue Zhong’s neck. As long as it found its aim, Yue Zhong’s head would be slashed away.

Yue Zhong threw the PF98 to one side while waving across his ring, and the 2m-long Black Tooth Blade appeared in his hand. He only had time to bring it in front of him to defend, and the huge cat paw struck the blade.

The moment the claws met the blade, a huge force reverbed throughout the sword, causing the Black Tooth blade to tremble uncontrollably. Yue Zhong had forcefully blocked this attack, but had been sent flying a few metres backwards.

Although the Type 2 Leopard Cat was not as strong as the other behemoth Type 2s, its strength still exceeded Yue Zhong who wasn’t a Strength-based Evolver. The moment Yue Zhong was sent flying, the Type 2 Leopard Cat had sprung forward like a bolt of lightning. Its vapor like movement made it appear in front of Yue Zhong, once more stretching out its huge claws to swipe at him!

Yue Zhong took a deep breath, activating his [Gravity Manipulation], as a 100 jin suddenly weighed down on the Type 2 Leopard Cat.

With the pressure of the 100-jin, the Type 2 Leopard Cat found its speed greatly reduced, and while Yue Zhong who had activated his [Shadow Steps] accordingly was still far from matching it, he was not as helpless as he was at the beginning of the fight.

Different skills could create different results for different situations. Yue Zhong’s [Gravity Manipulation] was low-level, and could only exhibit its effectiveness on a non-strength type Mutant Beast like the Leopard Cat. If it was a Type 2 Black Scaled Boar, then the 100-jin weight would not even feel like anything to the beast.

Yue Zhong could now catch the speed of the Type 2 Leopard Cat, and his eyes flashed with ferocity. The Black Tooth Blade in his hands turned into a flash as it slashed towards the Mutant Beast, intending to cleave it in 2.

This Type 2 Leopard Cat had truly given Yue Zhong a dangerous sense of pressure. The speed it exhibited was precisely the perfect counter to Yue Zhong’s chosen path of enhancement. His main killing blow, the PF98, could do nothing to the speed of this Type 2 Leopard Cat. Using the PF98 was just a meaningless way to die.

The Type 2 Leopard Cat agilely twisted its body, evading the blow from the Black Tooth Blade, before it curled up slightly, and sprung out explosively towards Yue Zhong, knocking him to the ground.

When it had knocked Yue Zhong to the ground, it opened its huge jaws to chomp down towards Yue Zhong’s neck!

At this critical juncture, Yue Zhong’s left hand raised up to defend his neck, and the Type 2 Leopard Cat bit down harshly, its sharp teeth penetrating through the Type 2 Mutant Black Scaled Boar hide, crus.h.i.+ng the bones in Yue Zhong’s left hand.

“Bind it Chen Yao!!!” Yue Zhong hollered amidst the excruciating pain he was feeling.

In response, 4 vines suddenly shot out from the ground, and coiled around the limbs of the Type 2 Leopard Cat like snakes, pulling down tightly, and dragging it forcefully away from Yue Zhong’s body.

Chen Yao had already risen to Level 23, and not only was she an Evolver, her [Plant Manipulation] ability was risen to Level 3, her control over her vines had improved plus the vines themselves had grown a lot st.u.r.dier. It was definitely enough to contend with this non-Strength based Type 2 Mutant Beast.

Yue Zhong rolled towards this direction, because he had seen Chen Yao’s vines being controlled here.

When the Type 2 Leopard Cat found its limbs entangled, it started struggling furiously, and the 4 vines were being tested to their limits, seemingly about to break anytime.

Yue Zhong eyed the Type 2 Leopard Cat that was bound tightly, and immediately activated his [Body Encompa.s.sing Armor], and White Bones turned into a bone carapace that covered his entire body. His left hand that was mangled by the Leopard Cat could only form an exoskeleton with White Bones’ carapace.

“Stinky cat!! You have bitten off more than you can chew!! Now it’s my turn!!” Yue Zhong glared at the Type 2 Leopard Cat, and his eyes showed a cold hate, before jumping onto the cat’s head. As he landed, immediately his fist started pummeling the head of the Type 2 Leopard Cat, his 60+ Strength exploded out, beating the Type 2 Leopard Cat senseless.

Yue Zhong punched out with all his strength, his fists raining down on the head, causing the brain to suffer the whiplash from the force until it started haemorrhaging.

Yue Zhong’s Strength that was far greater than a normal person could not do much to a huge Type 2 Mutant Beast with a thick hide and huge body ma.s.s, but to the Type 2 Leopard Cat that was Agility-focused, it had an immense potential to maim and kill.

The Type 2 Leopard Cat continued to struggle violently, each time pulling the vines tautly.

On the other side, Chen Yao’s eyes were bloodshot, she had expended her Spirit to maintain the strength of the vines, and to prevent them from breaking. Without the support from her Spirit, the vines would have snapped long ago.

Yue Zhong’s fists collided with the head of the Type 2 Leopard Cat constantly, after bas.h.i.+ng it multiple times did the Leopard Cat finally slump limply to the ground.

Yue Zhong then heaved a sigh of relief, and allocated the precious skill point to the [Tamer Technique] causing it to reach +2, increasing the number of lifeforms he could tame to 3.

Yue Zhong then focused the [Tamer Technique] onto the Type 2 Leopard Cat that was beaten senseless by him, as a green light shot in between the brows of the Leopard Cat, and started to condense into a rune. Upon completion, it entered the body of the Type 2 Leopard Cat.

The gaze of the Type 2 Leopard Cat immediately turned fierce, and the condensing rune dissipated. Yue Zhong’s 1st attempt at taming this beast was a failure!

“d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” Yue Zhong roared out angrily as he pummeled the head of the Type 2 Leopard Cat with his right fist mercilessly, and las.h.i.+ng out with dozens of blows, causing the Type 2 Leopard Cat to throw up blood again, become dispirited.

Yue Zhong saw that the Type 2 Leopard Cat threw up blood again, and once more activated his [Tamer Technique, as the green light once again shot in between the brows of the Type 2 Leopard Cat, and condensed into a rune as it entered its body.

Only this time, there was no further resistance from the Type 2 Leopard Cat, and the rune was fully absorbed into its body.

When the [Tamer Technique] rune entered the body of the Type 2 Leopard Cat, Yue Zhong felt the connection established between them.

Yue Zhong heaved a sigh of relief, and called out to Chen Yao: “Chen Yao! You can release it now!!”

Chen Yao then deactivated her [Plant Manipulation] ability, and the 4 vines swiftly disappeared. She panted, and her back was drenched in sweat, while looking at Yue Zhong, her heart filled with worry and fear.

If Yue Zhong had been killed by that Type 2 Leopard Cat earlier, the entire group would have lost their will. Chen Yao shuddered to think of her fate in such treacherous terrains.

Although Chen Yao had successfully become an Evolver, in this post-apocalyptic world, the strong were as many as the clouds. Even Yue Zhong did not dare to say he was an invincible existence, more so for herself. She did not have the confidence to even handle a single warrior of Wuyan Hong’s troops. The moment she was captured, she would live a life worse than death.

After the Type 2 Leopard Cat was released from its binding, it approached Yue Zhong docilely, as it nuzzled Yue Zhong, giving an air of playfulness.

“Your speed is so fast! Let’s call you Lightning then!!” Yue Zhong pulled out a Type 2 Forest Venomous Snake’s nuclei and fed it to the Type 2 Leopard Cat he just tamed as he said. *1

Lightning stuck out its tongue and gobbled up the offered nuclei, before crunching it, and its huge eyes squinted comfortably, licking Yue Zhong constantly.

The flesh and blood of high-levelled Evolvers, Zombies, Mutant Beasts and even the nuclei of some Mutant Beasts were all nourishments that helped evolution for Mutant Beasts. Amongst them, the nuclei was one of the preferred food of the Mutant Beasts, as swallowing them could help boost the evolution process.

“Let’s go!!” Yue Zhong called out to the entire fleet that had stopped moving.

Under Yue Zhong’s orders, the fleet that had come to a stop resumed its journey towards Nabu Town.

With Lightning’s protection, there were no more attacks from any Mutant Beasts along the way. Finally, daylight shone and they reached the zombie-infested Nabu Town.

When Yue Zhong reached Nabu Town, he took out a small bottle of juice that was squeezed from the Snake Birth Fruit and gave it to Gan Tao, saying: “Gan Tao, drink this! After you consume it, you will gain a huge power!”

“Yes! Boss Yue!!” Gan Tao eyed the bottle, without hesitation, he downed the whole bottle in a single gulp. Even if Yue Zhong did not have good intentions, he would not retaliate. Furthermore, he trusted Yue Zhong deeply, because Yue Zhong had rescued him and his brothers from the depths of h.e.l.l.

After Gan Tao drank the Snake Birth Fruit juice, he was soon besieged by that raging force, his entire body turning feverish, and his eyes went dark as he slumped to the floor. *2

“Squad Leader!!” Gan Tao’s brothers immediately knelt down to support Gan Tao, as they looked to Yue Zhong worriedly, hoping to get an explanation.

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TN:

*1 – I swear, Yue Zhong can be a little simple at times. Cheers to Final Fantasy XIII fans out there.

*2 – Now selling, Snake Birth Fruit Juice! Guaranteed to knock you out faster than a vodka martini! You wake up feeling even better!