Stronger from Earth-Chapter 42: God’s Gun Unleashes Its Might

In the Greedy Wolf Hunting Team, Wang Xuan is a special presence. If you say he’s strong, with a sniper rifle in hand, he can shoot down cultivators in the Organ Refining Realm from a distance. Except for the captain, Yan Hua, no one dares to guarantee they can dodge his bullets.

Yet, if you say he’s weak, Wang Xuan has always remained in the Muscle Training Realm, pitifully low. In close combat, even Liu Hong, who is in the Bone Refining Realm, isn’t afraid of him. They’ve fought before, and she even has the upper hand; that’s the suppression of realms.

Thus, with her heart full of resentment towards Wang Xuan for not saving her sister, Liu Hong often speaks bitter words, with plenty of venom in them.

"I’m obsessed? Ha, Shen Yuan, if you’re willing to cozy up to someone who’s been in the Muscle Training Realm for ages, I am not. What’s the use of befriending him? Twenty years later, I’ll be a cultivator in the Organ Refining and Bone Marrow Refining Realms, while he’ll still just be in the Muscle Training Realm.

Birds of a feather flock together, I look down on him, call him a waste, does he dare to have an opinion?" Liu Hong raised her eyebrows, her words quite aggressive.

Once you hold a prejudice against someone, even if the other party is without fault, you’ll see their unpleasant side from certain angles, and the more you look, the more annoying they become.

Such prejudice is like an overwhelming force, difficult to reverse.

Shen Yuan also got angry, giving a short laugh: "Exactly, Wang Xuan has limited capability, so he couldn’t save your sister. But what about you? Not being able to save your own sister, watching her die right in front of your eyes—what kind of older sister are you? What meaning is there to your life?"

That past incident was a painful one for the Greedy Wolf Hunting Team, as well as a source of conflict, something the captain Yan Hua was extremely helpless about.

Half a year ago during a hunt, they went through great efforts to kill a fierce beast, and exhausted, they were taken advantage of by someone who wanted to kill them and steal their prey.

The wilderness is very dangerous, with many who do not want to honestly hunt and seek spiritual herbs, but prefer to kill and plunder, implementing a strategy akin to feeding horses without night grazing, committing such vile acts.

Liu Hong’s sister, the pharmacist Liu Lan, usually responsible for healing and other logistics tasks, was weaker in capability and did not move forward, but was therefore captured by the thieves.

The opposing side used her life to threaten the Greedy Wolf Hunting Team, and when Wang Xuan and the others compromised to give up the prey they had secured, the opponents suddenly attacked, not only wanting to take the prey but also intending to kill them all.

The first to bear the brunt was Liu Lan. Wang Xuan fired immediately, but it was still too late; Liu Lan was killed, and the assailant was shot in the head by Wang Xuan.

Because Wang Xuan was just a bit too late, Liu Hong could never forget it; she believed that if Wang Xuan had fired earlier, her sister would not have died.

But Wang Xuan is not a god; he cannot foresee everything, nor is he omnipotent; he is just a sharpshooter. Even if his shot was late, or he simply hadn’t fired, what would he owe Liu Hong? Not a single hair!

In wilderness actions, mutual assistance is a mutual benefit, but fundamentally, each person’s life is their own responsibility. Just like if a beggar starves to death, would you blame the giver for not giving more money or food?

Two silent people had been present until one spoke: "Shen Yuan, how can you speak to Liu Hong this way? Her sister died; can she not have grievances? Liu Lan’s death left us helpless, too. We can only fault Wang Xuan for not reacting timely. Otherwise, the Greedy Wolf would still have nine people."

"That’s enough!" Captain Yan Hua shouted, "Zou Ping, Shen Yuan, Liu Hong, say no more. We all hold responsibility for Liu Lan’s death; we can’t push it onto Wang Xuan. If blaming him lessens your guilt, then blame me instead."

Wishing for no one to die in a hunt is impossible. Captain, at fifty years of age, has seen a lot of life and death. Who must be responsible for another’s life?

No one!

Zou Ping snorted, disagreeing with Yan Hua’s words. Liu Lan was gentle and lovely, and he had quite some affection for her, regrettably never expressed.

Beside him was Zhou Minglun, a pursuer of Liu Hong, all three in the same camp, treating Wang Xuan with indifference, murmuring many idle words.

"Wang Xuan will return in a couple of days. With him as the sharpshooter, the pressure of our hunt will be much less, so save your chatter. Wang Xuan never owed you anything, nor did he seek anything from you.

If you truly can’t stand him, fight to the death one day, instead of nagging like grannies. It’s bothersome." Qin Hu muttered, displeased. Out in the wild, one can barely keep themselves alive, much less others. If he were to die, he’d blame only his lack of skill, not others’ untimely rescue.

Each person for their own fate!

One’s life is their own, and all words and deeds must be self-accountable, not hanging responsibility on others. No one can bear that burden.

"Those who acted back then are still living, living well. If you have what it takes, go find them; don’t just show toughness at home.

Holding Wang Xuan accountable for not saving Liu Lan, as if he must pay with his life—what kind of logic is that." Shen Yuan shook his head.

Everyone knows how much a sharpshooter like Wang Xuan aids the Greedy Wolf Hunting Team. Their recent unsuccessful operations in Siberia were due to the absence of Wang Xuan.

The dispute caused by Liu Lan subsided once again, and the group thought of a way to deal with the distant Iron-Scaled Tiger. Eventually, Liu Hong used medicine to lure the fierce beast into a fight with another territorial beast.

When the Iron-Scaled Tiger discovered the dung of the Golden Bear near its lair, and the Golden Bear’s cub was injured upon sensing the presence of the Iron-Scaled Tiger, the two fierce beasts started fighting without surprise.

Amidst the roars of the tiger and the bear, they saw flesh and blood flying. The Golden Bear boasted enormous strength and thick skin, but the Iron-Scaled Tiger’s skin had a layer of iron scales, offering defense comparable to steel.

The fierce battle lasted several minutes, ultimately ending with the Golden Bear’s throat torn open, its body covered in bloody claw marks, showcasing the ferocity of the Iron-Scaled Tiger.

As for the Iron-Scaled Tiger, it also had several bloody holes on its body, and its tiger eyes were filled with bloodthirst, its combat power unknown.

"Attack!"

With captain Yan Hua’s command, the Mechanical Spider nearby detonated a small explosive package. Though not hugely powerful, the smoke and powder it released engulfed the Iron-Scaled Tiger.

"Good!" Qin Hu shouted. The combination of Shen Yuan’s Mechanical Spider and Liu Hong’s tranquilizers significantly reduced the strength of the wounded Iron-Scaled Tiger, slowing its movements considerably.

Captain Yan Hua, along with Zou Ping, Zhou Minglun, and Qin Hu, stepped forward, constantly provoking the Iron-Scaled Tiger to accelerate the impact of the tranquilizers penetrating through its wounds.

Soon, the Iron-Scaled Tiger’s movements slowed down, akin to a drunk person, its reactions noticeably sluggish. This was the opportune moment to kill the Iron-Scaled Tiger.

Qin Hu approached from the front, shining a bright long blade in his hands, making the Iron-Scaled Tiger notably cautious, while Zou Ping and Zhou Minglun on the sides constantly disrupted and attacked, irritating the Iron-Scaled Tiger.

Even though the over-six-foot-tall Iron-Scaled Tiger was slow, it was still relative. Qin Hu and the others had to remain extremely cautious.

Signaling, Qin Hu and the other two aimed at the Iron-Scaled Tiger’s nose, attacking its eyes on both sides. The Iron-Scaled Tiger dodged back, swinging its right claw to deflect the sharp weapons.

At this moment, captain Yan Hua, who hadn’t acted, leapt up and punched the Iron-Scaled Tiger at the back of its head, landing a solid hit on its skull.

With a crash, the massive body of the Iron-Scaled Tiger collapsed to the ground.

Not trusting it, Yan Hua stepped forward and punched the giant tiger’s head twice more, finally allowing himself a sigh of relief.

"Well done!"

Liu Hong walked out from the distance, achieving a double success this time: not only acquiring the precious Iron-Scaled Tiger but also the Golden Bear killed by it.

She went up to check, and the Iron-Scaled Tiger was completely still, not even breathing, evidently dead from head trauma. "The tiger’s blood is useful to me; let me extract some first."

With a ruler-long sharp knife, she struggled to cut a small opening in the Iron-Scaled Tiger’s throat, then started collecting its blood.

After clearing the battlefield and handling the two fierce beasts, they could use satellite communications to have the Celestial Dragon Team’s aircraft come for transport. Of course, the freight cost was not low.

What they didn’t notice was the still Iron-Scaled Tiger’s eyes turning slightly, its amber eyes fixed on Liu Hong and the beside-standing Shen Yuan.

In an instant, the Iron-Scaled Tiger lunged, its paw pinning Liu Hong into the dirt, and a mighty step echoed the sound of breaking bones. Using its stepping force, the Iron-Scaled Tiger pounced at Shen Yuan, its huge head opening jaws wide enough to bite off Shen Yuan’s head.

In this critical moment, captain Yan Hua and the others hadn’t reacted yet, already seeing Shen Yuan’s head encompassed by the Iron-Scaled Tiger’s wide jaws.

The ferocity and speed of the lunging Iron-Scaled Tiger left them no time for rescue.

Just then, from afar, two finger-long bullets flew one after the other, precisely and timely striking the Iron-Scaled Tiger’s eyes, splattering two streams of blood.

How swift the bullets came, and so timely! Like a savior, gently dispelling the shrouding gloom.

Following soon were two gunshots echoing through the valley, far slower than the bullets’ speed.

With its brain matter shredded, the Iron-Scaled Tiger collapsed loudly, blood gushing, drenching Shen Yuan into a blood-soaked figure, narrowly escaping death, his mind blank.

Looking towards the direction of the gunshots, they saw, hundreds of meters away, Wang Xuan wearing a halo of sunlight, walking towards them with a towering and steady figure, appearing exceedingly mighty at this moment.

(Happy New Year! Shi Nanyan here wishes everyone: Good luck in Year of the Dog! Joy and happiness for the whole family! Good health! May everything go smoothly!)