Comparing the few Blood Cores of different sizes in his hand, Fang Cheng had a rough guess in mind.

The probability of a Blood Core forming, as well as its quality, was in absolute positive correlation with the individual strength of the Mutant Beast.

The stronger the Mutant Beast, the larger the Blood Core it condensed, and the purer the Life Energy contained within.

And this pure Life Energy crystal was precisely the "food" most coveted by those Black Monsters lurking inside the storm.

Fang Cheng reached back to touch the marching pack on his back, pulled open the side zipper, and tossed the three newly acquired trophies inside.

Counting the two small Blood Cores he’d dug out earlier, he now had six in hand.

Fang Cheng held the slightly dim bead that had been partially devoured by a Black Monster in his palm, quietly feeling the warm energy leaking out from within.

For a Martial Artist’s True Qi cultivation, this thing was undoubtedly an excellent tonic.

Perhaps for ordinary people, it also had immeasurable effects in strengthening the body and awakening Superpowers.

Otherwise, the military wouldn’t have made such a big deal of it, even joining forces with the Noah Organization to launch a secret research project just to explore this world.

As Fang Cheng pondered in silence.

Everyone in the hall held their breath, maintaining a humble posture the whole time, not daring to make a sound.

Aside from the occasional thunderous tremors from overhead, this underground space felt unusually quiet.

"Gu-luuuurp——"

A loud gurgle of churning intestines suddenly sounded, shattering the surrounding silence.

Fang Cheng turned his head toward the sound.

He saw Pike staring at the smashed Crawling Beast carcasses on the ground, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his throat worked, a bright string of drool glistening at the corner of his mouth.

For those wasteland bottom-dwellers who’d lived for years on moss, fungus, and rats, these several hundred kilos of fresh High Order beast meat were basically a mountain of gold exuding fatal temptation.

Kael was crouched on the ground examining Roken’s injuries. Hearing the noise, he turned around.

Seeing the kid sprawled shamelessly beside the Crawling Beast’s corpse, he hurried over and slapped Pike on the back of the head, lowering his voice to bark:

"Put your eyeballs away, that’s the lord’s prey. You got a death wish?!"

Fang Cheng adjusted the shoulder strap of his marching pack, his gaze sweeping over Pike’s shriveled stomach as he said casually:

"These beasts are too big. I can’t carry them. You guys can split the meat yourselves."

"Huh, really?!"

Pike jerked his head up, his eyes lighting up like two searchlights.

Fang Cheng smiled and nodded:

"Leave ten jin for me so I can have a taste, that’s enough."

With that confirmed, Pike let out an outright cheer.

He immediately yanked out the chipped Dagger at his waist and aimed it at the spine of the nearest Crawling Beast, about to stab down.

"Slow down, don’t just hack blindly!"

Ira saw this and rushed over, grabbing Pike by the wrist.

She wiped the dirt off her face with her sleeve, then pointed at a bulging lump under the creature’s spine and gestured:

"This is the Crawling Beast’s poison gland. If you cut it open, all the meat is ruined."

"You should stick the knife in from the back of the neck, cut from top to bottom, avoid the organs. The meat in this area has the least radiation contamination..."

"Ira’s right. Move, let me do the cutting."

Kael came over as well, drew his chopper, and took Pike’s place while giving orders:

"You go spread out those few relatively clean tarps. Get ready to wrap the meat."

With professional guidance, plus Kael’s practiced hands, the half-ton Crawling Beast was quickly broken down.

But that just turned into a kind of happy headache.

Because there was simply too much meat to carry.

And there were two more beasts of roughly the same size lying nearby.

Kael picked the fattest hindquarter, cut off about ten jin of meat, then cinched it tight with hemp rope and tied a slipknot.

He carried the heavy bundle of beast meat over to Fang Cheng, held it out respectfully with both hands, and bowed his head:

"Lord, this is the amount you asked for. It’s just...there’s really too much meat. The few of us can’t haul it all."

"I plan to take part of it first, mark the spot, then bring the camp’s transport team over tomorrow to haul the rest."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, having no objections at all.

As he reached out to take the meat, he thought for a moment, then casually tossed over the damaged Blood Core in his hand:

"This is for you."

Kael hurried to catch it.

When he finally saw what was in his hand, his knees went weak and he almost dropped straight to the ground:

"A Third-stage Blood Core?! Lord... th-this is too valuable!"

"Think of it as a guide’s deposit."

Fang Cheng brushed the dust off his hands and instructed:

"I’m not familiar with this place. I need a reliable guide to take me around for a bit."

"Yes, my lord."

Kael’s face flushed red. He clenched the Blood Core tightly in both hands, nodding in excitement:

"It’s our squad’s honor to lead the way for you. I guarantee we won’t slip up in the slightest!"

He immediately turned and called to the others, speeding up the withdrawal.

Ira quickly pulled out a few rolls of bandages, and through the protective suit she roughly stabilized Roken’s broken arm.

Pike gritted his teeth and struggled to hoist a meat bundle weighing dozens of jin onto his back.

He was already skinny and scrawny, and the heavy load bent him almost into a bow.

With each step, his body swayed uncontrollably from side to side, like a turtle carrying a boulder, looking rather comical.

Roken stood up and couldn’t help but grin as he teased:

"Hey, little Pike, watch your bones don’t snap. If this arm of mine wasn’t busted, when would it ever be your turn to do this kind of heavy lifting?"

Pike stiffened his neck and shot back, unwilling to concede:

"I’m not that delicate! Once I eat more beast meat and build up my strength, I’ll definitely be taller and stronger than you!"