Lin Tuo's initial landing site had already been near the western region. Since this continent only spanned about 300,000 square kilometers, even without proper roads—forced to drive across wastelands while frequently hunting beasts—he still managed to reach the Great Western Continent within two days.
Along the way, there had been no real incidents. The biggest problem was that the car ran out of fuel.
Since the vehicle was fuel-powered, Lin Tuo simply used the Sand Table to purchase several barrels of gasoline from Yang City. With high-quality fuel injected, the speed of the beat-up modified vehicle noticeably increased.
During this journey, Huaxi gradually grew more comfortable with him.
Even without Lin Tuo asking, she would chatter endlessly, most of the time recounting her so-called glorious exploits in the wilderness. Lin Tuo listened as casual amusement.
By the third day, they finally entered the western mountain ranges, where the terrain became impassable for the vehicle.
"The road ahead isn't suitable for driving anymore. Pack up—we'll be going on foot."
The sky was dim and overcast, the wind howling bitterly.
The closer they drew to the Great Western Continent, the lower the temperature dropped. Even Lin Tuo had to keep moving to generate heat.
"Okay."
In the back seat, Huaxi, wrapped in thick cotton clothes and a wool hat, swiftly strapped the nearly empty ammo bag to her shoulder, stuffed a few cans of beer inside, and clutched her rifle tightly.
In these two days, she had already adapted to her new role as his "assistant" or "follower."
Looking up, the endless western mountains loomed ahead.
The sky was piled high with dark clouds, light dim and oppressive. The mountains lay sprawled across the earth like giant beasts, instilling dread.
Not far ahead stood a wooden post—a signpost with three arrows pointing in different directions. The words "Burning Flame," "Grey Mountain," and "Doomsday Floaters" were scrawled upon them.
Seeing this, Lin Tuo's expression grew strange.
"These should be markers they set up for latecomers," Huaxi said, tightening her collar. "The names indicate the directions of the three factions."
"I thought this place would be a chaotic battlefield," Lin Tuo remarked.
Huaxi shook her head.
"Until valuable finds show up, no large-scale fighting will break out. The three sides have fought too many times over the years—they've developed an unspoken understanding.
"These mountains are crawling with powerful mutated beasts. Instead of wasting energy fighting each other, it's better to sweep the area together.
"Of course, if they really stumble upon a massive arsenal, a laboratory, or the Seal… peace won't last."
Lin Tuo nodded. "And your suggestion?"
"I think we should first find a Hunter's Lodge to gather intelligence, then decide our next move," Huaxi said calmly.
"Lead the way." Pulling his wind mask tighter, Lin Tuo's muffled voice was firm.
The so-called Hunter's Lodge was simply a branch outpost of the Doomsday Floaters. Even here, at the forward edge of the Great Western Continent, it was present.
Abandoning the vehicle, Lin Tuo and Huaxi trekked on foot along a snowy mountain path.
Before long, they began encountering other evolvers—some traveling alone, others in small groups—wrapped in thick winter gear, weapons in hand, all keeping wary distance from one another.
"These are wilderness hunters," Huaxi whispered. "They're hoping to profit while the Great Western Continent is open—by hunting beasts, exploring ruins, or looting supplies. Don't worry, as long as we don't draw attention, no one will bother us."
Lin Tuo nodded silently, remaining alert.
They continued forward, passing occasional makeshift shelters. After climbing another hill, a newly erected encampment appeared in view.
A flag bearing the emblem of the Doomsday Floaters flapped in the icy wind.
"That's the Hunter's Lodge," Huaxi said.
At the same time, sporadic gunfire echoed faintly from deep within the mountains—coming from all directions, numerous in number.
"Those gunshots… the exploration teams of the three factions?" Lin Tuo asked. When Huaxi confirmed, he let his gaze briefly turn hazy—shifting his awareness back to his main body to survey the terrain with full-map vision.
From above, the western mountains stretched white with snow, broken by scattered forests, thick clouds hanging low overhead.
Within the ridges, three main forces could be seen, spread at safe distances. From south to north: Burning Flame, Doomsday Floaters, and Grey Mountain.
The Doomsday Floaters in the middle were the fewest and least organized, likely individual strong hunters roaming freely.
North and south, however, Burning Fire and Ashen Mountain moved in organized armies, heavily armed.
Further west, hidden among valleys, lay scattered ruins.
Yet these held little interest for Lin Tuo.
Returning his focus to the Sand Table, Lin Tuo followed Huaxi into the Hunter's Lodge.
The camp was messy, its center marked by wooden structures, guarded men watching every passerby with suspicion.
Huaxi, experienced, kept her face hidden under her mask and carried herself straight-backed as she pushed open the door to a wooden hut.
Inside, conversations hushed instantly. Several pairs of eyes turned toward the two snow-swept figures entering—then quickly looked away.
The place resembled a bar more than a lodge.
A fire roared in the hearth, warding off the chill. Around thirty people were scattered near the bar, warming themselves, drinking bitter liquor brewed from wild fruit.
"One intelligence summary, recent," Huaxi said, feigning familiarity. She placed her ID badge on the counter and addressed the Doomsday Floater "attendant."
"Five standard bullets or equivalent." The attendant's voice was flat.
Robbery…
Huaxi cursed inwardly, reluctantly handing over five bullets in exchange for something resembling a newspaper, which she passed to Lin Tuo.
Glancing through it, Lin Tuo raised a brow.
It did resemble a simplified newspaper, recording local "intelligence" from the past seven days.
Most of it was outdated, but the most valuable information was a list of confirmed mutated beast activity zones across the western mountains.
Marked in ink, the red zones were clearly the most dangerous.
What was danger to others, however, was the perfect tempering ground for him.
Another detail caught his attention: a Hunter Kill Ranking.
Essentially, a record of wilderness hunters' achievements in the Great Western Continent—a rough "power ranking."
By consulting the list, others could judge who to provoke and who to avoid.
Each name was followed by a score.
First place was held by a hunter named "Lone Wolf," with a staggering 876 points—more than 150 ahead of second place.
The ranking covered the top fifty.
"They really know how to play the game." Lin Tuo chuckled, then pocketed the paper. "Let's go."
Without hesitation, he turned and strode out. Huaxi blinked, then hurried silently after him.
As the door shut behind them, three hunters inside quietly rose, grabbed their weapons, and slipped out after them.
The rest merely exchanged glances, their eyes tinged with wariness.
"Someone's tailing us."
Back in the freezing wind of the mountains, Huaxi whispered after they'd walked some distance.
"I know." Lin Tuo's stride never slowed, his voice calm, indifferent:
"Just a few rats. If they dare try me, I'll kill them."
Over the past two days, crossing from the central wastelands to the western mountains, Lin Tuo had slain countless mutated beasts.
His tempering progress had risen steadily, his combat experience sharpening.
He'd also been ambushed by a few hunters—each swiftly killed in turn.
By now, a faint aura of killing intent clung to him, his personality honed sharper.
So when those words fell lightly from his lips, they chilled Huaxi to the bone.
She knew full well—this mysterious man she followed absolutely had the power to back them.
In fact, walking beside him, she often wondered whether anyone on this wasteland could truly stand against him.
"Whooosh—whooosh!"
Suddenly, strange whistling tore through the air above, growing louder by the second.
Huaxi instinctively rolled, raising her rifle toward the sky. Then she saw it—
A massive bird of prey was diving toward them. Its body as large as a man's, feathers jet black, its wings glinting metallic. Clearly, it had marked them as prey.
Behind them, the three stalking hunters froze in shock, weapons raised, expressions grim.
"It's an Ironwing Bird!"
As hunters who had arrived earlier in the Great Western Continent, they knew well the terror of this mutated avian.
Its feathers were as hard as iron, its movements swift and agile, bullets often useless. Worst of all, once it chose a target, escape was nearly impossible.
Even those ranking high on the Hunter's List avoided provoking it.
"They're dead. Let's go," the leader said decisively, though his tone betrayed regret.
But just then—everything changed.
Ahead, that tall, lean figure did not dodge. Instead, he pulled into a strange stance—
—and in his hands formed a translucent bow!
Martial Ancestor's Weapon Manifestation—Bow as Crescent Moon!
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tuo's wrist flicked, loosing an arrow of condensed Ether straight at the sky!
At the same moment, Huaxi shifted her aim, firing a burst of bullets to block the bird's evasive path.
"Boom!"
With a sharp cry, the Ironwing Bird's skull was blown apart mid-flight, its huge body collapsing lifeless before it even hit the ground.
Like a severed kite, it crashed into the snow below.
"This…"
"Impossible?!"
The three hunters stared, blood running cold.
They had never imagined their "prey" could be this powerful.
"They're leaving!" one gasped after a long silence.
The others blinked, realizing—
The tall man and the girl hadn't even bothered to collect the corpse of the Ironwing Bird. Their figures had already drifted farther into the distance, fading into two small dots.
The three exchanged uneasy glances, then finally dared to step forward and haul up the frozen beast.
"Back to the Hunter's Lodge! News of a mysterious powerhouse arriving in the Great Western Continent—this'll fetch a high price!"
Hours later, word of the mysterious strongman spread rapidly through channels—reaching the ears of all three major powers.
And all three factions… were stirred.