Chapter 318: Chapter 288: Camping

"Qizai, get down there and finish it." The Sharp-Horned Crocodile had been struck by Qizai’s Gale Slash. Li Qian had already used his Eye of True Sight to ascertain its details—it was an Ordinary Level Tier Nine creature, and now, it stood no chance of survival.

Li Qian gave the order, and Qizai, without the slightest hesitation, immediately dove in pursuit.

Qizai’s attributes also included Water, so it wouldn’t be at a disadvantage fighting in the water. Moreover, its Level was much higher, and the last strike had already left the target severely wounded. For these reasons, Li Qian wasn’t the least bit worried.

In truth, if this Sharp-Horned Crocodile had just stayed quietly in the water instead of showing its face, Li Qian wouldn’t have felt the need to kill it. But now, that was no longer an option.

Since Li Qian had encountered an aggressive Extraordinary Creature, he naturally wouldn’t let it remain a menace.

The next person to encounter it might be a newcomer to the Dimension Plane, and they could easily fall prey to it. That was why Li Qian showed no mercy.

Qizai plunged into the water. After it entered, the small pool seemed no bigger than a bathtub, and in just a few thrases, Qizai had churned the water until it was completely murky.

The battle lasted only about two minutes. Seeing Qizai return triumphantly to his side, Li Qian gave its head a satisfied pat of encouragement.

"What about the Sharp-Horned Crocodile?" Hu Wenjing, who’d just had a narrow escape, looked at Li Qian and asked. It was a question, but in her heart, she already knew the answer.

Sure enough, in the next moment, Li Qian’s answer confirmed her suspicion. "It’s dead."

"Li Qian, how did you know there was an ambush in the pool?" Wang Zonghan asked as he walked over, his tone laced with a hint of confusion.

Li Qian didn’t hide anything, shaking his head honestly. "I didn’t. I had no idea there was an Extraordinary Creature lurking in the pool."

"Then how...?" Wang Zonghan was even more bewildered and immediately pressed him.

Li Qian smiled and said, "It’s simple. I haven’t seen any other water sources on our journey here. That means this pool is likely the only one in a several-kilometer radius."

With that pointer from Li Qian, Wang Zonghan immediately caught on. "And if it’s the only water source in the area, then the local Extraordinary Creatures will definitely come here to drink."

Li Qian nodded. "I wasn’t certain an Extraordinary Creature was lurking in here, but with that possibility in mind, it’s never a bad idea to be extra cautious."

"So that’s it," Ding Ganmao said, his face showing sudden understanding after hearing Li Qian’s explanation.

"Nicely done, Li Qian. Very observant," Senior Brother Du chimed in at the opportune moment, offering his praise.

After the brief but startling incident, the team continued onward. With Hu Wenjing’s experience serving as a cautionary tale, everyone was a little more alert.

This wasn’t Yuntian City, let alone the Ancestral Star. Danger here came with a very real risk of death.

And so, they proceeded with caution. Li Qian recalled Qizai once more.

Its body was simply too large. Having it out when there was no fighting felt a bit too conspicuous.

When he had a spare moment, Li Qian glanced at the temporary communication wristband that Instructor Zhou had distributed.

He could see from the screen that the other three teams were also on the move, not too far away.

The four squads were advancing in a fan formation, maintaining a set distance from one another.

The team continued its advance, their pace unhurried. Along the way, Li Qian clearly noticed a change in the way his classmates looked at him.

Li Qian wasn’t too concerned. ’Strength is like a pregnancy,’ he thought. ’It’s bound to show eventually.’

After the incident with the Sharp-Horned Crocodile, the rest of the journey was much smoother.

As dusk approached, Senior Brother Du, who had been observing the group, suddenly spoke up. "Let’s make camp somewhere around here for the night."

The spot he picked was excellent. It was a rare clearing, free of obstructing trees, with a few protruding rocks that weren’t too large.

Li Qian walked over to inspect it. There was a considerable amount of ash beneath the rocks, which suggested that other teams frequently camped here.

Li Qian nodded, having no objections.

If it was a common campsite for Adventurers, then it was unlikely to have any major problems.

Only after seeing Li Qian walk over, inspect the area, and nod did the others start to get moving.

Senior Brother Du saw this, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile.

’It seems,’ he thought, ’that after the Sharp-Horned Crocodile incident, Li Qian is slowly becoming the leader of this group.’

’That could be a good thing. Or it might not be.’

’Because normally, a team can only have one leader.’

As he thought this, his gaze drifted, intentionally or not, toward Wang Zonghan.

Everyone began to set up camp, taking out their tents and getting busy. With the Bell Bird, Shadow Leopard, and Golden Armor Terracotta Warriors standing guard, safety wasn’t a concern.

After about half an hour of work, the tents were finally pitched and a bonfire was lit. Everyone gathered around the fire and began to eat dinner.

Dinner consisted of food they had prepared in advance, just as Instructor Zhou had instructed them to do when training ended the previous afternoon.

At first, they had all assumed it would be a field training exercise; no one had expected they would actually be coming to a Dimension Plane.

Li Qian’s Space Necklace also held plenty of food—instant noodles, bread, small cakes, mineral water, and the like.

Watching his classmates eat, chat, and laugh, Li Qian couldn’t help but think, ’It seems they weren’t too badly shaken.’

Just as he was thinking this, a slender figure appeared before him.

"Li Qian, thank you. A moment ago, if it hadn’t been for you..." Hu Wenjing began gratefully.

Li Qian smiled and waved a dismissive hand. "Haven’t you thanked me already? It’s only natural for classmates to help each other out."

"Oh, right. These stalks of Jade Grass are for you." From her Spatial Equipment, Hu Wenjing took out three fern-like plants, each the color of pure jade, and handed them to Li Qian.

Li Qian waved his hand again. "No, thank you. I didn’t take that quest, so they’re no use to me."

"If you really want to do something for me, just keep an eye out for any sign of a One-tailed Cat. I took the quest to capture one of those."

Seeing how earnest the girl was and that she seemed to feel indebted, Li Qian decided to make a request.

"Okay, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for you," Hu Wenjing said. "By the way, what class are you in? I’d like to treat you to a meal after this training exercise is over."

She had barely finished speaking when a large head poked in between them. "Did I hear someone mention treating someone to a meal? Why wasn’t I included? Freeloading is my favorite pastime!"

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