Douluo Continent: The Twin Sons of the Styx River, Shaking the World and Destroying the Heavens

Chapter 297 Contract
On the other side of the Twisted Treeline, the two players from the British Empire were not so lucky.

In the dense bushes, the crisp sound of leather shoes snapping dry branches mingled with heavy breathing as Tom and Jerry were being chased relentlessly by two ghost wolves. The wolves' eerie green eyes gleamed fiercely in the shadows, and their sharp claws hissed as they sliced ​​through the air. Each pounce forced the two men to veer to the side, their backs already soaked with cold sweat.

"What the hell is this place?!" Tom cursed as he staggered through the thorns blocking his path, his expensive combat uniform torn in several places by the branches. "Back in the training camp, even C-rank monsters were treated like final bosses, but here they're like elite monsters, everywhere we go!"

Jerry followed closely behind, firing his energy gun wildly behind him. The blue energy beams struck the spectral wolves, only stirring up a faint trail of black mist, doing nothing to slow them down. "Stop talking nonsense! Run! Their claws can tear through energy shields!" Just as he finished speaking, a spectral wolf suddenly accelerated, its sharp claws grazing his calf, instantly tearing a gash in his combat suit. A chilling coldness spread along the wound—the effect of "Shadow Erosion."

In their panic, the two spotted an ancient tree ahead, so large that it would take three people to encircle it, its branches and leaves so dense they resembled a giant umbrella. Tom, quick as a flash, grabbed a drooping vine and climbed upwards with all his might, Jerry close behind, his leather shoes clattering against the tree trunk.

Two ghost wolves chased the prey to the foot of the tree, raised their heads and let out a sharp howl, their eerie green eyes fixed on the prey in the tree. They tried to leap up and pounce, but were blocked in mid-air by the dense foliage, and could only pace anxiously under the tree, occasionally scratching the soil with their claws, leaving deep claw marks.

Tom slumped onto a thick tree branch, clutching his wildly beating heart as he looked down. Seeing that the Ghost Wolf couldn't climb up for the time being, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, his voice trembling: "Thank God... if that thing had caught up with us again, we would both be done for."

Jerry leaned against the tree trunk, lifted his trouser leg to examine the wound, where the skin had turned bluish-black and was slowly spreading outwards. "Don't be too happy yet," he said gravely, "They haven't left, and you can't stay in this godforsaken place for long... and my leg is starting to go numb."

In the live stream, viewers of the British Empire watched this embarrassing scene, and the chat was filled with anxiety and complaints:
[My God! This is a C-rank monster? Ten times more terrifying than the information in the files!]

[We should never have sent them to a place like this; it's practically suicide!]

Look at the contestants from the Dragon Kingdom, they can even get close to the Netherwolves, while we're just being chased and having our bark gnawed on...

Meanwhile, in the Dragon Kingdom's live stream, viewers watched as the players from the Never-Setting Empire were chased and ran away by the Nether Wolves, and then compared that to the docile Nether Wolves rubbing against their own Xia Die's side, causing the chat to erupt in laughter:

[Hahaha, help! They're both Netherwolves, but the difference is huge!]

Is this the difference between "someone else's" and "our own"? Our wolves are pets, theirs are deadly killers!

[Where are the guys who mentioned stewing wolf meat? Look at the situation on the British Isles, our Xia Die really has a way – turning wolves into "puppy puppies"!]

[It just goes to show that strength determines treatment! With Xia Die standing there, even undead creatures automatically submit. Try that with anyone else?]

Suddenly I feel a little sorry for those two ghostly wolves chasing people; they probably haven't seen a real "undead boss" before, have they?

[I suggest the players who never set sun take a look and smile at the wolf? Maybe they'll stop chasing (just kidding)]

This is a devastating blow! Having a powerful backer means we can be incredibly reckless!

Xia Die looked at the Netherworld Wolf lying on the ground in front of her, and saw a "Contract" pop-up with ancient patterns slowly appearing above its head.

"You want to form a contract with me?" Xia Die leaned down slightly, her gaze falling on the dark green eyes of the Nether Wolf, her voice as soft as a feather brushing the surface of water.

The ghost wolf seemed to understand her words completely, wagging its tail more and more happily, and even gently rubbing its head against her trouser leg, looking eager and expectant, as if it was nodding vigorously.

"Then I'll agree." Xia Die's lips curled into a bright and charming smile. She extended her slender, fair finger and gently tapped the "Contract" pop-up above the Nether Wolf's head.

In an instant, a dazzling light exploded beneath their feet, and a massive six-pointed star array slowly rotated and emerged. Within the star array, countless blue runes flowed like nimble sprites, dancing gracefully around the Butterfly and the Netherworld Wolf.

At first, the runes flowed quite slowly, like delicate musical notes floating in the air; in the blink of an eye, their flow suddenly accelerated, transforming into streaks of blue light that drew magnificent arcs in the air. Finally, these runes, like birds returning to their nests, poured into the bodies of the Butterfly and the Netherwolf, disappearing without a trace.

[Congratulations to Dragon Kingdom player Xia Die for successfully contracting a Netherworld Wolf (Rank C). As the first player to obtain a contracted beast in this battle, she is awarded a Gold Treasure Chest.] The announcement from the National Fortune Battlefield boomed like thunder across the Twisted Forest, clearly reaching the ears of every participant. "WTF? These wolves can actually be contracted?"

The two players from the British Empire hiding in the tree widened their eyes in disbelief upon hearing the sudden announcement.

They had just been chased and fled in a sorry state by two Nether Wolves, and now, upon hearing that Xia Die had successfully formed a contract with one of them, they were filled with shock and resentment: "We were being chased and bitten until we were about to wet ourselves, and you, on the other hand, managed to form a contract with it? Is there no justice in this world?"

As soon as the broadcast of the national battle ended, the live stream rooms of various countries were instantly flooded with a dense barrage of question marks. Viewers were speechless with astonishment, only able to express their bewilderment and amazement with a series of "?". Seeing this, Xiaomi, the host from China, had a flash of inspiration and quickly changed the live stream title to "Luck is also a part of strength."

Netizens from other countries, filled with curiosity and a competitive spirit, flocked to the Chinese livestream. But when they saw the eye-catching title, they all fell silent.

The viewers in the Chinese livestream room instantly went wild, with the barrage of comments exploding like fireworks, unleashing a "full-force" barrage against the influx of foreign viewers, creating a scene as lively as staying up late on New Year's Eve.

[Hahaha, once you're in, you're not leaving! See what real strength is! Luck? That's built on absolute power!]

[Where are the ones making sarcastic remarks earlier? Come out and show yourself! Have you ever seen a contracted beast? Have you ever seen the first kill reward?]

[Players from other countries are advised to type "envious" in the chat, after all, not everyone can make the Ghost Wolf wag its tail.]

[The title is right! Luck is part of ability, but our Sister Xia Die relies on more than just luck; she also has real talent!]

Those who say we got in through connections, take a look at this contract array! Is this something you can get in through connections? They're probably just green with envy.

[Never mind them, let's congratulate Xia Die first! A gold treasure chest! I wonder what good stuff she'll get, my anticipation is off the charts!]

[We used to always say other people's players were better, but today they're the ones envying us! This feels amazing!]

Amidst the cheers and banter filling the screen, there was an undisguised pride and excitement. The entire live stream seemed to have become a carnival for the Chinese viewers, with every comment expressing their jubilation.

Xia Die slowly stood up from the edge of the pool, gently swaying her feet, letting the water droplets drip naturally off her smooth skin. Only after her feet were completely dry did she calmly put on her shoes and socks.

Beside him, the gold treasure chest, a reward from the battlefield of national destiny, lay quietly, its intricate patterns shimmering alluringly in the moonlight.

She extended her slender fingers and gently unfastened the clasp of the treasure chest. In an instant, a light even more dazzling than during the previous contract burst forth from the chest, like the first rays of dawn. Immediately afterward, the steady voice of the National Fortune Battlefield resounded throughout the entire space once more: "Congratulations to the Dragon Kingdom for achieving a 15% increase in the intelligence of all its citizens."

When netizens from other countries saw the rewards offered by Xia Die, their eyes widened instantly, and the live chat was filled with undisguised envy and enviousness, with their sour tone almost dripping from the screen:
[What?! A 15% increase in intelligence for all allies?! What kind of divine reward is this?! Is the Dragon Kingdom about to take off?!]

[Why?! We were chased by wolves and had to climb trees, while they all became stronger just by opening a box? This disparity is outrageous!]

[It's all over, China is already smart enough, if we raise it by another 15%, we might not even be able to catch up in the technology race...]

[I'm so jealous, everyone! This reward is way more useful than any weapon or equipment; it's a one-time fix!]

Is it possible that this treasure chest belongs to our country? (No) Why should the first contracted beast get to open such a good item!

On the other side of the Twisted Treeline, Bai Ming stood quietly, the inspiring broadcasts from the battlefield of national destiny still echoing in his ears.

He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the night sky fragmented by branches and leaves, his eyes filled with emotion. He moved his lips and murmured softly, "Miss Xia Die is truly amazing... It seems that I really did hold her back."