I can gain insights into martial arts.

Chapter 235 Han Hao (Two chapters combined, 4.3K)

The small flying car requires no human control and flies at high speed at a low altitude of 100 meters above the ground, following a pre-set route.

Inside the carriage, Chen Mochuan and his two companions were viewing detailed information about the rescue mission on a projection screen.

The trapped team is a four-person squad led by Han Hao, a senior student at Yunhan Martial Arts University, and is currently located in a stone forest in area 17.

The stone forest had a complex terrain, filled with caves and grottoes of all sizes. Han Hao and his men were holding out in one of the caves, barely managing to hold on while waiting for reinforcements.

The thermal images transmitted by the drone show that there are quite a few ferocious beasts besieging the cave, and they are distributed in a fan shape, completely surrounding the cave entrance.

"Han Hao————"

Chen Mochuan silently recited the name, and the scene of first using "Spirit Devouring" last year to absorb the spiritual energy within that fist technique notebook floated into his mind.

The young man, whose features bore a resemblance to Master Han Zhen, practiced the boxing techniques repeatedly in his mind, opening the door for himself to quickly cultivate through martial arts enlightenment.

"How come you know him?" Li Cheng noticed the change in his expression.

"My high school homeroom teacher's son." Chen Mochuan nodded.

With a few minutes' journey to their destination, Chen Mochuan began checking his equipment.

He unbuttoned his outer garment, revealing the "Heavenly Blessing Type VI" protective inner armor he was wearing close to his skin.

This inner armor is woven from the latest composite material developed by Wuzheng Industry. It is dark gray in color, thin and close-fitting, yet has extremely strong protective performance. It can effectively absorb impact and resist the piercing of claws and fangs.

He clenched his fists again, feeling the feedback from the "Heavenly Attack Type 6" heavy gauntlets.

These boxing gloves covered most of his forearm, their surface densely covered with specially treated alloy rivets, and the knuckles featured retractable conical structures. The inside of the gloves was filled with a special cushioning gel, which both protected his hands and transmitted the power of each punch without loss.

These two pieces of equipment together are worth over 30 million Blue Star Coins.

Even ordinary martial artists at the Innate Realm might not be able to afford such high-end custom-made equipment.

Chen Mochuan was able to obtain them not only because of his outstanding performance at Yunhan Martial Arts University, but also because of Chen Shanshan's mediation.

Although limited by his martial arts realm, the talent development contract he signed with Wuzheng Industry could not be upgraded for the time being and remained at the intermediate level, Chen Shanshan still managed to secure a significant upgrade for these two pieces of equipment for him based on his "huge potential".

Of course, in exchange, he also took some time to film two promotional videos for Wuzheng Industry.

Chen Mochuan did not object to this, after all, Wu Zheng had indeed given too much.

"Tsk, Heavenly Attack Type 6—" Li Cheng glanced enviously at the boxing gloves in Chen Mochuan's hands, then looked down and touched the rivets on his own "Heavenly Attack Type 5" boxing gloves.

Although his boxing gloves were also high-end products from Wuzheng, the difference was obvious when compared to those of Chen Mochuan.

Zhong Xu, who was standing to the side, did not participate in the conversation between the two, but quietly wiped the long sword in his hand that gleamed with cold light.

The car sped along, the scenery outside the window flashing by, the landscape of the wilderness unfolding beneath their feet.

Rolling hills, sparse woods, dry riverbeds, and occasionally a few abandoned building ruins can be seen, traces left by the great catastrophe of the old era. The ruins are covered with vines and moss, making them look particularly desolate.

Just then, the communicator inside the car suddenly rang.

"Rescue team, this is forward command. Please respond." The officer's voice came through the communicator, tinged with seriousness.

"Received, please speak," Chen Mochuan replied immediately.

"Latest intelligence: Han Hao and his three companions, who were trapped, have repelled multiple waves of attacks from the ferocious beasts. Their situation is stable and they are temporarily safe." The officer spoke quickly. "However, the drone just transmitted another report: a new swarm of ferocious beasts has appeared in area seventeen, and some of them have already entered the stone forest where the rescue target is located!"

Chen Mochuan frowned slightly.

If it were a pack of ferocious beasts led by five first-tier perfect ferocious beasts, it wouldn't be too difficult for the three of them to wipe them out.

But if new variables emerge, the situation becomes unpredictable.

"Your objective is not to eliminate the ferocious beasts, but to rescue people," the officer emphasized. "As long as you can cover Han Hao and the others' safe evacuation, the mission will be accomplished."

"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Chen Mochuan replied instinctively.

"I have coordinated with others for support, including some at the Innate Realm, but they are a bit far away and will arrive later. You—try your best to hold out until the reinforcements arrive."

At this point, the officer on the other end of the communication line seemed to sigh softly, and when he spoke again, his tone was gentler than before.

"If the situation really changes and an insurmountable predicament arises—your first priority is to preserve yourselves, avoid prolonged fighting, and retreat immediately."

Chen Mochuan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then solemnly replied, "Understood, we will do our best, please rest assured."

"—Okay," the officer paused for a moment, as if wanting to say something more, but ultimately only uttered a brief sentence, 66.

Please be very careful!

"receive!"

As communication was lost, the speed of the flying car began to decrease.

They have arrived at the outskirts of the Stone Forest.

The reason for choosing this landing point is that the Stone Forest is full of strange rocks and caves, making it impossible to find an open area for the flying car to land. Not to mention the stalagmites and stone pillars that grow obliquely from the rock crevices, which act as natural roadblocks, completely blocking the air passage and making it impossible to fly.

The hatch opened, and the three men filed out.

Chen Mochuan walked at the front and quickly scanned his surroundings after landing.

Beneath our feet was a hard rocky ground, scattered with pebbles of all sizes. Ahead lay a dense array of stalagmites, like inverted swords.

In the distance, more stone pillars rise from the ground, some reaching tens of meters in height, their surfaces covered with weathered patterns.

The entrances to the grottoes are everywhere, varying in size and depth, like countless deep mouths silently watching them.

The stone forest here is somewhat similar to the Black Stone Forest he explored when he hunted blue rock monkeys in the wilderness, but the environment is obviously more complex and varied.

The rocks in the Black Rock Forest are mostly blocky with sharp edges; but the rocks here are bizarre and varied, some like twisted tree roots, some like solidified waves, and some like scars left after being forcibly torn apart by some force.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps between the stone pillars, casting dappled shadows on the ground and adding to the eerie atmosphere.

A faint smell of blood, mixed with the pungent odor of ferocious beasts, drifted from the depths of the stone forest on the breeze.

Guided by the map displayed on their personal terminals, the three quickly headed towards the location where the distress signal had been sent.

Along the way, they encountered some scattered, foolish beasts, mostly snakes and lizards that had not yet reached the next level or had just reached it. Chen Mochuan led the way and easily dealt with them.

Li Cheng followed closely behind, while Zhong Xu brought up the rear with his sword. The three maintained a tacit formation and moved swiftly among the jagged rocks.

In just two or three minutes, they approached the target area.

From afar, the dense howling of wolves could be heard.

The three of them slowed down simultaneously, and Chen Mochuan gestured to the other two to stay hidden.

Using the rocks as cover, they quietly approached the battlefield.

The first thing that catches the eye is the haphazardly scattered corpses of gray-maned wolves.

The closer they got to the target location, the more wolf carcasses they found. A rough count revealed at least a dozen along the way.

Their deaths varied: some had their throats pierced by gunshots, some had their heads cleaved open by knives, and others were covered in sword wounds.

The fist mark and the other mark were clearly made by different people.

The dark red wolf blood stained the grayish-white rocks mottled and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood.

The ferocious beasts that attacked Han Hao and his companions were clearly a sizable pack of gray-maned wolves.

Just by looking at the wolf carcasses on the ground, one can judge the general situation of this wolf pack. In terms of both quantity and quality, it is quite large among the small groups of ferocious beasts that everyone has been eliminating in the past three days.

The three continued to move forward cautiously and soon reached the edge of the battlefield. Chen Mochuan's gaze locked onto three particularly conspicuous ferocious wolves.

Beneath a large, protruding blue stone, two robust, gray-maned wolves stood guard, like loyal protectors, flanking the stone on either side.

Judging from their size and the aura they exude, they must be at the peak of the first tier, and not much weaker than the Shadow Pattern Jackal and Stone Body Lizard of the seventh level of the Beast Hunting Trial.

On the bluestone stood a gray-maned wolf that was clearly two sizes larger.

This wolf king was over two meters tall at the shoulder, covered with thick gray mane that gleamed with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. Its limbs were as thick as pillars, and its sharp claws were deeply embedded in the rocks beneath its feet. Its dark golden vertical pupils gleamed with a cunning and ferocity far surpassing that of its kind.

The immense aura it exuded was undoubtedly the strongest among all the first-tier ferocious beasts Chen Mochuan had ever encountered. It was probably only a tiny bit of accumulation left before it could truly step into the second tier.

Chen Mochuan's heart stirred slightly.

The intelligence report stated there were five first-tier perfected ferocious beasts, but there are only three in sight. What about the other two—

His gaze quickly fell on the entrance of a grotto not far from the bluestone.

The dense howling of wolves I just heard came from there.

More than thirty gray-maned wolves were relentlessly attacking the cave.

Their bodies crowded and intertwined at the cave entrance, their sharp claws leaving white marks on the rock walls, and their fangs gleaming coldly in the sunlight. Among them were many elite individuals in the middle and late stages of the first tier, and their attacks were extremely fierce.

At the cave entrance, two figures were putting up a fierce resistance.

The young man in charge of the supporting attack wielded a long knife, his blade flashing as he blocked the ferocious wolves that pounced from the side. His movements were clean and efficient, each strike precisely hitting the wolves' weak points, either forcing them back or injuring them, thus relieving pressure on his companions.

The other young man in charge of the attack was even more eye-catching.

The spear in his hand was completely soaked in blood, obscuring its original color. Yet, this blood-stained spear seemed alive in his hands, each thrust of the spear tip accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, accurately striking the vital points of the ferocious wolves that pounced upon it.

Just as a gray-maned wolf leaped into the air and pounced, he flicked his spear, and the tip pierced through the gap in the wolf's claws, instantly wounding its foreleg. The wolf howled and retreated, clearly unable to fight again for the time being.

Another wolf tried to ambush him from the side, but he didn't even look. He swung the butt of his gun back and struck the wolf squarely in the face, sending it tumbling away.

This marksmanship is simple, direct, and efficient. It has no unnecessary fancy movements, but it makes the most basic marksmanship movements of "thrusting" and "pulling" to the extreme.

Chen Mochuan saw it clearly.

The man holding the gun bore a striking resemblance to his high school homeroom teacher, Han Zhen. He was the original owner of the insights that appeared in his mind when he absorbed the spiritual essence of the Peiyuan Fist manual, "Han Hao".

At this moment, Han Hao and the knife-wielding youth had just repelled another wave of ferocious wolves' attacks.

The wolves retreated a few steps, lingering around the cave entrance and emitting low, threatening growls. However, their initial ferocity seemed to have diminished considerably, and they did not launch another attack for some time.

However, Han Hao and the other person didn't seem to be in good condition either.

The young man with the knife had a cut on his forehead, and blood was flowing down his cheek, staining half of his face red. His breathing was noticeably rapid, and his chest was heaving violently.

Han Hao's left sleeve was torn, revealing a claw mark that was still bleeding, but his breathing was relatively steady, and he seemed to be in much better condition than the young man with the knife.

Outside the cave, the ground was littered with the corpses of ferocious wolves.

The corpses varied in size; some appeared to be unranked, while others were elite individuals in their prime. Among the wolf carcasses scattered on the ground, two particularly large ones stood out.

One of the bodies lay on the left side of the cave entrance, covered with seven or eight sword marks and knife wounds of varying depths, clearly indicating that it had been killed by a group of people working together.

The other one was even more conspicuous. It was second only to the wolf king on the bluestone in size. It lay beside a pile of rubble, its fur still intact. At first glance, it had only one fatal wound: a bowl-sized bloody hole in its left eye. Brain matter mixed with blood had flowed all over the ground. It must have been Han Hao's handiwork.

The two corpses confirmed Chen Mochuan's suspicions.

The reason why the three strongest wolves did not participate in the attack but chose to sit at a distance and drive the other wolves to exhaust Han Hao and the others was probably because they were wary of this.

After all, even their two companions who were at the peak of the first tier had been lost. If they rashly joined the battle, they might suffer the same fate.

Even if they eventually manage to tear Han Hao and his group apart with their numerical advantage, they might still suffer severe damage or even death if the other side fights to the death.

The gray-maned wolf is an extremely cunning and ferocious beast, especially at the level of the wolf king, where its intelligence is already considerable.

They know how to weigh things and cherish their lives.

It is precisely because of this that Han Hao and others have been able to hold on until now.

Otherwise, if all the ferocious wolves rushed in without regard for casualties, even if the terrain at the cave entrance was narrow enough to accommodate only a limited number of wolves attacking at the same time, Han Hao and his companions would have no chance of resisting them.

Chen Mochuan made a judgment in just a few breaths: it would be best to deal with the wolf king first, or at least keep it occupied. As long as the pack of wolves was leaderless, they could buy time to retreat.

He took a deep breath and whispered to Li Cheng and Zhong Xu beside him, "Leave the wolf king to me. You two deal with the other two wolf guards."

They both nodded at the same time.

Li Cheng licked his lips, a fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.

Zhong Xu silently drew his longsword, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The three emerged from behind the rocks and began to silently approach the battlefield.

One hundred meters, eighty meters —

They sprayed themselves with a mist that would disrupt the sense of smell of ferocious beasts, and they moved with utmost care, making almost no sound.

At this distance, they could quickly launch a surprise attack from the flank, catching the three ferocious wolves off guard.

However, at that moment, the wolf king, who had been facing away from them and looking down at the battlefield, suddenly turned its head.

A pair of vertical pupils instantly locked onto the location of Chen Mochuan and the other two.

Even from a distance of tens of meters, Chen Mochuan could still feel the coldness and violence in that gaze.

Was discovered.