The entire school embarks on a survival journey, starting from a primeval rainforest.

It was a mutated creature nearly the size of an adult leopard, resembling a wolf but more agile and slender.

Its body was covered with short, dark purple fur, the tips of which crackled with tiny, popping electric sparks.

Most striking is a twisted, lightning-like purple pattern in the center of its forehead. At the center of the pattern, a purple crystal core the size of a pigeon egg protrudes slightly, constantly radiating weak electric arcs and energy fluctuations outward.

The moment the tabby cat barked a warning, Jiang Fan pounced, rolled to the ground, and entered battle mode.

This beast was clearly attracted by the commotion of him collecting purple crystals, or perhaps it was the guardian of this area all along.

"Perfect timing!"

He gave a low shout, pushed off with his feet, and slid to the side. His wooden spear shot out like a venomous snake, precisely stabbing at the joint of the forelimb of the thunder wolf that was pouncing on him.

That is the point of leverage and weakness for most four-limbed creatures.

"Crack!"

The Thunder Wolf reacted extremely quickly, swinging its front paws, and a tiny purple arc of electricity appeared on the tip of its claws as it collided with the tip of the wooden spear!

"Sizzle—"

A strong numbing sensation traveled up the wooden spear, and Jiang Fan's arm went numb, almost causing him to drop the spear.

Furthermore, a powerful force emanated from the wooden spear, causing him to stagger backward.

With just one strike, Jiang Fan's face changed color.

This Thunder Wolf is far stronger than the mutated Black Caiman or the Thunder-striped Mastiff; it is not an opponent he can defeat right now.

He immediately changed tactics, no longer engaging in direct combat, but instead using the terrain and sophisticated fighting techniques to entangle his opponent.

The Thunder Wolf's dark purple form moved like a ghost through the thick fog and charred trees, each pounce accompanied by a chilling crackling of electricity.

The wooden spear in Jiang Fan's hand was already covered with scorch marks and cracks. With each parry, the numbness spread along his arm, making his movements increasingly sluggish.

It was more troublesome than expected.

Not only is it incredibly fast, but its claws are also crackled with lightning, and it can even unleash short bursts of electricity from its crystal core on its forehead.

Even with his +4 mastery of gun weapons granting him a fighting instinct, Jiang Fan could only barely hold his own.

But the physical exertion was real; breathing was already heavy, and sweat mixed with the dampness of the forest soaked through his clothes.

He fought and retreated, trying to lead the beast into a more complex area of ​​rocks, using the terrain to limit its explosive attacks.

"roar!"

Thunder Wolf seemed to be enraged by this "slippery" fighting style. The amethyst on its forehead shone brightly, and an arc of electricity thicker than before shot out!

Jiang Fan's pupils contracted, and he fell to the side in a disheveled state. The arc of electricity grazed his back, struck a rock, and blasted it into pieces. A burning pain shot through his back.

If it weren't for the Heavenly Cloud Vine Inner Armor protecting him, this single attack would likely have severely injured him.

Just as his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet arisen, and he knelt on the ground—

"rustle..."

Clear footsteps, not those of wild animals, came from the side and behind; there was more than one person.

Jiang Fan's heart sank, and he glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.

Tang Qingyu appeared a dozen meters away, accompanied by Shen Gaoyuan and five or six members of "Dawn".

They had clearly been drawn by the commotion of the battle, and now they had stopped in their tracks, their gazes sweeping over the man and beast locked in fierce combat with surprise and disbelief, before finally settling on the unfamiliar and disheveled figure of "Zheng Daoguang."

Tang Qingyu gripped the longbow, her brows furrowed, her eyes sharp as knives, as she moved swiftly between "Zheng Daoguang" and Lei Lang, her gaze filled with scrutiny and deep apprehension.

Shen Gaoyuan stood to her side and slightly in front, his usual playful smile now replaced by caution and scrutiny.

However, judging from their condition, they didn't seem to be in good shape, as if they had already been through several battles.

To Jiang Fan's surprise, he spotted Qi Ran's figure at the back of the crowd.

The other person looked dejected, covered in blood, and appeared to be seriously injured.

They don't know me.

This thought flashed through Jiang Fan's mind quickly.

At this moment, he is "Zheng Daoguang," a dangerous figure whose strength and origin are unknown, who suddenly appeared in the core resource area.

Wealth moves people's hearts, and profit drives away ghosts and gods.

The value of Lei Lang is self-evident. She is currently in poor condition, and the other side has a large and powerful force... Tang Qingyu may have principles, but what about her subordinates?

In this rainforest where order has collapsed, how strong can so-called "classmate friendship" be in the face of real interests and survival pressures?

The more intellectual a person is, the more rational they are, and the more selfish they become.

They know how to weigh the pros and cons and how to maximize their chances of survival.

What's more, the person standing in front of them was a complete stranger.

Jiang Fan had to divert some of his attention to guarding his back, making it even more difficult for him to fight against the Thunder Wolf. He was nearly struck by its claws several times.

One of his parries was a little too slow, and his left sleeve was torn by the claw's attack, leaving three bleeding burn marks.

He grunted, but his eyes grew colder and more ruthless. His shots became more cunning and desperate, as if he were declaring to those who came after him: Even if I die, I can still knock out a few of your teeth!

Tang Qingyu and the others did not act immediately, but observed in silence.

They were quite shocked: how could this long-haired, effeminate man have held out for so long against such a ferocious lightning-type mutant beast all by himself?

If we put ourselves in Zheng Daoguang's shoes, they would probably be in grave danger.

A delicate triangle of confrontation formed in the arena: Jiang Fan and Lei Lang were locked in a deadly battle, while the members of "Dawn" watched coldly from the sidelines, wary of each other.

Finally, as Jiang Fan narrowly avoided another wolf's attack and staggered backward, Shen Gaoyuan stepped forward, breaking the silence.

His face once again displayed that seemingly polite, but actually probing, smile:

"Wow, you're really skilled. But you look unfamiliar. I wonder what age you are and what your major is? You dared to venture into this purple zone all by yourself. I'm truly impressed."

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Fan created some distance, breathing heavily, and coldly swept his gaze over Shen Gaoyuan and Tang Qingyu.

His mind raced: the spark was just beginning to fly, and he had just offended the Honglu Society, which could very well invite retaliation. He had to buy time right now.

Rather than waiting to die, it's better to stir up the waters completely!

The most advantageous situation for "Spark" is to let the major forces in the East District distrust and restrain each other.

In the blink of an eye, a bold, even arrogant, plan took shape.

He smirked, revealing a cold laugh tinged with arrogance and disdain. His voice, slightly hoarse from panting, was deliberately raised to ensure everyone could hear him:

"Hmph, I might as well tell you. I am Zheng Daoguang, the third of the Twelve Heavenly Kings of the Dark Division, under Li Qingfeng, the boss of the 'Jianghu' (江湖, the martial arts world)."

As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility, and in his view, only Li Qingfeng could take the blame.

Anyway, he didn't get along with Cao Bin from the underworld.

Moreover, if they had said this directly to the people of the Honglu Society at the time, they might not have believed it.

But if the message is spread through "Dawn's" mouth, whether they believe it or not, it will at least create rumors and suspicions in the East District and buy them time!

Upon hearing this, Tang Qingyu's eyes suddenly narrowed.

Shen Gaoyuan's smile froze for a moment. Li Qingfeng, the "Jianghu" boss—that guy actually secretly assembled an elite force?

They were even deployed to the purple beam area?

Before they could process what was happening, Jiang Fan continued in an extremely arrogant and provocative tone, "I've got my eye on this Thunder Wolf. If you know what's good for you, get lost! Don't get in my way!"

His gaze deliberately swept over Tang Qingyu, his tone flippant: "And you, little girl, you're quite pretty. After I deal with this beast, I'll deal with you too, and carry you back to be my bed warmer!"

"presumptuous!"

"You're asking for it!"

Before she finished speaking, the boys behind Tang Qingyu who admired her instantly erupted in a frenzy.

...

Meanwhile, somewhere in the eastern forest.

Li Qingfeng, who had just killed a ferocious beast, stopped to rest for a while, but suddenly sneezed.

"Achoo!"

He rubbed his nose, a slightly roguish smile appearing on his handsome face—a stark contrast to his usual cold and aloof demeanor as the "Number One Expert in the Region." He muttered to himself, "Tsk, which pretty junior is talking about me behind my back now?"

Unbeknownst to him, a large, black pot had flown from afar and landed firmly on his back.