“This, this…”
“Good heavens, this world is a bit too realistic, isn’t it? Are even NPCs this free?”
Li Fenghuang gazed at the top of the wanted list, stroking his chin, realizing once again that this world was probably much more real than he had imagined.
The picture at the top of the wanted list depicted a young merchant, only—he sold firearms.
Beneath his light grey-blue trench coat, lethal weapons were hidden, technology far more advanced than anything found in this land—firearms.
His wheat-colored skin had a healthy glow, and his exquisite dark grey curly hair covered half of his forehead, giving him a dashing and unrestrained look.
His brown eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s, filled with vigilance and caution.
His image clearly gave off a sense of being outside the law, fitting for a firearms merchant—Brinster.
“Wanted: Brinster
Crimes: Smuggling unknown weapons with severe lethality; assassinating nobles of Enwali; threatening local authorities; utterly heinous; extremely dangerous!
Picture: (See above text)
Bounty: 65 gold coins, 43 silver, 50 copper”
…
“Perhaps when I have money, I can go find him to buy some good weapons.”
Thinking this, Li Fenghuang lowered his head, covering half of his face with a hand on his forehead, and prepared to leave.
However, covering his face obstructed his vision, causing him to accidentally step on a bystander’s foot while backing up.
“Sorry.” Li Fenghuang slightly turned to express his apology, casually uttering a phrase, then immediately quickened his pace.
Perhaps it was his first time encountering such a situation, or maybe it was the series of chaotic events throughout the day, or perhaps that unsettling, chaotic feeling was intermittently returning to Li Fenghuang’s mind, making his departure seem somewhat abrupt and unnatural.
However, directly opposite where Li Fenghuang turned, coincidentally, a torch was set up beneath the city wall, illuminating Li Fenghuang’s uncovered face clearly.
The people behind him could see him almost entirely, and just like that, Li Fenghuang was exposed to everyone’s view…
“Folks, what did I just see? It looks like a walking 30 copper…”
“I saw it too…”
“That’s him!”
“Catch him!”
“He has a weapon, are you crazy?”
Instantly, the crowd erupted, discussing amongst themselves.
People inside wanted to run out, fearing Li Fenghuang would harm them, while people outside wanted to go in, to see what was happening.
The crowd was so jammed together, it was utter chaos.
“What’s going on?” Inside a simple office hut beneath the city wall, a tall, burly man half-opened his squinted eyes, “Why is it so noisy outside?”
The burly man was shirtless, his exposed muscles as hard and powerful as a statue, full of explosive power.
A long, thin scar stretched across most of his chest, shocking to behold, but perhaps it was a mark of honor he was proud of.
He wore an unknown beast’s fur over his shoulders, rough leather armor on his lower body, scarred by years of wear and battle, and classic leather boots on his feet.
His face was painted with strange patterns using an unknown red pigment, perhaps a totem of some ancient tribe.
His eyes were sharp and filled with killing intent, clearly indicating he was a seasoned warrior; perhaps any prey caught in his gaze could not escape the fate of death.
His entire being exuded a fierce and volatile oppressive aura, full of primal wildness, as if he were a ferocious beast from the primeval jungle.
If Li Fenghuang stood here, he would know who this burly man was: this was the NPC from the Thorium Mod, name: Bounty Hunter Aaron!
Aaron, the leader of the Hunter Association on this continent, is a veteran hunter tempered by battle.
In his youth, he slew many rare creatures and, with this goal in mind, established the Hunter Association.
With his keen intuition and excellent tracking skills, he followed the scent of his prey, crossing mountains and arriving in this land.
This prey was incredibly cunning, possessing incomparably dangerous weapons, and always managed to escape his pursuit.
This was the first prey Aaron had failed to catch as a Bounty Hunter, and Aaron would never allow such a person to exist until he personally brought an end to him…
Undoubtedly, the targeted prey was the firearms merchant at the top of the wanted list—Brinster!
…
The crowd suddenly became boisterous, and others couldn't tell what these people were shouting, nor could they hear clearly what they were saying.
It wasn’t until, in the chaos, someone, as if without a care for his life, suddenly shouted, “Wanted criminal! There’s a wanted criminal here!”
That shout directly overpowered the voices of others, reaching the ears of Bounty Hunter Aaron inside the hut.
“Wanted criminal… let me see which fellow it is…” Saying this, Aaron shoved aside the crude desk in front of him, unhesitatingly grabbed the Bounty Hunter’s Axe beside him, and rushed out the door, “Brinster, is it you?”
“Creak—!” The desk groaned painfully as he casually pushed it, then he slapped the hut’s door open and rushed out recklessly, “Brinster!”
“Boom!!!” The door panel of the small hut by the city wall suddenly exploded outwards!
Then a figure emerged from the dust, his sharp gaze sweeping around, and he immediately spotted Li Fenghuang, who was frantically trying to leave!
“It’s not Brinster, just a petty thief, grab him directly!”
In Li Fenghuang’s eyes, an incomparably powerful figure burst out from the small hut beneath the city wall!
He swept his gaze around, then locked onto him!
His mountain-like physique, extreme speed, even generated a sonic wave in the air!
In his hand, he carried a gleaming great axe—the Bounty Hunter’s Axe—and his target was none other than himself!
“What kind of international joke is this!” Li Fenghuang looked at the charging burly man in terror, finally uttering his name: “Bounty Hunter, Aaron!”
【Bounty Hunter Aaron Lv.26
Orderly Neutral Faction
HP: 180 / 180
Note: Aaron, the president of the Hunter Association on this continent.
Undoubtedly, he is one of the most powerful humans.
No one knows where he came from, or what the symbols on his face mean; everyone only knows that countless rare creatures have fallen at his feet.
He possesses an extremely powerful hunter’s talent, a born hunter; he does not allow any prey to escape his pursuit.
Whether it is a person or a rare creature…
Unfortunately, one person has escaped his hunt, and he has mistaken you for that prey.
Good news: You are not the person he is looking for.
Bad news: He has made his move, and whether he was looking for you or not, you have already become his prey…】
Li Fenghuang had no time to look at the system-issued quest, because Aaron had already swung his great axe, carrying a wave of air, and slashed forward with unstoppable momentum!
“Holy mother of God!” In his urgency, Li Fenghuang frantically drew his bronze short sword, and at the same time, dodged to the side with all his might.
Li Fenghuang tightly gripped the bronze short sword in his hand, gritting his back teeth.
Facing this unavoidable axe strike, Li Fenghuang could only choose to endure it!
“Boom!” Li Fenghuang felt as if he had been hit head-on by a cannonball, then everything in front of him seemed to recede rapidly, and then, his back seemed to hit a roadside stall, with the sound of the stall breaking apart behind him…
“Thud!” Li Fenghuang finally crashed into the wall, his whole body aching as if broken, it hurt, it hurt so much!
Li Fenghuang was already covered in wounds from earlier in the day, many of which hadn’t healed yet, and now he suffered such a severe blow again.
Li Fenghuang looked forward weakly; at this moment, his body was utterly unable to move, but he could see the wall plaster rustling down from above his head, and the tiger’s mouths of his hands, which held the bronze short sword, were already bloody and mangled, the bronze short sword also lost somewhere…
“Cough, cough, cough, poof!” A large mouthful of fresh blood uncontrollably gushed from Li Fenghuang’s mouth, staining a large part of his clothes, and Li Fenghuang’s breath now was like a dying candle in a strong wind, barely clinging to life.
【HP -83】
【Current HP: 13 / 100】
“Heh heh, heh heh heh, this… cough cough cough,” Li Fenghuang choked on another mouthful of blood before he could finish speaking.
【HP -3】
【Current BUFF:
Extreme Weakness: All stats decreased by 80%
Bleeding: Your life is continuously draining…】
Li Fenghuang still didn't want to look at the system panel, especially his HP, after all, reality was often more complex than those fixed values, but, a clear HP bar on the panel was indeed not a good thing for Li Fenghuang.
“Is this… is this the limit of this body, heh heh…” Li Fenghuang felt powerless, angry, resentful, unwilling, helpless, and a hint of confusion, a myriad of emotions mixed together, finally leaving only a mocking chuckle, “Heh heh heh, what is the meaning of my coming here, a false world…”
“You are not Brinster,” Aaron, though he subdued Li Fenghuang with one blow, still seemed somewhat disappointed.
When he first rushed out, he thought Li Fenghuang was Brinster, which was why he charged without a second thought, for in his eyes, Brinster was incredibly cunning, and a moment’s delay could allow Brinster to escape.
“What a pity, you are not Brinster…” Aaron looked at Li Fenghuang with disappointment, as if casually crushing an ant.
“Since I have made my move, you are my prey.
It is your honor to become my prey…” Aaron, carrying his battle axe, walked towards Li Fenghuang…
The night was quite beautiful… No dazzling city lights, only scattered torches illuminating the ground.
It seemed the sun had set, and the moon had risen…
Am I going to vanish into nature? Is that a star, or a firefly? Am I heading towards the future, or the past? Heh heh, heh heh…
Li Fenghuang’s mind was now uncontrollably starting to wander, unrelated thoughts appearing one after another in his head; his mind was as chaotic as a boiling pot of porridge filled with countless beans.
“Indeed, weakness is the original sin.”
Li Fenghuang wanted to struggle to his feet, but alas, his body seemed to have completely lost control…
Just as Aaron was about to take his second step, a sudden gunshot completely shattered the night sky over Buweier Town, echoing for a long time under the pale moonlight…