Bai Ye clearly overheard the other party's conversation and could tell they seemed to have designs on him.
He was not surprised by this. Having made a grand exit from the Tomb of the King of Huai Nan, it was only natural for some people to covet any treasures he might possess.
However, judging by the dialogue, it seemed he wasn't the only one being targeted, and they were already moving to block the mountain passes.
This made Bai Ye a little perplexed.
While it was plausible that multiple people might be after him, especially with so many present in the main hall, Bai Ye found it strange that they would be organized in their pursuit.
Generally, after a period of struggling in the World Battlefield, some individuals would indeed band together for mutual protection, as humans are, after all, social creatures.
Of course, these alliances often met an unfortunate end. As time wore on and everyone accumulated more God Stone fragments, greedy thoughts would inevitably arise. Everyone wished to be the one to leave the World Battlefield, and the outcome was predictable.
These were not mere speculations for Bai Ye; he had witnessed it all firsthand in his past life.
However, the World Battlefield had not been open for very long. Even inter-regional travel was rare, with most people confined to their randomly assigned zones. The World Battlefield was still in a phase of exploration and discovery. How could people have started forming alliances so soon?
With a hint of doubt, Bai Ye waited until the voices faded into the distance before peeking his head out.
Two men, both appearing to be in their twenties, and their attire…
Bai Ye's eyebrows shot up. "So, they're from the Hidden Dragon Society. No wonder they're gathered in a group."
The World Battlefield had appeared sixty years ago, occurring once every ten years. Therefore, it had already opened six times.
In these six openings of the World Battlefield, had no one ever managed to collect ten God Stones and reach the summit of the central tower?
That was impossible!
Bai Ye himself had once stood before the so-called Gate of Gods, only one step away. If not for that damned "Play Again" slip, he believed he would have already returned to his own world.
So, what did those who had left the World Battlefield and returned to their own worlds do?
Bai Ye wasn't entirely sure. His own world was not particularly powerful. In the previous five openings of the World Battlefield, all those who entered had vanished, or more directly, perished.
However, Bai Ye knew that the Hidden Dragon Society was formed by these individuals.
The Hidden Dragon Society hailed from an异能 (supernatural ability) world. Because they had the intelligence from "predecessors" who had left the World Battlefield, they tended to gather together upon entering and possessed intimate knowledge of many affairs within the World Battlefield, thus giving them a significant advantage.
Furthermore, these individuals were ruthless. Before most people even understood what the World Battlefield truly was, they had already begun plundering and pillaging while others were still in a state of confusion.
Those who found treasures in restricted areas were naturally their primary targets. Secondly, in the early stages of the World Battlefield's opening, chosen ones from specific worlds would also become their targets. For instance, chosen ones from cultivation worlds, even those new to the World Battlefield, could yield valuable items brought from their worlds upon defeat, such as flying swords, talismans, and occasionally, powerful magical artifacts.
Bai Ye had a history of animosity with the Hidden Dragon Society in his past life, having been targeted by them three or four times, even experiencing near-death encounters. They had once cornered him to the point of jumping into a river, and if not for sheer luck, he might have been chatting with Yama then.
Lost in thought, Bai Ye watched the retreating figures of the two men, a smirk playing on his lips as he slowly followed them up the mountain path.
Bai Ye's motto had always been to retaliate in kind. The grudges from his past life remained unsettled, and he intended to settle them in this one.
Moreover, judging by their earlier conversation, the mountain passes on both sides of the path were already manned by their people. Therefore, unless Bai Ye intended to traverse the mountains off-road, he was bound to confront the Hidden Dragon Society.
It was at this very moment…
As Bai Ye was contemplating how to deal with the Hidden Dragon Society and successfully leave Mount Bagong, the silently retreating footsteps suddenly stopped.
"Hmm?"
Bai Ye quickly pressed himself against the mountain wall beside the path. Soon, the footsteps drew closer, until they ceased.
Before Bai Ye could comprehend what was happening, about two meters away, two streams of liquid suddenly appeared, pouring down from above, carrying with them a pungent, foul odor.
Bai Ye cursed inwardly, instantly realizing what these two were up to.
"Bastards, what did you eat," Bai Ye struggled to hold his breath, cursing silently. "So much internal heat, it's suffocating!"
Once they finally finished relieving themselves, Bai Ye hesitated for a moment before his face suddenly turned ferocious. He glanced over and, as one of the men was preparing to adjust his trousers, suddenly leaped out and grabbed the man's trousers.
Startled by the sudden appearance of a person, the man flinched. However, his surprise was short-lived.
Because…
A cold glint suddenly flashed.
Bai Ye, gripping his serrated blade, swung it down in a swift strike.
"Ah!"
The man immediately clutched his lower abdomen, screaming in agony before fainting from the pain.
Bai Ye felt a pang of awkwardness. He had intended to aim for the abdomen, but unexpectedly, his blow had sent the man on a path to practicing the Sunflower Manual. However, the outcome was essentially the same – both served the purpose of taking him down.
The next moment, Bai Ye pushed off with his feet, leaping up the slope and facing the other man. "You guys were looking for me, right?"
The other man was also startled by Bai Ye's sudden appearance. It wasn't until Bai Ye landed that he reacted, punching towards Bai Ye without hesitation.
Sensing the rush of wind, Bai Ye deftly stepped back half a pace and raised his arm!
*Bang!*
A dull thud of flesh meeting flesh.
The opponent's strength was considerable, but Bai Ye's body, enhanced by the T-virus, could easily withstand this punch.
However, at that very moment, the man in front of Bai Ye grinned eerily and suddenly grunted, "Savage Physique!"
Bai Ye's heart sank.
Damn it, he had forgotten this guy was from an异能 (supernatural ability) world.
In an instant, the muscles of the man before Bai Ye bulged like a balloon. His height, which had been shorter than Bai Ye's by a head, about 1.7 meters, transformed to over two meters in the blink of an eye.
Simultaneously, the force transmitted through his fist surged exponentially, and then…
With a *bang*!
Bai Ye was sent flying backward, smashing hard into a large tree.
…