Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone

Chapter 677 - 452: The Tiger Contract and an Unexpected Spoils?

Fang Zhou followed Qiu Xingyao upstairs. Along the way, people in other rooms poked their heads out to look at their new teammate.

Fang Zhou smiled and nodded at the teammates sizing him up.

Qiu Xingyao led Fang Zhou to a room on the third floor. He opened the door to reveal a two-bedroom, one-living-room suite with relatively simple decor.

"Let’s go down and meet the teammates. I’ll introduce you to each other," Qiu Xingyao said after Fang Zhou had put away his luggage.

He then led Fang Zhou downstairs to the living room. A few people had already gathered there. When Qiu Xingyao called out, the rest of the team came down from upstairs.

"This is the scout in our team, Black Iron Upper Rank..." Qiu Xingyao said, pointing to a thin man of about thirty to introduce him.

"This one is also a scout, Black Iron Middle Rank..."

After a round of introductions, Fang Zhou had a better understanding of the team. It was generally young, composed of people in their twenties and thirties. Some were Professional students still attending university, while others were Professionals already working.

The teammates showed great enthusiasm for Fang Zhou’s arrival. After all, having a Mage on the team greatly increased their hunting safety.

Although Fang Zhou was used to being around many Mages, that was a relative experience. He was, after all, a student at the Longxia Federation’s top Sea City Military Academy. Among the teams in Beast Fighting City, at least half didn’t have a Mage.

"Alright, everyone, go do what you need to do. We’ll set off in one day to take on some Fierce Beast clearing missions," Qiu Xingyao said, clapping his hands to dismiss them.

* * *

A day later, the members of the Fierce Tiger Team were fully armed and ready to depart.

"Let’s go!" Qiu Xingyao commanded, leading the way in full Armor and carrying a shield.

His suit of Armor wasn’t cheap; it was a piece of Enchanted Equipment. After Fang Zhou’s inspection, he determined it had at least two magical effects. The other members’ equipment was more average. Looking around, Fang Zhou was naturally the wealthiest among them.

Mages really are the wealthiest class, Fang Zhou mused. Even though I still feel poor, compared to them, I’m quite well-off.

Unlike the others, who were laden with gear, Fang Zhou’s hands were empty. This was partly because he had a Space Storage Capsule. The other reason was that as a Caster, everyone assumed his physical fitness couldn’t compare to that of the Combat Professionals.

The Fierce Tiger Team didn’t leave the city directly but instead went to the train station in Beast Fighting City. Their destination was an Outpost Base hundreds of kilometers away. Only after establishing a foothold there would they venture into the mountains to truly encounter Fierce Beasts.

On the train, the team members looked out the window at the passing plantations with eyes full of envy. The owners of these Spirit Material plantations were all big shots. The initial investment for a Spirit Material plantation was substantial, and the subsequent maintenance costs were enormous. The goal of many Adventurers was to one day earn enough money to open their own Spirit Material plantation outside the city.

The journey of several hundred kilometers took nearly half a day, but the group finally arrived at the Outpost Base.

This was a complete fortress city, boasting tall walls, comprehensive defensive fortifications, and a stationed garrison. A garrison of 5,000 troops was stationed here. The army’s structure was similar to that of the Longxia Army. However, the units here were organized into squads, companies, battalions, and Battle Groups. The basic soldiers were all Combat Professionals of Black Iron Lower Rank, while the officers were Professionals of at least Black Iron Upper Rank, with some even reaching the Bronze Tier.

A Silver Tier Mage served as the Commander, assisted by five Silver Tier Combat Professionals. The defenses here were incredibly strong, as they were responsible for protecting the vast plantations in the lands behind them. If they encountered a severe beast tide, they also had the authority to requisition the guards from the rear plantations to reinforce the fortress’s defenses. If this fortress were breached, the plantations behind it would be devastated.

The team accepted the most basic Fierce Beast clearing mission available. This mission required them to enter the mountains and eliminate Fierce Beasts. The reward for each Apprentice Tier Fierce Beast was ten Magic Stones. For each Black Iron Tier beast, the reward was fifty contribution points and fifty Magic Stones. Of course, these were just the base rewards; there were additional bonuses depending on the strength of the hunted Fierce Beast.

They didn’t even bother looking at the rewards for Bronze and Silver Tier beasts, as those were not the Fierce Tiger Team’s targets for this trip. To confirm a kill, one had to take a photo as proof; otherwise, it wouldn’t be counted.

The mission rewards weren’t high, but hunting Fierce Beasts was profitable in itself. Fierce Beasts yielded many valuable materials. Firstly, their pelts, scale armor, and teeth were raw materials for making Enchanted Equipment. Secondly, their Energy Organs, the source of their power and the key to their innate magical abilities, were quite valuable. Lastly, and most valuable of all, were the Magic Crystals that some beasts grew within their Energy Organs. Magic Crystals, like the ones Fang Zhou had previously obtained, were essential components for crafting various Magic Staffs and even high-level Enchanted Equipment.

All in all, the total value obtained from hunting a single Black Iron Tier Fierce Beast ranged from fifty to one hundred and fifty Magic Stones. If the beast had a Magic Crystal, its value would be even higher.

After accepting the mission, the Fierce Tiger Team set off. This Outpost Fortress was a hub for many teams, both large and small. Hunting parties departed from various points, while many others returned from the forest, laden with spoils.

The farther they traveled from the Outpost Base, the more the signs of civilization dwindled, until the figures of other teams disappeared entirely.

After a full day of walking, the team finally stopped to rest as the moon hung high in the sky. The forest was more dangerous at night than during the day. For Fierce Beasts, the darkness was protective camouflage, but for the team, it was a liability.

The group found a relatively flat piece of ground, cleared the surrounding grass and trees, and began to set up camp. The member in charge of logistics took out some game they had hunted along the way and began preparing dinner.

Most Fierce Beasts could sustain themselves simply by absorbing the Magic Power from the air. However, many predators still existed among them. This was because hunting other Fierce Beasts and devouring their Energy Organs could accelerate the development of their own. Eating a Magic Crystal could even induce their own bodies to grow one. A Fierce Beast with a Magic Crystal possessed more powerful innate magical abilities.

The Wanderer scouted the perimeter and set up several alarm traps as a warning system for the night.

Of course, Fang Zhou wasn’t idle either. Having joined the team, he had to contribute his share. He fully unleashed his Mana to activate his Soul Eagle Eye Skill, scanning the entire area. He then nodded at Qiu Xingyao, signaling that the surroundings were clear of danger. The scan from the Soul Eagle Eye Skill was far more effective than other forms of reconnaissance. Unless he encountered something capable of blocking soul spectrum scans, very few dangers could escape his detection.

During the scan, Fang Zhou also detected some small animals. After a moment of thought, he began casting. Several sharp skeletal shards materialized, swirled for a moment, and then shot out into the darkness. Then, Fang Zhou summoned a Skeleton Warrior and ordered it to advance toward the targets.

A moment later, the Skeleton Warrior returned, carrying a dozen or so birds.

Seeing this, the other team members couldn’t hide the shock on their faces. They realized that the Skeleton Warrior before them was even stronger than they were.

This was especially true for Qiu Xingyao. The others were Forest Wanderers or Wanderers, who relied on mobility, but he was a Warrior. As a fellow Close Combat Professional, he felt the most pressure from the sheer combat power of the Skeleton Warrior before him.