Chapter 181: Executing The Plan
The Beauty and the Beasts Squad had packed up early in the morning, tidying up their tents. They had a more detailed map than that of the Redemption Society.
The Golden Lion Dog, Song Junhou, said, "Today, we're heading into Winged Tiger territory. Everyone, stay sharp. These tiger demons usually stick with their families, they don’t live in big groups. Most adult Winged Tigers are seventh order, and the younger ones are at least fifth. We must find a family, take down three or more, and bring them back. That'll wrap up our training mission. It's not too tough, but since we're in their territory, we have to be careful. Keep it down during fights to avoid drawing in more of them and getting swamped. Got it?”
"Understood!" everyone replied in unison, except for Mei Gongzi.
Since the incident the night before, Mei Gongzi seemed unchanged, but Song Junhou felt that she had become even more distant from the other team members than she used to be. He felt awkward about this but didn't know what to do. After completing this mission, he could only secretly allocate a larger share of the Winged Tigers' profits to her in hopes of re-establishing goodwill.
He didn't know that his desertion in the face of battle had greatly pleased someone in secret. At least this imagined rival was no longer a concern.
Even forgetting about Mei Gongzi's status as a Blue Class member of the Redemption Society, the Golden Lion Dog's desertion, abandoning Mei Gongzi in danger, already disqualified him from being Tang San's rival in any respect, love first and foremost.
At that time, Tang San least wanted to see Song Junhou playing the hero, desperately resisting. In that case, he could in fact leave a profound and positive impression on Mei Gongzi's heart.
Fortunately, demons seemed to lack humanity and were driven by self-interest. So, last night, Tang San didn't bother to show up. With Mei Gongzi capable of facing five eighth-order Peacock demons simultaneously and a rival who had already shown his true colors, what was there to worry about?
Song Junhou gave Mei Gongzi a glance, saw that she seemed indifferent as usual, and then waved his hand, saying, "Let's set off!"
The group of seven moved quickly. According to the map, it would take a little over an hour to enter the territory of the Winged Tigers.
Song Junhou led at the front, with the thick-skinned bear demon at the rear for defense. Mei Gongzi, as the team's long-range attacker, was positioned toward the back. The demon responsible for scouting flew ahead.
They advanced quickly through the jungle as they had practiced. And soon, as daylight broke, they entered the Winged Tigers' territory.
There seemed to be an invisible pressure in the air, slowing their steps as they waited for information from the scout.
Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes in the sky watched their every move, following them as they advanced.
They were not as lucky as Tang San and his team last time; the Redemption Academy team had encountered Winged Tigers just as they had reached the edge of the beasts’ territory. After entering the area, they searched for half a day but found no trace of the Winged Tigers.
It was almost noon.
Mei Gongzi silently followed the team. Since that day's incident, she spoke even less than usual. Feeling somewhat ashamed, the demons didn't engage much with her, thus increasing the distance between them over the day.
After about fifteen minutes of travel, Song Junhou sniffed the air, and his eyes glinted with golden light. "It's the Winged Tigers. I can smell them. Prepare for battle. Remember to maintain formation during the fight. Old Yuan and I will take the front; you assist from the sides. Aim for a quick and decisive battle, and try not to make too much noise. After the task is complete, we'll immediately store their bodies and leave the Winged Tigers' territory. If all goes well, we can return after we rest a bit."
"Go!"
***
About two kilometers away from them, Du Bai was sweating heavily. He said to Wu Bingji, "The misfortune I cast on them has been withdrawn, as Little Tang requested. I need at least an hour to rest before I can control fortune again."
Wu Bingji nodded. “You should rest for now. Good job."
On the other side, Gu Li said, "Then I'll head over."
"Good, be careful. Don't forget Xiao Tang's instructions," Wu Bingji responded.
"Rest assured, elder brother," Gu Li assured, then quickly moved and disappeared into the jungle.
Wu Bingji looked towards the sky, unconsciously clenching his fist. The plan was about to begin!
On the other side.
Leading the pack like a lion king, Song Junhou approached the jungle ahead. The terrain of this mountain forest was rugged, fitting the lifestyle of the Winged Tigers. They preferred living in caves, as they could stay comfortable even with the wind and rain common in this area.
Soon, a cave came into view, with a strong feline scent emanating from it.
Song Junhou squinted his eyes and waved at a team member.
The team member chuckled, walked near the cave entrance and turned around. Suddenly, his body enlarged, particularly the buttocks.
With a light puff, a light green stream of air was ejected, shooting straight into the cave.