Ma Lu gave Mai Mai a thumbs up, "Impressive!"
Mai Mai smiled slightly at the words, but then she staggered, leaning forward, and toppled headfirst into the sand.
"Hm?"
"I'm fine, just used up all my telekinesis, feeling a bit drained, that's all." Mai Mai's voice came from beneath the sand, sounding muffled, "That's how my power works, once I use it, I can't stop."
Boggy walked over, scooped her up, and set her on the back seat of the motorcycle.
Mai Mai closed her eyes to rest for a while, then spoke again, "Team leader, deputy leader, did I pass the assessment?"
Without waiting for Ma Lu to speak, Boggy said sternly, "You did, the strength you've shown is more than enough to join Twin Sunflower."
"Thank you, I won't leave the hunting group again, abandoning you all." Mai Mai said softly.
Boggy shook his head, "Leaving the group is a hunter's freedom; there's no rule saying a hunter must stay in the same hunting group forever."
"But I really like Twin Sunflower, I like the two leaders, and I want to stay here." Mai Mai said.
"Smooth talker," Boggy huffed coldly.
Ma Lu pointed at the nearby Thousand-Tooth Sand Bream and said, "Speaking of which, what are we going to do with this thing? It's definitely impossible to carry it back on the motorcycle, and my bag can't fit it."
The Giant Claw Lord we encountered on the last hunt was big enough, but compared to the Thousand-Tooth Sand Bream before us, it felt more like a river crab.
Moreover, the Giant Claw Lord's exterior had a thick shell accounting for about half of its weight, and after removing the inedible organs such as the internal organs, there was even less meat left.
But the Thousand-Tooth Sand Bream had no shell, and the meat to bone ratio was roughly seventy-thirty, Ma Lu estimated preliminarily, feeling that the yield could break ten thousand.
It could be said to be an unprecedented big harvest!
Luckily, he had upgraded the Collection Bag before coming this time, but even so, it could only take 600 pounds of meat back, less than a tenth.
The load capacity of Boggy's motorcycle was about the same, and even if Mai Mai recovered some strength and rode his motorcycle back, there would still be over eight thousand pounds of meat unresolved.
"It's no issue; this way, it will be easier to find you next time."
After this remark, neither spoke again, leaving only the ping-pong sounds of gravel hitting the iron walls.
Feeling the atmosphere turn somewhat awkward after a while, Boggy took the initiative to speak again.
"I... plan to recruit two more people. Five should be about right. Adding more would reduce the share of the rewards for each person."
"Sure, whatever you decide is fine," Ma Lu said.
"Of course, our ultimate goal is to enter the Death Forbidden Zone. I'll adjust the team's structure and purchase weapons and equipment accordingly..."
As Boggy talked about business, he felt this couldn't continue and decided to clear the air. Otherwise, the misunderstanding about Ma Lu asking him to change in front of her was likely to happen again, making things more and more awkward for them.
Boggy took a deep breath and, finally resolute, said, "Actually, there's something I want to tell you—I'm not... what you think I am."
"After my father passed away, to carry on his legacy and uphold the Hunting Group he left behind, I cut my hair short, rode his motorcycle, mimicked his dress, behavior, and even the tone of his voice.
"I once desperately wished to become him... no, even now, I'm still trying to be like him, to become as excellent a Hunter and leader he was, to meet the expectations of those around me.
"However, only after actually becoming a Hunter did I realize the vast gap between us, a gap so great it drove me to despair. I finally understood that no matter how much I tried to imitate him, I could never come close, let alone become him.
"But I still want to thank you. If it hadn't been for you, I might now be drunk and wallowing in self-pity in some bar behind the Giant Curtain. You rescued me, bringing a glimmer of light into the darkest time of my life.
"Even if it's just for 12 hours a week, being a qualified Hunter is the most wonderful thing that's happened to me in recent years.
"Also, I didn't mean to deceive you; I just never found the right moment to explain that I'm not actually a boy. But finally, it's probably not too late.
"Anyway, I hope you won't mind and that we can continue to get along as well as we have been."
Having said everything in one breath, Boggy felt a sense of relief.
However, a reply from Ma Lu was not forthcoming. After waiting a while longer, Boggy stepped forward and knocked on the container door again, but there was still no response.
Hesitant, she finally pushed the door open and found only a motorcycle inside, along with a set of freshly changed Hunting Clothes.