Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Xilun swallowed hard.

The meaning of "repairing the lock" couldn't be clearer—to get them to come into the cave with them to kill the bear, then seal the deal and smooth things over.

A low, muffled groan came from deep within the cave.

The workers watching took two steps back.

Xilun's fingers, hanging at his sides, tightened slightly.

He didn't want to go in.

A low-level mutant, with strength and speed far exceeding that of ordinary people.

He wasn't even a first-order baptized, and if he were to encounter such a thing head-on in a narrow cave, it would be questionable whether the lead bullets from his pepper pistol could even penetrate its skin.

But he was too afraid to refuse.

Locksmith is the district supervisor.

The district supervisor had far more power than the foreman, not just in the sense of being one level higher, but in the sense that a single word from him could make him lose his bronze medal and be sent back to the communal dormitory.

If it were just losing a job, that would be fine, but locksmiths don't have a good reputation.

Those who made enemies of him often died mysteriously, and although there was no truth to it, it made some people keep their distance from him.

Xilun glanced at another person out of the corner of his eye.

The tall, thin, middle-aged foreman kept his head down, his hands clasped together, his chin clenched tightly, and he didn't utter a sound.

Nobody moved.

Xiu Suo frowned.

"You have two choices."

He raised his hand and held up two fingers.

"First, come in with me and help surround and kill him. That beast is nothing to fear; with your assistance, you will all be safe."

The second finger bent down.

Second, turn around and leave now.

Xiu Suo's gaze swept over the two people's faces one by one.

He didn't continue.

No need to say anything.

Another low growl came from the cave, closer and heavier than before, like something turning over.

The middle-aged foreman's face was even uglier than the mud at the entrance of the cave.

He was the first to speak, his voice weak.

"Since the locksmith is here, he should be... alright."

Then, his eyes turned to Xiren.

Locksmiths are also looking over here.

Xilun's hand touched the cold grip of the pepper box pistol behind his waist.

Lower-level alien species.

Not an extraordinary species.

Locksmith is a district overseer, a first-tier baptized. As long as he can withstand the direct attack, with the two of them providing support from the sidelines, theoretically…

In theory.

The cave echoed again with a dull thud.

Compared to the bear in the cave that might pose a life-threatening danger, the threat of retribution after Xiu Suo comes out is far more deadly.

Xilun sighed, "I'll listen to Lord Xiu Suo!"

He nodded, drew his pepper pistol from his waist, and cocked the hammer with his thumb.

Xiu Suo's face remained expressionless.

He turned around and drew a narrow-bladed longsword from his waist. The blade gleamed with a cold, gray metallic sheen in the torchlight, and drops of bright red blood dripped and rolled on the ground along the blade.

"Stay close to me."

The shadows of the three people were stretched long by the firelight, disappearing one after another into the darkness of the cave entrance.

The workers behind them watched the figures disappear, and a buzz of discussion erupted from the crowd.

The wind blew from the direction of the Greywater River, and the torch flames suddenly tilted to one side.

The darkness of the cave swallowed up the last bit of light.

The cave walls were damp, the air was murky, and it carried a rotten, fishy stench.

Xilun gripped the pepperbox pistol tightly, barrel pointing forward, his footsteps so light they barely made a sound on the soft, muddy ground.

Ahead was the back of a tall, thin man; his shoulders were trembling.

Behind him was a locksmith.

The locksmith kept his voice down as the blade gleamed coldly against his trouser leg.

"You can see it in twenty or thirty steps."

His tone was flat, as if he were talking about today's weather.

"You guys use your guns to distract them, I'll look for an opening and finish that alien off with one strike."

Xilun didn't respond.

Lower-level alien species.

It's not something he can handle head-on.

Try to run faster than the other one and use your gun to hold them off.

Of the three guns he had previously seized from Irma's men, he was carrying two with him today. The bullets were bought at half price at the Bauhinia Training Ground and were fully loaded.

In addition, Irma's silver dagger was strapped to the outside of his right leg, replacing the old, rusty, and broken one.

It can also be used when necessary.

The cave became narrower and narrower as they went deeper.

The hissing sound ahead began to grow louder.

It sounded like heavy breathing, or like the sound of fascia tearing when flesh is being ripped apart.

The tall, thin guy stopped.

Xilen looked over his shoulder.

The torchlight shone on a spot five or six steps ahead.

A brown bear lay on the ground, its two front paws pressing down on a mangled corpse, its mouth buried in its chest cavity, gnawing at it.

It heard footsteps.

Its enormous head was raised, with an intestine hanging from its chin, and its small, agile black eyes coldly swept over the crowd.

Then he lowered his head and continued eating.

They didn't take them seriously at all.

The tall, thin man's voice was squeezed out of his throat, trembling.

"Subel Bear!"

Xilun's heart sank.

Suber Bear.

This bear has extremely sharp claws; even many rippers cannot withstand its blows.

Its only weakness is its bulky size, making it slow to move, especially after it has eaten.

He stared at the bear, watching it slowly chew its flesh.

Suddenly, he noticed a detail.

The bear had a knife scar on its chest.

It was very deep; the skin and flesh were turned inside out, and the blood hadn't dried completely.

Xilun subconsciously glanced back.

The narrow-bladed longsword in Xiu Suo's hand was stained with dark red blood.

His heart skipped a beat.

It turns out that he went into the hole alone before fixing the lock.

They fought with the bear.

The bear was injured and is recovering by eating.

And when the locksmith returned, he called for help—

"I severely injured it."

The sound of locksmiths suddenly rose in volume.

"Shoot! Kill it!"

The tall, thin man shuddered at the shout and instinctively raised his gun.

boom!

Gunshots.

The lead bullet hit the bear in the chest.

The Suber bear didn't even flinch.

It put down the corpse from its mouth, raised one forepaw, pulled the deformed lead bullet from the fur on its chest, and casually tossed it to the ground.

The lead bullet rolled twice and then stopped.

Xilun's finger was on the trigger, aimed at the bear's belly.

boom!

This shot was much more accurate.

The bullet embedded itself in the soft flesh of his abdomen, following the knife wound.

After the bear was in pain, it let out a deafening roar, and bits of soil fell from the cave walls.

It turned its head, its small eyes locking onto the nearest target.

Tall and thin.

Before the tall, thin man could even take a step back, the bear's paw had already reached out.

He gripped the barrel of his gun with five fingers and squeezed it gently.

The harsh sound of metal twisting.

The gun barrel was crushed into scrap metal.

Immediately afterwards, another palm slapped down.

It hit the tall, thin man's face right there.

There were no screams.

A muffled thud.

Xilun's pupils contracted sharply.

The tall, thin man's head was smashed like a watermelon; he flew backward, crashed into the cave wall, and slid down, motionless.

The sound of locksmiths repairing the lock erupted behind them.

"Charge!"

Xilun gritted his teeth; he finally understood.

Xiu Suo was injured and wasn't confident he could kill the bear alone.

So we called them in—as bait.

He let the overseers wear down the bear's strength and attention, while he looked for openings to finish it off from behind.

As for how many people die, that's not within the scope of the lock repair team's considerations.

The moment the bear paw slapped the tall, thin man to death, Xilun's body reacted faster than his mind.

He rolled to the side, his back against the cave wall, creating some distance.