Chapter 6 Breaking Away from the Group, the Leader-Class Ghost-Faced Ape

After resting for over an hour, everyone prepared to continue hunting monsters and leveling up. The ghost-faced apes in the surrounding woods had been cleared, so they decided to venture deeper.

As the group moved further into the Ghost-Faced Forest, the light around them grew increasingly dim.

“We’ve already walked quite a distance. There should be ghost-faced apes nearby, right?” Su Li glanced nervously to both sides.

Li Bin nodded and looked at Tian Fangchao. “Go ahead and scout ahead. Don’t just hang back like some useless baggage, eating and never helping out.”

“Alright.” Tian Fangchao deliberately glanced at Xu Han, then hurried forward.

Su Li frowned. “You’re sending him to scout? What if he gets trapped by the apes?”

Li Bin shrugged indifferently. “His profession is Actor, he has a feign death skill to escape a monster’s aggro. He’s perfect for luring monsters.”

It wasn’t long before a plump figure burst frantically from the trees—it was Tian Fangchao. He was gasping for air, face flushed. “Li… Li Bin! Help! Help!”

Behind him chased four ghost-faced apes, leaping from tree to tree, nearly catching up.

Li Bin secretly glanced at Xu Han’s position, then stepped to the right, closing the distance between himself and Xu Han, who stood on that side.

Xu Han’s eyes narrowed. He already guessed Li Bin’s intention.

Trying to set me up?

Well, you’ll find your schemes backfiring.

Xu Han locked eyes with Tian Fangchao, his pupils glowing crimson—the Ghost Eyes Bewilderment.

Tian Fangchao was secretly pleased, ready to use his feign death skill to exit combat.

Suddenly, his mind froze; his body moved involuntarily, running quickly to the left.

Li Bin was stunned. What happened? He’d already told Tian Fangchao to run toward Xu Han. Why was he now running left, away from Xu Han?

Then, Tian Fangchao collapsed to the ground, eyes tightly shut, breath gone—like a corpse.

The four ghost-faced apes instantly lost their target. They turned toward Li Bin, eyes blood-red and hungry, and pounced.

Li Bin’s face flushed with rage. “Tian Fangchao, you bastard! You did this on purpose!”

He turned to retreat, hoping to redirect some apes toward Xu Han, but Xu Han had already retreated a dozen meters back.

Li Bin was beside himself with fury but could only draw his greatsword and fight the four apes.

After a bitter struggle, he managed to slay them, but his leather armor was shredded, the greatsword nicked and battered, and he lay on the ground, gulping air.

Xu Han checked his level—it had risen to Level 2. All attributes had increased by ten points.

Tian Fangchao walked over and stared at Li Bin’s battered form. “Li Bin, what happened to you?”

Li Bin jumped up, glaring and raising his sword at Tian Fangchao. “You animal! Were you trying to get me killed?”

Tian Fangchao blanched, waving his hands frantically. “No, absolutely not, Li Bin!”

Li Bin gradually regained his composure, shifting his gaze to Xu Han.

It was true—Tian Fangchao had run toward Xu Han with the monsters, but then suddenly changed direction. Xu Han must have interfered!

Thinking this, he turned and glared at Xu Han. “Xu Han, was this your doing?”

Xu Han shot him a glance. “What does it have to do with me?”

Su Li spoke up. “Tian Fangchao brought too many monsters. It’s safer to kill them one by one.”

“No! Xu Han must leave the team immediately! I suspect he’s a spy from the Abyss Cult!” Li Bin pointed at Xu Han, gritting his teeth.

Su Li was stunned. “Impossible!”

The Abyss Cult was an aberrant group active among humans. They believed the arrival of alien beasts was meant to purge humanity, so they constantly caused trouble in human cities, aiding the beasts in their attempt to wipe out mankind.

If a spy from the Abyss Cult was caught, there was only one outcome—death.

Xu Han, however, didn’t care in the slightest. He’d been thinking about how to leave the group, and Li Bin had just provided the perfect excuse.

Su Li wanted to say more, but Xu Han spoke first. “Since I’m not welcome, I won’t stay.”

Li Bin was surprised; he hadn’t expected Xu Han to leave so readily.

Su Li said anxiously, “If you don’t stay with us, how will you level up alone? Aren’t you planning to take the Professional University exam?”

Tian Fangchao sneered. “A useless lifestyle profession—how could he possibly pass the exam?”

Xu Han glanced at him. “With a feign death skill, you really think you’re some extraordinary profession? One day you might really die, and there’ll be no acting involved.”

“What did you say?” Tian Fangchao shouted angrily.

Xu Han ignored him and walked away, intent on seeking other alien beasts.

As long as he consumed more beasts, his power would outpace everyone else.

Soon, his figure vanished into the trees.

Li Bin, feeling triumphant, declared, “The dead weight’s gone. Now we can level up much faster.”

“Should have gotten rid of that useless burden ages ago. He didn’t do anything, just shared our experience points.”

“And remember, it was his own decision to leave—it’s not my fault.”

Su Li watched Xu Han’s departing silhouette with concern, but said nothing.

...

Xu Han moved swiftly through the Ghost-Faced Forest. Unseen by anyone, he moved at full speed, agile as a monkey.

In just an hour, he arrived at the forest’s edge.

His destination was the Shadow Marsh surrounding the Ghost-Faced Forest.

The Shadow Marsh was home to many poison-wielding alien beasts. If he could acquire their skills, his combat strength would soar.

Along the way, he slew many ghost-faced apes, leveling up alone and reaching Level 3.

He guessed his leveling speed was among the fastest of all students.

Roar!

Just as he was about to leave the forest, a deafening roar echoed from deep within, stirring a gale that shook the trees.

Xu Han narrowed his eyes. Instinct told him something was happening over there.

He rushed toward the source of the roar.

Two minutes later, standing on a branch, he saw a clearing ahead where a battle raged.

A group of people were fighting a gigantic ape, massive as an elephant.

This giant ape looked like an enlarged version of the ghost-faced apes, but its arm swings were much more powerful.

With a casual punch, it smashed a deep hole into the solid ground.

Fallen trees lay everywhere.

The five fighters were like tiny boats in a storm, barely withstanding the ape’s assault.

But the ape’s strength was terrifying—a single punch sent one flying, coughing blood.

If not for a healer in the back, several would have died already.

A thought flashed in Xu Han’s mind.

Could this be the leader-class Ghost-Faced Ape?