Male Lead, Please Don’t Covet the Mob Character Cannon Fodder (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 35

The shaman of the Combined Tribe had finished the sacrificial rites to the Beast God and declared the hunt officially open. One by one, the hunting squads began heading toward the tribal hunting grounds.

“Where is our captain? Why are they not here yet?” Shu Rong asked, looking around with confusion.

The mountain-like Xiong Lin spoke in a muffled tone, “They must have been delayed by something.”

Quan Bai was observing the other hunting teams with interest when a flash of white caught his eye. He focused his gaze and realized it was Lu Qing, the neighbor who had left a deep impression on him.

He watched Lu Qing, who was carrying strange wooden sticks on his back, scan the area before walking straight toward their group.

No way, could he be…

“Hiss,” Ma Yan also noticed Qingshi walking toward them and scrambled to his feet, muttering, “How can it be him?”

Hearing the shock in Ma Yan’s voice, Quan Bai raised an eyebrow and whispered, “You know him? What is wrong with him?”

“His name is Lu Qing. You just arrived at the tribe, so you might not know, but he is a celebrity here. Though he is a male beastman, that face of his attracts more than just females; it draws in many single males as well.”

“Unfortunately, his coldness is as famous as his beauty,” Ma Yan said, shaking his head with a regretful tone.

Noticing Quan Bai staring intently at Qingshi, Ma Yan stepped forward and patted his shoulder. “Brother, you did not fall for him, did you? You should not think about that; he just found a partner not long ago.”

Before Quan Bai could offer a smile in response, Qingshi had already arrived in front of them.

“Squad Ten?” Qingshi’s cold gaze swept over the four men.

“Yes, yes, yes! We are Squad Ten. Hello, Captain!” Shu Rong grinned so widely his eyes turned into slits, his tone flattering.

“Mhm. Let us move out.” Qingshi nodded and turned to lead the way, with the others following in succession.

Though called a hunting ground, it was actually a vast range of mountains and forests cordoned off by the tribe. Since it was not close to the settlement, Qingshi and his team had to spend the night in the mountains.

The moon hung high, and the firelight glowed warmly.

A hand suddenly reached out in front of Qingshi, who was on night watch, revealing a brown Haha Fruit in the palm.

Qingshi followed the arm up to meet Quan Bai’s eyes—eyes that appeared clear but felt bottomless. “Is something the matter?”

Quan Bai took the opportunity to sit beside Qingshi. “Nothing. I just saw that the Captain did not eat much for dinner, so I brought you something.”

Qingshi sat with one leg bent, leaning against a large tree with his hands resting on his knees. He declined coldly, “No need.”

Quan Bai was not deterred by the coldness. He turned his head and said with a smile, “Just take it, Lu Qing. I am afraid Hu Ke will blame me for letting you get thin while we were out.”

Over the past few days, Quan Bai had indeed been very close to Hu Ke, often coming over to help with chores like chopping wood or tilling soil just to share a meal.

Qingshi could not figure out what this man was after. He saw no romantic love for Hu Ke in Quan Bai’s eyes; could it really be just for the food?

“Lu Qing?” Quan Bai called out again.

To get some peace and quiet, Qingshi took the fruit and placed it beside him, casting a glance at Quan Bai that told him to be silent.

Quan Bai took the hint and stopped talking, but his gaze remained fixed on Qingshi.

This was the closest he had been to Lu Qing in days. He could not help but feel a sense of wonder; even though it was not the first time seeing him, he was still involuntarily drawn to this person.

Although Lu Qing had a cold personality, it did not affect how others perceived him. He was so beautiful that simply being near him made one’s mood improve.

Under the flickering firelight, Quan Bai’s gaze lingered on the elegant lines of Qingshi’s profile, which looked as though it were carved from the finest jade, reflecting the soft, warm glow.

Long, thick eyelashes partially hooded his clear, cold eyes, resembling black butterflies resting on jade. A few strands of long, silver-white hair cast playful shadows, adding a touch of messy imperfection to the otherwise sacred purity of his appearance.

How can such a person be a male…

Qingshi had long been aware of the burning gaze beside him. After waiting a long time without the man looking away, he finally could not help but look back. “Have you seen enough?”

The corners of Quan Bai’s lips curled up, his eyes deep and full of clear amusement. “Captain, you are so good-looking, how could I ever see enough?”

Hearing the flirtatious remark, Qingshi’s brow twitched slightly. He gave the man a cold look, stood up, and climbed the tree to sit among the branches.

Quan Bai looked up at Qingshi from below, the image of that cold, dark-eyed glance replaying in his mind—a look that held the desolate silence of a world where wind and snow had ceased.

Suddenly, he felt a jolt of electricity run through him, and his heart began to beat uncontrollably fast. Quan Bai lowered his eyes, a flicker of heat flashing in their depths.

At dawn the next day, the five men continued forward under Qingshi’s leadership. By the time the sun reached its zenith, they had entered the outer perimeter of the hunting grounds.

After a brief rest, they chose a direction and ventured deep into the forest to begin the hunt.

Whoosh! A massive wild rabbit fell to the ground without warning, its head pierced by a long feathered arrow.

Qingshi pulled the arrow out, and Shu Rong quickly stepped forward to retrieve the rabbit. A long string of pheasants and rabbits was already tied to the vines in his hand.

He looked at the bow in Qingshi’s hand with pure envy. “Whoa! Captain, this weapon you call a bow and arrow is incredible!”

Qingshi tucked the arrow back into his belt, frowning slightly at the silent forest. “Why have the three of them been gone so long tracking the mountain goats?”

Shu Rong, who only reached Qingshi’s waist, rubbed his head. “Maybe the herd ran quite far?”

They had found tracks as soon as they entered the grounds, so Qingshi had decisively sent Quan Bai and the other two to track them. Meanwhile, he and Shu Rong hunted small game along the way as insurance so they would not return empty-handed.

By now, nearly half a sun-day had passed since the trio left. Qingshi glanced at the sun setting in the west and made a decision: “We cannot wait any longer. We are going to find them now.”

“All right, Captain.” Since the leader had spoken, Shu Rong had no objections despite his confusion.

The two followed the scent of Quan Bai’s group. After crossing two hills, they finally heard a sound, but it was a noise filled with terror.

Something happened!

Qingshi’s heart tightened, and he accelerated.

“Roar!” With a loud cry, a person burst out of the dense forest. With that exploding white hair, who could it be but Quan Bai? He was followed closely by a black bear two to three meters tall.

Qingshi came face to face with the man and the bear. Before he could ask what was happening, Quan Bai’s expression changed, and he rushed toward him even faster.

“Run!” Quan Bai grabbed him and began to sprint. Qingshi did not have time to say anything else because he had already seen what was chasing the black bear: fist-sized Poison King Hornets.

Those things were not to be trifled with. A single sting was like being hit by a sledgehammer, and they were venomous; being swarmed was fatal.

What on earth did these guys do to provoke so many Poison King Hornets?!

The group scrambled in a panic, running aimlessly. Qingshi looked back at the sky-covering swarm and realized they could not go on like this. The swarm had locked onto them; running blindly would only exhaust them.

He shouted to Shu Rong, who was running the fastest at the front, “Shu Rong, find water! Go to a place with water!”

Though there were other ways to mask their scent, the current situation did not allow them to stop and prepare.

Shu Rong, who had transformed into a grayish-white mouse, heard the shout and immediately began sniffing the air. He veered off toward the direction with the strongest moisture.

After several sharp turns, just as the hornet swarm was closing in, Qingshi and the others finally saw a pool beneath a waterfall in the valley.

With several splashes of varying intensity, they dove in. The black cloud of hornets hovered over the pool, having lost the scent of their prey.

Beneath the surface, Qingshi and the others held their breath, watching the dark mass above. After circling the pool a few times without catching a scent, the swarm finally left in frustration.

“Cough, cough, cough,” Xiong Lin, having returned to human form, was the first to break the surface. “Dammit, they finally left.”

Shu Rong struggled onto the bank and collapsed, his face pale and eyes still filled with terror. “Xiong Lin, how did you guys provoke the Poison King Hornets? You nearly killed us!” For a small beastman like him, a single sting could be fatal.

Qingshi and Quan Bai emerged from the water at the same time. Qingshi cast an inquisitive look at Xiong Lin.

“Do not even ask, it is all my fault,” Xiong Lin sat on the bank, looking extremely frustrated. “I followed a sweet scent and found a piece of honeycomb in the grass. I had just taken a bite when those hornets burst out of the woods and started chasing us.”

Qingshi’s mouth twitched. Should he say Xiong Lin and the others were unlucky, or just plain unlucky? Likely someone else had destroyed a hive and dropped a piece while retreating, and the angry swarm assumed Xiong Lin was the culprit.

Qingshi’s gaze swept over the disheveled group, his brow furrowing. “Where is Ma Yan? Was he not with you?”

“Huh? Was he not always in front of me?” Xiong Lin looked around in shock, realizing Ma Yan was truly missing. His face went pale instantly. “It is over. Could Ma Yan have… It is all my fault!”

Qingshi did not waste time with the sobbing Xiong Lin. Instead, he looked at Quan Bai.

Receiving the look, Quan Bai stopped running his hand through his hair, his expression turning thoughtful. “When the hornets appeared, Ma Yan was running behind me. I did not pay much attention.”

Qingshi sighed. “It seems Ma Yan got separated from you. To be safe, I will head back along the path to look for him.” He turned to Quan Bai. “Quan Bai, do you remember the route you took?”

“I remember.” Quan Bai nodded.

“Good,” Qingshi looked at the two on the ground. “You two should…”

“Captain, I am going back with you to find him. This happened because I lured the hornets; I cannot just leave Ma Yan behind. Whether he is alive or dead, I have to find him!” Xiong Lin stood up, his face full of determination.

Shu Rong also scrambled up. Though he still looked unwell, he had regained some color. “Captain, take me too. I am not much of a hunter, but I am quite good at finding people.”

Seeing their resolve, Qingshi did not refuse. “Fine, we all go together.”

“Quan Bai, lead the way.”

Quan Bai glanced at his captain who still looked cold and aloof, yet now possessed a hint of human warmth and began leading the way back.

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