Why Do All the Villains Look at Me Like This? - Chapter 36

Federation Military Academy

“Meng Xuexiao… has he been scared silly?! Choosing to save a crow in a place like this? Has he forgotten the danger of the forest being cleaved in two with a single strike?!”

The 15th-ranked senior was still drenched in cold sweat. The Alliance Military Academy’s surveillance cameras provided an incredibly immersive perspective, placing the audience directly in the students’ shoes within the Duel Arena.

The most crucial part was the immersion itself. It felt as if they had become Meng Xuexiao yet were powerless to stop his actions. This left many with a frustrating sense of helplessness.

The senior paced like an ant on a hot pan, even more agitated than when he had competed for a top-ten spot in Duel Arena B073.

Having experienced Duel Arena B073 firsthand, he knew what trials likely awaited. Combined with the surveillance footage, it was like having God‘s-eye view stacked upon God’s-eye view, a double dose of divine perspective.

The sensation was akin to watching a horror movie for the second time, cringing as the characters made fatal mistakes, practically walking themselves into the jaws of death.

The anxiety radiating from the senior infected the juniors around him, who quickly moved their chairs closer, eager for him to reveal some crucial information, “Just tell us already! Will Meng Xuexiao face anything else?”

The senior’s expression was conflicted. What he was about to reveal was the core secret of Duel Arena B073, knowledge that would drastically reduce the danger level of the annual top ten competition.

Those who had participated before had all been sworn to secrecy.

But he glanced at the professors and directors seated on the high platform, then at the live broadcast camera in front of him.

If it’s being broadcast live, doesn’t that mean it’s meant to be public knowledge…?

Finally, he gritted his teeth and decided to be honest.

“Did you notice the Gray Rat Beasts earlier?”

“They’re low-level Alien Beasts. Even in large groups, they’re usually nothing to fear. But these beasts have a unique characteristic. At dawn on Yanxing, they secrete a special scent.”

“This scent isn’t lethal to humans, but it attracts other Alien Beasts.”

The juniors around them began to understand, their teeth chattering. Clinging to a sliver of hope, they stammered, “When you say, ‘attract other Alien Beasts,’ how many are we talking about?”

The senior enunciated each word carefully, “I mean attracting all Alien Beasts within a radius of several hundred kilometers.”

“That’s a Beast Tide! That level of destruction is a natural disaster! How dare the Alliance Military Academy place a Beast Tide-inducing Alien Beast on the Yanxing battlefield!”

“This is utterly irresponsible!”

The junior who spoke was the son of a high-ranking official in the Military Department, specifically responsible for natural disasters. He had seen countless photos of the devastation left by Beast Tides.

Beast Tides typically occurred along the Federation’s borders. Once unleashed, they left landscapes littered with corpses. Even a Beast Tide composed of B-Class Alien Beasts could collectively match the destructive power of multiple A-Class or even S-Class creatures!

They were comparable to earthquakes and mudslides.

Every year, the Federal Military Department dispatched over a dozen S-Class officers leading legions to contain these Beast Tides, but the situation remained grim. Not only that, but each Beast Tide claimed the lives of several S-Class officers.

As the junior spoke, his face was filled with terror, “I… I have to tell my father!”

“No, no, no,” the senior replied, equally alarmed, “We’re at the Federation Military Academy! Our assessments prioritize evaluation, not putting students in life-or-death situations!”

“The alien beasts on Yanxing have already been culled. Now, only E-Class and F-Class beasts remain. Even if they formed a Beast Tide, they’d barely match a few C-Class beasts.”

“Besides, the academy’s assessment plans were approved by the Military Department. They reviewed and authorized this exercise.”

“But… even C-Class…” The junior couldn’t stop trembling.

While senior students might barely manage C-Class beasts, how could freshmen like them possibly cope?

After weeks at the academy, they hadn’t even seen a single alien beast hair!

Meng Xuexiao must be in the same boat, right?

The senior forced a bitter smile, “That’s why the Federation Military Academy makes students compete for the top ten spots here. Otherwise, why do you think these assessments have always had so many casualties? Why do so many students drop out?”

“Even though I barely made it to fifteenth place back then, I was just barely able to survive.”

“…So that crow isn’t just a burden, it could also be a potential danger, influenced by the Gray Rat Beast?! Isn’t that just a ticking time bomb?!”

When the senior suggested Meng Xuexiao might have been scared witless, many juniors felt resentful. Many of them kept pets at home. While not Alien Beasts, their appearances were similar enough, and the crow was so small, pitiful, and helpless that it immediately tugged at their heartstrings.

But at that moment, the scales in their hearts tipped decisively toward the senior’s side.

For heaven’s sake, who cares about a crow at a time like this?!

Several juniors stared intently at Meng Xuexiao’s surveillance feed, as if their burning gazes could reach through the screen and compel him to throw the crow out!

By now, the sky over Yanxing had grown even darker. The crimson moon had gradually ascended to the center of the sky, its sharp, curved horns resembling the sinister hooks of a crane, casting an eerie and terrifying glow.

If Senior was telling the truth, then the Beast Tide was about to begin…

“Ah! Look at that!” A junior suddenly cried out, pointing at the monitor showing Li Hao.

Just moments ago, he had spotted a fleeting black shadow behind Li Hao.

“It’s an E-Class Exotic Beast, a Black-Patterned Python,” the more experienced senior identified it instantly, “Its eyes have turned crimson red, it’s gone berserk!”

Li Hao remained calm.

Though he hadn’t competed for the top ten spots in the school, he was still an upperclassman.

Having crash-landed on Yanxing with no communication lines, and desperate to find Meng Xuexiao, he had resorted to drastic measures. Despite the late hour, he hadn’t rested, instead crafting numerous makeshift tools to handle emergencies.

Sure enough, as the Black-Patterned Python prepared to strike, it fell straight into one of Li Hao’s traps. Its slender, dark body became wedged in the crude wooden animal trap.

“Remarkably sharp reflexes,” the senior observed, a hint of admiration in his eyes, “If Li Hao had competed in the previous rankings, he would have placed about the same as me.”

But his tone quickly shifted, his eyes now filled with worry, “But there are too many Alien Beasts. Li Hao might not be able to handle them all, and Meng Xuexiao…”

The Black-Patterned Python, which had launched the initial attack, was defeated. Now, Alien Beasts that had been lurking elsewhere emerged, their crimson eyes staring blankly at Li Hao like a dense cluster of tiny light bulbs. Even Li Hao felt a chill run down his spine.

Under the onslaught of the swarm, he sustained a few minor injuries.

Fortunately, he was on edge and hadn’t fallen asleep yet!

Fortunately, he had prepared those emergency tools beforehand!

Li Hao’s mind raced, unsure what to be grateful for first.

Then, a figure flashed through his thoughts. Meng Xuexiao.

In truth, he had created those emergency tools because of Meng Xuexiao. As an F-Class, Meng Xuexiao’s self-defense capabilities were weak. These tools were originally intended to protect him.

Damn it!

In this chaotic situation, the Alien Beasts were acting like they’d gone mad!

What’s happened to Meng Xuexiao?!

I hope… he’s noticed the Alien Beast’s strange behavior, too!

Li Hao quickly dismissed the thought. Of course Meng Xuexiao would notice!

He knew how infuriating his pre-duel speech had been, the kind that would make anyone want to slap him. During the duel, Meng Xuexiao must have been itching to use his strength to wipe the smug look off his face.

This was perfect!

If that were the case, Meng Xuexiao was likely the aggressive type, actively seeking opportunities to boost his score.

That’s right, the outcome of the duel wasn’t solely determined by who completed the mission or defeated whom. The evaluations by the professors and directors in the observation tower were equally crucial. Otherwise, the Federation Military Academy wouldn’t have invested in such extensive surveillance.

Given this, Meng Xuexiao would undoubtedly discover the Alien Beast’s abnormality during his search. He would then prepare accordingly, either finding a safe haven or setting traps like Li Hao himself.

With this in mind, Meng Xuexiao would surely survive until Li Hao reached him!

…

Meanwhile, Meng Xuexiao was preparing for camp.

Having been forced into the duel, he had no aspirations for courage, strength, or even reputation. He didn’t care about winning or losing. The scores given by the professors and the director were meaningless to him. Only survival mattered.

As an F-Class student, he had no advantage in physical strength and no desire to risk his life recklessly. His only option was to conserve his energy and prepare to flee.

Meng Xuexiao chose a temporary campsite, pulled out his supplies, and began eating inside his mecha.

His provisions consisted of canned rations and nutrient solution, convenient for quick consumption. He prepared two portions: one for himself and another, served in a can lid, placed before the raven.

The canned rations smelled unappetizing, a mishmash of nutritious ingredients that resembled countless dishes left in a refrigerator, their flavors mingling into an unholy fusion.

Pinching his nose, Meng Xuexiao forced down a mouthful. The semi-liquid mass slid down his throat, leaving a greasy, sticky residue like swallowing a lump of fat, utterly nauseating.

But it’s better than starving.

His throat bobbed as he suppressed the urge to gag and swallowed.

After the first bite, the rest became easier.

Meng Xuexiao closed his eyes and conjured up images of foods he had once enjoyed, silently repeating to himself, “I’m eating apple pie, strawberry ice cream, taro ball boba milk tea…”

One bite, two bites, three bites. Finally, pinching his nose and forcing himself, he poured the remaining contents of the can into his mouth.

“Finally… finished.”

Meng Xuexiao rinsed his mouth with clean water and wiped the droplets from his lips with a tissue, “Actually… these things aren’t so bad when you eat enough of them… right? You agree, “Horned Raven”?”

He looked up at his dining companion, who had shared this “feast” with him, a flicker of uncertain hope in his eyes.

Then he saw the mountain of food piled before the raven, exactly the same amount he had given him earlier!

The raven hadn’t touched a single bite!

Meng Xuexiao remained silent for a moment, then pushed the food container closer to the raven, “As an injured creature, you need to eat to recover quickly.”

Raven paused, then hopped back a step on its slender claws, quickly turning its head away and presenting its fluffy nape to the food.

Upon closer inspection, one could see the feathers at the base of the raven’s neck standing on end, bristling with distaste.

It looked utterly disgusted.

This “Horned Raven” was truly picky…

Meng Xuexiao recalled from his Federation Military Academy lectures that Alien Beasts were generally incredibly resilient. Otherwise, they couldn’t have survived through so many generations, thriving continuously.

How had this “Horned Raven” managed to survive this long?

He considered that perhaps its pickiness stemmed from its injuries. Severely wounded humans often develop finicky appetites. Why wouldn’t a raven?

He removed the food container from the raven’s reach.

The “Horned Raven” suddenly seemed to come alive, inching forward to reclaim its former position.

Meng Xuexiao did what he could to simply process the “Horned Raven’s” food. He added some fresh water and half a can of yellow peaches.

This should make it less bitter, he thought as he brought the food back to the “Horned Raven”.

If it still refused to eat, he’d be out of options.

Seeing the plate of food back in front of it, the “Horned Raven’s” neck feathers bristled again. If not for the black feathers obscuring its face, Meng Xuexiao might have caught a glimpse of the ferocity flickering across its expression.

Even as a mercenary, Raven had refined tastes.

Even during missions, it sought out the finest restaurants. This dog food-level slop had never graced its table, not even during the most desperate times of its beastly life!

And now, it was even more unthinkable!

As a 2S-Class Exotic Beast, it had standards!

Raven straightened its beak slightly, arching its neck like a snake as it waited for the perfect moment to knock over the food container.

Just then, a familiar electrical hum reached its ears, a sound almost imperceptible to humans, but etched in Raven’s memory.

It was the same sound the Enforcer had emitted before spotting the forest to the east.

This was practically a declaration of war.

Heh, can’t hold back any longer, can you?

They said the Enforcer’s every move was calculated with absolute rationality, driven by detailed computations. But now, it seemed, that was just talk.

If that was the case,  Raven couldn’t be blamed for what came next.

Even in a direct confrontation, Raven had never feared anyone. Years of mercenary work had steeped it in malice and killing intent, and now that torrent of darkness surged toward the Mecha.

Meng Xuexiao had no idea about the silent battle unfolding between the two entities. Yet he sensed something was wrong within the Mecha, as if the temperature had suddenly plummeted by dozens of degrees.

“Hiss…” He instinctively hugged his arms, his cautious gaze sweeping the mecha’s interior, but he found nothing.

He was the only one inside the mecha, and there were no signs of intrusion. Could it be that Yanxing’s extreme day-night temperature fluctuations were causing the chill to seep in as night deepened?

What about the “Horned Raven”…?

Meng Xuexiao suddenly remembered the mecha’s sole injured occupant.

The “Horned Raven” was already wounded. If he got too cold, his injuries could easily worsen.

He quickly got up, grabbed a small blanket, and draped it over the “Horned Raven”, tucking it in carefully.

Throughout the process, the “Horned Raven” remained motionless. Upon closer inspection, his body seemed to… stiffen slightly?

What was going on?

Could it be… that he was too cold?

That made sense. Extreme cold could suppress an injured person’s appetite.

Meng Xuexiao believed he now understood why the “Horned Raven” hadn’t eaten. He pulled up the mecha’s control panel and raised the internal temperature by another five or six degrees.

Feeling the mecha begin to warm up, the young man relaxed and glanced back at the “Horned Raven”. At that moment, the “Horned Raven” was also looking at him, his beady eyes curving slightly into a smile.

It was like a slightly awkward smile, pretending everything was normal.

Meng Xuexiao suddenly remembered getting caught by his homeroom teacher while pulling a prank…

But that couldn’t be possible, right?

Even E-Class Exotic Beasts weren’t that human-like.

He shook his head with a chuckle, then nudged the food container closer to the raven before turning to set up his sleeping bag.

Now that the temperature had risen, it should be willing to eat, right?

Throughout the entire process of spreading his blanket and leaving, the raven remained frozen in place. Its beak, strained into a forced smile, looked as stiff as carved wood.

The killing intent radiating from its body had also stagnated.

Meng Xuexiao hadn’t noticed anything, had he?

That was for the best.

Raven reassembled its sharp killing aura, but this time, it carefully avoided the area where Meng Xuexiao was.

In response, the Enforcer’s control panel, which had already entered sleep mode, lit up again.

The screen suddenly lit up, deliberately dimmed to a dull gray glow, like the light of a firefly, barely catching Meng Xuexiao’s attention.

Several large, simple words appeared on the screen: [Eat the food.]

Raven, “……?”

Meng Xuexiao had long since lost interest in the display. Raven, tired of playing games with the Enforcer, spoke in a deep, flippant male voice from its bird beak, sounding exactly like a wastrel who’d never done a day’s work in his life, “Eat, eat, eat! Why won’t you eat? Don’t tell me you don’t have a mouth. Oh dear, how pitiful.”

It gave a cold smile, spread its wings in a gesture of invitation, and said, “Shall I just dump all this garbage into your circuits instead?”

The Enforcer remained silent. The words on the screen changed again:[Meng Xuexiao wants you to eat.]

He wants to see you’ve finished it when he returns.

Raven, “……”

Suddenly, an overwhelming killing intent surged forth, then retreated, then surged again, violently disrupting the surrounding airflow.

Earlier, the Enforcer had cleaved through the eastern forest with a single strike. Now, Raven had devastated most of the woodland around the camp.

“Thud.”

Something fell from a severed tree. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a monkey, half a man’s height.

The monkey’s eyes glowed crimson, identical to those of the Black-Patterned Python that had attacked Li Hao earlier.

When it landed, the monkey was completely dazed. Its head struck the ground, raising a massive bump. The red in its eyes seemed to fade slightly as its brain regained a fleeting moment of clarity.

In that instant, it recognized the aura in the air. The Empire’s Alien Beasts held the jungle’s hierarchy in even higher regard than the Federal Military Department, often discerning whether nearby creatures were potential prey or predators through their auras alone.

But now, even the faintest trace of the aura leaking into the air sent the monkey’s legs trembling. It nearly collapsed to the ground, utterly devoid of any thought of resistance.

The Monkey Beast immediately abandoned all caution, its limbs trembling as it bolted back the way it had come.

At that moment, numerous Alien Beasts influenced by the Gray Rat Beast were converging on the area, baring their fangs and appearing exceptionally ferocious. Through the chaos, the Monkey Beast spotted several of its own kind approaching. It leaped toward them, frantically waving its hands to warn them to stop.

But its kin remained firmly under the Gray Rat Beast’s influence, drool dripping from their mouths. When they saw the Monkey Beast, one of them swiped at it with a claw.

The Monkey Beast lost a clump of fur and flew into a rage. It angrily hopped aside, flipped them the middle finger, and decided to abandon them entirely.

These idiots! it thought. They wouldn’t listen to reason, and now they’re paying the price. Serves them right!

Still, it didn’t leave immediately. Instead, it found a distant tree with a clear view of the scene and hid among its branches, gleefully counting down the seconds.

1, 2…

Before the Monkey Beast could even count to three, the frenzied Alien Beasts it had just watched stampede past came scrambling back in a panic. Many, desperate to escape, trampled over their companions’ backs.

Their chaotic retreat mirrored its own earlier humiliation!

The Monkey Beast pointed at them, clutching its stomach as it burst into laughter.

“Serves you right! Serves you right!”

“You idiots! You idiots!”