Chapter 037: Bare-Handed Battle with a Ferocious Tiger

As long as he could stay alive, Li Xiangyang had no intention of risking his life. To be chosen by the gods, to become one of the ten thousand selected among all humanity, to survive by sheer luck in the apocalypse, and to receive greatly strengthened abilities, then to win additional rewards from the hunting game—he valued his life all the more and clung to it fiercely.

He believed this was fortune he could never earn even in several lifetimes, and he had to grasp it tightly.

In the dim forest, apart from the incessant chorus of summer insects, there was no other sound. Night had almost entirely fallen. His back had been soaked with sweat several times already. After shouting loudly, Li Xiangyang kept a wary gaze on his surroundings, not believing for a moment that his random shots could have killed his adversary.

His eyes darted around, and then he shouted again, “I, Li Xiangyang, am willing to follow your lead. In this ten-year, life-and-death hunting game of the apocalypse, I will obey your every command. The gods have not decreed that only one may survive, which suggests they wish for us to form teams to compete against each other. Even a tiger fears a pack of wolves; no matter how strong a man is, he needs allies.”

His voice echoed through the area, but there was still no response.

His face grew grim. He remained alert, scanning for his next cover to shift his position.

Elsewhere in the forest, Huang Feng stood silently, unmoving, calmly watching the spots where the voice had come from. He drew out a grenade, estimated the enemy’s location, shifted slightly to the left, pulled the pin, and threw it.

A tremendous explosion thundered through the darkness.

As the grenade detonated, Huang Feng moved swiftly, launching a second grenade in another direction.

Half an hour passed.

Night had fully settled. By the creek, a flat, open patch of grass held a roaring campfire.

Beside it sat Huang Feng, cleaning his firearms and military knife.

When the game began, Huang Feng’s four basic stats were exceptionally high: stamina 140, spirit 125, strength 138, speed 132, combat power 386.

His spirit was the lowest, yet it still far surpassed ordinary people—almost twice that of Li Gang’s initial level.

During the ten days of peace, he tried daily to contact the Chinese military at the lunar base and rigorously trained. Though his progress was slow, all four stats steadily improved.

On the tenth day, after the gods announced Rule Five and the game reward, he chose to enhance his highest stat, using the first ordinary strengthening (tenfold increase) on stamina.

His stats then became: stamina 300, spirit 128, strength 145, speed 135, combat power 428.

Ten days of sending messages without a single reply from the lunar base convinced him that the gods had eradicated not only humanity on Earth, but also those who escaped to the moon—none were spared.

Only ten thousand survivors remained on Earth. His goal was to win the game, wish to the gods, and resurrect all mankind. This was not just his personal ambition, but also the mission assigned to him by the Chinese military.

With his strength and full military gear, Huang Feng easily hunted a man and claimed a mysterious gift: the Basic Guidance Technique, Stamina Chapter.

Through these days, he focused on mastering the second stage of the Stamina Chapter. Three days prior, he had fully grasped its method, and his stamina increased steadily each day.

Now, his stats were: stamina 426, spirit 130, strength 147, speed 137, combat power 470.

He had only used his first strengthening opportunity, with three remaining. He still had one full recovery chance left, with five in total.

Aside from training, he considered leaving the Southern China Military District to hunt other survivors, but ultimately decided to stay at the base for another ten days, waiting for a possible reply from the lunar base, and to fully master the second stage of the Stamina Chapter.

After all, to obtain the complete Basic Guidance Technique, thirty kills were required.

He’d also considered using the base’s heavy thermal weapons for hunting, but hesitated. Only after mastering the second stage did he decide to leave the base today.

Early that morning, Huang Feng piloted a fighter from the base, heading for the large military base deep in the heart of Changbai Mountain in JL Province, equipped with intercontinental missiles bearing nuclear warheads. He planned to stir up something major.

Yet, cautious as he was, he did not intend to press the final launch button himself; someone else would have to do it.

By the fire, two men lay bound hand and foot, unmoving, their fate uncertain—Li Xiangyang and Zhao Ming.

Time passed.

Zhao Ming and Li Xiangyang gradually regained consciousness.

Aware of their predicament, both began pleading incessantly with Huang Feng.

Just as Huang Feng was about to speak, low, intermittent tiger roars echoed from the darkness ahead.

Seven or eight seconds later, a shadow slowly emerged into the firelight.

Huang Feng focused his gaze: a large, round head marked with black stripes across its brow, forming a pattern reminiscent of the character for “king”—a tawny Siberian tiger.

It measured about two meters in length, stood a meter at the shoulder, and fixed its fierce gaze on Huang Feng as it growled low.

Huang Feng rose, half-squinting as he observed the tiger, sizing it up.

“Over two meters long, tawny fur—a Siberian tiger, and a male at that. Excellent, just the test I need for my current strength.” His expression barely changed, but excitement flickered in his eyes as he muttered to himself.

Beside him, Zhao Ming and Li Xiangyang were petrified with fear at the tiger’s sudden appearance, not daring to make a sound. Yet what followed utterly stunned them.

Huang Feng placed his firearms aside and approached the tiger barehanded.

He stopped five meters away, locking eyes with the beast, unmoving.

The tiger growled, suddenly accelerated, and lunged at Huang Feng, swift and deadly, the king of the jungle unleashing a lethal strike, baring its fangs.

Predatory instinct infused its attack with wild power and majesty, free of any unnecessary flourish.

Huang Feng’s pupils contracted; his heart raced.

He’d fought wolves on outdoor missions before, but facing this massive beast, he sensed a threat greater than from any wolf pack.

He had no allies, no weapons, only his enhanced, superhuman physique. Determined to battle the tiger barehanded, he seized the chance to test his strength.

Dodging to the side to evade the tiger’s bite, he was a fraction too slow, grazed by the beast and sent rolling across the ground.

Agile as ever, Huang Feng sprang up unharmed, though he marveled at the tiger’s force—if he hadn’t focused on stamina, boasting over 400 points, even a glancing blow could have been fatal to an ordinary man.

The tiger gave him no respite, circling and pouncing again.

Timing his move, Huang Feng sidestepped, clenched his fist, and struck the tiger with all his might. His high stamina meant he suffered no backlash from the force, nor risked muscle or bodily injury.

The tiger was knocked to the ground, its ferocity ignited. It growled, viciously lunging once more.

Huang Feng dodged at the limits of his agility, seeking opportunities to strike, but was eventually tackled by the tiger and pinned.

The beast’s long tail whipped the jungle, sending grass clippings flying.

The tiger, exhilarated, sensed its prey at its mercy. Its savage eyes locked on Huang Feng, jaws gaping to sink its fangs into his throat.

Huang Feng stared back, using all his strength to grip the tiger’s neck, breathing the foul stench from its maw.

They grappled briefly, rolling across the earth, neither gaining the upper hand.

Huang Feng braced the tiger’s jaw with his elbow, drove his knee into its belly, and, mustering his strength, broke free as the tiger yelped in pain.

Rolling away, he put several meters between them.

The tiger, now enraged, sprang at him again.

Huang Feng dodged, mounted its back, grabbed the skin atop its head, and pummeled it with dozens of blows. Blood streamed from the tiger’s eyes, mouth, nose, and ears; its cries grew increasingly desperate.

Ten minutes later, with a final, unwilling growl, the tiger collapsed, barely moving.

By the fire, Li Xiangyang and Zhao Ming watched in speechless awe, utterly shaken by what they had witnessed.