After forming his Regeneration Core, Evan swallowed two Body?Fortifying Digestive Tablets to speed up the absorption of the remaining Undying Salamander energy.

  Every evolver needed time to fully digest an extract’s evolution energy, but certain medicines could accelerate the process.

  By now, dawn was breaking.

  Most of the group had rested enough.

  Yvonne Hart called everyone together—they needed to keep moving.

  But one by one, hunters began stepping forward to withdraw from the mission.

  Evan wasn’t surprised.

  After surviving last night’s nightmare, they finally understood how dangerous this escort job truly was.

  And since they’d already earned far more than expected from the loot, there was no reason to risk their lives for a bit of extra commission.

  Ahead lay the mountain?top region—home to Tier?3 beasts.

  Turning back now meant leaving with money in their pockets and their lives intact.

  A smart choice.

  Wendy Lewis and Yvonne didn’t try to stop anyone.

  “Beast King’s Roar has a two?day cooldown,” Wendy explained softly to Evan.

  “By the time it’s usable again, we’ll be out of the mountains. So after last night, the danger is mostly behind us. There’s no point in forcing them to stay.”

  Evan nodded.

  “No matter what happens, I’ll escort you to the Rovan Federation. Even if it costs my life.”

  Others could retreat.

  He couldn’t.

  Going back meant death.

  One by one, hunters departed.

  The nearly thirty?person team shrank rapidly.

  Almost all Chrysalis?tiers left—only four remained, including Evan.

  Of the six Breaker?tiers, four withdrew, leaving just two.

  Eight people continued forward.

  And notably—

  Li Carter stayed.

  Evan, Wendy, and Yvonne walked at the back.

  Evan lowered his voice.

  “Sis, Yvonne… have you considered how that man chasing you knew your route?”

  “You’re suggesting there’s a mole?” Yvonne asked calmly.

  She had clearly considered it long ago.

  Wendy nodded.

  “There’s definitely a mole. We just don’t know who—or how many.”

  Yvonne added:

  “But it doesn’t matter anymore. Last night was his only chance.

  Beast King’s Roar is on cooldown.

  He can’t attack again.

  The mole, if there was one, has probably already left.”

  Evan frowned.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “He doesn’t have other allies?”

  Wendy shook her head.

  “He chased us all the way from Gu’an Nation, across the entire Muke Republic.

  If he brought too many people, the authorities would’ve noticed.”

  Yvonne agreed.

  “We fought several times on the road.

  If he had backup, they would’ve appeared already.”

  Evan exhaled slowly.

  Maybe he really had been overthinking it.

  Maybe Li Carter wasn’t the mole.

  Yvonne noticed Evan glancing at Li Carter.

  “He is suspicious,” she admitted.

  “But he really did kill two Tier?1 beasts during his disappearance—including an A?grade.

  And I did find human waste near the camp, just like he said.”

  She shrugged.

  “If he’s a mole, he’s too thorough.

  And the fact that he stayed today makes me think he’s clean.”

  Evan nodded.

  “Hopefully I’m just paranoid.”

  Into the Summit Region

  As they climbed higher, the temperature plummeted.

  Fortunately, evolvers were resistant to cold.

  “Full speed,” Yvonne ordered.

  “We need to clear the summit before nightfall.”

  They pushed hard.

  Maybe fate was finally giving them a break—

  they crossed the summit and were descending toward the mid?mountain region by dusk without encountering a single Tier?3 beast.

  Not luck, exactly—Tier?3 beasts were rare.

  Even hunting teams struggled to find them.

  “It’s not dark yet,” one Breaker?tier suggested.

  “Let’s push through to the foothills tonight.”

  Everyone agreed.

  Descending was easier than climbing.

  They could reach the lower region before nightfall, where only Tier?1 beasts roamed.

  “No rest tonight,” Yvonne decided.

  “We leave the Blackrock Mountains in one go.”

  “Agreed!”

  “Let’s move!”

  After last night’s trauma, no one wanted to camp in the mountains again.

  But then—

  The sky darkened.

  Not gradually.

  Instantly.

  The world turned pitch?black, as if someone had swallowed the sun whole.

  Evan blinked.

  He couldn’t see anything.

  “What happened?”

  “It’s a skill! We’re under attack!”

  Someone flicked on a flashlight—

  the beam appeared for a split second before being devoured by the darkness.

  Another lit a lighter—

  the flame burned, but illuminated nothing.

  All light was being swallowed.

  “Everyone, close ranks!” Yvonne’s voice cut through the dark—sharper and more serious than ever.

  Evan reached toward where Wendy had been—

  his fingers brushed a slender, trembling hand.

  “Sis?” he whispered.

  “Mm.” Wendy squeezed his hand tightly.

  Her palm was cold with sweat.

  Evan whispered:

  “It’s okay. Yvonne will handle it.”

  But then—

  Yvonne spoke again.

  And this time, her voice shook.

  “Impossible…

  Why is there a Saint?tier here?!”

  The entire group froze.

  A Saint?tier evolver.

  A being who had evolved four times.

  A living natural disaster.

  Someone none of them could ever hope to fight.

  A moment later, a blinding green evolution glow lit up the sky—

  the unmistakable sign of a Saint?tier lifeform.

  Evan’s heart plummeted.

  It’s over…

  He had calculated everything—

  but he never imagined Wendy and Yvonne had provoked a Saint?tier enemy.

  Then—

  A familiar stench drifted through the air.

  A foul, nauseating odor he knew too well.

  A Filthbearer.

  A member of the mysterious organization.

  Evan’s blood ran cold.

  Don’t tell me…

  this Saint?tier came because of me.

  A Saint?tier isn’t a threat.

  It’s a verdict.

  And tonight, someone has come to collect a debt — but whose?

  If you were Evan, what would you think in that moment?