Chapter 53 – He Cut Iron Like Mud

With Ethan leading the way, the soldiers behind him suddenly found the path much easier to walk. Not only did the route he chose stop swaying unpredictably, but more importantly, he swung his machete ahead of him like a whirlwind, slicing branches and undergrowth with ease.

The men following him no longer had to endure scratches from thorny vines or low-hanging limbs.

Ryan, walking a few steps behind with Blackie between them, could clearly see Ethan's every move. Watching as the blade carved effortlessly through thick brush, he couldn't help but ask with curiosity, "Ethan, where did you buy that machete? It cuts like it's slicing through tofu! Doesn't matter how thick the branch is—you just give it a gentle swing and poof! It's gone. This thing is sharp!"

Ethan chuckled. "Heh, sharp eyes, Ryan. You're right—this is a blade that can cut through iron like mud."

"Seriously?" Ryan was full of envy. "We're planning to establish a base here. If we had blades like that, we'd be golden!"

"What's the big deal? If you like it, I'll give it to you when we get there." Ethan offered casually.

Ryan looked conflicted. "How can I just take it? But... we really need this kind of knife. Ugh, forget it. I already owe you too much. What's one more?" He let out a loud laugh.

Victor, the Third Battalion Commander walking behind them, looked puzzled. "Brother Ethan, how come the terrain was so difficult when Ryan and I were leading earlier, but now that you're up front, the road feels smooth and easy?"

Ethan gave a sly smile. "Maybe I'm just lucky."

Of course, what he didn't say was that thanks to his Clear Acupoint awakening, he could see everything up to a thousand meters away—even through this heavy fog. Naturally, the route he led them through was bound to be better.

Ryan muttered under his breath, "Tch, if I knew it'd be like this, I wouldn't have hired those two so-called guides. Useless! Like pulling down your pants just to fart—completely unnecessary."

After marching for over an hour, Ethan suddenly halted and called out excitedly, "Stop! There's a river ahead—and a group of wild boars drinking at the edge. Not far behind them, a tiger is getting ready to pounce. Let's wait here. Let them fight it out first."

The soldiers immediately tensed and raised their weapons.

"Where? I don't see anything!" Ryan craned his neck, eyes squinting into the fog.

"Shhh! No talking," Ethan warned, snickering to himself. With this kind of fog, how are you going to see anything from 300 meters away?

He figured the tiger would strike quickly—but the beast, seeing over twenty armed humans nearby, hesitated. It slunk behind a boulder and didn't make a move for a long time.

"Hmph. Where's this so-called tiger? If there really was one, my dogs would've started barking by now," grumbled Old Lui, one of the guides, clearly still bitter about being sidelined. He saw his chance and jumped in to mock Ethan.

"Heh, he's bluffing. Just showing off," added Old Sun, the other guide. "How else could he make himself look important?"

Just as they were mocking him, a thunderous tiger's roar ripped through the air.

The ground trembled. The soldiers froze in place, eyes wide and bodies tensed.

The two wolfdogs brought by the guides dropped to the ground, trembling like leaves.

The ten supply-laden warhorses neighed and tried to bolt in panic, barely restrained by their handlers.

"Awoo! Meow~"

Blackie and Whiskers both let out excited sounds. Though nervous, they seemed more eager than scared, taking two bold steps forward. Then they turned to look at Ethan, eyes gleaming, waiting for his command.

"You two, stay put!" Hsingchen scolded them. "Your job is to protect everyone, not pick fights. Back in formation!"

"Awoo... Meow..." The dog and cat backed off, clearly disappointed but obedient.

Ethan was stunned. "Damn, how'd you train them to be this well-behaved and brave? Come on, Ethan, let's talk. Teach me your ways—"

"Cut it out." Ethan waved him off. "I just picked up Blackie by the roadside. Suzie found the cat digging through a trash can.

The clash of beasts echoed through the thick fog—snarls, roars, and the wet crunch of flesh and bone. Somewhere ahead, a tiger and a wild boar were locked in a brutal fight. The soldiers froze, barely daring to breathe. They gripped their rifles and machetes tightly, but in this blinding mist, it was hard to tell friend from foe—by the time they saw a wild animal charging at them, it would already be too late.

They couldn't see a thing, but Ethan could.

Through the haze, his eyes locked onto the scene with perfect clarity. The tiger, mighty king of the forest, had fought hard—too hard. Though it finally managed to sink its fangs into the boar's neck, killing it, the price was steep. Deep gashes covered the beast's striped hide. One particularly vicious wound split its belly, entrails trailing behind as it staggered.

And then—

Injured, confused, desperate—

It turned and bolted.

Right toward them.

"Awoo—!"

Hearing the crashing of brush and the tiger's ragged roar growing louder, Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"Not good! It's coming this way!" he shouted. "Everyone stay calm! I'll draw it away—Blackie! Whiskers! Let's move!"

He dashed into the white fog with his machete gleaming.

"Roar! Meow—!"

The black dog and white cat yelped with excitement and shot after him like arrows, disappearing into the mist.

"Ethan! Be careful!" Ryan shouted after him, then quickly turned to his men. "Tie the horses and take cover! Prepare for battle!"

The soldiers obeyed instantly, tethering the frightened horses to trees and ducking behind a rocky outcrop, guns at the ready, fingers tight on their triggers.

Meanwhile, Ethan sprinted straight toward the wounded tiger. It stumbled forward, half-blind with pain, its breathing labored. Blood poured from its open wounds, and the long tear in its belly revealed organs threatening to spill completely.

And yet—it still ran. Survival was all it had left.

But just as it came within striking distance, a flash of movement cut across its vision.

"Stop!" Ethan shouted.

With a smooth motion, he swept his hand across the air—and the tiger vanished.

The beast didn't even have time to react. One moment it was charging forward, the next—it was gone. Tucked safely into the Ring Space.

Inside the otherworldly storage, Ethan immediately poured spiritual water down the tiger's throat, willing it to survive.

Back in the real world, the wild boars screeched to a halt, hooves skidding through the dirt. The beast they were chasing had disappeared. In its place stood a clean, fair-skinned young man holding a machete, flanked by a dog and a cat with strange glints in their eyes.

The lead boar blinked.

Wait—what?

Where did the tiger go?

Was that… thing a tiger demon that transformed into a human?

The entire herd froze, their brains collectively short-circuiting.

The wild boars were dumbfounded.