Volume One: Planet of Ten Thousand Beasts Chapter 7: A Saintly Heart

About 180 kilometers west of Gathering Point No. 11 lay Blood Wolf Canyon.

The withered grass stood sharp like spears, the rocks were as hard as iron.

A squad of eight cautiously navigated the canyon. Their captain, Cao Gang, was the eldest at thirty-nine, just a month shy of entering his forties. The only woman in the team was Wang Xiaoxin, Cao Gang’s girlfriend, whom he had pursued for three years before they finally became a couple. At twenty-five, she had a delicate oval face, fair skin, and an attractive appearance. She served as the team’s medic, and Cao Gang’s love for her ran deep, as if an old bull enamored with a tender young vine. Li Juxu was the youngest member. This nameless team was the organization he had long served.

Five days had passed since they took on a freelance job. Back at the gathering point, Li Juxu had gone nowhere else, focusing solely on healing his wounds. Yet, his injuries were far from healed. The captain had now received a formal mission, one he had to participate in. A baseball cap hid the bald spot on his head, concealing any visible sign of injury. He had told no one about the freelance work—after all, such activities lacked honor. Cao Gang had not explicitly forbidden it, but certainly did not support it.

“Ah—”

Suddenly, a faint groan echoed from the shattered rocks. The scout at the front, nicknamed Monkey, immediately raised the alarm.

“Something’s up!”

The squad swiftly scattered, each taking cover and waiting silently. After a few tense seconds, no further sound emerged.

“Monkey!” Cao Gang fixed his gaze toward the rocks.

Monkey understood and cautiously approached the source of the groaning, leaving his cover. The others watched him intently. Li Juxu crouched behind a half-man-high boulder, his sniper rifle tracking Monkey’s movements. As the team’s sole marksman, he was responsible for long-range suppression.

The Beast Planet teemed with billions of wild creatures—fierce, cunning, and perilous. On this planet, one had to sleep with one eye open; a moment’s carelessness could lead to being devoured without a trace. Generations of predecessors, through blood and sacrifice, distilled one simple yet profound truth for those who came after: cautious steps ensure survival.

After navigating through a pile of one-meter-high rocks, Monkey found the source of the groan in a narrow crevice. After a brief inspection, he returned the way he came.

“It’s a lone wanderer. While being pursued by blood wolves, he accidentally fell from above. Both legs and one arm are broken, at least four ribs fractured. Fortunately, his backpack shielded his head, so he didn’t die on the spot. It’s been six hours—he’s nearing his limit.”

“A lone wanderer?” Wild Boar, one of the team’s assault members, showed keen interest.

“Judging by the size of his pack, he’s telling the truth,” Monkey said confidently. If it were a team, supplies would be dispersed to prevent any one person from being overburdened. Food, weapons, water, emergency gear, clothing—these were essentials for hunting. Only a lone wanderer would carry it all alone, with no one to share the load. Their eight-man team carried nearly 400 jin of supplies—about 50 jin per person—just enough. Stacking it all on one would hinder movement, even if they could carry it.

Everyone looked to Cao Gang. A solitary figure, gravely injured in the desolate wilderness—this was like a godsend. Yet, acting on it would bring moral condemnation. If discovered, legal consequences would follow. The reward was high, but so was the risk.

Cao Gang turned his eyes toward Li Juxu, silently asking, “Night Owl?”

“No abnormalities detected, but there are two blind spots that are hard to assess,” Li Juxu replied. Besides providing long-range firepower, he was also the sentinel. Night Owl was his nickname; hunters often adopted aliases to protect their true identities.

“Monkey, Hound!” Cao Gang ordered.

Monkey and another teammate immediately set off to inspect the two blind spots Li Juxu had mentioned: a cave halfway up the hillside, dark and foreboding, and a large boulder on the opposite side of the canyon—both perfect hiding places.

While waiting, the others remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings, ready for battle at any moment. On Beast Planet, anything could happen. This injured wanderer might be a prize—or a trap. They wanted the prize, but never to become prey themselves. Soon, Monkey and Hound signaled all clear.

A flash of ruthless determination crossed Cao Gang’s eyes as he prepared to give orders, when suddenly Wang Xiaoxin seemed to realize something. She sharply confronted him:

“What are you planning? This violates the Interstellar Treaty. He’s human—one of us. He’s injured, on the brink of death. We should help him!”

Li Juxu froze. The others were stunned. Even Cao Gang stood there, dumbfounded, staring at Wang Xiaoxin. Was this really what an adult would say? Could it be sarcasm?

“Article 11 of the Interstellar Treaty states that when encountering someone injured and in need, we must provide assistance within our means. You haven’t forgotten that, have you? Cao Gang, you promised me you’d be a law-abiding man,” Wang Xiaoxin declared with righteous conviction.

Wild Boar opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by the drummer, who looked to Cao Gang, waiting to see how he would respond. Their previous medic had been an older man who died on a mission. Wang Xiaoxin had been moved by Cao Gang’s unwavering dedication and sacrifice, agreeing to be his girlfriend. As a medical professional, Cao Gang invited her to join the team—a beneficial addition, unanimously approved.

Wang Xiaoxin had been with the team for three months. During that time, missions were few—only two so far—and cooperation had been smooth. This third mission, however, no one expected her to voice an opinion so different from the rest, all over an injured stranger.

“Xiaoxin, this is the wilderness. No one will know,” Cao Gang stammered, lacking the decisiveness he normally showed when issuing commands.

“What does it matter that it’s the wilderness? Does the wilderness give us license to break laws? If anything, we must keep ourselves clean here. Only if everyone abides by the rules can this world become better,” Wang Xiaoxin’s eyes shone bright, her face almost radiant with purity.

“We’re here for profit. If we hadn’t passed this way, he would have died soon. His supplies would have been picked up by others. Rather than letting others benefit, we might as well take them ourselves,” Cao Gang tried to reason with her.

“He’s not dead yet. He’s still alive. He can still be saved,” Wang Xiaoxin’s voice grew louder. Her burning gaze unsettled Cao Gang.

“In this state, he won’t last much longer,” Cao Gang insisted, trying to sound sincere.

“We can save him,” Wang Xiaoxin said firmly.

“He’s not connected to us. We don’t know him,” Cao Gang suppressed his frustration.

“He’s human—our kind. We have an obligation to save him. Even without the Interstellar Treaty, he’s still a life,” Wang Xiaoxin stated with unwavering conviction. The others remained silent, their expressions sour.