Each passing moment feels like a relentless ordeal, a live torment that never relents.

At the outset, Avi entertained thoughts of escape, yet a revelation from 'Bo Wu' swiftly quashed such notions—

"The Beastmen, twisted and transformed by chaos, are either human or animal mutants. They identify themselves as 'hoofed ones,' half-human, half-beast monsters, adept at lurking in the forest with intelligence rivaling humans yet acting as cunningly as beasts."

Ferocious and uncivilized, lacking in discipline, once engaged in battle, these monsters sharpen their senses. Their lack of discipline leads them to forsake group objectives at will, choosing their prey instead.

Thus, regardless of their activities, it is crucial not to attract the attention of the Beastmen. Concealment is paramount, waiting for their internal discord or the exhaustion after battle before discreetly departing.

In the dense forest, evading the pursuit of these hoofed ones is nearly impossible. Hence, the optimal solution is elimination."

This lengthy message underscores the severity of the situation. One wrong move could lead to a dead end.

But for now, all Avi can do is wait.

Like a lone sail adrift on an endless sea, a wanderer bereft of all possessions can only drift with the currents, hoping destiny's winds will guide him to safety.

Even the slightest breeze or ripple could spell doom during this time. Avi is powerless, unable to steer his fate.

Trembling, he opens the Riding and Slashing system panel, observing the dense text and data, unable to suppress a bitter smile. "Even now, you're of no use."

This marks the Cheating Mercenary Group's first encounter with a true life-or-death scenario.

In the distance, the skirmish persists, the hooves of Lesser Minotaurs, Minotaurs, or Tauren pounding the ground, rocks, and fallen leaves, each echo akin to heavy hammers striking the chests of twenty-four mercenaries and two captains.

Avi can no longer endure the suffocating pressure. Climbing a nearby sapling, he perches on a low branch, surveying the landscape.

Through sparse foliage and tree trunks, he discerns the battlefield between the Greenskins and Beastmen.

The Greenskins bellow and fight ferociously, while the Beastmen roar and trample. The Beastmen's ponderous battle axes cleave through the sturdy forms of the Greenskins effortlessly, akin to slicing through watermelons. The hoofed ones' furious charges send Greenskins soaring into the air with ease.

Utilizing the Botu skill, Avi identifies this as a mixed battalion of Lesser Minotaurs and Minotaurs. Their leader, a Tauren, is inept in the art of command, merely bullying weaker adversaries at the heart of the battlefield.

On the Beastmen's side are ordinary Greenskin Beastmen and a handful of larger, more robust Beastmen, commanded by Beastmen Warlords. Coupled with their innate predisposition for warfare and resilience, these Greenskins manage to barely hold their ground.

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Though the numerical disparity between the opposing forces is slight, the Greenskins, fighting with injuries, seize the opportunity.

These Lesser Minotaurs, amalgamating the basest qualities of humans and animal herds, contribute almost naught to the fray. They scatter about in panic and confusion, disrupting the Minotaurs' formations with futile calculations and unfounded fears.

Thanks to this, although the Greenskins find themselves slightly disadvantaged, they cling to the upper hand with the advantage of elevated terrain, while the Beastmen are unable to mount a death charge potent enough to breach their lines.

The battlefield is awash with the blood of Greenskins and Beastmen, staining the fallen leaves and earth crimson.

The forest resounded with war cries that were wholly non-human, penetrating through layers of green foliage and still managing to unsettle the Cheating Mercenary Group.

However, after witnessing the grim battlefield, Avi found himself oddly reassured: the fiercer the battle between the Greenskins and the Beastmen, the safer the aftermath for scavenging.

This analysis, once conveyed to the team members, finally stabilized the group's morale.

With the scavenging battle looming, Avi now felt confident, awaiting the opportune moment.

The savage and brutal battle between the Greenskins and the Beastmen had come to an end in less than twenty minutes.

In the end, the Beastmen, led by the Tauren, managed to breach the Greenskins' defenses. However, they paid a steep price—every Minotaur was slain, the Tauren severely injured, and the Lesser Minotaurs suffered heavy casualties.

Such losses on the side of the victors spoke volumes, not to mention the defeated Greenskins.

Standing tall on the battlefield was the fully-armored Beastmen Warlord, his massive battle axe blunted from countless strikes, his armor mostly destroyed by the Minotaurs' brute force, his green skin riddled with wounds.

The Tauren, missing an arm and a leg, dragged his maimed body towards the Beastmen Warlord, prepared to deliver the final blow.

The Lesser Minotaurs behind him jeered and laughed, mocking the enemy that had once halted their advance.

With the Beastmen in disarray and mostly injured, and the Tauren disabled, now was the perfect time to strike.

Avi swiftly descended from the tree, drew his sword, mounted his horse, and led his mercenaries into battle.

As the unit charged out of the jungle's cover, the Beastmen Warlord's massive head fell to the ground. Before the Lesser Minotaurs could react, Avi and Rafe's swords had already cleaved through their skulls.

As Avi rode up to the Tauren and raised his sword for the final blow, he saw the beast's eyes, filled with reluctance and fear.

As legendary as the Tauren's toughness was, it took considerable effort for Avi to pierce its massive heart with his sword.

The battle ended within two or three minutes. The Cheating Mercenary Group began to clear the battlefield. Each Greenskin was decapitated for bounty collection, while relatively intact armor pieces and weapons were bundled up to be sold to blacksmiths as scrap metal.

"Boss, a brother found this on the Beastmen's leader," Rafe sprinted over and handed something to Avi. "Looks pretty valuable."

It was a ring set with a ruby. Despite the Beastmen Warlord's warm blood still clinging to it, the heat radiating from the gemstone and its dazzling reflection still showcased its value.

"So, this is the heirloom ring the boss talked about," Avi mused. "It seems these Greenskins have been plundering around here. One gang of bandits ended by another gang of bandits, quite ironic."

The Botu skill informed him that this ring was more than just jewelry; the ruby possessed the power of fire magic, capable of combining the magic of fire and the user's mana to cast Fireball spells.

"No wonder the boss was so obsessed with it that he couldn't focus on his business anymore."

"Boss, where to next?" Rafe asked.

Avi looked back at his team members, all buoyed by their easy victory in this raid, the system prominently displaying their morale status as "exuberant battle cries."

"Let's venture deeper into the forest," Avi said. "The boss mentioned there's a Greenskin plundering camp here, and I believe there should be something worth the risk."