Chapter 937: Chapter 937

Lin Chen and the others sprinted toward the source of the sound.

Soon, they spotted Wang Zixuan, who was stuck dangling from a tall tree, completely immobilized.

Not far from her, a venomous snake with a triangular head and colorful patterns was flicking its tongue, locked in a standoff with her.

At this moment, the snake had clearly lost its patience and suddenly lunged at Wang Zixuan.

Wang Zixuan let out a scream and instinctively shut her eyes.

In that instant, a cold glint flashed—sharp as an arrow—and a dagger struck precisely at the snake's vulnerable spot.

The next moment, a figure dashed up the tree branches as swiftly as a monkey.

Several more cold glimmers streaked through the air, and Wang Zixuan's body began to fall.

Lin Chen darted to the base of the tree and caught the falling Wang Zixuan in his arms.

Her face was as pale as a sheet, clearly horrified beyond words.

Holding Wang Zixuan in his arms, Lin Chen couldn't help but feel a soft yet electrifying sensation, which gave him an odd sense of delight.

"Are you alright?" Lin Chen asked.

Wang Zixuan shook her head, her cheeks flushing red, before quickly leaping out of Lin Chen's arms. "I'm fine!"

Lan Xingyue let out a cold huff. "Didn't I already teach proper parachuting techniques during training? Why haven't you mastered them yet?"

"I…!" Wang Zixuan protested, her face even redder.

"That's no excuse. I hope you stop holding the team back. Otherwise, I'll seriously consider removing you from the group." Lan Xingyue's tone was icy.

"Xingyue, Zixuan's just afraid of heights, and nothing irreversible happened. Don't you think you're blowing this out of proportion?" Lin Chen said, visibly displeased.

Lan Xingyue replied coldly, "We're a team. Any mistake from one person is enough to put the entire group in fatal danger. Understand?"

Lin Chen was about to argue further but was stopped by An Xiaodi.

"Alright, everyone, let's tone it down. It's about to rain. Let's focus on finding shelter first," An Xiaodi suggested.

Just then, a clap of thunder echoed across the sky, and large raindrops began to fall.

Lan Xingyue looked up at the darkening clouds and said to Yue'er, "Yue'er, find a proper place to take shelter from the rain. We'll rest here temporarily."

"Yes!" Yue'er responded before vanishing into the jungle like a lynx.

"Wow!" Lin Chen exclaimed, watching Yue'er leap effortlessly through the forest. Her speed was so incredible that even he doubted he could keep up.

Lan Xingyue glanced at Lin Chen and explained, "Yue'er grew up in the jungle, so it's no wonder she's so quick."

"I see." Lin Chen nodded in realization.

They continued deeper into the forest until Yue'er reappeared in front of them.

"There's a cluster of crown trees up ahead, perfect for sheltering from the rain," Yue'er said.

Lan Xingyue gave a nod. "Let's get moving."

The canopy formed by the towering crown trees was so dense that almost no rain could penetrate through.

An Xiaodi dropped her backpack and started setting up a tent, but Yue'er quickly stopped her.

"No, we can't sleep on the ground," Yue'er said firmly.

"If not on the ground, then where are we supposed to sleep?" An Xiaodi asked, puzzled.

Yue'er pointed to the trees. "Up there. We'll sleep aboveground."

"What? Sleep in the trees?" The group was visibly shocked.

Without saying a word, Yue'er casually plunged her dagger into the undergrowth, skewering a venomous, triangular-headed snake.

"This jungle is teeming with toxic insects and venomous snakes. If we sleep on the ground, it's too easy to attract them. A single bite could be fatal to any of us," Yue'er explained gravely.

"Stop standing there in a daze. Get up the trees and start building treehouses," Lan Xingyue ordered, her tone emotionless.

The group quickly climbed into the trees and, using the techniques they'd learned during training, built a simple wooden structure.

This makeshift treehouse was impressively designed—despite being perched in the trees, it was surprisingly stable, and the rain couldn't seep in at all.

Yue'er took out a small bottle, carefully sprinkling its powdery contents around the nearby trees to deter venomous insects, snakes, and ants from approaching.

"I'll take the first watch," Lin Chen volunteered.

"Let me do it," Wang Zixuan suddenly interjected.

Still feeling guilty for causing the team such trouble earlier, she was eager to make amends.

"Let Zixuan take this one. It's only the first day, and everyone still has energy. The deeper we go, the more exhausted we'll become, so it's better if you take the later shifts," Lan Xingyue reasoned.

Though Lin Chen was hesitant, he acknowledged the logic in her words.

The rain poured relentlessly, and the team soon crawled into their sleeping bags and dozed off.

Onboard a private plane, Haen stared at the map in his hands, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Why the hell did those guys go there? Damn it, so the secret site isn't in China—it's actually in Africa's Death Forest," Haen muttered darkly.

"What's wrong, sir?" Ge Lei asked.

Haen's voice was ice-cold. "Tell Kabut that the Chinese team has also entered the Death Forest. They must stay vigilant."

"Sir, we've already lost contact with Kabut. It's been three days with no communication," Ge Lei stammered.

"What?!" Haen's expression turned grim.

"By any means necessary, make contact with them. Whatever it takes, that artifact must not fall into the hands of that Chinese team," Haen commanded grimly.

"Understood!" Ge Lei hurried out of the first-class cabin and began issuing orders over a satellite phone.

"The Death Forest… interesting. No wonder something like that would surface there. It seems fortune favors me with gift after gift," Haen murmured, leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, a smug grin spreading across his face.

At dawn, a ray of sunlight brushed the treetops. Wang Zixuan, who'd been on watch duty, had unknowingly fallen asleep on a branch.

Suddenly, Lin Chen's ears twitched, and his eyes snapped open.

He looked down toward the base of the tree, his gaze tightening when he saw an armed unit slowly advancing toward them.

Lin Chen quickly tugged on the alert rope, waking everyone up instantly.

Simultaneously, the approaching group noticed their presence, and gunfire erupted without warning.

Neither side had anticipated this encounter, and the sudden skirmish threw both parties into chaos.

Amid the gunfire, the team scrambled down the trees while returning fire.

"Who are they?" Lin Chen, taking cover behind a tree, shouted to Lan Xingyue.

Lan Xingyue's brows furrowed as she replied coldly, "That skull insignia belongs to the Skull Legion, one of Africa's most ruthless mercenary groups."

As they spoke, a grenade hurtled toward their position.

Lin Chen and Lan Xingyue's faces paled as they dove to opposite sides to avoid the blast.

The explosion sent dirt and debris flying everywhere.

Lin Chen rolled to another tree and only relaxed when he saw that Lan Xingyue was unharmed.

Wang Zixuan woke with a start at the sound of gunfire. Seeing the fierce battle unfolding nearby, she was hit by a wave of guilt.

She had stayed awake through the first half of her watch but had succumbed to exhaustion later on, assuming the jungle held no threats but wild animals. She never imagined they'd actually face an attack here.