Chapter 146 133: Dual Buffs

"It seems the accuracy isn't an issue; just needs a slight adjustment." Chen San nodded, continuing to tweak the scope on the sniper rifle he held. "Absolutely can't afford any mistakes at the critical moment."The birds in the forest took flight in alarm. Tang Xin noticed the unusual sound and looked up gently, discovering that Xu Xiaoyou had appeared beside her at some unknown time, also carrying a sniper rifle on her back.

She had changed her attire, her long golden hair tied back into a brisk and neat ponytail, wrapped in long, thick, and warm boots. Tactical straps were tied around what looked like black stockings on her thighs, with two short knives inserted, resembling the hidden fangs of a hunter.

Under the cinch of a tactical vest, the girl's figure appeared even more elongated, shedding a bit of gentleness and gaining a decisive sharpness.

Tang Xin had never seen Xu Xiaoyou dressed like this, with such a demeanor, making her momentarily dazed before she smiled and said:

"Why are you dressed like this? It suits you well."

"Hmm." Xu Xiaoyou's breath was steady and restrained. She paused and looked into the distance beyond the forest.

Among the layers of shadows and the quiet depths of the woods, a massive brown figure was slowly pacing. Fat under its brown-gray fur rippled like waves with every step, its huge head shaking as it moved. Its small black eyes flashed with cunning, occasionally dropping smelly drool from its mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a brown bear near the camp site. If we don't want to be attacked at night, we'll have to figure out how to deal with it."

Tang Xin nodded thoughtfully. She had learned from textbooks that a brown bear is a territorial, highly aggressive creature, cunning, and extremely vengeful.

If a brown bear is roaming nearby, it means it's already watching you. It hasn't attacked directly because it's still observing, but once the timing is right, it will pounce without hesitation, using its body weighing hundreds of kilograms to pin its prey, commencing a bloody feast without waiting for the prey to die.

Even if we move the camp, it will follow the scent and launch a surprise attack.

Xu Xiaoyou's eyes narrowed slightly. She took down the sniper rifle from her back, stepped back with her right leg, braced the butt against her shoulder, and assumed a shooting stance. In the chilly wind, she fine-tuned the scope, ensuring it was at the right angle before her breath, turning into vapor, slowly drifted upward.

A dull gunshot echoed!

The bullet embedded into the snow, kicking up a spray of snowflakes.

The brown bear in the distance, which had been observing, was startled. The greed and hunger for flesh in its small black eyes vanished, leaving only fear. Leaping from the snow, it shook its massive body and quickly ran towards the depths of the forest.

"Missed..."

Xu Xiaoyou frowned slightly, slung the rifle back onto her back, and pursued in the same direction into the forest.

In a world of white, a brown and a golden figure pursued beneath the layered shadows of the trees.

Two rows of footprints spread out on the snow, with the howling cold wind constantly sweeping past her ears. Branches extended from both sides like ghostly hands. The forest scenery kept flashing by in her peripheral vision. They quickly chased into the forest's depths, where a small slope unfolded below. Looking down, one could see the shrubbery at the slope's base and the sparse vegetation.

She saw the brown bear leap towards the bottom of the slope, losing balance on the slope, rolling continuously. The scene was momentarily comical until it wobbled to a standstill at the bottom. Clearly, wrapped in thick fat and fur, it suffered no substantial harm.

Xu Xiaoyou clicked her tongue silently. As she, too, slid down the slope, she suddenly felt a heavy presence approaching, a sense of foreboding rising inside her.

Under a toppled giant tree, a red glow flickered. On closer inspection, another brown bear lay in wait in the darkness, ready to act. At this moment, its blood-red eyes were fixed on her, full of a craving for blood and food.

It was a trap.

"Roar!"

The brown bear's massive body suddenly lunged forward. Before Xu Xiaoyou could raise her rifle, a huge paw struck her, knocking her to the ground. Its foul-smelling, bloody mouth lunged for her throat. She remained calm, showing no panic from the sudden attack, swiftly positioning the sniper rifle horizontally in front of her.

The bear's wide maw bit onto the gun that glowed with a cold blue hue, leaving two rows of marks. A closer look showed shallow dents on the metal barrel.

After ascending to Two Tier, such an attack was far from enough to injure her. Still, the sudden assault caught her off-guard, making it temporarily hard to break free under the terrifying power. She had to grip the rifle tightly to withstand the bear's nearly frenzied bites.

The bear shook its massive head repeatedly, its giant claws pressed against the girl's shoulder, trying to toss the iron block from its sight. At that moment, a cold touch emanated from its neck; a short blade plunged into its neck, accompanied by a twisting motion!

Scorching blood splattered, landing on Xu Xiaoyou's face. She remained composed, controlling her body while dodging the bear's bites, swiftly stabbing with the short knife in her hand. Before long, the massive creature stopped breathing, collapsing heavily, rolling feebly down the small slope.

Before she could catch her breath, an ear-splitting roar erupted beside her, like thunder!

Just as she raised her head, she saw the brown bear that hid in the forest earlier, its eyes now blood red, brimming with rage and ferocity. It roared, once again charging swiftly toward the slope, reaching her in an instant!

After the recent battle, her body hadn't fully recovered. She sensed danger, feeling points of light gather at her fingertips. Then suddenly, a weightless sensation spread through her, followed by a warm, spring-like feeling. Her whole body seemed to brim with endless energy.

Looking up, she saw Tang Xin arrive just in time.

The girl's white dress fluttered in the cold wind, a blue array floating in her palm. Her voice lightly sang, the beautiful melody resonating over the forest's depths. Blue and pale purple glows radiated from beneath Xu Xiaoyou's feet, effects of the and .

With dual enhancements, Xu Xiaoyou moved almost twice as fast as before, executing several Wind Tight Pullings in succession, her form leaping and dodging in the air, distancing herself from the bear. In her hand, a standard-issue alloy long blade wreathed in flames emerged.

Amidst swirling fire, her body was like a nimble specter, swiftly stepping on the snow, simultaneously deploying Dawn Blade and Back Alley Stab, creating a ring of fiery brilliance that deeply embedded into the bear's neck.

The entire forest was illuminated by the blazing firelight.

Whoosh—

The flames on the long blade were extinguished in her hand, and the bear's body fell with a heavy thud.