The Hunter was questioning and warning.

Zhou Yi let the Red Kestrel activate "Bird's Eye View."

On the controller's screen, the spherical creature's mental activities became visible above its head.

—What the hell is this thing? Why can't I hit it at all... It's just impossible to fight.

—Sigh, if my mother hadn't died, I wouldn't have been bullied like this, damn it. Our family has really declined, it's all because I'm too weak, I lack the strength, and I can't drive away these foreign monsters.

—If it doesn't work out, I should just run for now and come back when I can fight it. Anyway, just keep it steady for now.

...

However, this time the Bird's Eye View displayed previously unseen characters and symbols.

The Red Kestrel explained, "The Bird's Eye View ability is C-grade, so it struggles to unfold fully against B-grade life forms. This causes a lot of the information to be unreadable."

Although it was more difficult to understand, Zhou Yi still got the gist of it.

Sure enough, this Hunter hadn't reached its full maturity, and its mother had died.

Does that mean they are both Winter Beasts?

Extracting the bones from living creatures, discarding flesh and skin, capable of flight, unable to resist... indeed, all these traits matched.

How to communicate with it had become the most pressing issue for Zhou Yi.

After all, the creature was a B-grade life form, and approaching it bore certain risks.

The Red Kestrel volunteered, "I'll go and negotiate with it. It has strong destructive power, but its range is limited, and it's wary of our side. As long as I maintain enough distance, I'll be safe."

After getting permission, the drone flew between Jade City and the Hunter, acting as a loudspeaker and sound channel.

Zhou Yi communicated through the Red Kestrel, "This is the Wasteland Development Company's wildlife sanctuary. Hunting is prohibited without authorization."

The other party was taken aback.

On its glass-like body, the Hunter displayed two red luminous spots, stacked vertically like the 'two bamboos' tile in mahjong.

It voiced its protest, "This is my family's hunting ground!"

Zhou Yi replied, "You and your mother have only been here for two years, whereas our company's office building has stood here for a long time, dating back to the Divine Era. You are the newcomers."

"..."

The Hunter didn't want to give up, its 'two bamboos' eyes turning into a flame shape, "That's just being deceitful! This place has always been ours! Our family won't give up our territory!"

"Tell your elders to come. I don't discuss serious matters with children, call your mother to talk to me."

At these words, the Hunter was momentarily stumped.

Zhou Yi saw through the screen.

Intense mental activities were bubbling from its head.

—The Divine Era? Impossible, that must be a lie.

—But this thing knew my mom. Its body was so powerful, and it didn't use lethal force against me; it was extremely restrained, merely admonishing, what does that mean... A huge high-strength body, a being from the Divine Era, the owner here, I remember now...

The Hunter suddenly said, "You knew my mom!"

Huh?

Zhou Yi was utterly confused.

According to the guidebook, Hunters possessed high intelligence, but this 'two bamboos' seemed to have exceptionally active thinking.

"I do not know her."

"That's not true, you definitely knew my mom! My mom's name is Lie Hai, and she almost became a sea lord."

The other insisted, "My mom told me about you, how beneath the mushroom-covered ground, the Dead Sea Alien was slumbering—that's you! My mom said she and you were comrades, fighting against the Skywalkers together. After you were injured in battle and recuperated there... Then she just temporarily managed this hunting ground, telling me to come here in the winter to check on it."

Zhou Yi was dumbfounded.

He quickly turned to ask Jade City, "Is this true?"

"Fake, all fake!"

Jade City rarely showed anger, "I was in slumber due to energy exhaustion, not because I was defeated in battle. Lying, they're all lies. They're completely fabricating!"

Zhou Yi continued to read the Hunter's thoughts.

—My mother once said there's nothing to worry about with this hunting ground, the Dead Sea Alien, even if awakened, was one of us, and to not provoke it was enough.

—But this guy can actually speak, and it seems he doesn't want to admit it, damn it.

—I'm all alone because my mother is gone, sigh, without my mother, they don't recognize me, this world is truly messed up!

...

From its mental activities, it seemed the Hunter wasn't deliberately fabricating this tale.

Its deceased mother had indeed told it so.

But it seemed more like a comfort to a child, to not be afraid of the Dead Sea Alien in the Mushroom Forest.

The situation suddenly became quite strange.

Zhou Yi thought for a moment, then, via the drone, asked, "What's your name?"

The other replied, "My name is 'Lie Hai.'"

The name did carry a certain grandeur.

However, from its actions and thoughts, it was still in a somewhat fragile and immature phase.

"You and my mom were comrades, so you're either my uncle or my aunt! My mom didn't like dealing with aunts, so you must be my uncle!"

"Uncle, please take me in! I'll be strong once I grow up!"

"I'll only hunt some monsters— I don't eat much. After winter, I'll go into the Dead Sea to continue hunting and living independently."

Zhou Yi saw it.

Lie Hai's intentions surfaced in his mind.

— This Alien must be like the others, pretending not to know my mom at all. "Out of sight, out of mind," as they say, everywhere it's the same, sigh.

— Just play along for now and then take the chance to escape when possible.

The pressure from Jade City seemed significant.

Zhou Yi's core strategic deterrence purpose had been achieved.

However, the current situation gave him a different idea.

"Although I do not know your mother, if you have nowhere to go this winter, you can come to our Wasteland Development Company. By working for the company, you can earn rewards, including the Light Seed and bones you need. The company can provide those," he said.

The other didn't reply immediately.

The Hunter thought.

— It sounds like a trap, but winter is unbearable and the Light Seed is in short supply. It's also when consumption is highest, and I'm so hungry. Long-necked crocodiles are not easy to catch; why do they all seem to be getting smarter?

— Now, my energy reserves are insufficient, and my body too weak. I still have to guard against other XXX. Let's test the waters first.

"What job does Uncle want me to do?"

"Patrolling."

"Patrolling?"

"Correct."

Zhou Yi explained, "I need you to patrol our company's territory this winter, driving away those external monsters to avoid them affecting our company's industries."

"But I can't defeat the strong ones... My power isn't enough to reach the normal level of the Hunter clan."

"If you can't handle them, I'll deal with it."

Zhou Yi clarified further.

Finally, the Hunter understood its role: to deter B-level and below lower-ranked creatures, acting more like a Patrol Guard in the territory. If a real strong enemy appeared, the people from Jade City would step in.

"That's not a problem, Uncle."

It continued, "But I'm very hungry. Can I get some Light Seed to replenish myself? Our clan consumes the most during winter, but hunting is hardest and most dangerous then. All kinds of high-level creatures might show up..."

The Hunter had its own little scheme in mind.

— If it doesn't give me anything, it definitely just wants to use me.

— If I get something, I'll wait and see... but that's probably impossible.

Zhou Yi decided to take a gamble.

He had saved up some Light Seed for a while and could afford to use a bit of the resources.

Zhou Yi took out the Guangna Box from his pocket, inquired about Red Kestrel's rates, and added a certain amount of Light Seed into it.

Then a drone brought it to the Hunter and tossed the Guangna Box at it.

The Hunter immediately wrapped one of its petal-shaped tentacles around it.

Through Red Kestrel, Zhou Yi told it, "You haven't reached B-level, so you're rated at C+. Based on current market rates, the monthly salary for a C+ level Patrol Guard in winter is 30 Light Seeds. Here's an advance payment for one month."

"If you're willing, stay and work. At least it's safe here."

Zhou Yi was prepared for the loss of the Light Seeds.

An advance payment came with that risk.

The screen also displayed text accordingly.

The Hunter thought.

— Aliens do have money, seems like I can mix through the winter here. Let's hang around for a bit and see.

"Uncle, I promise to do the patrol job well! I'll go tidy up my temporary nest under the Dead Sea and start working tomorrow!"

The Hunter pledged right then and there.

However, the next day, the Hunter didn't show up.

Nor on the third day.

Nor on the fourth, nor the fifth. There was no sign of it at all.

Various indicators confirmed that this temporary monster worker had taken the money and run.

Yet, on the seventh day, while Zhou Yi was eating Lao Gan Ma noodles, he saw the spherical form of the Hunter stumbling in flight from the far end of the Dead Sea outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Behind it, dozens of black, serpent-like creatures were shuttling through the fog sea, relentlessly pursuing it.

From a distance, it let out a deafening scream.

"Uncle, save me!"

Zhou Yi's face twitched as he watched.

This unlucky kid is done for. Just destruct.

But the Hunter brought with it critical news.

"I've found you an Aunt, a very pretty Aunt! You two could definitely have strong offspring! Then I was attacked and besieged by these creatures... Save, save me!"

A pretty Aunt?

Another Dead Sea Alien?

Zhou Yi put down his chopsticks.

Since you called me Uncle, I have no choice but to help my own kin out now.

"Jade City, prepare to bombard! Repel the invaders!"