Recalling a few notes from the database, Zhou You said to Shao Qi, "Take them and go. I'll handle this."

Shao Qi nodded, "Be careful. It's strong but cumbersome. Try to engage it in close combat and aim for its head."

"Understood."

Long Gan's blade struck the brown bear's thigh but didn't even manage to cut a hair, showing how tough its hide was. The recoil forced him back, and he almost tripped over a piece of broken wood.

"Captain!" Everyone watched in horror as the massive creature raised its foot to crush Long Gan. Just then, Zhou You darted forward, leaping high and smashing a punch right into the bear's head.

Just the leap itself was more impressive than anyone present. The members of Team Longxing recognized Zhou You, shocked that someone would step in to help them at such a perilous moment.

"Could deities truly exist? I merely said in passing, 'May the gods watch over us.'"

"I even prayed to Jesus."

"In our homeland, shouldn’t we be seeking blessings from the Bodhisattva?"

"Exactly, next time we should try something more reliable."

Zhou You's punch didn't land on the brown bear's head. Seeing the incoming blow, the bear instinctively raised its forelimb to block. The punch hit the bear's paw, pushing it back several steps. Zhou You quickly followed up, landing dozens of palm strikes in mere seconds. It was a blur to the onlookers, but from the bear's reaction, each blow had landed.

"They previously couldn’t harm the bear even with heavy weaponry, but now a slender young man has easily thrown it down."

"Impressive!"

"Such martial skills are truly exceptional!"

"Once we get back, I'll attend their morning assembly and learn martial arts with them."

"What are you all chatting about? Run!" Shao Qi frowned. These people always seemed so astute, but why did they falter in a crucial moment? Was this a movie show to them, complete with commentary?

Long Gan escaped from under the bear and, catching his breath, approached Shao Qi saying, "Thank you for the rescue!"

"Alright, lead your people away."

"But that gentleman..."

Shao Qi looked at him calmly and said with slight disdain, "You won’t be of any help here. Follow me down; there's another teammate of yours below."

Shao Qi didn’t linger on the scene. Even though he was curious about Zhou You's battle with the brown bear, such high-level fights weren't safe for onlookers. Considering his current physical state, it was better to escort these wounded men down the mountain first.

"May I ask your name, sir?" Long Gan, also injured, walked supporting and being supported by another teammate.

"My surname is Shao, and the man on the mountain is surnamed Zhou."

"Do both of you have ties with the Temple of the Gods?" Long Gan had seen videos of training sessions in the base. Although neither of them had really taken action, those three instructors were clearly their men.

Instead of answering directly, Shao Qi counter-asked, "Does Captain Long want to join the Temple of the Gods?"

"If you two are leading, I wouldn’t mind joining." Both were exceptional; one remained calm facing an advanced mutant creature, while the other bravely battled it.

With his skills, he could rival some advanced mutants. But against a bear of this caliber, the odds were slim.

By now, they had reached the injured teammate. Everyone was relieved to see him alive, though seeing his missing right hand dampened their spirits.

"Don't dwell on it. Let's get down the mountain. Our vehicle awaits below. Let’s get out of this bear's territory."

From their account, Shao Qi learned they had inadvertently encountered the bear. They were hunting deer and had caught three. As night fell, they decided to camp on the mountain's peak, a strategic location. But as they were about to rest after their meal, a mound behind them moved, revealing the bear, towering over them like a giant.

Everyone was dumbstruck, realizing they had been near an advanced mutant all along. The mere thought was terrifying.

"It shouldn't be hibernating yet, why would it lie still on the ground for so long?"

Remembering the bear, Shao Qi said, "Even with the firelight, it was too big to see clearly."

"Did the bear have any wounds before you engaged?" Shao Qi asked.

"Wounds? We didn't notice, we were too busy escaping," Long Gan admitted.

Another teammate chimed in, "I think there was one. When I fired at it, I seemed to notice a wound on its head. I thought it was caused by my shot."

"Regular firearms wouldn't even scratch it," Shao Qi speculated that this might be the same bear that had fought with the leopard before, with wounds resembling bear claw marks. They were fortunate to have met the leopard; facing this bear wouldn't have been so straightforward.

Dragon asked with concern, "Can Mr. Zhou escape?"

Shao Qi's lips curved slightly, "Don't worry about him, he'll be fine."

Chapter 061: I Know Where What You Want Is

Even on the way down the mountain, everyone could hear the tumult from the peak, the noise comparable to an earthquake or landslide.

"Wow, they're really going head-to-head, aren't they?"

"Did you hear that creature's roar? Sounds quite pitiful, doesn't it?"

"Right? It wasn't crying out like this earlier."

"It's surprising. That person, who looks so ordinary, has such incredible martial arts skills. Our Jiangnan base is really behind; our exposure is limited."