"What?!"
Jiang Fan's words instantly made the remaining three people wary.
At first, they didn't know what was happening, but soon, they realized something was wrong.
A crisp eagle's cry pierced the sky, as if possessing a soul-tearing power.
The cry made all four people present momentarily dazed.
But the sound of flapping wings as it flew allowed them no room for distraction.
"Run!"
With a command, Jiang Fan was the first to grab the two parachutes from the ground and sprinted in a divergent direction.
Zhou Niannian followed without hesitation.
Dai Xiaomei tried to look back one last time before Yao, pulling her along, made them run.
The atmosphere instantly became tense, with an unseen hunter relentlessly pursuing them from behind.
All they could do was flee endlessly.
The psychological pressure this put on them was immense.
Within the dense jungle, a killing intent was brewing amidst the lush trees.
Jiang Fan led the way, guiding the four-person team forward.
The surrounding scenery receded, stretching backward.
Underfoot, various obstacles like vines and tree roots coiled, lying in wait to trip them.
Zhou Niannian ran forward, too breathless to look back.
Her heartbeat accelerated with each stride, threatening to leap out of her chest.
Although surviving on a deserted island for a week had strengthened her, she had eaten not long ago.
The strenuous running caused her stomach pain, a sharp agony that slowed her pace.
Behind her was the imminent threat of death, but her legs refused to cooperate.
Yao, pulling Dai Xiaomei, had, at some point, overtaken Zhou Niannian.
Dai Xiaomei looked back and frantically shouted at Zhou Niannian.
"Run! Keep running!"
But once her speed decreased, it was difficult to regain momentum.
Zhou Niannian clutched her stomach, trying to run, her face pale, unable to speak.
Meanwhile, viewers watching the live stream through the small ball could clearly see the appearance of the monster behind the four.
A "disc-shaped" face, a pale gray head and neck, and two distinct crests on its crown.
Dark gray and black feathers covered its body, a striped tail, and huge talons.
If they had seen this raptor in a nature documentary, they might have called it magnificent.
But when this raptor became a hunter.
Its length was double that of a normal one, a full four meters!
It was no longer describable as merely "magnificent."
It was terrifying.
"Damn, doesn't this look like the bird Yao stepped on earlier? It's probably here for revenge."
"I looked it up, it's a Harpy Eagle! One of the largest eagles in the world!!! But this one... did it eat a growth pill? This would break records outside!"
"It's probably because Yao's landing made too much noise and attracted this eagle. Is the oxygen content higher here? Why does it feel like everything's grown so much?"
"Ahhh, Sister Zhou, run! Don't get caught, this eagle eats people!"
Despite the fans' anxiety, it couldn't reach Zhou Niannian.
She struggled forward, but she was getting further and further away from Yao and Dai Xiaomei.
Zhou Niannian gritted her teeth, mustering all her strength to sprint forward.
But it was too late.
Danger was right behind her.
Another crisp eagle's cry announced the hunter's proximity, full of menace.
Zhou Niannian could even feel the strong wind from behind.
Her legs trembled uncontrollably, and she struggled to move.
Dai Xiaomei, fleeing, looked back and let out a short scream, covering her eyes, unable to watch.
Yao, pulling one person, had no time to go back for rescue.
In that moment of hesitation, the shovel behind her was suddenly snatched away.
She spun around sharply to see—
It was Jiang Fan!
In the jungle, Zhou Niannian shuffled forward with difficulty and desperation, unwilling to give up or wait for death.
And in front of and behind her, the diving Harpy Eagle and the rapidly approaching Jiang Fan, like two seasoned hunters, closed in.
Only the roles of the prey differed.
The Harpy Eagle drew nearer to Zhou Niannian, and Jiang Fan was also closing in.
Due to the inconvenient terrain, he even grabbed vines and vaulted over various plants.
It was like a cool parkour scene.
But because it involved Zhou Niannian's life and death, it added a layer of tension.
The pursuer and the pursued drew closer and closer.
The fans watching the live stream didn't even dare to send bullet comments, waiting for the final outcome.
Jiang Fan was very close. Grabbing a vine, he slid under an arc of thick roots, mid-air.
But it seemed too late.
The hem of Zhou Niannian's clothes behind her was even nipped by the Harpy Eagle, lifting her off the ground.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
She screamed in terror.
But at this moment, her hand in mid-air was grabbed, and a force yanked her towards the ground.
With a "ripping" sound, the fabric on her back tore, but she successfully swapped positions with Jiang Fan.
Time seemed to stretch infinitely.
Her body flew backward, and she watched helplessly as she and Jiang Fan grew further apart.
Her mind went blank.
Her heart pounded, unclear if it was excitement or fear.
The scene felt similar to the parachute jump when they first met, but now it was entirely different.
Behind Jiang Fan, the four-meter-tall Harpy Eagle descended like death.
"Jiang... Fan..."
Her lips moved, but she could only silently call his name.
Only when she hit the ground hard did the feeling of fear truly set in.
Dai Xiaomei quickly ran over to check her injuries.
"Are you alright?"
"Jiang Fan!"
Zhou Niannian, filled with panic, turned her head sharply.
All eyes were fixed on the warrior in the air, facing the Harpy Eagle head-on.
Life or death.
It was at this moment.
Even facing a creature several times larger than himself, Jiang Fan showed no fear.
Talent [Beast Intimidation]!
The Harpy Eagle could use intimidation to make Zhou Niannian afraid.
Jiang Fan could also use his talent to suppress this beast.
The sudden wave of intimidation made the Harpy Eagle falter for a moment.
Now!
Jiang Fan unhesitatingly braced himself against the tip of the Harpy Eagle's upper beak.
Taking advantage of its open beak, he landed on its back.
He raised his shovel high, aimed at its eyes, and brought it down with force.
Another eagle's cry, but no longer crisp.
The Harpy Eagle cried out in pain, already unaccustomed to something on its back, and began to shake violently.
Jiang Fan fought to maintain his posture and balance, holding on firmly.
His talent [Beast Intimidation] was pushed to its limit.
He even grabbed its feathers tightly, leading it towards the swamp.
Fans in front of the screen couldn't look away, their hearts pounding, following the outcome.
Dai Xiaomei, holding Zhou Niannian, and Yao followed closely behind.
They chased after, watching the Harpy Eagle crash.
It stumbled and crashed into the swamp, struggling for a few moments before finally succumbing to prolonged torment and becoming a decaying corpse.
Seeing the Harpy Eagle with half its body submerged in the swamp's mud, Zhou Niannian finally let out a sigh of relief.
After the tension came a long period of relaxation.
After that, she seemed to realize something, her eyes widened, and she quickly ran forward.
"Wait, where's Jiang Fan?"
"Jiang Fan!!!"