The two blue crabs towered over the red pine crabs, their larger frames boasting superior defense and attack power. At first, they held their own, deftly dodging and countering the red pine crabs' assaults. But as the skirmish dragged on, the sheer numbers of the red pine crabs began to tip the scales in their favor.
"Argh!" Out of nowhere, the male blue crab let out a pained yelp. One of the red pine crabs had seized the moment, clamping its massive claw around the blue crab's leg. The sudden agony slowed him down, and in that split second of vulnerability, more red pine crabs swarmed in, overwhelming him. Despite his desperate thrashing, he was no match for their numbers. They flipped him onto his back, pinning him to the sand.
"I'll take you all down with me!" the female blue crab roared, her voice thick with grief and fury. She charged forward, aiming to free her mate, but three red pine crabs intercepted her. After a fierce struggle, they too forced her to the ground.
"I'll kill you!" the male blue crab bellowed, his rage boiling over as he strained against his captors. But with seven or eight red pine crabs holding him down, he couldn't budge an inch.
"Time for my grand entrance!" Han Feng muttered with a scowl, gripping his engineer's shovel and bursting from his hiding spot. Since hitting Level 3, his speed had surged dramatically. He shot forward like a tiger unleashed, a whirlwind of raw aggression.
"Die!" In just two seconds, he reached the fray. Raising the shovel high, he brought it crashing down on a red pine crab with thunderous force. The crab, stunned by Han Feng's sheer presence, froze in place—too dazed to flee. The shovel smashed into its shell with a sickening crunch, shattering it completely. Guts spilled out as the crab let out a final whimper and collapsed, dead on the spot.
The beach fell into a suffocating silence. Every red pine crab gawked, rattled to their core. Where had this human come from? He was too strong—too ferocious!
The blue crabs, meanwhile, stared in disbelief. Han Feng? Here? And slaughtering red pine crabs without hesitation? Were they dreaming? Was he actually saving them? But that didn't add up—they'd been at odds with him before. Why would he step in now?
Before they could process it, Han Feng struck again. With a sweeping swing, he sent two more red pine crabs flying. Their bodies exploded midair, twin shrieks echoing as they hit the sand, lifeless.
"Boss, what do we do?" the remaining red pine crabs stammered, panic setting in.
The red pine crab leader's mouth twitched, its glare fixed on Han Feng. "Human, we didn't mess with you! Why're you coming after us like this?" it snarled.
Han Feng's face darkened with menace. "These two blue crabs are my friends. Mess with them, and you're messing with me. If I don't take you out, who else is there?" he growled.
"Huh?" The blue crabs blinked, utterly thrown. So Han Feng was here to save them—and he was calling them friends? This twist was beyond anything they'd imagined.
"I didn't know they were your friends. We'll leave right now," the red pine crab leader said hastily. Letting the blue crabs go stung its pride, but Han Feng's strength was terrifying—far beyond their league. Crossing him was a death sentence.
"You think you can rough up my friends and just walk away? Nothing in this world comes that cheap!" Han Feng scoffed. Killing these red pine crabs wasn't just about revenge—it meant experience points and a hearty meal. No way was he letting them off the hook.
"You're pushing it, human!" the leader roared, its temper snapping. "Brothers, he's not letting us go—we're not sitting ducks! Charge him! Fight to the end!"
"Fight!" "Kill him!"
The red pine crabs surged toward Han Feng in a frenzied wave. The leader, though, cast a quick glance around before scuttling toward the sea. With a deft plunge, it vanished beneath the waves.
"Looking for death!" Han Feng roared, swinging the shovel in a wild arc. Each strike obliterated a red pine crab—shells cracked, bodies burst. Bang! Bang! A dozen deafening thuds later, the last of the red pine crabs lay dead, strewn across the beach. Some were reduced to pulpy smears, painting a gruesome scene.
"Unreal!" the blue crabs murmured, awestruck.
Han Feng surveyed the carnage, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips. Then he turned to the blue crabs, softening his tone. "You two okay?"
"We're fine—thanks for stepping in!" the male blue crab said, gratitude lacing his voice. Without Han Feng, he'd be a goner, and his mate would've faced a grim fate. Han Feng was their savior—thanking him was the least they could do.
Han Feng waved it off. "No big deal, don't sweat it."
The male blue crab paused, then fixed Han Feng with a curious stare. "Human, why'd you save us?"
Han Feng's lips quirked up. "Didn't you guys haul up those two treasure chests for me yesterday? That was a solid favor. I'm a guy who values loyalty—you helped me out, so I've got your back."
The shovel muttered under its breath, "Shameless!" Han Feng's real motive was crystal clear—he wanted the crabs to keep fetching treasure chests. Loyalty? What a load of nonsense!
"Oh, so that's it," the male blue crab said, nodding as if it all clicked. "Human, from now on, if I spot a treasure chest, I'll grab it for you!"
Han Feng had been banking on that exact response. He chuckled, "You help me snag treasure chests, and I'll look out for you. Anyone messes with you down the line, just come to me—I'll handle it."
"Awesome!" the male blue crab beamed. They'd seen Han Feng's strength firsthand. With him in their corner, they'd be a whole lot safer.
The female blue crab piped up, "Oh, by the way, we found a treasure chest this morning."
"Where?" Han Feng's eyes lit up.
"I'll get it!" The male blue crab darted off toward the reefs, returning moments later with a teal treasure chest clutched in its claws.
Han Feng's grin widened as he took the chest, his mind already racing. This alliance was paying off faster than he'd expected. The blue crabs were tougher than most creatures on this island, and their knack for navigating the water made them perfect treasure hunters. He'd turned a shaky truce into a profitable partnership—all it took was a little shovel work and some quick thinking.
The beach stretched out before him, quiet now except for the gentle lapping of waves. The red pine crab corpses littered the sand, a stark reminder of his dominance. He'd racked up some decent experience points, and with the crabs' help, more loot was on the horizon. Still, that leader's escape nagged at him. It could come back with reinforcements—something to watch for.
For now, though, he focused on the chest. "Let 's see what you've got," he murmured, running his hands over its surface. His ability to talk to objects would give him the scoop—no surprises, just rewards. The blue crabs watched, their trust in him solidifying. They'd been enemies once, but necessity—and Han Feng's calculated generosity—had forged a new dynamic.
"Big bro's got a knack for this," the shovel would've said, if it weren't muted. Han Feng smirked to himself. Yeah, he did. And he wasn't about to let that talent go to waste.