4

The group was in trouble. They were cornered in front of the temple, a few dozen mutated monkeys approaching while there were at least 20 monkeys jumping down from the trees.

Within such a short window, Aria aimed up in the air and managed to headshot three of them. Theo tried to follow up using the M16 assault rifle...

DARARATATATTATA...

The shots only hurt a few of them, but it didn't stop them.

An M16 assault rifle is the most widely used automatic rifle. It's using 5.56 rounds, each around 55 grains and the cartridge has light recoil, it is best for beginners as it can shoot fasters and more accurate. Unfortunately, it came with lower stopping power, a few of these bullets only able to hurt and slow down the mutated monkeys.

Aria's AWP sniper rifle, on the other hand, came with 308 bullets. It weighed 208 grains, has moderate recoil and high stopping power. These bullets were able to pierce the monsters... especially if it hit the critical area, it could turn into an instant kill.

Out of the 20 mutated monkeys that dropped from the trees, Aria killed 3 of them, Theo managed to hurt and stop 4 of them. Rama threw his steel spear and surprisingly skewered two at the same time, worthy of his peak stage mortal realm strength and perception. The other could only wait for these monsters to drop to the ground, but surprisingly...

SPPLLATTT!!!

A fast lashing object managed to throw 7 of these apes a few meters away. It's Cindy's 3-meter bullwhip. Thanks to her lashes, only four reached close combat distance to the group. These four monkeys were easily dismembered by the rest of the groups.

Cindy was ecstatic, she gleefully shouted at Alex

"You see that!! I did that, I did good right!"

"Watch out!!.. Keep your focus!"

Alex really couldn't tell if having her in the team was a blessing or a curse.

Alex knew the level of these mutated animals from his previous life. Later using the gauger counter acquired from the doomsday pillars, people could tell the monsters' strength level. Rats and cats are low-level strength. They are between level 10-15. Red mutated zombies are level 15-20. These mutated monkeys are level 25-30. Some of them reached the peak of stage one mutation. Fighting unarmed and without any techniques or weapon, a peak mortal realm might not win fighting one on one with these apes.

Now the group of 14 peak mortal realms was not just fighting hundreds of these peak stage one monsters, the group was also fighting them in their habitat.

These mutated monkeys are not easy to fight, they are the long-tailed macaque. These monkeys jump around the trees using its arm and tail. Jerry found it very hard to kill them, his daggers also were ineffective against them. A direct stab to its bodies didn't do much damage to them, even after cutting its arms. This monkey could still fight. Jerry needed to stab its critical parts: Its eyes, necks or groin to kill them.

"My saber broke!!"

Darius shouted... Oscar threw him one of his own. Normal weapons were currently not strong enough to handle a peak mortal realm strength against the mutated monkey hard bodies. Just after a few cuts, these weapons would already be dented.

Sergei's M4 semi-automatic shotgun with its 12-gauge shells was actually really effective, unfortunately, after 6 shots, he didn't have the time to reload and already started using it as a bat to hit the big monkeys.

After 12 shots Aria also needed to reload her sniper, the monsters started closing in. Right now Alex could see more monkeys than trees, hundreds of them, in the ground and in the trees. The situation turned critical.

"Gather up!!"

The group made a small circle formation. Rama and the four masters facing five directions with their spears and shields up in a defensive formation. Alex could see that this group, although all of them were in the peak of their strength, watching hundreds of monsters, they were anxious. Fortunately, the sudden defensive formation made the monkeys' advances stop.

"Everyone stop attacking!!" Alex shouted.

Alex slowly walked out of the circle formation... he raised up his two katanas, staring at the monkeys... and he slowly kneeled and dropped the weapons on the floor...

"Are you sure about this?" Jerry asked...

"Yes.. we need to take the risk, follow me."

Everyone else slowly dropped their weapons to the ground as well. Alex fought with these monkeys before, These mutated monkeys although they were really smart, they still followed their basic animal instincts. The fact that they didn't show themselves and attacked from the front is because they are a very calculative animal, They will not start their attack until they surely know they are the dominant power. In the current situation, Alex and the group, while being cornered, dropping their weapon was an act of surrender.A submissive act diffused their aggression a little.

The mutated monkey slowly moved closer... one of them walked around Alex while intimidating him, when the mutated monkey finally felt they were in full control of the situation, finally what Alex waiting for has shown up.

Within the seas of grey mutated monkeys, one all-silver furred monkey showed up. This is a second stage mutated animal. Finally, the first Alex had ever seen since the doomsday. This is at least a level 40 mutated animal. This Silver Mutated Monkey obviously was their leader. Its size was not much bigger than the grey monkeys, but the group could see its iron-like muscles and sharp fur, from its eyes, they could sense its strength and viciousness...

It slowly walked closer to Alex...

GRRRRR... GRRRRR... OOH...OOH

When it moves on his close combat distance, Alex suddenly said...

"You are one stinky Monkey!!"

Alex raises his arm and quickly took out his trump cards from his storage rings... the medium grade golem. The three-meter black golem suddenly materialized behind the silver monkey, raised both of its arms together and hit it with full strength...

BAMMMM!!!

The second stage silver monkey was now laying down in the ground... before it had the chance to awake, the golem already stepped its rocky big foot on the monkey's back. The golem quickly grabbed both the monkey's arm while pushing its back with the golem feet... and pulled...

The silver monkey shrieked out in pain...

SPLATTSS...

Both the silver monkeys' arms were forcibly removed... blood splashed... the last thing the silver monkey felt was a full strength rocky step onto its head...

CRAAAKK...

The whole thing took only less than 5 seconds. It's not that the second stage monkey was very weak, but it's actually the golem. Just before leaving to the forest, Alex decided to fully power the golem to its 100% capacity, that's almost 200 spirit stones spent.This is a Rank 2 Golem, a medium grade artifact. With its full capability, it had the same strength as a peak earth realm human or a peak second stage animal. The sudden ambush and a greater strength... the mutated silver monkey died just like that.

OOH... OOH... OOH... OOH... OOH... GRRRR...

The hundreds of mutated monkeys turned into madness, the whole forest seemed to shout... The group quickly picked up their weapons, Alex took out another item from his storage ring. It's a flare... he lights it up and threw it into a pool of liquid on the ground... The liquid turned into a blazing fire spreading like a fiery dragon all the way into the forest entrance... A path suddenly opened up...

When the group enters the forest, Alex had already poured gasoline starting from the entrance. It was planned to be the group's exit strategy, a way to easily find the way back and also to scare the monkey and open up the path.

"Now!! All move at full speed!!"

The whole group ran back following the fire trail, a peak mortal realm can sprint 100 meters in 6 seconds. It only took 40 seconds for the group to return back to the entrance... With no leader to lead, the monkey turned reckless and rashly followed...

Mission accomplished... Monkey killing time...