Universe Infinite Canteen
Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Toxic Explosion Flow

"Harmless Treatment" sacrificed the persistent poison damage in exchange for a more rapid toxin stacking speed, allowing one attack to apply four layers of poison.

If everything went smoothly, 25 attacks could trigger the final massive damage, and with the aid of blue blessings like "Add Poison," the actual speed of toxin stacking could be even faster.

By then, the poison explosion strategy centered around "Toxin Stacking" was basically viable.

Unfortunately, the team's luck in hunting this time was average, and despite the long time that had passed, they still hadn't encountered any large prey.

The bait attracted only 1-star and 2-star ingredients, and the limited quantity meant even less when divided among the five people.

Moreover, against enemies of such strength, "Toxin Stacking" didn't have enough time to take effect.

However, as the hunt progressed, Seta and Sadie, the sibling duo, had gradually changed their attitude toward Ma Lu and had become more polite.

After determining the direction of his style through the work plan, Ma Lu chose poisons depending on suitability, focusing on enhancing basic attributes whenever proper blessings were unavailable.

By this point, everyone in the team had received at least a 45% enhancement to their strength, speed, stamina, and reflexes, with the highest enhancement to stamina reaching an astonishing 72%.

This was keenly felt during combat.

Seta was just sharp-tongued and unwilling to tolerate unfair treatment, but he wasn't foolish. He had already realized the significance of Ma Lu's miraculous ability, being the 'Meat Pigeon,' for a hunting group.

The only regret was that this hunt lasted only 12 hours. Seta didn't want to waste the current state that felt almost like divine assistance. If they could stay in the desert for a week or two, they would surely bag some valuable loot.

However, his suggestion was decisively rejected by Boggy.

"No, the deputy leader's psychic power can't be sustained for such a long duration."

Seta fell silent but as a psychic power user himself, he naturally knew that the more potent the ability, the greater the consumption would be.

Although Ma Lu appeared leisurely on the surface, chatting idly with Mai Mai and occasionally teasing Little Grey, the Wind-walking Prairie Wolf cub, all of it could just be a painstaking façade he maintained to put the others at ease.

Otherwise, it was unexplainable why the Twin Sunflower Hunting Group, despite its formidable strength, hunted only once a week for a mere 12 hours. Find endless stories on m_vl_em_p_yr

With this realization, Seta developed a sense of respect for Ma Lu.

Yet, after another two hours, the hunting group had little to show for their effort. Ma Lu glanced at the Collection Bag; despite the busyness, it was still less than half full, and compared to the previous two times, it lacked any noteworthy loot.

Just as he considered scouting around, the communication device on the motorcycle suddenly lit up with a yellow light.

Ma Lu remembered Boggy mentioning that this signaled that someone nearby was using the radio to call.

So he reached for the communicator and heard an anxious voice coming from inside.

"Can anyone hear me... I am Hogg, the deputy leader of the Skyline Hunting Group... Repeat, I am Hogg, the deputy leader of the Skyline Hunting Group..."

"We... have encountered two Lava Giant Lizards and urgently need assistance... Our location is southeast of the C12 Storage Point..."

The voice abruptly stopped.

Mai Mai was next to Ma Lu, and she too heard the voice from the communicator, "It's an area broadcast."

"Hmm?"

"If a hunting group runs into trouble, or replaces valuable prey that they can't handle on their own, they will issue a regional broadcast to seek cooperation with other nearby groups.

Mai Mai thought for a moment, "Skyline Hunting Group... I seem to have heard this name somewhere. I haven't been a hunter for a while though, so I'm out of the loop on many things. Better ask Boggy."

Boggy had just caught another Sand-Spray Qiang, holding it in hand, when he saw Mai Mai and Ma Lu approaching from the other direction.

Her gaze towards Ma Lu was a bit unnatural, but fortunately, her attention was quickly captured by the regional broadcast, and she returned to her usual efficiency.

"Skyline Hunting Group..." Boggy mused, "They don't have many people, but they have a good reputation. They've cooperated with other groups before, and according to what was said afterward, both sides were satisfied."

"I remember now," Mai Mai chimed in, "The welfare institution behind my perfume shop seems to be sponsored in part by the Skyline Hunting Group."

"Huh, hunting groups sponsor welfare institutions?"

"Yes, because many orphans in the city lost their hunter parents to accidents. If they have no other relatives, they have to live in a welfare institution. Because of this connection, some hunting groups will sponsor the institutions regularly with donations.

"If the orphans become hunters in the future and join the related hunting groups, they'll likely be more loyal and feel a stronger sense of belonging than typical hunters, ah, but these instances are actually not that common.

"The groups don't force orphans to join; most people donate simply because they want to do good deeds."

Boggy straightforwardly called over Seta and his sister Sadie to repeat the Skyline Hunting Group's call for help, pulling out the creased map afterwards.

"The C12 Storage Point is not far from us, just about a half-hour drive. What do you guys think?"

"Let's go!" Seta was the first to blurt out excitedly, "That's a Lava Giant Lizard! It's a rare opportunity, and besides, we're under the blessing of our vice-captain."

Ma Lu noticed that even Seta's address for him had changed.

Indeed, no hunter could resist the temptation of a Meat Pigeon, even if it meant just riding the coattails of the main Captain. It was clear that Seta had become enamored with the feeling of being enhanced.

"I want to go too."

Ma Lu cast his vote in favor as well. The ingredients for his stand next week were still not fully collected, and given their luck today, they would probably not land any decent prey if they stayed.

"I'll go with the group, either way is fine with me," shrugged Mai Mai.

Boggy didn't ask Sadie, knowing the girl would surely side with her brother.

Three votes in favor, one abstention.

Boggy nodded, "Then we'll head over, but remember to be cautious. We can't rule out the possibility that someone is masquerading as the Skyline Hunting Group to send out the regional broadcast, actually preparing to ambush any group that comes to assist."

Not long ago, Boggy and Ma Lu had been robbed, and so they were extra vigilant about such scenarios. After all, they were in the desert, not in the city, without the protection of law enforcement, so it was inevitable that some might have crooked ideas.

They packed up the bait and put Little Grey back into the canvas bag, took a short rest, and the five of them hopped on their motorcycles once more, heading towards the coordinates mentioned in the regional broadcast.

As they neared their destination, Boggy voluntarily slowed down, especially after seeing figures ahead, she simply brought their motorcycles to a stop.

Then she climbed the nearby sand dune and started observing the situation ahead through binoculars.