According to the data, there were no powerful lifeforms here, nor were there any in the lake waters.

Whether it was because of the excellent bait Ye Zhongming had provided or because the Fizz fish—each over a meter long and weighing fifty to sixty jin—were simply too easy to catch, within two hours, each person had caught an average of over thirty fish. With over ninety people, that amounted to nearly three thousand fish.

This was even accounting for the fact that during the final half hour, the catch rate had slowed, likely because the local fish population had been largely depleted. Otherwise, the total would have been even higher.

Ye Zhongming collected all the fish and told everyone they were heading back. He then climbed into Mountain Rage with the fish, leaving the mechanical war beast to follow along with the group.

Ye Zhongming would not have come here to fish without good reason. On the Planet Hunting Ground, it truly aligned with a saying he had once heard on Earth: "Hundreds of thousands in a minute!"

Two hours of fishing, plus nearly ten hours of travel time round trip—he had no leisure to spare.

The reason he wanted these fish was naturally significant—in fact, very significant.

The bones of these fish were a material Ye Zhongming needed, and a very precious one at that.

Others were not fully aware of this. It was the Library Palace that, in its quest to detoxify its members, had conducted in-depth research on almost all kinds of materials. Through that research, they had discovered that Fizz fish bones, when processed using special techniques, were an exceptionally high-quality material for armor. They typically reduced the weight of equipment without affecting its toughness. On the contrary, they significantly increased defensive capabilities. Moreover, when the armor came into contact with water, it also greatly reduced resistance.

Others might not know just how valuable this material was, but Ye Zhongming, as a top-tier craftsman, knew full well.

When processed, Fizz fish bone powder was used in the creation of protective gear; the resulting product was the difference between ordinary and premium quality!

That alone was enough to make Ye Zhongming covet it.

Of course, this did not mean that adding Fizz fish bone would invariably improve quality—many other factors were involved. But Ye Zhongming believed that with time and as his skills advanced, having this material would allow him to produce premium pieces every time!

Apart from the bones, the Fizz fish's swim bladder and other parts were also medicinal materials, though less precious and with many substitutes.

Ye Zhongming had brought everyone here today for another, even bigger reason, but it was not convenient to discuss it yet.

…………………………

Inside the command post of the small clan alliance, the two Lords sat in the primary seats. With their masks on, their expressions were unreadable.

Present were Leona, commander of the Third Regiment; Duoduo, commander of the Fourth Regiment; their respective deputies; logistics heads; and military record keepers.

Only a few hours remained before the First and Second Regiments were due to return, but the results so far had left the two Lords feeling rather embarrassed.

The Second Regiment, led by Chen Ning, leader of the Abel Clan, had achieved truly remarkable results. Not only had they won a battle on the first day, annihilating over twenty thousand mutated lifeforms, but they had continued to reap substantial gains in the following days. They had eliminated six mutated lifeform groups numbering over five thousand each, and countless more exceeding three thousand. Just an hour ago, they had sent another triumphant report: after a three-hour fierce battle, the Second Regiment had wiped out a group of about fifteen thousand "Chi Niu Beasts."

This type of mutated lifeform was a treasure trove from head to toe—from bones to hide, from horns to tails, from blood to internal organs, and even the meat—everything was valuable. A rough estimate placed the value of each beast at around a thousand Moonspan Gold. Fifteen thousand of them would be fifteen million Moonspan Gold.

With such a large number, there were bound to be many powerful Chi Niu Beasts among them. Their bodies might contain a gelatinous substance called "Chi Niu Marrow," the essence of their physical strength. When consumed by a lifeform, it permanently increases strength. If taken in sufficient quantity, it could increase strength by about 10% after reaching the limit!

This was an extraordinarily terrifying figure.

And Chi Niu Marrow was valued by the gram—one gram cost over a hundred Moonspan Gold.

Normally, among these fifteen thousand Chi Niu Beasts, several hundred would produce Chi Niu Marrrow. Around four hundred might produce a hundred grams, and about a hundred might produce a kilogram or more.

That meant the Chi Niu Marrow alone would be worth around fifteen million Moonspan Gold!

In just two hours, they had earned thirty million Moonspan Gold! Such results would be illustrious even for a large clan.

After cleaning the battlefield, the Second Regiment began their return to camp, expected back in about an hour. They were not even bothering with the remaining time.

"That old Chen Ning really made a name for himself this time. Three days and such enormous gains. I'd wager it's no less than sixty or seventy million Moonspan Gold, right?"

Duoduo clicked his tongue in admiration. He and Chen Ning were old acquaintances, and their relationship was decent. He had not expected his old friend to shine so brightly this time.

Though not all of these gains would belong to Chen Ning personally—his warriors would also get a share—he would still receive a substantial sum.

For a small clan, such wealth would help them weather many crises.

Leona also sighed, "That Chen Ning, has he cleaned out all the prey in the vicinity? What will be left for us when we go out?"

This was, of course, a joke. Based on past experience, clearing the prey around your camp did not mean they would not return. They would gather again, sometimes in even greater numbers, because the camp itself exuded the scent of "food," drawing them in uncontrollably.

"The First Regiment… any news?"

A record keeper asked, and the room fell silent.

The First Regiment was in an awkward position. Over these three days, they had not made much noise. The other battalions had done some hunting here and there, but the First Battalion had been virtually invisible. When news did trickle in, it was only of squad-level, opportunistic hunting.

Moreover, they showed a clear tendency to pick on the weak and avoid the strong. The First Regiment largely avoided prey groups numbering over a thousand, and the First Battalion's squads would not even touch small groups of more than twenty, only engaging when they had a numerical advantage.

No one said anything openly, but inwardly, they looked down on this.

This was avoiding battle. How could they be so cowardly?

The Second Regiment had cleared out the mutated lifeform groups in their assigned direction. But the First Regiment had accomplished nothing. Instead, over these days, the mutant lifeform gatherings had nearly completed, with one group exceeding sixty to seventy thousand in number, and another not far from the camp exceeding fifty thousand.

These lifeforms might attack the base at any moment.

Everyone glanced at the two Lords, feeling the tension in the air.

This was a serious blow to the Star-Eye Clan's standing.

Just then, someone hurried in from outside. After saluting at the open door, he stepped inside and reported, "Report: The First Regiment began assembling half an hour ago!"