Infinite Cosmic Cafeteria Chapter 35: Luck Overflowing

After the previous two hunting experiences, Bocchi had built up enough trust in Ma Lu.

Moreover, he had the "helper" that Ma Lu had given him.

Bocchi glanced at the Flame Gecko hanging from his waist, which was tirelessly gnawing at his hunting clothes.

He adjusted his breathing, took a defensive stance, and felt his strength gradually increase.

It didn’t take long before the first prey appeared—a cheetah.

When Bocchi first saw the cheetah, his pupils contracted sharply. But after noticing that its spots were dark brown instead of golden and that its fur was a sandy yellow, with a smaller body size, he relaxed.

It was a Gray-Spotted Cheetah, not the Golden-Spotted Cheetah that made countless hunters tremble with fear.

Although there was only a one-word difference between their names, their combat abilities were vastly different.

The Gray-Spotted Cheetah was stronger than the Two-Headed Jackal; one Gray-Spotted Cheetah could probably fight two Two-Headed Jackals to a standstill. However, if it had been a Golden-Spotted Cheetah standing before them, their deaths would have been all but certain.

But this was only a level-2 hunting zone, and the chances of encountering a Golden-Spotted Cheetah were about as likely as The Giant Screen being struck by a meteorite.

Bocchi realized he had been too focused on that name and quickly shifted his attention back to the opponent before him.

While the Gray-Spotted Cheetah wasn’t as formidable as the Golden-Spotted Cheetah, it wasn’t an easy opponent either. He needed to stay sharp.

The cheetah, drawn by the scent of the organs, quickly noticed the humans ahead.

It began to trot, circling around Bocchi instead of immediately pouncing, as if assessing the situation.

Seeing the puzzled expression on Ma Lu's face, Mai Mai whispered an explanation.

“It’s using this tactic to search for weaknesses in its prey. If you get dizzy from its movements or lose focus, even for a split second, it will seize and exploit that moment.”

No sooner had Mai Mai finished speaking than the Gray-Spotted Cheetah launched its attack.

As Bocchi turned his head to adjust his view, the cheetah crouched down, coiled up, then suddenly kicked off the ground, propelling itself forward in a blur, pouncing toward its target!

Its limbs were long and powerful, its movements filled with agility and strength.

Just as Mai Mai had said, the cheetah timed its strike perfectly, choosing a path that fell right into Bocchi’s blind spot.

However, in this desert, the roles of hunter and prey could switch at any moment.

The perceived opening had been intentionally left by Bocchi, designed to lure the cheetah in.

His movements were slower than the cheetah’s, and although he had the advantage in strength, if the cheetah sensed danger and switched to a hit-and-run strategy, the battle could drag on.

If other beasts showed up during that time, his situation would become very precarious.

That’s why Bocchi had decided from the start to end the fight quickly. As the cheetah lunged, he moved his mechanical spear.

But to deceive the cheetah, Bocchi had his back to it and didn’t have time to turn the spear around, so he swung the mechanical spear like a staff.

With a powerful backward sweep, he struck the cheetah’s spine.

Mai Mai let out a soft gasp because that wasn’t a vital spot for the cheetah, and Bocchi was using the shaft of the spear, not the tip, which limited the damage.

In contrast, although the Gray-Spotted Cheetah took a hit, it managed to close the distance with Bocchi, and it was almost immediately ready to bite.

Seeing this, Mai Mai instinctively tightened her grip on her backpack.

However, the worst didn’t happen. The Gray-Spotted Cheetah seemed like it was barely brushed, but it collapsed on the ground and couldn’t stand up for a long time, only letting out constant wails.

Bocchi’s previous strike, enhanced by 【Strike Charge】, had unleashed a force of 1,043%, directly breaking the cheetah’s spine.

The fight started and ended quickly, with the outcome decided in just one round.

Bocchi then turned around and thrust the mechanical spear into the cheetah’s head, ending its suffering and giving Ma Lu a new three-choice blessing opportunity.

The Gray-Spotted Cheetah, like the Two-Headed Jackal, was a 2-star ingredient and would typically offer a blue blessing, but this time, Ma Lu’s luck spiked.

Although the Heartbeat Lottery’s upgrade effect wasn’t triggered, he hit the rare chance of receiving a purple blessing from 2-star ingredients.

The last option on the list was a purple blessing, and it was a familiar one:

【Bleeding Out: 33% chance for the whole team’s attacks to inflict a bleeding status, doubling the target’s blood loss during the bleeding state】

This blessing came at just the right time, perfectly complementing 【Water Conducts Electricity】, making Bocchi’s water shield useful again.

As they went down to deal with the cheetah, Ma Lu and Bocchi quickly discussed their battle strategy for the next fight.

Meanwhile, Mai Mai, who was handling the prey, was secretly shocked. She had noticed the abnormality on the Gray-Spotted Cheetah’s back; the area that had been brushed by the mechanical spear was now a bloody mess, with the bones underneath deformed.

What kind of terrifying force could cause such damage?

Mai Mai looked up at Ma Lu and Bocchi, only to see that the two of them seemed accustomed to this astonishing scene.

Recalling the earlier battle, Mai Mai realized that Bocchi had been completely confident before making his move.

But how was that even possible?!

Before Mai Mai could voice her doubts, the group faced new arrivals—the next prey came from the sky.

—Wattled Hook-Beaked Vulture.

These vultures were nearly 2 meters long, with red wattles on either side of their necks. Their sharp, hook-like beaks and powerful talons could easily tear open a prey’s abdomen.

They also had the advantage of flight, making them one of the least favorite opponents for hunters.

Wattled Hook-Beaked Vultures were omnivorous, eating almost anything, but they had a particular fondness for carrion. They were clearly drawn by the Giant Claw King’s rotting organs.

Although the Traveler's Bracelet rated them as 2-star ingredients, Ma Lu still harbored doubts about whether these creatures were truly edible.

Perhaps Old Wang had some means of eliminating the bacteria and pathogens they carried, but it would likely require some special ingredients or cooking techniques.

It seemed like a troublesome process, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Even if they didn’t plan to take them back for snacks, these Wattled Hook-Beaked Vultures had to be dealt with first.

Otherwise, if the bait were snatched away, the bait fishing would have to end prematurely, and leaving them unchecked could lead to sudden aerial attacks in future battles, which would be quite dangerous.

Mai Mai began to worry about Bocchi again. She wasn’t sure how he planned to deal with these airborne enemies.

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