"Zhang Huaisen seems to have lost his independent thinking," Shao Qi commented with a furrowed brow. Was that a psychic attack that Gu Zuo launched?

It wasn't improbable. Zhou You could do the same.

As Gu Zuo delivered his final strike, Shao Qi subtly moved his fingers towards the fallen Zhang Huaisen.

The audience shouted Zhang Huaisen's name, unable to bear watching a young hero fall in the arena.

With a sinister grin, Gu Zuo swung a blade towards Zhang Huaisen, thinking, "Die! After this battle, I'll be renowned."

A sharp pain jolted Zhang Huaisen's nerves, waking him instantly. Without a second thought, he gripped the descending blade, snapped it in half, and delivered a powerful punch to Gu Zuo's stomach. The unguarded Gu Zuo was hurled off the arena.

"Gu Zuo has lost."

"That was too close."

"That turnaround felt a bit abrupt and odd."

"In a battle between masters, victory can hinge on a mere moment."

"Oh no, Young Master Zhang has passed out!" On the stage, after delivering that punch, Zhang Huaisen lost consciousness.

Han Xi glanced at Shao Qi and descended to "collect" Zhang Huaisen. After such a battle, he'd need at least a year and a half of recovery, but this outcome was already favorable.

Shao Qi followed suit, pausing by Gu Zuo, helping him up, and handing him over to the Gu family's servants. He whispered into his ear, "Taste of your own medicine isn't pleasant, is it?"

Gu Zuo spat out a mouthful of clotted blood, "Was it you?"

"Me? I did nothing. But I'm surprised you've learned to control others' minds with psychic power. Impressive."

It was only now that Shao Qi remembered that Gu Zhuo had studied psychology; perhaps he had a natural talent in this area.

Zhou You had just finished watching the complete video, revisiting some sections multiple times. For instance, the part where Gu Zhuo controls Zhang Huaishen lacked a clear camera angle, making it hard to discern his expression, though Zhang's was captured vividly.

He told Shao Qi, “Zhang Huaishen has a formidable will. It’s unlikely he was easily controlled. Instead of manipulation, it seems his neural pathways were temporarily shut down, rendering him catatonic. It's an effective offensive strategy.”

“Indeed, he seems to be pioneering a new frontier in martial arts.”

"I'll test the effect on a few mutated beasts, including those insects. Perhaps there will be unexpected discoveries.” Zhou You was in the Yunlan Mountains, unfamiliar terrain to him now. They dared not sleep deeply during their nighttime rests. Come spring, these endless mountains seem to awaken.

“Stay alert. If it becomes too perilous, return immediately.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve lived here for about ten years. Does this count as returning home?”

“Hmm, I doubt the locals will welcome you.”

Zhou You gestured to the distance, and a pure white tiger lunged towards him, too vast to be captured in its entirety on camera.

Shao Qi exclaimed in surprise, “Is that Xiao Bai?”

“Yes, he was here before I arrived. Maybe he missed home.” Zhou You recalled their initial meeting with the young white tiger, which had terrified everyone. They had thought they encountered a highly mutated tiger.

“Be careful then. Notify me immediately if you encounter any insect swarms.”

“Half of the reconnaissance drones have crashed. The skies above these mountains are dominated by mutated birds. Despite the drones' size, they’re easily detected.”

“Understood. I'll inform Zhuo Hao to recall the drones. Manual control is the only option now.” Shao Qi, still concerned, added, “The signal may weaken as you venture deeper. Keep me updated whenever you can.”

Zhou You nodded in agreement, but neither expected that by the next day, all communication with Zhou You's team would be lost.

Chapter 215: Encountering the Swarm Again

Zhou You leaped to the top of a twenty-meter-high tree, raising his phone. That morning, all their mobile signals had disappeared, reminiscent of the old days when there was no signal in the wilderness.

“This doesn’t make sense. Could something in this vicinity be blocking the signal?”

Zhuo Hao climbed up as well, holding a **, attempting to recall the five drones he had dispatched.

Turning to Zhou You, he said, “It’s possible. Experts recently discovered certain wilderness areas emitting interference signals. They suspect specific geographical conditions might be the cause.”

“How do these experts, always cooped up in their labs, know so much?”

Zhuo Hao didn't have an answer. Throughout their journeys, they’d seen many phenomena science couldn’t explain. If someone told him now that certain flora or fauna emitted these electronic waves, he wouldn't find it strange.

“Damn, I've lost contact with the drones.” Zhuo Hao frantically pressed the **, but the link count on the display was now zero, indicating he had lost connection with all the drones.

Observing Zhuo Hao’s **, Zhou You curiously asked, “Does this also rely on signal communication?”

“The principle is essentially the same. This region is undoubtedly peculiar.”

“Indeed.”

"Let's go take a look." Zhou You leapt into the air, arms outspread like a graceful bird. Although the height of his leap wasn't beyond human limits, the ease with which he did it was unparalleled.

Zhuo Hao had no choice but to descend by hopping from branch to branch.

Beneath the large tree, Miao Miao and Qin Li Feng were grilling meat. They offered a piece to each of the two men. On this trip, they hadn't brought a car or much luggage. Their meals were about convenience, and in emergencies, they would have to rely on nutrient liquid.

"This newly improved nutrient liquid isn't bad; at least it doesn't taste as horrible anymore."