Asianovel

Chapter 95: Station 23: Array Activation

The divine statue was not entirely visible.

From Lin Yongjian's perspective, he could only see two enormous, five-clawed golden paws that protruded out, overly grand in scale.

Each claw resembled an eagle, with every engraved pattern glistening with the luster of gold.

Behind these massive claws, there was a long, serpentine body, curled and folded like a swimming fish.

The body was covered in fine vermilion scales, translucent and veined with blood-like threads, darkest at the roots and gradually fading into whiteness.

This might be the legendary dragon fish that was worshiped.

As he approached slowly, he noticed that beneath the dragon fish's massive claws were countless small wooden figurines tightly packed together.

Men, women, young, and old were all represented, each in an exaggeratedly distorted pose to convey their longing and worship for the dragon fish. Some even had their hearts exposed, symbolizing their desire to possess the dragon fish exclusively.

Lin Yongjian, having helped with prop-making for a period, knew that the production of the scales was not the issue—the cost of mass production was low. The trouble lay in meticulously attaching each scale one by one.

Yet, the dragon fish's scales seemed to be intricately carved by hand. Carving each scale was already an arduous task, let alone the fact that they displayed a gradient of colors and were detailed with distinct blood vessels... It was unimaginable how much effort and resources had been invested in creating this.

As for the tiny figures below, they made his scalp tingle even more.

It wasn't merely due to their exquisite craftsmanship, but also because it felt as if they all turned to look at him simultaneously at one point.

The sensation of being stared at by thousands, though not unfamiliar to him, still sent chills down his spine when their gaze lacked any emotional depth, resembling cold surveillance cameras.

Holding the three joss sticks, he hesitantly gazed at the deity statue before him.

Undoubtedly, the statue depicted some sort of creature composed of dragon fish, but it was so elongated that it exceeded the display capacity of the alcove. Hence, only a portion of its massive body could be seen.

Taking a deep breath, he knew it was best not to linger too long in such an eerie environment.

Tensing every muscle, he entered a state of alertness and approached the statue briskly, placing the three incense sticks on the candle. They ignited swiftly, casting flickering flames that illuminated the gold leaf within.

Recalling Yan Qiling's warning to Liao Xinya, he attempted to extinguish the flame with his hand, but the fire always appeared to die out only to flare up again once he stopped fanning.

A subtle sense of being targeted began to weigh upon him.

He fluttered the incense stick vigorously, but still, no miracle occurred.

In his hesitation, he decided to insert the burning incense into the censer on the altar.

The moment he placed it, the once-vibrant flame extinguished instantly,

and the wavering smoke dissipated into the sudden darkness.

Along with the gilded grandeur and the warmth of solemnity,

it was all devoured by the darkness.

His nostrils filled with the pungent scent of blood, intertwined with the demonic chanting of thousands that poured into his ears.

A dim light tinged with blood suddenly fell upon the enormous dragon fish before him.

The curtains that had concealed the head and tail of the dragon fish drew apart automatically from both sides, revealing its entire form—

This was no dragon fish at all!

Behind the veil, there was nothing but emptiness - no "beginning," and no "end."

The so-called Dragon Fish Jade Benevolence Deity enshrined in the Bai Family's Dragon Fish Hall is, at its core, nothing but a chunk of minced meat!

The originally lofty ceiling suddenly descended with countless tendrils-like entities, their touch caressing his face. Lin Yongjian swiftly realized that these were the hairs of innumerable upside-down figures!

These inverted figures had gathered together, descending in tiers, utterly blocking any possibility of his return to the entrance.

With every fiber of his being, Lin Yongjian suppressed the tremors coursing through his body and lifted his gaze upward, slowly and deliberately.

Amidst the darkly suspended figures, he was astounded to behold Mai Zeyu's visage contorted in agony!

Mai Zeyu's head was draped in strands of hair whose origin he could not discern, his entire being wedged amidst a densely packed mass of bodies. His flesh and bones seemed to have melded with these monstrous entities as one.

His stomach convulsed violently, and Lin Yongjian felt so nauseous that he almost vomited on the spot. However, before he could actually do so, the inverted hanging figure above his head shifted its orientation slightly. Immediately afterward, he heard a familiar laughter.

"Mr. Lin, I truly adore you... I'm your swimming ring, I'll always be here to support you..."

He looked up in surprise, only to see Yue Pengpeng with his hair hanging down deeply.

The pallid face of the girl was drenched with moisture, and the continuous droplets trickled into her tangled hair that connected with those around her. They fell onto his face, carrying the stench of decaying flesh from the dead.

Lin Yongjian screamed and hastily retreated.

At this moment, he couldn't concern himself with respect. Instinctively, he reached for the candle on the altar to burn this inexplicable creature!

However, before his hand could touch the candlestick, countless damp black hairs bound him tightly all at once!

With the reek of death emanating from the hair, it suddenly lifted him off the ground. As the woman's head descended, he looked in horror as "Yue Pengpeng" said to him:

"Teacher Lin's body... his limbs... I would love to collect them..."

The hair, like reins tightened on a horse's back, gripped Lin Yongjian's limbs and began pulling them in different directions.

Lin Yongjian quickly realized that this severed head was about to subject him to a gruesome crucifixion!

He struggled desperately, but to no avail.

"Yue Pengpeng" laughed maniacally,

"Professor Lin, don't be afraid. We'll soon become one, and your head will be like mine... Ahhh!"

A red glow flashed, and in an instant, the tightly wound black hair was severed by some invisible force in the air!

Lin Yongjian, having narrowly escaped death, disregarded his own excruciatingly painful body as he struggled to get up and run forward.

But suddenly, a frigid body pressed against his back.

The chill sent shivers down his spine. Not only that, the person's arms were as limp as noodles, swiftly wrapping around his neck and restricting him tightly!

Lin Yongjian's first instinct was to throw a punch as a preemptive strike, but he then heard the familiar, jovial voice of the other party:

"What's the rush? Did you forget we're in the Realm of No Escape?"

Lin Yongjian's body froze. He watched in horror as Yue Pengpeng, whose face had been twisted into a bizarre smile, let out a blood-curdling scream:

"Ahhh! Let go of Professor Lin! He's mine! He's mine!!"

The gathered black hair shot forward like a coiled spring!

Before he could react, the arm that had been encircling his neck from behind released its grip and smoothly extended forward.

Yan Qiling's pale, yet intricately defined wrist came into Lin Yongjian's view. As the slender and elegant fingers spread apart, magical red threads emerged from the neatly trimmed nails.

The crimson thread pierced through the gathered black tresses without any aggression, yet the moment it made contact, the surging mass of hair instantly fragmented and cascaded vertically to the ground, dispersing into a scattered heap.

The humanoid cluster where Yue Pengpeng resided was evidently enraged by the crimson threads. They carelessly and frenziedly charged towards them!

Lin Yongjian felt himself being flipped over, transforming his initial direct exposure to the assault into a position where he only needed to turn his back, listening to the roaring clashes behind him.

Feeling a pang of guilt, he quickly turned back to offer assistance.

To his astonishment, the man dressed in a dark Chinese tunic suit had, at some unseen moment, pulled out countless red threads that intricately weaved through the horrifying hair web.

With a casual tug, the hair formation was completely dismantled!

Blood spewed from the burst heads like a bloody rain shower, but the man nonchalantly retrieved a white paper umbrella from his bosom and held it above his head.

Yan Qiling turned his face halfway to look at him, revealing only his right eye.

In the soft glow of the light, his blue eyes shimmered like a serene, mesmerizing lake.

Lin Yongjian sat amidst a world drenched in blood, gazing up at the figure holding an umbrella amidst the bloody rain, muttering to himself,

"Teacher Yan..."

Yan Qiling didn't pay him much attention, his gaze lingering on Lin Yongjian for only a few seconds before he turned his back again, tugging at the silk thread in his hand.

The seemingly delicate and floating red thread suddenly tightened at the crucial moment, severing the final strand of human hair attached to the blackwood door without a sound, completely destroying all obstacles in its path.

Yan Qiling retracted the red thread and pushed open the door. As he moved, the flowing hem of his garment seemed to mimic clouds and water, quickly vanishing from the Dragon Fish Hall.

Seeing him leave, Lin Yongjian hastily leaned on the table to stand up, stumbling across the debris on the floor before pushing the door open.

But outside, beyond the blanket of white mist covering the mountains, not a single familiar figure could be seen.

Amidst the empty courtyard, only Xi Yi stood solemnly in the fog with a grim expression.

His eerie triangular eyes glanced over, devoid of emotion as he said,

"Be gone."

Stunned, Lin Yongjian reached into his chest pocket for the yellow talisman that Diao Qingchang had given him. It was now reduced to nothing but ashes, not even a trace of residue remaining.

The sudden chill of the mountain breeze swept over his sweat-soaked body, as well as the clothes that had just been drenched by the putrid water.

Was that Yan Qiling just now? But why was he in the Dragon Fish Hall? And those red threads... Not to mention that garment... When did he change his clothes?

Recalling his earlier solemn promise to protect Yan Qiling, Lin Yongjian now couldn't help but feel a profound sense of embarrassment and self-consciousness.

Yet, what had just transpired ignited a faint, illusory hope within him.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a delicate red hue floating ahead.

As he approached a few steps, that ethereal silk, like flowing water, extended beyond the doorframe, vanishing into the denser veil of mist.

He recalled the other's cold and indifferent gaze when they met eyes; it was indeed a look he recognized.

A gaze devoid of desire, pure and untainted.

Like a deity descending to earth, {Ming Yiyang} alleviated all suffering with an air of nonchalance.

After a moment's hesitation, {Lin Yongjian} resolved his gaze and followed the crimson thread into the boundless night.

-

The man with sapphire eyes swept away the water droplets that had inadvertently landed on his shoulder, allowing the floating red filaments to lead the foolish human away.

He slipped into the nearest chamber, feeling his way in the darkness until he found a full-length brass mirror.

Only then did he barely ignite half a lantern, gazing at his exquisite reflection for a while before reaching into the mirror.

The mirror accepted his intrusion like water, swallowing him whole, leaving behind only a single, dim lamp that flickered out under the encroaching darkness.

No one cared about the reversed position of his feet within the mirror, and neither did he.

Ming Yiyang was the last to leave the room.

-

When the servant boy with the white lantern came looking for him, he was already leaning against the doorframe, waiting.

He openly revealed his amethyst eyes, shimmering like scattered diamonds, and coldly looked down at the diminutive servant before him.

Unsurprisingly, he saw a bamboo-framed figure.

This small creature, clad in white paper, bowed respectfully before him and then stood up to utter:

"Please send one out to accompany me to the Fish Dragon Hall for exorcism."

The crisp voice of a child came from a cricket cage hanging around its neck.

However, this creature was evidently not very clever.

It fearlessly met the gaze of the silver-haired youth before it, only to promptly ignite itself as if burned by his stare!

Amidst tragic cries, the cricket cage and the paper body were consumed by flames, turning into a handful of ashes that dissipated in the mountain breeze.

Only the white paper lantern, which had fallen to the ground, continued to burn resiliently.

Ming Yiyang picked up the paper lantern and scoffed.

"The props are rather grim," he remarked.

He lifted the lantern, and the diamond-like glow in his eyes dimmed rapidly, leaving only his translucent purple irises to illuminate his path ahead.

The white paper lantern shed light on a trail paved with copper funeral money.

The areas not bathed in light remained in their normal state.

It was a very typical illusion.

The silver-haired youth lowered his gaze, coldly regarding the distant darkness beyond the light. With lantern in hand, he stepped into the shadows.

Chapter 60: Injured

At this thought, Huo Lanjing felt a bit annoyed. Luo Le was joking around with his own health.

There were only the two of them in the elevator. Luo Le decided to ignore whatever Huo Lanjing might say and would get off one floor down if the man made any physical advances.

In the end, Huo Lanjing didn't utter a single word to him throughout the ride.

Confused, Luo Le glanced at him sidelong. Had he changed his personality?

Huo Lanjing only turned back and drove away after watching Luo Le enter the old lady's house.

After that day, a week had passed without Huo Lanjing bothering him again.

It was very strange. This wasn't like Huo Lanjing's usual behavior.

How could he give up so easily?

But then again, who cared? It was better this way. Luo Le wouldn't have to bother dealing with him anymore.

Today was the day for the prenatal checkup. Luo Le, as usual, packed up and headed out.

The weather was colder than last time, with snowflakes swirling in the sky.

Upon reaching the hospital entrance, Luo Le couldn't resist leaning against a tree to vomit.

The smell in the car still nauseated him.

Relieved that no one seemed to have noticed his episode, Luo Le caught his breath.

Everything proceeded as it had before. In the clinic, the doctor put down whatever was in hand and looked up, saying, "Take a seat."

The tone wasn't as eager as it had been previously.

Luo Le walked over, sat down, and handed the notebook over.

"Alright, put your belongings aside and lie down. I'll examine you."

"Okay."

Twenty minutes later, the doctor had the examination results.

Not long after Luo Le sat down, a piece of paper was slid in front of her. On it was a blurry image that already vaguely showed features – it was Chen Chen. That mouth was identical to Huo Lanjing's.

Luo Le gently touched her belly, relieved that the baby at least resembled him a bit; otherwise, she would have been devastated.

"The indicators are better than last time, but your nutrition is still lacking. Have you been taking the nutrient supplements regularly?"

"I've finished a whole box already."

"Good, keep taking them. From now on, come back every two weeks. At 27 weeks... yes, in another 13 weeks, our little one will be here. Have you given any thought to what we discussed last time?"

Should they go to the Empire?

Luo Le pursed her lips. "I'll think about it more."

"Alright, make up your mind by the next visit. Otherwise, you won't be able to use our hospital's facilities."

"I understand, thank you, Doctor."

Exiting the clinic, Luo Le felt a weight on his heart.

Without money, he could go nowhere.

He never imagined that there would come a day when he'd be so troubled by financial issues.

Upon reaching the hospital entrance, the corner of his eye caught sight of someone seated on a chair. Despite the cold weather, the person was clad in a dirty, thin garment, with a white shirt rolled up to reveal a crimson stain at the sleeve. Their hands were wrapped up like pig's trotters, and their leg was encased in a plaster cast.

Luo Le would recognize that face even if it were reduced to ashes—it was none other than Huo Lanjing.

He appeared like an abandoned puppy, looking lostly ahead with confusion.

What happened to Huo Lanjing? Should he go over and inquire?

Luo Le took a step towards him but then hesitated.

If he asked and ended up being implicated, what would he do?

With this thought, Luo Le lowered the brim of his hat and changed direction.

Huo Lanjing, using his uninjured hand, leaned against the wall and slowly stood up, hopping along with his crutch.

After just a few steps, he suddenly noticed a pair of shoes in front of him. As he looked up, he recognized the person and his eyes lit up.

"Le Le."

Luo Le touched the mask on his face and asked indifferently, "What happened to you?"

Huo Lanjing paused, "I... Oh, I accidentally slipped and fell."

How could one fall so badly?

Since he didn't want to talk about it, there was no point in pressing further.

"Oh," Luo Le said before turning to leave.

Huo Lanjing hurriedly hopped towards Luo Le's direction, "Wait."

"Is there something you need?"

Luo Le paused but didn't turn around.

Huo Lanjing stepped in front of Luo Le and lifted his head, adopting an attitude of resignation. "I... got mugged, and my AI is malfunctioning. Can you help me get in touch with Uncle Wang?"

Got mugged?

Luo Le furrowed his brow, looking at the man towering over him with skepticism on his face.

Huo Lanjing? Robbed?

Noticing Luo Le's gaze, Huo Lanjing shifted his eyes awkwardly and cleared his throat. "I underestimated them."

Luo Le's AI had been deactivated the moment he was declared dead. The only reason he could communicate with Wind City was due to an implanted program.

Thus, he could only convey messages through contacting Wind City, but he had been unable to reach it these past few days.

Suddenly, Luo Le had an idea.

"You're from the Empire. Why don't you contact the 423 Planet Military District?"

"They only recognize IDs. My AI brain is damaged, so I can't display my identity information."

He had indeed overlooked that fact.

Luo Le lowered his head in thought, then looked up at him and patted his pocket.

"Where do you live?"

Huo Lanjing replied, "Emperor Xuan Pavilion."

Luo Le asked, "Until when?"

Huo Lanjing answered, "Two o'clock this afternoon."

The Emperor Xuan Pavilion Hotel - the best five-star hotel in the area.

Huo Lanjing truly lived up to his reputation for only staying in the finest accommodations and using the best amenities, no matter where he was.

He couldn't afford to extend his stay.

In truth, he could have simply turned around and left. However, he couldn't reconcile himself to doing so.

It wasn't because the person was Huo Lanjing, but rather due to the man's circumstances.

Even if it had been a stranger, Luo Le wouldn't have been able to ignore the situation.

Moreover, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not, the child in his belly was also a part of this person.

After a moment's deliberation, he sighed. "I'll have Wind City convey the message. Before you get in touch with him, you should change hotels. I'll lend you the money for now."

"No need."

Luo Le knew that the man was too proud to accept his money.

"It's not a free loan. The interest is 60% of the principal. You'll have to repay me with both principal and interest when the time comes."

Huo Lanjing still shook his head. "I... can't sleep in other hotels."

Luo Le was speechless. He truly was a young master, so hard to please, still picky even at a time like this.

That hotel room cost ten thousand a day; there was no way they could afford to extend their stay.

"Hmm, you have two options now. One, my place, same price as the hotel. Two, the streets, for free."

Huo Lanjing paused, "I choose one."

"Alright then."

With that, Luo Le turned and left, with Huo Lanjing following closely behind.

As they reached the door, Huo Lanjing, dressed in thin clothing, felt the chill and couldn't help but sneeze from the cold.

Luo Le heard the sound and turned back. Seeing him shivering yet standing stiffly with no change in his expression except for a slightly reddened nose, Luo Le's lips twitched.

He pulled out a small blanket from his bag and offered it, "A thousand."

Upon hearing the price, Huo Lanjing didn't hesitate and took the blanket, draping it over himself.

Thus, Luo Le brought Huo Lanjing back home.

Looking at the limping figure, Luo Le suddenly regretted bringing him along.

Was she out of her mind, bringing someone back to add to her troubles?

But then again, a thousand dollars per night wasn't a bad deal.

"Three rules: First, you're not allowed in this room without my permission. Second, if I don't initiate conversation, you're not to bother me. Third, I'll think of more rules if needed, and inform you then."

Seated on the sofa with a cushion in hand, Luo Le looked at him solemnly.

Without hesitation, Huo Lanjing agreed.

"Am... I sleeping here?"

"Yes. If you want the inner room, it'll cost extra, extra..."

"That's fine."

On this couch, he couldn't even stretch his legs. He readily agreed without hesitation.

Luo Le smiled, delighted to have found a willing victim. Once Uncle Wang came to pick up Huo Lanjing, he would head to the Second Planet.

The Second Planet was quite close to the Empire, and the medical facilities there were not vastly different. Besides, the cost wouldn't be excessively high – it was a perfect fit.

"Alright, go in and rest."

As Huo Lanjing finished speaking, his stomach chose an inconvenient moment to rumble.

Luo Le pursed his lips. "Five thousand credits for a meal. Do you want it or not?"

"Eat."

He was decisive, and Luo Le promptly entered the kitchen with equal enthusiasm.

The moment he left, Huo Lanjing set his crutches aside and gingerly sat down with his plastered leg.

All signs of his previous illness had vanished.

The house, though old and worn, was tidily arranged with warm-hued curtains and sofa covers.

It screamed Luo Le's style.

Their matrimonial home had initially been decorated in this palette too, but he had disliked it and even thrown a tantrum over it.

Since then, the house had reverted to a black and white theme.

Recalling this, he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

The sounds of washing vegetables and slicing meat drifted from the kitchen, a pleasant symphony to the ears.

Huo Lanjing lingered for a moment before making his way to the kitchen with his cane.

He leaned against the corner and peered inside.

Luo Le deftly transferred all the meat from the cutting board into a clay pot before covering it up.

Then, she began chopping the second dish. Afterward, she poured oil into the pan, waited for it to heat up, and then swiftly tossed in the vegetables with both hands.

Sizzling, the damp vegetables met the hot oil, causing it to splatter onto Luo Le's wrist. He instinctively jerked back, his body swaying unsteadily.

Huo Lanjing watched in alarm, ready to rush over to help, but Luo Le regained his balance the next moment.

Relieved, Huo Lanjing returned to his original position.

After stir-frying for a while, Luo Le transferred the dish to a plate.

Huo Lanjing began to understand why Luo Le was malnourished.

Amused yet also sympathetic, he realized that Luo Le must have had a tough time lately.

The eldest son of the Luos, who had come to this backward place with no robots or servants, had gone from being ignorant about basic necessities to now cooking edible meals.

It was unclear what kind of conviction had sustained him through such a stark contrast in lifestyle.

Luo Le suddenly turned around, leaving Huo Lanjing in a fluster as he hastily propped up his cane, returning to his previous posture.

"What are you doing here?"

Huo Lanjing pressed his lips together. "Nothing."

Was he afraid that Luo Le would poison him?

Luo Le snorted coldly. He wished he could.

"Eat if you want. Five thousand for a meal, no negotiations."

Huo Lanjing shook his head. "I'll eat."

It wasn't some bone broth or anything; it was just a regular meat soup that took only about ten minutes to cook.

Luo Le served the food into bowls and placed them on the dining table, along with a soup.

"Dig in."

Huo Lanjing nodded and picked up his chopsticks to taste a piece of meat. He looked up at Luo Le and said, "It tastes great."

Did he really think that Luo Le couldn't tell he was being polite?

"Oh," Luo Le replied perfunctorily.

"How did you get that cut on your hand? Was it from a knife?"

Huo Lanjing nearly choked when he heard this unexpected question.

"No, it's just... a small bump," he replied.

"Oh," Luo Le responded, not pressing the matter further.

After dinner, Luo Le retreated to his room with a bag in hand.

He still had work to do, but he didn't want Huo Lanjing to witness him working.

Huo Lanjing gazed at the closed door before turning his head to the sewing machine nearby.

Was Luo Le starting work now?

A once-talented mecha engineer was now engaged in tailoring clothes.

All this...was because of him.

If not for him, Luo Le would be in a laboratory doing what she loved, leisurely strolling through malls to purchase her favorite items.

Instead, she was now pregnant and taking care of herself, sewing clothes to make ends meet while carrying a significant pregnancy.

Huo Lanjing's expression darkened further. Clenching his fists, he was unaware that his nails had dug into his flesh.

Chapter 133: Wish

Feeling refreshed after giving Yang Shiming a sound beating, Yang Rixi's previous hesitation and worries vanished. He walked over to a chair with light steps and sat down.

Yang Shiming rubbed his arm as he stood up. Though he wanted to scold Yang Rixi, he managed to suppress his anger and asked reluctantly, "What do you want?" Yang Rixi would never come to him unless something was up.

Yang Rixi took out a cotton doll. Yang Shiming hadn't noticed it before but now saw what he was holding. Seeing the doll, Yang Shiming was puzzled.

"Can you hear him?"

Yang Shiming: "..." He suspected that Yang Rixi had delusions and was slightly mentally ill.

He was just about to tell his parents about this, so they could send Yang Rixi to a mental institution and away from him. But in the next second, he actually heard a voice.

"Bond with me."

Boros knew that once Yang Shiming had the ability to bond with him, Wen Ying would pressure Yang Shiming into doing so. Indeed, there was no hint of deception in his tone, just his usual manner of speaking.

Yang Shiming: "What the f*ck?!"

Yang Shiming looked around in shock. "Who's speaking? Yang Rixi, can you change your voice?"

The male voice was deep and resonant, evoking the image of a tall and proud man, entirely different from someone like Yang Rixi.

"Call me big brother," Yang Rixi said. "You can hear me, right?"

Yang Shiming nodded blankly.

Yang Rixi sighed. He had been hoping that Yang Shiming wouldn't be able to hear him. Turning his head aside, he said, "He can hear us."

Yang Shiming's goosebumps rose. "Yang R... Big brother, who are you talking to?" He felt the temperature in the room drop suddenly, sending chills down his spine.

"What is your wish?"

The male voice spoke again.

It wasn't an auditory hallucination. Yang Shiming retreated quickly until his back was almost touching the closed door. He raised his hand and held the doorknob, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. "Big brother, what's that voice? A demon? Are you trying to rob me or kill me?"

It's not a ghost, Yang Shiming suddenly realized, remembering the confidentiality agreement he had signed a few days ago, which mentioned exorcists and demons. So, this voice was most likely a demon.

"Wish," the voice repeated with a hint of impatience.

Yang Shiming dared not speak carelessly, fearing that his life might be at stake if he made the wrong wish. He remained calm on the surface and exerted more force on the doorknob.

...It won't budge? Yang Shiming's eyelids twitched with anxiety as he kept trying to open the door, but it remained steadfastly closed.

Suddenly, a palm-sized doll appeared, pressing one hand against the door while staring at him.

Yang Shiming's lips quivered, rendering him speechless. He scrambled backward, behaving like a headless fly. Upon seeing the seemingly normal Yang Rixi, he immediately crawled to Yang Rixi's legs, clinging tightly onto his thigh and wailing in despair.

"Brother—brother, I was wrong! Whatever you say from now on, I'll obey. If you tell me to go east, I won't dare go west. We're brothers, please don't play such terrifying jokes, Brother. It's really scary."

Yang Rixi: "..." How embarrassing.

The image of Yang Shiming that had once been so lofty in his mind was now utterly shattered. The privileged Yang Shiming, who had grown up in favorable circumstances, suddenly seemed no different from someone like him, who came from humble origins.

Bellerophon suddenly lost the desire to form a contract with this coward.

Upon manifesting before Yang Shiming, Wen Ying was stunned by the young man's reaction. There was no need for violence; just a scare was enough to make him compliant.

He glided over with a gentle tone, "Don't be afraid, we're good demons. If you contract with my friend here, we can teach you magic."

No Muggle could resist the allure of magic, and Yang Shiming's expression changed instantly. There was still a difference between ghosts and demons – at least the magic of demons was somewhat enticing.

Another idea sparked in Yang Shiming's mind, "Could it be that my brother easily defeated me because he contracted with you?"

Wen Ying revealed a look of approval, "Yes."

Yang Shiming immediately stood up, straightening his clothes, "I want to contract!"

Beros swiftly completed the contract with him. As soon as it was done, he eagerly turned towards Yang Rixi. Yang Rixi reluctantly rolled up his sleeves and once again pinned Beros down for a beating.

Yang Shiming asked the black-haired demon, who had evolved from a cotton doll into a humanoid puppet, in disbelief, "Didn't I just contract with you?!"

Beros's face remained cold, but upon hearing this, he suddenly revealed a barely noticeable smile. His tone also held a subtly peculiar note, "Your wish is to defeat your brother?"

Yang Shiming, caught up in the excitement, nodded without a second thought, "That's right!"

Wen Ying: "..." This guy must have some screws loose.

Yang Rixi's lips twitched. Risking offending the black-haired demon, he delicately warned, "Are you sure?"

Yang Shiming's tone was unwavering; anyone with ears could sense his determination. "I'm sure!"

Perseus curled his lips into a cold smile. "Very well."

With that, Perseus possessed Yang Shiming's body and turned to stare directly at Yang Rixi.

Yang Rixi: "..." Possessed by the black-haired demon, Yang Shiming's gaze instantly changed. The cruelty and savagery lurking in his eyes sent shivers down Yang Rixi's spine.

Perseus didn't hide Yang Rixi's sensations, allowing him to fully feel that he had 'defeated' his brother.

While Yang Shiming was still dazed, Perseus, using his body, gave Yang Rixi a beating. When Perseus left Yang Shiming's body and hovered in mid-air, looking down at him, he declared, "I've fulfilled your wish."

"..." After a moment, Yang Rixi cursed.

"I've granted your desire," Perseus's mood finally improved. "According to the pact, I can use your body to act."

Yang Rixi fretted, "Are you going to use my body for illegal activities?"

Beros scoffed, "I don't have that kind of free time."

Wen Ying possessed Yang Rixi's body and used healing magic to treat his injuries. He smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, we won't stay for long. After some time, we'll leave, and our contract with you will automatically be terminated."

Yang Shiming let out a sigh of relief. Looking at Wen Ying in Yang Rixi's body, that gentle smile and tone made him uneasy.

"However," Wen Ying paused, "we demons consider the official exorcists who came knocking as our enemies."

Wen Ying revealed a wicked grin, "So your cultivation is considered illegal."

Yang Shiming was stunned, "What the f*ck?!" Despite his arrogance, he had never been afraid of the authorities. He never imagined that there would come a day when he would need to hide from the police.

After treating Yang Rixi, Wen Ying returned to his own body and left with Beros, leaving Yang Rixi to answer Yang Shiming's questions.

Beros, who had been "trapped" for a week, was finally able to move freely. As they made their way out, he stretched his limbs, eager to release his pent-up energy.

Wen Ying thought to himself that he should let Muershi know that he had a hand in pushing him into this situation. If he were in Muershi's shoes, he would make sure Muershi lost all his feathers.

"How's your progress?" Boreas asked after stretching his limbs.

They flew to the rooftop of an apartment complex. The night breeze felt slightly chilly against their skin.

Wen Ying chuckled, "I've taken out dozens. Although they were mostly low and mid-ranking demons, insignificant roles, I've obtained a new lead."

Boreas was conflicted. He was accustomed to handling tasks on his own, but if he persisted in his old habits now, his final grade would likely suffer. He had already fallen a week behind.

With his eyes closed, Wen Ying basked in the wind, not bothering to ask if Boreas wanted to join him. A faint smile played on his lips.

Demons perceived a different world from humans. Standing alone at the edge of the rooftop, he wasn't afraid; with arms spread wide, he could jump down for the thrill of speed before unfolding his bat wings mid-air and soar freely.

Wen Ying was at peace within himself, while Boreas was torn.

Silence hung between the two demons for a while. Eventually, Wen Ying turned his head and asked, "Have you made up your mind?"

"What are your conditions?" Boreas inquired through a pinched nose.

"Obey me."

This condition wasn't overly demanding. Pluto relaxed and said, "Alright."

"I've got a lead on a big fish," Wen Ying said slowly. "Xiao Long, one of the Holy Sons of the Archangel Church. His attendant knight has secretly taken the life force meant for the Demon Realm. If we keep an eye on him, we can earn more points."

They didn't need concrete evidence or to show it to others; all they needed was to confirm that the attendant knight was collaborating with the Extremists. The reason Wen Ying hadn't gone straight for the knight was that he wanted to find more exorcists working with the Extremists through him.

There was also the fact that Wen Ying wasn't sure if his current puppet body could defeat the opponent. He wasn't certain about the attendant knight, let alone the Holy Son.

Observation was key. With Pluto around now, Wen Ying could let Yang Shiming cultivate for a few days to ensure that Pluto's power would be fully utilized before they made their move.

Pluto suddenly asked, "Do you know about the other demons?"

"I only know Muershi," Wen Ying replied. "We'll be acting together."

Pluto furrowed his brow slightly. "Are you sure he can be trusted?" Would he betray them halfway?

Wen Ying looked at Pluto and blinked. "Don't worry, he won't dare."

Not out of incapability, but rather, out of reluctance.

Boros was suspicious. It seemed Wen Ying had made some sort of agreement with Muershi.

Looking at a nearby apartment building, Wen Ying seemed to have pinpointed Yang Shiming's balcony. He glanced at Boros, seemingly forgetting to go home and meet his parents before having Boros make a contract with Yang Rixi.

"Let's go back."

Upon returning to Yang Rixi's room, Boros realized he had relaxed too soon.

Yang Rixi was already asleep, the room pitch black. But with a demon's vision, Boros could see Wen Ying lying on the pillow, happily waving at him.

Boros flew over, only for Wen Ying to pull him down by the hand, toppling towards himself. Before the other could push him away, he whispered, "You promised to listen to me."

"...I only agreed to listen to you in matters of importance," Boros said with a darkened face.

"I didn't say just in matters of importance," Wen Ying replied as he clung to Boros like an octopus. The lights were off in the room, while Yang Rixi slept soundly on the other side, leaving them free to act without restraint.

With his body instinctively urging him to throw the other out, Boros forcefully restrained himself through sheer willpower.

Boros faced a difficult choice: lose face in front of Wen Ying or risk a low score before a crowd of demons. He reluctantly chose the former, reasoning that Wen Ying had precedent for such actions, so it wouldn't be that much of a difference.

Boros was unaware that once a person's bottom line retreats, it tends to continue retreating habitually - demons were no exception.

Wen Ying slept soundly, while Berros spent the night in light slumber, waking up repeatedly. The next day, he wore a gloomy expression as if someone owed him millions.

Yang Rixi dared not meet the gaze of the newly arrived black-haired demon; merely its presence instilled fear within him. As a cultivator, he could sense an immense creature lurking behind the demon, its cavernous maw agape, staring at him with predatory intent.

"Mr. Demon, tonight is that renowned director's birthday celebration. I'd be grateful if you could possess me and lend me your aid in the evening," Yang Rixi requested.

"Is it tonight?" Wen Ying pondered over the renowned director's birthday party, considering that his mother might attend, and he could then use Yang Rixi's presence to hint at Wen Qinxue that he had returned safely.

Boros gazed at Wen Ying as if reproaching him for neglecting his duties.

Yang Rixi went downstairs for dinner, and soon after, Huo Jue arrived.

Boros sensed Muershi's presence.

In no time, Muershi flew in through the balcony, greeting them with a cheerful smile, "Good morning."

He glanced at Beros and said to Wen Ying, "You're quite efficient."

Three palm-sized dolls sat cross-legged on a pillow.

"Last night, I sneaked into the Church's branch in Mu City and found information on that Squire Knight," Muershi began straightforwardly, "According to the computer records, he's been in Mu City recently, and Xiao Long will arrive there today."

Wen Ying pondered, "Do you think the three of us can take down Xiao Long?"

"I've heard that the Church's Holy Son can handle ordinary high-ranking demons on his own," Muershi mused, stroking his chin, "The Human Realm is his domain, and we only have a fraction of our true power here. Even if the three of us gang up on him, we could easily be turned into his trophies."

As Wen Ying repeated Muershi's words, an idea sparked in his mind. His true form, sleeping in the Demon Realm, could awaken at any moment and descend directly into the Human Realm through Lu Qingyuan.

Beros observed the increasingly cunning smile on Wen Ying's face and had the same realization, "Your true form doesn't seem to be suppressed much in the Human Realm."

Muershi's eyes lit up, "How did I forget that you have a contract with an Exorcist!"

He sprang up and embraced Wen Ying, "If we eliminate Xiao Long, first place will definitely be ours!"

Beros' face darkened. Reacting before thinking, he pulled Muershi away, then justified his action, "Stop corrupting him all the time."

Muershi chuckled and sat back, shrugging. "I didn't corrupt him."

Wen Ying didn't pay attention to Boreas's behavior. He only found the scene of Muershi happily telling him about being first place familiar. After some thought, he recalled why.

The familiarity stemmed from their collaboration during the first monthly exam, where Muershi had been the one who came in first.

Wen Ying began doing calculations. His current score only accounted for last night, and Muershi also shared that score. He wasn't aware if Muershi had any other points; if so, the first place might be at risk. He wondered if he could get more points in team battles if his main body exerted more effort.

He needed to find time to deal with Lin Wenpu, ensuring a safer score.

Those people exploited demons to extract life force, causing countless deaths. They were anything but innocent, so Wen Ying didn't feel too burdened with the act.

It wasn't an extrajudicial punishment either. This operation was carried out according to the official order from the Demon Realm, investigating and eliminating evil forces.

With the issue of combat power resolved, they started discussing how to isolate Xiao Long. The three demons chattered all day, while Huo Jue stayed there for the entire day.

Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi were puzzled as to why the most outstanding member of the Huo family's younger generation would become friends with Yang Rixi and stay here for a whole day.

They noticed that Huo Jue mainly conversed with Yang Rixi, not their youngest son, Yang Shiming.

Strange, but the couple seemed delighted. Unlike other playboy scions, Huo Jue had already taken over the company and was thriving. If Yang Rixi befriended him, it would be beneficial in the future.

Families like theirs often worried about a lack of capable successors.

Huo Jue figured that since they were attending the same director's birthday party later that night, it would be convenient to go together. Moreover, he had several matters regarding demons that he wished to discuss with Yang Rixi.

As fellow humans, they could better understand the challenges faced during cultivation. Their conversation flowed smoothly, with instant rapport.

The enchanted Huo Jue was quite different from the unenchanted one; at least, he no longer acted strangely towards Yang Shize.

Huo Jue pretended as if nothing had happened earlier, showing no awkwardness at all.

That evening, Huo Jue expected them to head to the famous director's birthday party together. To his surprise, Yang Rixi picked up two young men instead of joining him and Yang Shiming.

Wen Ying, concealed in Yang Rixi's pocket, listened quietly to their conversation in the car. He quickly deduced that Yang Rixi's foster brother was not a good person either. The younger sibling spoke haughtily, treating Yang Rixi more like a tool than an older brother, making demands with a sense of entitlement.

Yang Rixi's friend initially showed some restraint in his speech, but under the influence of the foster brother, he gradually "loosened up" as well.

Yang Rixi grew slightly anxious, repeatedly emphasizing, "Be low-key when you go in, Tian'en. Don't be as casual as usual..."

"Enough, are you looking down on me?" Yang Tianen raged. "Don't think you're superior just because you've become a wealthy second-generation. You should be more worried about losing face than comparing yourself to me!"

Yang Rixi's expression froze.

"I've heard that your younger brother thinks you're an embarrassment, and your biological parents also find you small-minded and unworthy of showing off," Yang Tianen said smugly. "I grew up in the city, while you grew up in the countryside. In terms of demeanor, I'm more presentable than you. You should worry about yourself first."

Yang Rixi's expression grew even more peculiar. His younger brother was born after his adoptive parents had worked in the big city for three years and their lives had stabilized. At that time, his parents had used their savings to open a snack shop, and when business picked up, they hired a nanny to take care of Yang Tianen. Once Yang Tianen had grown out of needing constant supervision, they dismissed the nanny and took care of him themselves.

Compared to him, who had grown up by his grandfather's side, his adoptive parents naturally favored their biological son who had been raised with them. After his grandfather passed away, he moved in with his adoptive parents, but their relationship remained distant.

Due to his grandfather's passing, he didn't perform well in the college entrance exam and had to work instead. His adoptive parents saved every penny to enroll Yang Tianen in a prestigious high school, hoping he would have a bright future.

Although Yang Rixi's adoptive parents loved him too, it was clear that they preferred Yang Tianen. They would instinctively consider their younger son's needs first in everything they did.

This time, upon hearing Yang Tianen's request, his adoptive parents had asked him to bring Yang Tianen along to broaden his horizons and introduce him to people from their social circle, so that he could build connections for future endeavors.

If Yang Tianen were indeed diligent, responsible, and ambitious, Yang Rixi wouldn't have resisted. However, Yang Tianen was lazy, unrealistic, and quick to anger.

Feeling the presence of Wen Ying hidden in his pocket, Yang Rixi sighed inwardly, grateful for Mr. Devil's support.

Arriving at the hotel where the renowned director was hosting his banquet, Yang Tianen and Yang Rixi's friend Jiang Shuyang were eagerly watching the celebrities entering and exiting. Simply being allowed inside such an upscale establishment thrilled them.

Yang Tianen was envious. He kept wishing that he had been the one switched at birth, so he could indulge in a life surrounded by beauties and with financial freedom as a wealthy second-generation heir.

"Come on," Yang Rixi said coolly, striding past them and into the hotel.

Yang Tianen and Jiang Shuyang were taken aback. They had never heard Yang Rixi speak in such a manner before. They exchanged a glance, wondering if they had misheard.

Yang Rixi was already quite far ahead, and they worried about being left behind and unable to enter. They hurriedly caught up with him.

"Irked, Yang Tianen said, "Yang Rixi, why didn't you wait for me?"

The "Yang Rixi" with a changed demeanor gave him a cold glance. It was just a casual look, but it somehow made Yang Tianen feel a distance between them. Even though they were only a meter apart, it felt as if they stood worlds away.

Yang Tianen had experienced this kind of vibe from some of his classmates before. He attributed it to the noble aura cultivated by those born into privilege, capable of turning situations around with a flick of their wrist.

Jiang Shuyang leaned closer to Yang Tianen and whispered uncertainly, "What's going on with your brother? Why does he suddenly seem... sophisticated when we're in these high-class places?" He felt this was the most accurate description.

Yang Tianen scowled and said, "I have no idea."

Wen Ying walked into the grand ballroom, casually scanning the crowd to see who was present. Soft music played in the background, and under the shimmering chandeliers, everyone appeared radiant and full of vitality.

He quickly spotted the people he had been thinking of: his parents, Yang Rixi's biological parents, Huo Jue, and so on.

As Wen Ying searched for acquaintances, Yang Tianen and Jiang Shuyang gazed at the many familiar faces, their eyes gleaming with excitement. There were numerous superstars, celebrities that ordinary people could only see on TV, and they were witnessing them in person! Yang Tianen swore to himself that he would become a part of this circle. He was determined to make it happen! With so many wealthy second-generation offspring here, if he could establish connections and friendships with them, his future entrepreneurial endeavors would surely be smooth sailing.

There were also many young ladies in the crowd whom Yang Tianen had never met before, but they exuded a distinctive aura. Suddenly, he considered another path to success: wouldn't becoming the son-in-law of a powerful family be more comfortable than struggling to build his own business?

While Yang Tianen was contemplating, Wen Ying's attention was diverted by a man.

The tall and well-built man, clearly someone who worked out regularly, matched the description of the servant knight mentioned by the long-haired demon. However, this was an ordinary social gathering, so why would an exorcist from the Church be here? Standing aside, Wen Ying discreetly observed the man, his gaze darkening with uncertainty.

Spotting Huo Jue amidst the crowd, Wen Ying wondered if Muershi was hidden within him. After a moment's thought, he decided to approach.

Huo Jue turned around to see Yang Rixi and politely inquired, "Did everything go well with picking them up?"

In this kind of setting, Huo Jue was a different person from how he was in the bar. He donned an elegant and composed facade, a trait shared by many scions of influential families. However, Huo Jue was particularly adept at playing the part, hiding his playful and frivolous demeanor. At this moment, he genuinely appeared serious and steady.

Chapter 179 - Settlement

After journeying into the mountains for over an hour, Shen Lie and his group finally arrived at the Zhou family's makeshift residence.

It was a modest-sized cave with a small entrance concealed behind shrubs and trees. The opening was entirely blocked by large rocks, leaving only a narrow gap for light and air to pass through.

When Zhou Lazi went to move the stones, he called out softly first to avoid startling those inside.

"Dad! Big Brother! Did you finish so quickly?"

Second Brother Zhou's voice was hushed as he poked his head out of the cave. Upon seeing Shen Lie and Chen Dashan behind him, his excitement caused his tone to waver slightly. "Brother Lie? Brother Dashan?"

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan smiled, while Zhou Lazi said, "Hurry up, tell your mother and siblings to pack up. We'll be heading deeper into the inner circle immediately. Ah Lie and Dashan will give us a ride."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Second Brother Zhou didn't know how to react. He hastily acknowledged with an "aye" before swiftly retreating back into the cave.

The Zhou family's belongings were scarce. To be honest, their poverty was such that even their coats were stuffed with reeds and chicken or duck feathers they had collected over time.

Of course, they did raise chickens and ducks, but they were reluctant to eat them, preferring to sell them at the market. As a result, they couldn't rely on their own fowl for feathers and had to collect them bit by bit whenever possible.

The family hurried to avoid keeping Shen Lie and Chen Dashan waiting. All seven of them emerged from the cave in less than an hour, fully packed.

Apart from Zhou Lazi, Zhou Dalang, and Zhou Erlang who had normal skin tones, the rest—Zhou Lazi's wife, the eldest daughter of the Zhou family, Zhou Sanlang, and the youngest daughter—had unnaturally pale complexions. When they first appeared, they all instinctively shielded their eyes.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan now understood how the Zhou family had been surviving for the past half a year. Or rather, during the past two months since the bandits arrived in Qiyang County, only Zhou Lazi and his two elder sons dared to venture out. Zhou Lazi's wife and eldest daughter were too scared to leave the cave, while Zhou Sanlang and the youngest daughter were too young to do so.

What a world.

Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, and the Xu family members helped carry some of the items as they said, "Let's go."

The Zhou family didn't have much food, but there were two large bags of soybeans and sundried wild vegetables. With the additional three bags of freshly harvested crops, about half of which contained pods, it was a substantial load. Although others wouldn't know, carrying grain into the mountains would attract unwanted attention, especially when entering the deeper regions.

That night, after finding a cave to settle in, the Zhou family emptied the soybeans and spread them out on mats near the fire to dry with the residual warmth. Five bags became three and a half, and they entered the inner region.

To avoid drawing attention, they didn't use baskets or containers; only the smallest items were placed in a backpack. The rest, such as blankets and clothing, were tied with ropes, making it obvious what they were carrying. Even the jars and pots were held by the children. Despite these precautions, they still attracted suspicious gazes.

Solitary individuals only dared to glance, but larger groups seemed restless. Fortunately, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan already had their own knives and bows, and the Xu family had borrowed bows and arrows from the mountain dwellers. Combined with the swords seized from the city last time, there were nine able-bodied individuals in the group: four with knives and six with bows and arrows, a formidable sight.

These weren't kitchen knives, axes, or hoes; they were military-grade weapons.

In the inner circle, there were about five or six instances that made the Zhou family's hair stand on end with their scrutiny, but only one led to an actual confrontation. A group of over twenty burly men, with the air of seasoned criminals, fixated on the Zhou family's eldest daughter, their desires in their eyes and excitement on their faces unmasked.

Against such individuals, no unnecessary words were needed. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan charged forward, while the already enraged Zhou family, with Zhou Laizi brandishing a knife given by Shen Lie, and Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang wielding hoes and machetes, followed closely, ready to fight for their lives.

Fuelled by anger on one side and honed ferocity from battle on the other, when blades were drawn, it was a matter of life or death. There could be no other outcome.

In the blink of an eye, four out of the group of twenty were killed, one severely injured, and another lightly wounded. They hadn't even reached the opposing group before the first five attackers left them with four dead and two injured. Especially the two knife-wielding men, whose mere encounter resulted in the deaths of the other four, as if slaughtering chickens.

These men, who had often relied on their numbers to commit murder and robbery, were suddenly gripped by fear and their legs trembled. When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan rushed at them again, more than half turned tail and fled.

The two closest to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan couldn't escape in time; before they could turn around, they felt a chill on their necks.

As Xu Manager and the others protected the women and children, Xu Wenqing nocked an arrow, his hands trembling. After several breaths, he steeled himself and released the arrow.

After a tense day and a half, the sudden clash erupted and ended swiftly. In close combat, eight people lay on the ground: six dead, two injured. The lightly wounded one managed to flee with his companions.

The Xu family had witnessed this side of Shen Lie and Chen Dashan before, while the Zhou family and Wei Qinghe had only seen them act against beasts, not humans. This was their first encounter, evoking shock, yet mostly relief and admiration.

The Zhou family, in particular, understood well that had they not been following Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, not to mention their ability to handle the beasts they encountered earlier, they likely wouldn't have survived this current crisis at all.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan didn't find it unusual; they had learned this survival principle during those years. However, both of them now looked at Xu Wenqing with newfound respect.

This young lad has been practicing archery for less than two months, but what truly stands out is his courage.

Shen Lie patted his shoulder, smiling. "Train well. Whether it's a chaotic world or a peaceful one, having a skill to protect yourself is always beneficial."

Xu Wenqing was still panicked just now, but with Shen Lie's reassuring pat, he felt somewhat calmer.

The battlefield was left untouched as the group continued their journey inward. Not long after they left, several groups of people arrived in the woods, only to be startled by the pungent smell of blood and the sight of corpses strewn across the ground, causing them to flee in terror.

Convinced, he vowed that anyone who dared to bring women and children into such deep mountains should never, ever be provoked.

The Zhou and Xu families were unaware of the numerous tails trailing behind them. However, during the following half-day, the subtle sense of malevolent scrutiny they had previously felt vanished entirely.

After another day and a half of traveling deeper, they were just a couple of hours away from the valley. The Xu family, unfamiliar with the area, failed to notice their direction, while Wei Qing had made several trips but couldn't quite discern the route due to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's habit of taking circuitous paths when transporting supplies. It wasn't long before Chen Dashan realized that Shen Lie had deliberately veered off course.

He quietly asked, "How do we plan on dealing with the Zhou family?" A hunch began to form in his mind.

Shen Lie replied softly, "How about the area where we picked the silver ear mushroom? We can help them set up a simple defense there."

Indeed.

Chen Dashan smiled and said, "That sounds good. I was thinking of the same place too."

It was more than an hour's walk from the valley, not too close but still within reach for their daily hunting and gathering activities. It wouldn't be completely isolated from assistance.

Considering the current situation outside, the Zhou family would only need to defend themselves against wild beasts for the next few months. There might be wolves in that area, but with extra effort put into fortifying their defenses, they should be able to survive without any major issues.

By mid-afternoon, they arrived at the location Shen Lie had mentioned. They inspected several caves one by one before settling on the smallest one situated beneath a steep cliff. The steepness made it difficult for wild beasts to jump down from the cave entrance, making it easier to defend. Additionally, there was a small mountain spring nearby.

In this deep mountain, proximity to a water source was crucial for those unable to move around easily.

Although the Xu family didn't know exactly where they were or how far it was from the valley, they trusted Shen Lie and Chen Dashan completely when it came to matters in the valley. Everyone helped clean the cave, cut wood, and construct basic defenses, ensuring the Zhou family had a safe haven to start with.

They chopped wood directly in front of the cave, simultaneously clearing an area for cultivation. Shen Lie pointed to a small plot of land in front of the cave and said, "Let's start building the entrance to the cave today. Tonight, we'll light some fires and cut more trees to build a high fence around your cave, including the mountain spring. This way, Auntie and the others won't be trapped inside the cave. For added security, you can gradually gather more stones to build another layer of stone wall. Don't underestimate the strength of the animals' teeth and claws."

Chen Dashan walked around the area a few more times and suggested, "Down below, you could create another planting area using tall wooden stakes. You can still plant soybeans and vegetables now, and if you hurry, you can harvest a crop before the season ends. With nested fences, it will be much safer. However, this is something you'll have to work on gradually on your own."

The Zhou family nodded repeatedly. Zhou Laizi's wife said, "It's already great that you're willing to help us this much. We don't know how to thank you."

There was no future for women outside the mountains now. She was old and plagued with illnesses; her death would be a lesser burden on her family. But her daughter was still young, especially her eldest, who was at the prime of her life. The thought of anything happening to her was unbearable.

She had seen the bones in the forest that had been picked clean along the way. They hadn't encountered a single soul in the last day and a half. She knew that by entering this deep mountainous region, they had temporarily avoided any potential harm from other humans. As for the wild beasts in the mountains, where else could they go but these hills?

...

Shen Lie's group left the next morning. Before their departure, they promised to bring the Zhou father and son along if they hunted in this direction again in the future.

By the time they returned to the valley, it was already past noon. Since Xu Manager had rappelled down the cliff, the discovery of the children had been notified to all the families. When everyone was safely down, the residents of the valley gathered around them.

"Did you fail to transport the food?"

Aside from a few rabbits and pheasants they'd hunted and some wild vegetables they'd picked, the group had nothing to show for their journey. Old Man Chen asked upon seeing this.

Chen Dashan nodded and replied, "Qiyang County has been occupied by those bandits. They're recruiting soldiers and training troops daily outside the county. We couldn't get close."

He explained the situation outside the mountains, their encounter with Zhou Laizi and his son in Liashi Village, and how they brought the pair back into the depths of the mountains.

The valley fell into a prolonged silence. After a while, Old Man Chen managed to speak, "So many people were trapped in the county, and none of them managed to escape?"

Chen Dashan lowered his gaze, and Shen Lie replied, "Perhaps only a handful managed to escape during the initial chaos. The city gates were probably secured soon after."

Old Man Lu hastily asked, "What about all those people in the city? Are they still locked inside?"

Shen Lie shook his head. "I doubt it. Ordinary citizens trapped in the city without food wouldn't survive for long. Men might have joined the bandits and rebels out of desperation for sustenance, while women and children..."

Their fate would likely depend on luck.

Families with capable men might protect themselves, but those without might not be as fortunate. If the women were attractive, their situation in that city would be no different from hell on earth.

The group stood in silence for a long time. Eventually, Zhou Cunzheng's voice trembled as he said, "In our Li Shi Village, are we and Laizi's family the only ones still alive and well?"

They had been fortunate to have the protection and guidance of the Shen and Chen families, which led them to hide in this remote mountain. Even Zhou Laizi's family had been lucky to encounter them. But what about the other villages? When peace was restored, how many would return home alive?

The elderly, including Old Lady Chen and Zhou Cunzheng's wife, wiped away their tears.

Sang Luo's fingers trembled slightly, and her mind flashed back to the historical records she had read, with their contrasting numbers of population rise and fall in ancient dynasties. All she could do was sigh at the grim reality.

Now, she is but a tiny, insignificant component within that vast numeral, smaller even than a speck of dust.

Chapter 99: Calculated Intentions

Awakening in the morning, the sunlight was pleasant.

Lu Ran nuzzled his cheek against the pillow.

He couldn't recall where that teddy bear from his class had gone.

Or perhaps, back then, no matter how hard he tried, he could never obtain that bear.

It was impossible not to feel sad about it.

Thus, he had to suppress his affection, making himself indifferent and uninterested.

But now, Lu Ran suddenly yearned to touch the soft fur of that little bear.

However, Lu Ran didn't have the habit of lingering in bed.

With a sudden leap, he emerged from the covers and proceeded to freshen up in the bathroom.

Before descending the stairs, Lu Ran paused for a considerable time in front of the shoe cabinet.

Inside were shoes that Ji Min had prepared for him.

They were styles that teenage boys in their late teens would adore.

Aside from accompanying Ji Min to certain events, Lu Ran seldom wore the shoes from this cabinet.

Bending down before the shoe rack, Lu Ran gazed upward slowly.

The top few pairs were ready when he first visited Ji Min's home, especially after that birthday celebration.

Yet, at that time, Lu Ran didn't associate those shoes with himself.

Later, when Ji Min casually referred to them as "work attire," Lu Ran took it at face value and believed it to be true.

Now, Lu Ran knew otherwise.

This was likely the first birthday gift he could recall receiving in his memory.

Suddenly, Lu Ran became intrigued.

He examined the shoes in the cabinet for quite some time but still couldn't decide on his favorite pair. Eventually, he picked the first one at the top and sat down on a stool to put them on.

After putting them on, he didn't stand up right away.

Instead, he crossed his legs and stared at them for a while.

It was the weekend, and Lu Ran had no classes, so there was no rush.

However, Big Yellow found him too slow and couldn't resist approaching, swatting at Lu Ran's swinging shoes with its paw.

Lu Ran: "..."

Normally, he wouldn't have cared about such things.

But today, Lu Ran gently removed Big Yellow's paw and earnestly told the dog,

"Don't step on my birthday present."

After that, he led Big Yellow downstairs as usual.

In the downstairs area, Ji Min was up early, just as he usually was.

Sitting at the dining table early, he lifted his gaze at the sound of movement, asking gently, "You're awake?"

Lu Ran didn't respond.

Ji Min raised his gaze once more to behold the youth standing at the stairwell entrance, regarding him with an unusual and profoundly intricate expression in his eyes.

Ji Min's heart skipped a beat under the intensity of the gaze.

Before he could even register the intrusion, the youth on the stairs had leapt down in quick, agile strides, landing deftly beside the dining table.

Ji Min cleared his throat, shifting the conversation to more pressing matters.

"This weekend, tomorrow, we'll visit the Gu family."

"Hmm?" Lu Ran sounded surprised. "So soon? Boss, you're quite efficient."

Ji Min huffed in response.

If they didn't act swiftly, would they have to wait for Gu Zhi to make the first move?

Amidst his surprise, Lu Ran pondered for a moment and posed a soul-searching question, "If it was that easy, then why did we need to contact Uncle Gu last night?"

Ji Min: "..."

Indeed, why?

As Lu Ran enjoyed his breakfast, something else came to mind, prompting him to ask, "Did Uncle Gu contact me again later?"

"No," Ji Min replied.

Ji Min picked up the tea on the table and took a sip.

Asking for contact information, how could that be considered mere "contact"?

Ji Min had finished eating but remained seated at the table, unmoving.

He sipped his tea with casual elegance.

Suddenly, his movements paused ever so slightly as he raised his gaze towards the youth by the table.

There, behold the man who at the dining table usually had eyes only for his food, now biting into a half of a steamed dumpling, his hand propping up his chin as he gazed intently at him.

"What are you looking at?" Ji Min asked.

With a steamed bun in his mouth, Lu Ran shook his head but only heaved a deep sigh while fixating on Ji Min.

Ji Min: "..."

This scene is all too familiar to him.

With his eyes closed, Ji Min could recite word for word what the young man was about to say.

Ji Min nearly held his breath, anticipating the very question from the youth.

Yet, this time, it was as if Lu Ran had completed the entire process after a single sigh.

He turned back and quietly resumed his breakfast.

The long-awaited Ji Min: "..."

The next morning, Lu Ran and Ji Min prepared to visit Elder Gu.

The younger generation of the Gu family, such as Gu Ningqi, were assigned to overseas subsidiaries or sent to specific cities for training.

Gu Zhi's generation, on the other hand, supported the domestic company and resided in close proximity to it.

In recent years, however, Elder Gu had entered his retirement life and lived alone in a garden estate on the outskirts of the city.

Approaching Gu's estate, Lu Ran had his head craned out the window long before they arrived.

The garden was vast, with neatly arranged plots of land on one side, surprisingly cultivating vegetables. On the other side, there was an exquisite landscape garden.

However, Lu Ran didn't have a strong impression of these scenes.

After observing for a while, he withdrew his gaze and asked Ji Min, "I wonder if Uncle Gu is around today. If so, he could serve as our guide."

Ji Min glanced at him and said, "I'm quite familiar with the Gu family's place too."

He casually referred to Gu Zhi as 'Uncle Gu,' making it sound natural.

Ji Min genuinely felt that Gu Zhi wasn't particularly reliable.

Gu Zhi was the old Master Gu's youngest son, with several older brothers above him. As a result, he spent most of his time indulging in pleasure and leisure activities.

He usually had quite an adventurous lifestyle.

When it came to family and friends, it was still manageable. But if he developed feelings for Lu Ran...

Ji Min furrowed his brows and, after some thought, decided to share something more substantial:

"In the company canteen before, Gu Zhi openly asked me all sorts of random questions. He's too playful and lacks seriousness; you should keep your distance from him."

"Hmm?"

Lu Ran lifted his head in curiosity, "What did Uncle Gu ask?"

Recalling Gu Zhi's inquiries, Ji Min was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Just some... personal matters," Ji Min coughed lightly, hinting vaguely.

Hearing this, Lu Ran glanced at him briefly.

Then, lowering his eyes, he asked in a muffled tone, "Oh, you two discussed personal matters?"

Ji Min: "..."

He sensed an inexplicable tension in the air.

If he mentioned it, it might seem like he was unjustly tarnishing Gu Zhi's reputation for no reason.

But if he didn't, there seemed to be some other potential risks involved.

Pausing for a moment, President Ji still followed his heart and explained:

"He said he wasn't very experienced and came to ask me for some... advice on that matter."

As Ji Min spoke, his tone was calm and level.

There was none of the secret male pride that usually accompanied such discussions.

He was simply stating the facts matter-of-factly.

However, when he looked up after finishing his sentence, he saw that the subtle awkwardness on Lu Ran's face had vanished.

In its place was a mixture of indescribable surprise and evident concern.

Ji Min was taken aback, completely failing to comprehend where the child's "heartache" had originated.

Soon, he heard Lu Ran speak with indignation:

"How could he ask you such a question? Was he deliberately mocking you?"

Ji Min: "?"

Upon grasping the meaning behind Lu Ran's words, Ji Min fell into a deep silence. His expression became indescribable.

Was this child assuming... that Gu Zhiming knew he was incapable yet still asked such a question to mock him?

On the other side, the teenager was still immersed in his anger:

"That's too much. No wonder you, Boss, don't like him."

Ji Min: "..."

Gazing at the tender concern etched on the young man's face, an idea suddenly struck him.

Then, he pretended to be aggrieved and lowered his eyes, saying, "Yes, that's right."

Feeling even more sympathetic, Lu Ran assured, "Don't worry, Boss. Next time I see him, I'll scold him on your behalf."

A gentle smile tugged at the corners of Ji Min's lips. "Alright."

When the car pulled up beside Gu's family's garden.

Lu Ran and Ji Min alighted from the car, only to notice an unexpected abundance of vehicles surrounding them.

Peering around, Lu Ran spotted among the crowd a vehicle belonging to the Shen family.

The garden was bustling with activity.

In the sea of people, several familiar figures caught their eye.

Upon seeing this scene, Ji Min also knitted his brow upon exiting the car.

The person who had come to greet them quickly explained,

"When you mentioned that Young Master Shen was visiting, Grandfather thought it would be more lively with more people, so he invited some of the younger generation from the family."

Ji Min's furrowed brow remained unchanged.

If he were here for business, he would have turned and left at the sight of this scene.

But since Lu Ran was the one meeting Elder Gu, Ji Min glanced at him inquiringly.

"Let's take a look," Lu Ran said.

Ji Min nodded, indicating for the Gu family butler to lead the way.

The butler did not dare to be careless and led them all the way to the main hall.

The arrangement of the Gu family's main hall was very traditional.

It was evident that Elder Gu was a nostalgic person, as the furniture on display bore signs of age but had not been replaced.

The butler glanced at Lu Ran and pointed to a reclining chair nearby with a smile, "Does Young Master Shen still remember that you used to love playing on this chair as if it were a rocking horse when you were little?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Min looked up at Lu Ran, "You're still being so mischievous even when visiting?"

Lu Ran: "..." He didn't recall that at all.

The butler then went into the inner room.

But upon inquiry, he found out that Grandpa Gu, who usually woke up early, had been angered by Gu Ningqi after getting up that morning and had gone back to sleep.

There was a hint of embarrassment on the butler's face.

He personally came over to apologize to Ji Min, "The old master is getting on in years, his drowsiness comes and goes. Please bear with him."

It wasn't Ji Min's first meeting with Grandpa Ji, so he was naturally aware of the situation.

He didn't say much, simply nodding to show that he understood.

The butler then proceeded to attend to the other guests.

Ji Min turned back, only to find the youth by his side intently gazing at him.

"What are you looking at?" Ji Min asked.

With a cheerful grin, Lu Ran drew closer and said, "How unusual. Even the boss can get blocked outside?"

"Enjoying the show?" Ji Min raised an eyebrow.

Meeting the youth's gaze, he softly sighed, "Old Master Gu is of advanced age, and he is also our senior. What can be done?"

When Ji Min said this, there was a hint of helplessness on his face.

He seldom displays such emotions openly.

Yet, Lu Ran found it highly amusing.

He gazed at Ji Min for a moment before suddenly reaching out to touch the younger's head affectionately.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to lose your hand?"

Ji Min held onto his wrist.

Lu Ran leaned back on the wheelchair, fibbing with his eyes wide open. "Boss, there's a leaf in your hair!"

"Do you really think I'd believe that?" Ji Min didn't release the grip on his wrist.

As they were conversing,

an exasperated voice suddenly interrupted, "How long do you plan to carry on like this without any regard for others?"

Lu Ran turned around to see that it was actually Shen Xingzhuo and Shen Xingyu who had entered together.

Shen Xingzhuo's expression was contorted.

"I've been here for at least three to five minutes, can't you spare me a glance?!"

Shen Xingyu, on the other hand, remained silent.

He maintained his aloof expression, but his gaze swept over Lu Ran's wrist, which was encircled by Ji Min's hand.

Ji Min raised an eyebrow but didn't let go.

The corner of Shen Xingzhuo's mouth twitched as he spoke bluntly, "Mr. Ji, now that both our older brothers are here, it's time to let him go, right? My brother can't keep tagging along behind you like a shadow!"

Ji Min chuckled but didn't respond. Instead, he released Lu Ran's wrist.

Shen Xingzhuo was just about to call Lu Ran over.

But he saw the teenager by the wheelchair frown and look at him, asking, "Why did you speak harshly to my boss?"

Shen Xingzhuo: "…Was that harsh?"

Ah—this was so infuriating!

Shen Xingyu had probably anticipated this humiliating scene. He walked aside on his own accord and began observing the decorations in the main hall of the Gu family residence.

At that moment, the butler entered the room.

Noticing the tense atmosphere in the living room, he quickly said, "It'll be a while before Old Master wakes up. Why don't you all head to the archery range for some fun?"

"An archery range here?" Lu Ran's interest was piqued.

Shen Xingzhuo huffed and spoke first, "Just an archery place. We've grown tired of it."

Ji Min lifted his gaze to look at Lu Ran, explaining, "Old Master Gu enjoyed archery when he was young and even won championships at the provincial level. That's why there's an archery range in the garden."

"Would you like to take a look?" Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran nodded slightly.

So Ji Min told the butler, "Show us the way."

The butler led the two of them outside.

The path to the archery range was a small lane paved with cobblestones.

It was manageable on foot, but it was rather bumpy for someone in a wheelchair.

Lu Ran noticed this and reached out to gently grasp the back handle of Ji Min's wheelchair, offering support.

Ji Min was slightly taken aback before lowering his gaze.

Fortunately, the path wasn't too long.

The archery range wasn't enormous, but it was fully equipped with professional gear.

Upon reaching their destination, Lu Ran turned around and found that both Shen Xingzhuo and Shen Xingyu had unexpectedly joined them.

"Haven't you gotten bored of this already?" Lu Ran asked.

Shen Xingzhuo choked.

He thought to himself, who else would teach you if not me? Would it be Ji Min, the one in the wheelchair?

With this in mind, Shen Xingzhuo picked up his usual bow and aimed at the target across from him.

Nine rings.

Shen Xingzhuo whistled and said, "Not bad, your skills haven't deteriorated too much."

After saying that, he glanced over at Lu Ran again.

But he found Lu Ran crouching beside the wheelchair, listening intently as Ji Min explained how to wear the protective gear.

Not once did Lu Ran spare a glance in Shen Xingzhuo's direction.

Shen Xingzhuo refused to believe it and shot a few more arrows, each scoring no less than eight rings.

However, Lu Ran didn't approach him as he had expected.

This made Shen Xingzhuo's teeth itch with frustration.

He put down his bow and walked over to Shen Xingyu, unable to resist grumbling,

"Look at this kid!"

Shen Xingyu didn't touch the bow, simply sitting aside and watching.

Upon hearing this, he lifted his gaze and looked over at Lu Ran.

There, the young man had fetched a stool and sat obediently in front of Ji Min's wheelchair, looking up at him attentively.

His demeanor resembled that of when he used to peek through the window of Shen Xingyu's study years ago.

Even though the man before him was confined to a wheelchair and couldn't truly teach him anything.

Shen Xingyu withdrew his gaze.

He said indifferently, "What's so interesting about him?"

"With both of us standing here, why does he have to insist on being taught by Ji Min?" Shen Xingzhuo protested indignantly.

"Meaningless," Shen Xingyu flipped through the magazine in his hand.

He sat quietly for a while, then, seemingly bored, got up to stretch.

Putting on his protective gear, he picked up a bow and gave it a try.

The sight of Shen Xingyu drawing the bow was captivating.

It drew the attention of the other archers in the range.

And his performance was impressive, hitting a perfect ten.

After just one shot, however, his interest waned.

Yet, as he put down the bow, Shen Xingyu couldn't resist stealing a glance at the young man.

The boy, loosely holding the bow, had apparently heard the commotion and looked over as well.

But upon recognizing Shen Xingyu, he quickly averted his gaze.

Assuming the posture of drawing a bow on his own, he turned back to seek Ji Min's approval.

Ji Min gave him a glance.

The man didn't seem angered or destabilized by the subtle implications behind the act of shooting an arrow.

He simply chose a bow with deliberate calmness.

He wasn't wearing any protective gear and was seated in his wheelchair.

With a casual draw of the bow, he merely adjusted the angle of the arrowhead.

A sharp whoosh echoed through the air.

The arrow pierced the center of the target with unwavering precision.

"Woah~"

The youth's voice, filled with awe, was as pure as that of a child.

There was a time when Shen Xingyu didn't need to do anything.

Merely an occasional casual action of his could elicit such exclamations.

Afterward, the child would clap his tiny hands until they turned red, looking up with starry eyes and exclaiming,

"Big Brother is so amazing!"

But now, those exclamations and praises no longer belonged to Shen Xingyu.

Chapter 132: Meeting

Muershi looked at Wen Ying with a pout while casting a lightning bolt to paralyze the demons attempting to sneak away.

Wen Ying gathered his magical power in his feet and spread it across the ground. Twisted vines emerged from the earth, binding all the demons present into a large bundle. Muershi recalled the scene from the midterm exams where Wen Ying had done the same thing to the extremist demons, although there weren't as many today.

Muershi stood up with a sigh, brushing off the dust from his pants. He asked in puzzlement, "When did you find out? If not for your kick, I wouldn't have realized that you knew."

Wen Ying crossed his arms and glanced at him sidelong, "I wasn't entirely sure, but the way you handled Yang Shize felt like your style. So yesterday, I deliberately told them that I would come back tomorrow. Based on my understanding of you, if you were here, you would have taken action before I arrived to snatch the points."

"How about we make a deal?" Muershi raised his hands halfway and grinned, "I'll give you a piece of information in exchange for half of the points here."

Wen Ying rolled his eyes, "What's the information?"

Muershi's smile turned meaningful and teasing, "Beros' whereabouts."

Wen Ying's eyes lit up. Muershi understood him, but he maintained a reserved tone, "A third, no more."

"Deal!" Muershi rubbed his hands together, "But you have to promise me that you won't tell Beros about tonight's transaction. Don't let him know that I was the one who told you his location."

He sensed an undercurrent of intrigue, causing Wen Ying to narrow his eyes slightly. "Suddenly, I don't even want to give you a third of the points."

Muershi's smile faltered.

Wen Ying muttered, as if to himself but also addressing Muershi, "Tell me, if Perseus were to find out that the reason for his recent misfortune is because of you, what do you think would happen when he returns to the Realm of Magic?"

Muershi looked skeptical and replied calmly, "Perseus isn't suffering. I just happened to know his location."

Wen Ying rolled his eyes. "With how cunningly you stole my points just now, Perseus probably hasn't managed to contract with a human yet. He's probably isolated somewhere by you all alone."

"Uh huh huh..." Muershi felt embarrassed at being exposed, rubbing his hands together awkwardly. "I just placed something randomly at the entrance... No less than one-fifth of the points, deal!"

"Fine," Wen Ying reluctantly agreed. "Tell me, where have you isolated Perseus?"

Muershi chuckled. "Perseus teleported right into the company where I possess this human. He truly was unlucky, ending up in the trash can. Fortunately, there wasn't any garbage inside, or else he'd be marinated."

Wen Ying's expression turned odd. "How can you be so sure there was no garbage? Could it be that Perseus teleported into a trash can inside a toilet stall, and that stall just happened to be undergoing repairs?"

Muershi nodded brightly, his smile radiant.

Just now, Muershi mentioned leaving something at the entrance. Wen Ying guessed it was a sign indicating that the stall was under maintenance and not in use.

Ordinarily, no one would enter a restroom stall with a maintenance sign, let alone that restrooms were frequently featured locations in ghost stories. A typical person, upon hearing strange sounds from within a stall, would most likely dash out without looking back.

That was probably why Poros had yet to make a contract with anyone.

Poros's only stroke of luck might be that there was no trash in the bin...

"How about it?" Muershi walked over. "Is this piece of information worth one-fifth of the points here?"

"You're not afraid that Poros will come back to the demon realm and kill you."

Muershi shrugged. "I just put up a sign. I didn't do anything else. If neither of us says anything, nobody will know..." As he spoke, his smile faded, and he looked at Wen Ying, his heart skipping a beat. "You... won't tell, right?"

Wen Ying grinned brightly. "Not for now."

Muershi felt downcast.

Wen Ying continued, "If you don't trick me during the final exam, I won't say anything. But if you do, I'll spill the beans as soon as we get back."

Muershi muttered softly, "I didn't do anything bad..."

Wen Ying surveyed the surrounding demons, most of whom were unconscious, while only a few remained awake, trembling with fear. They knew that many of their companions had disappeared in recent days, and tonight they might become the "missing ones" in their fellow demons' mouths.

Wen Ying walked up to one of the conscious intermediate demons, who happened to be the long-haired demon from yesterday. The demon forced a pleading smile on its face.

"We're just insignificant minions, sir. What I said to you yesterday was a lie. Our group is just a delivery service!"

Muershi approached and lightly kicked the demon with his foot. He crouched down and smiled, asking, "If you can give us any clues related to the Church, we can treat you more kindly."

The long-haired demon's face lit up with joy, but then it quickly froze.

"You don't know much, do you?" Wen Ying could tell from its expression.

The long-haired demon stammered, "We demons are only responsible for receiving the life force from some exorcists and then, through the magic array at our base, delivering it to the high-ranking demons in the Demon Realm."

Muershi crouched in front of it, extending his index finger with a pulsating blue-purple arc of electricity dancing on its tip. His tone was gentle as he spoke, "Think again."

Cold sweat covered the long-haired demon's forehead as it watched the electric arc draw closer and closer...

"I remember!" The long-haired demon shouted with his eyes closed, his head tilted back as far as it could go.

Muershi paused with his fingers mid-air and tilted his head slightly. "Hm?"

"Although the exorcist in charge of providing us with vital energy isn't particularly powerful, there have been a few exorcists of special status who occasionally come to collect it," the long-haired demon hurriedly explained. "The higher-ups don't know about this; it's those exorcists' own initiative. They probably use it to nourish their contracted demons."

Back then, they had all been envious of the demons that these exorcists nurtured, who were offered so much vital energy.

Wen Ying stroked his chin, fond of such unwitting foes. "Do you know their identities?"

"They were cloaked and hooded, so I wouldn't have known their identity, but one day when I went out to hunt for prey, I stumbled upon a group of exorcists dealing with a demon. Among them was someone whose familiar had an eerily familiar demonic aura – it was exactly the same as the one that came to feed on your anger!"

"Your story doesn't quite add up," Muershi commented. "First, you said the exorcist came to collect the anger, then you mentioned that their demon came to eat it."

The long-haired demon, fearing that it might miss its chance to speak, hurriedly explained, "Most of the time, it's the exorcist who comes to collect them. Only on rare occasions do they consume the anger right there and then!"

Wen Ying looked at Muershi. "The logic does seem consistent."

"So, which exorcist did you recognize?"

"It's the attendant knight of the Archangel Church's Saint Son! That person has short hair with a mole by his eye, and he keeps a demon with a human torso and a snake's tail!"

"Saint Son Xiao Long?"

The long-haired demon nodded repeatedly.

Muershi stood up, flicking his right arm. A long, lightning-tinged blade formed from magical energy extended from his hand, effortlessly severing the vines binding the long-haired demon. Then...

"Ahh—"

"Milord, have mercy!"

In a few breaths, the only demon left trembling on the scene was the long-haired one. Muershi calmly finished dealing with the other demons, and the magic energy blade in his hand dissipated.

"Mortal bodies are indeed inferior to our original ones," Muershi complained. "If it were my true form, I could have finished them off with one stroke."

Wen Ying remained composed. "Speaking of which, did you capture Diao Mei? Is he still alive?"

Muershi pulled out a wish bottle that used to be popular among elementary school students. Inside was a mass of black fog, and upon seeing Wen Ying, a large, tearful face pressed against the glass, staring at him eagerly.

"For low-level demons, their forms can't be contained in bottles since they don't have physical bodies. What do you plan to do with this mid-level demon who does have one?"

Muershi pondered for a moment before promptly sending the long-haired demon on its way.

Wen Ying: "......."

He was still not quite accustomed to the demons' actions, even though they were all despicable creatures unworthy of pity.

The deceased demons released a great deal of demonic energy. Muershi sat cross-legged, absorbing the dissipating energy, and called out to Wen Ying, "Your puppet's magic power must be running low as well, right? Absorb it quickly. Although the amount that the puppet can convert is minimal, it's better than nothing."

Muershi set up a barrier to prevent the demonic energy from leaking out and to block any detection by exorcists. He then earnestly began converting the energy for his own puppet.

This puppet seemed almost "unchargeable," but with the large quantity of demonic energy, it could barely manage to absorb a bit.

Wen Ying also hurriedly replenished some magic power for his own puppet. If Muershi hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have known that the puppet's demonic energy could be topped up.

After converting all the demonic energy, Wen Ying realized that it only replenished the magic power he had used against the group of demons, leaving him still far from being fully charged.

When low-level demons died, they would immediately turn into demonic energy. In contrast, when mid-level demons with physical bodies perished, they would leave behind their shells. However, over time, these shells would gradually transform into demonic energy and dissipate.

To prevent the Church's exorcists from discovering the demise of the demons, Wen Ying and Muershi dug a large pit, burying the remains of the mid-level demon within. They then cast a minor spell to conceal the aura, an enchantment that would dissipate after about a week.

Conversing here was inconvenient, so Muershi informed that he would have Huo Jue take him to Yang Rixi's residence tomorrow to seek out Wen Ying, and then departed.

Wen Ying called out to him, inquired about the location of Huo Jue's company and the restroom, then left the area as well.

Tonight, he had ventured out while concealing Yang Rixi's consciousness. It wasn't until he returned home that Wen Ying left Yang Rixi's body, returning to the puppet avatar's shell.

With his magic replenished, Wen Ying became audacious. He flew directly to Huo Jue's company in search of Beros.

According to Muershi's indication, Wen Ying swiftly located the target restroom – it was the men's restroom on the second floor. Surprisingly, instead of a strong odor, there was a refreshing scent of lemon.

Wen Ying dashed to the last toilet stall where a "Maintenance in Progress" sign was placed outside. Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, he eagerly pushed open the stall door.

"Who's there?"

It was Beros' aura. Wen Ying perched atop the trash can, looking down at the cotton doll resembling Beros. He covered his mouth, concealing his delight in the other's predicament.

Beros, upon seeing Wen Ying, became agitated. Unable to speak aloud, he mentally projected his voice, "Wen Ying! Get me out of here quickly!"

Despite being confined to this spot, he could tell from the sounds that it was a restroom. He had been here for an entire week, day and night, and was on the verge of going insane.

Now that he saw Wen Ying, if not for his pride holding him back, he would have rushed over and embraced the other.

Wen Ying raised an eyebrow and slowly descended, stopping about ten centimeters above the trash can. He tilted his head to examine the contents and confirmed that there was indeed no garbage. The trash bag also appeared new.

The doll extended its hand, and a tendril coiled around its fingertips before extending downward, lifting the Perseus doll from inside the trash can.

Wen Ying used the tendril to carry Perseus out, flying through the air.

To be honest, he didn't particularly want to touch Perseus, who had been in the trash for a week, so he kept the doll suspended by the vine.

To avoid drawing Perseus's attention to the "Under Maintenance" sign outside the toilet stall, Wen Ying swiftly flew out, exiting through the restroom window.

His objective was clear: first, take Perseus home, then use Yang Rixi's body to give him a thorough cleaning before any further contact.

As Perseus left his "abyss," his initial excitement gradually subsided, giving way to curiosity.

"Wen Ying, how did you know I was here?"

"I was just passing by, would you believe that?" Wen Ying said. "I've just dealt with a group of demons who were transporting life force to the Demon Realm. I'm out here to see if there are any others."

Beros's greatest fear had come true. While he had been unlucky enough to lie in the dumpster for a week, Wen Ying and his team had already accumulated quite a number of points! His already irritable personality became even more volatile after a week of being inactive.

He should have immediately found a human to make a contract with and started hunting, but in the first few days, Beros had frightened many humans away, causing him to doubt himself.

Although he was confident in his strength, he found humans too weak and timid. Could he really find someone willing to form a contract with him?

"Beros, you should try to control your temper," Wen Ying suggested. "Look, the aura you're giving off right now is terrifying. People will be scared when you talk to them like this."

Beros didn't respond, but from the aggressive energy he exuded, Wen Ying knew that Beros was resistant to the idea.

When Yang Rixi saw Wen Ying bring home a cotton doll that resembled the Wen Ying version he had found earlier, he took a nervous step back. "Mr. Demon, is that doll also a demon?"

He had sensed a terrifying and violent magical power emanating from the toy, causing his limbs to turn cold without his realizing it.

Wen Ying nodded and placed the doll directly on the floor. "I need to borrow your body again to clean it up."

Yang Rixi replied, "Okay."

Wen Ying possessed Yang Rixi's body and bent down to pick up the Bellerophon doll from the ground. He then entered the bathroom inside the room and gave it a thorough cleaning.

Bellerophon: "..." He was clean now, but also not quite.

His emotions were peculiar.

Unbothered by the unusually silent Bellerophon, who seemed like a real doll, Wen Ying carefully washed him with antibacterial soap before using magic to evaporate the water from the doll's body.

Now, he had a Bellerophon doll that smelled of flowers.

Placing the doll on the pillow where he had been sleeping lately, Wen Ying left Yang Rixi's body.

Yang Rixi regained consciousness and sat down by the bed. Gazing at the silver-haired doll sitting beside the toy, he slowly spoke, "Mr. Demon, may I ask for your advice?"

Wen Ying turned his head and replied warmly, "What is it?" He was particularly satisfied with his contractee.

Yang Rixi knitted his brows. "One of my friends from the past wants me to bring him to a famous director's birthday party. My younger brother also wishes to attend and wants me to take them both."

This younger brother couldn't be Yang Shiming. If it wasn't Yang Shiming, then it must be the younger brother from Yang Rixi's adoptive parents' family.

Wen Ying asked, "Is there a problem?"

Why was he being so gentle to a human? Boreas was unhappy. Most of the time when Wen Ying was kind to him, it was either a scheme or a straightforward plan.

"Although my biological parents won't be influenced by demons now, I'm still a little scared. Before, they were ashamed of me and thought my friends were useless. Now that they're finally treating me nicely, what if they feel embarrassed when I bring them over?" Yang Rixi lifted his head to cover his eyes.

"I didn't have any close friends before. Our relationship was just ordinary. If it was only that friend asking, I definitely wouldn't agree. But my brother also requested."

"My foster parents also know about this. They want me to bring him to broaden his horizons and meet the idol he likes."

Boreas felt even worse. What kind of useless human was this, worrying about everything? Just bring them or don't, there was no need for such hesitation.

Wen Ying understood. In a new environment, Yang Rixi was already insecure, and Yang Shize had worsened his insecurities. Although Yang Shize couldn't cause trouble now, Yang Rixi's negative experiences wouldn't disappear.

"You can bring them along," Wen Ying said. "If you can't handle it, I can possess you to help."

Yang Rixi was stunned. This was an unforeseen solution. He immediately brightened up. Wen Ying gave him a sense of reliability, and he wouldn't have to face the situation himself. Overjoyed, Yang Rixi lifted Wen Ying in both hands.

Seeing that he was about to kiss him again, Wen Ying glanced at Boreas beside them and said, "If you want to kiss me, my partner might not be happy."

Almost forgetting that Essence was a taken demon, Yang Rixi calmed down and placed Wen Ying back on the pillow. "I thought that demons didn't have the concept of monogamy. Speaking of which, in many human works, succubi seem rather promiscuous. Are they really like that in reality?"

Since Wen Ying didn't look like a succubus, Yang Rixi asked directly.

This question… Wen Ying recalled Essence's appearance and said, "He seems quite casual on the surface, but I'm not too sure about what he's like in reality." He was referring to physical relationships.

During the entrance exam, he had overheard a demon saying that Essence changed partners very quickly, sometimes even within a day. However, after entering the academy, Wen Ying noticed that Essence seemed to have remained single and hadn't heard of him dating anyone.

As for whether Essence had casual sex partners without a significant other, Wen Ying wasn't aware. He also didn't know if Essence would sleep with his partner when in a relationship.

Persephone chuckled. "Essence doesn't have much scruples."

That means he does, Wen Ying thought to himself. He's experienced.

With Wen Ying's reassurance, Yang Rixi turned to respond to his brother, giving Wen Ying and Persephone some space.

Wen Ying sat facing Persephone with crossed legs. Since Persephone couldn't move, Wen Ying manually adjusted the doll's position. Looking at the adorable Persephone, he couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

Persephone: "Do you want to die?"

"Excuse me, excuse me," Wen Ying pressed his hand against his lips, "It's just a little amusing."

Under the same roof, the demon had to yield. For the sake of his final exams and to avoid scoring zero, Beros reluctantly suppressed his fiery temper and pretended not to notice.

"Can you help me find the human with whom I have a binding contract?"

"I have the perfect candidate in mind right now," Wen Ying said, propping her chin on her hands. "That man's younger brother — I've observed him, and he possesses the innate talent to become an Exorcist."

Boros was delighted and couldn't wait to see that human.

"Could you bring him to me?" Balros paused, the last three words seeming to be squeezed out of his throat.

It was exceptionally rare for the proud Balros to use such a pleading tone. Wen Ying looked at him sympathetically. The week of living in a trash can had given Balros a harsh reality check and softened his stubbornness.

Wen Ying caressed the doll's face affectionately. "Sure."

Balros's skin prickled, and he trembled inside.

Wen Ying stood up, ready to take flight when he suddenly turned back. "Oh, by the way, you haven't forgotten that since last week, you're my boyfriend, right? There are still three weeks left."

"......I remember."

It was just a boyfriend, so how could their interactions change? Bellerophon soon realized it was just a matter of semantics.

But... boyfriend... It was merely a temporary title, yet Bellerophon felt an inexplicable strangeness. Their interactions remained the same, but the feeling was different.

Wen Ying first informed Yang Rixi, who was on the balcony making a call to his adoptive parents.

Yang Rixi's first reaction was, "Doesn't that mean he won't be afraid of me anymore?"

Indeed, brothers needed a good beating. Once beaten, he would fear Yang Rixi and not dare to act too provocatively. These past few days, Yang Rixi had been quite satisfied.

"Uh..." Wen Ying was momentarily at a loss for words. Soon, he came up with a cunning plan. "I'll support you. The demon bound to your brother also obeys me. Find more excuses to beat him up these days. Make him fearful. Even if he can overpower you in the future, he'll have psychological trauma and hesitate to act."

Yang Rixi found Wen Ying's suggestion very reasonable.

This Mr. Demon always made sense. Everything he said was correct.

Yang Shiming, engrossed in a game, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

A knock on the door distracted him, causing him to lose the game. Frustrated, he tossed his phone aside and grumpily called out, "Who is it?"

Yang Rixi entered, and upon seeing him, Yang Shiming rolled his eyes disdainfully. "You made me lose the game! Don't ever come into my room again."

Yang Rixi frowned. "I'm your elder brother."

"My elder brother?" Yang Shiming's expression showed contempt. "An adopted one trying to act like the real deal? You didn't even grow up with us."

Despite Yang Shize being there, Yang Shiming still considered his eldest brother to be Yang Shize. Even though he did some questionable things, it wasn't that bad, right? He just used demons to make them like him.

To the young Yang Shiming, it wasn't a big issue. Yang Shize wasn't a murderer or thief.

In truth, Yang Shiming looked down on his biological brother, Yang Rixi. He was timid and lacked the demeanor expected of someone from their social class; it was embarrassing just to mention him.

Yang Rixi raised his hands, stretching his muscles. Sensing the change in atmosphere, Yang Shiming felt uneasy. Yang Rixi quietly closed the door, which made Yang Shiming spring up from his bed, yelling nervously, "What do you want? Don't think I'm easy to bully. That day, I hadn't eaten, but today, you won't get off so lightly..."

After a beating, Yang Shiming soon found himself on the floor, groaning in pain.

Yang Rixi delivered a sound beating to Yang Shiming, yet his clothes remained impeccably smooth. He gazed down at Yang Shiming with an indifferent expression. "Am I your brother now?"

Yang Shiming's face twitched. "…Yes."

Chapter 98: Little Bear

Lu Ran did not expect such an answer.

Looking up, he met Ji Min's dark, solemn eyes, which seemed even more profound under the warm yellow light.

There was no embarrassment or speechlessness in those eyes, as there usually would be when they discussed similar topics.

Instead, there was an assertiveness that harmonized perfectly with Ji Min's aura.

Lu Ran quickly looked down and started brushing Big Yellow's loose fur.

"Oh, I... um..."

The teenager stumbled over his words before finding the smoothest way to express himself.

He raised his voice, "Don't worry, I'm very professional!"

Faced with the man's focused gaze, his voice softened slightly as he continued, "So, Boss, you don't need to be jealous."

"I will..."

Lu Ran wasn't quite sure what he would do.

This seemed to surpass the boundaries of his previous understanding, leaving him both hesitant and anxious. "I will..."

"Mm-hmm."

The man in the wheelchair acknowledged with a soft sound.

The chilly voice carried an uncharacteristic warmth.

The erstwhile display of assertiveness gradually receded, as he raised his gaze to the young man on the bed, addressing him with the customary, elder-like tolerance:

"Well then, how should this exceedingly dedicated 'ex-boyfriend' approach Gu Zhi with his questions now?"

In a nutshell, Lu Ran found himself back in a situation he was all too familiar with.

"Well... could you ask for me?" he said.

Ji Min returned to the bedside, phone in hand.

Lu Ran stealthily glanced at him, only to avert his eyes when their gazes met.

He resembled a cautious creature, carefully assessing whether the human before him posed any danger.

The man pretended not to notice his subtle gestures and sighed, "If you don't ask tonight, I doubt you'll be able to sleep."

"I won't, nothing can disrupt my eating and sleeping," Lu Ran assured.

"Oh, then why didn't you have dinner?" Ji Min inquired.

Lu Ran: "..."

Ji Min sent a message to Manager Chen, requesting him to send some midnight snacks upstairs.

Thereafter, he leaned against the edge of the youth's bed, positioning his phone in such a way that the person lying there need only lift their head slightly to see it clearly.

"Go ahead, what would you like to ask?"

Lu Ran inched closer step by step.

In truth, when he first saw the photo of his younger self, Lu Ran's heart was far from calm.

But when it came to specifics about what he wanted to ask, he hesitated.

After some thought, Lu Ran said, "Ask him if I can visit the Gu family next week. I'd like to meet Elder Gu."

Ji Min nodded.

Lowering his gaze, he typed on his phone.

Lu Ran then stole glances at him.

After a while, the man suddenly stopped typing and turned his head to look at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran quickly averted his eyes, pretending to be busy as he reached out to stroke Big Yellow's fur.

However, Big Yellow, annoyed by his constant petting, had already jumped off the bed and run away.

He could only pretend to examine the photographs in the box once more.

After flipping through them for a while, he noticed no movement beside him.

Only then did he look back.

Their gazes met at the exact moment.

"...Why haven't you asked yet?" Lu Ran hurriedly said.

"How should I ask?" Ji Min looked at him without moving. "In your tone or mine?"

"It doesn't matter, either way is fine," Lu Ran replied.

"Then use yours."

Ji Min handed him the phone.

Lu Ran took the somewhat heavy business phone again.

He lowered his head to type in the message box.

Only when he started typing did he realize something was off.

He was using Ji Min's phone and WeChat account.

Looking at Ji Min's profile picture and typing with the tone Ji Min usually used, he felt a sense of strangeness.

"I mean, why are you asking in my tone?" Lu Ran asked.

"There's no particular reason," Ji Min replied.

It was simply because this way seemed more intimate, and might help sober up that fellow Gu Zhi a bit.

But Ji Min wouldn't disclose this reasoning.

Lu Ran pressed his lips together, unusually feeling a bit uncomfortable.

When he regained his senses and looked down at his phone, he muttered, "Oh no..."

"Mm?" Ji Min raised an eyebrow.

Lu Ran showed him the chat interface.

He had accidentally tapped on the emoji pack and sent over a dozen of them in one go.

"Well, does this count as my tone too?"

As he spoke, he looked down and felt even more awkward.

Gu Zhi had directly called him via video chat.

Lu Ran was about to hang up when he heard Ji Min's voice beside him. "Answer it."

The man seemed to lean in closer to view his phone screen.

His voice and breath brushed against Lu Ran's ear.

Lu Ran instinctively drew back slightly.

Yet, the man urged softly, "Come closer, I can't see."

"Okay, okay." Lu Ran hurriedly held up his phone again.

On the other end of the call.

As soon as Gu Zhi connected the video call, he saw the intimate scene of the two of them being close together.

It was a late-night blow to the heart.

As a single person, Gu Zhi subconsciously wanted to hang up the call.

But he still said, "When you sent so many emojis at once, I thought it was some sort of distress signal."

Ji Min scoffed coldly. "He wouldn't send a distress signal to you."

...

To be honest, when Gu Zhi saw Ji Min sending him an emoji pack, he was almost scared to death.

But the moment he saw Lu Ran in the video, Gu Zhi realized he might have asked a foolish question.

As expected, Ji Min pointed at Lu Ran with his chin and said, "He sent it."

Upon seeing Gu Zhi, the discomfort Lu Ran had just felt vanished.

He focused on the matter at hand and showed the photo to Gu Zhi. "Uncle Gu..."

The moment he called him that, Ji Min silently clicked his tongue.

Unaware of this, Lu Ran continued his question, "Is the person in the photo my grandfather?"

Upon seeing the photo in Lu Ran's hand, Gu Zhi perked up, "Hey, you got it? That's your grandpa, and the other one is you!"

"I was the one who took this picture. I asked you to smile, and you instinctively tried to, but when you sneaked a glance at your grandpa, you immediately put on a straight face."

Recalling the amusing scene from back then, Gu Zhi kept talking nonstop.

Until Ji Min, with a poker face, interjected, "Your voice is too loud, it's disturbing me."

Gu Zhi: "..."

Lu Ran: "..."

Lu Ran then suggested at the right moment, "How about you sit a bit further away, Boss?"

Ji Min: "..."

He didn't say anything else and obediently leaned back in his chair to rest with his eyes closed.

Suddenly, Lu Ran felt like laughing.

He had no recollection of these details that Gu Zhi mentioned, nor was he particularly interested.

After pondering for a moment, he continued, "How was my relationship with my grandfather?"

As he asked, it was as if he was an unrelated outsider looking in.

Gu Zhi was taken aback before responding, "You really don't remember, huh?"

Then, he added, "I suppose that's right. You were only four back then. Even if you did remember, you wouldn't have waited so many years."

"Your grandfather... he doted on you quite a bit, didn't he?"

Gu Zhi's tone suddenly became uncertain.

Scratching his head, he said, "Mr. Shen... um, he wasn't particularly close to anyone, was he?"

"Still, you must have been around him a lot when you were young?" Gu Zhi waved his hand. "It's been so long, I can't recall the specifics either."

Assuming the child might be more interested in elders, he suggested,

"Perhaps you could ask my father? He's getting on in years and often reminisces about the past. Plus, he's quite acquainted with Mr. Shen."

Lu Ran didn't decline.

Shen Hongyuan had hidden the gift from the Gu family and intentionally summoned Gu Ningqi for this purpose.

It seemed he didn't want Lu Ran to have any contact with the Gus.

Lu Ran was also somewhat intrigued by this Mr. Shen.

He agreed and asked Gu Zhi for a suitable time.

Gu Zhi, on the other hand, felt awkward. "My father can be unpredictable with his mood swings due to his age. I'll need to check with him first."

Ending the video call with Gu Zhi, Lu Ran instinctively reached to toss the phone onto the bedside table but stopped halfway, remembering that it was Ji Min's device.

He promptly returned it to Ji Min.

The man extended his hand leisurely. Looking up at the young man, he said, "If you want to meet Elder Master Gu, Gu Zhi can't arrange it, but I can."

"Hmm? What method do you have?" Lu Ran inquired.

Ji Min didn't reply immediately but stated, "However, I'll need compensation for it."

"....What kind of compensation?" Lu Ran asked.

Ji Min cast him a glance.

The youth's countenance still bore a touch of unguarded bewilderment.

Ji Min's fingers twitched.

In the end, he reached into the box and picked up a photograph, saying, "Give me this photo, please."

"Aah?"

Lu Ran's gaze shifted to the box.

"But, but these are just pictures of some young kids. What's so special about them to give away?" Lu Ran stammered.

"But I want them," Ji Min said.

"Oh," Lu Ran replied, then lowered his head to fiddle with his fingers. Finally, he pretended to be generous and pushed the box over. "Then go ahead and pick one!"

A hint of a smile tugged at Ji Min's lips.

He picked up the stack of photos and began to choose meticulously.

As Lu Ran pretended not to care, he couldn't help but sneak glances to see which photo Ji Min had selected.

Initially, when he wasn't sure if the child in the picture was him, it didn't matter much.

But now he knew.

As he watched Ji Min's fingers gently glide across the cheeks of the children in the photographs, Lu Ran felt restless.

He changed his posture eight times in a minute.

Eventually, he couldn't help but urge, "Boss, why are you being so fussy?"

"With such hard-earned payment, of course, I have to choose carefully," Ji Min replied with justification.

Lu Ran fell silent again, only watching Ji Min's fingers intently.

Among them were a few where he sat obediently on a stool, looking adorable with his clean and fair appearance.

Lu Ran initially thought that Ji Min would pick those photos.

To his surprise, the man eventually chose one where his hands were covered in mud, and he was holding a worm.

Ji Min gazed at the photo of the child reaching out for a hug for a moment, then curved his lips. "We'll take this one."

Lu Ran felt slightly embarrassed.

Silent, he quietly gathered the other photos.

Ji Min glanced at the pictures still in his hand.

Suddenly, he said, "I feel like I got the short end of the stick."

"Hmm?" Lu Ran looked up at him.

The man bargained, "Mr. Gu is quite hard to meet. I should have asked for two."

Lu Ran: "…Don't push your luck!"

He hastily put away the remaining photos.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of one and paused slightly in his movement.

"What's wrong?" Ji Min inquired.

"Nothing much, I'm just tired. Why aren't you leaving yet, Boss?" Lu Ran replied.

Ji Min: "..."

He was really pushing it with his haste.

But upon looking at the photo in his hand, he felt it was worth it.

"Remember to have a late-night snack, or you might get hungry in the middle of the night," he instructed before leaving Lu Ran's room.

Lu Ran peered out for a while.

Only when the man's figure had completely vanished did he inexplicably feel relieved.

Taking a few quick steps, he closed the door to his room.

Back in bed, Lu Ran took out the photo he had glimpsed earlier for a closer look.

At first glance, the picture seemed unremarkable.

But upon closer inspection, one could spot the tiny words "Happy Birthday" printed on the bib around the child's neck.

Below the photo was the date it was taken.

Lu Ran stared at the image for a while.

Suddenly, he sat up straight, opened the calendar app on his phone, and cross-checked the date that appeared on the photograph.

It was neither too early nor too late – it was precisely the day he was officially accepted back into the Shen family.

That very same night, Ji Min had taken him out.

They had celebrated "Big Yellow's" grand birthday in advance.

There were beautiful lanterns, candies scattered across the ground, colorful balloons, and an extravagant three-tier cake.

Many people were still singing the birthday song.

Lu Ran sat quietly on the bed for a long time.

It was almost cold by the time he finally bent down to pick up the puppy on the floor, saying,

"Bad Big Yellow, you tricked me."

Lu Ran had a dream that night.

Although he saw many childhood photos, the memory he dreamed of was not from before he got lost.

Instead, it was at the orphanage.

Back then, someone had donated a batch of stuffed toys to the orphanage.

When it was the turn of Lu Ran's class, there was an adorable little bear among them.

The bear was black but had incredibly soft fur and sapphire-like eyes.

Lu Ran had a particular fondness for this teddy bear.

However, the items in class belonged to everyone.

They could only play with these toys during designated times and had to take turns with each classmate.

Only when it was Lu Ran's turn could he properly hold and embrace the teddy bear.

But soon, it would be time to pass the bear on to the next student willingly.

Yet, Lu Ran wasn't very keen on giving the bear to someone else.

He proactively approached the teacher, suggesting that he could take on all the cleaning duties in class.

He offered to do it consecutively for a month, a year, or even longer.

He asked the teacher if the teddy bear could be assigned to him alone.

But the teacher kindly refused with a smile, telling him that the cleaning duties were too tiring and couldn't be managed by one person alone.

That very evening, Lu Ran completed the class cleaning on his own.

He mopped the floor diligently and mustered the courage to approach the teacher while they were still around.

With a dirty little face, he earnestly pleaded, "I can do everything by myself. Can I have the teddy bear, please?"

However, the teacher gently declined, albeit reluctantly.

Because the teddy bear belonged to everyone.

Lu Ran was at a loss.

Yet, he still adored it deeply.

But no matter how much he loved it, it made no difference.

All he could do was to gently hug the teddy bear and softly caress its soft fur with his cheek within the designated time.

When the time came, he would have to let go.

He intended to personally hand the teddy bear over to another classmate.

To witness someone else cradling his beloved teddy bear in their arms.

As time dragged on.

Even the brief yet cherished moments of playing with the little bear became torturous.

Lu Ran held onto the teddy bear, his heart nervously counting down the seconds.

Until the very last moment, he personally handed over the little bear.

Liking someone seemed to have turned into a torturous affair.

Gradually, such incidents piled up, one after another.

Lu Ran had forgotten what it felt like to be fond of someone.

Upon reflection, what arises in the mind is the sorrow of parting with one's dearest possession.

And that sense of powerlessness in never being able to attain it.

But in this dream, the little bear seemed to be running towards him on its own.

Chapter 94 - Station 23: Human Incense

Diao Qingchang followed the servant carrying a white paper lantern through increasingly magnificent corridors, realizing that the guest room he had previously occupied was quite a distance from the Dragon Fish Hall.

It could also be because the Dragon Fish Hall was simply enormous.

As they approached the hall, an inexplicable mist grew denser, and the talisman attached to his chest burned fiercely, turning to ashes within seconds.

Diao Qingchang remained vigilant as he accompanied the servant through the corridors, finally catching sight of the entrance to the Dragon Fish Hall.

A colossal Pixiu statue stood guard at the door, with a plaque above it reading "Zephyr-like Spring." Two couplets hung on either side: "Virtuous souls arrive here with no regrets, while evil ones tremble at our gate."

Upon entering, he found himself in an unusually spacious courtyard surrounded by buildings. The butler, Xi Yi, waited inside, holding something in his hand.

The lantern-bearing servant stopped at the entrance.

As Diao Qingchang approached Xi Yi, he noticed that the butler was holding three gleaming golden incense sticks.

The incense stick itself was brown, with speckles resembling crushed gold dust interwoven within.

These golden flakes were meticulously minced and mixed into the incense paste during the manufacturing process to ensure they did not disrupt the function of the incense.

The edges of the gold foil had clearly been polished with great care, as they felt incredibly smooth to the touch. Apart from the natural texture of the incense, there were no irregularities or bumps.

Diao Qingchang was witnessing such intricate craftsmanship for the first time. As he held the incense sticks delicately, he feared damaging this artwork.

Xi Yi was pleased with Diao Qingchang's respectful demeanor and instructed him:

"Mr. Diao, please take these three incense sticks and offer them in the main hall."

Diao Qingchang, holding the incense, proceeded to the main hall.

Above the entrance hung a plaque inscribed with the words "Remembering Glory, Honoring Ancestors." On either side of the hall, couplets read: "Centuries pass, bones turn to dust; Thousand-mile lands, buried under earth's embrace."

Diao Qingchang sensed that the inscriptions on the main entrance and the couplets on the hall seemed to have been penned by a different hand altogether, conveying entirely distinct meanings now.

But there was no time for him to ponder over it deeply.

He stepped into the main hall, holding the golden incense in his hand.

The dark lacquered wooden door closed slowly behind him, engulfing the white mist that filled the courtyard.

-

The expressions of those still seated in the guest rooms were a mixed bag.

Liao Xinya did not feel uneasy because Diao Qingchang had left; she remained engrossed in her thoughts.

"I'm pondering if the manner of death in a pigsty has any connection with the cruel practice of 'human zhi'."

Yan Qiling turned to look at her, while Lin Yongjian appeared somewhat perplexed.

"Hostage? What hostage?"

The young lady replied to his question with an icy demeanor.

"Liu Hou detested Lady Qi for attempting to seize power and subjected her to horrifying torture. She cut off her limbs, deafened and blinded her with smoke, then sliced away her nose, mouth, and ears. After that, she was thrown into a pigsty, labeled as a 'human pig,' meaning 'one resembling a pig.'"

While Lin Yongjian remained unaffected, Yu Kui started to weep in fear, appearing utterly powerless.

Liao Xinya paid no attention and continued sharing her insights on the phrase "promotion and wealth":

"Since 'early birth of an honored child' has its limitations, so does 'promotion and wealth.' It should only be said to unmarried men or married men. Today, I was fortunate not to have directed it at the wrong person. Later, I'll try to figure out the specific restrictions."

Yan Qiling listened and looked at Ming Yiyang, who understood his intention and shrugged slightly:

"My speculation aligns with hers, though not as professionally. If we use these two phrases wisely, they will likely benefit us more than harm us. Perhaps they could even guide us to an exit."

Liao Xinya ignored their conversation and turned her attention to the man sitting at the main seat in the guest room:

"Yan Qiling, since you now possess the right to not enter Longyu Hall, you could assist in finding Shi Wen Guang. After all, every additional person brings another possibility. If we can locate and save him, we can test whether Red Note's rules can be exploited through the state of the living dead."

The man, who had been about to drink tea, suddenly lifted his head to look at her.

Liao Xinya was not captivated by his allure; instead, she spoke calmly:

"If this is a loophole intentionally created by the Master of Wujian, we can exploit this state to improve our living conditions. It would be a very useful tool for future explorations or dealing with threats."

Yan Qiling understood her point.

The disrupted rules were now essentially ineffective. If they could find a way to manipulate these states, they could disregard the entire set of rules on the Red Note, making their future actions much more manageable.

"…You're right," Yan Qiling said, wearing a soft, appreciative smile. "I'll try to figure out what's going on."

Liao Xinya had no doubts about his abilities and wanted to add some details, but Yu Kui abruptly reacted, looking outside again.

Sure enough, the child holding the white lamp had returned.

There was no sign of Diao Qingchang behind him.

The child stood alone by the door, giving off an ethereal air as if he could vanish with the wind at any moment.

With a tranquil tone that belied his young age, he said:

"May one of you step forward to accompany me to the Fish-Dragon Hall for an exorcism ritual."

Liao Xinya adjusted her skirt and rose to respond:

"I'll come."

As she took a step, a gentle male voice reached her from behind:

"In reverence to heaven, earth, and deities, incense is a symbol of purity. Hence, when lighting incense, never blow on it with your mouth."

Liao Xinya turned and nodded to him appreciatively:

"Thank you for your guidance."

After she left, the four people in the room fell into a silence. Lin Yongjian gazed at the pair across from him, closed his eyes briefly, then exhaled and asked:

"When did you meet him, Teacher Yan?"

Before the man's affectionate and flirtatious eyes could shift away, Lin Yongjian blocked any chance of evasion:

"You don't need to mention your amnesia again, Yan Qiling. I'm not an idiot."

Ming Yiyang chuckled at the last remark, lifting his snowy eyelashes provocatively as he said in a languid tone:

"Why does it concern you when I met him? What right do you have to ask him, and what obligation does he have to report to you? Are you his boss?"

"Even if he is your employee, you have no right to interfere with his personal life. So, are you even monitoring whether he buys condoms for his private nights?"

Lin Yongjian was practically driven to fury by this person. What made it worse was that Yan Qiling didn't refute a single word but simply watched them quietly.

An awful thought couldn't help but arise in his mind... Could it be that Yan Qiling and this little ruffian had already established some sort of intimate relationship in bed? !

His eyes reddened from thinking, and his whole body trembled slightly from rage. It felt as if all his blood was rushing to his head.

But the most frustrating part was that, just as this little scoundrel said, he truly had no grounds to question anything about Yan Qiling.

He only regretted not making a move sooner, and resented why Yan Qiling had so many superior romantic resources, yet chose Ming Yiyang, who was virtually good for nothing except his face and fists.

Obviously... his qualifications and sincerity far surpassed this man's. He had remained chaste all these years for Yan Qiling.

But this blond ruffian seemed to have had quite a history of relationships, with an appearance that screamed heartlessness and promiscuity.

He'd encountered such men countless times in the circle. Not to mention Yan Qiling, he himself wouldn't deign to associate with them... But why...

Did Yan Qiling prefer men with ample experience, or did he think that the purity he perceived was just a facade, and that the real Yan Qiling was engaged in something he couldn't even fathom?

Lin Yongjian's mind was a jumbled mess from the flames of fury, but one thing was clear.

He was going to give Ming Yiyang a punch.

"If you dare touch Teacher Yan, I'll beat you to death!"

He lunged forward swiftly, but Ming Yiyang seemed too lazy to react, propelling himself back two meters with a flick of his foot, leaving Lin Yongjian swinging at thin air!

Lin Yongjian immediately stepped forward. Just as he was about to grab the man's collar and deliver a vicious blow, a white paper fan deflected his wrist.

Lin Yongjian clutched his wrist and stepped back, about to retort at the interfering fan-wielder, but then he turned to see Yan Qiling holding his fan with an air of nonchalance.

In his moment of astonishment, Yan Qiling had already effortlessly tapped his pressure point on the waist with the fan.

All his strength drained from his body, and if not for his quick grab on the small table, he would have nearly fallen to the ground.

The unexpected display of martial prowess was more surprising to Lin Yongjian than Ming Yiyang's relationship with Yan Qiling.

However, Yan Qiling didn't give him much time to ponder over it.

Leaning his chin on the fan, Yan Qiling smiled and said,

"It's your turn."

Following the other's gaze, Lin Yongjian noticed that the servant holding the white lantern had been standing respectfully at the door without him realizing.

This time, Liao Xinya hadn't returned either.

The man took hold of his arm with his cold hand, helping him stand straight, his tone soft as freshly kneaded dough as he spoke:

"Go ahead."

That fear within him transformed into an endless wave of wistfulness and sorrow with those words.

Lin Yongjian turned to look at the person.

He could still feel a lingering sense of regret in his heart.

He said,

"Mr. Yan, if I don't make it this time, then this will be my final question."

"Are you really together with him?"

He asked sincerely, believing this to be a personal struggle within his own mind.

Unbeknownst to him, the other person present, who seemed nonchalant on the surface, was secretly clenching their palms in their jacket, beads of sweat forming from the intensity of the question.

Yan Qiling replied with a smile,

"..."

The silent mouthing went unnoticed.

Despite Ming Yiyang's towering figure, he couldn't see the man's lips from his position behind him. Thus, he could only infer the response from Lin Yongjian's expression.

Lin Yongjian's face didn't reveal much change; however, a faint smile emerged, which was indistinguishable between a sense of relief or a conviction of victory amidst his loneliness.

This fleeting moment made Ming Yiyang feel foolish for not standing opposite Yan Qiling.

Without casting another glance at anyone, Lin Yongjian held onto Yan Qiling's unspoken answer and followed the lantern-bearing servant down an unknown passage.

Three people remained in the room.

The man's heterochromatic eyes slowly shifted towards Yu Kui, who was trembling in the corner.

Upon meeting the enigmatic gaze, Yu Kui's tremors intensified.

-

Throughout his journey, Lin Yongjian hadn't come across Diao Qingchang or Liao Xinya.

Taking the three golden incense sticks from Xi Yi in the courtyard, he stepped into the so-called main hall with a mixture of doubt and belief.

The grandeur of the Dragon Fish Hall surpassed his imagination.

From the outside, the main hall appeared unremarkable, but inside, it was an expanse of dazzling gold and brilliance.

The floor tiles were enormous; anyone with knowledge of interior design would know that natural stone floors were more expensive the larger they were. This main hall's floor tiles were the size of four ordinary tiles combined.

They had the lustrous, cold sheen of polished ink jade, and above all, they looked incredibly costly!

Elaborately carved beams and pillars adorned with gilt were not even worth mentioning, nor were the gilded wooden columns; in this main hall, such luxuries were standard fare.

The most captivating item in the chamber was undoubtedly the deity statue enshrined at its center.

Lin Yongjian was left dumbfounded by the sight.

Chapter 178: Beyond the Mountains

After discussing in the evening, the outcome was predictable. Everyone agreed: "We should plant!"

Zhou Lizheng said, "We can't grow rice outside, but planting soybeans and vegetables will be profitable as long as we can harvest them. We won't have to worry about a vegetable shortage in winter, and soybeans can also serve as food."

No one knew when peace would return. In these times, conserving food was equivalent to preserving lives.

With that decision made, everyone set out early on the third day. Instead of hunting, they divided into two groups, led by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan respectively. One group cut down trees to build entrances for the other two caves, and constructed simple earth ovens. They even cooked two meals using firewood. The other group prepared the land for planting soybeans within the next few days to catch the season.

The fourth day was the agreed date with Shopkeeper Xu to carry out the grain transport. Three of the six caves looked inhabited from the outside, and everyone had brought their house locks when they left the village. A locked door would indicate occupation, but with the owners out hunting or gathering.

The preliminary construction of the village outskirts was complete. For the people in the valley, this place served as a strategic location for both offense and defense.

In normal circumstances, the young and strong could develop the outer region together. If the situation became too much for them to handle, they could retreat to the valley, leaving behind an illusion of the owners being out or the caves being deserted.

As usual, Shi Da and Shi Er, along with Lu Er and Lu San, were to stay behind to defend the inner part of the valley. The sheep had accumulated some grass, and the Lu and Shi brothers would venture out together later to sow the soaked soybean seeds. With several 'households' nearby, there was no need to worry about leaving traces. They could easily gather leaves and grass close by. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's departure for over ten days wouldn't cause any concern.

Since they were transporting grain for the Xu family, Shopkeeper Xu, Uncle Xu, Xu Wenqing, and Wei Qinghe, all capable of carrying the load, joined the mission.

It's safe to assume that the mountains are teeming with people now. To avoid drawing attention, I haven't brought any tools or supplies, planning to figure out a solution once I'm out of the mountains. I've only packed weapons and essentials for a long journey.

Among them, if Xu Changguang was nervous, then Xu Wenqing was excited. Just a fifteen-year-old youth, though he had sought refuge in the mountains, he didn't find it hard; instead, it was like opening up an entirely new world to him. Especially since he could travel with Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, he was exceptionally thrilled, even going so far as to bring along the bow and arrows he had borrowed for practice.

Yet, this excitement was abruptly doused the following morning, while they were on the road, when they stumbled upon four skeletons by the edge of Forest Edge Mountain Trail. The bones had been savagely gnawed down to mere scraps of flesh.

It was the skeleton of a human being, accompanied by tattered fragments of clothing that swarmed with innumerable flies, bearing a putrid stench.

Without pausing to pity anyone, Shen Lie covered his mouth and nose and led the group quickly around the area. It was only after they had traveled a considerable distance that he lowered his hand and said, "Someone has ventured deeper in, and they're clearly not up to the task."

After another hour or so, they encountered a similar scene, and everyone's hearts sank. The mountains in this region were incredibly vast and deep, and no one could accurately gauge their expanse. Having endured several epochs of war, the population of the Great Qian Dynasty was not substantial. Before the siege, there were only a few thousand people trapped within Qiyang County. They had no idea how many managed to escape, but even if everyone took refuge in the mountains, they should be scattered, not gathered closely together. Yet, they had already stumbled upon two sets of remains devoured by beasts in such a short time.

Something was seriously amiss.

By mid-afternoon, they finally spotted living humans. Shen Lie was keen on inquiring, but upon seeing them – especially the weapons in their hands – the others displayed panic, swiftly avoiding them.

These were not bandits preying on travelers; their reactions suggested they were local villagers. There were more of them than before, yet without exception, upon catching sight of Shen Lie's group armed with blades and arrows, their faces paled, and they fled hastily.

"Something must've happened outside," Chen Dashan looked at Shen Lie.

Shen Lie gazed at the men who had swiftly vanished into the depths of the forest, remarking, "Perhaps. We should be cautious from now on."

This speculation proved true as, after the second day, they didn't encounter anyone from the third day onwards. For three consecutive days, not a single living soul was spotted. This made Shopkeeper Xu feel increasingly uneasy.

With obvious issues lurking outside, should they still venture out?

Hesitant, he expressed his concerns.

Shen Lie glanced at Chen Dashan and said, "We've come this far. We can exit the mountain in half a day. Should we bypass Three Mile Village to avoid a direct encounter with the county town?"

Chen Dashan was also eager to know the situation outside. They couldn't remain ignorant of the world beyond the mountains. Thus, he nodded in agreement, and their group veered off course, heading towards Ten Mile Village.

...

Ten Mile Village had become a deserted ghost town. As Shen Lie's group infiltrated the village, they noticed that many yards were overgrown with weeds reaching waist height, leaving no clear path to tread.

It seemed that none of the people trapped in the county town when it fell had returned since its collapse. Whether out of fear or because they couldn't return, the truth remained unknown.

Chen Dashan looked at Shen Lie and asked, "What do we do now? Should we still investigate the direction of the county town?"

Shopkeeper Xu himself panicked first, saying, "Shall we just forget about it? I feel like this silence isn't quite right."

Having come this far, Shen Lie was inclined to investigate further. Whether or not they would retrieve the grain, he felt it necessary to understand the situation outside.

He looked at Chen Dashan and asked, "What do you think?"

Both of them were seasoned travelers and could handle such disturbances. Chen Dashan shared the same idea as Shen Lie. "Should we settle Shopkeeper Xu and the others in Little Jin's shelter and go check things out?"

Their thoughts aligned.

However, halfway through their journey towards the mountainous area where they had set a trap for Shen Jin, Shen Lie suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The others were puzzled, but Chen Dashan, following Shen Lie's gaze, soon realized something after a few moments. "These soybeans haven't been uprooted?"

He recalled encountering Zhou Laizi and his son in Ten Mile Village, where they mentioned that the crops in this area were destroyed after the soldiers surrounded the village two days later.

Shen Lie stared thoughtfully at the almost ripe soybeans. He went over to inspect and noticed a few very shallow footprints between the dry furrows.

"Someone was here recently," he said.

He rose to his feet and scanned his surroundings but found nothing. Just as he was puzzled, a faint rustling sound reached his ears. Immediately, someone exclaimed in delight, "A-Lie? Da-Shan?"

Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, and the Xu family members turned their heads, and they saw from a distance that a patch of grass beneath a tree suddenly bulged and grew taller, standing upright.

It wasn't just grass—it was two living men, completely covered in it!

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan recognized them at once: It was Zhou Laizi and his son.

"Auntie Zhou," they greeted as they approached. They never expected to encounter the Zhou father and son again in Shili Village, especially after witnessing its desolation. Seeing a fellow villager who was still alive and had a bit of a relationship with them was undeniably uplifting.

However, Zhou Laizi and his son were even more ecstatic than Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, as if they had met saviors!

"It's so great to see you! Why have you returned to the village now?"

What Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were more intrigued by, though, was the grass covering the pair. As Zhou Laizi and his son rushed over, the grass remained firmly attached to their bodies without falling off.

Shen Lie circled around Zhou Laizi and noticed not only the grass but also a few dozen scattered leaves clinging to it. When they lay down, they blended into a grassy terrain seamlessly. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a garment made of grass, sewn together with a layer of tightly woven hemp threads on the inside. The leaves were also meticulously attached to the grass cloak using thin hemp strings.

Zhou Laizi, noticing the two examining his grass cloak, chuckled. "It's too dangerous to venture out lately, so my wife came up with this idea. She sewed these outfits for us to wear while traveling. When we're not wearing them, we sprinkle some water to keep them fresh. They last quite a while."

The eldest Zhou brother even took off his outer garment and passed it to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan for inspection. It was actually a cloak-like attire. Upon realizing its usefulness, he laid flat on the ground, covering his head as well. He sought out areas with crevices to hide, ensuring that the grass cloak wouldn't reveal the outline of a human body. This way, he could mostly conceal himself effectively.

Shen Lie praised sincerely, "Aunt Zhou has such a clever idea."

The Xu family members, who had been standing by, also came over to observe.

Zhou Lazi sighed, "It was a solution born out of necessity. Haven't you noticed that there's hardly anyone in the mountains?"

This struck a chord with everyone. Shen Lie responded, "What's going on? We were also puzzled. We've been walking in the mountains for over three days and haven't encountered anyone. Are the bandits from the county still around?"

A somber expression appeared on both Zhou father and son's faces. Zhou Lazi said, "Yes, they're conscripting men. After that group of bandits attacked the county town and occupied it, they declared themselves some sort of king and appointed many officials. They announced it in the mountains with gongs, and I overheard them from hiding, but I didn't catch the name of their king."

Chen Dashan asked, "What about the people in the county? Did anyone escape when the city fell?"

Zhou Lazi shook his head. "Some did, but not many. On the first day, there were still people entering the mountains, but after that, it was quiet. Most likely, they're all still trapped in the city. But those bandits often come out. Smaller groups go into the mountains to recruit soldiers, and if that fails, they conscript people, regardless of gender. They've also been recruiting refugees. Many refugees from the north have been lured into the county, and they've become part of their gang. Not long ago, they launched a large-scale attack on neighboring counties, plundered a lot of grain, and apparently occupied another county. Nowadays, bandits still frequently venture into the mountains every other day. No one dares to stay in the outer mountain areas anymore."

Pausing for a moment as if he wanted to say something, Zhou Lazi hesitated and remained silent.

Shen Lie glanced at the field of soybeans and asked, "Are you staying here because of these soybeans?"

Zhou Lazi quickly nodded. "Yes, our family doesn't have much food left. When the grain in the village was uprooted and destroyed, we didn't hide ours too far away. We came back to find it… You know, as farmers, how could we bear to waste our crops? Plus, we were short on food, so after the soldiers left, we selected two more secluded plots of land and replanted some of the less damaged soybeans. Some didn't survive, but others did. When we met you last time, we weren't just searching for supplies in the village, we were also here to water these soybeans."

At this point, he fell silent again. The eldest Zhou son glanced at his father with concern but, despite his urgency, found himself unable to speak as well.

They had come today to harvest the soybeans, and after that, they planned to flee into the mountains.

It was a given that they couldn't handle the wild beasts deep in the mountains, let alone ensure their safety on the journey. Besides, who knew what would happen in the future? But compared to the bandits who had now become tyrants outside the mountains, the Zhou family was more afraid of those 'kings' in disguise.

They had witnessed firsthand how those bandits treated the people they captured – obedient men were dragged back, while uncooperative ones were killed. As for women… death was a mercy they couldn't even beg for.

The eldest Zhou son's hands trembled at the thought of his mother and sister being discovered by those people.

He wanted to beg Shen Lie to take his family with them, but when the families had fled, Shen Lie had only instructed his father to head for the mountains without actually including them. That was already an answer in itself.

Who would dare take along a family without provisions?

Even if they now had some soybeans.

The eldest Zhou son understood this all too well, but he also knew that encountering Shen Lie and Chen Dashan as they emerged from the mountains might be their family's last chance at survival.

Gathering his courage, he inquired, "A-Lie, what's the purpose of your trip?"

Shen Lie gave him a glance and replied, "I want to head to the mountains near the county town. Do you have any information on the current situation there?"

Before the eldest Zhou could speak, Zhou Laizi's expression had already changed. He hastily said, "It's not safe to go there. The area is infested with bandits now. We don't even dare venture into the mountains three miles from Sanli Village, let alone further. If we were to encounter them, there'd be no escape."

Upon hearing how dire the situation was, Shopkeeper Xu immediately said, "Shen Lie, we won't retrieve the grain. People are more important than food. It'll be the same for us to follow you and Da Shan into the mountains to find sustenance."

Moreover, even if they couldn't obtain this batch of grain outside the county town, the family could survive on half rations for two and a half years with their stored grain in the valley. With Shen Lie guiding them, they could start hunting, though initially, they would likely rely more on gathering. The food wouldn't be the best, but they wouldn't starve.

There was still some harvest in the valley, and with soybeans and vegetables being cultivated outside, it would be a supplement as long as they weren't plundered or stolen.

As for what would happen after two and a half years, who knew? They couldn't risk danger now just because they might go hungry in the future. Not only would they be putting themselves in harm's way, but also Shen Lie and Chen Da Shan.

They were merely helpers who hadn't even accepted the 30% of the grain he had offered.

If anything happened to them, what would become of their families? And if something happened to Shen Lie and Chen Da Shan, what would happen to the fifty-three people in the entire valley?

With these thoughts in mind, Shopkeeper Xu firmly refused to retrieve the grain. "Let's return to the mountains. We'll leave right away."

Even Xu Wencheng and Wei Qinghe echoed, "Let's go back first. We can come again when there's an opportunity, and retrieve the grain when it's safe. If not, then forget about it."

As for the possibility of the grain getting damp in the cave, there was nothing they could do about it.

Only now did Zhou Lazi and his son realize that they had come out to fetch grain, which filled them with sorrow.

Grain, oh grain.

Those without food understood its value all too well.

Still, he advised, "We really can't go over there. They've attracted many refugees who are training as soldiers outside the city gates every day."

Shen Lie was also aware of how much grain the Xu family had in storage. He wouldn't risk his life for something uncertain, so upon hearing this, he nodded. "Alright, let's hunt and gather more in the future. We'll talk about the grain another time if we get the chance."

Upon hearing this, the eldest Zhou brother grew anxious. The words he couldn't previously express now slipped out in a panic, "Ah Lie, can you take us with you if you're leaving? It's too dangerous out here. Bandits roam the mountains from time to time. We're hiding in the mountains right now, only daring to light a fire and boil beans in the middle of the night after sealing off the cave entrance. Our family doesn't even dare to leave the cave. We originally planned to flee deeper into the mountains after gathering the beans today, but with just us, we might not be able to fend off wild beasts. Can you give us a ride?"

Zhou Lazi also looked at Shen Lie and Chen Dashan pleadingly. "Yes, Ah Lie, Dashan, can you give us a ride? We don't need to stay with you. Just bring us deeper into the mountains, a little farther away from here. We'll find our own cave to settle down."

Zhou Lazi didn't dare to think about how they would survive after finding a place to settle.

In the past, Shen Lie would indeed have hesitated, but he would still have taken them along for a while, though not necessarily to their destination. However, just before they left, they had set up traps around the village. Their neighbors were decent people, and in such troubled times, it wouldn't be right to turn a blind eye to their plight.

Exchanging a glance with Chen Dashan, who didn't object, Shen Lie nodded. "We can take you with us and help find you a place to settle down. But there are too many of you, and neither Dashan nor I can guarantee your safety on the road. Besides, there are many wild beasts in the depths of the mountains. You must consider this carefully."

Zhou Lazi and his son were overjoyed. Seeing a glimmer of hope in their desperate situation, Zhou Lazi's eyes moistened as he hurriedly said, "Taking us along is enough. No one can ensure safety in the depths of the mountains, and we'd fare even worse if we went alone. We understand the risks. It's unbearable to stay in the outskirts, otherwise, we wouldn't dare to ask."

The people in the outskirts were like livestock, dirtier and more ruthless than animals. Falling into their hands would likely be a more painful death than being mauled by a beast.

Seeing that they were mentally prepared, Chen Dashan said, "Alright, everyone, lend a hand to gather these soybeans quickly. We'll leave immediately."

The two plots of land were less than an acre combined, so they didn't harvest the stalks, only picking the pods.

With eight people working together, they finished swiftly. They collected three bags of pods and beans, which, after drying, might yield just over one bag of soybeans.

For this extra bag of soybeans, the father and son had risked much. If the bandits had patrolled the surrounding villages more thoroughly or ventured into more remote areas, they could have easily caught sight of these unattended soybeans and captured the duo by chance.

All for a bit of food. If not for relying on this grain for survival, how could they have come to this?

The Xu family watched with mixed emotions. In comparison, their early preparations had put them in a much better position. The loss of the grain outside the county no longer weighed heavily on their minds.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan remained silent, allowing the Zhou father and son to lead the way. The group of eight proceeded toward the cave where the Zhou family had taken refuge.

Chapter 177: Village Beyond the Village (Slightly Revised)

They were indeed live sheep.

Not just one, but two, with a mother sheep leading the way and her two little lambs following.

It took much effort for Shen Lie and Chen Dashan to guide the mother sheep through the entrance. Thankfully, the two lambs led the way, allowing them to successfully carry the sheep inside.

Descending into the valley was an even greater challenge. The wolves and the dead lamb were manageable as they wouldn't struggle, but the three live sheep had to be bound in a basket, secured with multiple ropes to prevent them from escaping before being carefully lowered down.

The bleating of the sheep first caught the attention of the children in Shen Jinkan's cave. The commotion was so unusual that they rushed downstairs out of curiosity.

After everything was safely lowered, Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang finally descended to the bottom of the valley. The three sheep and the dead wolf were already surrounded by a group of children. The Xu family, who lived nearby, had also heard the noise and hurried over.

Uncle Xu looked at the wolf, swallowing hard. Even mushroom picking could result in encountering wolves.

Xu Wenqing, on the other hand, had his eyes shining with excitement. After digging the pond, the inner part of the valley was too small. Apart from the tree area designated for the children to play, there was no space left for archery practice. He had already moved his practice sessions to the outer part of the valley, precisely where the compost pits were dug...

He didn't mind the stench anymore.

Well, it seems they used a special composting method, so there wasn't a particularly pungent smell.

In any case, everyone was filled with excitement.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan still had to go out and tidy up. Unlike when they previously hunted wild boars, which were processed outside before being brought back, they now brought the sheep directly, one of them still injured. They were worried that blood might have been left behind, so they needed to investigate the area and deal with any traces.

Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang first carried their belongings back to the cave. Upon hearing the news, Old Man Chen and Old Lady Chen came out, calling for Chen Youtian to help them prepare the large cave to accommodate the sheep. Actually, there wasn't much preparation needed; the most crucial task was to build a wooden fence to create a pen. With crops and vegetables growing outside, they couldn't afford to let the sheep wander freely and ruin everything.

A group of children followed, and from the Xu family, Manager Xu, Xu Wenchao, and Uncle Xu came out to assist. The Shi, Zhou, and Lu families also heard about it, and the men brought along extra wooden planks and strips that they had from making furniture at home.

With around ten people working together, led by Chen Youtian, they quickly constructed a fenced enclosure with a gate.

Initially, they planned to enclose the entrance of the cave, but the women, being meticulous, thought that just as humans needed sunlight, the sheep did too. In the end, they created a small circle outside the cave entrance, giving the three sheep a few square meters, similar in size to a modern balcony, to bask in the sun and get some fresh air.

When the three sheep were released, they bleated and scurried into the cave, leaving the children standing outside the fence, disappointed with their long necks stretched out.

Little girls were especially fond of these cuddly creatures. Xu Wenying's attention didn't shift away from the sheep until they were out of sight. She exclaimed to Shen Ning, "You'll be able to drink goat milk now!"

Xili Village was a small village, and Shen Ning had never seen anyone raise goats there before. Thus, the idea of drinking goat milk from raising goats was unfamiliar to him. It wasn't until Xu Wenying mentioned it that he realized what she meant. He turned to look at Sang Luo, asking, "Big Sister, there really is goat milk?"

Sang Luo chuckled. "Yes, but the mother sheep is injured and has to nurse two lambs. She's also timid from being in a new place, so let her settle first."

Upon hearing that there was indeed a sheep, Shen Ning, despite having no idea what goat's milk tasted like, couldn't help but feel delighted.

The adults, being more pragmatic, began considering how they would feed the animal in the future.

Before Sang Luo could speak, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan returned. They immediately sought out a few key household heads to discuss matters, and soon, everyone became aware of their plans.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan proposed occupying several caves near the valley before the refugees entered the inner perimeter.

Shen Lie said, "A’Luo brought it up, and after discussing with Da Shan, we realized that it makes sense. Rather than allowing outsiders to settle here and making our comings and goings passive, we should seize the initiative and occupy the area ourselves, putting up locks on the entrances. That way, whether we're chopping wood nearby or leaving obvious traces from daily activities, the numerous signs will blend in, making them less noticeable. This way, our valley can receive better concealment, and the elderly, women, and children can hide safely."

"It's almost autumn, and our harvest in the valley is limited, but resources outside are abundant. Folks, we can't keep hiding in the valley. Uncle Zhou, Manager Xu, if your families are willing, you can send a few people to join us. We'll venture out to gather more supplies before the season changes, so we can save some food for the winter."

"If we encounter anyone while hunting or gathering, we'll temporarily stay in caves outside. Then, under the cover of darkness, we can transfer our findings back to the main cave at the entrance of the valley. This will save us a lot of trouble. In fact, to avoid leaving obvious traces, the main workforce could even live in those smaller outside caves during the gathering season, only sending supplies into the valley every few days. As long as we set up proper defenses and look out for each other, there shouldn't be any major issues."

Who would refuse such a proposal?

No matter how cautious they were, their movements would always leave some trace. Over time, it would be difficult to conceal them. The valley couldn't provide enough food, vegetables, meat, or firewood to sustain itself. It was unrealistic not to venture out at all.

With people wandering outside, both visibly and invisibly, the valley could be concealed thoroughly in contrast.

Not to mention that with able-bodied men free to hunt and forage, the risk of exposing the valley was significantly diminished.

It was well-known that autumn was a bountiful season in the mountains. Even Lu Erliang and Shi Dalang dared to venture only as far as they were accompanied by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan; the Zhou and Xu families wouldn't dare to burden them at all.

Now, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan offered to secure an external cave, guide them out, and help gather resources – something they hadn't even dared to request before. How could they refuse?

They were more than eager to accept!

One by one, they agreed.

Only then did Shen Lie say, "There's one more thing. Each family needs to decide who they're sending, and they'll have to be approved by either me or Big Mountain. They also need to be someone we can manage to bring along."

In simpler terms, they had to be individuals the group was willing to take with them and not become too much of a burden.

Everyone understood this, and in reality, these rules restricted the four families that needed assistance.

Lao Lu was the first to declare, "For us, it'll still be Second and Third Brother."

Schirr Da-lang declared, "In our family, it'll be my second brother and me."

When it was Zhou Village's turn, he pondered for a moment before saying, "We should also leave some able-bodied men in the valley. I have three sons; they can take turns to go out in pairs."

After hearing all the other households' arrangements, Shopkeeper Xu thought for a while and proposed, "In our family, it'll be me, Uncle Xu, Wenqing, and Qinghe taking turns as well, with two of us going out at a time."

There was no need to discuss matters for the Chen and Shen families. The Chens would alternate between Qin Fangniang and Chen Youtian, while for the Shens, either Shen Lie would bring along Sangluo or Shen Jin. Whether or not Sangluo joined them would be up to her.

With the matter settled, Shen Lie didn't waste any time. "Those who will venture out of the valley later, gather and meet up with me and Big Mountain. Before nightfall, we'll scout the nearby hills, especially the entrances, to determine the number of caves. We'll choose which ones to use and bring along machetes or axes to chop firewood for storage."

Stockpiling firewood was a major task. The large cave above was spacious, and aside from the small area near the entrance that would be used for conveying supplies, it would be best to fill the rest with firewood, as transporting it wouldn't always be convenient.

Sangluo wanted to join them, but with the addition of new sheep and the harvest of silver ear mushrooms, fungi, and wild fruits that needed to be cleaned and dried before sunset, she decided against it. Trusting Shen Lie to handle things competently, she put the matter aside and planned to ask him to bring her along another day.

Before Shen Lie left, she instructed him to collect some tender leaves from shrubs that the sheep enjoyed eating, as well as plenty of fresh grass to feed the chickens, ducks, and sheep.

When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan ventured out again, each carried an empty basket on their backs.

It was already late afternoon, yet a large group of people were still going out. The heads of each household were well aware of the reason, and if their wives inquired, the men would discreetly inform them. However, they did not mention a word to their children.

Although the Lu family had split into different branches, when Old Man Lu counted the number of participants, he made no mention of Lu DaLang.

The members of the Lu family's main branch were not allowed to leave the valley – this was an unspoken understanding among all its inhabitants. Hence, even without Shen Lie explicitly instructing them, everyone tacitly agreed not to mention anything about the cave to their children who were most likely to spread rumors.

When Lu DaLang saw Lu Er and Lu San heading out with their axes at this hour, he assumed that Shen Lie had called everyone to gather firewood and didn't give it much thought.

...

When Shen Lie left, the children led by Shen Ning, having had their fill of watching Chen Youtian prepare hay for the sheep, set up the water and feeding troughs, returned to assist Sang Luo in drying mushrooms and washing silver ear fungus.

A group of children, including Xu Wenying, joined in the fun, making the task proceed swiftly. Towards the end, Sang Luo took out the two clusters of slightly purple wild grapes that Shen Lie had picked and asked Shen Ning to wash them. They were then shared among the children in the valley.

The mere thought of it made her wince, yet the group of children were incredibly fond of it. With puckered faces from the tartness, they still eagerly gathered around, asking for more.

Sang Luo found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

During this time, Chen Youtian was called over to skin the wolf and remove the flesh from the wound on the lamb. The meat was then divided between the two families. Sangluo asked Shen An to deliver a portion of the meat to Master Xu's household, along with a bowl of mushrooms. She also shared some among Shen Jin and his brothers.

Shen Lie and his group made two trips back to the large cave, delivering firewood and lowering two baskets of grass leaves from above. After that, they left again, not returning to the valley until it was almost dark.

By then, Sang Luo and Shen Ning had already prepared dinner. It was indeed late, and everyone was famished. However, Shen Lie's eyes sparkled. After washing his hands and face, he whispered to Sang Luo, "Our family's cave is located on another peak beside the entrance. It's the closest cave to the entrance. I'll take you there tomorrow."

Unspoken but noticeable, ever since Sang Luo asked him to sit beside her while she practiced calligraphy, Shen Lie had consistently occupied that spot during meals. At first, Shen Ning didn't catch on and had her seat taken by her elder brother for three or four consecutive days. Gradually, she realized what was happening and silently switched seats.

Thus, Shen Lie now had the opportunity to whisper a few secret words to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo had grown accustomed to his occasional proximity and nodded with a smile.

...

With enough herbs gathered for a substantial amount of medicine, Sang Luo abstained from the next day's gathering. She let Shen Lie take Shen Jin out for a walk, allowing the younger ones to collect mushrooms and hunt some wild chickens. After all, their meals also included what Shen Lie had provided.

Shen Lie, aware of Shen Jin's concerns, invited people from the other families to join them the following day without going herb-gathering. They set off early in the morning, returning in the late afternoon with their prey and mushrooms. Leaving Shen Jin behind, Shen Lie took an axe, hoe, and the young men from each family and headed out again.

They didn't return until the sun began to set, ready to show Sang Luo the cave.

The Shen family's external cave was situated on a neighboring peak above the entrance to the valley. The other families' caves were scattered across the surrounding mountains, all situated around the mountain near the valley entrance. The advantage was that they were close to the entrance, and not too far apart. If someone shouted at the top of their lungs, those in the other caves would hear and could provide assistance if needed. This was a beneficial arrangement.

The drawback, as Shen Lie had mentioned, was that the cave was tiny, extremely small. Sang Luo estimated that her family's cave was no more than six or seven square meters. After placing a bed, there wouldn't be much space left. Moreover, Shen Lie said that there were two other caves even smaller, which resembled recessed rock walls that needed a stone wall and a door to be inhabitable safely.

There were larger caves, but they were too far away. For the purpose of guarding the entrance to the valley and mutual support, these caves were the best choice.

No wonder Shen Lie and Chen Dashan never considered using these caves.

However, as a temporary shelter, they would suffice.

The Shen family's cave already had a door constructed, made from thick logs, several times thicker than a regular door plank, likely for protection against fierce beasts. A thin door wouldn't be enough if a destructive force were to arrive.

Sang Luo examined it closely. Someone had ingeniously left a small opening on the door that could be opened and closed from the inside. It allowed observation of the outside situation and even allowed one to shoot arrows outward in case of an attack. It was indeed a secure design.

Outside the cave was a small clearing. Walking around it, Sang Luo found it relatively flat. She suggested, "In the future, we can put a bed inside and build a shelter outside, along with a simple stove. It should serve well as a temporary residence when you go hunting. Yes, we can also transplant more anti-venomous herbs nearby."

Speaking of planting anti-venomous herbs, Sang Luo suddenly paused. She looked at Shen Lie, who was also looking at her, both their eyes lighting up.

Sang Luo swallowed and said, "Shen Lie, since we're living out here, we can fully cultivate this mountain land. We can still plant a crop of soybeans now, and many vegetables are still viable. As long as we can protect them, they'll be our food source."

If refugees did pour in and they couldn't protect the crops, the loss would only be the seeds and effort. With the seeds they had planted in the valley, they could save some for future use, with minimal loss. As for effort, they currently had plenty of it.

In a land as bountiful as Mountain Full, it was uncommon for an ordinary person to touch something that clearly belonged to someone else. If one did resort to such actions, they were either morally depraved or struggling to survive.

The southern region was mountainous and fertile, so those capable of venturing deep into the wilderness were less likely to be in dire straits. As for those with wicked intentions, Shen Lie and his group weren't pushovers either.

Considering they aimed to conceal the valley by putting up a facade, wouldn't it make more sense to cultivate additional crops besides settling in a cave?

It seemed Shen Lie and Sang Luo were on the same wavelength. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Let's go back for lunch. Afterward, we'll ask Little An to invite the villagers to discuss this matter."