Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Mining? Sealing a Restricted Area?
After what had just happened, no one was in the mood to rest. Terrified, they all stood guard at the windows.
Xiaowu asked hesitantly, "Brother Qing, what exactly happened just now?"
Ren Qing took the Great Miao Blade from his back and said, "Wang Wen was dragged away by the Mountain Wolf Pack, so I rescued him."
"Oh, and I killed a few of the mountain wolves while I was at it."
The others stared at Ren Qing, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Zhu Ding swallowed hard. He noticed that Ren Qing’s clothes were indeed stained with blood. ’Could it be true?’
Guo Qing muttered to himself, "How could there be mountain wolves...?"
Ren Qing sighed. ’It’s a headache just thinking about how to explain this.’ He simply said, "Just kidding. Actually, Wang Wen fainted outside the thatched hut. He must have hit his head."
Xiaowu said with a sigh of relief, "Oh, so that’s what happened."
Xiaowu was the only one present who believed him. The others couldn’t help but glance at the Great Miao Blade in Ren Qing’s hands, feeling that its edge seemed unusually sharp and dazzling.
They had a tacit understanding not to ask any more questions and obediently kept watch through the night.
A long time later, Wang Wen woke up, clutching his head. The scene of being surrounded by the wolf pack was still vivid in his mind, feeling utterly surreal.
He was just about to ask what had happened when he saw Ren Qing nearby, maintaining his Great Miao Blade with Blade Oil.
The gleaming, oiled surface of the blade reflected the light of the campfire.
"You’re awake, Brother Wang."
Xiaowu quickly brought over a bowl of hot water that he had boiled in his own iron pot. The porcelain bowls were already in the hut.
Dazedly, Wang Wen took the hot water and sipped it a few times. Feeling gradually returned to his body.
"Brother Wang, it’s a good thing Brother Qing rescued you in time. Otherwise, you would’ve been dragged away by wild beasts."
"I..."
"By the way, Brother Wang, why did you suddenly pass out?"
Wang Wen opened his mouth but, for a moment, didn’t know how to answer.
In his ten-plus years as a constable, he had some contact with the Forbidden Guards. He understood their vast Divine Powers and that they even possessed Immortal Skills unimaginable to mortals.
Ren Qing had slaughtered the Mountain Wolf Pack with ease in such a dark environment; he would probably become a Forbidden Guard himself very soon.
Wang Wen was filled with admiration for Ren Qing, wishing he could kowtow to thank him for saving his life.
However, when he saw Ren Qing sheathe his Great Miao Blade, cross his arms, and close his eyes to rest, he naturally didn’t dare to disturb him.
’That strange Beishou Beast...’ Ren Qing thought. ’The extra eyeball was a clear sign it had been possessed by Song Rong’s Magic Technique. But since I found no trace of Song Rong, he probably wasn’t deliberately commanding the Mountain Wolf Pack to attack. It was more likely an indiscriminate assault. Could it be that Song Rong wants to muddy the waters and use the chaos to enter the Disaster Mitigation Forbidden Area?’
Ren Qing didn’t dwell on it further. He practiced the No-Eyes Technique in a half-asleep state, and before he knew it, the sky began to brighten.
The nocturnal bats flew back to their caves, and the crisp chirping of birds echoed through the mountains.
After everyone packed their bags, they quickly got back on the road.
When they saw large patches of blood that had yet to dry in the distant forest, they became even more certain that there was more to Ren Qing than met the eye.
Only Xiaowu remained carefree, walking in the middle of the group with the large iron pot on his back.
Ren Qing paid no mind to the strange looks from the others. Instead, he focused his attention on finding the path and watching for any sign of trouble.
His Double Pupils had improved significantly through long practice; he could now clearly spot even a butterfly disguised as a leaf.
As they ventured deeper into the mountain range, Ren Qing could feel the chaos around them growing.
The shrieks of wild beasts rose and fell one after another. Occasionally, they would see the mangled carcasses of beasts, and he wondered if Song Rong was involved.
’The other Fireworkers facing this situation probably wouldn’t have made it here safely. Most of them might have been killed or injured.’
With their hearts in their throats, the group finally arrived at the meeting point marked on the map.
It was the foot of an unnamed high mountain, which had two humps like a camel’s back. In the northwest corner, they could see a deep, dark cave.
Military tents were set up at the mouth of the cave, clearly forming a temporary camp.
Ren Qing could clearly feel the Blood Heart in his chest begin to beat much faster, indicating that the holders of the other Blood Hearts were nearby.
He sized up the cave. ’It feels like the entrance was forcibly widened by an explosion.’ The surrounding area was covered in rubble.
The cave walls inside were pitted and uneven, definitely not a natural formation. He had no idea why the Forbidden Guards were going to all this trouble.
Wang Wen and the others couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing the camp meant the Forbidden Guards were close, and they would surely be much safer from now on.
Just as they were about to enter the cave, Ren Qing stopped them.
"Let’s wait in the camp. There might be danger inside the cave."
Ren Qing could hear faint noises from deep within the cave, which sounded like rock being excavated. Song Zongwu and the others must be inside.
’If Wang Wen and the others rashly barge in,’ he thought, ’they’ll probably be terrified by the monstrous appearance of the Mutated Forbidden Guards.’
’Wait a minute, what does mining have to do with sealing off a forbidden area?’
The others quickly agreed. Ren Qing had now become the backbone of the group.
Following Ren Qing’s instructions, they began to gather firewood and set up tents, while Wang Wen and Guo Qing prepared to hunt for game nearby.
Seeing everyone busy with their tasks, Ren Qing found the camp had grown quieter.
He took out the brush and paper he carried with him and wrote down his general suspicions about Song Rong’s activities, planning to take this opportunity to give the note to Song Zongwu.
After he finished writing, Ren Qing went to the cave entrance and called out in a loud voice, "This is Government Constable Ren Qing, here to report to the Forbidden Guard sirs."
His voice echoed inside the cave, and after a moment, silence returned.
Ren Qing waited for a while. When there was no response, he assumed Song Zongwu wasn’t inside and prepared to go help Xiaowu and the others set up camp.
Just then, an abrupt croaking sound came from the depths of the cave, growing louder with each croak.
It seemed the source of the sound was moving rapidly.
Before Ren Qing could react, having just placed his hand on his blade’s hilt, a dark figure shot out from the shadows of the cave entrance.
Ren Qing instinctively started to draw his blade, but he sensed no hostility from the figure and forced his Great Miao Blade back into its sheath.
A rope-like object whipped past him, carving a deep pit into the hard rock.
He looked closely and saw a purplish-green frogman clinging to the rock wall above his head. The so-called rope was actually its tongue.
"HEHEHE, you got here fast."
"Don’t mind me. I’ve been digging rocks for a few days, and it’s gotten a little boring. Just needed to stretch my legs."
The frogman scrambled back into the cave on all fours as if on level ground and quickly disappeared from sight.
Ren Qing was a bit speechless. ’Anyone else would have been scared half to death.’ Fortunately, the others hadn’t noticed anything unusual.
Not long after, footsteps approached again. This time, it was Song Zongwu who walked out.
Song Zongwu was holding pickaxes in his four arms, and his clothes were covered in dust, making him look quite disheveled.
The two exchanged no more than a few words. Ren Qing handed the paper to Song Zongwu and then went to scout the area around the camp.
Song Zongwu patiently read the paper, then tossed it into the burning campfire.
He then turned and went back into the cave, intending to discuss countermeasures with the other Forbidden Guards.
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