Yao Qianhe didn't give up even after hearing Zuo Lin'an's response and continued to press for answers.
“Then, do you know if there is anything special about this place? Or perhaps something that completely clashes with these barren mountains?”
Zuo Lin'an shook his head. “I don't know. I've never seen anything like that.”
As he spoke, a sudden spark of inspiration struck him.
He realized that if he played his cards right, he might be able to separate these players. Once they were divided, they would be much easier to deal with.
Thus, he changed his tune.
“However...”
“If you are looking for shelter from the wind and rain, there is a cave at the foot of the mountain, in that direction.”
“As long as you head down the mountain in that direction, you will see it. It's not very large, but it's enough to shelter about ten people.”
“Of course, that is assuming you can make it down the mountain.”
Yao Qianhe was initially delighted, but then he subconsciously looked at his own frail body, the pitch-black sky, and the steep mountain peaks.
It seemed absolutely impossible for him and his wife to make it down the mountain anytime soon.
“Sigh...”
After a quiet sigh, he turned to Wang Luoshan and asked for help. “Lord Wang, I wonder...”
Wang Luoshan was indeed very interested in the cave.
“A cave? I would quite like to take a look.”
He stood up as he spoke.
Zhou Meng, who had been following him closely, stood up as well.
Zuo Lin'an glanced at them but showed no reaction, not saying a single word.
In his heart, however, he was ecstatic.
They were going to separate!
As long as these two left this spot to search for the cave, his specter body would have the perfect opportunity to launch separate attacks.
While Wang Luoshan and Zhou Meng's plan to head down the mountain was a good thing for Zuo Lin'an, Yao Qianhe and his wife felt as if they were facing a mortal threat.
Yao Qianhe immediately stood up and cupped his hands. “Please wait, Pacification Commissioner Wang. If possible, my wife and I would also like to go and take a look.”
As he spoke, he cautiously cast a glance at Evil Blade Wu Yuan.
Only when Wang Luoshan noticed his gaze did he realize his own oversight.
Evil Blade Wu Yuan was a heinous criminal wanted by the Tianlong Guard. If he left with Zhou Meng, wouldn't he be leaving Yao Qianhe and his wife completely at the mercy of this villain?
Even if Wu Yuan might not kill them, Wang Luoshan decided to take them along.
After all, it was just a trip down the mountain to check a cave. Even with two deadweights, it wouldn't take very long to go and come back.
“Very well, the two of you shall come with us.”
Soon, the four of them departed together.
With that, only Evil Blade Wu Yuan and Zuo Lin'an remained by the bonfire, along with the three ordinary women shivering not far away.
Once Wu Yuan confirmed that the others had gone far, his mouth split into a bloodthirsty grin.
Zuo Lin'an noticed his expression. Before he could guess what Wu Yuan was up to, he saw him stand up.
Just as Zuo Lin'an thought Wu Yuan was going to tail Wang Luoshan and the others to the cave, he realized that was not the case. Wu Yuan was walking straight toward the three women.
The three women were startled by his sudden movement. Terrified, they scrambled backward.
“No... Don't come any closer!”
They didn't know who Evil Blade Wu Yuan was, nor had they ever heard of him, but that didn't stop them from seeing that this man was utterly vicious and up to no good.
Approaching them now could only mean trouble, and indeed, it did.
Wu Yuan let out a classic villainous laugh.
“Hehehe!”
“Don't be afraid. I'm highly experienced, so it won't hurt at all—provided you don't struggle, of course.”
How could the three women listen to him?
They spun around and ran in different directions, screaming at the top of their lungs.
However, Wu Yuan was a Houtian Rank martial artist. How could they possibly escape him?
Zuo Lin'an watched coldly as Wu Yuan casually took a couple of strides, quickly closing the distance. With effortless strikes, he knocked the three women unconscious and broke their limbs, mimicking exactly what Wang Luoshan had done to Yuan Shan.
The only step he skipped was shattering their dantian.
Of course, that was because they had no cultivation, so there was no need for it.
Wu Yuan tossed the three women in three different directions. Along with Yuan Shan, they were now positioned in four distinct directions around him.
It seemed he was doing this to ward off any sudden specter attacks.
But would this really work?
Zuo Lin'an was a special case; he didn't need a Death Lock to attack players. But other specters might not operate the same way.
Was this just for peace of mind?
After completing his task, Wu Yuan swiftly returned to the bonfire, casually bringing back a few pieces of firewood and tossing them in.
With the new wood, the bonfire blazed even brighter, casting a vibrant orange-red glow over them.
Wu Yuan's raspy voice carried a hint of sarcasm.
“Kid, you're surprisingly fearless.”
Zuo Lin'an had watched him do all of that without the slightest change in his expression or gaze. This indicated that the native's background was indeed extraordinary.
Otherwise, he couldn't have developed such mental fortitude.
Zuo Lin'an's tone remained calm and indifferent.
“Since we can't leave, death is only a matter of time anyway.”
Evil Blade Wu Yuan paused, and upon reflection, realized that was indeed true.
However, that only applied to this native. As a player, he naturally had other ways to clear the dungeon. Yuan Shan and the three women were merely experimental consumables used to test the specter rules.
Wu Yuan's face turned sinister as he stared intently at Zuo Lin'an, clearly harboring ill intent.
“Though that may be true, sometimes, living is far more painful than dying.”
He clearly suspected that Zuo Lin'an knew more information but was keeping it to himself, and now he wanted to use force to squeeze it out of him.
Upon realizing this, Zuo Lin'an felt no fear whatsoever. Instead, a peculiar smile appeared on his face.
“In that case, you are welcome to try.”
Evil Blade Wu Yuan frowned slightly. “You're not afraid?”
The same smile remained on Zuo Lin'an's face.
“Take a guess.”
Wu Yuan hesitated, his mind racing. After a long moment, as if suddenly realizing something, his expression shifted drastically. He immediately circulated his qinggong and retreated at lightning speed.
Putting as much distance as possible between himself and Zuo Lin'an, he concealed himself in the darkness. From a far-off distance, he stared warily at Zuo Lin'an, who was still illuminated by the glowing bonfire.
He had initially thought Zuo Lin'an was just an ordinary native of this dungeon. But now, he felt that... this native might not be what he seemed.
Wu Yuan stared at him for a long time. Even though he was completely hidden in the darkness and had quietly changed his position several times, the native's gaze followed him flawlessly every single time.
It was as if the other man's gaze could pierce through the pitch-black night to look him dead in the eye.
The more Wu Yuan watched, the more his scalp tingled.
At this moment, Zuo Lin'an was no different from a terrifying monster in his eyes.
“Could he be... a specter?”
“A specter disguised as a living human?”
Evil Blade Wu Yuan felt that his guess had to be correct.
In these barren, desolate mountains, surrounded by withered trees, there was absolutely no sign of life—not even a single insect.
Yet, there was a living human here?
He should have realized something was wrong long ago. To think he had been fooled for so long!
Rate on N.U.
