My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 463 Scattered
Hai (亥) camp.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning firewood, clothing, and flesh. Mud-sculpted barracks had collapsed in large sections, and craters that had burst open were visible everywhere, their edges scorched black by flames.

The entire camp was quiet, with occasional clumps of grayish-white dust on the ground, causing Chen Mu's expression to change repeatedly.

Those were the ashes of spirits after they died. Just by looking at the thin layer of white ash on the ground, you could tell that a large number of spirits died and dissipated last night.

"It must have been the Crimson-Eyed Water Ape that launched a surprise attack under cover of night." Shen Yan looked at the damage around him with a grave expression.

At the edge of the camp, looking at the chaotic footsteps leading in all directions, Chen Mu was filled with disbelief: "Such a large camp, just like that, collapsed and disappeared?"

Those are hundreds of thousands of evil spirits!

"A bunch of useless trash, they didn't organize any effective counterattack at all!" Shen Yan looked at the messy footprints on the ground, his face turning ashen.

Although the auxiliary troops were not very strong, they were not without the ability to resist. As long as they held off the enemy step by step, they could escape in an orderly manner, unlike now...

……

City of Thousand Lights.

Hong Xiu walked to the edge of Chen Mu's courtyard. Before he even went in, he saw Chen Mu sitting at the round table with a worried look on his face.

The expression on the face of the supervising officer Shen Yan was equally unpleasant.

Hong Xiu's heart skipped a beat, and he was about to turn around and leave when Chen Mu noticed him.

"Is something wrong?"

Hong Xiu had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward: "There's a guy in Gengliu Banner who was a bricklayer in his previous life. He wants some timber to come in and build barracks for everyone."

Chen Mu couldn't help but look into the distance.

Having eaten and drunk their fill and escaped the influence of the blood and yang, the spirits were no longer as confused and desperate as before. They were now gathered in small groups, chatting and joking, and someone said something that caused bursts of laughter.

Despite the joyful atmosphere in the distance, Chen Mu couldn't feel happy at all.

"I'll bring in some timber and stone when I have time." Chen Mu shook his head, but didn't refuse. He had to find something for these people to do.

"You're busy." Upon receiving a reply, Hong Xiu immediately clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, then turned and left. If the supervising officer Shen Yan was having such a headache, something serious must have happened, and he felt it best not to get involved.

"Can your method of returning to the underworld work with these three hundred-plus spirits?" Chen Mu looked at Shen Yan with hopeful eyes.

"Now you remember my plan? Too late!" Shen Yan said irritably.

It seems that's not enough.

Chen Mu sighed.

He never expected that such a large camp, with hundreds of thousands of auxiliary soldiers, would all disappear overnight.

"With those auxiliary soldiers, is there any chance of returning to the Underworld?" Chen Mu asked again.

Shen Yan sighed as well. With the current situation, all his previous plans had come to naught.

"The people of the Medicine and Stone Department have been in contact with the Yellow Springs Department for many years and have a way to draw on the power of the River of Oblivion."

"The Armaments Department has a lot of Soul-Separating Soup from the Yellow Springs Crossing Secret Technique. As long as the guys in the Construction Department learn it and work together to cast the spell, and the Medicine Department cooperates to draw the River of Oblivion, there is hope that they can return to the Underworld on their own."

"such a pity……"

It's a pity that all they know how to do is fight amongst themselves.

Chen Mu was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth.

“Brother Chen, shall we…” Shi Dechun asked cautiously.

“Go after them…” Chen Mu shook his head.

"To return to the Underworld, we need the combined efforts of all the auxiliary soldiers. Let's catch up with the main force first."

……

Having made his decision, Chen Mu immediately took action, leading Shen Yan out of Qiandeng City and observing the escape routes of the group around the ruins of the Haizi Camp.

Looking at the chaotic footprints, Shen Yan's face darkened: "Hu Cheng of the Yin Wind Department should be thrown into the Netherworld to be burned alive!"

Yin Wind Department?
Burning as punishment?

What does this have to do with anything?

Shen Yan's face was full of anger: "The Yin Wind Tribe has Yin Wind Flags, which are similar to Flame Chariots and can summon Yin Winds to climb the clouds and fly. They were originally used to transport Yin Spirits when moving the main camp."

"The presence of so many footprints on the ground indicates that the Yin Wind Tribe did not come to transport the auxiliary troops at all."

"A bunch of deserters!"

After a long while, Shen Yan finally suppressed his anger and calmly said, "The Yellow Springs, Military Equipment, and Yuan Gathering Departments are located on the west side of the camp. The Medicine, Flame Strike, Crafts, and Yin Wind Departments are located on the east side of the camp."

"To find the departments of medicine and manufacturing, we need to head east," Shen Yan suggested.

Chen Mu immediately activated the Five Elements Escape Technique, merged with the breeze, and followed the chaotic footprints on the east side of the Hai character camp, heading east with the wind.

After chasing for about ten miles, the footprints on the ground began to fork. Most of the footprints pointed northeast, while a few turned southeast.

"As expected, they fled in a panic. They've only gone a short distance, yet they've already scattered and broken apart." Chen Mu shook his head as he looked at the sparse footprints heading east.

He immediately turned and headed northeast.

After chasing for another thirty miles, the messy footprints on the ground branched out again. Chen Mu ignored the smaller branches and followed the largest group of footprints.

The pursuit lasted for seventy or eighty miles, and along the way, one could often see small groups of people breaking away from the main force.

Not long after, a large number of footprints from the southwest side converged in a wooded area on a hillside.

"Was it a pre-arranged meeting in this direction, or just a coincidence?" Chen Mu asked, puzzled.

“They probably just happened to bump into each other.” Shen Yan carefully examined the footprints on the ground and analyzed, “Such a large number of them should be auxiliary soldiers of the Caiyuan Department. The Gongzao Yanxing Department and other departments would not look down on those newly born Yin Spirits, so naturally they would not actively gather with them.”

"As long as we didn't go in the wrong direction, that's fine." Chen Mu's confidence grew, and he followed the chaotic footprints along the woods at the foot of the mountain.

But as he continued the chase, he realized something was wrong.

As the procession moved forward, more and more small groups of people dispersed in all directions.

As the sun began to set, Chen Mu followed the wind out of the low hills and into a vast, dark green grassland.

Amidst a dense trail of water ape attack marks, the massive force crumbled. Chaotic footprints of fleeing people were visible in all directions.

Chen Mu's expression changed drastically.

"Ambushed and attacked by water apes? The entire auxiliary force of the camp has completely fallen apart?"

"Then what's the point of playing!"

……

As dusk fell, the setting sun shone like blood.

On the vast grassland, a large patch of tall weeds suddenly shook violently, and more than a hundred ghosts dressed in gray short-sleeved clothes were moving through the grass.

They rushed frantically towards the distant hills.

"Faster, faster, faster!" "As long as we rush into the dense forest in the distance, we can all survive!" Feng Qianli, the commander of Xin Twelve Banner, shouted loudly.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a roar suddenly came from behind him.

Feng Qianli's expression changed, and he turned his head sharply. He saw a three-meter-tall red-haired water ape standing up not far behind him. Its blood-red eyes stared at them as if they were lambs to the slaughter, its eyes filled with icy coldness.

Feng Qianli's pupils suddenly contracted, and he shouted, forcing back his trembling voice, "Run!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt his whole body tense up, and a chilling coldness immediately swept over him.

Upon closer inspection, he saw the red-haired water ape land on all six limbs, covering more than 500 meters in two leaps, like a fiery red meteor, carrying intense scarlet light, crashing down towards his head.

"Move the mountain!"

He slammed his hands on the ground, unleashing a surge of Yin spiritual power. The soil in front of him suddenly bulged up, like waves, and surged away into the distance.

next moment.

boom!
The three-meter-thick layer of soil, like a carpet, suddenly rolled up into the sky and crashed down on the red-eyed water ape.

boom!
Mud splashes.

The thick, hard mud wall was smashed apart by the water ape in the blink of an eye, and the water ape itself was forced to fall to the ground, but despair instantly filled Feng Qianli's heart.

The attack just now had drained all of his divine power, but all the water ape did was shake its head and body, as if it had only been splashed with a bucket of water!
Not only did it fail to cause any harm, it also drew the angry gaze of the water ape.

With a deafening roar, the water ape's body suddenly enlarged, arriving in front of him in the blink of an eye.

Two fists wreathed in fiery red light crashed down like scorching cannonballs. Locked onto by the water ape's ferocious aura, Feng Qianli froze on the spot.

Just as the fist was about to smash into his head, his hair was already twisted from being scorched by the hot wind of the punch.

But the next moment, he felt a flash of light before his eyes, and the red-haired water ape that had occupied his entire field of vision suddenly disappeared.

boom! Bang bang bang!
With a series of loud tremors, the ferocious water ape had been sent flying hundreds of meters away without anyone noticing.

After landing, it tumbled and rolled, shattering grass and sending mud flying, like a meteorite impact, leaving a long, cratered furrow.

Feng Qianli instinctively turned his head and immediately saw a giant with indigo skin, at least five meters tall, whose body was shrouded in black smoke and ribbons.

Yin soldiers?

We're saved!
With a sense of relief, he immediately slumped to the ground, too weak to get up.

……

Completely unharmed?!

Chen Mu squinted at the water ape shaking its head in the distance.

Roar!
The dizzy, red-eyed water ape noticed Chen Mu's presence and immediately roared, baring its fangs and its eyes filled with ferocity.

A live red-eyed water ape!

Ah!
Chen Mu grinned, revealing a row of fine, sharp teeth: "Let me see what this little red-haired monkey is all about!"

As if sensing Chen Mu's provocation, the red-haired water ape immediately put all six limbs on the ground, its muscles tensed, and red light surged on its fiery red fur.

hum!
A beam of red light suddenly shot out from its mouth.

Well done!
"Air blockage!"

hum!
The rapidly approaching red light suddenly seemed to fall into mud, its speed abruptly decreasing.

Chen Mu's eyes were bloodshot, his right hand clenched into a fist, and he disappeared like lightning. When he reappeared, he was already above the red light.

boom!
The slender red light was struck by a fist, but suddenly exploded into a scarlet fireball with a diameter of three meters.

The scalding airflow spread outwards, and the tall weeds around were instantly dried and flattened by the scorching heat.

boom!
A pair of large hands broke through the fireball, swaying left and right, scattering the fireball into sparks.

Feeling a slight burning sensation in his palm, Chen Mu burst into laughter.

"Too weak! Too weak! Too weak! You don't even have the strength to hit someone, how are you going to make a living? Give me another one..."

Before he could finish his trash talk, he discovered that the water ape more than a hundred meters away had disappeared!
Six or seven hundred meters away, a fiery red figure was on all six feet, trying to hide itself in the grass, moving quickly and furtively.

Fire a shot and run?
The male monkey never looks back at the explosion?
Weren't you being pretty fierce just now?!
Why are you so cowardly!
Chen Mu looked unhappy and immediately wanted to set off to chase after him.

Seemingly sensing Chen Mu's intention, the monkey's entire body flashed red light, and a ball of fire exploded behind its rear end. The monkey, like a baseball, was sent flying several miles away by the explosion.

Then, with its charred, blackened rear end, it leaped and bounded into the dense weeds and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Chen Mu: “…”

You're ruthless!
……

In the brightly lit courtyard of the City of a Thousand Lamps.

Feng Qianli bowed slightly, carefully responding to Chen Mu's questions.

"Don't be afraid. Once you're in Thousand Lanterns City, you're one of us." Chen Mu tried his best to appear gentle.

Feng Qianli nodded respectfully, but his expression became increasingly reserved.

He hadn't forgotten Chen Mu's excited expression when he was swatting away the fireball with his bare hands. Looking at the completely different, gentle young man now, he felt that this Yin Soldier... was probably a little off.

Chen Mu shook his head helplessly. The true form of the Heavenly Demon was different from Qi Refining; it wasn't as peaceful and upright.

Although the insane desire to devour things that once possessed by the Five Ghosts was gone, once it was unleashed, there was still a surge of hot blood, and the behavior became a little... unrestrained.

Tsk! This isn't the art style I wanted.

Chen Mu hesitated for only a moment before being captivated by Feng Qianli's story.

"My name is Feng Qianli, and I am the commander of the 12th Banner of the Caiyuan tribe."

"last night……"

"I don't know the specifics of what happened last night either," Feng Qianli said gravely.

"We were resting in the barracks as usual when we were awakened by a loud explosion. When we rushed out of the barracks, we saw flames everywhere and heard shouts and screams all over the camp."

"Then came the panicked escape. We were swept up in the crowd and ran north. Later, for some reason, we turned east and then ran into other auxiliary soldiers."

"I thought it would be safer with more people, but we were relentlessly pursued, and a large group of water apes also circled around to ambush us from the front, causing the group to scatter immediately."

"We could only randomly choose a direction and flee for our lives."

"Do you know which unit the auxiliary soldiers who joined you belong to?" Chen Mu couldn't help but ask to confirm.

“We’re too far away to have much contact, but I saw people urging the Flame Chariots to move supplies from afar, so the Flame Chariots must be involved,” Feng Qianli said truthfully.

That's it, most of the escaped auxiliary soldiers must be in this direction.

But... but this group of people got scattered!

Without these auxiliary soldiers, how am I supposed to return to the Underworld?
Chen Mu felt a chill run down his spine.

(End of this chapter)