Start with push-ups to gain experience

Upon hearing this, Ma Donghe and Hou Peng paused, their expressions instantly changing.

To commit a crime openly during a physical fitness test organized by the Special Investigations Unit?

Could it be that among the more than 800 candidates, there is a heartless and deranged killer?
Or perhaps the deceased had committed some deep-seated feud, and his enemies deliberately chose this foggy, forbidden zone, where even surveillance cameras and examiners could not see him, to settle scores?

If it's the latter, then this matter has nothing to do with them, and they can simply pretend they didn't see it.

But if it's the former, that would be too dangerous, possibly even more troublesome than encountering a mutated beast.

The two looked at each other, a sense of tension rising in their hearts.

After all, they came to take the exam, not to get involved in this inexplicable turmoil.

"Judging from the body temperature and the degree of blood loss, the victim was killed about five minutes ago, and the blood on the clothes was still slightly warm."

Fang Cheng half-squatted on the ground, probing the wound on the corpse with his fingers:
"The wound is a neat diamond shape with smooth edges, no signs of tearing, and no eversion of the skin or flesh."

"This is a typical puncture wound caused by a military triangular bayonet. The special blood groove on this blade can instantly drain the blood from the prey."

A faint light flickered deep in his pupils as he shifted his gaze from the bloody hole in the corpse's chest, raised his eyelids, and looked up.

"The murderer was hanging upside down there. Just as the examinee followed the sound of the wind chimes to the tree and looked up to search, he slipped from the treetop and fell."

Fang Cheng stood up, pointed to a thick branch growing horizontally above, and traced a vertical trajectory of falling branches in mid-air, following the few small broken branches that had been crushed.

Then, he drew the dagger from his waist with his backhand, and with a sudden downward thrust of his arm, he made a clean and decisive lunge.

"He covered his mouth with his left hand to block out the sound, and with the force of the fall, he used his right hand to precisely stab the triangular dagger into the gap between the third rib on his left chest, directly crushing his heart. The technique was extremely fast, killing him instantly, without even giving him a chance to cry for help."

Fang Cheng paused for half a second, then flipped his wrist, and the dagger drew a semi-circle in the air again.

"To prevent the examinee from making any unusual noises due to nerve spasms before death, the murderer pulled out his military knife and simultaneously stabbed the carotid artery, using rapid blood loss to cut off the brain's last oxygen supply, killing the target in the fastest and safest way."

"Therefore, it can be concluded that the murderer did not kill on a whim, and there should have been more than one target."

He spoke eloquently and logically, explaining things in detail, even going so far as to calculate the angle of the knife and the anatomical principles involved.

The key issue is that Fang Cheng's tone was too calm, as calm as discussing how to cut the pork they bought that night at the market.

Ma Donghe was stunned, swallowed unconsciously, and looked at him with a slightly unsteady gaze.

Ah Cheng's skills are too amazing!
With just a few glances, he reconstructed the process of the murderer's ambush and attack in such detail.

Could it be that he often kills people for fun outside, or secretly works as a hitman to make money?
Fang Cheng was naturally unaware of Ma Donghe's inner thoughts.

Still holding the dagger, his eyelids slightly closed, he seemed to be immersed in the crime scene, pondering the lingering murderous intent.

Hou Peng examined the marks on the ground closely and nodded in deep agreement:

"Brother Fang explained it clearly. There were no traces of large wild animals trampling on the ground, nor any footprints left from a struggle."

"The killer was clearly a veteran, not only ruthless in his knife work and treacherous in his character, but also possibly a professional assassin who had been doing dirty work for many years."

Ma Donghe gripped his tactical flashlight tightly, scanned the thick fog around him twice, lowered his voice, and took half a step closer:
"Acheng, you said the deceased was just murdered, doesn't that mean this guy must still be nearby?"

"Should we strike first and find him out?"

Hou Peng also turned his gaze to Fang Cheng, waiting for him to make a decision.

Fang Cheng did not answer immediately, his gaze sweeping across the dimly lit woods around him.

Just then.

"what--"

A very short and faint cry of surprise drifted from the depths of the mist.

Because of the damp environment and the dense fog which blocked out the sound, the sound was barely audible by the time it reached the tree.

However, Fang Cheng and Hou Peng's senses were far superior to those of ordinary people, and they almost simultaneously detected this unusual movement.

The two exchanged a glance and instantly reached an understanding.

With a sudden burst of strength, his military boots crushed the fallen leaves, and like two arrows released from a bow, he rushed towards the direction of the sound.

"Hey! Why are you running so fast?"

Ma Donghe was completely bewildered, watching the two disappear in an instant, and had no time to react.

Then I looked at the still-bleeding corpse on the ground, and the dark, eerie forest all around.

A chill ran down his spine. He quickly hoisted the mutated wild boar leg, weighing several dozen kilograms, and strode after the two who had disappeared.

....................................

The cold wind pierced through the intertwined tree canopy, tearing a gap in the thick fog that permeated the forest.

In the center of the open space, two groups of people were facing off in a tense standoff.

On the left are three robust young candidates dressed in camouflage uniforms.

They stood back to back, barely maintaining a defensive formation.

He gripped the standard-issue dagger tightly in his hand, his heavy breathing unusually clear in the silent forest.

All three had bruises on their bodies, and their camouflage uniforms were torn in several places.

Especially the man in the middle with the cold demeanor and buzz cut, blood was gushing out from his left rib.

He pressed his right hand tightly against the wound, but blood still seeped out between his fingers, dripping onto the rotting leaves with a soft "plop" sound.

Clearly, they had just gone through a perilous battle.

Standing opposite them were five extremely arrogant-looking examinees.

The five people stood apart, forming a semi-encirclement, cutting off the retreat of the man with the buzz cut and his companions.

They each held a bloodstained military dagger in their hands, and drops of crimson blood slowly slid down the blood grooves.

All five men wore mocking smiles, their eyes scanning up and down as if they were prey falling into a trap.

The tall, thin man standing in the middle was clearly the leader. He casually twirled his knife and flicked away the bits of meat stuck to the blade.

The man with the buzz cut stared at the leader opposite him, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. A murderous glint flashed in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and roared:

"We're all candidates for the Special Investigations Team, with no past grudges or recent conflicts. Why did you resort to such deadly tactics?"

The tall, thin leader chuckled, stopped fiddling with the dagger in his hand, and looked at the crew-cut man as if he were an idiot:
"Who says you can only kill someone if you have a grudge?"

He took a step forward, closing in by half a meter, his military boots crunching through the dry branches with a piercing sound.

"It's just bad luck that you stumbled upon our operation of clearing the perimeter and collecting offerings."

"To prevent leaks, we have no choice but to ask you all to keep quiet forever."

As he spoke, he licked his lips, a morbid excitement flashing in his eyes.

It was as if killing was just a fun game to him.

"Clear the perimeter and collect the offerings?"

The man with the buzz cut frowned, which aggravated the wound on his ribs, causing his facial muscles to twitch in pain.

He endured the excruciating pain and raised the dagger to his chest:

"What exactly do you want? This is a military restricted area in Xishan. You dare to go on a killing spree here. Aren't you afraid that the special investigation team will investigate you thoroughly and send you all to a military court?"

"A court? Someone has to be alive to testify first."

The tall, thin man laughed even more wildly, his eyes gradually becoming fanatical and greedy.
"Compared to these, what we are looking for is more important: the entrance to the ruins of an ancient civilization."

Ancient civilization ruins? Upon hearing this, the man with the buzz cut and his two companions all looked bewildered.

I don't think I've ever heard of this word before.

The tall, thin man took in their reactions without offering any explanation, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"The magnetic field here is disordered, and the fluctuations are aggravated. The entrance is likely nearby, and we need to use high-intensity life energy as a catalyst."

At this point, he raised his military dagger, pointing it at the three men with buzz cuts, his tone chilling:
"Since you gentlemen have offered yourselves up as materials for a blood sacrifice, we would naturally be impolite to refuse."

"Go to hell with your blood sacrifice! You want to use our lives as stepping stones? You'd better have a good set of teeth!"

The man with the buzz cut shouted angrily to his left, gripping his dagger tightly with both hands, assuming a fighting stance.

Another companion spat a mouthful of bloody saliva on the ground and glared fiercely at the other person:

"At worst, I'll trade my life for yours. Who's afraid of who!"

Upon hearing this, the tall, thin man and his group were not afraid at all; instead, they burst into laughter.

They then moved their wrists and twisted their necks, their joints rubbing together and making a slight popping sound, preparing to deal with their last prey.

The tension between the two sides instantly escalated, and a new round of fighting was about to break out.

In just a few seconds, someone is destined to fall on this open ground.

Behind a thicket of bushes a few dozen meters away from the open space, a hand silently parted the thorny branches.

Fang Cheng lowered his body, squatted on the ground, raised his left hand, and made a shushing gesture to Ma Donghe and Hou Peng behind him.

The two nodded slightly to indicate that they understood, and deliberately slowed their breathing by half a beat.

Through the gaps in the branches and leaves and the relatively thin mist, Fang Cheng could see the situation in the open space.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the face of the injured man with the buzz cut.

Fang Cheng recognized the man's appearance.

It was the same police academy student with whom he had a brief eye contact a few days ago when he was picking up his exam admission ticket at the service hall.

As for the five arrogant examinees opposite him, Fang Cheng had no memory of them; they were all unfamiliar faces.

However, listening to their conversation just now, and considering the gruesome scene of the victim killed by the triangular dagger under the tree with the copper bell hanging from it, one can still understand the situation.

The corpse was clearly one of the "sacrifices" that these people were talking about.

"They're actually also looking for ancient civilization relics..."

Upon hearing that familiar word again, Fang Cheng's pupils contracted slightly.

The various clues in my mind instantly connected into a complete logical chain.

This group of people clearly had a specific mission, and even knew that there were clues about the cultural relics hidden in Xishan.

Therefore, their participation in the exam was probably just a pretext; their real purpose was to uncover the secrets of this place.

This is information that ordinary social test takers would never have access to.

Most importantly, the special investigation team's interview process is extremely rigorous, and the chief examiner is skilled at applying psychological pressure and conducting psychological assessments.

How did these five blood-stained, treacherous killers manage to pass background checks and psychological tests and brazenly infiltrate the ranks of test takers?

Unless, within the high command of the Special Investigations Unit, someone is covering for them, or even being their mastermind.

A cold glint flashed in Fang Cheng's eyes.

The Special Investigation Team was a much deeper pool than he had anticipated.

"Damn it, these bastards are ruthless, even more so than when I used to fight for territory in the gang."

Ma Donghe squatted behind Fang Cheng, his broad shoulders hunched over.

He placed the heavy, mutated wild boar leg on his knees, lowered his voice, and muttered something in a tone only the three of them could hear.

Hou Peng, his prominent ears perked up, scanned the surroundings sharply with his gaze and continued:
"This is an organized and premeditated gang crime, specifically targeting places like this. Brother Fang, we'd better not get involved and quietly bypass them."

"Don't move yet, assess the situation first."

Fang Cheng replied calmly, his gaze still fixed on the crowd in the center of the open space.

Ma Donghe and Hou Peng clearly didn't know what "ancient civilization relics" were, but he knew them perfectly well.

The Masked Man had mentioned relevant clues before, but unfortunately, the other party had already been annihilated in his fierce battle with the military.

As for Shanks, being a newcomer who had only recently joined Bloodthorn, he naturally had no idea about the exact location of the ruins entrance or how to enter.

Now that we've stumbled upon someone searching for the entrance to the ruins, how can we let this opportunity slip by?

call--

A cold wind carrying a strong smell of blood swept in from the depths of the forest, causing fallen leaves to flutter and scatter.

Under the cover of the wind, a strange figure, like a ghost without roots, quietly emerged from the blind spot behind everyone.

The man, dressed in the same camouflage uniform, held a still-dripping triangular military dagger in his hand and silently walked to the side of the tall, thin leader.

"Area One has been cleared; the offerings will remain in place for now."

The man said in a low voice.

The tall, thin man nodded in satisfaction, a relaxed smile on his face.

Fang Cheng, who was hiding behind the bushes, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He clearly saw that the assassin, who had just returned from a killing mission, was surrounded by wisps of faint black energy.

That black mist was definitely not the fog in the mountains and forests; it seemed to have its own life, like a group of tiny leeches.

It was probing and wriggling deeper into the person's neck skin, exuding a nauseatingly sinister and chilling aura.

Immediately afterwards, there were several very faint sounds of branches breaking.

Three more figures, exuding murderous aura, emerged from the thick fog from different directions and joined the tall, thin group.

Their weapons were also stained with fresh blood, indicating that they had all successfully completed their respective cleanup missions.

Fang Cheng carefully observed the three people who came later, and found that they did not have that strange, writhing black aura on them.

"very good."

The tall, thin leader's smile widened completely. He raised his hand and pointed at the three men with buzz cuts:
"Kill these last three, and we'll have nine blood sacrifice materials to activate the tracking array."

Upon hearing this, the man with the buzz cut and the other two police academy students tensed up instantly.

The three of them huddled together back to back, their eyes filled with both anger at facing a desperate situation and an undisguised tension and despair.

They knew very well that facing nine ruthless assassins, their chances of survival were slim.

However, the tall, thin leader did not immediately give the order to surround and kill them.

"But before that, we need to completely resolve the problem."

He suddenly changed the subject, shifting the direction of the dagger from the crew-cut man to his right.

Those long, narrow, sinister eyes seemed to be able to pierce through dozens of meters of fog and see what was hidden within.

The tall, thin man grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth, his voice echoing softly across the open space:

"Friend, you've been hiding inside, peeking around for so long, aren't you going to come out and say hello?" (End of Chapter)