Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

An ordinary, unremarkable face.

It could be the blacksmith at the village entrance, or a waiter at the restaurant.

However, he is a well-trained spy who can also act as an assassin when necessary.

Even from a distance, Liu Xingmo could sense that the body had lost its vitality, despite the lack of obvious injuries on its surface.

Liu Xingmo shook his head and sighed, "Is it necessary to be so ruthless to yourself? These people are really... sigh!"

The one-armed man approached the black-clad corpse with frenzied force, punching and kicking it while cursing, "You bastard! Stop playing dead! Speak up! Speak! My third brother is dead, why?"

In this situation, comforting words are useless.

The egret released the carcass and, with its slender claws, surveyed the scene.

Along the way, she encountered someone who was seriously injured and collapsed. She bent down and transferred a wisp of blood energy to help him recover from his injuries.

Finally, she approached Liu Xingmo and said, "Young man, tell me what exactly happened."

Liu Xingmo explained the situation in detail: They explored the ravine, discovered the body, quickly ran back, saw a signal flare on the way, repelled the attackers, and came to rendezvous...

The egret looked up at the sky obscured by trees: "Such a well-trained organization is rare. Where do you think they come from?"

"Instructor Bai Ting, you've really put me in a difficult position..." Liu Xingmo said with a wry smile.

He looked up and saw sharp, piercing bird-like eyes gazing into the distance. A fierce light was hidden deep within those eyes, like an eagle surveying the earth.

He thought for a moment and answered honestly, "Befriend distant states while attacking nearby ones. In this situation, it's most likely that the Yin state in the southwest has made a move. It's also possible that other forces have sent people disguised as Yin spies to attack us and sow discord."

"You're really smart; you've figured all this out at such a young age." Bai Lu remained noncommittal. "Hurry up and prepare to leave. I'll protect you all the way back to camp."

Liu Xingmo and Su Mali helped treat the wounded and carried those who were unable to move onto Bao Hei's back.

The group returned to the dense forest amidst a somber mood.

……

The colossal trees, blocking out the sky, stand silently.

Dead branches and leaves rotted in the crevices of the roots, becoming a breeding ground for moss. The moss climbed along the tree roots, covering the bark with a fuzzy green carpet.

Occasionally, sunlight filters through the branches and leaves, casting dappled patterns on the intertwined roots. When a strong wind sweeps across the hillside, these dappled patterns shimmer on the dew-laden moss.

The labyrinth woven from the roots of ancient trees, teeming with life yet carrying the scent of decay, draws countless lives to slumber here, transforming them into nourishment for the forest.

Liu Xingmo sat on the turtle's back, feeling troubled.

A spy ring that has been entrenched in Black Dragon Village for hundreds of years, a mysterious organization operating outside the city and colluding with spies from within... I wonder if my parents' accident years ago was related to this...

At this moment, someone jumped onto the turtle's back and sat next to Liu Xingmo.

He was the one-armed man, the leader of the attacked group. His eyes were fixed ahead, but there was nothing in them.

He said in a deep voice, "You must know something, right?"

"I'm just an ordinary person, I don't know much," Liu Xingmo replied slowly.

"Stop pretending. You're the storyteller, so everything was within your expectations, right? Luring the enemy alone and searching for clues—you've got guts, just like the rumors say."

The amputee's voice was devoid of emotion as he continued to speak:

"I heard everything you just said. You said the Yin Kingdom was the mastermind. Tell me the details. I'm in the same boat as you now, burdened with blood feuds."

Liu Xingmo was speechless.

Rumors about him were flying around the village. It seemed everyone thought he was a divine being who could predict the future without fail.

However, the person next to him didn't even know what the Yin Kingdom was, so he must be a complete illiterate who only cared about his own little corner of the world.

Liu Xingmo was initially reluctant to speak. But then he thought of his parents from this life, and somehow he started to speak:

"Black Dragon Village is located in the Xing'an Mountains, northeast of the Central Plains. Ancient forests cover this land, where countless powerful beasts live and thrive."

"The Yin Kingdom was located on the plains southwest of the Xing'an Mountains, and was one of the three major human kingdoms in the Central Plains. They had long coveted this vast mountain forest, but were powerless to develop it."

"Over the past few centuries, the Yin Kingdom has sent envoys to Black Dragon Village many times, offering land and rewards in exchange for cooperation. But the Mountain Goddess always drove them away."

"I learned these things from ancient records in the library. That's all I know."

The man with the missing arm listened silently, then asked, "How can you be so sure that group came from the Yin Kingdom?"

Liu Xingmo replied in a muffled voice, "Because with their level of organization, they can't even produce any decent third-tier experts. And the Yin Kingdom likes to train low-level slaves; it's their consistent practice."

"The old forest is so vast, what about other forces? There must be some bastards who are jealous of our village and are plotting behind our backs!" The one-armed man clenched his fist.

"Throughout the Xing'an Mountains, the Heavenly Blade Society and the Ice Crystal Palace are on good terms with us; they need elixirs and miraculous medicines. There are many other hostile forces, but they have absolutely no connection to this matter," Liu Xingmo said confidently.

"Why?" The man with the missing arm turned his head, his eyes bloodshot.

"Those powerful forces are Mountain Boar Gully, White Tiger Ridge, Bear Valley, Horned Deer Plain, Wild Wolf Peak, and Black Sturgeon River. These beasts aren't good at any delicate work." Liu Xingmo sighed helplessly as he said this, "The most likely organization to carry out this operation is the Yin Kingdom. Alas, humanity's most dangerous adversary is other humans."

Silence reigned on the tortoise shell.

Occasionally, the groans of the wounded could be heard, making one's heart ache.

The journey back to camp was uneventful.

The once bustling valley is now deserted, with only extinguished campfires and scattered bones remaining.

The van that was supposed to be here is gone, along with the large, bluish-black scorpion inside. It's probably been taken back.

The instructor from Baiting was very responsible; he led the team over mountains and valleys back to the village.

Before we knew it, it was already dark.

A bright moon hangs high in the sky, its cool white light spreading across the mountains and forests.

The towering city walls can be seen in the distance, their gray-black bricks plated with a layer of silver, resembling a fortress cast in steel, guarding people's homes.

The team mustered their spirits and walked the last stretch of road until they passed through the city gate.

We're finally back, to the land that belongs to humanity. The land of our own.

Liu Xingmo and Su Mali bid each other farewell, and then Liu Xingmo drove Bao Hei to walk around the camp in the city.

Many people were already asleep, sleeping in tents woven from leaves and grass stems.

All sorts of miscellaneous goods, furs, nuts, ores... were piled up into small mountains.

After circling around for a while, Liu Xingmo spotted his van parked at the edge of the camp, under a red pine tree.

The soul imprint reconnected, and the dark blue-black figure inside the car was unharmed.

Liu Xingmo breathed a sigh of relief and quickly told Bao Hei to run over.

Just then, a huge figure emerged from the shadows under the pine tree.

Its yellowish-red fur, bathed in moonlight, resembled a light flame, burning quietly in the night.

It was that fox instructor.

A teasing voice came through: "I saved your precious scorpion, how are you going to repay me?"