Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

The Shadow Spiders that entered from various entrances eventually converged together.

After integrating the information, Cui Ming discovered that the mine was indeed a stronghold of the Japanese.

However, the number of people inside the base was unexpectedly small. Apart from a few fixed sentries, there were only two groups of ninjas who took turns moving around in the limited area.

Their traces of life are limited to a few simple stone chambers that have been cleared out; the rest of the area consists of abandoned mine tunnels and collapsed ruins, covered in dust.

What bothered Cui Ming the most was that the behavior patterns of these ninjas were too regular.

They strictly adhere to fixed times and fixed routes.

There was a clear avoidance and fear of an area deep within the mine, sealed off by a heavy iron gate, and of the deeper parts of the mine.

Even during the change of shifts, they try to avoid looking in that direction, walking hurriedly as if afraid of disturbing something.

Their vigilance is always directed only at the mine itself, especially the deeper mines.

They also seemed to harbor a deep-seated fear, and rather than defending against external invasion, they appeared to be guarding and isolating the mine.

"It seems the key lies in that warehouse and the main mine shaft..."

Cui Ming thought to himself.

After gathering enough intelligence, he controlled the three Shadow Spiders to return the way they came.

Everything had been going smoothly until the Shadow Spiders were about to approach the dense forest where Cui Ming was, when a sudden change occurred!

The animals that had been surrounding Cui Ming and were very close to him suddenly erupted into chaos!

The birds flew up into the sky in panic, while the wild beasts bared their teeth and let out low, threatening roars.

Even a few bold mountain weasels and foxes suddenly rushed in front of Cui Ming, arched their backs, their fur stood on end, and let out hostile hisses at the returning shadow spiders, as if they had brought back something extremely dangerous.

Cui Ming was taken aback, and immediately activated Dan Shi to calm the frightened animals and get them to leave the vicinity temporarily.

If his guess is correct, he has truly hit the jackpot this time.

Under Cui Ming's soothing words, the animals gradually calmed down and, following his directions, left the dense forest, glancing back every few steps.

Cui Ming took a deep breath and slowly walked forward, preparing to personally check the condition of the shadow spider and the experimental subject on its abdomen.

However, just as his fingers were about to touch the shell of one of the shudder spiders...

[Low concentration of radioactive energy detected...]

[Negative effects are reversing... Energy transformation is underway...]

[Reversal complete.]

This series of system notifications rang directly in Cui Ming's mind.

Cui Ming felt a warm sensation slowly spreading from his palms throughout his body, and the Qi within his body seemed to undergo a miraculous change.

Radioactive energy? It really is radiation!

Cui Ming froze, his pupils contracting.

Although I had prepared myself mentally, I was still quite sweaty when I actually faced it.

He was finally able to determine why the animals were so fearful and resistant, and why the ninjas wore thick protective suits and had isolation talismans affixed to their bodies.

The mystery of the so-called strange illness and the cause of the rapid death has finally been solved.

This was neither a mountain god's curse nor the poison gas that Cui Ming initially thought.

This so-called rich mine is very likely a mountain range containing radioactive minerals.

Those merchants were either knowingly committing a crime, trying to use mining as a cover for their activities of acquiring radioactive materials.

Or perhaps they were simply there to steal minerals, but accidentally discovered that these minerals could be deadly.

In order to cover up the truth, and also so that this place can be studied later.

Therefore, they deliberately spread rumors to force the villagers to abandon the mine and flee.

Unexpectedly, the destructive power of the minerals was even more rapid than they had imagined.

The deaths of the landlord's family and the miners' sudden deaths unexpectedly made the mine completely deserted.

These ninjas may be on guard duty, but they are clearly aware of the dangers here, which is why they are filled with fear.

Since the Shadow Spiders had entered the mine, the radiation had adhered to them.

If it weren't for his protective system, he might have been affected by the radiation just now.

Chapter 21

Cui Ming looked at the shadow spider lying on the ground, then turned it over and began to examine the small animals that had entered the mine with it.

Cui Ming had already given up hope, since almost all living beings that had stayed in high-radiation areas would suffer permanent damage from radiation.

But when the puppet's abdomen was opened, a large, white rat with a ruddy complexion and full of vitality jumped out.

The big white rat squatted on Cui Ming's hand, grabbed Cui Ming's fingers, stood up, and started to sob.

Cui Ming: ......

no...

How did it become a spirit after just walking around a high-radiation area?

Cui Ming's lips twitched, activating the effects of the pill.

During this period of intensive training, the speed of condensing the pill has become much faster, and the associated affinity effect has also been unexpectedly enhanced.

The most significant change is that he can now communicate telepathically with the beings he influences.

The white rat kept crying and saying it was terrified and begging for comfort.

Looking at the big white mouse in his palm, crying with snot and tears streaming down its face, Cui Ming found it hard to hold back.

He could only try to soothe the big white rat by using the mental link he had established through Dan Shi.

"Okay, okay, it's alright now, you're safe."

Cui Ming gently comforted the frightened little guy.

The big white mouse's crying gradually stopped, and it raised its little head, its big black eyes looking at Cui Ming with watery eyes.

Cui Ming sighed and gently tapped its little head with his finger.

"From now on, your name will be Xuan Su."

The name is taken from the Xuanji armor and millet, a common yet tenacious crop, and also implies that this little guy has unexpectedly gained a different kind of life in a desperate situation.

Afterwards, Cui Ming checked several other animals that were inside the abdomen of the pufferfish.

The other little ones were also safe and sound, but their life force was much stronger than before they went in.

Unfortunately, unlike Xuan Su, they did not show any signs of developing intelligence; they simply instinctively felt closer to Cui Ming.

But why is that?

Xuan Su and these little guys spend the same amount of time in the mine.

Could it be that Xuan Su has something special about it?

Impossible. He had already checked all the animals long ago; otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed the puppet to be brought into the mine.

Or rather...

The affinity of Dan Shi (a type of phytoestrogen) generates special energy in a radiation environment, which plays a certain catalytic role.

Cui Ming's mind raced with thoughts.

The ability that came with Dan Shi seemed to have far more potential than he had imagined.

It can not only influence animal behavior, but may even help enlighten living beings.

This discovery greatly interested him, but the current tense situation forced him to temporarily suppress his desire for in-depth research.

The primary task at present is to thoroughly understand the details of this mine.

Do the ninjas inside still have superiors to contact? What is their true purpose? Is it merely to guard this dangerous mine, or do they have a deeper scheme?

For the next week, Cui Ming, like the most patient hunter, completely disappeared into the dense forest surrounding the mine.

He no longer drives animals on a large scale, but mainly conducts reconnaissance on the ground and underground by observing from a distance, combined with Xuan Su and his newly subdued group of mouse minions.

Gensu's performance was unexpectedly good.

After absorbing the nourishment of Cui Mingna's true qi, which had undergone systemic reversal and possessed a trace of peculiar characteristics, it seemed to have undergone some subtle changes.

Not only has her intelligence been further enhanced, enabling her to understand Cui Ming's instructions more clearly, but her innate abilities have also been strengthened.

Xuan Su can now move freely through the soil, and her movements are almost silent.

Led by Gensu, Gensu and his rat minions used their innate burrowing skills to avoid the main structure of the underground mine and the areas where the ninjas were active.

Another intricate network of underground tunnels was discovered beneath the mine.

It was through these things that Cui Ming now confirmed that there were indeed only nine ninjas inside the mine.

They are divided into three groups, taking turns on duty and resting. Their activity range is fixed in a few areas with relatively weak radiation, and they keep their distance from the warehouse and main mine tunnel behind the iron gate deep inside.

During this time, Cui Ming was not idle either.

He used local materials to create dozens of mechanical puppets disguised as rocks and trees.

These puppets have a simple structure and a single function; their main purpose is to provide warnings and transmit information.

He placed these sentries at several key points around the mine, forming an invisible surveillance network.

After thoroughly understanding the ninjas' activity patterns and the surrounding environment of the mine, Cui Ming decided to personally enter the core of the mine to confirm with his own eyes what minerals were inside.

Early the next morning.

Wearing the Xuanji Armor, Cui Ming arrived at the other side of the mine, at the foot of a cliff covered by dense vines.

This place is the furthest from the area where the ninjas operate, and it is also the entrance to a secret passage that Gensui and his rat horde spent several days carefully digging, avoiding the hard rock layers.

"Guard this place. If anything unusual happens, alert me as I taught you before."

Cui Ming gave instructions to Xuan Su, who was perched on his shoulder, through a mental link.

Xuan Su then leaped up and landed lightly on the ground, saluting Cui Ming with the air of a young general.