14 The First Salted Fish Territory Resident Part 1
Li Chunhua didn't know she came down the mountain. All she knew was that along the way, her mind was occupied by gruesome images of the higher-rank beasts of their Tianmeng continent.
Her previous world was not so peaceful after a rift appeared in an unnamed ancient tome a thousand years ago.
The world underwent huge changes. It gave birth to demonic beasts that feasted on cultivators' flesh and blood and grew stronger by this method.
The sects, schools, hermits, and even those from the royalty joined forces and sent their capable men to wipe these demonic beasts from their roots, sealing the tome with the highest array conducted by the leaders of the Tianmeng Continent.
The world entered a state of peace for ten years before demonic beasts emerged again. To worsen it, these new demonic beasts, after reaching fourth rank, would gain the sentience and intellect of a toddler and a fifth rank was of a young adult.
No need to mention those of higher ranks. They established their own clans and recruit other demonic beasts to their bidding, attacking human territories and waging wars.
The world has ever since become chaotic.
No one knew the origin of the tome. It was just discovered by grave diggers who planned to steal some relics of the deceased person.
LI Chunhua let out a heavy sigh before hastening her steps, pondering her master's, senior brothers', and senior sister's wellbeing.
Also, after going back, she needs to see if arrays work in this world. Maybe she could set up one or two around her territory.
Relying solely on the durability and defense of her territory won't do her any good.
If ever her guess came true and the system evaluated the progress of her territory above grade S, Li Chunhua would be in trouble. She should prepare a lot of offerings if the portal opens hours later, so the chance of summoning natives with battling professions will increase.
Most importantly, among the summons, there should be someone who knows how to cook. Otherwise, the days ahead will be a lot harder.
It's so tough to be a salted fish!
Her figure flashed through the dense forest like a white ghost, and after another ten minutes, she arrived at the destination. She quickly squatted behind a huge bush and enhanced her vision with Qi essence before drilling a hole in the bush.
Once she finished, her eyes widened in surprise because beside the bald-headed Huo Yan was Xun Mingsheng!
A youth not much older than Huo Yan, whose visage could rival those princes in the royal court but whose vileness of the heart doesn't differ much from the demonic beasts that are capable of doing extreme things just to reach their goal.
Xun Mingsheng, the book's villain!
Li Chunhua could recognize him directly because of the original owner's memories.
She frowned because Xun Mingsheng's body was exuding a bloodthirsty red aura denser than that of Huo Yan.
"Scummy man." Li Chunhua cursed under her breath and proceeded to sense how many people had been brought by the villain.
1…5…10?
Why did he bring so many to one place? If it's just to search for Player Anonymous' location, then these people shouldn't crowd in here and scatter around to be more efficient.
Just as she was wondering, her ears picked up a conversation.
"Brother Huo, from which direction did that monster you're speaking of appear? "Xun Minsheng looked around. The place where they are is just near the territory he established, just a few hundred meters away, on a large clearing with sparse vegetation.
What monster are they referring to?
Li Chunhua also looked around and expanded the range of her detection, but found no other living thing other than them within a five hundred-meter radius.
She returned her eyes to the hole she made and was startled when Huo Yan pointed to the spot she was hiding.
(⊙_⊙)?
Does he know she's here?
"Leader, that smudge-filled monster that beat me came from that direction," Huo Yan's said in grievance and anger as he touched his head, now bald, with its surface shining under the sun's rays.
He looked like a Buddha, and this image of him made the others let out laughs in between. These guys would usually fear and respect him because he was the vice captain, but now they weren't reserved anymore after someone spread the word about his embarrassing situation. He clenched his fists in hatred.
Xun Mingsheng asked two of his subordinates to check.
The two nodded and cautiously walked in the direction where Li Chunhua was squatting.
They were actually looking for her!
But she beaten Huo Yan to the point where his health was only one percent left and Xin Minsgheng still came after her, and they even thought of her as a monster?
≡(▔﹏▔)≡
Is she ugly to the point that she was treated as one?
She clutched her heart in ache before quickly plucking the grass around her until the ground in a three-meter radius was bald. Only then did she roll around the dirt to cover her figure until she made sure every spot was smudged.
Then she sat and waited for the subordinates to arrive. Just as she was about to expose herself, she heard a sound.
Thud-
She leaned closer to the bush, but the men striding towards her position disappeared.
Where are those guys? Do they have some stealth skills? It's still in the early stages, and no one has even had the chance to acquire a profession yet. So how?
She was perplexed until she heard an angry shout coming from...below?
"Leader... Argh, we fell on the hole!"
Xun Mingheng thought it was just some trivial matter and gestured for his subordinates to help the two.
She narrowed her eyes, and her 'super enhanced version of hawk eyes' saw the people inside the six-foot hole. A knowing look painted her face.
(._.)
She forgot about her pits! Wait, how many pits did she make? She had lost count.
Li Chunhua remembered that when she was searching for the rabbits' nest, she dug pits everywhere, but shouldn't they see it because the diameter of the hole was a meter? It's impossible for them not to detect such a big hole.
Hold on! The soil piled in small hills were also gone! Did the villain's party did it?
Soon enough, her question about how many pits were dug was answered because there were a bunch of people falling into pits. A series of thuds resonated in the dreary surroundings.
It's not her fault!
The only ones left standing were Xun Mingheng and Huo Yan, who both had confused expressions on their faces.
"Leader!"
"Help me!"
Just what happened?
"This is it!" Li Chunhua regained her senses. She knew the opportunity was here, and she leaped.
Whoosh-
The familiar smudged filled monster appeared with its signature ugly look.
"Eeek." Huo Yan shrieked like a little girl after he saw her, and at the same time, he was petrified because the memory of this monster nearly killing him with a single flick entered his mind. He instantly stepped behind Xun Mingheng, frightened like a trembling little rabbit upon encountering a snake.
Xun Mingsheng raised his eyebrows because the physical description Huo Yan mentioned didn't align at all. However, this is better. His eyes glowed with greed and he tried to view the monster's basic information, only to find out there was none.
Hah?
[System Notification:
-Unable to view the target's information]
His eyes widened. He quickly took out his weapon, a dagger, and braced himself for the battle when suddenly the creature was gone.
Thud-
"..." Li Chunhua found herself facing the dirt wall. Just like those people, she also fell. What exactly is going on? She was sure that there was no pit on the spot where she landed.
Unbeknownst to her, a little creature had cast an illusion array on the surroundings and was currently watching them in mischief, and its little tail would wag whenever someone fell on the hole.
These humans don't seem to be as cunning and powerful as his brother had repeatedly emphasized.
"A bunch of fools." It snickered and resumed cackling in amusement.
Xun Minsheng, who was initially worried, smirked as if victory were within his grasp. "This monster is quite stupid." He mumbled under his breath and slowly stepped towards the hole the monster fell into.
Huo Yan heard it and quietly watched his leader's back. His heart was pounding loudly on his chest, and he began to pray vehemently for the leader's safety.
Whoosh-
Li Chunhua grabbed the wall, wanting to climb out, when something was thrown at her head. She rubbed the spot in bafflement, wondering what it was, and looked up only to see Xun Mingsheng staring at her with a constipated look.
It's him?
[-0] The damage indicator floated at the top of its head.
That can't be! He must be hallucinating.
Xun Minsheng blinked while shifting his sight from the dagger to the smudged monster. The dagger's blade actually shattered, and the mud-filled monster is still unharmed!
His combat stars were already six, and his strength is among the top ranks of humans at this moment. His attacks should cause damage somehow.
He had a bad premonition.
It's the villain!
Li Chunhua was startled.
Xun Mingsheng stiffened when his eyes clashed with a pair of brown orbs brimming with unprecedented malicious intention. He ran, only for his ankle to be grasped by a hand and pulled inside the hole.
He dropped on the ground, eating some of the dirt in the process while being dragged inside. The last thing he saw before completely falling on the hole was Huo Yan's tear-stricken face, filled with horror and guilt, before the bald guy ran off.
"Huo Yan!" Xun Minsheng spit out the soil in his mouth, shouted before gritting his teeth, and immediately planned to kick this coward once he went back.
The little creature heard the shouts, emerged from the spot where it was hiding, and sprinted towards the source of the sound. Halfway, a high, pitched screeching scream echoed in the forest, akin to a pig being butchered. The little creature stiffened after sensing danger.
