Chapter 40: The Not-So-Tasty Grasshopper Legs

Before long, Huang Mang and Dong Xuan had roasted the grasshopper legs, and Wang Lingling and Zheng Haiyu, riding their hornets, brought back water. Guided by Ji Chang, they fed the roasted grasshopper meat and water to Zhou Jun in succession. With Chen Lingxue's long-lasting green mist recovery, the spiritual energy within Zhou Jun's body finally ceased its steady decline, gradually beginning to recover.

However, Zhou Jun still showed no signs of waking up.

"Brother Ji, why hasn't Zhou Jun awakened yet?" While nibbling on grasshopper legs, Huang Mang asked Ji Chang.

"I don't know exactly, but for now, at least there's no immediate danger to his life," Ji Chang replied after receiving a grasshopper leg from Dong Xuan, pondering briefly.

Having consumed some meat and water and regained a bit of strength, Chen Lingxue looked at the unconscious Zhou Jun and sighed softly, saying, "This incident has hit Zhou Jun pretty hard. After all, those were all his loved ones. Facing such a situation requires significant psychological fortitude. So, even though Zhou Jun's physical condition has stabilized for now, whether he wakes up or not will still depend on his own will."

"Uh, Squad Leader, are you saying that Xiao Junzi doesn't want to wake up on his own?" Seeing this, Zheng Haiyu, who was busy distributing food and water to everyone, couldn't help but contemplate aloud.

"Oh? Is there really such a thing?" Dong Xuan and Wang Lingling exchanged a glance, somewhat puzzled.

"What Squad Leader means is probably some form of stress response," Ji Chang explained with a slow nod.

"That's right!" Chen Lingxue added with a nod.

"So, what do we do now?" Huang Mang couldn't help but ask.

In this critical moment, Huang Mang looked at Ji Chang.

The others all turned their gaze towards Ji Chang.

"Well, here's the plan: you guys take Zhou Jun back first, and I'll go over to the opposite courtyard to assess the situation," Ji Chang said, after a moment of contemplation, to the group.

"Brother Ji, there are too many uncertainties on the other side. It would be better for us to go back, rest up, and then go together," Chen Lingxue expressed her concern.

Dong Xuan opened her mouth as if to say something, but Huang Mang interrupted her.

"Huh? To the opposite courtyard? Mang-ge, I'll go with you!" Excited by Ji Chang's decision to go to the opposite side, Huang Mang, who was currently feeding Wang Lingling a grasshopper leg, eagerly exclaimed.

"It's alright, the most dangerous people are already lying here, aren't they?" Ji Chang laughed and waved his hand, then turned to Huang Mang. "Can you handle it?"

In Ji Chang's eyes, Huang Mang had expended a lot of energy. While it seemed like he hadn't suffered substantial harm in the previous battle thanks to his transformation ability, Ji Chang knew that even with a metallic transformation, Huang Mang would still feel pain when hit... After all, strength might be one thing, but pain was a different story.

"No worries, Brother Ji. Trust me, your brother here is tough. If Zhou Jun's aunt hadn't caused a ruckus just now, I would've finished him off one-on-one. You'd see me pound him, and that's it for his third mistress!" Huang Mang raised his head, ran his thumb across his nose with pride, and said with a hearty tone.

"Always boasting. If someone fought you one-on-one, you'd be tossed around like a little chick," Wang Lingling pouted slightly and whispered.

"Huh? Miss Wang Lingling, what's with your tone?" Even before Wang Lingling could finish her sentence, Huang Mang had already covered her mouth with his hand, then turned to Ji Chang. "Don't listen to her nonsense, Brother Ji. Your brother can handle it! I won't drag you down, no doubt about it!"

"Brother Ji, I want to go with you too!" Zheng Haiyu chimed in at the same time.

"Here's the plan, Ji-ge. Let Haiyu and Huang Mang go with you. In case anything happens, there will be someone to support you. The three of us will take Zhou Jun back," Chen Lingxue suggested after some thought.

"Are you all... capable of this?" Seeing this, Ji Chang couldn't help but look at Chen Lingxue, Dong Xuan, and Wang Lingling. His previous intention was to go alone, out of concern for everyone's safety.

"No problem!" Chen Lingxue looked at Wang Lingling and Dong Xuan, and upon seeing them nod, she replied.

"Alright then, since that's settled, you guys take Zhou Jun with you on the hornets, and the three of us will go to the opposite side to investigate," Ji Chang said. Although the three of them agreed, Ji Chang was still a bit worried, so he decided to have the hornets transport them back.

...

Later, as they watched Chen Lingxue and the others leave on the hornets, Ji Chang, Huang Mang, and Zheng Haiyu buried Zhou Jun's cousin's family where they were. Then, they returned to the back of the giant spider.

With a slight movement of Ji Chang's mind, the giant spider began to swiftly climb the wall behind them.

"Ji-ge, what kind of ability did Zhou Jun's cousin have? Why did he start biting people right away?" Huang Mang, who was busy recovering his mental energy by gnawing on a grasshopper leg, suddenly asked.

Zheng Haiyu, who was also gnawing on a grasshopper leg, looked at Ji Chang curiously as well.

Not only that, but they were also puzzled about why Zhou Jun's cousin had come to their small courtyard in the first place, considering that they shouldn't lack food.

Regarding this matter, Ji Chang had only discussed it with Chen Lingxue before. After a thorough analysis, they came to a conclusion.

Zhou Jun's cousin's family might have unlocked a new way to boost their spiritual energy, or perhaps only Zhou Jun's cousin possessed some extraordinary power that allowed him to strengthen himself by consuming others' spiritual energy. Through Ji Chang's observations, it seemed that the spiritual energies of Zhou Jun's cousin's family were quite synchronized.

Based on this, Ji Chang speculated that maybe after Zhou Jun's cousin absorbed some spiritual energy, he could 'share' it with the rest of his family in a unique way.

Of course, this was just their analysis.

"I see, this family is really something!"

"Devious, and he's their own family member after all! Even though it's a distant relative..."

After learning about Ji Chang and Chen Lingxue's analysis, Huang Mang and Zheng Haiyu both sighed in succession.

This scene also unfolded on the back of the hornets.

After a while, the three of them, riding the giant spider, crossed over the wall and caught sight of Zhou Jun's cousin's family's courtyard. Although their view was obstructed due to their narrow perspective, seeing Zhou Jun's cousin's family's courtyard still shocked the three of them profoundly.

Unlike Zhou Jun's grandfather's desolate courtyard, Zhou Jun's cousin's family's courtyard was densely planted with various vegetables. Along the walls, there were two neatly aligned rows of corn.

Compared to the barren courtyard of Zhou Jun's grandfather, this place was like a paradise.

"Ji-ge, we're going to strike it rich!" Huang Mang looked at the massive corn cob closest to the giant spider. The plump kernels were even larger than himself, making him excitedly exclaim.

In an instant, Huang Mang felt that the grasshopper leg in his hand was no longer so appealing.

Zheng Haiyu was also excited. "Did you just eat enough?"

Seeing the two of them, Ji Chang smirked.

Then, urging the giant spider, they climbed onto the corn cob.