Chapter 237: We Feel Safe By Your Side

"Transmit the collected data back to the department."

The middle-aged man leading the group was Zhang Yang. As a technical backbone of the special department, he was a typical techie. He lacked personal combat abilities but possessed a unique talent for investigating and analyzing data.

"Yes, sir."

Currently, they were only conducting detection work on the periphery. Venturing deeper would be extremely dangerous, although it would also yield more valuable data.

For now, it was simply too risky.

They would wait until daylight to assess the surrounding situation before deciding whether to proceed further.

Inside the tent…

Little Bao lay nestled between Lin Fan and Old Zhang, excitedly exclaiming, "This is my first time in a place like this! The air is so fresh, and look, the stars in the sky are even brighter than at home."

Lin Fan replied, "They do seem brighter."

Old Zhang added, "I completely agree."

The three of them behaved as if they were uneducated, their displayed knowledge appearing somewhat shallow.

But they were happy.

The Evil Chicken crouched with its wings folded, sensing the presence of its kind while also emitting the aura of an Evil Hero. It couldn't blatantly inform its brethren, "I've led the humans here."

Instead, it subtly released its evil aura, informing its kind that one of their own was present.

The night wind was cold.

The members of the special department huddled around the tents, not straying too far. They all needed Lin Fan's protection. Sticking with the big boss meant they'd never suffer.

Master Yongxin desired to cling to Lin Fan's leg the most, but his status and position prevented him from doing so openly. Being seen would make him lose face. Secretly sucking up just wasn't aggressive enough.

"We should have brought some tents too," a member said regretfully, watching Lin Fan and the others in their comfortable shelter. Using the earth as a bed and the sky as a blanket was indeed quite romantic, but the buzzing mosquitoes were incredibly annoying.

Master Yongxin declared, "We're here to investigate the secrets of Mount Tai, not for a vacation. If you can't endure this small hardship, your cultivation is still lacking."

"Master Yongxin is right."

"Master Yongxin speaks the truth."

They agreed verbally, but inwardly, they grumbled. They wondered who was the one eagerly trying to cozy up to Lin Fan for a hotpot dinner, only to be ruthlessly rejected.

And now he was lecturing them.

A muffled roar echoed from the distance.

It was unclear whether it belonged to a beast or an evil creature.

At this moment, the atmosphere felt oppressive.

"Be careful. There are likely evil creatures lurking around. Stay alert tonight. We'll venture a bit deeper tomorrow morning," Master Yongxin instructed.

He was the strongest person present, besides Lin Fan.

The stark contrast between Lin Fan's comfortable tent and their own exposed situation amplified the difference in their living conditions, adding to their stress.

In the darkness…

Rustle!

Something seemed to be moving. A pair of green eyes flashed.

An Evil Direwolf lay low, its gaze fixed on the humans ahead.

It was a rather tragic evil creature.

At its age, it was in its prime for mating. It had a childhood sweetheart, a female wolf named Xiaohua, with whom it had grown up. They often spent time together, fantasizing about a beautiful future.

But reality was cruel.

Xiaohua's father, the pack leader, had scolded it, saying, "A lowly Evil Direwolf like you is not worthy of my daughter. She is meant for a strong individual." Then, it encountered its lifelong rival, another Evil Direwolf named Aqiang.

Since they were young, Aqiang had harbored improper thoughts about Xiaohua. But because of its protection, Aqiang had never succeeded.

Just now…

It had clashed fiercely with Aqiang, tearing at each other.

Xiaohua had howled from the sidelines, "Stop fighting! I'll be heartbroken if you get hurt! Stop, both of you!"

Driven by its love for Xiaohua, it hadn't continued the fight.

After all, it knew it would eventually lose. It had only managed to hold its own against Aqiang because the power of love had allowed it to unleash its greatest strength.

Now, while nursing its wounds in the wilderness…

It had discovered a group of humans.

Its eyes gleamed with intense desire.

"If I tell Xiaohua's father about these humans, he will surely approve." The lovesick Evil Direwolf seemed to have found a way to win Xiaohua's hand.

It melted into the darkness.

Its agile limbs carried it swiftly through the mountains, everything suddenly seeming brighter.

Back at the camp…

"I just smelled the scent of an evil creature, but it quickly disappeared," Master Yongxin said, frowning.

In this environment, he dared not be careless.

They had reached the vicinity of the evil creatures' lair.

The slightest carelessness could lead to a gruesome death.

Even with his strength, this held true.

Master Yongxin had already touched the threshold of the Heavenly King level, half a step away from fully stepping in. His blood Qi, essence, and spirit had all reached their peak. Perhaps a life-or-death battle would be the final push he needed.

"Master Yongxin, the occasional appearance of an evil creature is quite normal. If we don't provoke them, they are unlikely to actively seek us out."

Master Yongxin nodded in agreement. "That makes sense."

Then, Master Yongxin sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and chanted Buddhist scriptures. Images of beautiful and alluring figures flashed through his mind. My Buddha is merciful. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Understanding the structure of their bodies is the key to escaping the sea of desire.

A chorus of roars echoed through the forest.

"Brothers and sisters, the humans are just ahead!"

"Charge! Devour them!"

The Evil Direwolf, having returned with the news, was brimming with pride. His father-in-law's gaze was filled with approval, something he had never experienced before. He felt like he had finally earned his respect.

Aqiang?

That fool was no match for him. The gap between them was like a chasm. Xiaohua would always be his, and no one could take her away.

A strong evil aura emanated from the distance.

Looking up, they could see the evil auras merging, forming the illusory image of a giant Evil Direwolf.

"Not good! Evil creatures are coming! They seem to be Evil Direwolves," Master Yongxin said, his expression grave. He instantly became vigilant.

He had thought the night would pass peacefully.

But now, it seemed danger lurked everywhere.

"Evil Direwolves are pack creatures. Even small packs usually number in the dozens. I wonder how many there are this time."

"Technical personnel, move to the back!"

The powerless technical personnel, having no experience battling evil creatures, obediently hid behind the stronger individuals. Looking at their broad backs, they felt a slight sense of relief.

Soon, numerous green eyes appeared in the distance.

Glimmering…

Filled with ferocity.

"This number is a bit troublesome," Master Yongxin frowned.

He had anticipated a few dozen at most, but judging by the current situation, there were likely hundreds, and their strength was considerable. If they were entangled, he might not be able to protect everyone.

The four technical personnel couldn't be allowed to die.

"Get into the tent with Lin Fan," Master Yongxin ordered.

"Okay."

They didn't hesitate, immediately rushing into the tent.

Little Bao's bodyguards gulped, gripping their weapons as they stood with Master Yongxin and the others. Since arriving, they had been apprehensive, knowing an encounter with evil creatures was inevitable.

But…

Attacking in the middle of the night seemed a bit excessive.

Would their bullets even be effective against evil creatures?

A large number of Evil Direwolves emerged from the darkness, growling and emitting low, muffled sounds. Their sharp claws dug into the ground. Seeing the humans, some of the Evil Direwolves couldn't help but drool.

They loved to eat humans.

But circumstances rarely allowed them to indulge.

"Fortunately, most are level one and two. Ordinary bullets should pose a threat," Master Yongxin said.

The bodyguards breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they had a fighting chance.

They had feared their weapons would be useless against the evil creatures.

As Little Bao's bodyguards, they were professionally trained and possessed exceptional professionalism. They would never flee in the face of danger.

They weren't even afraid of death.

Because if they were to die, their families would receive an astronomical sum as compensation. This was the benefit provided by Little Bao's father, allowing them to perform their duties with peace of mind.

Moreover, in such dangerous situations, fleeing in panic would make them easier targets. It would also be a disgrace to the bodyguard profession. Staying united offered a chance of survival. As long as they understood this, they qualified as true bodyguards.

Inside the tent…

The Evil Chicken was anxious.

"Damn it, you foolish brethren! I released my aura to warn you about the humans, to tell you to be careful, not to invite you to cause trouble!"

"I admit you're strong, but do you fools realize there's a human here who's practically inhuman?"

The Evil Chicken cried out internally.

It was truly worried.

It didn't want to see its brethren die in vain.

After a moment of contemplation…

The Evil Chicken decided to take an action that would become the pride of its life.

For the sake of its brethren, it had to risk its own safety.

Cluck!

The Evil Chicken roared angrily.

"Don't be impulsive!"

It stepped out of the tent with heavy chicken steps. Seeing the dense mass of Evil Direwolves outside, its expression remained unchanged, but its chicken eyes radiated a serious gaze.

It had to stop their foolish actions.

As an Evil Hero, it had a responsibility to do so.

The Evil Direwolves were surprised to see an Evil Chicken emerge from the human side. More than surprise, they were shocked.s killed evil creatures on sight.

And evil creatures did the same to humans.

What was happening now?

"Cluck… (Do you know who I am?)" The Evil Chicken raised its head with a certain arrogance. Its deep chicken eyes stared directly at them. It couldn't lose in terms of气势 (qìshì - imposing manner, momentum). It had to subdue this pack of Evil Direwolves.

"Awoo! (Why are you with the humans?)" A strong Evil Direwolf roared.

It was Xiaohua's father, the leader of the pack, a level seven Evil Direwolf, representing the pinnacle of their kind.

The Evil Chicken frowned, displeased. The other's tone was like an interrogation. Was it questioning it, an Evil Hero?

"Insolent!" the Evil Chicken squawked. "I am an Evil Hero, an undercover agent embedded among the humans, leading humanity to…呸 (pei - spit), leading evil creatures to victory!"

"I order you to leave this place immediately! There is a human here who is beyond your capabilities. Summon stronger evil creatures, otherwise you are simply throwing your lives away."

The Evil Chicken was telling them the truth.

But if they didn't believe it…

There was nothing it could do.

It had always worried about the intelligence of its brethren. Even if they were stupid, they couldn't be stupider than humans, right? Look at the humans, they knew to dispatch a powerful expert to ensure safety. Were they truly so foolish?

The Evil Direwolf leader was taken aback by the Evil Chicken's words.

Its imposing manner truly seemed heroic.

Was it not joking?

"Master Yongxin, what's going on with that Evil Chicken? Is it communicating with those Evil Direwolves?" a member asked.

They had long known that Lin Fan's pet was an evil creature.

Everyone in the special department knew.

And after the previous incident of evil creatures appearing in the city, the special department had encountered several cases of peaceful coexistence between humans and evil creatures.

The special department had held a special meeting to discuss the situation of evil creatures in Yanhai City.

A new policy was implemented: if evil creatures truly coexisted peacefully with humans, the special department would issue them a certificate, but they would be required to report to the special department every week.

Of course…

Such evil creatures were still a minority.

Master Yongxin calmly replied, "Yes, that evil creature is talking with the Evil Direwolves."

He was very curious.

He wondered what they were discussing.

The subject of the evil creature language had indeed been considered for research, but unfortunately, it proved quite difficult. The calls of different evil creatures varied, yet they could understand each other, while humans couldn't.

The Evil Chicken's call was cluck…

The Evil Direwolf's call was awoo…

It was hard to comprehend.

Just then…

The ground bulged, the soil cracked, and an Evil Groundhog emerged.

"It's an evil traitor!" The Evil Groundhog had a vast family network. Even though several groundhogs had died, their spirit of spreading information had never diminished.

The Evil Direwolves glared fiercely at the Evil Chicken.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" the Evil Chicken roared. It couldn't tolerate being falsely accused. It had risked its own safety to infiltrate the humans, all for the betterment of evil creatures.

Some of its brethren misunderstood it.

It knew it was just a misunderstanding, and misunderstandings would eventually dissipate.

But now, with the Evil Groundhog appearing here and claiming it was a traitor, it couldn't tolerate it.

The Evil Groundhog shrieked, "I'm just telling you, it often lures its brethren to the humans, and they all end up annihilated! You'd better run, or you'll be in trouble."

"I'm leaving now. Remember this traitor, and don't let any other brothers fall victim to its treachery."

"I'm going to spread the word about its despicable acts."

At this moment, the Evil Groundhog seemed possessed by a savior, holding its head high with a domineering expression, not showing the slightest fear.

"I'm out."

Then it ducked its head underground and scurried away.

Talking tough…

Running even tougher.

It was the Evil Groundhog that exposed the truth. Fighting was never its forte.

Now…

The atmosphere was tense.

The Evil Chicken and the Evil Direwolves stared at each other heavily.

The Evil Chicken said gravely, "I am not a traitor."

The Evil Direwolves: "Traitor."

Damn it!

Being misunderstood felt terrible.

It felt inexplicably wronged.

The Evil Direwolf leader raised its head and howled.

"Retreat!"

They came quickly, and they left just as quickly.

The evil spectral wolves turned and fled frantically. The evil groundhog's words were serious; they hadn't realized they'd almost been tricked by a traitor.

When the lead spectral wolf looked back, it saw the traitor being praised by the humans. "Damn it, he really is a traitor! Sucking up to the humans, has he even forgotten who he is?"

This was the situation they hated most.

Master Yongxin looked kindly at the evil rooster, placing his palms together. "Benefactor Rooster, it is truly commendable that you have realized your mistake and returned to the right path. If it weren't for you, Benefactor Rooster, a bloody battle would have been unavoidable."

The evil rooster stared blankly at the old bald head. "Mian ni ma mai pi." (A Hokkien/Min Nan vulgarity, approximately equivalent to "Fuck your mother's cunt.")

However, his crowing sounded like gibberish to Master Yongxin.

Master Yongxin smiled. "Benefactor Rooster, you are too modest."

Evil Rooster: "?"

I'm fucking cursing you, and you say I'm modest? Modest my ass!

The surrounding people breathed a sigh of relief.

"The pet that Lin Fan raised is truly amazing. Even the spectral wolves retreated. Perhaps our journey this time will be smooth sailing."

"Indeed."

"Although those spectral wolves are nothing to worry about, a fierce battle would have been inevitable, and we wouldn't have been able to rest well tonight."

Listening to these guys, the evil rooster could only scoff internally.

Interesting. I'm a traitor? Who am I doing all this for?

Living such a humble life, laying five eggs a day and having to secretly eat one myself, is this something an evil creature should do? I came out to warn my compatriots that this place is dangerous, that they should leave quickly.

But I didn't expect…

Good intentions met with donkey livers and lungs.

The evil rooster, who had been undercover among humans, felt his heart waver. He felt an unspeakable sense of frustration. He felt that he wasn't cut out to be an undercover agent; it was truly too difficult.

None of his compatriots could understand him.

But the wavering only lasted a moment. The evil rooster's heart steadied again.

How can an undercover agent give up like this? So what if there's a misunderstanding? I, the evil rooster, as an evil hero, can bear the weight of a glorious crown and also endure the misunderstandings I suffer.

One day, they will understand.

May 7th!

Morning.

Dew made the surroundings damp.

The morning air was clean. A deep breath brought a sense of moisture.

Cluck!

The evil rooster dutifully laid five eggs.

No other meaning.

Just honestly living, doing what he did every day.

"Ah! What fresh air!"

Lin Fan stretched his arms, taking a deep breath, feeling nature. Everything became so beautiful. The energy particles diffused in the air were attracted, slowly merging into his body.

Cultivating every moment.

Peace of mind and closeness to nature.

Master Yongxin looked at Lin Fan in surprise.

Just now, he had seen a light behind Lin Fan.

Master Yongxin wasn't boasting. He truly was a learned master, specializing in various Buddhist scriptures. But when his Dharma Eye, honed through study, became tired, he would read some…special books to stimulate the acupoints around his eyes and promote blood circulation, achieving a state of eye care.

If he hadn't seen wrongly, that was the light of nature.

He rubbed his eyes.

The light disappeared.

Perhaps he had seen wrongly.

The chefs brought by Xiaobao were busy, taking out chilled ingredients and starting to prepare various delicacies.

Master Yongxin and the others ate with the bodyguards, having some soy milk porridge to nourish themselves.

While eating, they watched the three outrageously wealthy individuals enjoying various delicacies. Their throats bobbed, and the soy milk porridge in front of them suddenly didn't seem so appealing anymore.

It was frustrating to think about.

They were risking their lives on a mission, yet it felt like they were on vacation.

After the meal, they packed up their things.

"Let's go."

The group marched mightily towards Mount Tai. The surrounding trees were tall. In the past, before the evil creatures appeared, this place was a tourist destination, heavily damaged.

After the evil creatures appeared, everything returned to tranquility.

The surrounding trees grew vigorously, deserving the title of ancient trees.

Lin Fan, along with Lao Zhang and Xiaobao, walked and chatted, pointing and discussing the surrounding plants with smiles. Xiaobao felt that the trip was worthwhile, seeing many strange and wonderful things, his mood particularly pleasant.

If it weren't for Lin Fan, he would never have come here in his lifetime.

Gradually, many steles and stone carvings appeared, each with a long history, left behind from ancient times. After all, this place was once where emperors performed sacrifices, with the tradition of the Feng and Shan ceremonies.

A technician said, "According to ancient books, legends say that in the mythical era, there was the Eastern Peak Great Emperor, who controlled the eighteen levels of hell. Do you think the collapse of Mount Tai opened the gates of hell?"

Someone retorted, "That's just mythology. How can you believe it? We should believe in science. According to research, the genes of evil creatures can be traced. They're not ghosts or anything like that."

"Haha, you're right. I believe you."

"Yes, that's right. We must believe in science."

As they chatted casually, a technician hugged himself, shivering. "Did you guys just feel a chill?"

"Did you?"

"I don't think so."

"I didn't feel any chill."

The technician who had just mentioned the chill sucked in a breath, feeling something was wrong. "No, I really feel something's off. It's so cold."

Everyone saw his lips turn white and his brow furrow. It seemed that something really might be amiss.

"The Yin Qi is very heavy," Master Yongxin said gravely.

He hadn't noticed it just now, but at this moment, he realized that something was indeed wrong.

"Hey! Why are you clinging to him?" Lin Fan asked.

Silence.

Instant silence.

Everyone who had been puzzled just a moment ago heard Lin Fan's words and looked stunned, as if they had seen a ghost.

"What... what's he talking about?"

They stood there, staring at Lin Fan.

They were truly frightened.

As far as they were concerned, it was fine to talk normally, but suddenly saying these things was truly frightening.

If someone were faint of heart, they could be scared to death.

Lin Fan walked up to the technician, his gaze not on him, but on his shoulder. "Go on, now. It's uncomfortable for you to be clinging to him."

Master Yongxin asked, "Who are you talking to?"

Lin Fan replied, "The man clinging to his shoulder."

Then, he reached out and patted the technician's arm. "Oh, he's gone."

The surrounding people looked as if they had seen a ghost.

Lin Fan's current behavior was truly frightening.

Supernatural!

Ghosts!

No way, that was too scary.

"It doesn't seem cold anymore," the technician said in surprise.

The cold feeling had vanished.

Lin Fan smiled. "The one clinging to your shoulder seemed like he had just taken a shower, all wet. But he just left. I don't know where he went."

The words he was saying now had a significant impact on them.

Master Yongxin's expression was extremely grave. If it were anyone else speaking, he might have taken it as a joke, but the feeling Lin Fan gave him was strange. He didn't seem like someone who liked to talk nonsense.

Invisible people?

Ghosts?

Or was it true, as someone had said earlier, that Mount Tai was connected to hell, causing this situation?

"According to the latest readings, the magnetic field here is much higher than where we were before," a technician said.

Master Yongxin said, "Report the situation just now to the department. This is something that has never happened before."

"Master, perhaps it was an illusion?"

"This is Mount Tai. Anything is possible. And I believe what he said. Report it back. There might be new species appearing."

Master Yongxin couldn't see, but he could feel the eerie sensation, which was why he took it so seriously. Whether it was true or false, reporting it back wouldn't hurt.

"Lin Fan, if you see anything else later, tell me where they are, what they look like, or anything unusual about them."

He wanted to know these details.

Lin Fan replied, "Okay."

Master Yongxin waved his hand, and they continued on their way.

Although they had reached the Mount Tai area, they were still relatively on the outskirts, not yet in the inner part of Mount Tai. As for the collapsed area, they couldn't go there casually.

Getting close would be incredibly dangerous.

"Wow! Lin Fan, look at that flower, it's so beautiful." Xiaobao ran to a flower growing there. The pink flower was shyly blooming, very beautiful, and emitted a fragrance.

The department members looked, but didn't pay much attention to the flower.

Lin Fan said, "Yes, it's really beautiful."

The evil rooster saw the flower and instantly understood what it was.

Highly poisonous.

"Good boy, if you dare touch that flower, you're finished," the evil rooster thought to himself.

Will I, the great evil hero, get my first kill here?

Just as Xiaobao was about to pick the flower, the evil rooster stomped on it, crushing it.

"Hen! How could you do that?" Xiaobao said angrily.

The evil rooster flapped its wings, appearing indifferent. Forget it, I'll save your life, just because you've been relatively respectful to this evil hero.

The target of this evil hero is only this foolish and cruel human.

The rest are small fry.

Not worth mentioning.

He found a reason to comfort himself.

"Don't move." Master Yongxin saw the crushed flower, pondered for a moment, and then recalled, "If I'm not mistaken, that's a highly poisonous flower. Because it grows in the territory of evil creatures, it's tainted with strange auras. If Xiaobao had touched it, he would have been poisoned. This evil creature saved your life."

Xiaobao, who had been angry just a moment ago, was stunned upon hearing Master Yongxin's words. Then, he said gratefully, "Hen, I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. Thank you for saving my life. When I get back, I'll build you a super luxurious coop."

The evil rooster looked at Xiaobao.

He held his head high proudly.

Don't look at me with such adoring eyes; just know how awesome your Chicken Grandpa is.

Lin Fan smiled. "I knew Hen was amazing."

"Hen, you're the best," Lao Zhang praised.

The evil rooster clucked, meaning nothing more than to tell everyone, I, the evil rooster, am not just a name. Of course, if it were any of you who had tried to touch that flower, then sorry, you would have been tragic.

"Everyone, don't touch anything you see. This place is full of dangers," Master Yongxin warned, then asked the technicians, "Where do we need to go to finish the detection?"

The technician replied, "We can't tell yet. We need to go deeper, preferably closer to the collapsed area."

"That's quite difficult," Master Yongxin said helplessly.

Rustle!

At this moment, there were subtle movements from the surroundings.

Even though the sounds were faint, they didn't escape their ears.

"Master Yongxin, it seems our tracks have been noticed by the evil creatures. But according to the current situation, why haven't they attacked?"

"Hmm... I don't know, but pay close attention to the surroundings."

As far as Master Yongxin was concerned, he had no other choice but to take things one step at a time based on the current situation.

Gradually, some skeletal remains began to appear around them.

Xiaobao fearfully huddled beside Lin Fan, and Lao Zhang was also a little scared.

"Amitabha." Master Yongxin pressed his palms together, chanting towards the remains. "These remains aren't modern. They should be from ancient officials and nobles buried here, thrown out by the evil creatures."

"I don't like the smell around here," Lin Fan said.

Master Yongxin asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Lin Fan replied, "I don't like it. The smell is unpleasant. There are bad things moving around, much worse than the air outside."

Master Yongxin didn't say much, but he deeply engraved Lin Fan's words in his heart.

For him, if it weren't for Lin Fan's presence, he would probably be leading everyone to leave this place immediately. It was too dangerous. He had underestimated Mount Tai. A place that could spew out so many evil creatures couldn't be simple. Even a Heavenly King level expert wouldn't dare to say they could remain safe and sound here.

"Why are you all staying so close to us?" Lao Zhang asked curiously.

Master Yongxin replied, "Safety first."

The four technicians were practically clinging to Lin Fan. They were defenseless and could only find a sense of security near him.

Lin Fan scratched his head. "You don't have to stay so close. If there's danger, I'll save you. I've been training, and I'm quite confident in my strength."

And at this moment, Lin Fan stopped.

The moment he stopped, everyone else stopped abruptly and looked around vigilantly, thinking danger had arrived.

"What's wrong?" Master Yongxin asked.

Lin Fan looked down. "My shoelace is untied."

Everyone: "..."