【Texture】(171, 172)

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-23

Author: Wandering Traveler, first

published on sis on December 22, 2016.

Chapter 171:

Wang Lie led the way, Xiao Suyan brought up the rear. Yuan Fangfang walked beside me, rambling on about the crucial information we
urgently needed regarding the Daye gang…

“…Until a month ago, Daye Rinpoche finally decided to hire and organize people to cooperate with Liu Huiru
in searching for the Nine Cauldrons! The specific reason should be related to certain changes in the political climate at the top. It seems that
a certain Central Committee member surnamed Li in the Politburo raised
concerns about the religious beliefs of some party cadres at a meeting last month, and suggested increasing the crackdown on cult organizations. He wasn't a Standing Committee member, but his speech
attracted the attention of the Standing Committee. Some officials who had close ties with Daye
reported this situation to Daye through various channels, and also terminated their dealings with the organization. Because of this, Daye finally accepted
Liu Huiru 's commission and brought her here with me and my subordinates.”

“Why? Could the changes in the central political climate be related to her search for the Nine Cauldrons?” I
asked, glancing at Wang Lie. Although Wang Lie was positioned slightly in front of me, he noticed my gaze and nodded
back at me. From his action, I confirmed my suspicion:
the Committee Member Li who spoke at the meeting must be Lu Zhaohui's husband and Boss Li's father. After meeting with Wang Lie
and his group, Lu Zhaohui clearly expressed her support for their actions. It seems her speech at the meeting stemmed from this.

"How can it not be related? Don't you know how ambitious that woman is! Do you know what her
ultimate goal is? She wants to establish a so-called Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, a Buddhist kingdom on land! You know,
there are only over 80 million Party members in this country, but hundreds of millions of Buddhist believers... She insists that her dream
is just around the corner ! Over the years, she has gathered many followers and amassed wealth, all for this purpose. And in my opinion,
she has been very successful! Over the years, many high-ranking officials and grassroots Party cadres have bowed down at her feet and become her
followers. Given time, her scheme might actually come true one day!" Yuan Fangfang's tone was somewhat flippant,
but even so, one could sense her personal admiration for Daye Rinpoche. "However, now that the central government
is starting to pay attention to the personal beliefs of party cadres,
it will become increasingly difficult for her to subtly undermine the regime and infiltrate her own power as before. That's why she's set
her sights . It's said that the Nine Tripods are the national treasures of the entire Chinese nation, capable of influencing
the overall fortune and direction of the country and its people to a certain extent."

"...Pfft."

Xiao Suyan, walking at the back, couldn't help but laugh. Shaking his head, he muttered, "
Wishful thinking ! There are many Buddhists in this country, but they belong to different sects and denominations.
Compared to a well-organized, regular political party, it's just a disorganized mess. This woman can't even tell the difference? Looks like her intelligence is limited
..."

"That's not necessarily true! Underestimating her will only hurt you in the end! Do you think she's
unaware ? For the past two years, she's been secretly contacting various sects and religious groups, aiming to achieve
unification and integration. Let me tell you frankly, aside from a few bookish sects
like schools, many other sects and temples have established connections with her to varying degrees. And her allies
aren't just domestic. There are even more overseas ones, like that person stationed in India, who thinks highly of her... This time,
she was able to hire those Gurkha mercenaries because someone from that group helped her make the connections..."

Wang Lie nodded expressionlessly and said, "I see. Now we understand the specific reason why
this Daye Rinpoche came here! What about Ms. Liu Huiru? What is she
involved in this matter? And from what you just said, she was the one who contacted Daye Rinpoche first!
Does she also have ambitions to establish some kind of land-based Buddhist kingdom? How much do you know about this?"

"Liu Huiru? I don't know why she's searching for Jiuding either. From my interactions with her and her
subordinates , plus my personal analysis, I've pieced together some clues, but
I'm not sure if that's the real reason." Yuan Fangfang became cautious when talking about Liu Huiru.

"Just your personal analysis? Hmm, tell me about it." I'm a former journalist myself,
and I know the profession and people who work in journalism very well. In my impression, any
qualified journalist must possess clear logical analysis and judgment abilities. Their understanding and opinions on things may not be
correct, but they are often exceptionally insightful.

"In my opinion, she's very likely just a puppet! Someone
is manipulating . And the person manipulating her is after her relationship with the Sun family father and son, her influence in the Baihui Group,
and of course, her money! To put it bluntly, she's just a puppet being used!"

Hearing Yuan Fangfang's eloquent speech, Wang Lie turned around and glanced at her, exchanging
a look .

This woman was a member of Daye's gang. Even if she claimed to be an undercover agent,
the fact remained that she had participated in all of Daye's gang's previous operations. Therefore, the three of us didn't trust her at all! Even her
confession she was best friends with my third girlfriend, Qin Yuan, didn't change that fact. After all,
although Qin Yuan had mentioned Yuan Fangfang's name to me before, I had never actually met Yuan Fangfang.
We didn't know her, we didn't understand her, we were completely unaware of her… Her appearance now seemed to spring from a crack in the rock; how could
the three of easily believe the words of such an unknown person!

But after she shared her opinion about Liu Huiru, Wang Lie and I finally
began . Because
our speculation about Liu Huiru's role in the whole affair was close to her opinion. Her statement confirmed some of our previous speculations: Liu Huiru
was likely acting under Ruizong's instructions and instigation. And because of
this finally gained our limited trust.

"...She's a puppet, so who's manipulating her from behind?" I controlled my tone, not
intending to let Yuan Fangfang notice the true changes in my emotions.

"I don't know! That woman has been disappearing frequently these past few days, sometimes for half an hour, sometimes for an hour.
Even the mercenaries protecting her don't know where she goes or what she does. I think she's
doing this to secretly meet with the person controlling her and receive instructions." At this point, Yuan Fangfang's
tone changed, giving off a gossipy vibe. "Although I don't know
the exact identity or background of the person controlling her, I suspect it's very likely her current lover... because every time she
disappears and reappears, she's radiant and full of energy! Just like she's just finished a date with a man
... Please, don't look at me like that, okay? You men don't understand these things. I'm a woman, so I can
appreciate the subtleties."

Yuan Fangfang seemed quite excited at this point, continuing her rambling without us even asking questions. It seems
her previous actions weren't just an act; at least in my opinion, she might actually be a chatterbox
...

"The manipulator behind Liu Huiru is obviously after the Nine Cauldrons! But what exactly do they want the Nine Cauldrons for? I
don't know, but it should be different from what Daye wants. And I think, compared to the Nine Cauldrons, Liu Huiru seems to
care about something else! By the way, do you believe in the existence of gods? Tch, look at the question I
asked, the answer should be yes, because there should be a living god in your team right now
..."

Wang Lie frowned, surprised by what Yuan Fangfang said. Yuan Fangfang noticed
the subtle changes in our expressions and revealed a smug smile.

"Hehe, it seems this news is indeed true! You have indeed received divine guidance and favor. Can you
tell me the specifics of which god? You know, that's a god! I've always dreamed of knowing
what gods in reality are like!"

"Hehe... Miss Yuan, don't you think what you're saying is a bit absurd? What god?
We really don't know what you're talking about. Where did you hear that there are any living gods in this world? And
what you think this living god would be with us?" Wang Lie and Xiao Suyan remained silent,
while I skillfully denied it while trying to extract more information from her.

"I know you don't trust me, but there's no need for this pretentious denial. Okay... Anyway, I
've already escaped from there and am on the same boat as you, so I'll take the initiative."

This woman seemed to understand the reason for our lukewarm attitude, and immediately launched into
another bombshell revelations.

"Yesterday, that rich second-generation from Baihui Group named Sun Cong was caught! Daye personally questioned him.
Don't let his status as a playboy fool you; he's got some backbone. He wouldn't budge an inch. But no matter how tough he is, Daye has
a way to get the information he wants out of him. So, I gathered more than twenty disciples, including myself, to set up a magic
array and use the Mind-Questioning Technique on him! The information we got out even surprised Daye!"

"Do you know what Sun Cong said? He said that his father's search for the Nine Cauldrons all these years was actually on someone's behalf
... and the person who commissioned his father to find the Nine Cauldrons was actually a living god hiding among the people!"
Yuan Fangfang in an extremely exaggerated tone, but seeing that the three of us didn't show the kind of surprised
expression she expected, her previously inflated ego seemed to have taken a hit.

"A living god... Are you three blockheads? Sure enough, you must have already encountered that living god
, otherwise why would you be so calm? Having encountered him, it's not surprising... Okay, I'll continue.
You not surprised, but almost everyone present, including Daye, was shocked!"

"According to Sun Cong, his father, Sun Chengzhang, had been researching the whereabouts of the Nine Cauldrons for a long time
. But it was basically just a hobby... Clues and information were extremely scarce. Sun Chengzhang
never had any hope of finding the Nine Cauldrons. However, a few years ago
, at the invitation of several fellow amateur archaeologists, he went to Hunan to investigate the ruins of an ancient temple located deep in the mountains, and made an unexpected and astonishing
discovery. That is, he actually found a clue to the whereabouts of a suspected deity there. Through the archaeological excavation of that ancient
temple , he confirmed that the small temple ruins, which the locals called 'Niangniang Temple,' were once a
temple and shrine of a living god that actually existed in history." Moreover, this living deity has
appeared multiple times throughout history spanning over a thousand years, leaving clear records of her actions in local chronicles and other ancient texts.
Sun Chengzhang was naturally very interested, and for a time, he focused his research
on this so-called goddess of youth who supposedly could grant eternal youth and vitality…”

“It should be ‘goddess,’ right… ‘goddess,’ in ancient times, that was the term for a sorceress who sold her body!” Xiao
Suyan suddenly corrected him from the side.

“…I don’t know much about that, but that’s the gist of it!” Yuan Fangfang, though not
intending to change her wording, took the opportunity to give Xiao Suyan a sweet smile and wink
. Xiao Suyan trembled slightly and immediately shut his mouth, seemingly regretting his actions.

Yuan Fangfang, on the other hand, became excited again, as if she had gained an advantage.

"...Just as Sun Chengzhang confirmed that this Goddess of Youth should still exist in the world and decided to investigate her whereabouts
, this Goddess of Youth actually appeared on her own initiative and established direct contact with Sun Chengzhang through some channel!
Sun Cong said that during her communication with Sun Chengzhang, this goddess acknowledged her divine power and the fact that
she had lived in this world for over a thousand years. She also requested a deal with Sun Chengzhang!"

"A deal?" Wang Lie finally spoke up at this moment, exchanging glances
with . The three of us had already obtained
information about the existence of the Goddess of Youth from Guan Yueran. But it was clear that Guan Yueran's information was incomplete and incomplete. Because she hadn't
mentioned Sun Chengzhang had any direct contact with this Goddess of Youth, let alone
any deal between Sun Chengzhang and the goddess. The specific reason was probably not that she deliberately concealed it; it was very likely that
she and Sun Ming didn't know about this situation either. After all, at the time, they were facing a siege by armed men, and Sun Cong didn't have time
to tell them more specific details.

"Yes, a deal that Sun Chengzhang couldn't refuse!" Yuan Fangfang said with a hint of smugness, feeling that she had finally drawn all three of our
attention to herself. "...The specifics of the deal
were that the Goddess of Youth would provide Sun Chengzhang with various clues, intelligence, and information related to the Nine Cauldrons.
Sun Chengzhang would then organize a search party to find the Nine Cauldrons. Afterward, the goddess would use her divine power to restore
Sun Chengzhang's youthful vitality! However, according to Sun Cong, Sun Chengzhang didn't seem
to care much about restoring his youth. What he truly cared about was the whereabouts of the Nine Cauldrons; after all, finding them was his lifelong dream. Now,
a living god who had survived for a thousand years and possessed immense divine power was willing to provide clues and information, and
help . How could he possibly refuse such a deal? Therefore, Sun Chengzhang quickly
reached an agreement with the Goddess of Youth. After receiving the information and clues from the goddess, he immediately devoted himself to
the search for the Nine Cauldrons. In other words, Sun Chengzhang's search for the Nine Cauldrons was essentially working for
the Goddess of Youth! Sun Cong himself also said that the reason he was so concerned about Sun Chengzhang's..." Even after the disappearance, they still insisted on leading people deeper into
this place to search for Sun Chengzhang's whereabouts, the fundamental reason being to fulfill the promise they made to this goddess!
Of course, Sun Cong's reasons for insisting on fulfilling the deal with the goddess were different from his father's... I remember Sun Cong
muttering in a daze that he had fallen madly in love with a woman, but he couldn't win her
heart no matter what. He was determined to obtain the Nine Cauldrons and use them to exchange for a chance to stay young forever from the goddess,
hoping to win over his beloved woman in this way... I don't know which woman was so powerful that she could
bewitch a rich second-generation like Sun Cong! But it shouldn't be his fiancée Chen Xiaowei... Sun
Cong is already engaged to her, why is he so persistent? Besides, I don't know anything about Chen Xiaowei's situation. Everyone in our organization knows about her affair with
that Ma Peijing from the propaganda department..."

Yuan Fangfang explained from the side, while expressing her analysis and opinions without any reservations. Wang Lie and
Xiao Suyan listened very attentively. But in my heart, a tidal wave of emotions surged...

"...How...how is this possible? Could it be...that 'Goddess of Youth' who made the deal with Sun Chengzhang
is Mom?"

I racked my brains, piecing together clues and recalling every detail of my interactions with my mother!

"...If that 'Goddess of Youth' is Mom, then everything can be
logically explained and connected! For example, at the expedition camp by the stream, Mom appeared, cremated, and
collected the remains of Sun Chengzhang and the other expedition members...that's because, including Sun Chengzhang, these unfortunate victims
were working for her. These people tragically died, their bodies lying in the wilderness; Mom went to handle their
funerals, presumably to fulfill basic human obligations and alleviate her conscience!"

"...The clues and information she provided to Sun Chengzhang were most likely
the ancient books and documents secretly preserved by my family ancestors, which she found at the old house in Qingyuan Town. After all, she said that the reason she became a daughter-in-law of our Yan family
was to obtain clues and information about various ancient treasures and secret realms collected by my great-grandfather. And those documents
eventually fell into her hands. She approached our Yan family, obtained those documents, and then Sun Chengzhang discovered her traces as
the Goddess . Knowing that Sun Chengzhang was also searching for the Nine Cauldrons, she simply went with the flow,
providing the obtained documents to Sun Chengzhang in a transaction, letting him take on the actual search
work . Meanwhile, she could free herself up to carry out her various plans
and schemes in the Phoenix Mountain prison and in Xia Yucheng!"

Thinking about it, my body couldn't help but tremble... For the first time, I felt an
indescribable fear of my mother! What kind of scheming and calculation was this? Previously, I felt more disgust, rejection
, or even hatred towards her. But
after , I felt a sense of emptiness, like floating in a cold, void. I felt that everything about me
was completely controlled by my mother… From a very early age, I had become a tool in her
plan . I once arrogantly thought I could fight against her, but in reality, I had no
ability to do so! Not only that, Wang Lie, Xiao Suyan, and probably even that Daye Rinpoche and others,
had long since fallen into my mother's scheme… Everyone was just a pawn in her game; everything was part of
her plan!

"Sun Cong sought out Jiuding to win over the woman he loves? That's quite unexpected
... What kind of woman can't a playboy like him get? Why would he need to fight so desperately? Hmm,
you never know. For example, Old Yan's wife is truly stunning! I, Xiao, consider myself to have cultivated for many years and am far removed from
matters , but this morning when I saw that woman, I was somewhat stunned! For Sun Cong to go to such
lengths, she must be a beauty of that caliber!" Xiao Suyan was completely oblivious to my current state
of mind . The information Yuan Fangfang was mentioning completely captivated him, to the point that he
unconsciously began a natural conversation with her.

Seeing that Xiao Suyan might change the subject, Wang Lie immediately intervened to stop him. "That's not
the key point, Miss Yuan. What I urgently want to know is what your Master Daye is up to now?
Since Sun Cong has already spoken, they must have obtained the exact whereabouts of the Nine Cauldrons. What are their
plans next?"

"...Daye's original goal was naturally the Nine Cauldrons. But after learning about the Goddess of
Youth , Daye seems to have slightly changed her original plan! If I'm not mistaken,
besides obtaining the Nine Cauldrons, she probably has another goal: to capture the Goddess of Youth.
As for Liu Huiru and the manipulator behind her, their primary target is probably the Goddess of Youth, and
the Nine Cauldrons are probably secondary. Because when we questioned Sun Cong yesterday, he said that Liu Huiru also
learned about the existence of the Goddess of Youth from her father, Sun Chengzhang. And so far, Liu Huiru has never mentioned this goddess in her
cooperation . This morning, when we passed through the mist at the valley entrance, Daye
subtly inquired about the goddess from Liu Huiru, but Liu Huiru denied it completely."
The two sides even had some unpleasantness because of this... However, after entering the canyon, Daye and Liu Huiru
unanimously decided to prioritize finding those of you who had escaped capture and then...

"Prioritize finding us? Not Jiuding? Why?" Wang Lie asked.

"Because Daye judged that this goddess of youth who commissioned Sun Chengzhang to find Jiuding is very likely hiding
among you fugitives!" Yuan Fangfang's expression and attitude finally became somewhat serious as she said this.
"As for why I make this judgment, it's simple... Since this goddess was willing to take the initiative to contact Sun Chengzhang
to find the Nine Cauldrons for her, she must be determined to obtain them. If she's been keeping a close eye on Sun Chengzhang's
progress in finding the Nine Cauldrons, she'll be aware of the current situation:
if she can't seize this opportunity to acquire the Nine Cauldrons, they're very likely to fall into the hands of Daye Rinpoche and others who have entered this secret realm.
Based on this judgment, Daye believes that the Goddess of Youth should be in this secret realm right now. Since this goddess
previously entrusted Sun Chengzhang to find the Nine Cauldrons, from a standpoint perspective, she'll most likely be secretly following
the Baihui Group team organized by Sun Cong. After all, Sun Cong is an insider of her deal with Sun Chengzhang, even if Sun Chengzhang..."
Even
has beenthough she's missing secretly scouting the group. When they passed through the fog, she directly ordered her mercenaries
and the lamas from her own temple to rape all the captured female prisoners from the Baihui Group. One reason was
to offer sacrifices to their ancestors to pass through the fog, and the other was to check if any of the female prisoners were actually the Goddess of Youth
in disguise. After all, if she were truly the goddess, how could she endure being raped by those lamas and mercenaries?
After all this, she confirmed that the Goddess of Youth could only be with you fugitives! That's why, after
entering , she decided to prioritize finding and capturing you escapees to find the Goddess of Youth…”

“…Thump!”

In a daze, I stumbled and fell to the ground. I don't know what
state of mind I'm in right now! Just a moment ago, I was still immersed in the fear of my mother's various schemes. But when I learned about Daye…
After Rinpoche and his men started planning to capture my mother, I inexplicably began to worry intensely about her situation
again …

Xiao Suyan reached out and pulled me up, asking with concern, “Old Yan, what’s wrong? Why are you sweating so much?
Are you feeling unwell?”

I concealed my true fear and waved my hand dismissively. “Nothing… I was
just a little distracted. Oh, right… Old Huang and the others seem to have left Shibao and started heading south!”

While concealing my true feelings, I inadvertently activated the Crimson Lotus Diagram in my mind. To my
surprise , the Crimson Lotus flames implanted in Zhang Lu, Song Kui, and the others were now showing
signs of moving south. I immediately used the excuse of informing Wang Lie and Xiao Suyan to
mask .

"Really? Hmm... This situation might not be a bad thing! We're being tracked by Daye,
but it ensures their actions behind us are relatively safe." Wang Lie nodded and said, "Since they've
set off, we'd better speed up now. Try to drag those tails along as fast and far
as possible. That way, they'll be safe."

After saying that, Wang Lie took big strides and increased his speed.

Because of my fall, Yuan Fangfang's "information report" temporarily came to an end.
And because of my fall, she naturally shifted her attention back to me...

After silently following us quickly for a while, Yuan Fangfang sighed and said leisurely
beside , "...If Yuanyuan hadn't broken up with you back then, maybe she wouldn't have encountered
the misfortune that followed!"

I remained silent at Yuan Fangfang's words, and to dispel the turmoil in my heart, I took out a
cigarette and lit it with my fingers. Yuan Fangfang observed my actions from the side, a dissatisfied
expression on her face. "Hey, I'm talking to you! Didn't you hear me?"

"What does it matter to me whether she's happy or unhappy? You said it yourself, we broke up three years ago
..." To clear my chaotic mind and thoughts, I forced myself to focus on
talking .

"...She was your girlfriend after all...you slept with her! As the saying goes, 'A night of
passion breeds a hundred nights of kindness,' I don't believe you've completely lost feelings for her just because you broke up with her." Yuan Fangfang's
expression softened when she saw that I had finally started talking to Qin Yuan about her.

"Hmph..." I chuckled dryly. "I'm a total scumbag! Prostitution, group sex, one-night stands
, rape—I do whatever's exciting... I've slept with countless women! If you're talking about 'a night of passion
brings a hundred days of kindness,' I'd probably spend all my life on that. Do you think I have that much
energy to care about every woman I've slept with?"

"Hehe... keep pretending... you're just being stubborn!"

An ordinary woman would probably be angry at my shameless and heartless words. But
Yuan Fangfang just chuckled and argued with me.

I exhaled a smoke ring and naturally shifted my thoughts to Qin Yuan's memories. These memories
only made me feel more depressed.

I now know very well that I'm a complete idiot when it comes to love and relationships! Because I
'm an idiot, Zhang Lu could easily treat me as a backup plan; Liao Xiaoqian could see me as a stepping stone and ATM to change her
life . But the behavior of these two ex-girlfriends isn't surprising to me. Because
their thoughts and behaviors were still within the realm of what normal people could understand. But the one who hurt me the most,
almost completely destroying my hopes for love, was my third girlfriend, Qin Yuan…

After ending my relationships with Zhang Lu and Liao Xiaoqian, I was able to adjust and recover, and continue to
seek new emotional support… But Qin Yuan dealt me a fatal blow! After breaking up with her, I
lost my confidence in love and never dared to actively pursue it again! And so, I drifted aimlessly for three years.
Living alone… until Zhou Jingyi, who was very likely a “spy” deliberately planted by my mother, appeared before me
…

The blow of breaking up with Qin Yuan was unimaginable!

But among my three ex-girlfriends, she was the one I could neither blame nor hate!

She never toyed with my feelings; on the contrary, she once seriously nurtured our “love”!
She didn’t care about my money or my professional status! Because she was a model,
quite famous in our area, her appearance fee for a single large commercial event was equivalent to several months, even a year or two, of my
income. She actually paid the lion’s share of the expenses during our relationship.

Just when I was certain I had finally found true love, she suddenly asked to break up with me
! The reason she gave for breaking up with me was far more devastating than anything Zhang Lu or Liao Xiaoqian had ever done
…

“…Yan Ping, I really don’t know how to tell you this! But I feel I can’t keep
deceiving you… So, let’s break up, okay?” Qin Yuan lowered her head, swirling the small spoon in her coffee cup.

“As for the reason… it’s a little hard to say… How should I put it! I used to think I could adapt,
could change … but in the end I realized I couldn’t change anymore!” Faced with my surprised expression, Qin Yuan slowly
raised her head, showing me a smile that was more like a grimace.

“…After so much time, I’ve finally realized that I like women!”

These words shattered my pride as a man, and destroyed my hopes for love and family…

“…Then why did you date me for so long?” I asked, using the last shred of my rationality
.

"...My parents kept pressuring me to find a boyfriend, and I didn't want them to be sad! I also thought that a
normal romantic relationship might change everything... But now I'm sure I've failed..."

I remember maintaining a smile throughout, wishing her to find the happiness she needed, before calmly
turning and leaving... Then I went to a brothel, emptied all the cash I had on me,
and hired all the girls I could afford! If we don't count
the absurdity of that time with Guan Xue and the other holy women in Xia Yucheng's underground cave, the experience of breaking up with Qin Yuan was basically the most insane indulgence of my life
!

That indulgence seemed to drain all my desire for women for the next two or three years, after which I
almost fell into a Puritan-like lifestyle!

Being used as a backup by Zhang Lu, I can accept it. She's a green tea bitch; manipulating men is her hobby
, and it seems many women have this hobby. Compared to her
husband, surnamed Liu, who's now wearing one green hat after another, I'm lucky. Besides, I slept with Zhang Lu quite a bit during our relationship,
and I don't feel like I lost out...

I can understand Liao Xiaoqian too... a woman from a poor background, single-mindedly wanting to change her
fate, even willing to use her emotions as a bargaining chip! Ultimately, it's because our expectations were
too different. If I were a wealthy man who could satisfy all her material desires, she
might not have gone so far as to try and steal my money and run away from home... Although she's definitely not my ideal type of spouse,
her behavior, in my opinion, is within the normal range!

Only Qin Yuan... in front of her, I truly experienced the despair of defeat... I utterly
failed ! Not because of men with better conditions than me, not because of economic conditions! It was because of gender
...

And I, this idiot, didn't even realize her true
sexual !

Is there anything more absurd and more damaging to a man's confidence and dignity than this
? I completely broke down... The group transferred me away from the news department, and I left... They asked me
to participate in the preparation for the establishment of a new magazine, and I went... After the editorial department was established, they asked me to stay in the editorial department, and I stayed
... Because I lost my self-confidence, I had decided to succumb to fate's arrangement, and I felt that this was how my life would be
...

As for Qin Yuan, I couldn't find any excuse or reason to blame her! She tried
to change her abnormal sexual orientation; she was sincere in her feelings for me; and when she
realized that her efforts were in vain, she confessed to me... But none of this was what she wanted to happen
...

I failed, and she was a failure too! My relationship with her was a nonsensical farce!
But the final outcome was devastating... I lost the meaning of life because of it. And she, after
breaking up never had any news of dating again. Instead, I heard that she had a complete falling out with her parents and later seemed to
have become a follower of Buddha.

My memories of Qin Yuan ended here. I squinted and looked up, rubbing my lips and stirring
the cigarette in my mouth.

"...So what if I'm being stubborn? At least I'm normal, both psychologically and physiologically.
Do you think I'd still be hung up on a lesbian?"

Hearing this, the woman, who thought she had the upper hand in the conversation, froze. It took
her squeeze out a sentence. "She really liked me. In other words, I'm the one
who directly caused your breakup. And I'm a normal woman; I still like men!"

I shook my head and scoffed, "So that's how it is. So you were my rival back then! But
don't you find it ridiculous to say this now?"

Yuan Fangfang lowered her head... And so, we, this
man fell into silence. I don't know how much time passed before she spoke again, asking me
a question.

"Do you know what happened to her after you broke up?"

"Ah...after all, you dated for a while, and you both have friends.
I've heard a little from a few friends! I heard she had a fight with her parents and moved out of her house in a fit of anger
. I also heard that she quit her job not long after leaving home. I don't
know , but it seems she did become a disciple of a high-ranking Buddhist monk to study Buddhism...hmm, could it be that she became a disciple of..."
"That high-ranking Buddhist monk was Daye. Rinpoche?" At this moment, I seemed to realize something.

"You're smart, you're right... the master she worshipped was Daye! And all of this was my fault
. If I had tried a different approach back then, or met with her and patiently communicated with her more, she probably
wouldn't have ..." Yuan Fangfang's voice began to tremble, perhaps due to the painful memories. She
paused for a moment, and only after she felt she had composed herself did she continue telling me her story.

"...After she confronted you, she called me! She told me on the phone that she and her current
boyfriend, who is you, had broken up. Then she directly confessed to me that she truly loved me! I initially
thought she was joking... You can imagine the situation: a
childhood friend of over ten years suddenly tells me she's a lesbian and that she truly loves me—
how would I react? I couldn't believe she was telling the truth... I even thought she was just heartbroken and making
fun ! So I rejected her immediately. Not only did I reject her, but I also deliberately pretended to tell her that I'm a normal
woman and that I like... " Cool, handsome guys, I like angular, beautiful men, I like being pinned down by strong men
… so I have absolutely no interest in having any lesbian relationship with her! I don't know
how much my words hurt her. I only remember that she didn't say another word for a very long time on the other end of the phone,
and then she hung up. Afterwards, I didn't think much of it… and then I heard about what you just said. Even after knowing
those things, I still didn't take it seriously. I thought that turning to religion to seek peace of mind after a breakup
was perfectly normal for ordinary people. I even thought it was a good thing for her to study Buddhism. Maybe it could help her get out of the pain of
heartbreak .”

"But not long after, she called me again, telling me that she had completely renounced worldly life and planned to
formally become a nun. I panicked when I heard this news, but because of my interview assignment, I didn't get to the city where she was living until
more than half a month later. But when I arrived, I only
found her cold body in the morgue of the funeral home..."

Although I said I didn't care, I couldn't help but feel a pang of
sadness , and then asked, "What was the specific cause of death? Since you've been infiltrating Daye's yoga training
institution for so long, you must have found out by now, right?"

"...Gang rape and sexual abuse to death! But the body was tampered with, disguised as a suicide by cutting wrists."
Yuan Fangfang walked stiffly beside me like a walking corpse. "She was a well-known model and
beauty , so Daye initially intended to train her the same way he trained me and the other yoga instructors. But
she was extremely averse to men and only wanted to become a nun, a true Buddhist nun. How could she possibly
accept Daye's arrangement? So a conflict arose
between completely dropped his pretense and abandoned her to his disciples. I
won't go into details about what happened next. She was so pitiful… she left you because she couldn't stand men. But in the end, she died a humiliating death because
of that situation." Yuan Fangfang's eyes welled up with tears.

"Didn't the police investigate thoroughly?"

"They investigated… but what could they find out? Because of heartbreak, she saw through the world and wanted to enter a monastery, but
ultimately couldn't escape the inner repression and pain, so she committed suicide by cutting her wrists… Everything seemed logical and
reasonable! There were so many cases to handle, so many to solve. Why would the police spend their time and energy on
her death?"

"Didn't you think of using the media to expose the truth?"

"I thought about it... but I didn't dare! By the time I found out the cause of Yuanyuan's death, I had already started practicing the Blood Charm Secret Technique with Daye.
My every move is under her control. Besides, her power is far greater than you imagine.
Over the years, countless people have tried to expose her various illegal activities. But they
were all immediately suppressed by her and her network of connections as soon as they appeared. If I had done that, I would have died countless times already! It's only because
I met you here that I have the opportunity to break free from her control and join your side."

At this moment, the four of us had penetrated deep into the area near the center of the canyon. The terrain became more open, and the cliffs
on both sides began to extend east and west within our line of sight.

Wang Lie looked up at the gradually setting sun and slowed his pace. Xiao Suyan caught up from behind and
discussed the next route with him.

"We're almost at the crossroads of the valley. What's the plan? Continue south and go directly to
the southern end of the canyon to find the secret passage to the core area?"

Wang Lie shook his head. "Going directly to the end of the South Valley isn't advisable. If we can't find the secret passage, we
won't have any
room
to maneuver. And if they block us, Old Huang's side will likely be unable to avoid a direct conflict with those guys. Right now, it's best for us to lead the tails to the canyons on the east and west sides. Old Huang and the others might be able to reach the end of the South Valley first. With Xia Yatou there, as long as the secret passage does
exist , they should be able to find it quickly and enter the core area of Kunlun Wonderland."

"If they successfully enter the core area, then the three of us..."

Wang Lie said calmly. "Right now, we probably can't think too much about the future. We can only take it one step at
a time!" After saying that, he turned to look at me and Yuan Fangfang.

I didn't think too much and just nodded silently to Wang Lie. Xiao Suyan shrugged helplessly when he saw this. Seeing that the three of
us had reached a consensus, Yuan Fangfang understood that even if she had a different opinion, it would be useless, so she simply
didn't express her opinion. Our four-person team then turned west and began to move towards the western canyon of the valley.

Chapter 172

After walking more than ten meters, Xiao Suyan suddenly stopped and asked Wang Lie, "
What do you think they used to locate and track us?"

Wang Lie seemed a little surprised by Xiao Suyan's question, but still replied, "Ten Directions Pursuit;
Seven Stars Probing the North; Four Realms Inquiring into Truth... These are the only techniques popular in the Dao these days! Of course, if their
team has someone like Old Yan with the Red Lotus ability, or someone like Old Huang with the ability to sense objects, that would be a different
story ."

Upon hearing Wang Lie's answer, Xiao Suyan's eyes widened in surprise. He then looked at me, confirming in an
extremely shocked tone, "What did you say? This guy is Honglian?"

Seeing Xiao Suyan's expression, I realized that I hadn't actually mentioned my identity as
Honglian . I hadn't mentioned it before because I was still somewhat wary of him
, but after these past few days of working together and supporting each other, I had developed complete
trust in him. Thinking this, I quickly explained, "I'm sorry I haven't told you about this before. Firstly, you
've never asked, and secondly, I'm still a half-baked Honglian..."

Xiao Suyan stared at me for a few seconds, then turned to look at Wang Lie... It was clear he
was quite surprised and dissatisfied that he only now knew I was Honglian. However, he ultimately looked at Wang Lie and changed the subject back to
the previous one.

"Those methods usually only track a single target, right? There are four of us here, are we all
being tracked?"

Wang Lie raised an eyebrow, understanding Xiao Suyan's meaning. He glanced at Yuan Fangfang and said, "You're
right , not all four of us are necessarily being tracked."

Xiao Suyan nodded and said, "That's exactly what I'm trying to say! So I suggest we split up and run!
That way, they'll only chase the targets they've locked onto. Those who aren't being tracked will have a chance
to escape and rejoin Lao Huang and the others. That way, at least Lao Huang's team will know
what's going on!"

"Splitting up? No way... You three heartless people, are you going to leave a weak woman like me alone
in this place to fend for myself?" Yuan Fangfang immediately cried out.

"But if we don't split up, I'm afraid none of the four of us will escape from them!" Xiao Suyan
was less wary and suspicious of Yuan Fangfang at this moment, at least his tone basically acknowledged that she was
a companion .

Yuan Fangfang's eyes widened. Having been a reporter, she naturally possessed clear thinking skills. She
understood the rationale behind Xiao Suyan's suggestion and stood there stunned for a moment.

Seeing this, Wang Lie frowned, then made a decisive decision. "Split into pairs... one side
to the east , the other to the west! Lao Yan, Lao Xiao, you two are a group, continue west. I'll take this woman and turn east.
Even if all four of us are targeted, it will force them to split up and pursue us from both sides, thus clearing the southward
route for Lao Huang and the others to move."

"What? I'll go with you, but I'd rather act with Mr. Xiao..." Yuan Fangfang changed her mind after realizing what was happening
.

"You don't have a choice here! Because of the four of us here, you're the most likely to be targeted
." Wang Lie immediately rejected Yuan Fangfang's request and forcefully pulled her to turn east. Without hesitation, Xiao Suyan and I
continued our westward journey as arranged by Wang Lie…

“That woman seems to have taken a liking to you… Too bad, she’s been located! Is Old Wang breaking up a couple?”
After running silently with Xiao Suyan for a while, I couldn’t stand the psychological pressure anymore and started
making conversation .

“Stop talking nonsense… You’re Honglian, and you’ve been keeping this from me all this time. I’ll settle this score with you sooner or later! At
the Water Pit Camp, you were the one who killed those demonic insects and monsters, weren’t you? You’ve made me
suspicious and paranoid for days, thinking that some expert was secretly watching me…” Just then, we passed by a tall tree.
After responding, Xiao Suyan didn’t wait for my reply and nimbly climbed up to observe the situation behind him. After observing for a moment,
he jumped down again.

"I've already explained everything to you. You didn't ask, so why should I proactively reveal that I'm Honglian? And
... what water pit camp? What demonic insects and monsters? What do you mean?" Seeing him come down, I reiterated
my previous reasons. Unexpectedly, Xiao Suyan waved his hand to interrupt me, saying seriously
, "None of those guys went east; they all followed the two of us!"

"What did you say?" I was stunned, quite surprised by this situation.

"It seems that the one they've targeted isn't that woman named Yuan Fangfang! It should be one of you or me
... Damn it, I know... the one they've targeted might be me! They must have gotten the throwing knife I threw
... and used the Ten Directions Pursuit Array..." Xiao Suyan said, a look of realization dawning on his face.

"Are you sure?" I'm not familiar with the various situations in the exorcist profession, and I can't judge Xiao Suyan's
current speculation.

"Otherwise, it's inexplicable why they didn't chase Wang Lie and that woman, but instead followed
us . But who exactly are they targeting? I can't be sure right now! How about we
split up again here? I'll continue along the northern cliff into the western canyon, and you take a detour, heading south, then
west along the southern cliff. If their target is only one person, the other might have a chance to evade
their pursuit and slip away to rejoin the main group." Xiao Su said this, but I sensed an extreme certainty in his
expression . He must have already decided that he was the target
. Saying this now was just giving me an excuse to leave him. I understood; he intended to
draw all the attention away by himself.

Realizing this, I hesitated slightly before nodding in agreement to his suggestion to split up again. I grabbed
my rifle and headed southwest…

After jogging alone in the forest for over ten minutes, I followed Xiao Suyan's method, finding a
tall tree, climbing it, and hiding behind the canopy to look north and east. As
Xiao Suyan had predicted… the main force was indeed advancing westward along the edge of the northern cliff, with only
one group relatively close to my current location. But clearly, they weren't tracking me.
Their foray into the western part of the canyon was likely just
a precaution against Xiao Suyan, whose location they had pinpointed, suddenly changing direction.

Seeing this, I sighed inwardly…

Although I felt it was somewhat disloyal to separate from Xiao Suyan like this, reason told me
that for us, being tracked by Daye, this was the truly rational choice.

The group on the edge of the enemy lines gradually approached my location. I quickly climbed down from the tree and
continued south. After walking for another half hour, I finally spotted the southern
cliff of the western canyon before nightfall. The sun in the western sky was fading, leaving only a last glimmer of its golden light, while the forest in the canyon was already shrouded in darkness
.

The group of pursuers to my northeast brazenly lit torches for illumination. This allowed
me to easily pinpoint their exact location and movements. They had also spotted the tall southern
cliff . Perhaps adhering to their fixed route, or perhaps to completely block
the target who had confirmed their entry into the western canyon, their direction of travel was roughly the same as mine, but they had unknowingly moved further
west .

Realizing this, I immediately stopped moving west and adjusted my direction to due south. When I reached
the foot of the southern cliff, the pursuers, carrying torches, passed by about a hundred or two meters to the northwest. Seeing this, I
knew I had indeed shaken off their encirclement and pursuit…

From the ambush that afternoon until now, I had spent almost several hours running and walking. After confirming
the crisis had passed, I suddenly felt extremely exhausted due to the relief, my legs feeling
as heavy as lead. I groped my way to a relatively soft patch of grass on the edge of the cliff and sat down to rest.
At the same time, I activated the Crimson Lotus Map in my mind to pinpoint the exact location of Huang Yandong and his men.

The flames in the map were moving extremely slowly, probably because it was night and
they were moving very cautiously for safety reasons. Judging from their current speed and the distance between them and me, I estimated
it would take them at least four or five hours to reach the center of the canyon. Some members of the group had the Crimson Lotus flames I had planted
, and Huang Yandong could pinpoint my approximate location, so I wasn't worried about missing
them . Wang Lie is a Yin-Yang master, skilled at detecting and tracking various auras. Given his long-standing acquaintance with Huang Yandong, they
likely have their own methods of communication. Therefore, I don't believe
Wang Lie, who escaped the encirclement with Yuan Fangfang, would miss out on reuniting with Lao Huang and his group. Having sorted this out, I felt relieved. As for Xiao Suyan, who led the pursuers away
alone , I somehow felt confident in him.

The reason is simple: Xiao Suyan is different from me and Wang Lie; he
doesn't actually have any irreconcilable conflicts with Daye and his group! Even if he's captured, as long as he's smart enough not to act heroically and
fight to the death, and knows when to yield or temporarily submit, they might temporarily
refrain from attacking him in order to capture Lao Huang and his "big fish." After considering all this, I realized that although the ambush seemed
dangerous , everyone now seemed safe or still had a glimmer of hope.

Having figured all this out, I immediately flopped back onto the straw mat, sprawling out on my back, adjusting
my breathing and trying to recover my energy and strength. Of the three of us
who I was probably the most exhausted. After all, before setting off, I had just played a
ridiculous "two phoenixes and one dragon" game with Zhou Jingyi and Xia Jiang, and then we started our rapid escape. Wang Lie and Xiao Suyan, on the other hand,
had gotten plenty of rest and even eaten something…

The thought of food quickly made me feel hungry. The last time I ate was this
morning when everyone was putting food together to appease Xia Jiang. Xia Jiang had wolfed down her food, and because
there were so many different kinds, she would rush to eat another before finishing one, not eating as cleanly as usual,
leaving some scraps in the cans and packaging. Zhou Jingyi took advantage of this, using me as a dumping ground for food waste
, forcing me to eat Xia Jiang's leftovers under the guise of preventing waste. Looking back now, Zhou Jingyi's coercion
was actually a good thing... Without that little bit of food to tide me over, who knows how hungry I would be right now.

Although I was hungry, I was too tired to get up. To combat the hunger, I
unconsciously shifted my thoughts to Qin Yuan and Yuan Fangfang.
Learning of Qin Yuan's death from Yuan Fangfang didn't cause me any significant emotional reaction. Her death didn't even
have as much of an impact on me as Liao Xiaoqian's death!

Although breaking up with Qin Yuan was the most painful and unbearable of my three previous heartbreaks, I didn't
resent her! Why was that? Perhaps it was because the reason for our breakup wasn't related to feelings, but purely
based on her unusual sexual orientation...

Gazing at the gradually clearing stars in the night sky, I seemed to be gradually understanding something.

"Why was I so calm when I learned of Qin Yuan's death?... It must be because subconsciously I had already
sensed that Qin Yuan was different from other women! During our courtship!"

"That must be it... Actually, when I was dating Qin Yuan, I already realized she might be
a lesbian ! But I didn't want to, and was unwilling to, face that reality! I forced myself to believe she
was a normal woman... Because after two failed relationships, my desire for love and family
had reached a point of desperation! I felt that since I had the opportunity to date a woman and build a family
, I persisted without hesitation!"

"Throughout our relationship, Qin Yuan never concealed her true nature; it was I who constantly
hypnotized ! Because I subconsciously understood this, I naturally harbored no
resentment towards Qin Yuan after the breakup! On the other hand, perhaps I never truly loved Qin Yuan at all? My relationship with her
was simply a fantasy of love and family that I wove for myself! When
the fantasy shattered… Qin Yuan became like a passerby to me! Whether she
was happy , unhappy, or even dead, it didn't matter to me!"

"On the contrary, Yuan Fangfang… the genuine emotion between her and Qin Yuan! Whether that emotion was
so-called sisterly affection or a distorted same-sex love, it was clear that her feelings for Qin Yuan were a thousand times deeper than mine
! And for this reason, it's understandable that she risked her life to infiltrate Daye. It's also understandable that Rinpoche's organization secretly investigated
the truth and attempted to clear her name."

"Qin Yuan, Qin Yuan... I'm afraid that the reason you broke up with me was because you realized I didn't
truly love you, and that was the right choice you made..."

As I realized this, hunger began to gnaw at my body again. Thanks to
the 'd had, my fatigue had lessened, and I struggled to my feet from the straw mat.
I started thinking about finding something to eat.

According to Lao Han's notes and Xiao Suyan's account, food and water were plentiful in the Burial Valley.
In fact , during our escape after the ambush, we'd seen
numerous trees laden with fruit in the forest… although the sheer number of different species in the valley defied my
understanding of nature. Some of the fruit I didn't recognize and dared not eat, but the
peaches and apples on the trees we'd seen along the way were definitely edible!

I tried to recall the approximate location of the nearest fruit trees as I cautiously made my way through the forest
. After a few steps, I stopped, stunned by the almost fantastical scene before me
…

Only then did I truly see what the Burial Valley looked like in the darkness!

Large patches of white light were scattered across the sheer cliffs on both sides; moreover,
layers of soil radiating a dim glow could be seen everywhere on the ground of the canyon; even the surface of some trees was covered with a
layer
of pure white halos. Under the illumination of these lights, the entire Buried Corpse Valley felt indescribably magnificent or even sacred, as if everything was shrouded in a milky white halo.

A strange feeling welled up in my heart, and I suddenly felt an urge to kneel down
and worship ...

My body began to tremble uncontrollably. The scene before me was unfamiliar,
yet extremely familiar! It was as if I had lived here long ago, and that feeling did not
come from my brain, but from the blood flowing through my veins! Because at this moment, I could
feel the blood in my veins boiling as it flowed!

At this moment, I forgot about hunger, forgot about danger... I stood there, constantly turning my neck,
simply admiring and observing the surrounding scenery. Soon, I discovered that besides the
light sources , countless points of light were scattered and dancing in the open space and among the treetops!

At first, I thought they were fireflies, but after observing for a while, I realized they were definitely not.
Within each of these varying-sized clusters of light, there were faint images or objects.

One cluster of light drifted erratically towards me, and I couldn't help but reach out and touch it…

The instant my palm touched the cluster, a cool and refreshing sensation emanated from it
and spread throughout my body, invigorating me and relieving my fatigue and hunger
. At the same moment I touched the cluster, it trembled and emitted a clear,
melodious sound, like the slight vibrato of a woman singing.

The cluster quickly detached from my hand as it trembled, circling around me several times as if it were alive,
before hovering again very close to my eyes, gently rising and falling like a flickering
flame . I opened my eyes wide, observing carefully, and inadvertently activated the Crimson Lotus
Eye…

Under the gaze of the Crimson Lotus Eye, a tiny humanoid figure appeared in the center of the ball of light. From
the figure's outline, I deduced its gender… There was actually a
tiny person inside the ball of light, resembling a naked woman!

"What… what is this? Could it be a little elf from Western mythology?" I was stunned into
silence.

The tiny person in the ball of light seemed to sense that I had seen through its true form, and floated directly
between my eyes. At this distance, I could see the tiny person's facial features more clearly… Indeed, it was
a beautiful little woman. Moreover, I noticed that she was looking at me and laughing, and because of her laughter, her body
trembled, and the aura around her swayed up and down. But when I deliberately deactivated the effect of the Crimson Lotus Eye, all
I saw was a bright, shimmering ball of light.

I activated the Crimson Lotus Eye again and gently extended a finger, fiddling with the orb of light before me.
There was no tangible sensation on my finger, but the pretty little woman seemed to sense it, displaying
a shy expression. Her expression was almost indistinguishable from that of any other pretty girl. This made me feel
embarrassed . I felt like I was being indecent to an innocent young woman, so I quickly
withdrew my finger.

As I observed the little creature, the orbs of light floating around me slowly converged around me .
Within the Crimson Lotus Eye, each orb contained a fluttering sprite. For a moment, I felt as if I
were in a fairytale world.

However, just as I was inexplicably excited about my "discovery,"
several gunshots rang out from the far west of the canyon, a stark contrast to the quiet night. The gunshots were exceptionally clear and piercing. The
orbs of light surrounding me seemed startled, scattering away at the sound of the gunfire. I
reacted immediately, looking in the direction of the gunshots.

"Has Old Xiao finally been caught? No… given Old Xiao's personality, he might have turned around and
attacked those guys on his own! What should I do now? Ignore what's happening and head to meet up with Old Huang
and the others, or risk following them and using the darkness to harass them from behind to relieve the pressure on Old Xiao?"

Just as I was hesitating, a strange rustling sound suddenly resonated in my ears, growing louder
as it . I was startled, grabbed my rifle, and quickly ran to a tree, hiding
behind the trunk.

In Xiao Suyan's description, this Burial Valley was teeming with demons! But since entering the valley, I haven't
actually seen a single one. Yuan Fangfang and Wang Lie did encounter a demonic spider. However, Wang Lie didn't even have to fight back
before the demonic spider was destroyed by the ghostly soldiers who appeared at the time. Apart from that, the legendary omnipresent demons and monsters seemed to
have vanished . However, I did not let my guard down about such things...

The strange noises that came at this moment and the disgusting, fishy smell that suddenly appeared in the air
indicated that something dirty was approaching.

Although it was night, the dim light emanating from the forest ensured my basic visibility. But
when I noticed what was approaching me, the muscles in my face twitched uncontrollably.
I slung my gun over my neck, turned, and began to flee into the depths of the western canyon, completely disregarding the fact
that the armed men were also inside!

I had no choice but to run…

Therefore, what appeared in my sight now was not the mutated wolf corpses or ghouls I had encountered before
, nor the demonic spiders I had come into contact with… but countless snakes that sent chills down my spine!

Various sizes, colors, and types, densely packed, covering the entire ground I could see!
They writhed rapidly, meandering westward across the ground, emitting the rustling sounds that had previously made my teeth
chatter . Because of their sheer number, some snakes even tangled with others
, rolling on the ground…

Faced with such a terrifying scene, I immediately abandoned any thought of resistance and chose to turn
and run ! Behind me, an unimaginably massive swarm of snakes surged forward like a tidal wave.

I don't know how long I ran, but I saw a few scattered torches ahead… Without realizing it,
I had caught up with the group of armed men who had brushed past me earlier.

From the depths of the canyon, sporadic gunfire could be heard intermittently. Xiao Suyan had clearly not been captured yet and was still
maneuvering against his pursuers. The armed
men . Almost no one noticed me, this "
escaped fish" who had suddenly arrived from behind! It wasn't until I was about ten meters behind the armed men that someone heard my
rapid footsteps and turned to look…

My fieldwork clothes vaguely resembled military training uniforms. Many of
the mercenaries were either wearing camouflage or monochromatic military training uniforms. Those who looked back seemed to mistake me
for a fellow member who had fallen behind, so instead of raising their guns, they called out to me.

"Who are you? Why are you coming from behind?"

Even though they were enemies, I still shouted at them out of basic humanitarianism. "Run,
run ... snakes behind... all snakes!"

I yelled as I squeezed through the gaps between the armed men, continuing to run forward without looking back!

Because I hadn't made any dangerous moves that could cause misunderstandings, the armed men didn't
take a hostile stance towards me. They just looked at each other, puzzled by my warning. I
ran for several dozen meters, then heard a scream from one of the armed men, followed by a series of
chaotic gunshots and desperate curses.

Soon, I went from a lone runner to the leader of the fleeing group! However, my leading position
didn't last long. A minute or two later, someone overtook me and took the lead...

For these armed men, whether they knew me or who I was didn't matter. Everyone
was focused on escaping for their lives.

The snake swarm advanced at an astonishing speed; those who were slow to react or ran were quickly
devoured amidst screams.

Realizing I was being overtaken one by one by the fleeing survivors, I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh! The continuous
escape had almost completely exhausted me; barring any unforeseen circumstances, I would soon be left at the back of the group…

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stop, then turned around, facing the surging snake tide with
my chest puffed out!

"I can't run anymore… this is probably my final resting place! Since I'm going to die anyway, rather than
running away to these beasts and being bitten to death, I might as well face them; at least I'll die with some dignity! Although dignity
seems to be worthless in this place…"

In my despair, I involuntarily laughed; I didn't understand why I
was laughing at a time like this. But I just couldn't stop myself from laughing!

I casually took the rifle hanging on my chest and threw it to the ground. Faced with countless snakes,
it was utterly useless; keeping it on my body only hindered my movements. As the rifle hit the ground,
two flames rose from my hands…

“I have no interest in letting you reptiles eat me for nothing! Even if I’m going to die… I’ll at least
put up a fight, right?” I muttered to the rapidly advancing snake swarm, panting. Whether
they understood me or not, I didn’t care.

With a “sizzle,” the flames from my hands accidentally ignited a bush nearby, which quickly
burst into flames, forming a roaring bonfire in just a second or two…
The snake swarm, which had moved only a few meters in front of me, suddenly stopped. They seemed
to have developed !

I paused for a moment, then a cruel smile appeared on my lips.

“Afraid of fire, huh… Heh heh! I don’t have any other skills… arson is my only ability now!
You’re afraid of fire, huh? Grandpa will play with you today and show you what the Crimson Lotus Flame is all about!”

When this thought popped into my head, I seemed to lose myself! Like a madman, he brandished flames from
his hands , igniting everything flammable around him, setting fires as
he walked step by step toward the swarm of snakes.

Wild grass, low shrubs, and tall trees—one by one, they began to burn!
The wind blew from the northwest… aided by the wind, the fire
spread , continuing to spread along the terrain of the Burial Valley…

Several hours later, the entire Burial Valley was completely engulfed in flames, the towering flames
illuminating a giant blood-red cross in the dark night sky!

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