All Vermilion Moon-grade, A-tier Intersections require the frequency crystals obtained monthly by QuadMoxel owners resonating with the statues to unlock their entrances.
Those entering together must not only be highly skilled but also experienced. If they fail to choose a stable scenario and a crisis they can’t handle arises, they will end up like the team that stabilized the mountains before them—their fate unknown, while the Intersection vanishes from the city, reappearing in the Shibin Wastes to await slow destruction.
–Sigh, I know—only experts get in.–
Lyu Zhi didn’t think such monsters could be killed just by anyone. Someone delusional enough to seek easy pickings like herself wouldn’t even be selected to enter.
Lyu Zhi crouched down, stroking the hulking monster’s body. –What should we do with this carcass? It’s pretty massive—how cool would it be to skin the whole thing?–
Her words had barely faded when a faintly appearing carriage materialized beside her, and after its realer-that-sdoor swung open, several expressionless figures stepped out.
–How… to… deal… with… it.–
Yang Zicang eyed the members of the Wasteland Wagon Cargo Crew, now turned into puppets. Curious to test their intelligence, he crossed his arms and said:
–Give me a suggestion.–
The puppets stiffly turned their heads toward one of them, who appeared to be the cargo crew leader of that time.
The gaunt, tall man’s face was withered, his lifeless eyes staring blankly at the monster’s corpse on the ground for a long time.
–Ge-ge-ge.–
Yang Zicang let out a sigh.
What was there to say to these puppets that had already lost their human senses? In a little while, they probably wouldn’t even be clear about what species they were themselves.
A chill ran down Lyu Zhi’s spine as he watched them, like walking corpses, rapidly chop the monster into two large chunks. With their clumsy slashing, any hint of the siegefield lord’s majesty was utterly ruined.
–The door is too small.– A few puppets dully turned their heads toward Yang Zicang.
–Figure it out yourselves.–
Thump, thump—another bout of gruesome dismemberment ensued.
The wild beasts charging from the woods finally drew near.
Calmly, Yang Zicang turned to look at the long-haired gray wolf lunging toward him, then as if assigning a disciple to undergo training, said to Lyu Zhi:
–Go practice some, tell me when the Chronos boost runs out.–
This time, Lyu Zhi swiftly drew his sword and charged forward, only to find himself the next second on the ground, with wolves tugging at his limbs and biting wildly.
–Big bro… I… can’t hold on anymore.–
Yang Zicang couldn’t bear to look, waving his hand gently as the long-awaited Paleshade Wyrm sprang forward.
Before any more beasts could arrive, the two boarded the train and vanished into the wind.
……
Early the next morning, as soon as Yang Zicang got up, he saw a large squad approaching.
–Captain Zijian.–
Leading them was Yuan Xuelin, walking over warmly to shake Yang Zicang’ s hand.
–Penglord said, afraid you might lack experience, so he sent me with more men to give you a hand.–
He pointed a finger at the revamped small railway tracks in the distance:
–By the way, that’s the second shipment of incense pills—not as many as last time, though. Don’t begrudge me, Captain Jia.–
Yang Zicang glanced at the cart covered with tarpaulin and said with a smile:
–How could I complain? I’m more than grateful. I didn’t expect Captain Yuan to come in person this time.–
–Heh, looks like Captain Yuan got sent out for some hands-on training.–
Zuo Feixian walked over from a nearby tent, bowl in hand, slurping meat soup while teasing him.
Yuan Xuelin gave an awkward smile.
–Yeah, here to gain some experience with Brother Zijian. Protecting this place is a big feat.–
This kid had a real sharp tongue, and he could hardly snap back.
–Well then, I’ll be counting on you for the next few months.–
Yang Zicang did not refuse, as the steady influx of people here indeed required a more professional security team to maintain order.
Amidst their laughter and conversation, Shiu Siuchuan approached with his rice bowl and patted Yuan Xuelin on the shoulder.
Someone of this stature was previously far beyond their reach, so these two good-for-nothings felt smug to finally get a taste of it; now they, too, were people of importance.
With the help of the Wuyou Cargo Crew, the entire sales area was well-organized, and long lines formed even in places that were once frequently disorderly.
Aya led the newly arrived women in sales work, while Song Penglord and his men acted as patrolling guards, continuously walking the perimeter alongside Yuan Xuelin’s people, learning from their methods.
Before long, the several people sent by the Shadow Solo Inn also arrived.
The news that the Dajia Fang Cargo Crew belonged to the board of the Shadow Solo Inn also spread. Many of those who had come to scout the situation now had a clearer understanding of Yang Zicang’s background; this kid apparently had the backing of both the Wuyou Company and the Shadow Solo Inn, no wonder he could keep so low-key before.
……
In the cave, the faint roars of beasts could be heard from outside.
Zhou Liren curled up in the cold, damp crevice of the rock, the jagged stones at his lower back already ground into his flesh, drawing blood. Yet this pain now served as his sole anchor against unconsciousness—because the men who had entered the mountains with him were being dissected before his very eyes.
The bandaged man standing by the stone platform raised his hand, muttering, –Which part did I assemble wrong…–
He pinched a paper-thin layer of skin tissue between his fingertips, scrutinizing it up close to his eyes.
–Ah—!–
The person on the operating table suddenly convulsed, knocking over a container filled with blue-green liquid, and then lay still. The liquid spilled from the small box, winding its way along the stone platform, corroding the surface and emitting a faint pale-gray mist.
Zhou Liren, his face ashen, shrank into the corner, gazing at the devilish figure before him.
His teammates, everyone who had ventured into the mountains with him, were already dead—their shattered remains scattered all around the cave.
Was he next?
In despair, he couldn’t help but think: he truly should never have come into the mountains at this time.
Hadn’t he already earned two to three thousand Chronos by using incense pills to go into the mountains? Why did he have to struggle with them and rush deep into this wilderness, of all places…
Didn’t he know that in this world, the most dangerous threat, the one lurking in human form, was humanity itself?
A bustling gathering like this would inevitably attract terrifying things! And I am the one who encountered it!
The stench of blood permeated this underground cavern.
Yet that upright figure seemed completely oblivious to these nauseating odors.
The man standing before the stone altar, which resembled an operating table, turned his head and stared coldly at the trembling Zhou Liren. In his hand, he gripped a slender blade gleaming with a dark red light—a scalpel.
–Come here.–
–Ah, no, please, spare me. I’m utterly useless to you, and—and I’ve already given you the formula for the incense pill!–
But the man turned a deaf ear to him, stepping forward.
Suddenly, a pained groan echoed from the stone altar.
Zhou Liren’s eyes widened. –Old Li is alive!–
The man holding the scalpel, wrapped in bandages below his throat, paused as well. He turned to glance at the stone altar, then pivoted back and resumed his operation.
–He can last a little longer now.– The panic in Zhou Liren’s pupils turned dull.
At that moment, there was only endless regret in his heart.
He truly regretted everything—ever since that day he heard the announcement from the major client, Cargo Crew, he had been both impatient and furious.
The Qing Shen incense pellets that the woman in the broadcast claimed could safely enter the mountain were obviously provided by the person who bought the pellet formula from me three hundred years ago!
Damn it! I sold the formula three hundred years ago, and they turned around without even waiting, selling it at discount two hundred years later!
Zhou Liren thought of the two people he met that night… Those buyers of the incense pellets never intended to rely on them to enter the mountain and hunt for treasure.
They planned to sell incense pellets to enter the mountain!
Large-scale manufacturing and selling!
In Peng Zone, everyone who went to check it raved that people were raking Chronos daily with a unit count reaching –W.–
Zhou Liren’s heart was aching with regret. But he also remembered that the incense pellets were something Penglord had strictly ordered kept secret, banning leaks, allowing everyone to quietly strike it rich instead. Damn it all—he couldn’t resist the temptation of just a –three-hundred-year– big con, so he called out…
–No need to worry, the surgery was successful. You shouldn’t die.–
Zhou Liren looked up and saw body on the stone platform constantly struggling faintly, as if tightly held down by an invisible force, unable to do more than whimper in excruciating agony.
–You, guh… In my… eh–ahah… gich–… belly, what… ge… ugh…–
–The one who obtained the formula was really lucky—they just came and naturally understood that thing. Hmm, the bleeding has stopped. Your friend is symbiotically merging with your heart, and the bones are fine. I’ve roughly figured it out: only two organs can be replaced; otherwise, it will fail.–
Zhou Liren felt his entire body trembling.
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