Chapter 371: Caught in the Trap
Before setting out, Jiang Qingli received a message from Ye Linyuan on her terminal.
There were no extraneous words, just a single, concise set of coordinates.
Jiang Qingli didn’t know the way outside, so after entering the forest, she gave the coordinates to Yi Nuo.
’It’s a little strange for a set of coordinates to just pop up like this.’ Jiang Qingli had already prepared an excuse, but Yi Nuo didn’t ask any questions. He just nodded. "Alright."
Jiang Qingli recalled that Yi Nuo never seemed to question her words. Whatever she said, he did, as if he were born to obey her every command.
The midnight forest was silent. The two of them moved with almost no sound, save for the occasional RUSTLE of their combat uniforms brushing against the leaves of a bush.
Afraid of startling any beasts, they didn’t use any lights, pressing forward by the light of the moon.
As they neared a lake, Yi Nuo raised a hand protectively in front of Jiang Qingli.
The faint sounds of a fight could be heard in the distance.
Yi Nuo said in a low voice, "Miss, I’ll go take a look."
He focused, analyzing the sounds coming from that direction.
’Two sets of footsteps and the flapping of wings... I can be almost certain it’s two Beastmen and one avian Mutant Beast. The footsteps don’t match any of our team members, so they must be outsiders. As for the sound of the flapping wings...’
The young man furrowed his brow. Just as he was about to speak, he froze.
His heartbeat quickened as the girl’s warm breath tickled his ear. "Yi Nuo..."
Yi Nuo lowered his gaze, his expression dazed for a moment.
He only snapped out of it when she leaned in to look at him, confused. He realized she had just said she wanted to go with him.
"Those up ahead aren’t our people." Yi Nuo composed himself and told her everything he had deduced.
Jiang Qingli was startled. She shuffled a few steps closer to Yi Nuo and whispered, "Then let’s fight back-to-back later. We can’t get separated."
The distance between them suddenly shrank, far closer than their usual social distance.
The moonlight was cool, yet it made the tips of his ears burn as if plunged into fire. Even the distant sounds of battle became indistinct.
’This is not the time to be thinking about this...’
Yi Nuo forced himself to calm down, his tone flat. "Alright."
Jiang Qingli gripped his wrist while her other hand found her gun. "Let’s go, then."
The girl’s skin was slightly cooler than the Gray Wolf Beastman’s. Yi Nuo paused for a moment, then nodded.
...
The two of them crouched, cautiously approaching the area.
Pushing aside the tall grass in front of them, the scene in the near distance came into clear view.
It was more or less as Yi Nuo had guessed. By the lake were two male Beastmen, one with purple hair and the other with green. They were locked in combat with a black bird that was as tall as a man.
Vines sprouted from the ground, continuously attacking the Weaving Nightmare Beast. The beast was heavily injured; its flight was slow and labored, and it let out feeble cries.
It looked like the fight was in its final stages.
Jiang Qingli raised her gun, aiming it at the two men’s heads.
But both of them still seemed to have plenty of energy, especially the one with purple hair. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, and he wasn’t even using his Superpower.
’They don’t look like easy targets.’
Suddenly, the vines shot toward the Weaving Nightmare Beast, grabbing its ankle and yanking it violently from the air!
The instant it slammed into the ground, the vines wrapped tightly around it. One even sprouted a flower and stuffed it into the bird’s beak.
At the same time, the purple-haired Beastman stopped and looked in Jiang Qingli’s direction.
He narrowed his eyes. His expression was unclear, but his gaze sent a chill down her spine.
Jiang Qingli tightened her grip on her gun and assumed a combat stance.
But in the next moment, the purple-haired Beastman turned and said something to Green Hair.
The two of them quickly vanished from sight, leaving only the trapped, dying beast on the ground.
Jiang Qingli: "..."
’Why do I get the feeling those two were deliberately waiting here for me, just to dump the Weaving Nightmare Beast on me?’
030: [It’s not a feeling, it’s a fact... This Weaving Nightmare Beast has Ye Linyuan’s scent on it. He probably beat it half to death, tossed it to those two lackeys, and had them wait here to deliver it to you.]
tutted. [Old guys are always so reserved about their feelings.]
Jiang Qingli: [...He’s not that old.]
gave a wicked laugh. [Babe, why are you still defending him? So sweet! I’m totally shipping this.]
Jiang Qingli ignored 030’s antics and walked forward with Yi Nuo, approaching the Weaving Nightmare Beast.
The Weaving Nightmare Beast’s wings were bound and its beak was stuffed with a flower. Only its blood-red eyes remained free, staring resentfully at Jiang Qingli.
’It seems to recognize me... and really hates me, too.’
A strange thought suddenly occurred to Jiang Qingli.
But time was tight, and the most important thing right now was to capture the Weaving Nightmare Beast and take it back.
Jiang Qingli took out a rope. Yi Nuo took it, stepped forward, and tied up the Weaving Nightmare Beast securely.
Just as he finished tying the knot and was about to lift it, the Weaving Nightmare Beast suddenly spat out the flower and let out a piercing shriek at Yi Nuo.
Jiang Qingli’s mind instantly went blank.
In her vision, both Yi Nuo and the Weaving Nightmare Beast swayed and then collapsed.
cried out in alarm: [Holy shit! The bird had one last trick up its sleeve! It’s trying to take him down with it!]
Jiang Qingli knelt beside them and saw an expression on Yi Nuo’s face similar to Que Feiling’s.
’Looks like the Weaving Nightmare Beast used its old trick again and created a dreamscape.’
Jiang Qingli asked: [How do I break it?]
thought for a moment: [Well... the data is a bit thin. I’ve analyzed the information from Lü Xin, the attending physician, and what’s online. It seems you have to find a loophole in the dream, give him a shock, and make him realize the dream is fake so he’ll wake up willingly.]
Jiang Qingli nodded.
’That shouldn’t be too hard... right?’
But while their current location was relatively safe, there was no guarantee someone wouldn’t approach.
The matchstick man, 030, patted its chest: [It’s fine! You go in, I’ll keep watch for you out here!]
Jiang Qingli nodded. She hoisted Yi Nuo over her shoulder, found a cave, stuffed him inside, and then squeezed in after him.
The cave was narrow, and they were inevitably pressed close together.
Like two small animals huddling together for warmth.
-
Not far away, two dark figures were squatting in the bushes, lying in wait.
Seeing Jiang Qingli press close to Yi Nuo, Green Hair sneered. "Getting it on with a male out here in the wilderness. That vicious female really lives up to her reputation! Ying Wang, move over a bit, I want to see the details."
Ying Wang was silent for a few seconds before saying flatly, "...You moron. She’s about to perform Spiritual Healing on that male."
"What?!" Green Hair grew anxious. "Save him? Isn’t our mission to kill them?!"
He was about to charge forward as he spoke.
Ying Wang grabbed him. "Think about what Ye Linyuan said before he left."
Green Hair thought back.
According to the original plan, Ye Linyuan was supposed to go to the Eleven Cities today, but he had brought them here instead on short notice.
After finding the Weaving Nightmare Beast, Ye Linyuan had personally fought it. After half an hour of battle, he had beaten the beast half to death and then ordered them to continue the fight.
At that time, the young man dressed all in black had glanced at his watch and left them with a cold-faced command: "Jiang Qingli will be here within two hours. Give her the Weaving Nightmare Beast, then escort her back to the military district." Then he had dissolved into black mist and departed.
Green Hair had a sudden realization. "I get it! He did it on purpose! A female is weakened right after performing a healing. We’ll kill them then, make it look like a premeditated attack by another male, and send their bodies back to the military district. It’s sure to cause chaos and endless infighting!"
He turned his head, only to see Ying Wang staring at the figures in the distance, a cold smile playing on his lips. "That’s not a bad plan... but I have an even better one."
"After we kill Jiang Qingli, we’ll cut off her head and send it to Xie Youchen. Then we’ll give the body to Ye Linyuan," Ying Wang said slowly. "Ye Linyuan hides it well, but the Weaving Nightmare Beast still managed to injure him. He can’t possibly withstand Xie Youchen’s firepower right now."
And in order to completely eliminate Ye Linyuan, Xie Youchen would also have to suffer a devastating blow to his own strength.
’When the snipe and the clam grapple, it’s the fisherman who profits. He would be the one to benefit in the end.’
’Ye Linyuan has been the City Lord for far too long. It’s time for someone else to have a turn.’