Shackles of Humanity

The group rested for a while before setting off again. As they ventured deeper, the environment changed once more. The tall trees gave way to shrubbery as tall as a man, and a faint Mist filled the woods. Sunlight filtering through the Mist became bleak and pale. The chirping of birds and insects fell away, replaced by an aura of deathly silence.

A chill crept into Lu Qing’s heart. "Uncle," she asked, alarmed, "we haven’t gone the wrong way, have we?"

Old Cai slung the shotgun from his back and said calmly, "This is us truly entering Mist Mountain. Be careful—there are many swamps and mires around. Once you’re trapped, it’s hard to get out."

Yao Guangfa smiled. "Don’t be afraid, Miss Lu. It’s precisely this unique environment that allows so many medicinal herbs to grow. This swamp is home to Snakebone Grass, which can increase the flexibility of a creature’s skeleton. It’s extremely valuable!"

Luo Kai gazed at the various colorful, unnamed—and obviously venomous—insects on the surrounding plants. ’It’s said that where poisonous things gather, precious herbs are sure to grow.’ His interest piqued, he asked, "What does Snakebone Grass look like?"

"It’s shaped like a small, coiled snake. Usually, there’s a venomous creature guarding it, so you have to lure it away before you can harvest the grass."

"Oh." Luo Kai nodded. ’So being a Medicine Gatherer is another job where you risk your life for money.’

Everyone grew more alert and proceeded with caution. Perhaps because there were fewer animals, Luo Kai finally caught a scent similar to Granny Hua’s. It was very close, but he couldn’t be sure.

Old Cai looked up at the sky. "If we keep searching, we’ll have to spend the night in the forest."

They hadn’t encountered any danger along the way, or even many animals. "It’s fine," Luo Kai said. "Let’s just spend the night in the forest."

Lu Qing couldn’t hold back her question. "Uncle, why are there so few animals in this forest?"

Old Cai chuckled. "Heh, young lady, you don’t understand. Animals are far more sensitive than humans. A group our size makes enough commotion to scare most of them away. But some animals don’t run. They’ll be Lurking in the shadows, watching us."

Startled, Lu Qing frantically scanned her surroundings.

Luo Kai’s senses were exceptionally keen; he’d long been aware that some members of the Felidae family were quietly following them. They were just ordinary animals and posed no threat, so he had paid them no mind.

After walking a while longer, they came upon a vast, tangled web of vines blocking their path. Old Cai said in confusion, "Strange. These vines weren’t here the last time I came through."

Yao Guangfa chimed in, "I haven’t seen them either. But plants in the forest grow quickly. Maybe they just sprouted in the last few days."

The group drew their waist knives to clear a path. They walked for an unknown amount of time until the sky began to darken. A faint RUSTLING sound started to emanate from their surroundings. Luo Kai’s expression changed. He stopped in his tracks and asked, "Are there a lot of rats on Mist Mountain?"

Yao Guangfa looked puzzled. "No, this place is mostly full of snakes."

Luo Kai gestured forward with his finger. "There are a lot of rats all around us."

The words had barely left his mouth when a pair of small green dots appeared in the surrounding vines. It was a grotesque rat the size of a house cat, its sharp jaws snapping open and closed. It stared at them with a savage gaze. Then, with a piercing shriek, the rat lunged without the slightest hesitation. It shot forward several meters with a single push of its legs, weaving through the vines at incredible speed, and was upon them in an instant.

Old Cai raised his gun and fired. BANG! A spray of blood erupted before them.

"Uncle Cai, your marksmanship is as good as ever," Yao Guangfa said, laying on the flattery.

But Old Cai’s expression grew grim. "This kind of rat isn’t a native creature of Mist Mountain."

Luo Kai’s gaze swept their surroundings. "There are many more," he said in a low voice. "And they’re gathering on us."

The RUSTLING sound was now audible to everyone. One by one, small green points of light began to materialize in the vines. There were only a few at first, but their numbers steadily grew.

"We have to go! Now!" Yao Guangfa’s face fell. A few of these grotesque rats posed no threat to the group, but a swarm was a different story entirely.

"It’s too late." Luo Kai moved back to Lu Qing’s side. The Severing Blade in his hand, as if sensing the impending battle, began to hum.

The rat swarm surrounded the group with tactical precision. With a piercing SQUEAK, they launched their attack.

The others hastily opened fire. They were all carrying high-powered rifles, and each gunshot was answered with an explosion of blood and gore.

Luo Kai moved as well. He didn’t charge out, but defended their immediate perimeter. Beneath the flashing arc of his blade, any grotesque rat that broke through was instantly cut in half.

This immediately relieved Yao Guangfa and the others of any need to watch their backs. They turned their full attention to shooting and reloading their magazines.

In no time, the ground was littered with rat carcasses. The death of their kin only seemed to make the swarm more frenzied, and they surged forward in relentless waves. Yao Guangfa and the others were about to run out of ammunition. More grotesque rats rushed in, some flanking from the sides while others climbed the nearby vines to pounce from above. They attacked from high and low; it seemed like there were even attack routes coming from under the ground.

Luo Kai accelerated his heart rate. Each swing of his blade unleashed a shower of blood. These monsters weren’t powerful, and no matter how many of them came, they posed no threat to him. He began to expand his defensive perimeter, circling the group at high speed. The lethal arc of his blade completely enveloped them, and not a single rat could penetrate the perimeter it formed. The area around them was now paved with carcasses, but the swarm was still endless.

It was now Luo Kai against the entire swarm. Yao Guangfa and the others held their knives but couldn’t find any way to help. They could only stare, dumbfounded, at the human whirlwind spinning around them.

Lu Qing’s face was pale from the bloody slaughter. As she gradually overcame her Fear, a thought suddenly surfaced: ’This man, slaughtering so wantonly before my eyes... this must be the real Luo Kai.’

Luo Kai, however, was not having an easy time. Maintaining this level of combat effectiveness required an all-out burst of power. The flow of his vital energy gradually surpassed its critical point, causing his Life Magnetic Field to bloom. His consciousness frequency radiated outward without restraint, and he immediately sensed the omnipresent Evil Energy in the jungle.

Compared to the Evil Energy produced by humans, the animals’ was far more savage. The moment his consciousness frequency made contact with it, a roar like that of a tiger or a dragon seemed to echo in his mind. His vision went black, and his consciousness was nearly shattered by the force of it.

Luo Kai’s movements faltered, and he hurriedly broke the connection. He could sense that the distant rat swarm was still pouring in, seemingly emerging directly from the ground rather than being creatures of the forest. ’This can’t go on,’ he thought. ’We have to leave.’

"Everyone, retreat the way we came! I’ll cover our rear."

Yao Guangfa and the others nodded quickly and began to retreat. With a super-bodyguard like Luo Kai, their escape from the vine-filled woods was perilous but ultimately safe. Strangely, the grotesque rats didn’t pursue them past the edge of the vine-covered area.

Once they were a safe distance away, the group stopped, panting for breath. Old Cai, who knew the most about animal behavior, said, "Those grotesque rats are definitely not creatures from Mist Mountain. It’s said that there’s a network of interconnected caves beneath Mist Mountain. They might have come from somewhere else."

Yao Guangfa nodded, and after a moment of thought, he suddenly added, "Could it be that there’s something important underground where the vines are? Maybe the swarm was protecting it, and that’s why they didn’t chase us?"