Super Soldier in the City

The second method was in use now, and Na Yi was very nervous. It was related to her father, and Na Yi couldn’t help but be tense. The detection for the second method was somewhat special and inconvenient for Na Yi to watch, so Li Yifei let her leave, conducting the check alone.

A few minutes later, Li Yifei came out frowning, and Na Yi quickly approached to ask about the situation. Li Yifei then said, "It’s indeed the Worm poison, but this Worm is very strange, I can’t describe it. In short, this Worm... is hard to describe. I used Elder Yao’s second method to check, only to find it!"

"Is it the Worm?" Na Yi exclaimed. Li Yifei found the cause of her father’s illness, but being poisoned by a Worm was something she couldn’t quite accept. They grew up learning about Worms, breeding them, but rarely causing harm. Those who did harm were mostly Black Miao, but not absolutely. The Black Miao’s cultivation method was indeed mostly evil, but not extremely detestable.

"It’s the Worm. Elder Yao’s testing method can only be Worm poison!" Li Yifei affirmed.

"I’ll go call the elders from the tribe!" Na Yi hurriedly said.

Li Yifei grabbed her by the hand and whispered, "Na Yi, don’t rush. Your father’s body is temporarily fine, but we still don’t know exactly what Worm he is poisoned with. Without understanding the situation, it’s best not to speak up. Your Li family has been here for quite a while, unaware of what has happened lately!"

Na Yi immediately understood Li Yifei’s meaning. Laying a Worm is all about doing it in a manner unbeknownst to others, at least most times it’s like that. Just like how Li Yifei was poisoned by the Passion Worm, he himself was caught without knowing it, and this most likely was done by someone close to him. Only they could make the poison victim relax and fall into the trap.

Like the Worm inside Bunong’s body, it’s already a very secretive Worm that even Na Yi and her family couldn’t detect. The same goes for Li Yifei, proving that this Worm is very peculiar and hard for Li Yifei to describe.

"Husband, do you think... someone from the village is framing my father?" Na Yi asked.

"It’s just a possibility. Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. Don’t reveal your suspicions, and let’s not make it public for now." Li Yifei replied.

"Okay, I trust you, only you can save my father!" Na Yi held Li Yifei’s hand; in this world, her closest kin is just her father left, and Li Yifei is also her kin, so she doesn’t want her father to die.

Li Yifei hugged Na Yi, patted her back, and comforted, "Don’t worry, everything will be fine!"

"So what should I do?" Na Yi asked.

"Just act normally, tell others that nothing was found, remain equally anxious. For the specifics, I’ll investigate!" said Li Yifei. Laying a Worm is typically handled by the one who laid it, especially some vicious Worm objects. The best solution is to find out the one who laid the Worm, so Li Yifei advised Na Yi not to make it public to avoid alerting them.

Na Yi understood the reasoning and said, "Okay, husband, I won’t say anything. Rest assured."

"Silly girl, it’s not about saying or not saying. Well, for now, your father’s condition won’t worsen, and it’s confirmed that it’s the Worm poison. So next, I need to start an investigation immediately. You stay here, and if anyone comes, you must inform me and never leave!"

"No problem!" Na Yi nodded vigorously.

After going out, they maintained the same stance that nothing was found, which was hard for people to accept. The villagers were all very sad. Bunong was well-liked, and many villagers prayed for Bunong, trying everything.

Na Yi stayed behind while Li Yifei secretly began his investigation. Each villager’s reaction was different. Upon close observation, there are disparities. Li Yifei didn’t directly confront everyone. In fact, he was sitting in the bamboo house at that very moment, meditating with closed eyes, listening intently, with his senses fully released, monitoring the entire village. Li Yifei could hear everyone’s voice within range, though he regretted not understanding Miao language, which limited his comprehension. But language was just one aspect; Li Yifei could feel an indescribable sensation from them, which was even more crucial.

When villagers learned that Bunong’s illness remained unidentified, even with Li Yifei’s involvement, they were all anxious, unable to comprehend the cause or the situation.

The villagers gathered outside Bunong’s bamboo house, yet had no solution.

Until nightfall, Li Yifei hadn’t appeared. The villagers didn’t know where he had gone. In actuality, Li Yifei was hidden inside the bamboo house, eavesdropping on every surrounding detail while keeping an eye on Bunong’s condition, ready to react instantly if something occurred.

By around nine at night, Li Yifei unexpectedly opened his eyes as he heard some sounds. Generally, villagers were resting by this time, but someone got up in a house seventy to eighty meters away. They weren’t heading to the bathroom but exited the house, heading toward the village entrance.

Leaving the village at night was quite unusual. Li Yifei opened his eyes, vanished from the bamboo house, amidst the faint moonlight that night, quickly catching up to the figure. The person was equally agile on the path, seemingly wary of being followed, swiftly disappearing into the woods beside.

The more suspicious it was, the more surprising. Li Yifei decided to follow the person. The person wore long clothes, had their back to Li Yifei, so he hadn’t identified them. Li Yifei generally had an impression of the villagers, so he could recognize anyone from the village.

The person’s actions were increasingly suspicious. Li Yifei followed for half an hour, arriving in a familiar wooded area... the same woods as where Worm King Xiaowu resides, belonging to Na Yi’s secret place. Perhaps it hadn’t been visited for ages, thus it appeared overgrown and disordered. However, the place itself remained, and the person halted there.

If he hadn’t known this person couldn’t be Na Yi, Li Yifei might have been startled.

The person stopped, spoke a few words in Miao, squatted at a debris-covered spot, performing odd actions. Soon, Li Yifei understood their intent: removing those fragments, uncovering a crater, into which the person jumped.

It was a crater, seemingly deep, the person’s figure instantaneously vanished. Li Yifei waited a bit before coming to the crater’s edge, yet hadn’t seen the person’s face, but they jumped inside... this was either a pit or a secret passage, or perhaps the person discovered his presence, thus luring him in.

Li Yifei crouched at the crater’s edge, pitch-black inside, even with his vision, he couldn’t see clearly. Enter, or not enter, it was a decision.

Li Yifei couldn’t hear sounds from the crater, seemingly soundproof, thus not hearing the other’s footsteps. Yet in Worm King Xiaowu’s territory, a big crater existed, catching Li Yifei by surprise.

What could be inside? Would there be numerous poisonous insects or Worm objects... contemplating this, Li Yifei formed two layers of True Qi Armor and condensed a True Qi Blade, choosing to enter the crater. Even if detected, Li Yifei would seize the person for clarification!

With this thought, Li Yifei resolutely descended, finding the crater deeper than expected. Yet vision wasn’t pitch-black as above, actually discernible for over ten meters where he also saw what he stood upon: a bed of white bones, phosphorescent, including various animal bones, large and small, even... human bones which Li Yifei couldn’t mistake. These bones were exceptionally white, seemingly dry inside, unscathed by mold or decay.

It was a crater with a downward slanting path. Li Yifei considered and chose to pursue down the path.

The path widened but became harder to traverse, strewn with bones. To avoid making noise stepping on bones, Li Yifei used his agility intensively to glide lightly as a sparrow over water.

In such circumstances, his suspicion grew. It was already past ten, yet not sleeping while trekking so far, descended into a pit teeming with bones—it didn’t matter what excuses the person might give, Li Yifei wouldn’t believe them.

Progressing downward, Li Yifei walked for about four to five minutes before reaching an open area, unexpectedly spacious as a basketball court. No, wider than a basketball court. The ground remained layered with bones. Li Yifei sensed danger; his instincts, refined with advancing levels, emerged as pre-alerts, heightening awareness of peril.

This place was unrestful—either housing an Evil Creature or embodying dangerous affairs. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be littered with bones. Gripping his True Qi Blade, Li Yifei heightened his guard; however, in the expansive space, he didn’t see the person’s figure and couldn’t sense their presence.

Reflecting on the journey here, Li Yifei hadn’t discovered hiding spots, so the person might have ventured forward, or encountered a mechanism separating them partway, since Li Yifei’s senses became inaccurate after traversing certain distances or thickness.

Upon seeing the mass of bones, Li Yifei noticed some murals on the surrounding walls. Upon closer inspection, they depicted poisonous insects and reptiles, each with strange, even exaggerated designs.

Could this be a Sect’s location? Li Yifei pondered, frowning. Suddenly, he heard a sound from across the hall, sounding faint as if from afar, but indeed originating from that direction.

With quick steps, Li Yifei flew toward it, arriving at the entrance. Initially contemplating the path choice, noticing three pathways ahead, but choosing the one with sounds now, Li Yifei proceeded down that path.

Shortly, Li Yifei noticed a faint light ahead, enhancing his vision considerably. Taking a few steps forward, he saw a more expansive area akin to a large hall, also sensing several icy aurae emanating, signaling danger.