Chapter 10: The Unseen Zone

The furrows were perfectly straight. From the stalks and leaves to the ears of grain, the crops were bright and shimmering, looking like golden ornaments. They stood out strikingly in the pitch-black mountains, shrouded in a mysterious aura.

Everyone present was captivated by Feng Yi’an's words. Could such a marvelous sight truly exist deep within the fog-shrouded mountains?

"Who is farming there?" Xu Yueping asked.

Feng Yi’an shook his head. A Mountain Patroller who had lost his way had discovered it by accident but hadn't dared to approach.

Afterward, they reported it immediately. High-level officials personally visited the area, but they could never find it again.

Old Liu, who was over seventy, sighed. "The night is boundless. There are too many unknown things in the deep mountains and vast marshes. The sprawling no-man's land is extremely dangerous; even a City Lord from a distant city would find it difficult to venture deep inside."

"Old Man Liu, have you encountered anything strange as well?" Qin Ming asked.

Old Liu nodded, a look of recollection appearing on his face. "Forget the wilderness; there are strange things even near our settlement."

Back then, he was just a teenager flying a kite with his friends at the village entrance. When he finally reeled in the line, he found it sticky. There was actually blood on the kite.

"Right at our village entrance?" Yang Yongqing was startled and couldn't help but glance out the window at the night sky.

Qin Ming hesitated before saying, "Could it have been a bird that got injured and happened to crash into the kite?"

"Perhaps. When my grandfather saw the bloody kite string back then, his expression changed instantly. He told me to keep it to myself for the rest of my life. Decades have passed in the blink of an eye," Old Liu said.

Something like that happening right at their doorstep always made people feel uneasy.

Xu Yueping said, "Let’s let Brother Feng tell us more about the mountains."

"Have you ever heard of mountain beasts weeping at a grave?" Feng Yi’an was cautious and reverent as he spoke, his expression complex.

"What kind of grave?" someone asked. They spent their years traveling through the mountains, yet they had truly never encountered such a thing.

"A beast's grave," Feng Yi’an replied.

"Wild beasts practice burials too?" Xu Yueping was stunned.

Feng Yi’an nodded. "The no-man's land covered by night fog is something to be feared. Any bizarre thing is possible there."

That day, the old captain of the Mountain Patroller team noticed an abnormality in the mountains. Fearing that a mysterious creature was undergoing further evolution and might cause a disaster, he approached quietly.

"The old captain wanted to get first-hand information to see which 'extraordinary insect' or 'noted beast' was elevating itself. This would allow us to take precautions and launch precision counterattacks."

This was because creatures that had mutated multiple times possessed different abilities. To deal with them, different measures and methods had to be prepared.

Halfway there, the old captain was suddenly startled to realize that the abnormal noise was actually the sound of crying. However, he did not stop. Eventually, he saw an old white-furred beast sobbing and weeping at a grave in the night. It was an incredibly eerie sight.

Feng Yi’an continued, "That dilapidated earthen mound had existed for at least a thousand years because the ancient cypress growing on it was at least a millennium old."

The old captain saw the white-furred mountain beast kowtowing like a human. Droplets of light actually fell near the earthen mound, illuminating the pitch-black forest.

Subsequently, birds of prey descended from the night sky, and monsters emerged from the marshes. All of them joined in the worship.

At this point, Feng Yi’an stopped.

"And then?" someone urged.

Feng Yi’an said, "The old captain took a risk to get closer. He wanted to see the white-furred mountain beast's true face so he could check the local records and prepare specific defenses."

The old white-furred beast kowtowed and shed tears, and then it inexplicably began to mutate. Weeping at the grave seemed to be a mysterious ritual that allowed its life level to ascend.

The old captain retreated quietly, but he began to cough up blood on the way back, and his entire body felt itchy and pricked. Although he made it back alive to report what he saw, his flesh rotted away until he died.

"The higher-ups sent a large force into the mountains for a great battle. It’s said that it was fortunate the information was delivered in time. Otherwise, if that white-furred beast had fully matured, it would have caused a massive disaster."

Everyone felt a weight in their hearts. Usually, things felt peaceful outside the mountains, but in the unseen zones, there were hidden stories. People were silently guarding the mountains and fighting to the death.

White-haired and wrinkled, Old Liu sighed. "There isn't just one or two cases like the old captain. A close friend I made in my youth spent his years guarding the mountains to stop dangerous variants. Eventually, when he grew old, he disappeared. I don't know if he died inside the mountains, but he never appeared again."

Feng Yi’an nodded. "Most members of our Mountain Patroller team have been severely injured. Some can't even expect a peaceful end; their bones aren't even left behind."

He used the old captain's master as an example. "Back then, that senior possessed incredible skill and was highly respected. He had already honorably retired after losing an arm. But when he heard a dangerous Mountain Monster had appeared, he worried his juniors wouldn't be able to stop it. To prevent others from going to their deaths, he dragged his crippled body and charged into battle."

In that fight, although the old captain's master heavily wounded the Mountain Monster, he also died a tragic death. Aside from a large patch of blood, only half a blade remained.

"That senior's greatest wish in life was to be buried outside the mountains with his deceased wife and son. In the end, his wish went unfulfilled. His soul cannot return, trapped in the pitch-black mountains," Feng Yi’an said, shaking his head and sighing.

The old man's wife and son had died prematurely years ago because of a Mountain Monster’s rampage. Since then, he had never remarried.

The Mountain Patrollers brought back his blood-stained broken blade and buried it beside his wife and son's grave.

Hearing this, Qin Ming felt that even the pungent old liquor lost its flavor. He remained silent.

Feng Yi’an's mood was low. "In the end, aside from those who are crippled or dead, some Mountain Patrollers go mad in the mountains. They eat raw, bloody meat like wild beasts and turn into complete monsters. Sigh, I don't know what the final end for our group will be. Perhaps the mountains will be our final resting place."

The atmosphere at the table was heavy. With the recent changes in the mountains and a Mountain Sweeping Operation potentially imminent, no one knew what would happen next.

Feng Yi’an downed his glass of wine in one gulp. "Brother Xu, I’ll have to trouble you to plant the medicine seeds."

He solemnly took a wooden box from his robe. When he opened it, there were four black seeds inside, each about the size of a kidney bean.

Xu Yueping was stunned. "They need to be planted in winter?"

Feng Yi’an's expression was grave. "If you put them in the Fire Spring to be nourished now, they will grow vigorously by early spring. The Mountain Patrollers will definitely be at the front lines in this upcoming battle. The countdown for some brothers' lives has likely begun. Even if they survive, they might be half-crippled. I don't know if they can last until the 'Black Moon' matures. This is life-saving medicine for many people. Old Xu, you must take this to heart!"

The Black Moon took root in the Fire Spring. Its leaves were like orchids, and once its full buds bloomed, every petal would be like a black crescent moon, scattering dark light and surrounded by white mist.

Feng Yi’an wiped a bit of wine from his bushy beard and rose to take his leave. "Thank you for the hospitality, Brother Xu. If we can return alive after the mountain sweeping, let's gather again."

"Brother Feng possesses great skill. You will surely turn misfortune into a blessing," Xu Yueping said.

The group saw Feng Yi’an to the village entrance, watching him disappear into the night.

"It’s been a bad year, but the Mountain Patrollers were quite considerate. They only sent four seeds. The spiritual essence drawn from the Fire Spring is something we can bear," someone said.

The Mountain Patrollers weren't just monitoring the dangers in the mountains; they were also guarding them. Every village was willing to grow life-saving herbs for them without resentment.

According to the agreement, each village was to provide four to eight stalks of Black Moon annually. If it was only four, the impact on the crops in the Fire Fields wouldn't be that great.

The people present dispersed.

Old Liu hadn't left yet. He stared at the four black seeds and said, "They actually managed to cultivate them."

As Qin Ming was leaving, he noticed that Xu Yueping seemed to have something weighing heavily on his mind.

...

There were many more people on the streets now, all carrying bows, arrows, and Hunting Spears, preparing to enter the mountains.

Yesterday, they had questioned Qin Ming in detail about the conditions in the mountains, and they began their operation early this morning.

The main reason was that each family’s food reserves were running low, and food was becoming scarce.

"A great harvest! We hunted two Saber-horned Deer!"

When a group returned, they brought good news and a bountiful catch.

"Currently, the outer fringes of the mountain forest have grown quiet. As long as we don't go deep, we can hunt cautiously."

The next day, even more people teamed up to go into the mountains and brought back plenty of prey.

Many children cheered. Unafraid of the cold, they breathed out white mist as they ran around the streets. It felt like the New Year, and the atmosphere in the village significantly improved.

"Little Uncle, come to my house for a treat. We’re eating venison today." Wenrui happily came to call for Qin Ming.

Qin Ming had already eaten some game and was walking out of Lu Ze's house when he happened to see Xu Yueping returning from the village entrance with a furrowed brow.

"Uncle Xu, were you seeing someone off?"

"Yeah, people from the Mountain Patroller team came. They’re pressuring me to plant the Black Moon seeds," Xu Yueping said.

Qin Ming felt that the Mountain Patrollers truly didn't have it easy. Facing various dangers, they could be crippled or even killed at any moment.

He saw that Xu Yueping had something on his mind, his brow deeply furrowed, so he didn't say much.

That day, when the last group to enter the mountains returned, it caused a commotion. Most of them were injured and covered in blood, and their prey had all been lost.

"That was close. We ran into a mutated Snow Ape. Old Chen's arm was almost torn off." The villagers who escaped back were still shaking with fear.

"Fortunately, we managed to drive it back with arrows and escape." They had survived a disaster, saying they had ventured too deep this time and couldn't be so reckless next time.

The thick night fog dispersed, and a new day arrived. Although people were injured yesterday, it didn't scare off the others, especially since this time, some Rebirth practitioners were going along.

However, it wasn't long before one of the groups returned. Many were covered in blood, and the Rebirth practitioner was the most severely injured.

His left shoulder blade was shattered, one leg was bent unnaturally, and his chest was partially caved in. With blood foaming from his mouth, it was uncertain if he would survive.

"What happened?"

"We ran into a Blood Bear!" someone said, their lips trembling.

A Blood Bear was a very powerful Mutated Creature. Its fur was the color of blood, and it was violent and ferocious. Even a Rebirth practitioner might not survive an encounter with it.

"Where's Brother Lu?" Qin Ming quickly went to the neighboring courtyard.

"He went into the mountains." Once Liang Wanqing learned of the situation, she became consumed with anxiety.

"I’ll go find him!" Qin Ming turned and left.

When Xu Yueping learned that another group hadn't returned, he panicked and called all the Rebirth practitioners to enter the mountains together.

Qin Ming ran at the very front. Great waves of snow kicked up on either side of his body, startling Xu Yueping, who was closest to him. As for the others, they had long since been left in the dust.

Nearing the mountain forest, Qin Ming stopped because a group of people was staggering out.

He saw Lu Ze at a glance, being carried out.

"Brother Lu!" He rushed over.

Lu Ze's face was as pale as paper, his eyes closed. His clothes were tattered and stained with blood. His chest and abdomen were the most severely injured, with at least three ribs broken.

The sound of crying came from nearby. Two of the heavily injured people being carried back had already stopped breathing.

"A Blood Bear did this to you?" Qin Ming asked.

Someone said with lingering fear, "Yes. If the Mountain Patrollers hadn't appeared, many of us might have died."

Qin Ming stared into the dark mountain forest and drew his shimmering short blade.

Xu Yueping arrived and stopped him. "Don't take risks. Go back first!"

When Liang Wanqing saw Lu Ze being carried back, her face turned deathly pale. she stumbled over, and the two children began to wail loudly.

"Sister-in-law, Brother Lu has just fainted," Qin Ming said.

He had checked carefully. Lu Ze's broken ribs hadn't pierced his internal organs. After Qin Ming set them and treated the wounds, the issue wasn't too critical.

Many people were injured this time. Standing in the street, one could hear the cries of the elderly and children.

The atmosphere in the village was oppressive. Xu Yueping ordered that from now on, no one was allowed to enter the mountains.

Qin Ming walked into the courtyard of Xu Yueping’s house and found Old Liu and Yang Yongqing were also there.

"You want to go kill the Blood Bear?" Xu Yueping asked inside the house.

Qin Ming's voice was low. "Although Lu Ze has bear claw marks on him, those ribs look more like they were broken by a fist."

"You feel that way too? Then it was likely premeditated." Xu Yueping stood up abruptly, his voice thick with anger. "Some people have gone too far!"

Qin Ming had suspected something for a while.

Ever since Xu Yueping had received those four seeds, he had been burdened with worry.

"Why?" Qin Ming asked. Guessing was one thing, but it was hard to accept in his heart.

Xu Yueping’s voice was deep. "The Mountain Patroller team pressured me to plant the Black Moon seeds immediately. I didn't agree. I never imagined they would retaliate like this."

Old Liu said, "There’s something wrong with the seeds. They must have mutated; they will absorb a massive amount of the Fire Spring's spiritual essence and affect the Fire Field’s cultivation. There might be a famine next year."

Qin Ming’s mind was in turmoil. That bushy-bearded Feng Yi’an had seemed so heroic, telling those tragic tales of Mountain Patrollers that moved people's hearts. Yet, he had done such a thing.

Yang Yongqing said, "The stories Feng Yi’an told are all true, but they have nothing to do with the main members of this current team!"

Qin Ming remembered his earlier words: some Mountain Patrollers are very responsible.

At the time, he felt that Yang Yongqing was hinting that some were very irresponsible, expressing it quite subtly.

Old Liu lowered his voice. "This team has hunted a Blood Bear before. I strongly suspect someone is currently wearing that bear skin to commit these crimes."

Upon hearing this, a surge of anger rose in Qin Ming's heart. Mountain Patrollers were supposed to guard the mountains and protect the region; they were meant to be respected. But what were they doing? On the surface, they were hearty and responsible, but in the dark, they were committing atrocities, their hands stained with the blood of villagers. Where was their conscience?

"Is Brother Xu home?" Feng Yi’an led four Mountain Patrollers into the courtyard.

"It’s all our fault. We failed in our duty this time and didn't protect our fellow villagers well." The bushy-bearded Feng Yi’an spoke with a look of guilt, stating that they would go hunt the Blood Bear immediately.

The knuckles of Xu Yueping's fingers inside his sleeves turned white from clenching his fists, yet he couldn't lash out. He had to maintain a proper posture to deal with them.

He felt miserable. The other party had killed people and then came to his door to apologize. This was practically riding on someone’s neck, looking down and mocking them with a smile.

Qin Ming sat quietly, temporarily suppressing the urge to draw his blade.