The Taste of Fear, Lin Yu's Recovery

After exchanging secret signals and confirming that they were not Yaomo, Liu Chengyang and Yue Zhenqiao went into the cave to escape the summer heat.

The temperature inside the cave is several degrees lower than near the entrance. Even without removing Talismans or any other means of cooling off, one won't feel too uncomfortable in the heat.

"It's strange, but it's good that the caravan is safe... at least it shows that the guy who caused this series of disappearances is probably only interested in the living," Yue Zhenqiao paused and said, "It's very likely that it's after us living people... after all, many Yaomo are only interested in the Blood Food of the living."

Wu San also echoed, "What the escort leader said is reasonable. After all, there have been rumors about various strange things in Chenjiabao for a long time. There have been many escort teams and caravans that have disappeared before this, and many of them are even empty-handed... Maybe the owner of Chenjiabao and the Chen clan chief really secretly raised a certain demon!"

Lin Yu shook his head, interrupting the two. "No, perhaps this hidden mastermind is only interested in the living, but it's definitely not because of reasons like 'Yaomo being interested in Blood Food.'"

"If that's the case, it should actually target the contents of the caravan!"

Because... the things inside are alive too!

Moreover, it has a tremendous attraction for Yaomo. Judging from Three Suns's reaction and thirst, Lin Yu could easily guess that it was a natural, instinctive craving for Blood Food.

Therefore... Yue Zhenqiao's reasoning is exactly the opposite.

"Whether it's Yaomo or something else that caused this series of disappearances, at least it doesn't crave Blood Food. This thing might have another purpose in creating these disappearances," Lin Yu said coldly. "And if its ultimate goal is Blood Food, there's only one possibility for why it hasn't touched the goods in the caravan... the mutilated body you're escorting. It can't touch it for the time being."

Although the mastermind behind the disappearance of many escorts is extremely strange, the remains of the body in the escort car are no less impressive.

Upon hearing Lin Yu's words, Yue Zhenqiao did not insist on his own opinion.

Yue Zhenqiao's ability to survive and serve as a bodyguard leader in the Prison Mountain Realm for such a long time was not due to his skills, which could barely be regarded as a third-rate master, but his extensive experience and thoughtfulness.

This Heroine is far superior to me, so her analysis is naturally much more reliable than my own conclusions.

"Heroine, in your opinion... what should be done if it's the former, and what should be done if it's the latter?"

Lin Yu spoke directly, "It's all the same—although Master Wu San's analysis just now was also wrong, at least some of it was correct."

"No matter what, the strangeness of this place is inextricably linked to Chen Family Fortress. We still need to find someone from Chen Family Fortress and ask them for details."

Yue Zhenqiao asked in surprise, "Won't this alert the enemy?"

Lin Yu had previously opposed seeking out the residents of Chen Family Fortress, but he changed his mind now, and there was a reason for that.

Because Old Zheng called out the time.

"Boss, we caught the guy who scouted you when you left. He's hiding in the basement of a house in the middle of this fortress... He's one of the few survivors in this fortress. Shall we go take a look?"

"The opponent has a strong spirit, but is physically weak; he must be a master who is not in good condition."

Therefore, Lin Yu confidently answered Yue Zhenqiao.

"I won't alert them, because I just sensed a peculiar Qi Mechanism."

As Lin Yu spoke, Yue Zhenqiao remained cautious.

"Alright, Heroine, if you want to go, I, Yue, will naturally accompany you. But could this be a trap? Should we go back and call for more experts?"

Lin Yu shook his head.

"No need," Lin Yu, trusting Old Zheng's intuition and his own strength. "Calling more people will only alert them."

After speaking, Lin Yu paused for a moment, then added.

"Regardless, Biaotou Yue, the caravan here is safe for now and will not be in trouble in the future. I suggest that Escort Liu and Escort Wu also come along..."

Yue Zhenqiao hesitated this time. "This... is it alright if we don't keep an eye on the convoy?"

"Even if you say there's a high chance of nothing happening, my Heroine, losing the goods is a serious matter, and I dare not gamble on it."

Lin Yu looked at him and sighed.

This escort leader Yue is indeed a mature and prudent veteran, but apart from being a little weak in skills, his biggest flaw is that he cares too much about his bad luck!

Some are even inflexible.

However, persuading the other party is not difficult.

"All thirty-one members of your escort team have died here, which counts as a lost shipment," Lin Yu's tone hardened. "If you leave Liu Chengyang and Wu San here, this Yaomo can make them disappear in one go... If something really goes wrong, can you stop this Yaomo, which doesn't even know how it made its move?"

As Lin Yu spoke, Yue Zhenqiao finally understood the priorities.

"The Heroine's words are reasonable; I was shortsighted... Let's not delay any longer and set off immediately!"

Yue Zhenqiao spoke, Lin Yu shook his head again, rejecting Yue Zhenqiao's suggestion.

"No rush, let me at least see if there are any clues left around this cave... Liu Chengyang, where do you sit when you feel panicked?"

"It's probably around here."

Liu Chengyang pointed to a protruding rock on the outside of the cave, which looked like a naturally formed long stone bench.

Lin Yu walked over and began to observe.

The rock and its surroundings weren't covered in dust, just some gravel and pebbles, with a few broken and old spiderweb remnants clinging to its surface.

A close look at the piled-up sand reveals numerous traces of fresh addition.

Although the marks on the ground are somewhat messy, probably because Liu Chengyang trampled them over and over, a closer look still reveals that three people once sat here.

Lin Yu sat in the middle of the room and leaned back slightly against the rocky cave wall.

The stone wall was dry and rough. After Lin Yu gently leaned against it, some grains of sand slowly slid down from the cracks, making a soft sound.

Lin Yu exhaled. The earthy smell in the cave was mixed with a faint smell of blood, but it shouldn't have been left by a fight.

There were no signs of struggle here... Lin Yu could imagine that Liu Chengyang and the other two must have been sitting here together, looking out at the scorching sunlight, watching the livestock and the caravan, wary of anyone approaching.

Perhaps they were chatting, or perhaps they were resting in silence; in any case, the three of them were not far apart...

Then, suddenly, the two disappeared.

Unlike the large room full of people inside the stone house, two of the three had disappeared here. Even though his perception was instantly altered, Liu Chengyang immediately realized something was wrong and felt a great deal of fear—emotions that lingered.

Although Liu Chengyang couldn't explain how these emotions arose, he immediately forgot the source of the feelings that made him feel uneasy.

But fear is like that; the more baseless the emotion, the more likely it is to cause a loss of control.

Finally, driven by fear... Liu Chengyang fired that signal arrow.