Keeping One's Head Down

The sunset painted the sky.

The old tree at the village entrance, its branches echoing with the calls of birds returning to their nests.

The young farmer stood at his doorstep, gazing at the distant mountains, his expression enigmatic.

The locals call that mountain "Goat's Beard".

"Hey sir, can I get a drink of water here?"

A passing traveler stopped and asked.

The farmer looked the man up and down, and judging from the travel-worn look on him, it didn't seem like he was faking it.

Xu Ling nodded immediately. "Brother, you're too kind. I'll go back inside and fetch you a ladle of water."

Thank you so much.

Yan Tiangong gratefully cupped his hands in greeting, but before he could even lower his hands, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Xu Ling immediately stopped what he was doing, intending to wait until the other person had finished laughing before speaking.

"Alright, buddy, stop pretending, okay?"

Yan Tiangong adjusted his expression and added, "You look nothing like a native. If I'm not mistaken, you haven't even dealt with the native corpses in the house yet, have you?"

He raised his hand and rubbed his nose, clicking his tongue in amazement. "I can still smell a faint scent of blood."

Xu Ling wasn't annoyed at being recognized as a deathmatch fighter.

He slowly flexed his wrists. "Can't you just pretend you didn't recognize me? Why do I have to kill you?"

Yan Tiangong, completely oblivious to being threatened, asked the question on his own.

"The position of the 'Node' has not changed significantly during this period. What does this mean?"

Xu Ling, dressed as a farmer, did not answer.

Yan Tiangong didn't keep them in suspense and explained, "The answer is obvious. This time, the 'Node' has fallen into the hands of a ruthless person. That person seems very confident and clearly intends to take down all the death fighters who rushed over by himself."

And as it turned out, that person wasn't arrogant; a whole day passed, and the 'Node' remained unclaimed.

Yan Tiangong shrugged. "This is really too ruthless. I have no confidence in snatching the 'Node' from such a ruthless person."

"So?" Xu Ling finally spoke again.

Yan Tiangong chuckled.

"Therefore, weak people like us must stick together for warmth."

"What abilities do you have? Are you even qualified to team up with me?"

"There's nothing I can do, I was just unlucky. I only got a negligible support ability..."

The moon was bright and the stars were few; a thin mist rose from the mountains and forests.

[Bite!]

[Points +1, Current Points: 267, Current Rank: 1/104]

Lu Bai picked up his pen, raised his wrist, and opened his eyes.

By the light of the campfire, he looked at Chang Shengtian beside him and asked softly, "Who's next?"

"Uh... it's not available now."

Chang Shengtian sensed for a while and confirmed that everyone who had entered the mountain during this period had disappeared.

After answering, it hesitated for a moment, then cautiously added, "Shouldn't you stop for a bit?"

Because it provided Lu Bai with the location, it knew very well what fate awaited those who went into the mountains.

This made it completely unable to understand what these Reincarnated Demons were trying to achieve by rushing to their deaths one after another.

Lu Bai glanced at the Data Panel in front of his retina.

[Double Points Reward loading time remaining--]

[03:48:19]

There are less than four hours left to earn the Double Points Reward for the "Node".

He smiled and said, "I'm afraid those Reincarnated Demon won't stop. I'll trouble you to continue monitoring them."

Second Young Master Hu was still suppressed by the Great Serpent Phantom, and his movements were restricted.

However, after overhearing their conversation, it couldn't help but ask.

"Reincarnated Demon really that much of a threat?"

It does not deny that Reincarnated Demon are an unstable factor; otherwise, it would not have taken control of so many death fighters in advance.

Even so, in its mind, deathmatchers were at most ordinary people with some special abilities; why should they be taken so seriously?

Upon hearing this question, Chang Shengtian's lips twitched.

You weren't the one who got beaten up, were you?

Lu Bai looked up at Second Young Master Hu: "Has the Guardian Immortal still not found a new Reincarnated Demon?"

Second Young Master Hu paused slightly, then explained awkwardly, "The investigation takes a lot of time."

"I only spared your life because you were still somewhat useful, but now that you can't produce any results, I'm in a difficult position."

Lu Bai's tone carried a hint of amusement, yet it sent shivers down the Second Young Master Hu.

He hurriedly replied, "I'll urge them again right away."

Lu Bai noncommittally shifted his gaze, taking a moment to admire the bright moonlight in the sky.

Unfortunately,

Leisure time always seems too short.

Chang Shengtian shouted, "I've got it! Someone's gone into the mountains on that path on the north slope!"

Before he could finish speaking, he quickly changed his mind.

"No, it's not just on the north slope, there are so many... How can there be so many? What are these things?!"

Lu Bai didn't press the matter. When Chang Shengtian mentioned the North Slope, he closed his eyes and activated [Full Map Vision].

By raising your gaze and using the [Full Map Vision] ability, you can take in the entire view of Yanghu Zi Mountain.

What Chang Shengtian said was true.

Lu Bai did indeed see many figures heading into the mountains.

However, these figures were not deathmatch fighters, and could hardly even be considered human.

Those were thousands upon thousands of corpses.

The skin on the surface was rotten and damaged, leaving only a human-shaped skeleton.

Two eerie blue flames flickered in the empty eye sockets of the skull.

It is unknown who controls them, but these tens of thousands of skeletons, clearing paths through mountains and building bridges over rivers, are resolutely marching towards Yanghu Zi Mountain.

"A test?"

Looking at the Skeleton Soldier covering the mountains and fields, Lu Bai muttered to himself.

There aren't many fools among the deathmatchers.

The mysterious deaths of those who went into the mountains during this period naturally attracted the attention of those with ulterior motives.

Some people wanted to figure out what Lu Bai's abilities were, and the death fighters lying in wait in the wilderness were naturally happy to see that happen. Even though these Skeleton Soldier made such a commotion, the death fighters along the way would not interfere.

About ten miles from the county seat, in a mass grave, there was a makeshift shack.

There was no lighting inside the shack, but one could barely make out that a man and two women were sitting together.

"Sister Tao, is there still no news from the mountains?"

"You little brats, what's the rush?"

The high school girl, referred to as Sister Tao, waved her hand impatiently. "My little ones haven't even seen the main character yet."

[Undead Cataclysm (Colorful): A powerful summoning ability that allows the undead to use the corpses of the dead to conjure an army of scourges, spreading evil and terror among the living. However, the undead have no capacity for thought and can only obey the summoner's commands based on instinct.]

The male fighter, probably used to Sister Tao's foul language, didn't pay much attention and rubbed his chin.

"We still need to use them sparingly. We only have tens of thousands of Skeleton Soldiers. If you ask me, we should send the Scourge to slaughter the county town first."

"Hehe..."

Another female deathmatch fighter sneered, "You think that hedgehog in the city is a pushover?"