Patience

After nightfall, Xiang Kun did not blindly search everywhere. Instead, he cleared a patch of mud, broke off a tree branch, and marked the areas he had explored over the past three days, based on his sense of smell, where he had identified the "branches" of the Mutated Creature.

Xiang Kun put himself in the shoes of the Mutated Creature and, based on its known abilities, guessed its possible behavioral patterns and activity patterns.

Undoubtedly, those "branches" scattered throughout the forest could help the Mutated Creature with their vigilance and hunting.

Therefore, logically speaking, the areas where they are most commonly distributed are either the areas where hunting is most frequent or the vicinity of their dens.

However, given the appetite and blood volume exhibited by that Mutated Creature, it would likely hunt medium to large animals, or a large number of small animals, and its distribution area would not be so small, nor would it be concentrated in one place. Moreover, based on its hunting method, it would probably lure wild animals with plants like red berries and swallow them easily, without much difficulty or needing many "branch" assistance.

Therefore, the area where the "branches" are concentrated is more likely to be near its nest.

Xiang Kun recalled the place where the red fruit had appeared and attracted the leopard; the density of the "branches" around that area was higher than in other areas.

Although he hadn't found anything unusual in that area before, that didn't mean his guess was wrong.

So Xiang Kun wiped away the drawing on the ground, took his bow and arrows and shoes, and returned to the area where the red fruit had appeared.

For the average person, it would be extremely difficult to discern directions in such a vast mountain forest without the aid of equipment. However, Xiang Kun had a few scattered beads that established a "Super-Sensory Link" after he entered the mountains, which helped him establish distance perception. Coupled with his super memory and thinking ability, he could easily find the paths he had taken, the places he had been, and his current location.

Switching back and forth between night vision mode and infrared imaging mode, Xiang Kun searched the area where the red fruit had appeared for another three hours, but still found nothing.

Perhaps the numerous "branchings" here are just a coincidence, and the Mutated Creature wasn't intentionally arranged?

Xiang Kun climbed a relatively tall tree, soaring to the top, and then looked around, continuing to imagine the Mutated Creature in his mind, pondering its possible behavioral patterns.

Then Xiang Kun thought of the shape of the "blue dot" when it flew off the cliff, and his experience when he went to explore the habitat of the Giant Owl. So he turned his gaze diagonally upward.

Xiang Kun climbed down from the tree and began to climb the mountain, but he did not climb directly to the top of the mountain where he was. Instead, he went to the other side, because the area where the red fruit appeared was the only way to get there.

Standing on a not-so-high cliff face on the side of the mountain, Xiang Kun relied on his sense of smell to carefully distinguish and explore, and sure enough, he caught a whiff of the scent he was looking for.

He then placed his shoes on the cliff face, and carrying his bow and quiver, began to climb down.

There aren't many exposed rocks on this cliff face; most of it is covered with greenery and large swaths of various types of vines.

Xiang Kun used his sense of smell to discover some "branches" in one of the vines, and that a large number of snakes were lurking in that area.

It was a cliffside cave covered with vines and other green plants!

From this vantage point, Xiang Kun could faintly smell various scents emanating from the cave, including those of plants, animals, and the unique odors of the Mutated Creature.

Xiang Kun is now 80% certain that the cave on the cliff is either the nest or one of the nests of that Mutated Creature.

Several options flashed through his mind, including lying in ambush nearby, waiting for the Mutated Creature to enter the cave, or even waiting for it to drink its blood before striking, trapping it inside and trying to capture it alive. Or he could simply hide nearby and, when it returned, launch a surprise attack with an arrow.

But he quickly dismissed these thoughts, because he knew that at this moment, the Mutated Creature most likely already knew that he had found the cave.

This is also the purpose of having so many "branches" here.

So after considering it for a few seconds, Xiang Kun decided to explore the cave first.

However, remembering the trap he had encountered earlier, Xiang Kun cautiously climbed back first, took out his bow and arrow, and shot two arrows at the vines at the cave entrance.

This time, no corrosive liquid was detected, and the two arrows were firmly embedded in the thickest vine.

Xiang Kun did not let his guard down. If that place really was the nest of Mutated Creature, there might be other traps or defense mechanisms there.

He pulled on the vines and gripped the rock, carefully and slowly moving towards the cave.

The venomous snakes coiled at the cave entrance also noticed Xiang Kun, and one of them flicked its tongue at him as a warning.

Xiang Kun could tell it was a venomous snake, but he wasn't too worried. He didn't attack, but instead used "Mental Intimidation" on the snake that was threatening him. As a result, not only that snake, but all the snakes near the cave entrance scattered and fled.

Xiang Kun was slightly puzzled. At this time of year, most snakes in the mountains would have already hibernated. He hadn't encountered a single snake since entering the mountains this time, but unexpectedly, he encountered a whole nest of them here. Had their habits changed? Or were these snakes naturally late hibernating?

Besides the snake's nest, there was also a sizable beehive nearby. Xiang Kun used the same method to drive the bees away, retrieved the two arrows, pushed aside the vines and other greenery, and successfully squeezed into the cave.

Although the Mutated Creature looked about the size of a washbasin, the cave was quite large; Xiang Kun couldn't even touch the ceiling when he went inside.

After examining the vines concealing the cave entrance and noting the "special scent," Xiang Kun roughly understood the Mutated Creature's defense strategy. It must have made those "branches" have the properties to attract snakes, bees, and other animals, so that they would spontaneously guard this area and become the cave's free protectors.

Once inside, Xiang Kun quickly switched between night vision and infrared imaging modes, cautiously observing the situation within the cave.

The hole isn't deep; you can see the end at a glance.

The cave was also filled with various vines and plants, which entangled and bound six rather large birds.

In Xiang Kun's infrared imaging mode, the birds wrapped in vines were still radiating heat, indicating they were still alive, though they seemed to be in a deep sleep or coma.

Xiang Kun held an arrow, poking and prodding around, carefully checking if there were any other defensive mechanisms inside the cave. He was also prepared to leap out of the cave at any moment and use the vines to cling to the cliff face.

However, judging from the vines and other plants around the cave entrance that have a "special scent," the Mutated Creature must have used those "branches" to make some defensive arrangements after drinking blood and before falling into a deep sleep, just like the previous traps. They must have been very troublesome and could not have lasted for long.

Under normal circumstances, apart from the snakes and bees "guarding" the cave, there seem to be no other defensive measures.

That makes sense. Ordinary wild animals can't get into places like this anyway. Not to mention there are venomous snakes and swarms of bees. No wild animal would be so foolish as to do that. Even if a wild animal did come in, it would probably just be delivering food to them.

Xiang Kun slowly walked in, examining the six bound and unconscious birds. It seemed the Mutated Creature intended them as its next meal, to be used for blood-drinking.

As for how it got here, Xiang Kun speculated that the Mutated Creature controlled the "branch" to grow some kind of fruit outside the cliff, which lured passing birds to eat it, and then brought it in.

However, judging from the dead wild boar that Host Xue filmed before, the Mutated Creature does not always bring its prey back to the cave to drink its blood.

Could it be that it did this to avoid me?

But why hasn't it drunk blood yet? Is it because it feels that going into a deep sleep after drinking blood, hiding in this cave, might not be safe?

If that's the case, it's not wrong; that's why Xiang Kun found the location of the cave...

Xiang Kun realized that the Mutated Creature had likely reached the blood-drinking stage and needed to drink blood.

Judging from the condition of those birds, they were probably captured no more than a day ago; it may have endured the entire day.

Based on Xiang Kun's own experience of resisting the hunger for blood, the time after nightfall is the most difficult to endure. Either it has already been unable to resist hunting other animals outside to drink their blood, or it will soon have to return to the cave.

But Xiang Kun is currently in this cave, and the Mutated Creature most likely already knows this. What will it choose?

Xiang Kun walked to the cave entrance, looked out at the distant mountains and forests, and searched carefully. He quickly found a very small blue dot using infrared imaging mode—that was the Mutated Creature.

Is it waiting for me to leave?

It shouldn't be. Since it discovered my presence in this cave, it should already know that regardless of whether I leave or not, this cave can no longer be used as a place to rest and recuperate after drinking blood.

So what is it doing now?

Xiang Kun continued to put himself in the shoes of the Mutated Creature, speculating about its "psychology".

Yes, it's currently driven by hunger, and it's nighttime, so it should be extremely agitated. Its nest has been taken over by a humanoid Mutated Creature; it must be furious, right?

They could only hunt and drink the blood of any prey they could find, with no safe place to sleep, and they were afraid of being found by that humanoid Mutated Creature, powerless to resist.

So, it's actually hesitating right now about whether or not to attack me?

Xiang Kun felt that he probably wouldn't return empty-handed from his trip to the Qinling Mountains this time. He knew very well what the hunger caused by drinking blood would feel like after nightfall. This feeling would become stronger and stronger, and more and more difficult to control, as time went on and with external stimulation.

Regardless of whether this Mutated Creature was originally a plant or an animal, and regardless of how high its intelligence has become through mutation and evolution, it is still not human. Even Xiang Kun, who is usually calm and resourceful, was like dry firewood in that situation, ready to ignite at the slightest spark; let alone this creature.

Xiang Kun slung his bow over his shoulder and quickly descended the mountain along the vines and various plants on the cliff edge. He suffered many new cuts and abrasions along the way, but he didn't care.

As he weaved through the forest, slowly making his way towards the direction of the blue dot he had spotted, Xiang Kun remained vigilant and showed no signs of carelessness.

After walking for a while, he suddenly stopped, looked up through the gaps in the branches and leaves at the starless and moonless night sky, and frowned slightly.

The humidity in the air has increased significantly; it looks like it's going to rain?