No Peace Tonight!

In the early stages of his mutation, while exploring methods to guide the mutation through repeated training and enhance his sensory abilities such as smell and hearing, Xiang Kun often wandered the streets and alleys late at night to train his senses, because there was relatively less interference when it was quiet at night.

Later, Xiang Kun became involved in a robbery case after reporting it to the police. When Officer Chen and his team reviewed the surrounding surveillance footage, they unexpectedly discovered that he was staying up all night "patrolling the streets." Fortunately, by then the suspect had already been identified and apprehended, and Officer Chen already had a preconceived notion that Xiang Kun was "full of a sense of justice," so after being warned, he did not cause any further trouble.

However, since then, Xiang Kun has been particularly careful about surveillance and such.

At first, he could only discover surveillance cameras in various places by observing and watching more. Whenever he was going to do something that he was worried about being traced, he would scout the location beforehand to make sure he knew all the surveillance points. Even if he couldn't completely avoid being caught on camera, he would try to avoid being caught on camera or use other people, vehicles, or objects as cover.

In order to better find and evade surveillance, Xiang Kun researched extensively and became very knowledgeable about the models, functions, and data of various surveillance cameras, as well as related security equipment.

Now, relying on more and stronger sensory abilities and brain analysis capabilities, especially infrared thermal imaging vision mode, he can basically detect cameras from a distance, no matter how well hidden they are.

This is true in cities filled with electronic devices, and even more so in remote mountain areas.

At this moment, Xiang Kun clearly observed that there were multiple recording devices distributed in the distant forest, and all of them were in operation.

Xiang Kun knew that in many remote mountain forests or protected areas with special animals, forestry departments often installed infrared trigger cameras to photograph and record wild animals. He had seen such cameras set up in trees before venturing into the activity area of the mutated spider in the Qinling Uninhabited Zone.

However, based on the operational characteristics he observed, the recording equipment he saw was not the infrared trigger cameras used by the forestry department, or other common equipment.

Based on Xiang Kun's assessment, these devices were likely only recently installed, perhaps even just recently, given the proximity to the Wushu Mountain Scenic Area and the frequent visits from tourists. Leaving the equipment unattended would make it easy for it to be lost or damaged.

Could it have been orchestrated by Mi Qiao or someone from "Shenxing Technology"?

After all, this area is not far from the location where tourists, as they know it, photographed the "big bird".

Within Xiang Kun's infrared thermal imaging mode, there were no recording devices near the objects composed of tiny blue dots in the distance, or near the suspected Mutated Creature.

However, if those recording devices have infrared detection capabilities, then given their distribution, the Mutated Creature could be captured on camera whether it arrives at that location from the air or the ground.

Since these recording devices remain operational even at night, it's normal for them to have infrared detection capabilities.

Xiang Kun knew that the reason why the Mutated Creature were so clearly displayed in his infrared thermal imaging vision mode was not solely due to temperature. His body temperature, Guo Tianxiang's body temperature, the Giant Owl's body temperature, and the mutated spider's body temperature were all different and not all in the same area, not to mention the presence of mutated plants.

Clearly, his special infrared thermal imaging visual mode, in addition to relying on infrared light of various wavelengths to display images, also includes certain judgment conditions that are only related to Mutated Creature.

For ordinary infrared thermal imaging equipment, it is not difficult to "see" Mutated Creature, but it is not so easy to "notice" them.

In addition to the recording equipment, Xiang Kun also noticed several drones flying high in the distance, but they were far away from the suspected Mutated Creature, seemingly searching around.

These drones were all outside Xiang Kun's line of sight; he relied on sound to determine their presence. However, these drones were significantly quieter than regular civilian drones. Even in the dead of night, in the already quiet mountain forest, at this distance, most people wouldn't hear a thing.

If the drones and the recording equipment were deployed by the same group of people, then based on the search range of the drones, it can be inferred that the people behind the recording equipment may not have discovered the suspected Mutated Creature; otherwise, the drones should have been flying near the "big bird."

But since they've set up recording equipment in this area, there must be a reason.

Of course, the recording equipment and drones may not have been deployed by the same group of people. After all, drones have already been deployed for the search, so the few scattered recording devices seem to have little significance.

Xiang Kun moved to a higher position to gain a better view and carefully examined the suspected Mutated Creature using night vision and thermal imaging modes.

Judging from its appearance, there is a 90% probability that it is the "big bird" that was previously photographed by tourists.

It should have been on the morning of the 18th that the Mutated Creature caused the tourist's fall from the cliff at Zhu Peak in Wushu Mountain.

If it's that one, why is it still here?

Xiang Kun didn't think it would consider this its habitat and plan to stay here permanently.

Xiang Kun knew very well that these Mutated Creature possessed considerable intelligence. Unless they intended to hunt humans for blood, it would be foolish for them to live near human settlements.

There must be another reason why it lingers here.

Xiang Kun thought of the "mutated ant." This "big bird" had been lingering there, looking like it was "waiting devotedly." Could it be for it? Had it really not succeeded yet? Otherwise, it should be hiding in the deep mountains and forests or other remote places to digest the blood it had ingested and to mutate and evolve.

For Mutated Creature, the only way to make them behave against established patterns seems to be for the sake of their blood-drinking needs.

Perhaps, just as Xiang Kun had guessed, it, like the Giant Owl Xiang Kun encountered before, has begun to have a strong need for the blood of other Mutated Creature?

Xiang Kun's gaze began to wander again, pondering that if the "big bird's" target was the "mutated ant," why wasn't it searching elsewhere but instead staying here? Could it be because it knew the "mutated ant's" hiding place was here, or that it knew there was something here that the "mutated ant" couldn't bear to part with, and would inevitably return?

Thinking of the underground "nest" that resembled an anthill where the strong odor of the Mutated Creature had been detected, Xiang Kun couldn't help but wonder if it was currently burrowing underground.

So, is that "big bird" competing with the "mutated ants" in patience, seeing who can withstand the bloodlust of the blood-drinking period first?

Xiang Kun observed and pondered quietly from a distance. This was the advantage of enhanced sensory abilities; it always gave him the upper hand, allowing him to control whether to advance or retreat.

If it were a remote area like the Qinling Uninhabited Zone, far from human habitation, and if there were ample time and preparation, and the weather conditions supported his "Electric Flight," Xiang Kun might try to capture that "mutated giant bird."

But given the current situation, he naturally wouldn't directly provoke that big bird.

Xiang Kun sensed the 3x3cm piece of paper left in Mi Qiao and found that it was not far from here, in the parking lot of the scenic area.

He stopped staring at the large bird hidden among the trees, which resembled a waiting-for-husband rock, and instead followed the direction of his senses.

In one of the parking lots at Wushu Mountain Scenic Area, two black vans and an MPV were parked side by side.

Mi Qiao and Fang Pingfang sat together in the back of one of the vans, looking at the monitor screens in front of them. Some of the images were in low-light night vision mode, while others were infrared thermal imaging images. Some were transmitted back by drones, and others were transmitted back by the recording equipment that had been set up that afternoon.

After receiving news at Ye Chong that tourists had photographed a "large bird" somewhere, Ye Chong and his team went to investigate.

They hadn't really held out much hope, but to their surprise, they found quite a few traces when they arrived in that area.

They didn't find any droppings, feathers, or other body parts of the "big bird," but they did find a large number of broken branches and tree trunks, ground that looked as if it had been accidentally dug up by an excavator, and various claw marks left on it, which looked shocking. If they hadn't already been looking for the "big bird," just seeing those marks would probably have made them subconsciously imagine some kind of bizarre and terrifying monster.

Mi Qiao believed that the marks were from a fight between the "big bird" and some creature, Fang Pingfang thought that the "big bird" might have created the marks itself in some kind of frenzied state.

However, they all agreed that the "big bird" would likely return to that area.

So in the afternoon, they asked Ye Chong, who was in charge of logistics and information support, to apply for equipment. Then they contacted "Mr. Liang," uploaded the photos and videos they had taken at the scene, and asked him to arrange a fully equipped drone search and rescue team.

However, Mr. Liang meant that the equipment would be transferred to them immediately, but the search and dispatch team wouldn't need it for the time being; a few of them would suffice. Of course, technical support personnel related to drones would be sent over, under the overall coordination of Ye Chong.

Having never actually conducted a field survey mission, and only having heard Fang Pingfang talk about her experience in the Qinling Uninhabited Zone, Mi Qiao originally thought that a group of people would go into the mountains tonight to assist the drone in conducting exploration.

Unexpectedly, the technicians who arrived in the afternoon with equipment in two vans told them that they only needed to stay in the vans. They could set the drone's patrol route directly through the equipment in the vans and watch the images transmitted back by the drones on the screens inside the vans. The drones would automatically lock onto the types of animals they scanned, and obstacle avoidance would also be done automatically without any manual operation.

However, the operational range of these drones is still limited, and the search area cannot go too far. This is not a problem with the performance or technology of the drones, but rather because their drones operate at altitudes exceeding 120 meters, requiring licenses and permits. They are registered under the pretext of scientific research project investigations, and their operational range is only permitted within this mountainous area.

"Dr. Fang, do you think it will spot the drone first when it comes back and be scared away?" Mi Qiao asked, looking at the images on the screen with some boredom.

"By the time it detects the drone, the drone should have already detected it," Fang Pingfang said.

"If we find it, how do we deal with it?" Mi Qiao asked again. When these drones were delivered that afternoon, she had fiddled with them for a while, but she couldn't see any devices on them that could help capture birds or wild animals.

"We don't need to worry about these things. Mr. Liang will take care of it, and Ye Chong and Team Leader Li will handle the specific execution," Fang Pingfang said.

Glancing at the closed carriage door, Mi Qiao suddenly changed the subject. "Dr. Fang, how's the investigation going with the footprint you found in the Qinling Uninhabited Zone?"

In fact, even though they had found traces of the "big bird" and other suspected evidence of the existence of mutated "Blood-feeding Creature," Mi Qiao, like Fang Pingfang, was more interested in the Rabbit Woodcarving in the basement laboratory of the main building of a research center of "Shenxing Technology" in Ironpeace Town, and the various strange phenomena it exhibited.

She felt that the Rabbit Woodcarving must be related to the owner of the footprint that Fang Pingfang and the others found in the Qinling Uninhabited Zone.

She guessed that the owner of the footprints, the person who made the Rabbit Woodcarving, was probably a "vampire" like Guo Tianxiang. The wild boar discovered by the deceased anchor surnamed Xue and others was one whose blood had been sucked by him in a special way. He was a "vampire" with different living habits and mutations Guo Tianxiang, a "Blood-feeding Creature" that had returned to its "wild" nature.

Having met Guo Tianxiang, she knew that "vampires" possessed some special abilities, such as the hypnosis that had affected her as well. However, the unusual phenomena Fang Pingfang described related to the wood carving were somewhat beyond her comprehension. Whether it was a dream intrusion, a hallucination in reality, or the influence of the laboratory lights and computers, it was difficult to provide a plausible explanation.

How can a wooden carving, an inanimate object, achieve this?

After hearing Fang Pingfang's description yesterday, she even had a fleeting thought—could the "vampire" living in the caves of the Qinling Uninhabited Zone have found a way to transform his body into that "Rabbit Woodcarving"?

Of course, this was just a fleeting thought; she knew it was far-fetched and impossible. But that only fueled her curiosity about what secrets the wood carving held.

"We can roughly determine the height and weight of the person who left the footprints. We only know that he should be a man around 1.9 meters tall, a big fat man, in his twenties..." Fang Pingfang was speaking when she suddenly frowned, looked at the rows of screens in the carriage, and said, "What are they doing?"

Mi Qiao also noticed the strange phenomenon on the screen: clusters of red dots converging from all directions, like a sparse red light flowing through the night sky, all rushing in the same direction.

Not only did several cameras set up in the mountains capture this scene, but drones patrolling the air also locked their lenses onto these red dots.

Zhou Rui's voice came through the walkie-talkie from another car. "Dr. Fang, Ms. Chen, did you see that? Those birds seem to have gone mad?"

Yes, those clusters of red dots are birds, all kinds of birds.

Neither Fang Pingfang nor Mi Qiao could answer the question; they could only stare intently at the screen, watching the behavior of the flock of birds.

The birds gathered together, flew in one direction for a while, and then suddenly "exploded" and scattered in all directions.

Wushu Mountain is one of the world's richest areas in terms of bird resources, so it's not surprising that there are many birds. What's strange is their sudden and bizarre behavior.

"What are they doing?" Zhou Rui's puzzled voice came through the walkie-talkie.

Fang Pingfang seemed to have discovered something, and instructed Ye Chong to manually lock onto a specific area using the drone's camera.

Looking at the screen, Mi Qiao let out a soft "Huh?" and asked, "What's that?"

In the infrared image, within the black shadows representing trees, there was a faint patch of dark red. They wouldn't have noticed it if the flock of birds hadn't just flown by and then suddenly scattered in that spot.

After the imaging system located the object hidden in the trees, it highlighted it in green, making it immediately visible.

What is this?

"A leopard? No, there aren't any leopards here."

"It should be a bird, a big bird."

Is this the bird we're looking for?

"Possibly."

Why is its temperature so low?

Mi Qiao and Fang Pingfang stared in astonishment at the motionless creature hidden in the screen, somewhat puzzled as to what it was.

It's important to know that birds generally have a higher body temperature than mammals, typically between 38.5 and 42°C. Therefore, they are very conspicuous in their current infrared thermal imaging system, just like how the sudden flight of those birds immediately attracted their attention.

"Keep the drone at a distance and check with low-light night vision," Mi Qiao said to Ye Chong through the walkie-talkie.

They quickly determined that the creature they had just spotted hiding so stealthily in the mountains was a large bird!

However, they had no idea why the large bird had such a low body temperature or when it had started hiding there.

"Be careful, don't disturb it. Check if 'Mr. Liang' is online!" Mi Qiao said excitedly, then tried to contact "Mr. Liang" using the equipment in the car. In fact, as long as the drone is working, "Mr. Liang" has access to the drone's camera equipment at any time.

Dozens of meters away from the parking lot, beside a large tree in the woods, Xiang Kun heard the two vans and the MPV suddenly become lively. Even those who had been sleeping and waiting to get up and "change shifts" were now awake early. He was also quite looking forward to it.

Next, we'll see how the people at "Shenxing Technology" deal with the Mutated Creature.

He had just followed the clues he had from the piece of paper in Mi Qiao's bag to sneak up to the edge of the parking lot and eavesdrop for nearly half an hour. When he learned that they hadn't actually found the "big bird," he couldn't stay calm anymore—he didn't want to waste the whole night standing there like an idiot.

So he started thinking about how to spark a connection between them, so the night wouldn't be too quiet and boring.

He considered several options, even thinking of going there himself to attract the "big bird's" attention and lure it over so that Mi Qiao and the others could find it.

However, during this process, he could hardly guarantee that he would not be discovered by Mi Qiao, Dr. Fang, or other "Shenxing Technology" personnel, given the numerous drones hovering in the air around him. If he were noticed, even if he could escape on the spot, there would be subsequent trouble and the risk of his identity being exposed.

So his final solution was to climb a tree, catch a bird, and then use "Mental Intimidation" on it.

With the emergence and enhancement of his sixth sense, the increase in the number of mutations and evolutions, and his growing understanding of abilities such as "Emotional Assimilation," "Mental Intimidation," and "Hyper-Sensory State," the effectiveness of his current "Mental Intimidation" has changed significantly compared to its initial state. For example, at Chang Bin's wedding, he could even use a combination of "Mental Intimidation" and "Projection Manifestation" to achieve a certain degree of hypnosis.

While he can no longer directly control other animals with "Mental Intimidation" or give them explicit commands, he can still get them to perform certain behaviors through some techniques and methods.

For example, after the bird was "Mental Intimidation" by Xiang Kun, it was released, but forced to run away in only a specific direction.

A large number of birds in the vicinity, influenced by the "Mental Intimidation" effect, experienced the same emotions and impulses as that bird, and all ran towards it.

They flew for half a day, directly to the location where the "big bird" was hiding, and then, after sensing the threat posed by the "big bird," they were forced to scatter in all directions.

Xiang Kun believed that such an unusual phenomenon should have attracted the attention of Mi Qiao and his group. Of course, it would be even better if the "big bird" was also affected by the flock and made some unusual movements.

Xiang Kun was now quite far from the "giant bird," separated by mountains, and couldn't see it at all. But his attention was now focused on Mi Qiao, Dr. Fang, and the other people from "Shenxing Technology"—the ball had been passed; now it was time to see how they would perform!

Thanks to the new rudder book friend 20170903025350465, thanks to the book friends l Muyanl, Wuxunzhe, zzz666666, , Qidian Reading iOS, Book Friends 20180410223904581, Book Friends 20180410223904581, Book Friends 161002181718137, Qidian Reading iOS, Book Friends 160919174258373, Qianliyanboke, I am a hooligan, who am I afraid of!, Yu Huang Ye, Tun Zong, Purple Moon Cat, Qidian Reading iOS, Silver Snake, Book Friends 20170724171140922, Blood of the Knight, A Little Sweat, Royal, Creed, Tape Brother, Gray Gray Gray Bingbing, Who am I afraid of if I am a gangster!, Yang Yangyang Yang Yangyang, Xu Wenge, Qidian Reading iOS, Yunmo YMF, Qidian Reading iOS, Spark 3, Hell, A Salted Fish 233, Nanming Sanren, Crow Confucian Scholar, and Fei Yufei reward.