Bait

Deep within Rooster-Cry Mountain, it was dark and damp. From time to time, some creature crawled over the dead leaves, making a rustling sound that unconsciously put one on edge.

It was at that moment that a figure silently appeared there. It was Jiang Chen. Compared to his former indifference, wisps of killing intent now coiled around him. Though intangible and invisible to the naked eye, it truly existed.

With that killing intent serving as a deterrent, ordinary ferocious beasts did not dare approach Jiang Chen. In most cases, displaying a certain degree of strength was an excellent way to avoid unnecessary trouble. This was true of people and animals alike. It was a lesson Jiang Chen had learned in the apocalypse: the fiercer you were, the more obedient the other side tended to be.

Relying on this method, Jiang Chen arrived deep within Rooster-Cry Mountain without much difficulty.

"Come out."

His gaze swept across the area and locked onto a certain spot as Jiang Chen spoke.

The next instant, a figure slid down from a large tree nearby. He was thin and dark-skinned, with a pair of small eyes that gleamed as they darted about. His arms were exceptionally long, making him look exactly like a hairless monkey.

At the sight of this figure, memories related to him naturally surfaced in Jiang Chen's mind.

Skinny Monkey, Li Buqi. Frail and abandoned as a child, he had grown up on handouts from countless households. Later, he joined the River-Sweeping Bandits and was valued by Jiang Wang, who took him under his command. He cultivated the Spiritual Monkey Fist and was extremely agile in the deep mountains and old forests. He was especially skilled at tracking, and the pursuit of the white deer had always been his responsibility.

Of course, only a few close acquaintances called him Skinny Monkey. Before outsiders, he also went by the name Long-Armed Ape.

"Greetings, Senior Leader."

After several leaps, Skinny Monkey arrived before Jiang Chen, clasped his hands, and bowed.

"Have you confirmed the white deer's whereabouts?"

Jiang Chen's gaze fell on Skinny Monkey, sweeping over his unusually long arms as he asked the most crucial question.

Hearing this, Skinny Monkey did not hesitate and immediately gave an affirmative answer.

"Senior Leader, the white deer's whereabouts have been roughly pinpointed. It seems to have been startled and come from the southern side of the mountain. It has now settled in this area and should not leave anytime soon. Because it is naturally vigilant, I did not dare track it recklessly and failed to find its lair. However, it often comes to the river valley nearby to drink and rest."

His voice was hoarse, and Skinny Monkey quietly lowered his gaze. They had not met for some time, yet Jiang Chen now seemed increasingly unfathomable to him. The wisps of killing intent surrounding him made Skinny Monkey's heart pound with instinctive fear.

He had spent years roaming the mountains and forests, dealing with the countless beasts within them. His sense for danger was exceptionally sharp. Yet Jiang Chen now gave him the feeling of a tiger wearing human skin, ready to open its jaws and devour someone.

After hearing Skinny Monkey's account, Jiang Chen turned his gaze toward the river valley beyond the dense woods and remained silent for a long while.

Seeing Jiang Chen like this, Skinny Monkey did not dare disturb him in the slightest.

"Do you think this is coincidence or a scheme? White deer are hard to find. We searched for so long without finding one, yet one suddenly came running from elsewhere and was discovered by you—at precisely a moment like this."

Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze and spoke again.

At those words, Skinny Monkey's expression changed drastically. In that instant, something suddenly occurred to him. Among the River-Sweeping Bandits, his tracking and hunting skills were decent, but far from the best. More importantly, the chief had intended to cultivate a fourth leader, and both his own senior leader and that old man were strong candidates.

"Senior Leader, you mean that Old Hound?"

"Senior Leader, this truly has nothing to do with me. I would never dare betray you."

His knees gave way, and Skinny Monkey fell to the ground. Having followed Jiang Wang for so long, he knew that although this senior leader was usually somewhat indecisive and disliked competing with others, when it came time to kill, he showed no mercy at all.

Jiang Chen's expression did not change as he watched Skinny Monkey.

"Get up. I merely mentioned it in passing. Whether it is true or false has yet to be determined."

"In truth, whether there is a scheme does not matter. What matters is that the white deer is real."

Jiang Chen shook his head and signaled for Skinny Monkey to rise.

Hearing this, Skinny Monkey looked at Jiang Chen's calm expression. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly got to his feet.

"Senior Leader, since there may be a scheme, why don't we return for now and make plans after gathering more men..."

Lowering his voice, Skinny Monkey offered his suggestion.

Jiang Chen shook his head again. He was determined to obtain the white deer. Even if it truly was bait, it did not matter, because the one holding the rod was too unskilled. He only needed to swallow the bait, then drag the fisherman into the water.

"Go back and contact Xiong Li. Gather the men and prepare to provide support. Leave this place to me."

Without overthinking it, Jiang Chen made his decision. Every plan stemmed from strength.

Hearing this, Skinny Monkey could not help raising his head to glance at Jiang Chen. Seeing his calm face without the slightest ripple, clearly confident of victory, Skinny Monkey hurriedly lowered his head again.

"Understood, Senior Leader. I'll contact Xiong Li at once."

Gritting his teeth and hesitating no longer, Skinny Monkey immediately agreed.

Jiang Chen nodded but said nothing further, then drifted toward the river valley.

As he watched Jiang Chen's departing back, Skinny Monkey's gaze shifted.

That terrifying killing intent must have been forged through the slaughter of countless living creatures. It seems the Senior Leader had been hiding his true abilities all along. Now that he has begun to reveal them, it means he already has confidence in his heart.

This is actually a good thing for me. If the Senior Leader can become the chief one day, perhaps I, Skinny Monkey, can become a senior leader myself. Hehe.

Quick-witted by nature, after his brief fright, Skinny Monkey instead saw certain possibilities in the matter.

A moment later, with a hint of savagery and a hint of secret delight, Skinny Monkey vanished into the dense forest. Since someone might be fishing, he had to be careful on his way back. Fortunately, he was quite confident in that regard.

Jiang Chen knew nothing of Skinny Monkey's many thoughts—or rather, he did not care at all. He passed through the forest and, after several twists and turns, reached the edge of the river valley. There, he concealed himself downwind.

"I wonder when that white deer will appear."

He smeared beast-repellent medicine over his body, gripped an iron-backed bow, and restrained his presence. Without moving in the slightest, Jiang Chen watched the river valley like a stone statue.

White deer were naturally vigilant and incredibly fast. They were highly sensitive to killing intent and the scent of humans. Encircling and hunting one in the mountains was simply unrealistic. To kill one, only the finest hunters stood a chance. That was precisely why Jiang Chen had not planned to have Skinny Monkey assist him.

Thus, time slowly passed. When the sun turned orange-yellow and cast a veil of dusk over the river valley, a figure finally strolled leisurely into it. Its fur was snow-white and without the slightest trace of another color, fluttering in the wind. It was the white deer Jiang Chen had been waiting for.