Alive

If Lin Shen had known Qi Tianfu would think that way, he would definitely have felt the man's heart had been blinded by lard.

On the way back, Lin Shen had already tried to persuade Wei Wufu to take back the Alloy Egg and go wherever he pleased.

Wei Wufu had only one answer: since Lin Shen had caught him with the loop, he belonged to Lin Shen now. Wherever Lin Shen went, he would go.

Lin Shen said nothing more. Wei Wufu had clearly come for him. Even if Lin Shen had not caught him, Wei Wufu would surely have found some other way to stick himself to him.

It seemed this Wei Wufu had also come for Gourd Mountain. Just what was inside Gourd Mountain that made powerhouses like Bai Shenfei and Wei Wufu flock to it like ducks? Lin Shen no longer tried to drive Wei Wufu away. He settled him in a guest room at the Lin Family Courtyard and had someone keep an eye on him in secret.

"Fifth Brother, I heard you caught Wei Wufu and brought him back?" Lao Ye hurried over soon afterward.

"That's right." Lin Shen nodded slightly.

"There must be something wrong with that Wei Wufu. Earlier, both the Qi and Wang families sent people to invite him to join them, but he turned them all down. Wang Chuan, the Wang Family's Alloy Gene Mutator, tried to give him a show of force, but his Alloy Carapace was shattered with a single punch." Lao Ye sighed. "Fifth Brother, you shouldn't have brought this trouble back."

"If I hadn't brought him back, would he not have come?" Lin Shen said calmly. "Let him come. There are already plenty of people eyeing our Lin Family. One more doesn't make much difference."

Lao Ye wanted to say more, but Lin Shen cut him off. "I've already agreed to go to Gourd Mountain with Bai Shenfei the day after tomorrow. People from the Qi and Wang families will be going too. Go back and make your preparations. You'll come with me the day after tomorrow."

Lao Ye's expression changed drastically at once. He said anxiously, "Fifth Brother, you're muddleheaded! How can you take outsiders to Gourd Mountain?"

"It isn't me taking them to Gourd Mountain. Bai Shenfei is taking us to Gourd Mountain." Lin Shen looked at him as he spoke.

"She can't possibly know where Gourd Mountain is. She must be trying to trick you into leading her there. Tell me exactly what she said to you." Lao Ye's face darkened somewhat.

"I don't know where Gourd Mountain is either. What use would there be in her tricking me?" Lin Shen roughly recounted his conversation with Bai Shenfei. Most of it was true, except he omitted the part concerning Lao Ye.

"That can't be, can it? If Fourth Master really told her to take you to Gourd Mountain, how could I possibly not know about it?" Lao Ye's expression shifted uncertainly.

"Lao Ye, I have no choice but to go this time. Where exactly is Gourd Mountain, and what is there? You can tell me now, can't you? We need to make preparations in advance." Lin Shen stared at Lao Ye.

"Fifth Brother, did Third Master and Fourth Master truly never tell you about Gourd Mountain?" Lao Ye asked after a moment of contemplation.

"No." Lin Shen answered directly.

Lao Ye stared at Lin Shen for quite a while before finally saying, "Since Third Master and Fourth Master didn't tell you, they naturally had their reasons. If I told you, I might instead ruin their plans."

"How about this? Since you've already agreed to Bai Shenfei, we'll go to Gourd Mountain with her first and see what she's plotting." After thinking it over, Lao Ye said, "There are only a few Alloy Gene Mutators left at home now. We need to discuss whom to bring. At least two Alloy Gene Mutators must remain behind, lest the Qi and Wang families seize an opening."

"No need. Third Brother and Fourth Brother aren't here. Even if we brought every Alloy Gene Mutator, we still wouldn't be a match for the Qi and Wang families. So I only plan to bring you. If Wei Wufu insists on coming along, then we'll bring one more." Lin Shen said.

"How can that work..." Lao Ye hurriedly shook his head.

"They can only protect the Lin Family's holdings by staying at the base. Third Brother and Fourth Brother are at Gourd Mountain. We won't suffer any losses there." Lin Shen interrupted Lao Ye again.

"What if Third Master and Fourth Master are trapped and can't get away?" Lao Ye continued to persuade him.

"If even they can't protect themselves, what use would it be for us to bring a few Alloy Gene Mutators? Lao Ye, it's settled. If you think it's too dangerous, stay at the base and help me guard the family business." Lin Shen said blandly.

"I'll definitely stay by your side, Fifth Brother. Even if I have to stake this old life of mine, I'll ensure your safety. Otherwise, how could I face Fourth Master?" Lao Ye said excitedly.

"Then it's settled. Go back and prepare. We'll set out early the day after tomorrow." Lin Shen said.

"Alright, I'll go back and prepare first." Lao Ye made as if to leave, but the instant he turned around, he suddenly reached out and pressed a hand against Lin Shen's chest.

Lao Ye was too fast. Without the enhancement of Seven Steps of Conflict, Lin Shen had no time to react before Lao Ye's palm struck his chest.

Lin Shen only felt a massive force crash into him, sending him staggering back several steps against his will. That was only because Lao Ye, stunned, had forcibly withdrawn most of his strength.

"Fifth Brother, you..." Lao Ye looked at Lin Shen with uncertainty and suspicion.

"That's right. I'm not an Alloy Gene Mutator, nor am I a Steel Gene Mutator. I haven't undergone a gene shift yet." Lin Shen said calmly.

"Then how did you..." Lao Ye asked doubtfully.

"The reason I was able to subdue the Superspeed Gunslinger was entirely because Third Brother gave me something to save my life with before. Unfortunately, it could only be used once. In that situation, I had no other choice but to use it." Lin Shen said.

"Fifth Brother, you truly haven't undergone a gene shift?" Lao Ye still found it hard to believe.

"See for yourself." Lin Shen rolled up his sleeve and held out his arm before Lao Ye.

Lao Ye reached out and carefully felt Lin Shen's flesh, skin, and bones. After a gene shift, even without using Gene Shift Power, the body would be somewhat different. The bones in particular would be denser and harder than those of ordinary people. That was impossible to fake. With one touch, Lao Ye knew that Lin Shen truly had not undergone a gene shift.

"Fifth Brother, you haven't undergone a gene shift. Going to Gourd Mountain is far too dangerous." Lao Ye looked at Lin Shen with a strange expression.

"It's fine. You'll protect me, won't you? Besides, if I say I'm not going now, will the Qi and Wang families agree? Even if they do, will Bai Shenfei?" Lin Shen withdrew his arm and lowered his sleeve.

"Rest assured, Fifth Brother. I, Lao Ye, will stake my life to see you safely through this." Lao Ye swore solemnly.

"That'll do. Go back and prepare. On this trip, I can only rely on you." After sending Lao Ye away, Lin Shen fell into deep thought.

He felt there were more and more suspicious points about Lao Ye. The man could no longer be trusted. The Qi and Wang families were watching like tigers eyeing prey, while Bai Shenfei and Wei Wufu were impossible to read. This journey would likely be fraught with peril.

Lin Shen did not particularly trust either Bai Shenfei or Lao Ye, because Third Brother and Fourth Brother had once said that no matter what happened, they would never let Lin Shen go out and take risks.

So he remained doubtful that they were the ones who had sent him to Gourd Mountain.

But if Lin Shen refused to go, they would likely resort to forceful measures. By then, not only would Lin Shen be forcibly taken to Gourd Mountain, but the Lin Family, which his brothers and sisters had painstakingly built over so many years, would likely suffer a crushing blow as well. He had no choice.

"I need to add a few more bargaining chips for myself. I hope this Fire Seed will be useful." Lin Shen placed the corpse of the spear-like Gene Mutation Creature beside the bed, then lay down on it himself.

Wei Wufu's Alloy Egg was in Lin Shen's hands, but hatching an Alloy Egg took time. It probably would not be of use anytime soon.

"The Superspeed Gunslinger would make a decent helper, but one Superspeed Gunslinger isn't enough to deal with a situation this complex and dangerous." Lin Shen somewhat regretted not keeping a few alloy pets by his side. Now, he truly had nowhere to get any alloy pets on short notice.

He had rarely left the base before. Even within the base, people protected him, so he had never needed those pets.

"It looks like the only things I can rely on are those bug-like Fire Seeds." As Lin Shen thought, he gradually drifted off to sleep.

He did not know how long he had slept when he felt something cool slithering across his body. Its chill slid over his skin, making his hairs stand on end involuntarily and jolting him awake.

Lin Shen opened his eyes and immediately widened them, nearly leaping off the bed in fright.

It was not that he did not want to leap up. His body was wrapped in something snake-like, bound straight as a wooden stick. He could not jump at all.

"That thing is alive!" Lin Shen looked at the thing that had raised its head like a snake and was staring into his eyes. At last, he saw its true form clearly.