The Flower Of The High Mountain Turns Into A Cat And Is Picked Up By A Human Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Deng Luo, Yuan Zhiyi, and the others rushed down quickly, and the auras of the demons hidden at the village entrance vanished within a few breaths.

The members of the belated support team looked from afar. Besides Bai Chendeng, who was still standing, everyone else was sprawled across the ground, lying haphazardly in undignified poses. At first glance, it looked as if the remaining team members had gloriously sacrificed themselves, but a closer look revealed that this was not the case at all.

Deng Luo broke out in a cold sweat of alarm. He said, half-laughing, half-crying, “A bunch of slobs, lying down like that. You almost scared me to death…”

Old Zhang propped himself up and beckoned everyone to stand. Yuan Zhiyi, who had just arrived, pulled him up. The two naturally embraced briefly, then began helping the rest of the prone team members to their feet.

Deng Luo and the others checked their injuries while exchanging information.

“If Mr. Bai had arrived any later, Jiaping would have lost his life. I… I saw it with my own eyes. At that moment, the thing was about to bite his throat. It was just a hair’s breadth away. If it had really bitten down, it would have killed him instantly and wouldn’t have let go…”

Zhang Xiang whispered to Yuan Zhiyi, his nose slightly stinging. He frowned, forcing back the emotion.

Yuan Zhiyi patted his shoulder in comfort, then applied a medicated plaster to Fang Jiaping, simultaneously sending a message urging logistics to hurry.

A dozen cadres gathered, pointing and discussing the restrained infected individuals.

“What is the relationship between the Eye Worm and the Dog Demon?”

“I don’t know, maybe brothers? They must have a life-and-death bond, anyway. None of the villagers survived, and there’s still a group of living dead in the village. It’s tragic, a deep-seated hatred.”

After examining the infected thoroughly, they seized the opportunity to sneak glances at Bai Chendeng, who was sitting in the corner.

Zhuo Yang approached.

“Mr. Bai.”

Bai Chendeng turned his head, letting out a questioning “Hmm” from his nose.

Zhuo Yang instinctively smiled, then composed himself and briefly explained the current situation.

In the distance, the others were criticizing.

“Zhuo Yang went over.”

“Why wasn’t he this attentive to other Great Demons before?”

“Heh, we should make him train more when we get back. I think he has too much free time.”

“Agreed.”

“I second that.”

“Next time the mission involves liaising with that one from Wu Family Village, let Zhuo Yang go. He’s quite suitable.”

“Fine.”

“I agree.”

“What are they talking about?”

“Probably just making conversation.”

“Most likely.”

“That kid Zhuo Yang doesn’t know how to chat.”

“I’m better than him.”

“…”

“Any one of us here has more emotional intelligence and conversational skills than him.”

“Right.”

“Exactly.”

After speaking, Zhuo Yang smiled shyly.

Bai Chendeng’s finger unconsciously brushed his earlobe; having excellent hearing was also a kind of annoyance.

Zhuo Yang followed his gaze to the pile of infected individuals, then looked back at his colleagues who were constantly talking about the infected.

“Mr. Bai?”

Zhuo Yang tentatively said, “The harm caused by the Eye Worm exceeds the capabilities of the branch office. They are worried, so they habitually exchange ideas to gather wisdom.”

A smile flickered in Bai Chendeng’s eyes: “Is that so?”

Zhuo Yang nodded, confirming: “Yes, that’s right.”

“Alright, go. You’re familiar with logistics. Ask them where the people are.”

Yuan Zhiyi lightly kicked Zhuo Yang’s backside with his toe, then took his place beside Bai Chendeng.

“We had a huge haul today. I estimate there will be unexpected gains.”

Bai Chendeng looked deeply at him.

“Yes, with these infected individuals, the divination targeting the Eye Worm should be able to proceed.”

“However…”

Yuan Zhiyi asked: “What?”

Bai Chendeng wanted to offer a warning, but then reconsidered: “The Bureau must be thinking deeper than I am. I hope you are fully prepared.”

Yuan Zhiyi smiled: “We will be.”

The sound of helicopter rotors drifted from afar. The wind picked up, and rescue arrived from the air.

The cabin door opened, and someone stood there shouting: “Hey—!”

Deng Luo spat: “Show-off.”

The cadres refilled their backpacks, replenishing their expended talismans.

The injured were carried into the cabin and were the first to evacuate.

The newly arrived team leader, Che Handi, looked at the pile of infected individuals with shining eyes, adjusted his glasses, and then turned to Bai Chendeng with a beaming smile to exchange pleasantries.

Che Handi’s conversational technique and rhythm were highly polished, and the content was just right—neither overly flattering nor excessively arrogant. But Bai Chendeng listened and yawned.

“Yuan Zhiyi.”

Yuan Zhiyi, shrinking behind Che Handi, responded cheerfully: “Here!”

Bai Chendeng glanced at the snacks on the nearby folding table, picked out two bags of nuts, tossed them to the two men, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Che Handi held the corner of the packaging bag, looking somewhat bewildered.

Yuan Zhiyi skillfully adjusted the position of his small folding stool, chuckled a few times, and began teaching Che Handi how to shell the nuts.

Che Handi: “…”

Well, he was clearly being told he talked too much.

The two shelled an entire bag of various nuts, using their slightly swollen, stained fingers to hand the kernels to Bai Chendeng.

Bai Chendeng accepted them and passed them to Deng Luo, who wore a mischievous grin.

Deng Luo said, “Thank you for your trouble. You’ll get a share when the dessert is finished.”

Yuan Zhiyi generously replied, “Great, I look forward to it.”

Che Handi subtly scrutinized the two men with a strange look, then politely responded, “Thank you.”

Subsequently, the Bureau’s motorcade arrived. Following the planned route, they transported the infected individuals back to the designated research institute.

Car wheels rolled over scattered cherry blossoms, leaving behind a fragrant breeze.

Bai Chendeng opened the car window. The wind whipped his hair up, revealing his smooth forehead and unfocused eyes.

After sending his messages, Yuan Zhiyi turned his head to look at him.

Whether human or demon, a dazzling soul always attracts the devotion and covetousness of others.

However, the demon before him was no weak dodder vine to be plundered at will, but the moon hanging high in the sky, which could only be gazed at from afar, begging for its light.

As they reached the city, the familiar hustle and bustle gradually faded the bloody and bizarre adventure in the remote village.

Upon returning to the dormitory, Bai Chendeng did not leave his room.

Yuan Zhiyi had been trying to gather information about Heng Yuze and the other two since the mission began.

After the mission ended, he made no attempt to hide it and started asking about their current status.

“What? They ran away?”

Yuan Zhiyi struggled to suppress his tone of shock, feeling a secret, schadenfreude-like joy bubbling up inside.

“Where did they go? Weren’t people assigned to watch them?”

The person on the other end explained: “Our people approached the three, built a relationship, and brought them to a subordinate hotel, preparing to take them to visit a safe location during the day. But the three disappeared the next morning. After checking surveillance, they had jumped out the window and fled in the middle of the night.”

Yuan Zhiyi fought back a smile. “And now? Have you found them?”

“We found them, but—”

“But what?”

“We couldn’t stop them. Little Wang and his entire team were forced to deploy to deal with the situation.”

“You didn’t call me for something like this? Tell me the address!”

Moisture permeated the black stone. In the rugged underground cave, candlelight flickered, casting shadows that grew long and short, like suddenly appearing demons, secretly watching the human world.

The air was thick, and a strange odor filled the nasal cavity. Smelling it brought mental refreshment. Life was quantified, and vital essence was continuously drawn out, surging into the altar.

In front of the altar, a stocky man with short, coarse hair traced the necklace hanging on his chest.

The cold, lifeless feedback made him clench his fingers, though he dared not use force, only tightening his joints.

“This address was truly hard to find.”

The newcomer wore a mink coat and smoked a cigarette, looking as if he had just left some disreputable party. Murky dark light flashed in his eyes, and his lips stretched into a grin, revealing porcelain-white teeth.

Behind him, a beautiful, androgynous youth with hair sticking up followed closely.

“Brother He…”

The exquisite face was flushed crimson from the vital essence fumes.

The mink-coated man, named Brother He, put an arm around the youth’s shoulder, subtly advising, “Don’t let the vital essence break through your skin.”

The stocky man in front of the altar slowly turned around, half of his gloomy face rotating into view. His dark, hollow pupils looked at Brother He and the handsome youth.

“Oh, the bug.”

Brother He greeted him.

The stocky man was, naturally, the host body inhabited by the Eye Worm. Within his eyes was the Eye Worm’s true form, which the Bureau had been searching for everywhere.

Brother He saw its full appearance and let out a barely perceptible sneer, causing the youth in his arms to look at him in surprise.

“The Bureau people are about to find their way here.”

The Eye Worm stated matter-of-factly, though there was no hint of worry in its tone—it was merely stating a fact.

Brother He’s face suddenly darkened. He asked suspiciously, “Didn’t I give you the item?”

The Eye Worm said flatly, “Too many parasitic bodies were captured.”

“Idiot!”

Brother He cursed. “You’re as stupid as you were before!”

A fierce light burst forth, and his face was contorted with rage.

An intimidating aura violently expanded from him. The black stones on the ground seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, dust rose, and a whirlwind formed out of nowhere.

Blood split the Eye Worm’s face. Black-red blood flowed down, looking more like mucus, drawing out threads.

The treasure that shielded heavenly secrets could confuse divination results and protect the Eye Worm, yet this idiot had sought his own demise by letting a large number of parasitic bodies be captured! Relying on the connection between the parasitic bodies and the main body, it wouldn’t take long for the Bureau to pinpoint its location!

The Eye Worm glanced at him. “The sacrifice still requires time. You can choose to abandon me.”

Brother He stretched his lips into a cruel smile, revealing stark white teeth. Orange-black lines appeared on his face, whiskers suddenly emerged, and a tiger-like countenance vaguely overlaid his original face.

The ferocious expression twisted and changed on his face, repeating several times. Finally, the Great Demon named Brother He, who was actually a tiger, moved, arriving below the altar. He single-handedly pinched the Eye Worm host’s temple, squeezing its eye sockets until they were nearly deformed, its eyeballs protruding.

“You’re courting death… you’re courting death!”

The Eye Worm’s voice sounded intermittently: “You can… abandon… me…”

Brother He threw it onto the ground.

“Continue the sacrifice.”

The host body coughed incessantly, the corners of its eyes tearing open, leaking more black, oil-like blood.

The handsome youth glanced at the Eye Worm, then rushed to Brother He’s side, soothingly advising, “Brother, don’t be angry.”

The Eye Worm host’s chest heaved violently.

A moment later, it spoke.

“Bai Chendeng has arrived. Kill him, and I will help you complete the sacrifice.”

Bai… Chendeng?

Brother He showed a cruel smile.

“That little white cat?”

The handsome youth buried his head in his embrace, his face covered by the fur of the mink coat.