The Flower Of The High Mountain Turns Into A Cat And Is Picked Up By A Human Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Brother He laughed.

“Do you take me for a fool like you?”

The illusory eyes of the Eye Worm looked at him.

He pondered that he still needed this worm to complete the sacrifice, so he compromised: “My primary goal is to protect you until the sacrifice is complete. If Bai Chendeng follows, then killing him as well is not out of the question.”

After a long silence.

The Eye Worm closed its eyes and said, “Fine.”

Brother He stroked the back of the young man’s head in his arms, and the youth obediently nestled against him.

Brother He left with the young man.

At the open-air barbecue stall, Zheng Lang bit into a skewer, chewing the meat, and mumbled, “Brothers, I’m just saying, you guys are being too obvious.”

Wang Rong wore a bitter expression, while his teammates behind him covered their mouths, stifling laughter.

Heng Yuze continuously wiped the side of his cup with a napkin.

After Chendeng left, they lost the mood to wander. They unexpectedly met an enthusiastic man who took them to a nice, affordable hotel.

However, this person carried an unusual aura, and the three of them present were not ignorant commoners. After spending time with the cat, they naturally started thinking along those lines and quickly discovered the trickery.

Zheng Lang was still probing.

Feng Chengji smiled mysteriously.

Heng Yuze’s mind was completely filled with the image of Bai Chendeng’s resolute departure.

“Actually, we’ve already guessed why you deliberately approached us.”

Zheng Lang took a sip of soda and handed the conversation over to Heng Yuze.

Heng Yuze took a deep breath and asked, “Chendeng, is he alright?”

Wang Rong and the others had been led in circles by these three all day. Initially, they refused to budge, but now they were forced to admit the truth.

“Mr. Bai is very well.”

Heng Yuze gave a wry smile: “He asked you to come and look after us?”

Wang Rong didn’t know how to respond.

A teammate behind him answered for him: “Please don’t make things difficult for our Captain Wang.”

Zheng Lang: “Hey, that’s not the way to put it. Mr. Bai… he cares about us, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. How about this: let’s all meet up and clear the air.”

Wang Rong immediately said, “That’s impossible.”

“…”

So, the two sides began a new round of negotiations, moving from the barbecue stall to a scenic spot, and then from the scenic spot to the hotel.

The three tried to escape at night, but Wang Rong and his team had learned their lesson and blocked them in advance. A chase ensued, and eventually, the exhausted group reunited at the barbecue stall.

When Yuan Zhiyi learned of the situation, he laughed uncontrollably, practically doubling over.

After five days, Wang Rong and his team had witnessed how troublesome these three were.

Heng Yuze had excellent talent and high spiritual sensitivity—a great prospect for cultivation. Even though he was no longer young, he was still considered trainable material.

Feng Chengji had an unusual perception of plants, especially plant spirits. During the days the two sides spent circling each other, they didn’t find much else, but they discovered plenty of strange flora in nooks and crannies. One plant had even developed sentience and bolted the moment they arrived, pulling up its roots and running. Root-running plants were rare, and Wang Rong’s team earned a bonus, feeling that Feng Chengji’s talent was highly promising.

Zheng Lang was an exceptional genius. They had tried using harmless talismans to trap the three, but Zheng Lang tore them apart as if they were toys. Wang Rong, who used the opportunity to activate his spiritual vision, saw that the killing intent around Zheng Lang had almost solidified. Without needing cultivation, in his current state, small demons couldn’t withstand a few of his punches.

Genius, specialized talent, and eccentric talent—the three each had their advantages. It would be a great pity to miss out on such individuals. Thus, the Bureau’s mission gradually shifted from being forced to protect Bai Chendeng’s friends to assessing the three of them.

However, Bai Chendeng’s attitude needed careful consideration.

He had never suggested that these three join the Bureau. If the protection mission ultimately turned into a recruitment drive, it might offend the Great Demon.

“What is the result of the deduction, and how much time do we have left?”

After the meeting concluded, Director Fang and the supervisor in charge of spiritual divination went to a private office.

“Based on the data and deduction results, at the current rate, the sacrifice will begin in one week. If the Eye Worm spreads the infection recklessly, the time will be shortened. Therefore, finding and eliminating it within five days is the safest approach.”

Director Fang mused, “Five days… I understand.”

“When will the support requested from headquarters arrive?”

“In three days.”

“Good.”

“Do you…” Director Fang paused, then asked directly, “Do you have any premonitions?”

“A slight one.”

“Good or bad?”

“Neither good nor bad.”

“…”

He dismissed the person, and after consulting with the branch director, he began making the final arrangements.

The wind was picking up.

The city of Qu Ying had endured many major events since records began, but no matter what happened, it always stood firm on the land.

“I hope everything goes according to plan.”

Cadres, like worker bees, shuttled through the city, burying array plates at various designated points.

At the same time, the Bureau began preparing for the worst, collaborating with the government to construct anti-infection measures. The project was moving forward, and many inconspicuous, safe, and non-toxic zones quietly appeared in public areas.

The entire city’s population was in crisis. Although they had methods to defeat the enemy, and the powerful figures from the Defense Bureau would arrive in three days, the person holding the position of branch director was clearly no ordinary individual.

The branch requested support from above, practically emptying the surrounding storage of array plates. Array masters worked day and night, pulling overtime. The black suits and reserves within the Bureau were also dispatched, searching and locating targets within the city daily.

“I don’t know when we’ll be able to pinpoint the Eye Worm’s location. I have a constant sense of foreboding.”

Yuan Zhiyi had just supervised the unloading of a truckload of supplies. Back in the dorm for a quick break, he lay sprawled on the bed, unwilling to move.

Zhuo Yang felt ashamed: “Captain, you rest. I’ll go this afternoon.”

Yuan Zhiyi waved his hand: “Don’t bother. You focus on looking after Mr. Bai.”

“The director asked me to organize the roster and some basic locations today. There are at least ten thousand cadres in the city now. They must have borrowed people and reserves from all the surrounding provinces.”

Yuan Zhiyi sighed, huddled under the blanket: “Our director is truly capable. An ordinary person, when victory is seemingly assured, wouldn’t bother expending manpower and resources on a contingency plan.”

Zhuo Yang looked at the spreadsheet full of numbers and resignedly continued sorting.

“I hope all this effort is unnecessary, and the Bureau can quickly defeat the enemy.”

Yuan Zhiyi lazily echoed the sentiment.

They said all this deliberately for the Great Demon next door to hear.

The dorm had soundproofing equipment, but when it wasn’t activated, the wall insulation alone was mediocre.

Bai Chendeng leaned against the windowsill. His skin was almost transparent in the sunlight. Listening to the information Yuan Zhiyi and the others intentionally leaked, he opened the window. The wind, mixed with dust, rushed in, lifting the hair from his forehead and fluttering the collar and hem of his clothes.

Bai Chendeng looked down and saw the cadres rushing about.

A storm was brewing.

“Hey, you’re the only one left. Why are you putting yourself through this?”

Zheng Lang offered a handful of sunflower seeds to Wang Rong.

Wang Rong took them and set them aside, cracking seeds while revising a spreadsheet on his laptop.

“Soon, it will all be over soon.”

Zheng Lang couldn’t get any useful information, so he let Feng Chengji take over.

Feng Chengji glanced at the spreadsheet but didn’t understand it. Wang Rong initially tried to block him but eventually gave up, lying back and letting him look.

Heng Yuze came over and looked for a few moments, noticing many strange terms that matched items in Wang Rong’s bag.

“This mask, is it for defense against poison? Are they going to poison the city?”

Wang Rong’s eyes were vacant: “It’s not poison gas.”

Zheng Lang: “Then what is it?”

“No comment.”

Zheng Lang stated matter-of-factly: “Whatever it is, you have to prepare some for the three of us.”

Wang Rong sighed: “I’ll apply for them in a moment.”

Feng Chengji was stunned: “Seriously?”

He was delighted: “Yuze, keep looking. What else can we apply for? Get us one of everything.”

Heng Yuze immediately focused his attention on the laptop.

Wang Rong surrendered: “I’ll apply for everything that can be applied for, alright?”

“That’s more like it.”

Zheng Lang spat out a sunflower seed shell: “I feel like this is the calm before the storm. I’m starting to feel uneasy.”

Wang Rong glanced at him: “The Bureau will handle it.”

“When did this appear in the mall? Let me see, Anti-Infection Safety Zone…”

Inside a large shopping mall, a young couple looked at the sign posted on the bulletin board, slightly surprised.

“Is something going to happen recently? A few days ago, there were criminal police arresting people right on the street.”

The girl was worried, feeling an unprovoked sense of panic.

The boy put his arm around her shoulder and shook her gently to comfort her: “Don’t scare yourself. Didn’t you keep saying the guy who made the arrest that day was handsomer than me?”

The girl scolded him playfully: “Why do you keep dwelling on that? I just said it casually!”

The boy was unconvinced: “So, who is handsomer?”

The girl stayed silent, pointing to the shop next door: “That dress is nice, I’m going to try it on!”

At night, the mall remained brightly lit.

The night was cloudless. Though it wasn’t yet the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon hung round and bright in the sky.

Pedestrians walking on the street felt that the atmosphere today was unusual. The moon seemed extremely close to the ground, and its pale light increased visibility. Many things hidden in the darkness seemed to be revealing their presence at this moment.

“Why is it… suddenly so cold?”

Around the street corner trash can, overflowing garbage bags were piled up. The light from the streetlamp was faint and dim, not as bright as tonight’s moonlight.

“Da…”

“Shua…”

It sounded like someone wearing slippers, walking with a dragging, sloppy gait, creating a grating sound that made one’s teeth ache.

The streets had, at some point, filled with swaying figures, leaving their homes and gathering in the open areas bathed in moonlight.

In the depths of their pupils, the worms flourished, draining life force in exchange for the ability to control the people.

The wind gradually picked up.

The air was enveloped in a stench and dampness, covering the entire city like a methane pool filled with rotting organs, desperately awaiting a spark to ignite it.

Bai Chendeng suddenly opened his eyes.

He opened the window and looked outside. The moon had, at some point, turned blood-red.

“How could this be… it’s only been three days?”

At the Bureau, the lights were all on, and cadres were urgently summoned.

The sound of calls, ringing phones, anxious urging, and the unease and panic hidden beneath the blood-red moonlight brewed in everyone’s hearts.

On the streets, countless mindless, walking corpses stood densely packed. Controlled by the worms in their eyes, they offered their vital essence to the massive, eerie blood moon, like puppets on strings.

Looking down from above, the entire city was already shrouded in a bloody red glow. Ominous array patterns emerged on the ground, connecting heaven and earth, forming an immense altar of flesh and blood, waiting to harvest the lives of millions.