Note: Thank you crazy mama for the Ko-fi support. This was supposed to be uploaded yesterday, but I had a headache. Sorry! Thank you again!
59 Cambrian Consciousness
The group had been walking for less than an hour when suddenly, an explosion sound came from ahead, only two or three kilometers away. The ground beneath their feet trembled.
Cheng Tianbi spoke in a deep voice, “They’ve destroyed the road. Tang Yanqiu, go up and take a look.”
Tang Yanqiu’s shoulders trembled slightly, and a pair of wings inexplicably grew out from his back. The wings grew larger and larger until they spanned two meters. In full view of everyone, he took off and flew to the top of the trees, gazing into the distance.
After a while, he landed and his wings retracted. “The road has been blown up, and many trees have fallen. Looking in that direction, it’s indeed the place we need to pass through.”
Cong Xia asked Zhang Gong, “If we take a detour, can we still get through?”
Zhang Gong shook his head. “The reason there’s still a passable ‘road’ here is that it had a cement foundation poured before. It’s difficult for plants to grow through it. Just look at the areas without cement; they are covered in vegetation. There’s no way for vehicles to pass. Sigh.”
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Usdt Dky qasodle. “Ps ol byhl vs nyaau lhlauvbkdt swaplzhlp?”
Hbwydt Zys pyke, “Ls awpb. Nlv’p ts vblal yde pll. Mblu yzps oydv typszkdl, ps kq vblu nsxrzlvlzu elpvasu vbl asye, vblu osd’v cl yczl vs tlv kv lypkzu. Mblu xwpv byhl y rzyd.”
“Mbkp xktbv cl y vayr…” Ubldt Mkydck rsdelale qsa y xsxldv yde pyke, “Mblu yal xsal qyxkzkya okvb vbl vlaaykd vbyd ol yal. El nyd’v ts ydu qwavbla.”
Hbwydt Zys vbswtbv qsa y xsxldv yde vssj swv plhlayz taldyelp qasx vbl nya, bydekdt vblx vs Hbydt Qsdt. “Wkde y qlo alzkyczl rlsrzl vs twyae lynb vydjla, oblvbla kv’p nyaaukdt skz sa oyvla. Rq ydusdl vaklp vs asc wp, vbalyvld vblx okvb vbl taldyelp vs cwu wp psxl vkxl.”
Hbydt Qsdt alnlkhle vbl taldyelp okvb valxczkdt bydep. “Ebyv yal usw rzyddkdt vs es?”
Hbwydt Zys’p lulp olal qkzzle okvb y xldynkdt tzyal. “Ekrl vblx swv.”
Mydt Zydikw vktbvzu takrrle bkp zsdtcso, pvyakdt kdvldplzu yv vbl pkzldv qsalpv, bkp lulp qkzzle okvb byvale.
Hbwydt Zys nsdvkdwle, “Mblpl olyrsdp yal qsa usw. Nkw Wldtuw yde vbl vos lhszhle kdekhkewyzp okvb ldbydnle yckzkvklp okzz yzps pvyu blal vs jllr oyvnb. Mbl sdl okvb vbl ldbydnle pldpl sq pxlzz okzz zlv wp jdso oblal vblu yal.”
Xiao Yan pointed to the southwest direction fearfully.
“Once someone comes here, detonate one of the grenades to alert us,” Zhuang Yao said as he grabbed Abu’s tail and skillfully leaped onto its back. Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia also followed suit.
Tang Yanqiu hesitated for a moment.
Cong Xia shouted, “Xiao Tang, come up!”
Tang Yanqiu grabbed Abu’s tail and was thrown onto its back, falling into the thick fur.
Zhuang Yao shouted, “Abu, let’s go!”
Abu quickly ran towards the southwest.
Tang Yanqiu had been accustomed to being in sync with horses since he was young, enjoying the exhilarating feeling of racing on horseback. But riding on Abu’s back was much more enjoyable than on a horse. Abu skillfully maneuvered through the dense forest, seemingly avoiding collisions with trees that appeared imminent. Its long fur fluttered in the wind, resembling a streak of white lightning.
In less than a moment, Abu led them out of the forest, revealing a large pit left behind by an explosion. Before Abu’s feet even touched the ground, gunshots suddenly rang out.
Abu leaped agilely to the side, moving at a fast pace that made it difficult to aim at.
Tang Yanqiu had already flown out, shooting an arrow from his hand, bringing down the person who fired the gun.
Cheng Tianbi stood on Abu’s back, continuously aiming at the figures running through the jungle. He fired four shots in quick succession, taking down one person.
Cong Xia concentrated all his energy into his eyes, and his static and dynamic vision sharply improved in a short period of time. With a single glance, he spotted a figure hiding in the grass, almost indistinguishable. He shouted, “Xiao Tang, in the grass beneath your feet!”
Tang Yanqiu lowered his head and indeed saw a person quietly raising a gun. He shot an arrow through the person’s body.
Cheng Tianbi had limited bullets and quickly ran out. He handed the gun to Zhuang Yao, then leaped down from Abu’s back. Despite the more than six-meter drop, he seemed to effortlessly descend like stepping down a staircase, utilizing the wind beneath his feet to provide sufficient cushioning. His landing was graceful and elegant.
As soon as he touched the ground, gunshots rang out again, and a bullet flew towards Cheng Tianbi’s chest.
Cheng Tianbi raised his hand, creating a half-meter-wide air vortex in front of him, sucking the bullet into it, and finally, it fell to the ground with a sense of defeat.
atOptions = { ‘key’ : ‘819083b5141e2ddc81cd1b66b82e3d92’, ‘format’ : ‘iframe’, ‘height’ : 250, ‘width’ : 300, ‘params’ : {} }; document.write(”);“It’s natural element manipulation!” someone exclaimed in astonishment from the bushes.
Following the sound, Tang Yanqiu shot an arrow.
Cheng Tianbi swiftly ran into the depths of the forest, and Tang Yanqiu followed suit, flying through the trees.
Cong Xia furrowed his brow and said, “Open spaces are more advantageous for Xiao Tang. He’s too conspicuous in the forest.”
Zhuang Yao patted Abu and said, “Abu, let’s go after them.”
Cheng Tianbi chased after a figure for over 200 meters, but the others were only retreating. With numerous trees around, it was difficult to aim, and Tang Yanqiu also gained nothing. After circling around, they felt that the opponents were retreating.
Zhuang Yao and Cong Xia arrived shortly after. “How is it? Where are the people?” Zhuang Yao asked.
“They ran away again,” Tang Yanqiu replied.
Cong Xia frowned and said, “What are they doing? They keep coming and going.”
The two climbed onto Abu’s back and began to head back.
Zhuang Yao analyzed, “Two reasons: first, they are wary of Tang Yanqiu, and second, they are afraid of Cheng Tianbi’s elemental manipulation.”
Cheng Tianbi added, “These people have some influence. They can get hold of explosives and guns.”
“Perhaps they acquired them from Chongqing. Didn’t Zhang Gong mention that if they have resources, they can get anything in return?” Zhuang Yao speculated.
Tang Yanqiu nodded. “That’s right, they traded with us for a few guns, but they were all low-quality. We could only get three bullets for a liter of fuel.”
Zhuang Yao shook his head. “Such a waste.”
The group returned to the team, and nothing significant had happened here. Although everyone looked at them nervously.
Tang Yanqiu slid down from Abu’s back and reassured them, “They have retreated again. Let’s continue moving forward.”
“Big Brother Tang, is it comfortable to ride on this big cat?” a timid little boy reached out to touch Abu’s tail. His touch was so light that Abu didn’t even feel it.
Tang Yanqiu patted his head. “Very comfortable.”
atOptions = { ‘key’ : ‘819083b5141e2ddc81cd1b66b82e3d92’, ‘format’ : ‘iframe’, ‘height’ : 250, ‘width’ : 300, ‘params’ : {} }; document.write(”);Little Yan ran over. “Big Brother Tang, they haven’t gone far. They’re still nearby.”
Cong Xia said, “We don’t need to worry about them for now. Let’s keep moving forward. I saw that they destroyed a section of the road, but it’s still passable with some difficulty. If necessary, we can cut down a few trees to make a way.”
The group of around a hundred people set off again, marching forward in a mighty formation.
The destroyed section of the road had a gap of just over two meters left. The drivers didn’t dare to go through, fearing that they might fall. They had to temporarily cut down a tree beside it to create enough space for the oil tanker to pass.
After traveling another four to five kilometers, gunshots rang out again ahead, and everyone became alert. Tang Yanqiu immediately took flight and rushed forward.
A group of dark figures emerged from deep within the forest. It consisted of seven people and two Tibetan Mastiffs, each standing over three meters tall.
Tang Yanqiu was about to draw his bow when the bald leader, seated on the Tibetan Mastiff, shouted, “We have rocket launchers. If you dare shoot, we’ll blow up the oil tanker!”
Tang Yanqiu froze in his tracks.
As the group approached, they indeed saw a man carrying a rocket launcher on his shoulder, aiming it directly at the first oil tanker.
The bald leader had an unfriendly appearance, and his black Tibetan Mastiff looked fierce with its tangled muscles. He kept the Mastiff jumping from one place to another, not daring to stay in one place, clearly concerned about Tang Yanqiu releasing an arrow at any moment.
Cong Xia shouted, “What do you want?”
The bald leader replied, “I know you have skilled individuals among you, but with so many burdens, you are distracted. I believe you don’t want both sides to suffer losses. Leave the four oil tankers behind, and I’ll let you pass. How about that?”
The expressions of the crowd subtly changed. The two oil tankers containing real fuel happened to be among the last four. Even if they were willing to give up one, they wouldn’t want to surrender all the fuel they fought so hard to protect.
Tang Yanqiu coldly said, “You’re delusional. You have been withholding our supplies, and we haven’t settled that debt with you yet. And now you dare block our path and attempt robbery.”
The bald leader chuckled. “Tang, my boy, I know you’re formidable. These hundred or so useless people can only survive because of you. But you’re just one person. You can fly, but can they? If I launch a rocket, they will all be blown to death. Hehe, I know you’re capable. This rocket launcher cost us a fortune, and we’ve been reluctant to use it, hoping it would be put to good use.”
atOptions = { ‘key’ : ‘819083b5141e2ddc81cd1b66b82e3d92’, ‘format’ : ‘iframe’, ‘height’ : 250, ‘width’ : 300, ‘params’ : {} }; document.write(”);Both sides were deadlocked, unwilling to yield, silently grappling in their minds.
Zhuang Yao climbed onto Abu’s head and shouted, “Hey, how about I make a bet with you?”
The bald leader glanced at Zhuang Yao, not taking him, a little kid, seriously.
“Abu,” Zhuang Yao called out, and Abu responded, moving toward the man.
“What are you doing? Don’t come any closer!” Although the bald leader wasn’t afraid of Zhuang Yao, he couldn’t disregard a seven-meter-tall cat.
Zhuang Yao patted Abu and stopped him about forty to fifty meters away from the man. Zhuang Yao said, “Let’s make a bet. If you refuse, you won’t get a drop of oil. You may be able to kill those ordinary people with your rocket, but you won’t be able to kill us. We will annihilate you.”
The bald leader gritted his teeth and looked at him. “What’s the bet?”
“Out of these seven oil tankers, only two of them are real. The rest are filled with water. If you want four, I’ll let you choose. If you choose correctly, we’ll give them to you willingly. If you choose wrongly, tough luck for you. How about that?”
The enemy group became restless and exchanged glances; the larger group on their side was even more agitated, unable to comprehend how this little child had blurted out the truth.
Cheng Tianbi, Liu Fengyu, and Cong Xia sat on Abu’s back, but those people couldn’t see them at all. The three of them looked at each other, unable to understand what Zhuang Yao was up to, but they believed that since Zhuang Yao dared to speak up, he must have a solution.
After discussing it for a while, the bald leader said, “Alright, we’ll choose!” He looked at the seven oil tankers and hesitated for a moment before saying, “I want… the first and third ones…” The bald leader’s expression flashed with a hint of confusion, as if he were contemplating.
Zhuang Yao’s eyes locked onto him, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead, and his body trembled slightly.
Cong Xia was the first to notice his abnormality. He widened his eyes and suddenly pressed Zhuang Yao’s waist from behind, infusing him with an attributeless energy.
“The… fifth and seventh ones!” The bald leader seemed to have made a difficult decision.
The expressions of the crowd were all somewhat complex, but no one dared to show their emotions on their faces. The bald leader had chosen two water tankers. Was this just a coincidence? Or did this child truly possess some extraordinary ability?
Zhuang Yao’s body received a replenishment of water energy, his face regaining some color. He said, “You’ve chosen them, won’t you change?”
“I won’t change.”
atOptions = { ‘key’ : ‘819083b5141e2ddc81cd1b66b82e3d92’, ‘format’ : ‘iframe’, ‘height’ : 250, ‘width’ : 300, ‘params’ : {} }; document.write(”);“Good. Leave these four vehicles for them, and let’s go.”
The drivers of the four vehicles all got out, and the other vehicles bypassed the four and continued forward. The bald leader wanted to inspect the chosen vehicles as soon as they were left behind.
Tang Yanqiu drew his bow and said, “You’re not allowed to inspect them now. Wait until we’ve passed. Whoever dares to step forward, I’ll shoot an arrow through their heart.”
The bald leader glared at him with a sinister expression.
As Abu walked past them, the two Tibetan Mastiffs restlessly paced back and forth, their gaze towards Abu unusually bloodthirsty. These two dogs were fierce and fearless, unafraid of anything. Their eyes held a ferociousness befitting the kings of their breed, emanating an extraordinary aura.
Abu, after all, used to be just a domestic cat. Although it rarely felt fear after growing to such a massive size, the fierce aura of the two Tibetan Mastiffs made it slightly uneasy, instinctively sensing danger.
Zhuang Yao, exhausted, collapsed against Abu’s head, lacking the strength to calm its emotional fluctuations. He could only stroke it with his hand and say, “Abu, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.”
As one, the group hurriedly passed by, with Tang Yanqiu flapping his wings and hovering at the back, holding his bow high, forcing the group of people to stay away from the oil tankers.
Until the group had walked more than two hundred meters away, the bald leader grew impatient and said, “Can we take a look now?”
Tang Yanqiu stood his ground without backing down. “No, you can’t.”
The bald leader became infuriated, baring his long, sharp teeth that were far from human.
Tang Yanqiu turned his head and saw that the people from the industrial park had already disappeared into the forest. Only then did he say, “You lost the bet. Take care of yourselves.” With that, he swiftly flew forward.
The group of people immediately rushed towards the oil tankers.
After a while, the bald leader let out a roar mixed with canine-like howls, “Beasts!”
*****
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