northernbook Chapter 142 Tracking
Chapter 142 Tracking
The night has deepened, shrouding the Yellowstone Gorge in a deep tranquility. Only the occasional calls of unknown birds gently break the silence of the night, and then quickly disappear.
The cave, approximately a hundred meters below the surface, is neither towering nor cramped, perfectly tucked away within the mountain. Beyond the cave entrance, a small, abrupt platform quietly extends. Atop it grows a strangely crooked tree, its branches slanting, adding a touch of wild charm to this hidden spot. Next to the tree, a carefully placed stone slab cleverly conceals the cave entrance. Without insider knowledge, peeping from the outside, one would never suspect the hidden paradise within.
At this moment, the two of them were pressed tightly against the thick trunk of the crooked tree, hidden in the darkness with the help of the night and the trees.
Jiang Liunian lowered his voice, so thin it seemed like a breeze could blow it away. "Yunzhou, do you think Brother Zhuang and the others encountered those cunning monsters along the way? I haven't seen them for a long time, so I can't help but feel uneasy."
"It's certainly possible. Brother Shan did mention earlier that the Yaoman tribe's activities have been increasingly rampant recently. If we really run into them, it wouldn't be a surprise. If we were to stumble upon a Yaoman vanguard squad, perhaps we could take the opportunity to inquire about their layout and movements. That would be an unexpected reward."
Although their words were gentle, their expressions couldn't conceal their alertness and nervousness, as if every movement in the night tugged at their heartstrings. As the night slowly stretched on, the lingering absence of Zhuang Xian and the others added a sense of foreboding, making the quiet night seem especially long and heavy.
"I'm afraid they've been in trouble. Yunzhou, stay here. I'm going to find them!" Jiang Liunian's face was as solemn as steel as he spoke, drawing the sharp weapon he carried from his waist. This cave was extremely hidden, and even if Gu Yunzhou stayed alone, the safety factor was relatively high. Jiang Liunian planned to join the search party.
Gu Yunzhou felt somewhat helpless. He encountered such a sticky situation on his first mission, as if the story of Calabash Brothers saving his grandfather was replayed. No one said a word. He was about to speak and say that it was okay for him to stay alone, but suddenly he saw Jiang Liunian tense up, his whole body alert, looking at him with sharp eyes, as if he sensed some potential danger, and made a gesture of silence to Gu Yunzhou.
Gu Yunzhou stopped talking at once and followed Jiang Liunian's gaze. The moonlight was thin, barely covering the earth with a hazy silver gauze. Under this dim light and shadow, a team mixed with demons and barbarians was quietly moving through the night.
From a distance, their conversation was as indistinct as whispers on the wind, but the sheer size of the group was hard to miss, even in the hazy night. Gu Yunzhou and Jiang Liunian, looking down from above, their gazes piercing, estimated that the group consisted of a mix of young and old, at least a dozen people.
"It's the monsters, they are here as expected!" Jiang Liunian's voice was low and cold, his eyes flashing with unquestionable determination and murderous intent. His gaze was fixed on the figures of the team of alien travelers below, as if every glance contained a sharp blade.
"If I don't kill a few of them this time, I'll be sorry for all the human beings who died on the battlefield!" After saying that, he clenched his fists, staring at the movement below with a sharp gaze, his mind churning with thoughts.
"Look at the situation, they seem to be looking for a place to rest. Liunian, you and I quickly leave a brief message to Brother Shan and the others, and then quietly follow the group of monsters!" Gu Yunzhou's blood was also boiling, and his hands were ready to move. The position they were in at the moment was extremely hidden. As long as they acted cautiously and did not get close easily, they would be safe.
"Good idea, but since the monsters are traveling with the barbarians, we should be cautious and keep our distance. The monsters are cunning and changeable, and if we alert them, something unexpected might happen." There was a rare calmness in his words. Looking at the group of guys below gradually going away, he hurriedly left a note and slowly followed with Gu Yunzhou.
Originally, he was planning to go find Shan Ze and his men, but after encountering the demon barbarians, he weighed the pros and cons and decided that it was more important to follow them. After all, Shan Ze and his men were powerful and wouldn't necessarily get into trouble.
As for Gu Yunzhou's desire to go along, Jiang Liunian didn't refuse. Firstly, his literary skills were extremely useful, and when combined with Jiang Liunian's special literary skills, they were like adding wings to a tiger. However, this unique literary skill consumed a staggering amount of literary energy, so he usually exercised great caution and didn't dare to use it lightly. But now, with the right time, right place, and right people all present, how could he easily let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
"Yunzhou, let's stay away from them in a while. I will use a special literary skill, but this skill consumes a lot of literary energy. Once it is used, the literary energy in my body will be exhausted. At that time, you will need to quickly replenish new literary energy for me to maintain the safety of both of you and me." Before leaving, Jiang Liunian explained everything in detail to Gu Yunzhou. After that, the two of them jumped down the mountain with agility and lightness, and landed steadily without making any sound.
Following the trail of the demonic couple, they approached with light, cautious, and slow steps, as if afraid to disturb the slumbering silence around them. Soon, an indescribable stench began to drift through the air. It was a uniquely demonic scent, a mixture of various aromas, unusually unpleasant and disgusting.
The barbarian lands of the north are desolate, rain is scarce, and the harsh natural conditions make bathing a luxury rather than a daily routine. Therefore, with the exception of the noble barbarian leaders and their bloodline descendants, most of the tribe exudes an aura that is difficult to ignore.
As for the demon race, although they live in the relatively fertile western land and enjoy the gifts of nature, the nature of the race seems to have destined them to always have a lingering odor that is difficult to dissipate, except for those big demons. Therefore, whenever the two races act together, the smell is definitely not a simple one plus one, and the smell can be smelled from a long distance away.
Generally speaking, if humans want to find hidden monsters, they basically follow one standard, which is that it is too thick!
"Tsk tsk, the smell is as bad as ever. Yun Zhou, let's retreat a little further. Many of the monsters in the demon tribe have noses as sharp as dogs and sharp ears. If we get too close, we will definitely be discovered by those monsters emitting a foul odor!"
Jiang Liunian frowned, covered his mouth and nose with his sleeves, and pulled Gu Yunzhou back a distance with a look of disgust on his face. Then he began to prepare his unique literary skills.