96 Puppet Jade
Just in case, Zhuang Yao left Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu outside the door. If something really happened, they could destroy the door from the outside.
Cong Xia also didn't want to go in, but he was worried about their safety. At least if he stayed outside, he could replenish his energy. After a fierce internal struggle, he decided to go in.
Deng Xiao had great strength and managed to push open the heavy door little by little.
Cong Xia felt a bit uneasy. He had already prepared himself for the sight of a tide of insects rushing towards them when the door opened. If he didn't run away scared, it would prove that he had indeed grown.
However, after the door opened, everything was calm, and nothing happened.
After Deng Xiao opened the door, they were greeted by a spacious hall. There were some display cabinets in the hall, probably used for selling souvenirs before. Naturally, there were no people there now. The lighting was very dim, and a strong musty smell filled their noses.
"What's going on? No insects?"
Deng Xiao wondered, "Really, what's happening? Last time I came, the insects swarmed me as soon as I opened the door."
The group entered the hall but didn't dare to venture too far. They stood two meters away from the entrance, cautiously surveying their surroundings with flashlights.
It appeared to be an abandoned ancient building with nothing particularly unusual. However, the immense and suffocating energy was undeniably present, right around them.
They could sense a powerful enemy but couldn't see it, which made the situation even more terrifying.
Zhuang Yao asked Cong Xia, "Can you sense the Puppet Jade?"
Cong Xia shook his head. "It's everywhere, I can't locate it."
"The Puppet Jade has already sensed itself," Cheng Tianbi said softly.
"What?"
Cheng Tianbi took out the Puppet Jade from his pocket and laid it on his palm. The pitch-black jade emitted a faint black glow, flickering as if responding to something.
Zhuang Yao raised his head. "Then the other Puppet Jade should be upstairs."
Cheng Tianbi also looked up. "Yes, this piece of jade is enticing me to go upstairs."
Cong Xia exclaimed, "It's enticing you?"
"Yes," Cheng Tianbi's forehead broke out in cold sweat as he clenched his fists to remain calm. "This thing really knows how to bewitch people. They are calling each other to leave this place."
"Let's go!" Cong Xia didn't want to stay in this eerie place any longer.
Deng Xiao said disappointedly, "We haven't even caught the insects yet."
As they started to retreat, suddenly a tremendous energy wave surged behind them. The four of them swiftly turned around, only to see thousands upon thousands of pitch-black soft-bodied insects swarming around the once empty door!
The insects were palm-sized, oval-shaped, resembling enlarged black chess pieces. They were soft and plump, seemingly without limbs, wriggling and moving forward, yet remarkably fast. What was even more terrifying was that with so many insects moving together, there wasn't a single sound!
"Quick, get out!"
The main door was right in front of them, but those insects forcefully sealed the entire door with their bodies. The gap of over twenty centimeters, which Deng Xiao had managed to open, closed under the pushing force of the swarm of insects.
Cheng Tianbi struck with his palm, distorting the air in front of him. A massive gust of wind struck the side of the door, crushing the insects on the door panel into pulpy messes. The constant squishing sound echoed, and the pale yellow ichor splattered everywhere.
Cong Xia felt nauseous and almost vomited.
Deng Xiao, like lifting a small chicken, grabbed Zhuang Yao and threw him onto his back. "Hold on tight!" In the blink of an eye, Deng Xiao transformed, his originally over 180 centimeters tall body shot up to nearly three meters. Muscles bulged, tearing apart his clothes, and his dark green wrinkled skin appeared incredibly tough. With a swing of his large tail, he smashed hundreds of insects.
Zhuang Yao tightly gripped Deng Xiao's neck and shouted, "Tang Yanqiu, shoot the door hinge!"
As soon as his words fell, a heavy arrow hit the door hinge, and the solid wooden door let out a deep groan.
Another arrow followed, and Tang Yanqiu aimed at each individual hinge on one side of the gate, shooting one arrow after another. However, the door was too large and heavy, and due to a lack of maintenance, the hinges were rusty. Despite the damage to the hinges, the door still stood.
Liu Fengyu slathered digestive fluid on the area he hit, and it emitted a squeaking sound as it corroded. The insects that came into contact with the fluid were instantly dissolved, their bodies mostly consumed. The air was filled with a nauseating stench, whether from Liu Fengyu or the insects, it was hard to tell.
Insects swarmed from all directions, lunging at them. Cong Xia could feel something soft and squirming crawling up his pants leg frantically. He let out a scream and had the urge to roll on the ground. Unable to resist, he turned his head and found that the once empty hall was now crawling with insects, covering the floor, walls, and ceiling. Those countless insects resembling mountains and seas undulated in unison, converging on them. At that moment, Cong Xia felt like he was about to faint.
Cheng Tianbi positioned himself behind Cong Xia, unleashing wave after wave of wind barriers to block the insects behind them.
Deng Xiao roared, "Hold on tight!"
Zhuang Yao saw through his intentions and screamed, "No!"
Deng Xiao took a few steps back and rammed fiercely into the swarm of densely packed insects covering the door.
Squish! Insect flesh splattered, and the door trembled for a moment, but it seemed to be stuck and didn't open.
Covered in a pile of insect corpses, Deng Xiao and Zhuang Yao were so disgusted that Zhuang Yao vomited directly.
Deng Xiao shook his arm. "One more try, I can definitely break through."
Cong Xia thought that Zhuang Yao would faint if they tried again, so he quickly went up and carried Zhuang Yao down. Deng Xiao took several steps back and then charged towards the door once again.
Using the strength of his robust amphibious body weighing nearly 300 kilograms, he slammed into the door, whose hinges had been completely corroded. With a thunderous crash, the door collapsed.
Cheng Tianbi held Cong Xia with one hand and Zhuang Yao with the other, swiftly following Deng Xiao as they rushed out.
The insects behind them chased after them, swarming relentlessly.
Liu Fengyu cursed, "Damn it, it's so disgusting, ahhh—so disgusting!"
Tang Yanqiu's face also looked grim. He went up to help the dazed Deng Xiao, saying, "Let's go."
Deng Xiao, in a daze, said, "Let's go further away, and they won't chase us anymore."
The group ran desperately towards a distance, but when they had run over a hundred meters and looked back, they found that the insects were still pursuing them.
Liu Fengyu cursed again, "Didn't you say they wouldn't chase us if we went further away?"
Deng Xiao looked confused and turned his head, unable to figure it out. He wondered, "That's strange. Last time, they really stopped chasing after I ran for more than ten meters. Maybe you guys attract bugs, or something."
Zhuang Yao, covered in insect corpses on his clothes and hair, couldn't bear it any longer. "You're talking nonsense! They are chasing the Puppet Jade. Tang Yanqiu, take Cheng Tianbi up into the sky, fly further away."
Tang Yanqiu swiftly grabbed Cheng Tianbi and flew in the opposite direction. As expected, the insects immediately changed their direction and wriggled toward Cheng Tianbi.
However, the two of them were too fast, leaving the swarm of insects far behind. After chasing them for over five hundred meters, the insects gradually returned to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
Only then could the group breathe a sigh of relief, collapsing on the ground, almost unable to move.
Cong Xia and Zhuang Yao desperately slapped the insects off their bodies. They now wished they could jump into a river and take a bath, even if it was twenty degrees below freezing.
Deng Xiao lay sprawled on the ground, suddenly bursting into laughter. "Isn't it fun? I ran out like this last time too, hahaha." He was still in his amphibious form, and when he laughed, his dark green wrinkled skin formed a terrifying cluster on his face.
Liu Fengyu kicked him. "Fun? It's disgusting as hell." Although he wasn't touched by the insects, seeing the grotesque appearance of the others covered in insect gore, he couldn't eat for days.
Cong Xia wore a mournful expression. "It's so disgusting. I want to take a shower."
Zhuang Yao patted his hair, sat cross-legged on the ground, and his delicate, beautiful face turned slightly red. He sat there stiffly for a while before saying, "No, I can't find them."
"What?"
"I'm searching through my entomology knowledge, but I can't find this type of soft-bodied worm. Maybe I haven't looked comprehensively enough..."
"Perhaps, but it's also possible that these insects are truly new creatures of this era. During the first Cambrian period, there were many new species emerging. Given the speed at which these things evolve, it's not surprising for new species to arise within a year."
"The attack method of these insects is blood-sucking." Zhuang Yao pointed to his arm, where there were small red marks. "But their attack power isn't strong. The main issue is their astonishing numbers. Unless we use large-scale weapons of mass destruction, we can't deal with them."
"What about poison? Or fire?"
"Using poison isn't easy. This tower is very tall, and each floor is compartmentalized. With such a massive number of insects, it would require a substantial amount of poison to ensure that all the insects on each floor come into contact with it. Besides, the problem of who would accomplish the dispersal of the poison is the biggest challenge. Even if Cheng Tianbi goes in, he won't be able to come out. Using fire could work, but it would mean burning down the entire tower. However, if the tower is burned, whatever binds these insects will disappear. Will these insects start moving around the city? It will be even harder to find the Puppet Jade then."
Cong Xia nodded. "I think the methods we can think of, the cerebral evolved humans in Beijing must have thought of as well. Since they are still helpless against these insects, there must be a reason."
Zhuang Yao agreed. "There must be a reason, especially for why these insects refuse to leave the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. That's what intrigues me the most."
Tang Yanqiu returned with Cheng Tianbi flying alongside him. After landing, Cheng Tianbi looked at the miserable state of the group and calmly said, "Get up, let's find a place to take a bath."
Deng Xiao happily scooped a handful of insects into the tattered pockets of his clothes and ran over to Cong Xia, offering his "treasure." "Cong, let's make skewers with these in the evening."
Cong Xia suppressed the urge to kick him and silently walked away.
After thinking for a while, the group could only come up with the idea of going to Ai Jia's hotel for a hot shower. However, they didn't want to trouble Ai Jia, and Ai Jia's father didn't want to have any dealings with them.
Zhuang Yao pondered, "The person who came to find us this morning, Meng Fei. Let's go find him. He wanted to cooperate with us, right?"
Cong Xia asked, "What do you want to do by finding him?"
"I'm curious about his intentions. He must know something. It wouldn't hurt to gather more information."
"But how do we find him?"
Tang Yanqiu said, "I know where he is. When I was wandering around this morning, I stumbled upon their hideout."
"Let's go then, and we can take a shower there."
Deng Xiao exclaimed excitedly, "In that case, let's ride the big cat there. After showering, we can quickly go back and make skewers."
Zhuang Yao glared at him fiercely. "If you dare to touch my cat with your dirty claws, I'll show you."
Abu the cat meowed and kept his distance from them, probably finding them smelly.
Deng Xiao felt somewhat disappointed but still carefully held onto his handful of insects.
Since they had to walk, their progress was slow. After more than ten minutes, Deng Xiao was freezing.
He crouched down, shivering, and said with a pained expression, "Cong Xia, my body temperature is too low. If I go into hibernation, can you take me back to the hotel? I don't want to sleep on the street."
Cong Xia sighed and quietly transferred energy into his body. "Get up. Just hold on a little longer, and we'll be able to take a hot shower."
Deng Xiao widened his eyes. "Xia, my body suddenly feels hot. What's happening?"
"I don't know. You have a variable body temperature, so sudden shifts between hot and cold are normal."
"Really?" Deng Xiao's blood circulation returned to normal, and he was overjoyed. "So, I can become hot too."
The group trudged through knee-deep snow for half an hour. Despite Cong Xia continuously transferring heat to each of them, they were still on the verge of freezing.
Finally, they arrived at a villa area.
"This is the place."
They entered the villa area without any hesitation. As soon as they stepped inside, a group of people walked out of a brightly lit villa. Leading the group was Meng Fei, who was startled at the sight of them. His surprise deepened when he saw the yellowish-white frozen insect flesh clinging to their bodies.
"Hey, Meng Fei, didn't you say you would come find us in the afternoon? Why didn't you show up?"
Meng Fei's expression changed, and his gaze seemed evasive. "Sun Ya went to find you, so I thought you weren't interested in me and wanted to collaborate with Sun Ya."
"Sun Ya is Sun Ya, and you are you. We are still very interested in the cooperation you mentioned about the Puppet Jade."
Meng Fei's face tensed. "There are rules in this city. Since you have contacted Sun Ya, to avoid suspicion, I kindly ask you to leave."
"No, we need a place to take a hot shower. If we can't shower, we won't leave."
Meng Fei felt extremely frustrated. "There is no hot water here."
"No hot water? But you all look clean." Zhuang Yao smiled. "How about we go in and find out ourselves?"
Meng Fei knew that this group of people was not easy to deal with. It was said that even Sun Ya and formidable characters from Beijing didn't dare to provoke them. He regretted underestimating them in the beginning and recklessly expecting them to help him deal with Sun Ya, only to end up with disappointment. Looking at their unyielding appearance, he helplessly said, "I'll let you shower, but once you're done, please leave quickly."
Meng Fei led them into another villa where the bathroom had been converted into a communal shower with eight showerheads. Meng Fei turned on the lights. "Go ahead and shower, quickly."
Cong Xia said, "Thank you, big brother. Could you also provide us with some clean clothes?"
Meng Fei was so infuriated he wanted to slap them.
As soon as Meng Fei left, the group eagerly took off their clothes and rushed into the shower, turning on the showerheads and indulging in the hot water. Even Lian Fengyu and Tang Yanqiu, who were already clean, couldn't resist the temptation of hot water and joined in.
While showering, Cong Xia felt even more self-conscious. Zhuang Yao was still a child, so he could be overlooked, but why did the other four have such incredible bodies? Each one was toned and well-built, with perfect muscle definition, except for him. It seemed like he was becoming thinner and thinner.
Zhuang Yao rinsed off the dirt from his body, opened his eyes, and caught a glimpse of Cong Xia huddled in a corner, taking a shower. He sneered and said, "Feeling insecure, huh?"
Cong Xia glanced at him, feeling somewhat annoyed. "It's because I don't exercise regularly."
Deng Xiao approached Cong Xia and pinched his arm. " Ge, you're indeed too thin. Don't be so lazy, try to exercise regularly."
Cong Xia felt a bit embarrassed. "I know."
Cheng Tianbi's body stiffened slightly, but he didn't dare to look at Cong Xia. Cong Xia also didn't dare to look at Cheng Tianbi. They kept their distance, afraid that even a glance would cause some embarrassing reaction in their bodies.
Cheng Tianbi finished showering first and left the bathroom, dressed in clothes.
Only then did Cong Xia dare to relax his body and continue washing. The group cleaned themselves and changed into neat clothes, instantly feeling a sense of rebirth.
Deng Xiao still had his mind on his grilled skewers. "Cong Ge, let's hurry back."
"Don't rush." Cong Xia glanced at Meng Fei, who was sitting in the living room, waiting for them.
Meng Fei had been waiting there, knowing that they didn't just come for a shower. He wanted to see what they were up to.
All of them sat down, and Cheng Tianbi asked, "What did you mean this morning? Tell us the truth."
Meng Fei sighed. "I lied about the Puppet Jade. There is only one piece of Puppet Jade in Xi'an, and it's inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It's impossible to get it out. I said that to get you to cooperate with me in eliminating Sun Ya."
Cong Xia asked, "Do you have a big grudge against Sun Ya? Aren't you afraid of retaliation from us after using us?"
"Sun Ya has a lot of resources. If we defeat him, I can give you most of those resources. Compared to the hard-to-find Puppet Jade, these things are more practical."
"But we can't help you deal with Sun Ya right now. Sun Ya is preparing gasoline and other supplies for us."
Meng Fei spoke in a solemn tone. "I know."
"We're not interested in your power struggle, but we are interested in Sun Ya, the relationship with Beijing, and the Puppet Jade in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Why don't you tell us about it?"
Meng Fei dared not withhold information and reluctantly said, "Sun Ya is just an average speed-evolved person. He didn't have much influence in Xi'an before, but he has an uncle who serves in the military. A few months ago, when Beijing sent people to take the Puppet Jade from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Sun Ya established contact with them through his uncle. He was responsible for guiding them and providing information about the surroundings during the second and third attempts. Ever since he established that connection with Beijing, Sun Ya suddenly gained more resources and recruited more mutants. In just two or three months, he became one of the largest factions in Xi'an. He is quite ostentatious and greedy in plundering resources, which has caused dissatisfaction among many people. That's why we want to eliminate him."
"Then, what about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
"How much do you know?"
"I do know some things about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but it sounds quite mysterious."
"Never mind the mystery, just tell us."
"Indeed, Beijing has sent many people to retrieve the Puppet Jade from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but they failed every time. It's said that the military in Xi'an prepared explosives and was waiting for the order from the higher-ups to blow up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. However, when the officials arrived, they scolded them and said that if the pagoda was blown up, the whole of Xi'an, along with the remaining 200,000 people in the city, would be doomed."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. There are many rumors surrounding this. Some say that the Puppet Jade cannot be destroyed as it would cause an earthquake. Others say that Xi'an, being an ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, has accumulated countless grievances and restless spirits. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was a tower bestowed by the heavens to suppress these grievances. If the pagoda collapses, Xi'an will be doomed. This rumor has been circulating for hundreds of years even before the apocalypse. Now, because they are not allowed to blow up the pagoda to retrieve the jade, the common people have started to believe this theory. They even believe that what's inside the pagoda are those restless spirits awakened by the inexplicable appearance of the Puppet Jade. They think that as long as the tower stands, those spirits won't come out to harm people. Otherwise, how do they explain that nothing inside ever comes out to seek food?"
Zhuang Yao chuckled. "This legend is interesting, although it does sound quite mysterious." At least they knew that the "suppression" inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was not related to restless spirits but rather an indeterminate number of disgusting soft-bodied worms.
Meng Fei said, "I don't believe these rumors either, but the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has indeed become very strange now, and the Puppet Jade is even stranger. No one knows how it suddenly appeared. It's said that the Puppet Jade has always mysteriously appeared in different locations."
"What else do you know about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
Meng Fei shook his head and sighed. "That's all I know. I haven't paid much attention to it. Living next to it, we've prepared ourselves to die at any time."
"Do you know when it became like that?"
Meng Fei thought for a moment. "I don't remember very well, but it seems it was after an earthquake... Yes, after the earthquake. Some people sought refuge in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to escape the mutants flooding the streets, but they say no one ever came out. After that, everyone realized that the tower was becoming more and more ominous, and no one dared to enter anymore. So, I suppose it started to mutate after the earthquake."
Earthquake... Puppet Jade. It turned out that the Puppet Jade appeared in the world after the earthquake.
Meng Fei watched them anxiously, hoping they would finish asking their questions and leave soon.
Deng Xiao didn't understand what they were talking about and boredly yawned, whispering, "Brother Cong, let's go back and make skewers."
96 Puppet Jade
Just in case, Zhuang Yao left Tang Yanqiu and Liu Fengyu outside the door. If something really happened, they could destroy the door from the outside.
Cong Xia also didn't want to go in, but he was worried about their safety. At least if he stayed outside, he could replenish his energy. After a fierce internal struggle, he decided to go in.
Deng Xiao had great strength and managed to push open the heavy door little by little.
Cong Xia felt a bit uneasy. He had already prepared himself for the sight of a tide of insects rushing towards them when the door opened. If he didn't run away scared, it would prove that he had indeed grown.
However, after the door opened, everything was calm, and nothing happened.
After Deng Xiao opened the door, they were greeted by a spacious hall. There were some display cabinets in the hall, probably used for selling souvenirs before. Naturally, there were no people there now. The lighting was very dim, and a strong musty smell filled their noses.
"What's going on? No insects?"
Deng Xiao wondered, "Really, what's happening? Last time I came, the insects swarmed me as soon as I opened the door."
The group entered the hall but didn't dare to venture too far. They stood two meters away from the entrance, cautiously surveying their surroundings with flashlights.
It appeared to be an abandoned ancient building with nothing particularly unusual. However, the immense and suffocating energy was undeniably present, right around them.
They could sense a powerful enemy but couldn't see it, which made the situation even more terrifying.
Zhuang Yao asked Cong Xia, "Can you sense the Puppet Jade?"
Cong Xia shook his head. "It's everywhere, I can't locate it."
"The Puppet Jade has already sensed itself," Cheng Tianbi said softly.
"What?"
Cheng Tianbi took out the Puppet Jade from his pocket and laid it on his palm. The pitch-black jade emitted a faint black glow, flickering as if responding to something.
Zhuang Yao raised his head. "Then the other Puppet Jade should be upstairs."
Cheng Tianbi also looked up. "Yes, this piece of jade is enticing me to go upstairs."
Cong Xia exclaimed, "It's enticing you?"
"Yes," Cheng Tianbi's forehead broke out in cold sweat as he clenched his fists to remain calm. "This thing really knows how to bewitch people. They are calling each other to leave this place."
"Let's go!" Cong Xia didn't want to stay in this eerie place any longer.
Deng Xiao said disappointedly, "We haven't even caught the insects yet."
As they started to retreat, suddenly a tremendous energy wave surged behind them. The four of them swiftly turned around, only to see thousands upon thousands of pitch-black soft-bodied insects swarming around the once empty door!
The insects were palm-sized, oval-shaped, resembling enlarged black chess pieces. They were soft and plump, seemingly without limbs, wriggling and moving forward, yet remarkably fast. What was even more terrifying was that with so many insects moving together, there wasn't a single sound!
"Quick, get out!"
The main door was right in front of them, but those insects forcefully sealed the entire door with their bodies. The gap of over twenty centimeters, which Deng Xiao had managed to open, closed under the pushing force of the swarm of insects.
Cheng Tianbi struck with his palm, distorting the air in front of him. A massive gust of wind struck the side of the door, crushing the insects on the door panel into pulpy messes. The constant squishing sound echoed, and the pale yellow ichor splattered everywhere.
Cong Xia felt nauseous and almost vomited.
Deng Xiao, like lifting a small chicken, grabbed Zhuang Yao and threw him onto his back. "Hold on tight!" In the blink of an eye, Deng Xiao transformed, his originally over 180 centimeters tall body shot up to nearly three meters. Muscles bulged, tearing apart his clothes, and his dark green wrinkled skin appeared incredibly tough. With a swing of his large tail, he smashed hundreds of insects.
Zhuang Yao tightly gripped Deng Xiao's neck and shouted, "Tang Yanqiu, shoot the door hinge!"
As soon as his words fell, a heavy arrow hit the door hinge, and the solid wooden door let out a deep groan.
Another arrow followed, and Tang Yanqiu aimed at each individual hinge on one side of the gate, shooting one arrow after another. However, the door was too large and heavy, and due to a lack of maintenance, the hinges were rusty. Despite the damage to the hinges, the door still stood.
Liu Fengyu slathered digestive fluid on the area he hit, and it emitted a squeaking sound as it corroded. The insects that came into contact with the fluid were instantly dissolved, their bodies mostly consumed. The air was filled with a nauseating stench, whether from Liu Fengyu or the insects, it was hard to tell.
Insects swarmed from all directions, lunging at them. Cong Xia could feel something soft and squirming crawling up his pants leg frantically. He let out a scream and had the urge to roll on the ground. Unable to resist, he turned his head and found that the once empty hall was now crawling with insects, covering the floor, walls, and ceiling. Those countless insects resembling mountains and seas undulated in unison, converging on them. At that moment, Cong Xia felt like he was about to faint.
Cheng Tianbi positioned himself behind Cong Xia, unleashing wave after wave of wind barriers to block the insects behind them.
Deng Xiao roared, "Hold on tight!"
Zhuang Yao saw through his intentions and screamed, "No!"
Deng Xiao took a few steps back and rammed fiercely into the swarm of densely packed insects covering the door.
Squish! Insect flesh splattered, and the door trembled for a moment, but it seemed to be stuck and didn't open.
Covered in a pile of insect corpses, Deng Xiao and Zhuang Yao were so disgusted that Zhuang Yao vomited directly.
Deng Xiao shook his arm. "One more try, I can definitely break through."
Cong Xia thought that Zhuang Yao would faint if they tried again, so he quickly went up and carried Zhuang Yao down. Deng Xiao took several steps back and then charged towards the door once again.
Using the strength of his robust amphibious body weighing nearly 300 kilograms, he slammed into the door, whose hinges had been completely corroded. With a thunderous crash, the door collapsed.
Cheng Tianbi held Cong Xia with one hand and Zhuang Yao with the other, swiftly following Deng Xiao as they rushed out.
The insects behind them chased after them, swarming relentlessly.
Liu Fengyu cursed, "Damn it, it's so disgusting, ahhh—so disgusting!"
Tang Yanqiu's face also looked grim. He went up to help the dazed Deng Xiao, saying, "Let's go."
Deng Xiao, in a daze, said, "Let's go further away, and they won't chase us anymore."
The group ran desperately towards a distance, but when they had run over a hundred meters and looked back, they found that the insects were still pursuing them.
Liu Fengyu cursed again, "Didn't you say they wouldn't chase us if we went further away?"
Deng Xiao looked confused and turned his head, unable to figure it out. He wondered, "That's strange. Last time, they really stopped chasing after I ran for more than ten meters. Maybe you guys attract bugs, or something."
Zhuang Yao, covered in insect corpses on his clothes and hair, couldn't bear it any longer. "You're talking nonsense! They are chasing the Puppet Jade. Tang Yanqiu, take Cheng Tianbi up into the sky, fly further away."
Tang Yanqiu swiftly grabbed Cheng Tianbi and flew in the opposite direction. As expected, the insects immediately changed their direction and wriggled toward Cheng Tianbi.
However, the two of them were too fast, leaving the swarm of insects far behind. After chasing them for over five hundred meters, the insects gradually returned to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
Only then could the group breathe a sigh of relief, collapsing on the ground, almost unable to move.
Cong Xia and Zhuang Yao desperately slapped the insects off their bodies. They now wished they could jump into a river and take a bath, even if it was twenty degrees below freezing.
Deng Xiao lay sprawled on the ground, suddenly bursting into laughter. "Isn't it fun? I ran out like this last time too, hahaha." He was still in his amphibious form, and when he laughed, his dark green wrinkled skin formed a terrifying cluster on his face.
Liu Fengyu kicked him. "Fun? It's disgusting as hell." Although he wasn't touched by the insects, seeing the grotesque appearance of the others covered in insect gore, he couldn't eat for days.
Cong Xia wore a mournful expression. "It's so disgusting. I want to take a shower."
Zhuang Yao patted his hair, sat cross-legged on the ground, and his delicate, beautiful face turned slightly red. He sat there stiffly for a while before saying, "No, I can't find them."
"What?"
"I'm searching through my entomology knowledge, but I can't find this type of soft-bodied worm. Maybe I haven't looked comprehensively enough..."
"Perhaps, but it's also possible that these insects are truly new creatures of this era. During the first Cambrian period, there were many new species emerging. Given the speed at which these things evolve, it's not surprising for new species to arise within a year."
"The attack method of these insects is blood-sucking." Zhuang Yao pointed to his arm, where there were small red marks. "But their attack power isn't strong. The main issue is their astonishing numbers. Unless we use large-scale weapons of mass destruction, we can't deal with them."
"What about poison? Or fire?"
"Using poison isn't easy. This tower is very tall, and each floor is compartmentalized. With such a massive number of insects, it would require a substantial amount of poison to ensure that all the insects on each floor come into contact with it. Besides, the problem of who would accomplish the dispersal of the poison is the biggest challenge. Even if Cheng Tianbi goes in, he won't be able to come out. Using fire could work, but it would mean burning down the entire tower. However, if the tower is burned, whatever binds these insects will disappear. Will these insects start moving around the city? It will be even harder to find the Puppet Jade then."
Cong Xia nodded. "I think the methods we can think of, the cerebral evolved humans in Beijing must have thought of as well. Since they are still helpless against these insects, there must be a reason."
Zhuang Yao agreed. "There must be a reason, especially for why these insects refuse to leave the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. That's what intrigues me the most."
Tang Yanqiu returned with Cheng Tianbi flying alongside him. After landing, Cheng Tianbi looked at the miserable state of the group and calmly said, "Get up, let's find a place to take a bath."
Deng Xiao happily scooped a handful of insects into the tattered pockets of his clothes and ran over to Cong Xia, offering his "treasure." "Cong, let's make skewers with these in the evening."
Cong Xia suppressed the urge to kick him and silently walked away.
After thinking for a while, the group could only come up with the idea of going to Ai Jia's hotel for a hot shower. However, they didn't want to trouble Ai Jia, and Ai Jia's father didn't want to have any dealings with them.
Zhuang Yao pondered, "The person who came to find us this morning, Meng Fei. Let's go find him. He wanted to cooperate with us, right?"
Cong Xia asked, "What do you want to do by finding him?"
"I'm curious about his intentions. He must know something. It wouldn't hurt to gather more information."
"But how do we find him?"
Tang Yanqiu said, "I know where he is. When I was wandering around this morning, I stumbled upon their hideout."
"Let's go then, and we can take a shower there."
Deng Xiao exclaimed excitedly, "In that case, let's ride the big cat there. After showering, we can quickly go back and make skewers."
Zhuang Yao glared at him fiercely. "If you dare to touch my cat with your dirty claws, I'll show you."
Abu the cat meowed and kept his distance from them, probably finding them smelly.
Deng Xiao felt somewhat disappointed but still carefully held onto his handful of insects.
Since they had to walk, their progress was slow. After more than ten minutes, Deng Xiao was freezing.
He crouched down, shivering, and said with a pained expression, "Cong Xia, my body temperature is too low. If I go into hibernation, can you take me back to the hotel? I don't want to sleep on the street."
Cong Xia sighed and quietly transferred energy into his body. "Get up. Just hold on a little longer, and we'll be able to take a hot shower."
Deng Xiao widened his eyes. "Xia, my body suddenly feels hot. What's happening?"
"I don't know. You have a variable body temperature, so sudden shifts between hot and cold are normal."
"Really?" Deng Xiao's blood circulation returned to normal, and he was overjoyed. "So, I can become hot too."
The group trudged through knee-deep snow for half an hour. Despite Cong Xia continuously transferring heat to each of them, they were still on the verge of freezing.
Finally, they arrived at a villa area.
"This is the place."
They entered the villa area without any hesitation. As soon as they stepped inside, a group of people walked out of a brightly lit villa. Leading the group was Meng Fei, who was startled at the sight of them. His surprise deepened when he saw the yellowish-white frozen insect flesh clinging to their bodies.
"Hey, Meng Fei, didn't you say you would come find us in the afternoon? Why didn't you show up?"
Meng Fei's expression changed, and his gaze seemed evasive. "Sun Ya went to find you, so I thought you weren't interested in me and wanted to collaborate with Sun Ya."
"Sun Ya is Sun Ya, and you are you. We are still very interested in the cooperation you mentioned about the Puppet Jade."
Meng Fei's face tensed. "There are rules in this city. Since you have contacted Sun Ya, to avoid suspicion, I kindly ask you to leave."
"No, we need a place to take a hot shower. If we can't shower, we won't leave."
Meng Fei felt extremely frustrated. "There is no hot water here."
"No hot water? But you all look clean." Zhuang Yao smiled. "How about we go in and find out ourselves?"
Meng Fei knew that this group of people was not easy to deal with. It was said that even Sun Ya and formidable characters from Beijing didn't dare to provoke them. He regretted underestimating them in the beginning and recklessly expecting them to help him deal with Sun Ya, only to end up with disappointment. Looking at their unyielding appearance, he helplessly said, "I'll let you shower, but once you're done, please leave quickly."
Meng Fei led them into another villa where the bathroom had been converted into a communal shower with eight showerheads. Meng Fei turned on the lights. "Go ahead and shower, quickly."
Cong Xia said, "Thank you, big brother. Could you also provide us with some clean clothes?"
Meng Fei was so infuriated he wanted to slap them.
As soon as Meng Fei left, the group eagerly took off their clothes and rushed into the shower, turning on the showerheads and indulging in the hot water. Even Lian Fengyu and Tang Yanqiu, who were already clean, couldn't resist the temptation of hot water and joined in.
While showering, Cong Xia felt even more self-conscious. Zhuang Yao was still a child, so he could be overlooked, but why did the other four have such incredible bodies? Each one was toned and well-built, with perfect muscle definition, except for him. It seemed like he was becoming thinner and thinner.
Zhuang Yao rinsed off the dirt from his body, opened his eyes, and caught a glimpse of Cong Xia huddled in a corner, taking a shower. He sneered and said, "Feeling insecure, huh?"
Cong Xia glanced at him, feeling somewhat annoyed. "It's because I don't exercise regularly."
Deng Xiao approached Cong Xia and pinched his arm. " Ge, you're indeed too thin. Don't be so lazy, try to exercise regularly."
Cong Xia felt a bit embarrassed. "I know."
Cheng Tianbi's body stiffened slightly, but he didn't dare to look at Cong Xia. Cong Xia also didn't dare to look at Cheng Tianbi. They kept their distance, afraid that even a glance would cause some embarrassing reaction in their bodies.
Cheng Tianbi finished showering first and left the bathroom, dressed in clothes.
Only then did Cong Xia dare to relax his body and continue washing. The group cleaned themselves and changed into neat clothes, instantly feeling a sense of rebirth.
Deng Xiao still had his mind on his grilled skewers. "Cong Ge, let's hurry back."
"Don't rush." Cong Xia glanced at Meng Fei, who was sitting in the living room, waiting for them.
Meng Fei had been waiting there, knowing that they didn't just come for a shower. He wanted to see what they were up to.
All of them sat down, and Cheng Tianbi asked, "What did you mean this morning? Tell us the truth."
Meng Fei sighed. "I lied about the Puppet Jade. There is only one piece of Puppet Jade in Xi'an, and it's inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It's impossible to get it out. I said that to get you to cooperate with me in eliminating Sun Ya."
Cong Xia asked, "Do you have a big grudge against Sun Ya? Aren't you afraid of retaliation from us after using us?"
"Sun Ya has a lot of resources. If we defeat him, I can give you most of those resources. Compared to the hard-to-find Puppet Jade, these things are more practical."
"But we can't help you deal with Sun Ya right now. Sun Ya is preparing gasoline and other supplies for us."
Meng Fei spoke in a solemn tone. "I know."
"We're not interested in your power struggle, but we are interested in Sun Ya, the relationship with Beijing, and the Puppet Jade in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Why don't you tell us about it?"
Meng Fei dared not withhold information and reluctantly said, "Sun Ya is just an average speed-evolved person. He didn't have much influence in Xi'an before, but he has an uncle who serves in the military. A few months ago, when Beijing sent people to take the Puppet Jade from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Sun Ya established contact with them through his uncle. He was responsible for guiding them and providing information about the surroundings during the second and third attempts. Ever since he established that connection with Beijing, Sun Ya suddenly gained more resources and recruited more mutants. In just two or three months, he became one of the largest factions in Xi'an. He is quite ostentatious and greedy in plundering resources, which has caused dissatisfaction among many people. That's why we want to eliminate him."
"Then, what about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
"How much do you know?"
"I do know some things about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but it sounds quite mysterious."
"Never mind the mystery, just tell us."
"Indeed, Beijing has sent many people to retrieve the Puppet Jade from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but they failed every time. It's said that the military in Xi'an prepared explosives and was waiting for the order from the higher-ups to blow up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. However, when the officials arrived, they scolded them and said that if the pagoda was blown up, the whole of Xi'an, along with the remaining 200,000 people in the city, would be doomed."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. There are many rumors surrounding this. Some say that the Puppet Jade cannot be destroyed as it would cause an earthquake. Others say that Xi'an, being an ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, has accumulated countless grievances and restless spirits. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was a tower bestowed by the heavens to suppress these grievances. If the pagoda collapses, Xi'an will be doomed. This rumor has been circulating for hundreds of years even before the apocalypse. Now, because they are not allowed to blow up the pagoda to retrieve the jade, the common people have started to believe this theory. They even believe that what's inside the pagoda are those restless spirits awakened by the inexplicable appearance of the Puppet Jade. They think that as long as the tower stands, those spirits won't come out to harm people. Otherwise, how do they explain that nothing inside ever comes out to seek food?"
Zhuang Yao chuckled. "This legend is interesting, although it does sound quite mysterious." At least they knew that the "suppression" inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was not related to restless spirits but rather an indeterminate number of disgusting soft-bodied worms.
Meng Fei said, "I don't believe these rumors either, but the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has indeed become very strange now, and the Puppet Jade is even stranger. No one knows how it suddenly appeared. It's said that the Puppet Jade has always mysteriously appeared in different locations."
"What else do you know about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
Meng Fei shook his head and sighed. "That's all I know. I haven't paid much attention to it. Living next to it, we've prepared ourselves to die at any time."
"Do you know when it became like that?"
Meng Fei thought for a moment. "I don't remember very well, but it seems it was after an earthquake... Yes, after the earthquake. Some people sought refuge in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to escape the mutants flooding the streets, but they say no one ever came out. After that, everyone realized that the tower was becoming more and more ominous, and no one dared to enter anymore. So, I suppose it started to mutate after the earthquake."
Earthquake... Puppet Jade. It turned out that the Puppet Jade appeared in the world after the earthquake.
Meng Fei watched them anxiously, hoping they would finish asking their questions and leave soon.
Deng Xiao didn't understand what they were talking about and boredly yawned, whispering, "Brother Cong, let's go back and make skewers."
