Chapter 438 - 275: Eternal Night Forest

Chapter 438: Chapter 275: Eternal Night Forest

Yu Fei was unaware that two Grandmasters had fled Celestial Rock City. He was merely clearing out some of the surrounding tier-6 desolate beasts each night when they rested.

Of course, this couldn’t eliminate all the tier-6 desolate beasts along their route, as they traveled several thousand kilometers each day. However, during the first hour of their morning travels, they never encountered any powerful desolate beasts. This bizarre phenomenon put Di Kui on edge.

After three consecutive days of this, a distressed Di Kui gathered everyone and announced his desperate conclusion.

"Mr. Gao, everyone... I think we’re being stalked by a high-tier desolate beast!"

The moment he said it, Yu Fei found it absurd. ’How did this experienced Forest Patroller come to that conclusion?’

"Di Kui, what have you discovered?"

Feng Xi and the strongman, Shi Qiang, also drew near. Yu Fei noticed the expressions on the three guards were especially grim.

Normally, the guards didn’t have to clear the path or carry the packs. The two strongmen even set up their tents and prepared their food. The guards were only responsible for keeping watch at night.

But if a tier-7 desolate beast were to attack, these three would have to be the first to face it, buying time for the others to retreat. Thus, Di Kui’s news of a high-tier desolate beast immediately made the three of them tense up.

Di Kui’s eyes were bloodshot. He said gravely, "Every morning, I’ve noticed that the number of tier-6 desolate beasts around us is frighteningly low. I suspect a tier-7 desolate beast is secretly following us, waiting for the right moment to strike!"

"High-tier desolate beasts possess considerable intelligence. They can overcome their base instincts to a certain degree."

"Desolate beasts have their own unique way of communicating, which is why the tier-6 beasts have been scared off! If they had been killed, there would at least be traces of their remains. I’ve observed carefully for two days, and there’s no sign of any tier-6 desolate beasts. They must have fled."

"And it’s only when we get well outside our campsite’s perimeter that the number of beasts returns to normal! This means the high-tier beast has been tailing us this whole time..."

’So that’s what’s going on,’ Yu Fei thought, relaxing. ’This Di Kui fellow is a little too cautious.’ Although Yu Fei’s own goal was also a high-tier desolate beast, he had no desire to reveal himself at this moment.

He never thought his nightly excursions to clear out the nearby desolate beasts would cause such a misunderstanding.

As for the vanished beasts, they were, of course, safe within his storage space.

Yu Fei calmly asked, "So, Di Kui, what’s your idea? If we’re really being stalked by a high-tier desolate beast, what should we do now?"

Di Kui gritted his teeth and said, "I’m guessing speed is this beast’s weakness. So... we’re going to travel at full speed. The original plan was to reach the next supply town in three days. We’ll do it in two!"

Yu Fei patted Di Kui’s shoulder and said with earnest gravity:

"We’re counting on you. We’ll follow your lead. Shi Qiang, don’t be stingy with the supplies. Break out the share that was reserved for me and give it to everyone."

Shi Qiang didn’t object. It was his employer’s share, after all; if he wanted to give it away, it was no skin off his back. Besides, the situation was getting critical.

After that, the group pushed on, increasing their pace and shortening their rests.

They had now ventured deeper into the Mist Sea. Visibility was extremely low, with a thick fog blanketing everything. Yu Fei was fine, however. His Pupil Skill granted him a form of X-ray vision, so his sight was unaffected.

But even so, staring out at the monotonous forest, Yu Fei couldn’t get his bearings.

He had no idea how these Forest Patrollers found their way, but with half a lifetime of experience, they had surely developed their own unique methods.

Once they reached this area, Feng Xi stopped leading the way. It was clear his skills were a notch below Di Kui’s. Wang Yu had put him on the team purely to benefit from his so-called luck.

Speaking of luck, Yu Fei had even roped a few of the others into card games during their evening rests, but he hadn’t noticed Feng Xi having any particularly good fortune.

’Should I copy it?’

He had already accumulated seven chances, but Feng Xi’s talent was only purple grade!

Yu Fei was hesitant. His copy ability only recharged once a month, and it felt like a waste.

After some thought, he decided against it. From his interactions over the past few days, he’d found Feng Xi to be a flexible person with high emotional intelligence.

Under Di Kui’s leadership, the group arrived at the penultimate supply town a day ahead of schedule.

The town was situated atop a high mountain. As they entered, Di Kui paid a hefty fee. Yu Fei also noticed many Martial Artists outside, chopping down trees and hauling the wood back into town to feed several large fires that burned year-round.

This was how they dispersed a patch of the mist and established the town.

"We’re safe, Mr. Gao. We need to rest here for an extra day. The men are in bad shape."

Di Kui requested of Yu Fei.

He agreed. They were close to their destination anyway. If it weren’t for the others holding him back, Yu Fei could travel much faster. But he didn’t know the route, and the environment of the Mist Sea was too complex.

Expanding his senses, Yu Fei discovered three Grandmaster-level Martial Artists in this town, a number comparable to that of Mengchu City.

The cost of living here was higher, especially for fruits and supernatural crops, which were priced at ten times what they cost in the outside world. Yu Fei understood completely. The few crops they managed to cultivate in the town couldn’t possibly meet such high demand.

As they continued their journey, Di Kui grew more anxious.

"Damn it! That high-tier desolate beast hasn’t given up!"

Yu Fei’s routine nightly clearings had caused Di Kui to gravely misjudge the situation. Left with no choice, the group had to accelerate their pace once more, disrupting Di Kui’s original plan.

They had now delved deep into the Mist Forest. The fog here was even denser, and more importantly, the towering trees created a thick canopy, causing visibility to worsen.

Between the mist and the dim light, the group’s speed dropped significantly. This, in turn, increased their chances of encountering desolate beasts. Fights—and sometimes, hasty retreats—became a frequent occurrence. Even the two strongmen were forced to join the combat on more than one occasion.