Lu Mingfei, why are you slaying dragons if you're not involved!

Chapter 208 This area is off-limits!

The rain seemed to connect the entire world, with almost no gaps from top to bottom. It was less like rain and more like standing at the bottom of a swimming pool, watching one clump of water after another, enough to instantly fill the pool, crash down.

The water on the ground accumulated to a height that was high enough to cover the feet in an instant, and it spread upwards at a speed visible to the naked eye.

It seemed as if endless water was converging from all directions, from mountain peaks and cliffs to treetops and earthen slopes... Water flowing downhill is an inevitable phenomenon under the influence of gravity, and now it was converging into a stream, neatly carrying everything towards the lowest point of the surrounding terrain.

After handing the Zhonghua cigarette that had fallen from the sky to Zhang Shanfeng, Lu Mingfei stood motionless in place. Although he was wearing the action uniform issued by the Foreign Cooperation Division, which was waterproof and cut-resistant and suitable for most environments, the cold rain seemed to seep in everywhere and was still taking away a lot of the heat from his body.

In the past, he would have quickly succumbed to shivering, but now, with the combined effects of [Stamina Recovery] and [Stamina Boost], it feels like taking a cold shower in the middle of summer – exciting and refreshing.

But he still shivered.

Because his gaze unconsciously followed the direction of the water flow, he quickly noticed that it was heading towards the valley where Xiang Yu's tomb was located. At this moment, the "gate" formed by the two cliffs and the bottom of the valley looked like the gates of hell were open... to put it bluntly—like a coffin lid.

The current propelled them forward, as if urging them to a banquet in that abyss of hell... What might be inside?
A distinct warmth emanated from the side amidst the coldness. Lu Mingfei shifted his gaze to the right and was immediately taken aback.

Steam was rising from Chu Zihang's body, and even the freezing rain couldn't extinguish it; instead, it only made it grow larger.

Lu Mingfei knew without even thinking that this was because his senior brother's rapidly rising body temperature was evaporating the moisture. After all, the Iceberg Cold-Faced Killer possessed the highly dangerous Word of Power, the Lord's Flame, which was flammable and explosive... It was perfectly normal for him to be able to do this.

But there are no enemies at the moment, at least not yet. Why is Senior Brother using his Word of Power now? With his hybrid physique, even without Word of Power and this special combat suit, he should be able to withstand this level of freezing rain. Could it be…

"Senior brother, there's no need to show off at a time like this. Consider the wet and sexy look as a perk, so I can earn some extra cash on the side!"

Lu Mingfei patted Chu Zihang on the shoulder.

Chu Zihang glanced at him silently and pointed to his shoulder blade.

Lu Mingfei was stunned. Before he could figure it out, he reached out his hand. Bai Lanhua, being passive, also blurted out without thinking.

"In these situations, you have to pay extra for a massage if you specify a particular spot..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence. The area of ​​his shoulder blade that his fingertips touched was noticeably hot, even through the thick clothing, and far more intensely hot than when he had patted his shoulder earlier!
In an instant, a memory surfaced in my mind. It was after they had finished playing basketball one afternoon and went to take a shower—

Although Chu Zihang is usually meticulous and detail-oriented, he is not a robot after all. For example, on one occasion, he forgot to bring a change of clothes and came out of the bathroom shirtless.

As a result, in the locker room, Lu Mingfei noticed something special about Chu Zihang's body... There's no need to go into details about things like eight-pack abs and streamlined muscles, as Lu Mingfei had seen them before, but that was something he had never seen before.

It was a dark red mark on his shoulder blade, which looked a lot like a birthmark, but Lu Mingfei knew very well that it was definitely not.

Because it looks like a half-decayed world tree!
The half-decayed World Tree is the emblem of Kassel College, while the lush World Tree is the emblem of the International Cooperation Division. If my senior were born with such a birthmark, the story would be similar to the various "auspicious omens" that appeared out of nowhere after the founding emperors of ancient China ascended the throne... It's obviously fake!

Then there's only one possibility left.

"I never expected you, senior brother, to have such a rebellious and immature side. A tattoo?"

Lu Mingfei scratched his head at the time, feeling that his senior's image as a good student was somewhat shattered in his mind... Well, he was originally a cold-faced, icy killer, and could not be called a good student at all!

After a moment of silence, Chu Zihang told him the origin of the birthmark-like mark.

Lu Mingfei then realized that the mark of this half-decayed World Tree was also related to that night of "Rain Falling in the Darkness," and that guy whose appearance animation alone made him look like a big boss.

Chu Zihang didn't go into the specific details, only saying that since he left that place, the mark had slowly emerged from under his skin, and it neither hurt nor itched.

"They have malicious intentions!"

At that moment, Lu Mingfei said with a very serious expression, "This has completely ruined your path to becoming a civil servant, senior brother! Don't worry, senior brother, I will definitely avenge you in the future!"

Although Chu Zihang didn't elaborate, Lu Mingfei knew without guessing that the guy was his senior brother's inner demon.

There is no peace until the inner demons are eliminated. Perhaps this is the root cause of why my senior brother turned into a stone statue on Easter Island?

The memory briefly surfaced and then vanished. Lu Mingfei realized that Chu Zihang's special behavior was not without reason. Since he pointed to that special mark, and that mark was still obviously hot, could this mean... it was related to that guy who was hiding?

He looked up at the sky again, where the rain seemed to fall endlessly. A familiar scent, the scent of that rainy night, quietly resurfaced after disappearing for so many days.

If you can endure ten days, you can endure a year. When an ancient tortoise that has retreated into its shell starts to peek out... there's only one possibility: it's about to bite!
We have no idea what arrangements the other side has made.
What's even more important is whether or not to go when you know it's very likely a trap set by the other party!
"You can still joke around at a time like this... Are your nerves made of steel?"

Ye Sheng sighed helplessly. He always felt powerless when facing Lu Mingfei. In this situation, which seemed to indicate that something big was about to happen, even a novice should take it seriously, even if they didn't perform poorly... But Lu Mingfei acted as if he was on a picnic.

"How could steel bars possibly be strong enough? Titanium alloy is more like it!" Lu Mingfei said, adding that saying "I'm fat and I'm out of breath" is just basic stuff.

"Stop chatting... We have a 'guest'."

Zhang Shanfeng, who had been fiddling with the Zhonghua cigarette without saying a word, suddenly spoke.

At first, Lu Mingfei thought that Teacher Zhang was talking about those 'hunters' who have not yet been found, but then he followed the gaze and realized that the person who had come was indeed a "guest".

However, the guests in this group were clearly not in good condition—they were all soaked to the bone, and they were even wearing suits and leather shoes, as if they hadn't had time to change.

The only one who seemed unaffected was Percy, who was part of the investigation and assessment team. Although his golden hair was plastered to his head because it was wet from the rain, he simply combed it twice and it looked like he had applied hair gel. He was expressionless and indifferent, and at first glance, he looked like a supermodel attending a fashion show in the mountains.

"This is an insult to the Gattuso family..."

A member of the Gattuso family in the assessment team spoke up angrily, his anger overflowing, but he was interrupted by Percy's raised hand before he could finish speaking.

"Teacher Zhang, can we officially begin?"

Percy asked politely, his tone so casual it was as if a secretary were inquiring about a guest's lunch preferences. "Of course."

Zhang Shanfeng gave Percy a deep look, swallowing back the words that were already in his throat.

He had no intention of hiding his actions against the Gattuso family. Things were not what they used to be. They were coming with ill intentions, so why bother talking about national interests or giving them a friendly look?

Respect is reserved for those who deserve it. Repaying kindness with kindness and responding to injustice with justice is Zhang Shanfeng's guiding principle; otherwise, his conscience would be troubled!
In any case, they are in the right. Putting everything else aside, Lu Mingfei, Ye Sheng, and Chu Zihang's arguments are more than enough...

Unexpectedly, the other party was able to tolerate even this without changing their expression, which is quite remarkable.

Is it because of high moral character, or... is it because of other purposes that one doesn't care about such trivial matters?

"You may proceed now. Remember to maintain contact. This is only a preliminary exploration. If any unforeseen circumstances arise, you may withdraw unconditionally."

We're unsure if the current rainfall will flood the mausoleum. If that happens, we should retreat and prepare underwater equipment or wait for the drainage system to be activated.

Zhang Shanfeng looked at Ye Sheng and said, "Ye Sheng, you are the most experienced operations specialist. If there is an unexpected situation and we can't contact you, you will be in command. Also... remember what I told you."

"I understand, Teacher Zhang." Ye Sheng nodded gently.

The group walked towards the valley where the mausoleum was located. Zhang Shanfeng watched their backs and his lips moved slightly.

The faint, mosquito-like sounds, though barely audible, drowned out the familiar, noisy voices of the pouring rain that rang in Lu Mingfei's ears.

“Mingfei, others should have been mentally prepared, but you may not be aware... Your methods yesterday were quite good, but actually not ruthless enough.”

Remember, if anything unexpected happens, if necessary, kill without hesitation.

Everything is illusory; only the living have the right to argue!

Lu Mingfei paused almost imperceptibly. He naturally recognized Zhang Shanfeng's voice, but unlike the kind teacher he usually was, it was filled with a chilling and stern tone.

The transformation of their characters seems to happen in an instant, or perhaps this is the real them?
"Others should have been mentally prepared" means that everyone except him knew what might happen, right?
In the civilized world, everyone acts according to the rules, but once you reach a region far removed from civilization... the shackles of law and etiquette disappear, and naturally everyone relies on their own means.

So wild and primitive, yet so real.

Lu Mingfei originally thought he might feel a little uncomfortable, after all, just two days ago he was a high school student taking extra classes during winter break... but in reality he didn't feel it at all.

On the contrary, a strange excitement welled up inside him. It was as if something long dormant within him was finally awakening, telling him—he was meant to belong to this world!

The water-based pen in his right pocket trembled slightly. At that moment, the spirit of the Overlord Spear, which existed in the form of a "pen refill," seemed to sense the "adult's" emotions. It hummed and buzzed, anticipating the impending clash of swords, blood, life, and death.

"Illusion?"

Lu Mingfei pressed it down through his pants, muttering to himself, as if questioning or comforting himself.

"I've always been a law-abiding, model student..."

Zhang Shanfeng watched the group head towards the mausoleum. The rain fell even more fiercely, and after only a dozen meters, they could only vaguely see figures. The scene between the two mountains resembled a waterfall. When they finally entered the valley... their figures flashed and disappeared completely.

It's like entering another world.

But how could that be? He went in and came out perfectly fine... Zhang Shanfeng shook off the inexplicable unease in his heart, his eyes lighting up like torches cast into a deep ancient well.

But the ancient well contained not well water, but oil! The torch suddenly burst into flames, and the two gas lamps, like bright golden eyes, almost pierced through the thick rain curtain.

"here……"

Words of Power: Yin Flow.

This is a Word of Power with a serial number of only 41, which should theoretically be at the "low-risk" level, generally meaning stable and controllable... and also indicating relatively low power.

In Kassel College textbooks, its detailed effect is described as follows: the caster controls the direction of wind over a large area, centered on themselves. The caster can construct extremely thin but extremely powerful airflow channels at will, without any extraordinary destructive power of its own.

Normally, the way to use this word of power should be to manipulate a large number of tiny metal blades to create an unpredictable and deadly attack.

But in Zhang Shanfeng's hands, it completely changed its appearance.

"Forbidden!"

A small number of people, using various "unscientific" methods, managed to get through the blockade during this extremely bad weather, nestled among the woodlands.

Some were enveloped in a wisp of black smoke, some came riding the wind from high above, and some leaped from treetop to treetop like Tarzan... as well as some lucky ones.

Almost simultaneously, wind blades sharp enough to cut through metal appeared around them and swept over!

Flesh and blood were torn apart, joints and bones were broken. Of all the hunters who broke in, more than 90% instantly lost their ability to resist and awaited capture.

Only four places survived.

Those who cut the wind with a sword, those who control the wind with the wind, those who withstand the wind with their bare bodies... there is one place that seems to have been avoided simply by luck?
Zhang Shanfeng was taken aback. Just as he was about to try again, a voice suddenly came through his earpiece.

He was stunned, and his expression changed drastically.

"what?"

(End of this chapter)