Chapter 119: Attention Drawn by the First Lecture

I can't tell whether it's ghost fire or two clusters of green fluorescence.

It just hovered in midair, bursting forth with a bone-chilling cold.

It seemed to sense the photographer's probing gaze, and this eerie thing actually turned its gaze toward him.

Just one glance, and the photographer felt a chill all over; his very bones and blood seemed to freeze at that moment, several waves of cold surged into his heart, making him shudder violently.

As a result, he could barely hold his equipment, almost dropping it, but fortunately someone nearby was quick-eyed and quick-handed and steadied him; otherwise, today's work would have been completely wasted.

"What, what is this?"

The photographer's face turned horrified; he faintly heard a hissing chant in his ears, making his head buzz.

Seeing the photographer's face suddenly turn deathly pale, his companion, puzzled, asked: "What's wrong with you?"

The photographer recalled what he had just filmed; he wasn't sure whether it was ghost fire or something else, but he lacked the courage to pick up the camera and look again.

This feeling made him feel very uneasy; his sixth sense told him that if he stayed longer, nothing good would come of it.

"We've got enough footage; let's hurry up and leave."

Everyone was at a loss, not knowing why the photographer suddenly looked flustered.

"I still want to take another look."

"Yeah, speaking of that commotion just now, did you guys hear anything? It sounded like chanting, or maybe a kind of hiss—near it was in the ears, far it was in the sky, wavering, really strange!"

"Really? I didn't hear anything at all."

The crowd chattered in confusion, each unable to explain what was happening.

Hearing this, the photographer's heart pounded even more; he wondered whether what his companions heard might not be "ghost speech."

No wonder he overthought it; that glance just now was truly terrifying.

After hesitating, he still didn't say those words, fearing to frighten his companions, so he could only urge: "It's not early, the mountain path is hard to travel, and besides, the mountains are dangerous at night with so many beasts—what if something happens?"

They stopped discussing, glanced at the horizon—it was indeed late—so, since they had enough footage and the photographer's reasoning made sense, they prepared to descend the mountain.

"I saw something on the mountain."

"What?"

Upon reaching Mountain Base, the photographer finally recovered from his earlier fear, having distanced himself from that mysterious mountain range, which gave him a sense of safety, and only then did he recount what had just happened, looking left and right.

"Actually, I was in a hurry to come down the mountain because I had filmed something strange."

Hearing the photographer's account, everyone finally understood why he had suddenly urged to go down the mountain earlier—it was because he had seen a monster.

"Could it be that you're seeing things?"

"Yeah, how could there be two clusters of eerie green ghost fire in such thick fog?"

The photographer wasn't entirely sure either; seeing everyone's curiosity, he simply copied the footage for them to watch together.

Everything on the screen seemed normal at first, but just as the photographer was carefully filming that mass of fog, a pair of eerie green eyes suddenly appeared, startling everyone.

Given the setting and scene at the time, it was easy to be frightened, after all those eyes were truly uncanny—just one glance made one's whole body go cold.

"Whoa! It really is—just looking at it gives me an inexplicable creepy feeling."

"What is this? Could it be phosphorescent fire?"

"It looks a bit like the eyes of some unknown creature."

The people in the production team watched the footage, chattering back and forth, but in the end they reached no conclusion.

"So, should we put this up?"

Originally the production team wanted to delete this clip, but after thinking it over they found it quite interesting, decided to keep it and add it later to increase suspense and a hook.

After all, having so many animals gather here is already bizarre enough; now adding this cluster of unknown whether ghost fire or something else makes it even more so.

"No matter what, we didn't come here for nothing; I have a feeling that this time the ratings will definitely hit a new high—our show is secured."

After obtaining the footage, the production team didn't linger here long; they quickly returned to the urban area.

……

In the mountains it remained silent; the lecture continued.

Ye Qin naturally noticed the production team's presence early on, but he sensed no malice from them, and since they were about to leave anyway, he did not act.

Moreover, this time, teaching without discrimination—all who came could listen.

Not to mention animals; if there were people with affinity who could attain the Dao, Ye Qin would also be glad to see them, but unfortunately these people lacked wisdom and left early.

If the production team had stayed a little longer, they would have noticed that the animals, previously like wooden posts, had changed—their beastly faces now showed human-like expressions, instantly becoming lively.

Distributed around Ye Qin, with various expressions, like the myriad phenomena of all beings.

Some animals listened as if intoxicated, some looked dazed, others scratched their ears and cheeks, bowed their heads in deep thought, striving to grasp the meaning.

Those with good aptitude could understand a few sentences; those with poor aptitude could make out a few characters, about the same.

The number of animals around Ye Qin kept growing; that black river kept surging in endlessly, and the latecomers could only stay at the outermost edge.

Meanwhile, the nearby treetops were packed with countless birds, like a black cloud, appearing densely packed, a dark mass.

Most of the animals on the entire mountain peak had gathered here, listening to Ye Qin's lecture.

If someone were to accidentally enter the mountains now, they would find the woods utterly silent—even insect chirps and bird calls had vanished, and no living creature could be seen moving in the forest, which is truly astonishing.

These animals had all gathered here, although they still had no concept of the "Dao" in their minds, let alone knowing what cultivation is.

But their instincts told them that this was greatly beneficial to them; they must seize this opportunity and firmly remember it.

As time passed bit by bit, the sun slanted westward, evening mist grew thick, and before they knew it, a whole day had gone by.

The afterglow of the sunset spread in layers, the distant mountains melted into the fading sun, leaving only vague outlines; the clouds on the horizon burned red from the lingering light, reflected in the layered peaks and verdant hills.

"This lecture is the first; if the time ripens, there will be more lectures—may you all develop wisdom early and emerge from ignorance."

Ye Qin's lecture thus ended.

Those little animals still had a lingering aftertaste, as if they were reluctant to leave.

"Squeak squeak squeak."

Some animals raised their upper bodies, clasped their forelimbs, and bowed to Ye Qin.

For animals like deer that found it less convenient, they knelt on the ground, pointing their heads toward where Ye Qin was, much like a human's deepest reverence.

The beasts' eyes all showed gratitude; they almost took a step and looked back three times before finally leaving, their silhouettes gradually fading into the sunset.

The light of the setting sun seemed to coat their fur with a faint, almost imperceptible glow.

No matter how much the animals understood, this was a great opportunity for them; even if they could comprehend only a few words, it would bring them boundless benefit.

Ye Qin watched the animals disperse around him; his deep green eyes held a profound meaning.

"I don't know how much of what I said today they can absorb; I hope they don't disappoint my expectations."

"Every sip and bite is predestined; let's see how they evolve… perhaps some animals will one day become demons."

After all, if these animals truly awaken spiritual intelligence under Ye Qin's influence, it would bring great benefit to the vitality and spiritual energy of this mountain range.

All things thrive endlessly, mutually influencing each other; these animals also live here, and as they improve, they will naturally give back to the mountains and rivers.

……

Elsewhere.

After returning, the production team wasn't idle either; they worked overtime overnight to finish editing the video, planning to air it in the next episode.

"Welcome everyone to watch our 16th episode of 'Magnificent Rivers and Mountains'; this time we went to a primitive forest that hasn't been artificially developed, so let's follow the camera to explore its splendid scenery."

This program has already aired 15 episodes; the initial effect was indeed good, but later on, probably due to viewer aesthetic fatigue, every scene felt the same, with no variation.

After all, as people's living standards rose, their tastes also rose, so viewership began to flatten, and later it could even be described as dreadful to watch.

Even the station said that if future performance remained unsatisfactory, they would cancel the show.

However, as soon as the 16th episode aired, it sparked much discussion; the related topic volume and heat on Weibo are rising at a terrifying speed.

"This episode is somewhat interesting."

"Whoa, it's a bit creepy."

The first half of the program was quite normal—beautiful mountains and clear waters, pleasing to the eye, fully immersing viewers in the scenery—but later it began to show some subtle changes.

Especially seeing those animals, like worshiping saints, they gathered in that place, making one unable to resist wondering what exactly there attracted them.

The opening immersive scenery segment immediately took on a suspicious tone.

Moreover, the production team deliberately lowered the brightness and added special music, pushing everyone's curiosity to the peak.

However, this was still nothing; until the program's final moment, when the progress bar was about to end.

But at the very last instant, two clusters of eerie green light suddenly appeared without warning, pushing the atmosphere to its climax!

"Holy shit!"

"What the hell, is that phosphorescent fire?"

"Like pupils coming from hell……"

"Holy crap, the suspense is maxed out—please add me to the 'Toward Science' show team."

Viewers were still shaken; many had been frightened, and when they came to their senses wanting to keep watching, they realized it had already ended!

Soon after, online.

#The 16th episode of 'Magnificent Rivers and Mountains' really played its trump card—awesome! #

#What are those strange animals gathering together doing? #

#What exactly was that final image? #

Discussions about this episode's topic have already reached tens of millions, and at one point even topped the hot search list.

"I admit I previously spoke too loudly about 'Magnificent Rivers and Mountains'; everyone hurry and watch the new episode—beautiful scenery aside, the suspense is intense, it had me on edge!"

"I recall 'Magnificent Rivers and Mountains' being a travelogue show; how did the poster turn it into a suspense film vibe?"

"Having just watched it, it's truly mind‑blowing—does any expert in bioscience care to explain what purpose those animals' behavior serves?"

"Good heavens, why can herbivores and carnivores coexist peacefully? I can hardly believe my eyes."

"Do you dare believe, when I finally saw those two green dots, I almost fell off my chair—what exactly is that thing?"

"It scared the living daylights out of me; I never imagined that watching a scenery clip could make me tremble with fear."

"You upstairs aren't alone; the production team really is despicable, dropping that out of nowhere and really scaring us."

"I have a bold idea—could the production team have filmed something dirty?"

With the heat continually rising, this episode spread widely; some even downloaded and re‑edited it, and many have seen the video.

It also attracted many bold people who want to go explore the mysteries of the mountains and rivers.

"The scenery here is really great—does anyone know where this is? I'd also like to go see it."

"The production team hasn't disclosed the location, being vague; all we know is that it's near Wu Du, still undeveloped, a primitive ecosystem."

"Really no one knows? I really want to go see it myself—offering a big reward for coordinates."

"Do you still remember the fire‑light event the observatory captured last time? That was also an unnamed big mountain."

"There are too many mountains near Wu Du, many of which remain undeveloped."

As the video kept being shared, more and more people have seen it.

Even some people recalled the 'fire‑light incident' from two years ago, which also caused a considerable stir, with many netizens wanting to investigate, but likewise the authorities never disclosed the exact location.

This left many netizens feeling disappointed and uninterested; some also commented that Wu Du's hot topics remain high, and after the 'Waiting King Village Ruins'《Chisel Boat Seeking Sword》hot topic, this mysterious mountain‑range documentary has become another hot topic.

"You Wu Du folks really have a lot of strange occurrences! There's historical mystique and mountain ghost fire."

A netizen with an IP showing 'Wu Du' made a joke in the comments, but unexpectedly that netizen's reply was even more shocking.

"This is just the beginning; the neighboring city just had a case of yin‑energy killing someone, also quite mysterious. I'm saying, our Wu Du vicinity might be about to usher in an era of terrifying revival."

Upon mentioning this, the comments below indeed gained many more replies.

Among them were the police from Yunling City; a few young officers gathered during their lunch break, and their discussion was heated.

"Have you seen that very hot video circulating online lately?"

Which one? Trying to find a sword by marking a boat, or something else?

You mean the ghost fire in the mountains? I've seen it, watched it back and forth several times, it's really weird.

Bai Yanfei, who was just passing by, hadn't paid attention either, but seeing someone open the video, she glanced at it curiously, her expression slightly changed, and she quickly said, "Send me that video."

Her sudden voice startled the few young people, but seeing it was Bai Yanfei, they involuntarily let out a sigh of relief.

Such a hot video and you haven't even seen it?

Bai Yanfei said helplessly, "I have so many cases on my hands; where would I get the leisure to scroll through this stuff?"

Looking at the video sent to her phone, Bai Yanfei thanked them, turned around and immediately found Captain Zhou, saying, "Captain Zhou, I have something I want to show you."

At that moment, Captain Zhou was handling another case; seeing Bai Yanfei's solemn expression and the phone she handed over, he couldn't help but become curious.

What's up?

Bai Yanfei opened the video and skipped straight to the end, saying, "Captain Zhou, you'll understand once you've watched it."

Seeing the content in the video, Captain Zhou's expression gradually became subtle, especially the last few frames, which he watched back and forth several times.

The air was filled with silence, as if even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.

After a moment, Captain Zhou slowly spoke, "Do you think this is related to the previous yin-energy killing cases?"

Bai Yanfei nodded, "Captain Zhou, the moment I saw this video I felt it was familiar; after comparing it carefully, the mist resembles what we saw in our earlier surveillance. Moreover, the mist in this video matches the description of the drunkard who claimed to have seen two clusters of eerie green ghost fire."

I've already contacted the program team; they said this was filmed in a primitive mountain area of Wu Du, and coincidentally the vehicle we traced also came from Wu Du, so I think there must be some connection between the two.

Bai Yanfei stated her speculation, which was well-founded and logically clear.

I think this is a new lead; if we follow it, the case might see some new progress.

Captain Zhou rubbed his temples, looking somewhat fatigued.

I understand your desire to solve the case, but pinning the case's clues on a patch of mist—isn't that a bit far-fetched? Would we really have to go to the neighboring province to chase the killer based solely on this short video?

As for these mists and the claims about eerie green eyes, they're one-sided accounts, and that eyewitness was drunk when he made them; our police have no solid evidence to prove what he said is true.

Furthermore… where in the world doesn't have fog? Do we have to investigate just because there's fog?

Bai Yanfei looked at the video, then at Captain Zhou; a gut feeling told her the two things were definitely related.

But we also have no evidence proving the drunkard is completely wrong; if the two are actually connected and we don't keep investigating, wouldn't we be missing a great opportunity?

The same strange mist, and the eerie things within it—I'm sure there's something fishy going on!

Looking at Bai Yanfei's stubborn face, Captain Zhou seemed to see his younger self, the kind of person who, once he's made up his mind, cannot be swayed even by nine oxen.

We must get to the bottom of this case.

"Captain Zhou, I think as police we have a duty to let the truth come to light, to unravel all the mysteries and doubts; even if there's only a sliver of hope, we cannot give up."

Captain Zhou let out a faint sigh, "You're fine in every way, just too stubborn; if that's the case, then let's go take a look."

Both being people of action, once they'd decided, they immediately headed to Wu Du; through consulting the program team, they also learned the exact location on that mountain.

The program team wouldn't disclose the location to outsiders, but if officials asked, they naturally wouldn't hide it; they just never imagined this could be related to a case.

That's a bit far-fetched!

……

Since Captain Zhou and the others weren't familiar with the area, they first sought help from the local police station, hoping to obtain specific relevant information.

Sun Zhenbang learned of Captain Zhou's party arriving and felt somewhat incredulous.

"How did you guys come here?"

The two sides had spoken on the phone before, so they were somewhat acquainted, but this was their first formal meeting in person.

Captain Zhou and Bai Yanfei got straight to the point, explaining their purpose.

"You should have heard about the earlier case; we originally planned to treat it as a cold case, but having recently discovered new leads, we're preparing to reinvestigate."

Earlier, Captain Zhou had asked Sun Zhenbang for related information and materials, so Sun Zhenbang wasn't unfamiliar with this case.

"What new leads have you found?"

Captain Zhou handed over his phone, opened a video, his expression somewhat helpless and bitter.

"It's this one; the footage has been spreading widely online lately. We suspect the mist appearing in it is the same kind as at the crime scene, and back then similar objects like two clusters of ghost fire also appeared, so we intend to start our investigation from here."

While saying this, Captain Zhou still felt a bit embarrassed.

After all, using a patch of mist as a lead to investigate sounds utterly far-fetched.

Captain Zhou gave an awkward laugh, "Do you think this sounds like something out of Arabian Nights? But we have no choice—this really is the lead we came out here to find."

Who would have thought that after hearing Captain Zhou's explanation, Sun Zhenbang would remain calm, not finding it surprising at all, and even naturally nodded his head.

"What's so strange about that? It's quite normal!"

Captain Zhou and Bai Yanfei were instantly taken aback, exchanging a glance; they hadn't expected Sun Zhenbang's attitude to be so calm.

They had actually prepared a whole speech, but it turned out to be completely useless.

Bai Yanfei wanted to speak but held back, saying, "Officer Sun, you don't think this lead…"

Sun Zhenbang naturally understood what Bai Yanfei meant—she was worried he thought the lead was a bit far-fetched and nonsensical, right?

He couldn't help but chuckle, though that smile looked somehow meaningful: "I've seen things far more surprising than this; what you've got really amounts to nothing, no need to make a big fuss."

Seeing Sun Zhenbang's seasoned demeanor, Captain Zhou thought this old guy might just be showing off.

But he and Bai Yanfei aren't the type to be overly curious, so they didn't press further and continued:

"We've found a new lead online pointing to Longyuan Mountain, so we plan to go check it out—maybe we'll uncover something new."

Upon hearing that, Sun Zhenbang's calm expression shattered, turning somewhat strange—not just him, but the other officers nearby as well.

Earlier, several major cases were all somehow linked to Longyuan Mountain; what came of them?

No matter how the police investigated, employing every possible means, the result was still nothing.

It seemed as if every clue pointed to that great mountain, yet nothing could be found, as if an invisible layer of mist shrouded the entire peak.

Looking at Sun Zhenbang's expression, Captain Zhou couldn't help but ask, "Officer Sun, is there something wrong with that mountain?"

Sun Zhenbang frowned slightly and spoke bluntly: "If it's here, then let me give you a piece of advice: you'd better not go, because on this mountain you won't be able to find anything!"

"???"

(End of chapter)