Chapter 236: Officials and Monsters' First Formal Meeting

Clouds and mist shrouded the verdant mountaintops, with the mountains appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Occasionally revealing indigo-hued ridges, winding and undulating, heads raised and tails lifted, under the sunlight they seemed draped in dazzling scale armor, like a bright silver dragon soaring into the sky.

Longyuan Mountain had returned to tranquility, the thunder and lightning on it had completely dissipated, and would no longer threaten humanity.

After the officials rested and regrouped, they prepared to enter the mountains.

Whether it was the personnel of the 749 Bureau or the scientific expedition team, none of them were entering Longyuan Mountain for the first time, but this situation was different; they had almost confirmed that monsters existed in Longyuan Mountain.

This time, too, under the instructions of superiors, they hoped to successfully negotiate with the monsters of Longyuan Mountain,

"Captain Wang, what should we do if we really encounter monsters?"

This question left Wang Xuehao stumped; even though he could handle any tough case, negotiating with monsters was still a first for him.

He pondered for a moment and said: "According to what Professor Song and his team said earlier, those monsters must have very high intelligence; otherwise they wouldn't be cooking and treating illnesses. Given this, we should be able to have a proper talk."

Xu Tiancheng worried, "What if the monsters don't want to talk with us? Like in Journey to the West, if they eat people, wouldn't we be in danger?"

Xu Tiancheng's words also made sense, so this time the 749 Bureau personnel were equipped with many weapons, just in case of unexpected needs; if any conflict actually arose, they could retreat safely.

However, nobody wanted to see such a scene.

After all, falling out would benefit none of them; most importantly, they had no idea of the monsters' strength, and acting rashly would only put themselves at a disadvantage.

Recalling the earlier British Museum incident, the Y-country incident, and the Capital Suburbs Dragon Tribulation event, if these were truly related to the monsters of Longyuan Mountain, then those monsters seemed to possess tremendous abilities, far beyond what ordinary people could handle.

Perhaps they truly are like those in novels, possessing vast divine abilities and magical power; even if humanity has massive firepower and weapons, facing them might not guarantee an advantage.

"Professor Song, what do you think?"

Wang Xuehao asked the nearby Song Ze; the 749 Bureau personnel had not yet formally met the monsters, but Song Ze and his team had personally experienced it, even having come face to face with a monster.

"I think these monsters are by nature not cruel."

"Otherwise, they definitely wouldn't have survived to walk out of this mountain alive, and the monsters' lifestyle is almost no different from that of humans."

"That's not necessarily true, Professor Song—haven't you heard about what happened earlier in the ancient tomb? That fierce tiger went on a killing spree, and not a single M-country soldier in the tomb survived!"

"Those not of our kind must have different hearts; we should still heighten vigilance, it's better to be cautious."

"You also said all the dead were M-country nationals; was there any casualty among our Great Xia people? If you ask me, these monsters are quite patriotic."

"Makes sense, after all, they're all monsters of our Great Xia."

The team split into two factions: one believed the monsters could coexist peacefully with humans, while the other thought the monsters were brutal and cautioned to be careful.

The two sides argued incessantly, their voices echoing continuously in the deep forest, turning the originally tranquil woods into a somewhat lively scene.

The military region's soldiers scratched their heads, looking this way and that, their expressions showing some doubt; they joined neither faction.

They had never dealt with such matters before, and now they were also setting foot in Longyuan Mountain for the first time; regarding these people's conversation, they really found it somewhat unbelievable.

"Do monsters really exist in this world?"

"Looking at how seriously these people speak, maybe they really do."

……

Wang Xuehao rubbed his forehead, stepped forward to mediate, "We haven't even found the monsters yet, and we've already started arguing."

"The urgent priority is to get the job done right and hurry to locate those monsters."

Nobody noticed that in the nearby grass clumps half a person's height, a pair of green, deep eyes silently observed their every move.

A breeze brushed past, the grass swayed lightly, and those eyes had already vanished.

In the depths of Longyuan Mountain, towering ancient trees stood everywhere, their massive leaves blocking outside sunlight so densely that not a breath could get through; beneath the ancient trees, rows of wooden houses were built.

Inside one of those wooden houses, the Northeast Tiger, Black Bear, Fox, Weasel and other creatures sat neatly around a round wooden table, as if holding some important meeting.

The Northeast Tiger looked at the Weasel, "You were sent to gather news—how did it go? What are those humans doing coming into the mountains?"

The Weasel cleared its throat and said, "These humans are looking to hold talks with us."

The Jackal blinked its eyes, looking somewhat confused, "Talks? What does that mean?"

The Fox rolled its eyes, "I've told you to read more, but you won't listen; you don't even know what 'talks' means—it's just that they want to come talk to us."

The Black Bear scratched its head, "Those humans are full and bored, wanting to chat with us—what's the point? I'd rather go water and fertilize the fields."

The Northeast Tiger turned to the old turtle nearby, "Old Turtle, you're the wisest among us; now that our master has gone into seclusion, what do you think we should do—meet them or not?"

The old turtle pondered for a moment, "I think it's better to meet; if we don't, these humans probably won't give up, repeatedly entering the mountain would be no small matter. From the news the Weasel gathered, they seem to have no hostility; they likely just want to have a proper talk with us."

"Besides, our master has withdrawn the mountain's protective formation; even if they wanted to come, they couldn't really be stopped—it's really annoying."

The Northeast Tiger nodded, feeling the old turtle made sense, "What do you all think?"

"Pretty good, I have no objection."

"I also have no objection."

In the face of overwhelming strength, all schemes and tricks are mere clouds.

The monsters also aren't afraid of humans playing tricks; after all, this is their turf, with their strength dealing with a few humans is as easy as catching them—this is their confidence and capital.

Meanwhile, the officials continued advancing; as they stepped deeper into the forest, a thick fog had arisen at some point, and at this moment they had not yet noticed anything abnormal.

The officials had already walked around here several times; according to Song Ze's description, the place of the utopia should be right here, and they had originally thought there were reclusive sages living here, never expecting it to be a group of monsters.

Wang Xuehao couldn't help but interject, "Professor Song, did you remember the direction wrong? We've gone back and forth several times and still haven't found the rice fields and wooden houses you mentioned."

Song Ze surveyed the scene before him and couldn't help muttering, "Impossible, I clearly remember it should be this direction."

Back then they had stumbled here by chance, but Song Ze still remembered the general direction clearly; now, no matter how they searched, they couldn't find the original route, as if those things had never existed.

"Could it be that I really remembered wrong?"

Song Ze couldn't help but fall into doubt.

Longyuan Mountain is truly vast, and with the surrounding ranges, trying to find monsters inside is undoubtedly like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Someone in the team suggested, "Why not go check other places? Maybe we'll find some new clues."

Just as everyone was about to change direction, the fog grew thick enough to be visible to the naked eye.

Pale white fog enveloped the surrounding trees, blurring the outlines of the trunks, leaving a faint, intermittent shadow that eventually vanished completely; the whole scenery was assimilated by the mist, making them feel as if they had entered a white world.

Seeing more and more mist, Wang Xuehao frowned slightly, "How did the fog suddenly appear."

Originally it was already dim here, but now because of this white mist, it's almost to the point of not seeing one's hand in front of one's face; to make matters worse, even the compass has failed.

The members of the scientific expedition team held the compass, but no matter how they swung it, the needle didn't move at all.

"We seem to have lost our direction."

Even if a wilderness survival expert were here, they probably couldn't think of a good solution anytime soon.

Wang Xuehao quickly said, "Everyone stick close together, don't get separated."

The crowd huddled together like chicks, you pressing against me, me pressing against you.

"You're stepping on my foot!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to."

The neat formation became somewhat chaotic due to the sudden thick fog, but everyone was well-trained and soon regained composure.

"Just wait for the heavy fog to clear."

"This fog is so thick; I don't know when it will dissipate, it's really delaying things."

Many people in the team were complaining.

Xiao Li of the scientific expedition team accidentally bumped into the person beside him, quickly apologized, and the fuzzy feel made him puzzled; if he remembered correctly, the one who had been standing next to him earlier was another colleague, Xiao Zhang.

He couldn't help joking, "Xiao Zhang, your body hair is so luxuriant, it's time to shave, you're like a savage."

"Don't talk nonsense; my hair may have grown a bit, but it's not as exaggerated as you say—how did I become a savage?"

Hearing Xiao Zhang's voice, Xiao Li blinked slightly, because his voice came from ahead!

That means Xiao Zhang is in front; then who exactly is standing beside him?!

Recalling the earlier feeling, his hand was full of hair, and it was even prickly—nothing like human hair, more like some beast's fur!

Thinking of this, Xiao Li felt his hairs stand on end, goosebumps popping up all over his body!

He couldn't help swallowing, thinking it must be his illusion—how could a beast be standing beside him?

Seeming to sense Xiao Li's thought, a low voice sounded from beside him, "Could it be that I'm not Xiao Zhang?"

"Then who are you?!"

The instant his words landed, Xiao Li snapped his head around and unexpectedly met a pair of gloomy beast eyes, like will-o'-the-wisps floating in midair, with a cold light flickering within them.

The fear in his heart peaked at that moment, and he couldn't help shouting out loud.

"Ah!"

The piercing scream startled everyone.

Even Song Ze couldn't help but snap, "Xiao Li, what are you yelling about?"

Xiao Li's face turned deathly pale as he desperately backed away, only to almost bump into someone and step on several other people's feet.

With difficulty the team re-formed, only to fall into chaos again; shouts rose and fell like a bustling market.

After the commotion, they weren't sure if it was an illusion, but the fog had thinned somewhat, at least allowing them to barely make out the surroundings.

The trees that had been swallowed by the mist now showed faint outlines, looking from afar like distorted human silhouettes.

Xiao Li hurried to Song Ze's side, pointed ahead, his tongue tangled as if tied, "Professor… professor! There—"

Before he could finish, everyone followed the direction he pointed, their expressions gradually turning dazed.

It was a tiger nearly three meters tall, its brownish-yellow hair standing upright, glossy and sleek; most importantly, it wore an apron and held a sharp kitchen knife, appearing in their field of view.

Everyone's pupils contracted sharply; the scientific expedition team had prior experience and weren't particularly surprised.

Professor Song and his group were the first to recover, for the tiger before them looked somewhat familiar—likely the same one they had seen in the wooden cabin last time.

As for the 749 Bureau personnel, it was their first time seeing such a dressed-up tiger, their mouths hanging open in astonishment.

Although they had suspected it before, actually seeing a monster appear before their eyes still delivered a huge visual shock.

The soldiers from the military region stammered, "The, the tiger is wearing an apron and holding a kitchen knife."

The Northeast Tiger rolled its eyes, as if saying they were unaccustomed to surprises, "You're representatives of the Daxia government, right?"

Everyone stared blankly and nodded.

The tiger stood upright, looking down on them; its gloomy beast eyes flashed with supreme dignity and oppressive pressure—one glance subdued the 749 Bureau people.

The 749 Bureau had handled many tough cases, seen plenty of storms, but had never been this flustered.

At the instant they saw that tiger, their minds went blank for a moment, their brains completely crashed; even Wang Xuehao's forehead broke out in a fine sweat, the draft and opening lines he had prepared in his mind utterly forgotten.

Knowing about it is one thing; seeing it with one's own eyes is another.

There really are monsters in the world!

It was truly too sudden; they hadn't even mentally prepared anything, and this fierce tiger abruptly entered their field of view in this manner.

Even if their psychological resilience were strong, how could they stay calm now? The officials' faces turned pale, and some even trembled.

The Northeast Tiger sized up the people before it; as its gaze swept over them, everyone felt their scalps go numb, lowering their heads like frightened quail.

"Speak up—you weren't looking to negotiate with us, so why are you mute now?"

The officials looked at each other, their expressions somewhat helpless; the earlier visual impact had been enormous—after all, the Northeast Tiger had appeared out of nowhere, standing upright with a dagger, which would frighten any normal person.

In their imagination, including novels and TV dramas, the envoys depicted were things like spirit deer or immortal cranes.

Here, however, the envoy turned out to be a tiger wielding a dagger and speaking with a northeastern accent—really down-to-earth.

Moreover, the tiger kept waving the dagger in its hand, flashing a chilling light in the air, nearly slicing their hair!

The Northeast Tiger didn't know what these humans were thinking; to avoid scaring this timid group, it deliberately dressed itself to have a homely vibe.

If the officials knew, they'd likely be helplessly tearful; in fact, it would be better not to dress up at all, since the Northeast Tiger standing upright is already over three meters tall, and with this outfit it's utterly bizarre.

Wang Xuehao collected himself, forced a smile uglier than a frown, gathered his courage, and said, "Hello, we are the Daxia government, specially come to negotiate with you; may I ask if you represent the monsters?"

Who would have thought the Northeast Tiger would shake its head.

Seeing this, everyone's hearts sank to the bottom—does this mean they don't want to negotiate?!

The 749 Bureau personnel's eyes shifted slightly; if talks failed, would this horde of monsters launch a massacre?

The atmosphere instantly turned tense; if it really came to that, what chance did they have of surviving and leaving?

Many faces showed panic and fear; some even went weak at the knees, barely able to stand.

The Northeast Tiger had no idea that in just a few seconds, these humans had already imagined many scenes; seeing their pallid faces, it wondered puzzledly, not knowing what was happening.

"I certainly can't speak for them; this matter must be asked of the Master. Right now he's still in seclusion, and we've unanimously decided to reply to you first, so you won't keep rushing up the mountain and disturbing our retreat."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, realizing they had misunderstood the Northeast Tiger's intent. Wang Xuehao wiped the sweat from his forehead, let out a long exhale, and said, "Oh, that's how it is."

But they quickly realized that another colossal being stood behind the Northeast Tiger!

This being is the true master of Longyuan Mountain; all the monsters obey its commands!

How formidable must the one whom these monsters call Master be?

For a moment, everyone's hearts were again in turmoil, unsure whether this was good news or bad.

These monsters are not leaderless; at least a being can restrain them. But if that being is hostile toward humanity—or a warmonger—then wouldn't humanity be doomed?

Wang Xuehao asked cautiously, "May I inquire, sir, when approximately will your Master emerge from seclusion?"

The Northeast Tiger shook its head. "We can't say for sure—maybe soon, maybe later. In any case, wait for news. If you negotiate with us, the Master will appear, but during this period please don't come up the mountain, lest you disturb him."

When mentioning the Master, the Northeast Tiger's beastly eyes filled with devout and reverent light, showing its deep respect.

The officials exchanged glances, nodding like pecking chickens, daring not to show any dissent, fearing that if they angered the Northeast Tiger, the blade would fall on them.

"Tiger Sir, we understand; you can rest easy."

"Call me Hu Dawang!"

"All right, all right, Hu Dawang!"

The officials still wanted to probe for more information.

"May I ask what background your Master comes from?"

The tiger gave them a sideways glance, "Why ask so much? That's not for you to pry into."

Just a simple glance, yet laden with endless pressure; in an instant Wang Xuehao's forehead beaded with more sweat, his back drenched in cold sweat, nearly making him unable to breathe.

Fortunately, the Northeast Tiger finally withdrew its gaze, allowing him to exhale in relief.

Wang Xuehao hurriedly apologized, "It was our offense; we only wanted to learn more, with no other ill intent."

Seeing their cooperative and respectful attitude, the Northeast Tiger nodded satisfactorily, "Forget it; the ignorant are blameless—you may go."

Upon hearing that, everyone felt as if a weight had lifted; the mist instantly thickened, enveloping the Northeast Tiger's body, and when it dispersed again, the towering figure was nowhere to be seen.

Yet the lingering pressure still left everyone's hearts uneasy.

The aura emanating from the Northeast Tiger was truly terrifying; throughout the ordeal, hardly anyone dared to look up, except for those few from the 749 Bureau with strong mental fortitude, who forced themselves to steal a few glances.

"Captain Wang, what should we do now?"

This talk could neither be called a success nor a failure.

They had truly seen the legendary monsters with their own eyes, confirming their earlier guesses; they also learned that these monsters even have a Master, and from what the Northeast Tiger just revealed, it appears all the monsters obey the Master.

The Master's attitude toward humanity represents the attitude of all monsters toward humanity.

"Let's first return and report this to the superiors."

The Northeast Tiger spoke up; they had no need to linger, for if they were oblivious, they would only provoke the monsters, bringing more loss than gain.

The officials hurriedly headed down the mountain.

"From the monsters' demeanor, they likely harbor no hostility toward us, and their Master is probably the same."

After all, the Northeast Tiger never struck to harm anyone; though it exuded a fierce pressure, the 749 Bureau sensed no killing intent.

If the monsters' Master emerges from seclusion and actually holds talks, their status would certainly be insufficient; after all, concerning future peaceful coexistence between humans and monsters, the leaders of the Great Summer would surely be invited.

Otherwise, if the monsters thought we were slighting them and a misunderstanding arose, the trouble would be great.

Thinking this through, the officials dared not overlook it; they rushed back nonstop and submitted a detailed report on the Longyuan Mountain situation.

Upon learning that the 749 Bureau personnel had indeed seen the monsters and that a leadership‑level figure existed among them, the higher authorities also attached great importance to the news.

In the satellite video call, the Bureau Chief of the 749 Bureau wore a grave expression.

"Rest assured, I'll report this immediately; since the monsters there have spoken, you shouldn't go up the mountain again—come back first and we'll talk later, so as not to displease them."

"Also, keep an eye on Longyuan Mountain; if anything abnormal occurs, report it at once—we must grasp the latest situation to prepare for emergencies."

Wang Xuehao nodded, "I think the same."

If the monsters' Master truly emerges from seclusion, then at that time both sides will hold their first formal talks, with the Great Summer's leaders also present—this would be a historic moment. (End of chapter)

However, it's still a bit early to say these things now; after all, negotiations between the two sides aren't that quick. Judging from the current situation, this day shouldn't be too far off. (End of chapter)