Chapter 51: Conflict arises again [Please follow!]

Although the camps around Seeing Seeing Hong Mu Ridge were all distributed on the east side and generally connected from north to south, they were not interconnected.

People from two camps, whether intentionally or unintentionally, almost only met within their respective territories, which was within a 500-meter range of the outer edge of Seeing Seeing Hong Mu Ridge.

The reason was also very simple.

Firstly, everyone was relatively familiar with the outer edge, and it was relatively safer.

Secondly, it was to avoid the two camps spying on each other's situation; after all, human hearts are unpredictable.

Therefore, unless there were special circumstances, everyone basically entered Seeing Seeing Hong Mu Ridge first when going from one camp to another, and then walked south or north along the outer edge of the ridge according to their destination.

Great Xia Camp was located at the southernmost point on the east side. To go to Luo Ge Camp, one had to pass through the territories of Dashan, Dachuan, and Huang Zhao before entering Luo Ge Camp's territory.

It sounded like less than four kilometers, but walking it was a different story.

It was the same old problem: traveling at night, no matter what, it couldn't be fast, and because of the fear of disturbing cold beasts, they couldn't make too much noise.

Therefore, even knowing that Luo Ge Camp had likely met with misfortune, Xia Hong felt anxious as fire in his heart, but there was no way; he could only honestly hurry on his way.

The more anxious one is, the easier it is to make mistakes; one must calm down.

That Wood Puppet Strange was far more cunning than cold beasts. If one was not careful, it wouldn't just be him alone; the entire camp would die together.

"Chief, we're here!"

Xia Hong looked up and looked in the direction Xia Chuan was pointing.

Two high mountains stood majestically on the east side, looking to be about two or three thousand meters high. The tops of the two mountains intersected and connected, leaving a valley over a hundred meters wide in the middle.

"The valley Shi Qing mentioned should be there."

"Chief, shall we go over directly?"

Hearing Yuan Cheng's inquiry, Xia Hong was moved, but after thinking for a moment, he shook his head and turned to look at the inner side of Seeing Seeing Hong Mu Ridge.

"We don't know the situation at Luo Ge Camp. Going over rashly will lead to losses. Let's find Chief Luo Ming first, as well as Yang Ning and Li Hu mentioned by Shi Qing. With them there, it will be safer."

Xia Hong could be considered to have dealt with the Wood Puppet Strange several times, but strictly speaking, he had never faced it directly.

What kind of strength its true body really had, or what other strange abilities it had, Xia Hong knew nothing about.

Although he didn't want to see Luo Ge Camp slaughtered, Xia Hong was not some kind of soft-hearted person. Risking his own people to save others without ensuring their own safety was kindness to others, but absolute stupidity to his own family.

According to Shi Qing, Yang Ning and Li Hu had driven the Wood Puppet Strange away three times. Although Xia Hong suspected after hearing it that it was the Wood Puppet Strange's intention, it at least showed that the Wood Puppet Strange couldn't handle these two.

Plus Luo Ming and the others, it would be safest for everyone to go together.

"Luo Ge Camp generally only operates within a thousand-meter range. You six divide into two groups, one going south and one going north, while I go to the inner circle on the west side. Searching together should be very fast. After finding them, use the bone whistle to notify. Be careful."

"Yes, Chief!"

Xia Chuan took Yuan Cheng and Lin Kai south, Yue Feng took Lu Yang and Qiu Peng north, while Xia Hong went to the inner circle of Seeing Seeing Hong Mu Ridge alone. The seven people split up to start searching for people.

Inner circle on the west side of Seeing Seeing Hong Mu Ridge

Luo Ming and the others, who knew nothing about Dashan Camp's encounter, were already somewhat impatient.

"It's been over two hours, can we lure it out?"

"It's run away four times already. Even if that strange creature is stupid, it won't come again, right?"

"Shh... don't talk nonsense, those two lords are right behind."

"What lords? I admit they have strength, but in the end, that Wood Puppet Strange is stronger. Do you really think the first four times were driven away by them? I suspect that Wood Puppet Strange did it on purpose."

"How could it be on purpose? Why?"

"Think about it, that Wood Puppet Strange deliberately comes out to kill a few people every time, and then gets driven away by those two, making us feel there is hope, and then we keep throwing bait, and it can keep killing people, right?"

"Hiss... what you said seems to make some sense."

Luo Ming, who was in a group with Hong Gang and Huang Yong, felt a faint sense of unease upon hearing the discussion from the people in front.

For the final time to lure the Wood Puppet Strange to appear, according to Yang Ning, apart from him and Li Hu, no matter how many of them there were, in the eyes of the Wood Puppet Strange, they were just prey. So this time, he let them move in groups of seven or eight, scattered in the inner circle, to see if they could lure the Wood Puppet Strange out.

Luo Ming, who didn't understand the Wood Puppet Strange at all, naturally followed Yang Ning's orders. He brought a total of twenty-eight people this trip, three Earth-Digging Realm and twenty-five Woodcutting Realm; the other four camps, including the chiefs, had a total of twenty-four Woodcutting Realm.

So including him, there were fifty-two people in total, divided into seven teams. His team had the most people, nine. Apart from him, an Earth-Digging Realm, the other eight were all Woodcutting Realm.

Chiefs Hong Gang and Huang Yong happened to be assigned to the same group as him.

As for Yang Ning and Li Hu, they had been hiding in the dark, basically wandering in the center of the seven teams, and would rush over immediately if there was a situation.

"Chief Luo, something is not right."

Probably also hearing the discussion from the people in front, Huang Yong spoke up at this time.

"Over two hours, and that Wood Puppet Strange still hasn't appeared. The previous four times, it appeared in less than half an hour each time. Why is it so long this time?"

Luo Ming's expression was gloomy; he had realized this problem earlier than Huang Yong.

But they were bait themselves, or to put it bluntly, prey.

And that Wood Puppet Strange was equivalent to a hunter.

When a hunter appears, of course, it depends on himself, not the prey.

Therefore, even if they realized there was a problem, they had no way.

But what made Luo Ming feel uneasy was more than that.

It didn't appear this time, and the problem hidden behind it was huge.

Previously, hearing Yang Ning and Li Hu say that human life was the most tempting prey for strange creatures, and the fact that the Wood Puppet Strange appeared every time there was bait for the first four times, indeed corroborated their statement.

But this time, they sent out so many people, yet the Wood Puppet Strange didn't appear.

Does this mean that for the first four times, the Wood Puppet Strange could actually not appear, but it... deliberately appeared?

As long as one follows this logic, it is exactly as one person said earlier: that Wood Puppet Strange, from beginning to end, was doing it on purpose.

Deliberately appearing to kill only a few, then being driven away by Yang and Li, giving them hope, letting them continue to provide people, and then repeating the cycle, so it could keep killing people?

But if that's really the case, why didn't the Wood Puppet Strange come this time?

Did he think too much?

Or did that Wood Puppet Strange have other more important things to do?

Pa...

Not far away, a crisp sound of a slap came, startling Luo Ming.

Following that was a domineering and angry scolding.

"Trash, I'm risking my life to help you get rid of the strange creature. Not only are you ungrateful, but you dare to discuss me behind my back. If you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll slaughter you idiots before that Wood Puppet Strange comes!"

Hearing this, Luo Ming's face sank instantly.

Huang Yong and Hong Gang beside him were the same.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 52 =====