Chapter 86: Back Mountain Monster

After destroying the gem, Deng Lian collapsed to the ground as if his strength had been drained.

The gaze directed at Lin An was like looking at a corpse.

Lin An frowned slightly, ignored it, and merely asked the speaker curiously.

"Back Mountain?"

"Is there anything on Back Mountain?"

"Back Mountain..."

The boy raised his head, his lips trembling, and after a long silence he finally spoke slowly.

"There's a demonic beast, or a monster, on Back Mountain."

"Its power is terrifying, far beyond the level of those Lickers!"

"We had wanted to develop Back Mountain seven days ago, after all, there are plenty of game and dry firewood there to use."

"However, not a single one of the four Awakened Ones who first entered the mountain and the fourteen accompanying people came out alive."

"Later we sent more people; that time it was Chairman Li and Brother Deng together..."

"In that battle, nearly a third of the Awakened Ones inside the academy died before they managed to escape, but the monster relentlessly pursued and slaughtered them, reducing the survivors inside the academy from over nine thousand to three thousand; otherwise our numbers of Awakened Ones and survivors wouldn't be so low."

Lin An nodded slightly; indeed.

In my past life, Linjiang Academy not only had stable spiritual nodes, but also simultaneously produced a large number of unstable nodes.

Calculating with 70% of the population turning into zombies.

A school of over thirty thousand people should have about ten thousand normal survivors.

Moreover, everyone in the academy is young, which is the perfect time for awakening.

Assuming a one percent awakening rate, the number of Awakened Ones in the academy must be over a hundred.

"So how did you guys resolve it later?"

"What's the point of talking about this now!"

"Run, let's run quickly!"

The crowd panicked, and many wanted to flee the meeting room.

But after recalling something, those few who had wanted to escape slumped to the ground in defeat.

An Jing Tian was somewhat doubtful; regardless of whether the monster would attack the academy, if we truly couldn't resist, fleeing would be the only option.

It seems the monster is not simple; there may be some hidden truth.

As a result, these people didn't even have the courage to run.

"Later..."

"Later, Brother Deng, while hiding in the lab, fortunately obtained a prop."

"That's the very one he just smashed."

"The gem contains a built‑in seal formation; as long as you infuse it with mental power each day, you can seal that monster."

Deng Lian, lying collapsed on the ground, heard this and his face filled with madness.

He propped himself up, pointed at Lin An, and shouted curses.

"Aren't you supposed to be strong?"

"I'd like to see what you can use against that monster!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you're a psychic Awakened One just like me, right?"

"I'm telling you straight up: that monster can resist mental attacks."

"If it weren't for Li Hua holding the front for a few seconds back then, everyone present would have died!"

"Psychic Awakened Ones are useless against that monster!"

"Without that Sinister Ink Black Bear and without Li Hua, I'd like to see what you can use to block the monster!"

Most of the academy are elemental Awakened Ones, while a minority of melee Awakened Ones lean toward a hybrid path.

This actually has some relation to physical fitness and talent.

Therefore, most Awakened Ones in the academy are considered "fragile."

Deng Lian wore a vicious grin, as if he could already see Lin An's death.

In his view, Lin An, as a psychic Awakened One, would not have a physique any stronger than his.

"Even if your mental power is sky‑high, what good is it? Against that monster, psychic Awakened Ones are worthless!"

"Of course, you can also choose to flee right now."

"But you wanted to make the academy a safe zone, didn't you? If you've got the guts, don't run!"

"At most half an hour, that monster will break the seal and storm into the academy!"

"Deng Lian!"

"What you're doing is really selfish!"

"Have you even thought about us!"

"That monster has left its aura on us! Release it—do you want everyone to die with you!"

The crowd became hysterical in the face of death's terror.

Many of the girls who survived that day despaired, clutching their heads and weeping; as ordinary people, their hope of survival is the slimmest.

"Selfish?"

"You want to live like dogs—I don't!"

"Pah!"

Deng Lian glared at Lin An maliciously, looking resigned to death.

"With you all joining me in hell, I won't die alone...!"

Brother Lin.

Should we withdraw from here first!!

An Jing Tian's face was solemn, his expression anxious as he looked at Lin An.

Currently, Zhang Tie is seriously injured, and the outpost still has many elderly, weak, sick, and disabled.

If the monsters are truly as terrifying as the academy says, it might be better to retreat first, after all, they haven't been tainted by the monsters' aura.

Lin An waved his hand to indicate that An Jing Tian need not panic.

He suddenly walked to the window, looking toward the rear mountain, his back to the crowd, his complexion somewhat strange.

Resisting mental power attacks, having been sealed before, and being in the mountains...

Lin An suddenly turned his head, asking the male student who had explained earlier.

Are you sure the monsters will break the seal in half an hour?

The male student nodded firmly, his eyes dim.

After receiving the definite answer, Lin An suddenly spoke.

If you want to survive, then everyone gather at the square.

Of course, you can also choose not to listen and flee on your own.

The crowd heard this and was stunned, then began to question.

Gather everyone at the square!!

Are you complaining we're not dying fast enough? Gathering together just lets the monsters kill us more easily!!

The first Awakened One who spoke up to question felt there was no hope of survival, no longer feared Lin An's intimidation, and scornfully mocked.

Lin An casually glanced at him, intending to grant his wish.

Bang!

Divine Thorn activated again; with his current mental recovery speed, as long as it's not used continuously at high intensity, its consumption is almost negligible.

An intangible mental spike attack slammed into the male student.

In an instant, his skull exploded.

The crowd that had wanted to speak up in doubt instantly closed their mouths.

Being able to live another second is a second, and moreover, this way of dying is too gruesome.

I don't like it when someone interrupts while I'm speaking.

Finally, I'll repeat once more: if you want to survive, gather at the square; I naturally have a way to deal with the monsters.

Haha!

Deal with them?

Just relying on you, this piece of trash? I'm actually looking forward to hearing your screams as the monsters devour you alive.

Deng Lian, sprawled on the ground, spoke with a sarcastic tone, knowing that Lin An would never let him off no matter what.

How?

Idiot, come on!

Kill me!

Lin An gave a light chuckle, his tone calm.

Rest assured, you will die.

But, not now.

A mad dog, there's no need to keep him anymore.

But, after all, we still need to make use of the trash.