Chapter 97: Decision (Fifth Update!)

Bai Laoyan finished eating the dried meat, brushed off the crumbs from his hands: “What were you saying about that office?”

“I swear on my life—once this mission is completed, I will honor my promise.”

Bai Laoyan: “Then swear.”

Xu Yuan immediately raised his hand and swore—the old mountain guide was deeply suspicious; any hesitation would make him doubt.

Bai Laoyan sneered: “Don’t think we have no way to bind your oath—don’t forget this is Ghost Witch Mountain!”

Xu Yuan smiled bitterly: “I never intended to break my word.”

Bai Laoyan nodded: “Of these four, the locust witch is actually the easiest to deal with. She’s produced countless offspring—sounds impressive, her whole family swarming together, blotting out the sky.”

But none of her offspring have reached any real power; they rely solely on sheer numbers to overwhelm and crush their foes.”

As for herself, she took the wrong path. At first, she gave birth to many offspring and ruled the mountains for a time—but because she produced so many, all her strength went into controlling them, trapping her at the Seventh Stream level, unable to advance further.”

Yet when other monsters fight among themselves, her offspring swarm in like a tide—but they can’t even bite through their enemies’ hides.”

But she’s grown so used to commanding them, she can’t change her ways.”

Bai Laoyan didn’t mention another secret: the villages in the mountains—including Wang Xiang Village—hated the locust witch most of all.

Villagers farmed and hunted, but the locust witch’s offspring were too numerous—they had to eat. Every harvest season, she led her brood from village to village, “collecting tribute.”

For a good harvest, she took four or five tenths; for a poor one, two or three tenths.

She even understood the principle of “not draining the pond to catch all the fish”—she always kept the villagers just above starvation.”

The villagers couldn’t bring themselves to fight her to the death; they could only swallow their anger and endure.

As for hunting—the game they caught was often snatched away at random by her passing offspring, countless times over.

Bai Laoyan said: “I can handle the locust witch herself, but her offspring—I only have some folk remedies to temporarily drive them off.”

But in a life-or-death struggle, if the locust witch forces them to attack desperately, those remedies may not work.”

He held up his palm, fingers spread: “There’s another thing to clarify—if the locust witch and that Qin man hurry through the night, we’ll never catch up.”

“But you still have to pay the fivefold reward you promised.”

Yan Lao and the others’ faces darkened instantly—the old mountain guide had thought of this too.

…

Night fell completely; everywhere in the mountains, unseen things—some hurrying, some leisurely—passed around Qin’s party.

Even Qin himself felt several times that something was watching him—if those things truly charged, he wouldn’t easily escape!

Fortunately, these things seemed unwilling to compete with the locust witch; they glanced once, then reluctantly left.

After traveling further, the locust witch’s offspring grew increasingly agitated: they wanted to eat people!

Nighttime malevolences were fiercer, more frenzied—right beside them were living humans, exuding the sweet scent of flesh and blood—how could they resist?

The locust witch suppressed them again.

Her offspring grumbled, causing some chaos; the locust river’s formation grew disordered.

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from afar!

A faint scent of blood drifted over.

Probably some unlucky merchant who hadn’t reached a village before dark—snatched out and devoured by mountain malevolences!

The locusts grew even more chaotic, endlessly pleading with their grandmother.

The locust witch thought for a moment, then made a decision:

As long as Qin himself lived, the cooperation wasn’t affected.

The others didn’t matter.

The locust witch secretly gave her offspring instructions: don’t make it too obvious.

Moments later, from a nearby thicket, a twisted ghostly hand suddenly shot out and grabbed two of Qin’s men—the locust witch made no move to stop it.

The two men screamed as they were dragged into the woods; the locust witch feigned fury: “Die!”

A swarm of locusts charged into the forest, as if trying to rescue them.

But they never came back out.

The locust witch sighed regretfully: “My offspring did their best.”

Qin’s gaze turned icy.

After a while, the locusts crawled back slowly—some still had blood on their mandibles, not even wiped clean!

Ceng Si had been watching closely all along; walking among these malevolences had terrified him, and now he was certain—tonight, these creatures would inevitably devour them!

They’d only spare Qin.

Ceng Si immediately grabbed Qin’s arm and whispered imploringly: “My lord, save me!”

“I’ve served you for twenty years!”

“If I died for a great cause, I’d die without regret—but to be swallowed by these malevolences for nothing? I’m wronged!”

Qin turned to look at his other men—each one was terrified and furious; who didn’t understand what was happening?

If Qin didn’t protect them, the party would break into mutiny right now.

“We’re stopping.” Qin shouted at the locust witch: “Rest here. Summon the Ghost Temple Statue elder!”

In the darkness, a small temple suddenly appeared beside them.

On their first night arriving at Qihe Terrace, Ceng Si and the others had entered the temple trembling; now, it felt like a sanctuary—they rushed in, jostling each other.

Qin entered last; the locust witch moved to follow, but Qin shut the door: “You don’t need to come in.”

The locust witch snorted, thinking him stingy—she’d only eaten two of his men, and even left him some dignity by not eating them in front of him!

She kicked the temple door in anger—and her insect legs throbbed from the shock.

…

Xu Yuan suddenly felt something stir—his second destiny mark, “Eight Directions Harmful Star,” had activated.

He smiled inwardly: It’s not too late!

The “Eight Directions Harmful Star” didn’t affect Qin—it affected the locust witch.

“I will absolutely fulfill the reward I promised you!” Xu Yuan replied firmly, then added: “And I’ll handle the locust witch’s offspring myself.”

Bai Laoyan glanced sideways at Xu Yuan—clearly didn’t believe him.

Just a few days ago, you needed the village’s help to escape Wu Haishan.

Xu Yuan smiled: “I’m not boasting.”

Bai Laoyan nodded: “Continue. The Ghost Temple Statue has over twenty small temples inside and outside the mountains—all destroyed since the Ming came.

The last one, in Miaopoe Village, vanished decades ago.

It has a boy and girl attendant, both transformed into malevolences.

The girl plays games with people—unless you win, you become her food.

But the rules are set by the little ghost girl; nine out of ten lose.

The boy has three ghostly flames on his head and shoulders—one burns the body, one burns the soul, one burns the heart! The heart flame is hardest to deal with—if the little demon sees any evil thought in you, it ignites it and burns you into a malevolence.”

Yan Lao asked: “What about the Ghost Temple Statue itself?”

“It can establish a temple—those outside can’t enter, those inside can’t leave!”

I probably finished writing around ten at night, then lay down, rested for a bit, and fell asleep...

So I ended up posting even later.

Also, I’d like to ask everyone for your opinions—what time would be best for updates?

Also, as always, I’m begging for monthly votes!

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(End of chapter)