Chapter 2893: Town Infrastructure Construction Proceeds Happily 13

Several minutes ago.

Jin Chen walked along the coordinates of the 999 Marking in the wilderness.

He wore all white, which stood out starkly in the dim, dark‑green forest; occasionally, an uncontrollable low‑level aberrant creature would pounce out, and before it could get close, it would inexplicably slam into a tree, left dazed and disoriented.

Soon, Jin Chen approached the location indicated by the 999 Marking where the protagonist was.

That was the mouth of a cave situated on the shady side of a wilderness hill, pitch black and exuding a cold, foul stench.

Outside the cave lay scattered fresh bone fragments and fur, stained with bloody marks.

At the cave entrance, a huge aberrant beast growled low, restless.

It resembled a tiger, but was one size larger than an ordinary aberrant tiger, with several bone spurs protruding from its spine, a deformed skull, outward‑curving fangs, drool dripping, and it used its forepaws to drag the bloody, mangled human corpse at the cave mouth, trying to pull the corpse away with its fangs.

Jin Chen did not know that person, but the corpse was being torn apart by the monster, and it seemed the last intact part would soon be destroyed.

Jin Chen stopped, casually broke off a branch from a nearby dead sapling, and flicked his wrist.

Whoosh—

The branch shot into the right eye of that aberrant monster.

"Aoo!!!"

The monster sprang upright, shaking its head wildly, black blood gushing from its right eye socket, and its forepaws scrabbled wildly.

The human corpse was flung off, rolling into the nearby grass, temporarily spared.

Jin Chen didn't even glance at the madly crashing beast; he sauntered past it and stepped into the pitch‑black cave.

Inside the cave it was darker than outside, the ground uneven; Jin Chen walked a few meters, turned a corner, and by the faint light from the entrance saw Yan Genggu unconscious in a corner.

Meanwhile, two smaller aberrant creatures, like juveniles, hissed as they crawled toward the unconscious Yan Genggu, opening mouths full of fine sharp teeth.

Jin Chen's eyes flickered.

He gave a light kick with his foot, and a fist‑sized stone struck the small aberrant's head, making it stagger, dazed.

Jin Chen rushed over, crouched beside Yan Genggu, checked his breath and pulse—thankfully, he was still alive.

Otherwise Lu Junbai came.

Jin Chen dragged Yan Genggu deeper into a corner, away from those few little things.

He also made a note, just in case, about some clueless guy.

Failing to protect the earth god's reincarnation forced him to rescue people; he'll later ask Lu Jun for two thousand points as labor fees—fair enough?

【Cold Relief, noted.】

【……All right, Lord Jin Chen.】 The 999 Marking's voice was weak, dutifully recording.

After doing that, Jin Chen also sat down nearby, lowered his head to look at his clothes; inevitably he'd brushed against some moss upon entering, leaving a few dirty spots on his cuffs and hem.

He simply rubbed himself on the ground again.

Just as he finished cleaning up, two slightly larger aberrant creatures, drawn by the cave's bloody scent and the presence of the living, crawled out from the depths with a soft scurry, their eyes blood‑red, drool streaming, growling low as they approached him and Yan Genggu.

Jin Chen kicked it away with one foot; the aberrant staggered, shook its head, bared its teeth and growled low, prowling for an opening.

Yan Genggu, leaning against the stone wall, felt his eyelids twitch and slowly opened his eyes.

A dull pain at the back of his head made his vision go dark, and it took a while before it cleared.

He dazedly rolled his eyes, then saw Jin Chen sitting not far away, and that ugly aberrant creature.

"Jin Chen? How… are you here?"

Jin Chen turned his head, his face grimy, and lifted his hand to wipe his face with the relatively clean lining of his sleeve.

"Where is this? I don't know; I just woke up."

He seemed frightened by the aberrant's howl, shifted back a bit, and looked utterly helpless.

Yan Genggu stared blankly.

The Jin Chen before him was a sight of disheveled fragility he'd never seen—face streaked with black and gray, hair messy, eyes filled with panic.

But he felt something was off, though he couldn't put his finger on it.

The pain in the back of his head and the perilous surroundings prevented Yan Genggu from thinking deeply; he struggled to sit up straight, tugging at his abrasions, which hurt so much he sucked in a breath of cold air.

"Were you also captured?"

"Yes." Jin Chen nodded firmly.

He was still wiping his face with his sleeve, making it even more smeared.

"Don't worry, Lord Huo will come to save me."

Yan Genggu: "……"

You don't look very afraid at all!

"Roar!"

The prowling aberrant grew impatient, lowly growling as it advanced, while another emerged from the shadows, forming a pincer movement.

Their patience exhausted, murderous intent blazing in their eyes, they crouched slightly on their hind legs, ready to pounce.

Yan Genggu's heart clenched.

"Someone's inside! It's Professor Yan… and… Teacher Jin!!"

Shouts of alarm came from the cave entrance.

Immediately after, hurried, chaotic footsteps approached, firelight flickered, and several figures rushed in!

Huo Zhaoye, seeing the scene inside through the shifting light and shadow at the cave mouth, felt his pupils contract sharply, his heart as if being gripped tightly.

How could Jin Chen be here! He ought to be in the town!

Lu Jun ran the fastest.

In the firelight, he charged in and first saw a frail, death‑near Jin Chen, filthy all over, looking like he'd keel over any second.

Lu Jun rushed straight toward Jin Chen without hesitation, shouting, "Teacher Jin, hold on!"

Jin Chen: "???"

Are you blind!

At the moment Lu Jun was about to lunge forward, Jin Chen seemed startled, narrowly dodging Lu Jun's rescue path, movements frantic, just enough to let Lu Jun lunge at empty air.

Lu Jun's strike missed, his stance staggered, he almost hit the stone wall, then turned his head in shock only to meet Yan Tenggu's gaze in the corner.

Yan Tenggu leaned there, a dark red patch on the back of his head, blood already soaking the clothing on his shoulders.

Lu Jun's heart tightened for no reason, the stabbing pain in his heart came before worry, even before he could think where this emotion came from.