Chapter 60: They Are the Main Course

Hearing Lin Yu's words, the golden-haired monkey was slightly stunned, then fell into deep thought, as if truly understanding his meaning.

He Jing also felt some surprise upon hearing this and couldn't help asking, "Lin Dage, you are..."

Lin Yu smiled and said, "These monkeys have all obtained Qi; their spiritual intelligence has awakened. In the past, they would have been considered demons that had attained sentience."

"Such clever monkeys would be a waste left here. Why not come with me? Perhaps in the future, there will be a chance for them to advance further."

"As for the training ground, I indeed have one. When I have time in the future, I will certainly invite you to take a look..."

After speaking, he looked back at the golden-haired monkey before him. Seeing its eyes constantly rolling, he knew it was already tempted.

This was quite normal, because in the golden-haired monkey's eyes, Lin Yu did not look like an ordinary human at all.

The aura he radiated blocked out the sky and covered the earth; it not only covered the entire valley but also brought the Qi formation here under his control, causing the monkeys within this Qi formation to instinctively feel reverence and submission toward him.

After a moment of thought, the golden-haired monkey suddenly raised its head, reached out to grab Lin Yu's sleeve, and chattered incessantly, as if wanting him to follow it.

"... You want me to help your kin?"

Lin Yu said with a smile, "Then follow me!"

After speaking, he took a step forward, hands in his pockets, and walked toward the valley ahead.

He Jing hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Lin Dage, this trip was rushed, and I haven't performed any disguise yet. If you don't mind, I'd like to hide first to avoid anyone recognizing my identity."

Lin Yu was about to say he had a way to change his appearance, but immediately after, he changed his mind, thinking he could take this opportunity to witness the methods of this Saint-level assassin.

So he nodded and said with a smile, "No problem!"

Having received permission, He Jing immediately stepped into a strange footwork, and his figure gradually vanished within the Qi light.

Even so, Lin Yu still firmly locked onto his location, though a hint of surprise flickered in his gaze.

"... What technique is this?"

He Jing honestly replied, "The Ghost Shadow Walk, which can erase one's sense of existence, and the Phantom Body Barrier, which hides one's form."

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow and asked, "The Phantom Body Barrier is a Cultivation Technique of the Tang Sect, isn't it? You actually know it?"

He Jing shook his head and said, "It's not the complete Phantom Body Barrier, just some basic introductory techniques."

"With so many years of inheritance across all sects and schools, there have been many traitors; some basic Cultivation Techniques have long become common knowledge. My Phantom Body Barrier was left behind in the organization by a Tang Sect traitor who fled overseas..."

"I see!"

Lin Yu's face showed understanding, then he turned around and continued walking forward.

At the same time, in a valley not far ahead, a mixed Chinese and foreign expedition team was fighting with the monkeys.

Dozens of golden-haired monkeys of various appearances stood on the stone walls on both sides, holding stones in their hands and constantly throwing them downward.

Though they were merely small stones, in their hands they were like cannonballs.

Every throw carried an incredibly terrifying shriek and the sound of tearing through the air.

The people below were battered by these stone attacks, scattering in all directions to find cover.

Many were hit by the whistling stones; instantly, blood sprayed everywhere, limbs twisted, and they let out agonizing screams.

"Whoosh—"

Another sound of tearing through the air came as a stone shot forward and crashed against the solid rock wall.

The stone shattered instantly, and the flying debris sliced across the cheek of a black-haired man.

Blood flowed to the corner of his mouth. The black-haired man stuck out his tongue to lick it, then pulled a handgun from his chest, sneered, and pulled the trigger at the golden-haired monkey that had just thrown the stone.

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out, blood sprayed everywhere, and the golden-haired monkey fell dead on the spot.

The man in the knit cap, also hiding behind cover, widened his eyes and couldn't help turning his head to look over.

"You actually brought this thing?!"

"Stop talking nonsense, take it!"

The black-haired man turned and glared at him, pulled out another handgun, and stuffed it into the hands of the man in the knit cap.

The man in the knit cap's eyes lit up; he immediately took the handgun and, while shooting from behind cover, sneered, "This is the East! I can't believe you managed to get something like this!"

"Hmph!"

The black-haired man didn't care, just snorted and said, "A handgun is nothing. Look over there!"

The man in the knit cap was slightly stunned and followed his gaze. He saw that in an open area not far away, a Thai boxer wearing a green tracksuit was fighting a group of monkeys.

But unlike the chaotic situation on their side, this Thai boxer was handling the fight with ease.

Before him, these monkeys, which could tear apart tigers and leopards, seemed to have lost their strength.

With just a simple straight punch, a monkey that lunged forward was sent flying back at an even faster speed.

... Have these monkeys really become weaker?

No, his fists are too strong!

"Boom!"

A loud crash echoed as the boxer's fist, missing the dodging monkey, struck the rock wall behind it.

The hard rock instantly cracked apart, leaving a pit several feet deep on the rock wall.

"This... this is..."

The man in the knit cap widened his eyes, staring at the boxer with a face full of shock.

The black-haired man beside him, while shooting, chuckled softly, "You didn't see wrong; this is Muay Thai!"

"You're joking, right? This can be considered Muay Thai?!"

"Why not?" the black-haired man sneered. "This guy just has superhuman physical attributes. Look over there!"

The man in the knit cap turned his head to look and saw another white man wearing red clothes and a baseball cap standing in the center of the open area, with dozens of stones of various sizes floating around him.

The monkeys around them shrieked and lunged forward. A glance from him, and the stones at his side instantly flew out, precisely striking the nearest monkey.

"... Is this telekinesis?!"

"Just telekinesis!"

The black-haired man grinned: "Now you understand, right? This squad isn't as simple as you think. Apart from us ordinary mercenaries, there are monsters like them hidden among us."

"In the face of these powerful monsters, I still feel two guns aren't enough!"

Before his words fell, a figure descended from the sky, sharp claws whipping up a gust of wind, slamming toward the black-haired man's face like lightning.

"Not good!"

The black-haired man's pupils contracted sharply. He gritted his teeth and dodged backward.

"Boom!"

Just then, a gunshot rang out. The monkey right beside him instantly crashed to the ground, a trail of blood sliding past the black-haired man's feet.

The black-haired man froze slightly, looked up, and saw two white men walking over.

The leader, blond-haired and blue-eyed, held a silver revolver. He looked at them calmly and said: "Ben, take my advice — take them and get out of here first. These monkeys aren't something you can handle."

"What about you?"

"We'll stay behind and hold them off."

"... You guys?"

Ben grinned and said quietly: "Elijah, Vista, so you two are also... monsters like you. Just how many are there in this squad?"

"..."

Elijah Jones glanced at him, didn't answer, and simply turned and left with Vista.

Ben clenched his teeth, exchanged a look with the beanie-wearing man beside him, then shouted loudly, leading the ordinary people in the squad to flee forward.

Elijah and Vista stood at the edge of the battlefield, their gazes sweeping over those still fighting. Elijah chuckled lightly: "Seen through their backgrounds?"

"Mm." The tall Vista said calmly, "Chanon is Muay Thai, Nash is a telekinetic, Hongda is yoga — the school should be Hatha, the path of pain..."

Elijah laughed: "That's all?"

Vista turned to look at the fleeing group and said calmly: "The squad's guide 'Liu', and the protection target 'Judy', should both be our kind. There's also one who hasn't made a move yet, but I can faintly sense his presence."

"It's Young Lady Shaba."

Elijah said lightly: "She has a special scent on her. Should be a school like Druid or Voodoo Priest..."

Vista frowned slightly: "I still don't understand why the employer wants to mix 'us' and 'them' together in the squad. If it were all us, wouldn't we be able to protect the target better?"

You'd have to ask the employer about that...

Elijah was about to speak when he suddenly heard a slightly amused voice by his ear.

"Without bringing these ordinary people, how would we test the qi pattern here?"

"To put it bluntly, in this banquet, they are the main course — you lot are nothing but side dishes!"

(End of chapter)