Chapter 230: You Are Simply Insane!

"I don't know the specifics either," Heiguan'er shook his head, "I only heard it might be something left behind by Wugensheng. But judging by the scale of the Company's mobilization this time, I'm afraid it's no ordinary Golden Treasure."

Just as Zhang Chulan was about to press for more details, his footsteps suddenly halted. Behind a rock ahead, a striking dark red mark caught his eye. The color was so jarring, it felt like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart.

"That is..."

The group stepped forward quickly, and when they saw the scene before them, everyone couldn't help but gasp. A corpse wearing camouflage lay behind the rock, its body covered in shocking claw marks. The dark red blood had already congealed, shining with a chilling luster under the sunlight.

What was most shocking was the expression on the deceased's face—it was a distortion of extreme terror, as if in the final moment of life, they had seen some unimaginable, terrifying existence.

"This is too..." Zhang Chulan's voice tightened, "Has it already developed to this point?"

Wang Zhenqiu squatted down to carefully examine the wounds: "Judging by the shape and depth of the wounds, it should have been caused by some kind of large beast. The claw marks are very deep, and..." he paused, "the attacker's strength is astonishing; this degree of tearing completely exceeds the scope of ordinary wild beasts."

Looking around, they discovered several more corpses, all of them foreigners. Judging by their equipment and attire, they seemed to be members of a professional expedition team.

Zhang Chulan quickly took out his phone and snapped photos of the scene to send to Xu Si. His hands were shaking slightly, not out of fear, but because he realized the severity of the situation far exceeded expectations.

Inside the Company headquarters office, Xu Si, who was processing documents, saw the photos and his expression instantly turned grave. He immediately forwarded the photos to Chairman Zhao Fangxu of the Board of Directors, while silently praying that Zhang Chulan and the others would be safe.

The moment Zhao Fangxu saw the photos, his eyes became sharp. He picked up the internal phone, his voice carrying an unquestionable command: "Immediately activate the facial recognition system; I want to know the specific identities of these people. Also..." he paused, "notify everyone to be ready to initiate the emergency protocol at any time."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley, the team led by Gong Qing had already arrived before a daunting cliff. The steep rock face was like it had been carved by knives and axes, piercing straight into the clouds, giving off a sense of oppression.

"Grandmother," Gong Qing turned to Jinfeng Popo, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation, "I heard you came here when you were young?"

Jinfeng Popo looked up at the cliff before her, a trace of reminiscence flashing in her eyes: "Yes, that was over fifty years ago." She looked around, as if confirming something, "The terrain hasn't changed much, but..." she frowned, "the aura here is much denser than before."

"Where is the path into the valley?" Xia He asked somewhat anxiously.

Jinfeng Popo pointed to a path that was barely visible: "Go around from there. The path is a bit narrow, but as long as you're careful, it shouldn't be a problem. That was the path I took back then."

Under the guidance of Jinfeng Popo, the group carefully advanced along the cliff. Chai Yan walked in the middle, observing the surrounding terrain from time to time, his eyes filled with both vigilance and a hint of anxiety.

Finally, they arrived at the valley entrance and happened to run into Ilya and the others.

The moment the two sides confronted each other, the air seemed to freeze. Ilya's hand subconsciously pressed against his Qi Gun, and the rest of the team members also assumed defensive postures.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Just then, the guide Liu Mingyuan suddenly spoke: "Mr. Ilya, I suggest we follow them."

"What?" Kate looked at Liu Mingyuan in disbelief, "Are you crazy?"

"Think about it," Liu Mingyuan lowered his voice, "Having them scout the path ahead for us might not be a bad thing. Besides..." he gave the group led by Gong Qing a meaningful look, "in a place like this, having more helpers is always better than having more enemies."

Ilya was silent for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement. Thus, as Gong Qing's group entered the valley, the expedition team followed at a certain distance.

As for the followers behind him, Gong Qing only gave a cold glance. He knew very well that in a situation where the valley was known to be dangerous, having a few extra people was certainly not a bad thing. Besides, if they really encountered danger, these people could also come in handy.

Xia Liuqing leaned over to Gong Qing and asked in a low voice: "Just letting them follow like this? Won't there be a problem?"

"No matter," a strange smile curled the corner of Gong Qing's mouth, "When we encounter danger, they might be of great use." As he said this, a hint of calculation flashed in his eyes.

And not far behind them, Ilya was also talking to his team members in low voices.

"Boss," Hongda said worriedly, "Is it really safe to follow them?"

Ilya gripped his Qi Gun, his voice low: "In the current situation, rather than fighting alone, it's better to borrow the strength of others. Besides..." he gave the Gong Qing ahead a meaningful look, "if we really encounter danger, having them scout the path ahead is fine too."

Just like that, two teams of comparable strength, while mutually wary, gradually deepened their way into this mysterious valley. As they went deeper, the Spirit Qi in the air became increasingly dense, even beginning to affect the breathing of some ordinary people.

Jinfeng Popo suddenly stopped and frowned: "Something's not right."

"What is it?" Xia He asked with concern.

"The concentration of Spirit Qi here..." Jinfeng Popo's tone was grave, "is much stronger than it was fifty years ago. And have you noticed, from the time we entered the valley until now, we haven't even seen a single bird?"

This discovery made everyone alert. In such a primitive mountain forest, the fact that there wasn't even a trace of wild animals was clearly extremely unusual.

Just then, a breeze blew by, bringing with it a faint, lingering scent of blood. Gong Qing and Ilya turned their heads toward the direction of the wind almost simultaneously, a hint of vigilance flashing in their eyes.

Deep in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley, suddenly, a deafening roar tore through the sky, and two golden figures descended from the sky, landing heavily in front of the crowd, kicking up a circle of dust.

These were the Golden Silk Monkeys that made Chai Yan and the others feel lingering fear whenever they remembered them. Their entire bodies were covered in eyebrows that looked like metal, each one flashing with a strange, glassy light. What was most terrifying were their eyes—blood-red like torches, yet deep within them flickered a near-human intelligence and cold murderous intent.

"Back off!" Chai Yan's face changed drastically, the first to shout a warning. There was a hint of trembling in his voice; clearly, he still remembered the painful experience of clashing with these two terrifying existences last time.

Seeing that the situation was bad, Ilya immediately urged his team to retreat completely. As an experienced mercenary, he understood the principle of assessing the situation. Rather than rushing forward rashly, it was better to let these Outsiders test the enemy's strength first.