In the undulating terraces among the hills, the sound of cicadas can be heard from the treetops, and the fragrance of rice fills the breeze.
"We will spend the night in the mountains and arrive in Liangshan County early in the morning." Chen Jinnan said, pointing to the rolling hills.
Lu Chen looked at the dark mountain forest and asked, "Aren't you afraid of encountering something strange when you spend the night in the mountains?"
Although the duty of the Shikai Division is to eliminate strange things, the team is currently seriously injured, and it would be unreasonable to take risks at this time.
"Although we have not recovered, Brother Lu is here to take charge." Chen Jinnan smiled slightly and added: "Besides, we have evasive means."
After that, he threw something over and Lu Chen took it and looked at it. It was a palm-sized bronze compass. No matter how it was moved, the pointer in the center would not move at all.
"This compass can determine whether there is something strange within a hundred meters radius. If it exists, the red pointer will point out the direction." Ning Xiaochan said, pointing to the red pointer.
"If there is nothing weird, the pointer will stop and not move even half a minute. When traveling at night, there will be a dedicated person in the team holding a compass to make judgments."
It was more like the demon-chasing compass from his previous life... Lu Chen nodded, knowing that this was an induction training for him.
Walking along the winding path, the scenery on both sides transitions from terraced fields to dark mountain forests. The sky is dim and the dark dense forests make people feel depressed.
At this time, Feng Xi took out an ancient oil lamp, and its dim light illuminated the path ahead. Xiao Chen took the bronze compass and walked to the front of the team, while Chen Jinnan retreated to the end.
After guessing a few hundred meters further, Xiao Chen suddenly raised his right fist and the team quietly stopped. Lu Shen looked ahead and saw a dilapidated ancient temple standing in the dense forest.
The collapsed courtyard walls were covered with vines. In the abandoned ancient temple, bright firelight swayed, and the faint sound of someone talking could be heard.
"It looks like it is a mountain temple, but it has been abandoned for many years." Ning Xiaochan observed for a moment and said.
Chen Jinnan looked at Xiao Chen, who shook his head and judged: "The compass didn't respond. It should be a pedestrian passing by."
Chen Jinnan pondered for a while, then looked at the mountain temple, his eyes flashed for a moment, "Let's go around."
After that, he looked at Lu Chen again and explained: "Don't rely too much on tools. Sometimes you have to trust your own judgment. Those who dare to spend the night in the mountains at this time are basically not simple people."
Feng Xi extinguished the oil lamp, and the team avoided the mountain temple and walked through the dense forest. The pace of everyone accelerated a lot, the woods above their heads were rustling, and there was faint thunder rolling in the sky.
In the darkness, everyone fell into silence and hurried on their way. After traveling like this for a quarter of an hour, Xiao Chen suddenly stopped, his face extremely solemn.
Lu Chen looked ahead and saw the mountain temple appearing in front of him. During this period of time, it was like walking in a big circle.
"It seems that he has been targeted." Chen Jinnan said solemnly.
"I think since there is no way to avoid it, let's go in." Lu Chen stood up and said, "That thing has already targeted us, and even if we don't enter the mountain temple, we will be targeted by other means.
"After entering the mountain temple, don't leave my sight. If anything happens, tell me immediately."
Chen Jinnan pondered for a moment, "This is the only way to go first, but you must also pay attention to the fact that there are endless weird methods, and sometimes it cannot be solved by force."
He looked at Ning Xiaochan and said, "Tell him about the strange abilities."
After that, he walked to the front of the team and said in a deep voice: "Let's go in."
"The captain is right. There are some special and strange things. Force is of little use. If you are not careful, you will die."
Ning Xiaochan walked side by side with Lu Chen, explaining to him about strange abilities.
While listening, Lu Chen followed the team and stepped into the mountain temple. After entering, Ning Xiaochan stopped explaining.
This mountain temple has been abandoned for a long time. A large hole has collapsed in the left wall, and weeds have grown among the piled rubble below.
In the middle of the temple, there is a clay sculpture.
It can be vaguely seen that he is an old man wearing official uniform and having a long beard, but his face is full of cracks and has fallen off in many places, and his original appearance cannot be seen.
Firewood was burning in the temple, and a team of people were setting up iron pots to cook something. They were all dressed in black and carrying long knives at their waists.
On the lower side of the statue, there are several wooden boxes, with a young man and a middle-aged man sitting next to them.
The young man was wearing a black outfit, with a red fish jade pendant hanging from his waist, and holding a dark long sword in his hand. He had a good-looking face and well-developed chest muscles. At first glance, he looked like a woman disguised as a man.
Lu Chen turned his eyes away and looked at the middle-aged man, who had a stubble on his face and was sitting with a sword in his arms, giving off a faint ferocious aura.
When they saw the team entering the mountain temple, the men in black clothes cooking in front of them all raised their heads and looked at them with vacant eyes, and then there was a slight smile on the corners of their mouths.
The expressions are exactly the same, like lifelike clay figures.
Lu Chen found that only those who were close to the young people did not behave in the same way. They all clenched the hilts of their knives and stared at them warily.
The middle-aged man holding the sword opened his eyes, glanced at Chen Jinnan and the others, and then stopped at Lu Chen, "May I ask where your friends are from?"
"Chen Jinnan, Liangshan County Zhiguai Department, we have just completed our mission and have to rush back to Liangshan County." Chen Jinnan clasped his fists and said his identity directly.
"It turns out to be Master Zhigui. If you don't mind this barren mountain, please stay with us at the temple." The middle-aged man smiled and said with his fists in his hands.
"Liang Tong from Xia Yuan Martial Arts Hall. This is my nephew Liang Yuan. We have just finished escorting and are about to rush back to the county seat."
"It turns out to be Mr. Liang from the Yuanhe Martial Arts School." Chen Jinnan showed a polite smile, "I have long heard that the Swallow Sword and Liang Tong are known. It turns out that the famous name is worse than the first sight."
He led the team members and sat down in the corner on the left.
At this time, Ning Xiaochan explained to Lu Chen: "Yuanhe Martial Arts School is one of the three major local forces in Liangshan County, and its main business is recruiting disciples and escorting bodyguards.
"This Liang Tong is quite famous in the county. I heard that he has reached the sixth level of Blood Accumulation Realm. He is most famous for his sharp sword, which can fight at the seventh level of Blood Accumulation Realm without losing."
On the other side, Liang Yuan looked at the group of people from Zhiguisi, blocked the wooden box behind him, and whispered: "Uncle Liang, will there be any problems if these people stay here?"
"Master, by blocking the wooden boxes, you are telling them their goal." Liang Tong glanced at the three stacked wooden boxes. This was the harvest of their trip.
Liang Yuan immediately straightened his back, his cheeks flushed slightly, "Uncle Liang, I understand, the more I care about this thing, the easier it will be for them to see through."
"It's your first time escorting an escort, so you will inevitably lack experience."
Liang Tong smiled slightly and looked at Lu Shen in the corner, "Those people were all seriously injured. Only the young man had some strength, but it's not worth mentioning."
Seeing Liang Yuan's puzzled expression, he added, "These people are not a threat to us. You can rest peacefully."
At this time, the big man next to him scooped up the broth and handed it over, "Master, are you hungry?"
"Eat it, I can't get used to this." Liang Yuan took out the meat pie from his arms, divided half of it into Liang Tong, and said, "Uncle Liang, I'll keep vigil with you."
"The big men in black outside have problems. Did you see anything?" Lu Chen distributed the coarse grain cakes in the package to everyone in the team and asked in a deep voice.
Before Chen Jinnan spoke, Xiao Chen nodded repeatedly, "Yes, there is a big problem!"
I saw him vaguely taking out a bronze compass. The originally motionless pointer was spinning crazily, unable to point out the true location of the strange existence.
Ning Xiaochan pursed her lips when she saw this scene, "Either the weirdness is too powerful to prevent the compass from functioning, or there is a demon who uses special techniques to interfere with the compass."
"According to the specifications of the bronze compass, weird things that can make the compass unable to function will basically not appear in Liangshan County." Chen Jinnan frowned in thought and shook his head.
"It seems like we didn't encounter something weird, but we encountered a demon who believes in an evil god."
"Such people are often more difficult to deal with than low-level weirdos. Apart from all kinds of weird spells, what's even more troublesome are the various conspiracies that are difficult to fathom."
Feng Xi glanced at the group of escorts covertly, his eyes a little solemn, he might be in big trouble this time.
"No matter what, as long as we find the monster and kill him, the problem will be solved." Lu Chen thought for a while and asked, "Is there any way to identify it?"
"This kind of demon has hiding methods and interferes with the compass. It is difficult to find them." Chen Jinnan shook his head.
Lu Chen rubbed his chin, his eyes twinkling, "Since he trapped us here, he must have an agenda, so we'll just wait until he reveals his fox tail."
Everyone agreed with Lu Chen's suggestion and patiently ate the cakes and waited. At this time, among the escorts on the opposite side, a slightly fat escort came over.
"My lords, this is the sweet-scented osmanthus cake I made at home. It tastes pretty good." The fat escort showed a familiar smile, took out the sweet-scented osmanthus cake from his bag, and distributed it to Lu Chen.
Lu Chen thanked him and looked towards Liang Yuan. The latter sensed his gaze and replied, "This is Master Song from our martial arts school. Just feel free to enjoy it."
Master Song distributed osmanthus cakes to everyone, scratched his head and said with a smile, "These are all made by my daughter. She opened a pastry shop on Wutong Street. If you find them delicious, you can come here often."
At this time, someone among the escorts laughed and said: "Old Song, my ears are almost getting calloused after hearing these words. My lords, this osmanthus cake is so delicious."
Lu Chen took the wrapped osmanthus cake and stuffed it into his luggage. He had just eaten dry food and was not hungry.
The Zhigui Division team put away the osmanthus cake in a tacit understanding. At this time, someone from the escort asked Master Song for a piece of osmanthus cake. While eating it, he glanced at this side and said, "Don't worry about them. Treat their kindness as a donkey's liver and lungs."
With this episode, the atmosphere became lively. The escorts discussed strange people and strange things, and talked about the reasons for going out as escorts, but most of them were for their children.
