Humans, as the apex of the primate order, naturally express their emotions in various ways, such as through their eyes, eyebrows, or subtle gestures and expressions.
While mountain sprites are also primates and quite intelligent, even the smartest among them have not reached the level where they can convey emotions through their eyes, as this is a trait unique to humans.
Even the most intelligent mountain sprites possess an intelligence equivalent to that of a five or six-year-old human child, which is already an extraordinary feat. Therefore, they express their various states of mind through their physical actions, which is the most significant difference between humans and animals.
However, through my binoculars, I actually saw anger in the eyes of this white-furred mountain sprite. Just as I was wondering if I was mistaken, I saw it point towards our location.
Simultaneously, the escorting mountain sprites accompanying it let out a series of roars, and then two of them disappeared from my view in a leap.
I quickly put away my binoculars and looked at Kang Pangzi, who was still lying on the ground, panting. I asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Kang, can you still run?"
Kang Pangzi waved his hand, "Are you kidding me? I just climbed the mountain and pulled the slingshot. Where do I have the strength to run now? Even if you held a gun to my head, I wouldn't move an inch."
Seeing his fearless demeanor, I couldn't force him. Enduring the soreness all over my body, I swayed and stood up. Kang Pangzi looked at me curiously and asked, "What are you doing? Are you planning to go down the mountain?"
I gave him a big smile, "I'm not going down the mountain, I'm planning to run away."
"Run away? Run from what? Those mountain sprites won't charge up here, they're all dazed and asleep. What are you running from?"
I gave him a meaningful smile, not caring if he understood. I started running down the mountain at my fastest speed.
Roar roar—
Before I could take two steps, an angry roar echoed from the valley again, startling Kang Pangzi to jump up from the ground.
"Kid, you're playing with me."
At this moment, Kang Pangzi no longer looked weak. In my eyes, he could now fight a tiger to a half-death if one appeared before him.
I didn't need to look to know it was that white-furred mountain sprite. This guy, seeing his kin fall one by one, their fate unknown, would surely be enraged.
Thinking about facing an angry horde of mountain sprites soon, I immediately activated the Tian Qiao Seal and bolted down the mountain. Kang Pangzi cursed and followed closely behind.
At the same time, a series of "screeching" sounds from the mountain sprites also erupted behind us. With the enhancement of the Tian Qiao Seal, my speed was more than double my usual pace.
I thought I could easily shake off Kang Pangzi, but when I looked back, I found him less than ten meters behind me, running wildly with a ferocious expression. His face was a mess of sweat and snot, looking like a performer who had died on stage.
More than a hundred meters behind Kang Pangzi, the white-furred mountain sprite and seven or eight larger mountain sprites were leaping frantically through the treetops. The piercing cries made my heart skip a beat.
The mountain sprites not only leaped through the treetops but also occasionally picked up fruits from the trees and hurled them at us.
As I ran, my knee suddenly felt a sharp pain, and my body involuntarily lurched forward. I quickly covered my head with my hands and rolled forward. Fortunately, there were no rocks or large trees in front of me, only some waist-high weeds. After rolling countless times, I landed on the ground in a dog-fall position, feeling completely dizzy, as if I had been on a roller coaster countless times.
Just as I was trying to get up, feeling disoriented, I felt a heavy weight on my back, as if I had been stepped on by a wild boar. I expected to see the gaping maw of a mountain sprite, but instead, I heard Kang Pangzi's voice.
"Kid, you're still too young to play tricks on your Kang Grandpa. You'll have to fend for yourself."
Looking at Kang Pangzi leaping over me, I instantly understood what had happened. Kang Pangzi must have hit me with something just now, otherwise, I wouldn't have fallen to the ground. Su Dan Novel Network
I looked back and saw a can of sardines.
"Kang Pangzi, I'm not done with you."
Seeing Kang Pangzi about to disappear from my sight, I shook off the dizziness in my head and ran madly in his direction.
Damn it, if you want me to feed the mountain sprites, how can I let you have your way so easily? Even if I die, I'll take one down with me.
The mountain sprites' calls behind me became more urgent. This time, I was at the rear, and I finally understood why Kang Pangzi had set me up. Not only were wild fruits falling around me from time to time, but there were also branches about half a meter long and as thick as a child's arm. The fresh break marks indicated that these were branches the mountain sprites had casually grabbed as weapons.
After running only five or six hundred meters, I heard a gust of wind behind me. I instinctively dodged to the side, and a branch as thick as a child's arm was embedded in front of me.
At this point, I dared not linger in place. The only outcome was death, and a particularly gruesome one at that.
However, it was impossible to outrun the mountain sprites in the forest. It was then that I suddenly remembered the small cloth pouch Kang Pangzi had given me. He had said it could stop the mountain sprites' attacks. I didn't know if it was true or not, but now I had to try anything.
As I ran forward frantically, I quickly opened the small cloth pouch. I took a cursory glance at a dark object, unable to tell what it was, and then threw it behind me.
I prayed to all the gods and my ancestors, hoping they would protect me and make the mountain sprites stop chasing me.
I don't know if my prayers worked or if the black object had an effect, but the shouting of the mountain sprites behind me indeed ceased. I took the opportunity to catch my breath and looked back.
I saw the mountain sprites crouched at the spot I had just passed, seemingly examining the black, unidentified object I had thrown. This made me breathe a sigh of relief.
I turned and ran again in the direction Kang Pangzi had disappeared, thinking to myself that when I met him, if I didn't beat him until his face was as red as a peach, I wouldn't be surnamed Song.
Roar roar—
Screech screech—
The angry roars of the mountain sprites interrupted my thoughts. Their cries were filled with anger and a hint of sadness.
"Could that thing be a part of a mountain sprite? This damned fatty really screwed me over!"
In the time it took me to stop, Kang Pangzi had already disappeared somewhere. I had nowhere to redirect the trouble.
Listening to the mountain sprites' calls getting closer, I felt a sense of despair. After all my calculations and schemes, I was ultimately tricked by Kang Pangzi. I was now in a death trap.
Just as I was preparing to accept my fate, a playful voice reached my ears.
"You're really stupid to be tricked by that fatso."
Hearing that familiar voice, my eyes almost welled up with tears.
"You... how did you get here?"