"What? What did you say? Zhang Fan escaped? He was tied up like a mummy, how could he have escaped? Where's Brother Zhang?" I grabbed Chen Yun's shoulder, asking with some agitation. You see, Zhang Fan was my trump card. With him around, even if the Ghost King came, I'd have some leverage for negotiation. Now that he's gone, where am I supposed to find a trump card?
"Brother Zhang went to chase him, he should be able to catch him!" Chen Yun replied in a voice as quiet as a mosquito, seemingly with some hidden difficulty.
I paid no mind to the change in her expression, simply telling her to guard the place well, then I bypassed her and ran out the main door. Once outside, I pulled out my phone and called Zhang Dabiao. The call was answered after two rings.
Heavy panting came from the other end of the phone, mixed with faint coughs.
"Brother Zhang, where are you? Did you catch him?"
"No… that kid escaped so fast, I don't know how he did it. I've been following his tracks and I'm almost at the border of Beishan Mining Town." He paused several times while speaking, indicating that Zhang Dabiao was giving it his all to chase Zhang Fan.
Beishan Mining Town?
What was Zhang Fan doing going there? You have to know that Beishan Mining Town has always been known as a dead land, a place no one wants to venture into. Even the Hu family, who called themselves the uncrowned kings, were reluctant to set foot there, because very few who entered ever came out alive.
As for how I managed to walk out of there alive, I believe it was all by accident. The first time, I had the help of the old monk. He used his cultivation to release us from within, and in return, I promised to publicly disclose the matter of the great demon's emergence.
I conveyed this news to Hu Dejin, the head of the Hu family. As for why he didn't make it public, that remains unknown.
The second time I left, it was with the help of the senior in the black robe. However, I almost lost Xiao Bing. Moreover, that place has temporarily become the senior in the black robe's residence, and he also took on a disciple, Wu Gege, who was somewhat rebellious. As for why the senior in the black robe took a liking to Beishan Mining Town, that's something I, Lian Yan Yimo Hei, don't know.
Perhaps it's because the Yin energy there is quite strong, suitable for his cultivation. Anyway, according to Wu Gege, living here is very comfortable. The Yin energy is like a thin mist; inhaling it refreshes the heart and lungs, and exhaling it brings a sense of exhilaration.
"Hello, little brother, are you listening to me?"
Zhang Dabiao's voice pulled me back from my reverie. I quickly asked, "What did you say just now? I zoned out."
"I said that kid entered the Beishan Mining Town area, and he's sitting not far from here catching his breath. I'm planning to go over and kill this bastard."
I hurriedly said, "Brother Zhang, you absolutely must not go in. If he went in, you should come back!"
Zhang Dabiao was clearly unwilling. Watching that scoundrel flaunt his power right in front of him was very frustrating. "He's sitting not far away, it shouldn't be a problem for me to go in. Didn't we get out last time we went in?" he added, still not giving up.
"Brother Zhang, listen to me. Beishan Mining Town is different now compared to before. The old monk is dead, and there's a new master there now. The master isn't very good-tempered. If you go in, you won't be able to come out. Think about your wife. It's not the time for you to be acting recklessly anymore." I almost shouted the last sentence.
I understood the temperament of the senior in the black robe to some extent. Since he chose to stay in Beishan Mining Town alone and even left Wu Gege as his disciple, it meant he didn't want anyone else to know he was there. If Zhang Dabiao rashly went in, no one knew what the outcome would be.
If he happened to anger him, he could be killed with a single slap, which would be truly unfair.
Zhang Dabiao scratched his ear. He hadn't expected me to shout at him and was stunned for a moment. He said, "Alright, I'll listen to you. If you say no, then no." As soon as he finished speaking, before I could hang up the phone, a scream came from the other end, startling me so much that I almost dropped my phone.
"Brother Zhang, what happened to you? What's going on over there…" Before I could finish speaking, a "squeaking" sound came from the phone, and then the line went dead. This immediately sent me into a panic.
I cast the Tian Qiao Seal on myself, using all my strength, and ran desperately towards Beishan Mining Town, silently praying, "Brother Zhang, please don't let anything happen to you. If something happens to you, I'll live with guilt for the rest of my life."
When I arrived at the location, I didn't see Zhang Dabiao's figure. Instead, I saw a pool of blood and some torn fabric. My heart sank to the bottom.
When I got closer, I saw that the color of the fabric scraps was black, and they carried a faint scent of blood. This clearly wasn't what Zhang Dabiao was wearing; it should have been Zhang Fan's, as he was entirely in black robes. Not giving up, I took out my phone and called Zhang Dabiao again.
A faint ringing sound came from not far away. Following the phone's ring, I found the phone screen was mostly shattered and stuck in a crevice between rocks. Next to it, in the grass, was a mark about a meter wide, appearing to have been crushed by something.
I picked up his phone and touched the crushed grass blades. They were still wet, and when I touched them with my finger, the liquid was sticky. A faint, fishy, and pungent odor entered my nostrils.
"This… this is a snake's trail."
Soon, I deduced that the owner of this crushing mark was likely a snake with a diameter of nearly a meter. I measured my waist circumference; it could swallow me whole in one gulp.
"Brother Zhang…"
Judging by the direction the grass blades were bent, this large snake must have come out of Beishan Mining Town. Therefore, it was likely that Zhang Fan or Zhang Dabiao had disturbed the sealed demon within Beishan Mining Town. As a result, Zhang Fan was the first to suffer, and then seeing Zhang Dabiao, he gave chase.
Brother Zhang shouldn't be dead, I encouraged myself, and followed the direction of the bent grass blades. I didn't dare to run at full speed like before. It wasn't that I didn't care about Brother Zhang's safety, but I was afraid that my noise would attract the attention of the large snake, and I'd end up getting myself killed without saving anyone.
After running east for about five li, the snake's trail suddenly turned, heading south again. The trail only disappeared when it was close to the small river east of the village. Fortunately, I didn't see any bloodstains along the way, which put my mind at ease.
Looking at the rushing river before me, I couldn't help but loudly call Zhang Dabiao's name. I ran up and down for a kilometer, calling out as I walked. I didn't manage to call Zhang Dabiao out, but instead, the wolves in the mountains began to howl mournfully.
Inspired by the wolf howls, I slapped myself. How could I forget Huang San's disciples? They lived nearby. Huang San was captured, so they should still be living here.
With that thought, I quickly took out a yellow talisman, wrote Huang San's name on it, recited the summoning incantation, and then lit it. Watching a wisp of smoke disappear into the deep mountains, I sat down on the sandy bank.
In a short while, two weasels the size of domestic cats appeared before me. At first, they were hesitant and darted around, but when they saw it was me, they happily jumped out and chattered at my feet, as if greeting me. Sudan Novel Network.
Looking at the two little fellows before me, I didn't waste any time and directly stated my request.
"I need your help with something now. Help me find someone. This has his scent on it. If you find him, I will reward you handsomely." Saying this, I took out Zhang Dabiao's phone.
The two weasels didn't hesitate. They first came up to smell it, then jumped back and chattered at me, as if saying something.
Seeing that I didn't understand what they were saying, the two weasels actually started to perform. One stood up and pretended to be a person, running ahead, while the other crawled on the ground, twisting its body as it moved.
"You mean this person was chased by a large snake and ran off? Where did you see that person go?"
The weasel pretending to be a person in front walked a short distance towards the river, jumped up half a meter, and leaped towards the riverbank.
"You mean he jumped into the river?"
"Squeak squeak…"
I felt a wave of dizziness. How was I supposed to find him? Wasn't this like looking for a needle in a haystack?