Chapter 91: Chapter 91: The Eccentric Old Beastman
After instructing Nan, Wen Shu hurried to the meeting point. When she arrived, five or six Beastmen were already waiting at the city gate.
After brief negotiations, she learned that the mysterious Beastman who issued the bounty hadn’t arrived yet.
And upon understanding the ranks of the Beastmen present, she couldn’t help but frown.
This group of Beastmen taking on the mission was definitely not simple characters.
Among the six Beastmen present, there was a high-level Purification System female, and the males were all above Seventh Rank; two of them were even Eighth Rank Beasts!
It seems high rewards indeed come with high risks, this mission is absolutely not simple...
While she was pondering, the female Yali suddenly lit up and stood up excitedly, "It’s actually Bai Qiao the female and the Inspector! Eh, who is that beside them?"
Hearing clearly what she said, Wen Shu stiffened on the spot.
How could it be them!
This part wasn’t in the original novel, right?
She slightly turned her face and immediately spotted Bai Qiao and Yining.
Perhaps considering entering the dense forest, Bai Qiao had changed into agile light-colored beast skin attire and pants, with her dark brown long hair tied high on top of her head.
Yining walked by her side, dressed in similar colored attire, with an amber pendant wrapped around his wrist.
From a distance, their outstanding appearances and the perfect height difference made them look very compatible.
Seeing them arriving side by side, Wen Shu thought Yining understood her hint and had changed his pursuit target.
But before she could relax, her peripheral vision caught the cold-looking male pausing his steps, eyes lighting up with surprise as he walked towards her, "Wen Shu the female? You’re here too!"
Noticing his change in attitude, the Beastmen present all turned to look.
In their eyes, this newly appointed Inspector was indifferent and aloof, none had ever seen him show such an expression.
Even the male behind Yining, who had been mysterious since appearing, draped in a black cloak, lifted his wrinkled face.
"Is this the female you chose?"
His voice was hoarse and aged, like a deep echo from a valley.
His murky brown eyes lightly fell on Wen Shu’s face, paused for a few seconds, before a hint of surprise crossed them. "Female, where do you come from?"
The Beastmen all assumed he was asking which tribe the female came from when he suddenly spoke.
But when Wen Shu met his gaze, her pupils contracted, a chill raced up her spine, feeling as though this elderly male saw through her soul!
Who... exactly is this old Beastman?
The air remained tense for a few seconds.
Avoiding detection, Wen Shu eased her stiff expression, lifting the corners of her lips in a smile, "I come from the Fox Beast Tribe."
Her tone was natural, yet the old Beastman kept staring at her, his gaze growing increasingly sharp.
His dark lips pressed tightly, his expression unsympathetic, "Is that so?"
Yining stood between them, noticing the old Beastman’s aggressive questioning of the female, sensing something amiss.
This old Priest serving in the Royal City was known for being eccentric and obstinate, never meddling in matters outside his divine duties.
Why would he suddenly target the female today?
Yining’s heart was plagued with doubts, but unable to tolerate the female being questioned, he quickly spoke to break the solemn atmosphere, "It’s getting late; we should set off soon!"
He took a step forward, blocking the old Priest’s line of sight, casually hooked Wen Shu’s arm, and leaned forward slightly, "Wen Shu the female, the wind will be strong later, shall I accompany you?"
Seeing his attempt to help break the tension, Wen Shu didn’t resist, avoiding the old Priest’s gaze, and followed him towards the city gate.
As they were about to leave, the leading male Nova asked, "Inspector, where are we going? What’s the mission target?"
This time, the bounty mission only marked the amount of Crystal Coins and the meeting point; they knew almost nothing.
However, they were all here for the Crystal Coins, cared little about the mission details.
Plus, they were high-level Beasts; no matter how difficult the mission, they wouldn’t lose their lives, would they?
"Right, sir, what’s the mission?"
Once someone spoke up, the other Beastmen also raised questions.
Surrounded by them, Yining’s previously gentle expression turned cold again, he lifted his eyelids, slowly sweeping the group, seemingly disliking the proximity of others.
The Beastmen felt their hearts skip at his icy gaze, swallowing nervously, silently retreating a few steps.
Yining withdrew his gaze, turning to look at the old Priest, "Bernard, in which direction should we search?"
Still displeased with Yining for interrupting earlier, Priest Bona looked at him for a moment before hunching his back forward, "Follow me."
As he spoke, his gaze swept across the group of males, his tone rather arrogant, "Who are the Flying Beasts?"
His rude attitude irritated the Beastmen, but as he was the employer, they couldn’t directly show their displeasure.
Thus, two Seventh Rank males exchanged a glance, transforming into two Flying Beasts, the gust from their flapping wings abruptly blew off Priest Bona’s hood.
However, the eccentric old Priest merely pressed his lips together and leaped onto the back of a Flying Beast, pointing north, "Fly there."
The expansive snowfall had ceased, yet the snow season hadn’t ended.
The Flying Beasts flapped their wings heading towards the dense forest, icy winds cutting across faces like cold blades, leaving cheeks stinging.
Wen Shu tightened her beast skin, burying her face in the collar, looking down, she saw vast stretches of dazzling white snow retreating rapidly beneath them.
But soon enough, she sensed something amiss.
The snow seemed to melt too quickly.
Even though the peaks and treetops were covered in snow, occasionally large patches of bare land or intense green suddenly appeared.
The original owner hadn’t entered the dense forest during the snow season, naturally lacking any memory of such a situation.
But if the snow melted this fast, why would the tribe’s Beastmen reside in Beast City for five full months?
As the dense forest drew closer, a familiar unease surged within, while a tree’s crown suddenly collapsed, revealing its rich lushness beneath.
She promptly looked downward but found the entire forest obscured by snow, impossible to see anything.
Wen Shu frowned, turning to Yining, "Something isn’t right..."
Before Yining could respond, Priest Bona’s excited voice sounded from ahead, "Quick, descend! Right here!"
Upon receiving the order, the Flying Beasts dove downward sharply, and Wen Shu, unsteady, clamped her mouth shut, gripping the Flying Beast’s feathers tightly.
Soon they landed within a dense forest.
The snow here hadn’t melted, tree crowns piled with snow, prone to collapse at any excessive disturbance.
Wen Shu recalled the earlier scene, grasped Yining’s sleeve, and solemnly said, "There’s something in this dense forest."
Having witnessed the female’s strength, Yining had no doubts about her judgment, but he didn’t immediately announce her warning.
Instead, he pulled her wrist, moved beside a tree, and quietly said, "Wen Shu the female, time is tight, what we’re seeking is crucial."
He lowered his long lashes, glanced at the Beastmen in the forest’s center, and said softly, "I’ll find a chance to warn them later, but you..."
Yining’s eyes flashed seriously with a grip secretly firming, "Should anything happen, be sure to stay close to me."