# 187
**Chapter 187: Crisis Approaches**
"Ahhh!!"
A shrill scream echoed from afar. Shen Qingzhu, Deng Wei, and Li Liang—who had split up to search—froze for a moment, then sprinted toward Li Jia’s location!
In the dark forest, Li Jia’s cry lasted only an instant before sinking into deathly silence.
"Li Jia! Li Jia! Where are you?!"
A bad premonition flared in Shen Qingzhu’s heart. He dashed to where the scream had come from and shouted into the shadows; Deng Wei and Li Liang raced up behind him, faces twisted with panic.
A beam of light cut through the gloom. A burly silhouette stepped unhurriedly out of the trees, heading straight for them.
The man was bare-chested. A giant axe rested on his right shoulder; in his left hand he swung a dripping, freshly-severed head. He grinned like a simpleton as he appeared.
"Let’s see which little brats are makin’ all that noise."
When Shen Qingzhu’s trio spotted the head, their pupils shrank to pinpricks. Li Liang’s legs gave out; he collapsed, ashen-faced.
Deng Wei stood frozen, disbelief flooding his eyes.
Shen Qingzhu’s whole body shook. He glared at the smiling brute, fists clenched so hard his nails drew blood.
The man swept his gaze over them and laughed.
"Good, good, good—three more ripe melons ready for pickin’!"
"I’ll pick your damn mother!!!!"
Shen Qingzhu roared and charged.
…
"Something’s wrong!"
Under a tree, Lin Qiye snapped his eyes open and leapt up, face grave.
Baili Pangpang jumped. "What is it?"
"There are others in these mountains besides us!" Lin Qiye sprinted to the ruined village building and found Instructor Hong.
"What’s happened?" Instructor Hong asked, frowning at Lin Qiye’s expression.
"Enemies in the hills—and more than one. While directing nocturnal creatures toward the peak where Yaya’s parents vanished, I found strangers instead. So far: four. Three feel like River Realm; the fourth is too strong—either peak River or outright Sea Realm."
"Three River, one possible Sea?" Instructor Hong’s face darkened.
The rescue mission had just bared its fangs: the sudden mudslide, Chief Yuan Gang’s disappearance, now mysterious experts in the forest…
"Where are they?"
"One’s close, on the path Shen Qingzhu took. Two more are farther off, searching for something. The possible Sea Realm sits on a hillside—no idea what he’s doing."
Boom——!!
Before Lin Qiye finished, a dull explosion rolled from the direction Shen Qingzhu had gone. Firelight stained the sky beyond the ridge.
"Shen Qingzhu’s team’s hit!" Lin Qiye said.
Instructor Hong yanked out his radio.
"Rescue Team One here. Three River Realm hostiles, one possible Sea nearby. Cadets under attack—request immediate backup! Repeat, request backup!"
"Temporary Rescue HQ copies. Relaying to all teams. Instructors will move to support; other cadets stay in their villages. Team One, instructors need three hours minimum to reach you—hold out."
Voices answered in rapid succession.
"Team Three, Han Li here—close by, en route."
"Team Five, Wang Feng—moving now."
"Team Two…"
Instructor Hong gripped the radio, cursing. "Three hours? By then we’re all corpses…"
He slung the black case holding his Starblade, turned to Lin Qiye and the others. "Wait here. I’ll pull Shen Qingzhu’s team out—don’t move."
"Instructor Hong—wait!" Lin Qiye called. Hong spun back.
"It’s not that simple. The Chief vanishes, enemies appear—this rescue is a trap. They’re here for a reason."
"What reason?"
"Unclear, but not for survivors. Why this village? Why right next to Team One? Their path is laser-straight toward us." Lin Qiye drew a slow breath. "Honestly, the only thing in Village One worth that much firepower… is me."
"They’re after you? But how would they know we’d disaster-relief, or that you’d be in Team One?"
Lin Qiye’s eyes narrowed. "A Night Watch traitor high up, maybe."
Hong’s face turned thunderous.
"If I stay, survivors get caught in the cross-fire. If I draw them away, they’ll follow—and leave this place." Lin Qiye’s voice stayed calm. "We need to save Shen Qingzhu without letting the other hostiles dog-pile that fight, or everything goes to hell."
His gaze sharpened. "Plan: Instructor Hong, take Baili Pangpang—his relics may tip the scales. Molly, Wen Qingqing, relocate survivors to hiding outside the village. Me?"
He looked into the dark, silent forest.
"I’ll pull the other three enemies after me."