Chapter 574: Chu Mo Island (Thirty-Nine)
Chapter 574: Chu Mo Island (Thirty-Nine)
In the southeast of the Crystal Labyrinth lay a place known as "Fear Leaf."
"Feared Leaf" was both a location and an object.
Its owner—and the master of the entire labyrinth—was the aerial overlord "Can Mu."
At the same time Feng Bu Jue and his team received their task...
With a guttural hiss, a massive white shadow slithered toward the area. Her movements were swift—her massive body more agile than it appeared.
Soon, she crawled onto a giant mulberry leaf the size of a football field, resting atop its veins.
"Urghhh—bleghh—"
Can Mu let out an unsettling vomit sound in her loli-like voice.
The next second, a torrent of mucus erupted from her mouth. A pinkish-white human-shaped cocoon fell onto the leaf surface.
"Hehehe... Still haven't lost your mind yet..." Can Mu sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "I've never seen a human last this long under my control..."
As she spoke, silk threads pulled the "human cocoon" upright. It slowly ascended into the air—rising toward the upper layers above Fear Leaf's canopy. (Fear Leaf's height aligned with a network of aerial silk threads, and Can Mu always moved above this web.)
"Normal humans fall into madness the moment I take control", Can Mu continued. "Even left alone, they'd go insane within ten minutes. But you... Swallowed whole and brought all the way here, yet your mind remains intact..."
Around Fear Leaf stood four or five crystal pillars, their height tapering upward. As Can Mu spoke, Fei Chai Shu's cocoon rose to the edge of one pillar's peak and was suspended there.
"But don't worry... I'm patient", Can Mu's voice turned menacing. "You can hear me now, right? Hehe... That's right. The other cocoons around you hold stubborn ones like yourself. They're still alive."
She pointed toward other crystal pillars where larger cocoons hung. Their shapes were clearly not human.
"They've been there far longer than you can imagine... Hehehe..." Can Mu chuckled. "And don't think starving to death will save you. My cocoons will keep you alive—until you become a deliciously insane meal." Her voice suddenly chilled. "I know you still hope... Yes, your companions severed my Brain Silk, but don't delude yourself into thinking they'll rescue you."
With a tremor, the silk web above the labyrinth turned invisible again.
"They won't succeed..." Can Mu's sweet voice contrasted her malice. "I'll wait right here... For them to walk straight into my trap..."
——
Elsewhere in the Crystal Labyrinth.
"Eh? The web vanished again", Ji Bu noted as he watched the space above.
"Not vanished—just turned invisible again", Feng Bu Jue replied with a laugh.
"Hmm..." Hong Hu pondered. "Could this mean Can Mu's returning to her nest?"
Sensing the mood shift, Tian Ma Xing Kong turned to Feng Bu Jue. "You sure we're going the right way?"
Ji Bu chimed in, "Yeah, how come you're suddenly leading with such confidence?"
"Hardly confident—only about 60-70% sure", Feng Bu Jue explained. "You saw those repaired web sections earlier? By the silk's color depth, I deduced Can Mu's weaving pattern and direction, which told me where she retreated. Also, this path matches the approach she took when advancing earlier."
"Awooooo!"
Before Feng Bu Jue finished, a textbook-perfect wolf howl echoed from ahead.
The four players halted, instincts flaring.
At this point, the Nightmare difficulty's cruelty became evident—despite their elite status, the scenario hadn't eased. Their strength meant little here. Since starting, they'd fought few major battles, yet exhaustion, hunger, and thirst drained them. Without needing powerful monsters, the environment alone had worn them down.
"Grrr..."
A low growl approached. From behind a semi-transparent crystal pillar, a shadow emerged.
As the players braced for a lupine creature, the system tricked them again.
"Awooooo!" Another howl rang out. The illusion beast leapt from behind the pillar—revealing its true form.
A goat.
Specifically, a wild mountain goat of highland breed. Its gray-brown fur darkened along the upper body, and its head bore a pair of curved horns with ridged, mountain-like patterns.
"Awooooo!" The wild goat glared, lowering its head to shake its horns threateningly.
The players, however, looked far from frightened—merely exchanging exasperated glances.
"Tch... That's a goat, right?" Ji Bu twitched.
"Yeah, definitely a goat", Hong Hu confirmed.
"Perhaps an evolutionary survival trait—mimicking predator calls", Feng Bu Jue theorized, stroking his chin.
As the trio debated the goat's origins, Tian Ma Xing Kong suddenly launched forward.
"Evil beast!" He pointed dramatically. "Would you dare block a hero's path!"
"Awooooo!" The goat howled, seemingly understanding Brother Horse's words.
"Turn from your wicked ways!" Tian Ma Xing Kong pivoted, striking a symmetrical pose. "I see goodness in your eyes... Even if your mother's past with wolves scarred your childhood, you mustn't—"
"Goodness, my ass!" Feng Bu Jue slapped Tian Ma Xing Kong's face, shoving him aside. "What mother and wolves? What childhood trauma? What prejudice? Why debate a mountain goat like you're Naruto?"
Before finishing, Feng Bu Jue drew his Cleaver with a metallic ring.
"Back off! Let the man with the Five Tiger Star handle this!" Feng Bu Jue charged, ready to butcher.
To him, wolf or goat made no difference. If he ate elves, what chance did an animal have?
"Huh's he talking about?" Hong Hu asked, confused.
"Five Tiger Star refers to the five strongest chefs from the Underground Cooking Realm", Ji Bu explained. Sighing immediately, he groaned, "Why do I know such trivia..."
As they talked, Feng Bu Jue lunged at the goat.
What followed was an awkward wrestling match—both parties grunting and roaring.
Feng Bu Jue chose hand-to-hand combat to preserve the "ingredient's" quality, but the struggle nearly exhausted him.
Finally, he activated his [Spirit Sense Body Technique - Modified] to finish it.
After slicing the goat's throat, Feng Bu Jue did something revolting—he drank large mouthfuls of raw goat blood.
Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he burped contentedly. "Ah... Not bad."
"I don't even know how to respond..." Hong Hu muttered, licking his lips. "You're an extreme utilitarian."
"Drink quick—it'll be stew time soon", Feng Bu Jue teased, smearing blood into a smiley on his cheeks.
"Uh... Is this really safe to drink?" Tian Ma Xing Kong asked, swallowing hard. Like his thirsty teammates, he hesitated mentally.
"I recall seeing raw goat blood on a hotpot menu", Ji Bu mused. "Just never dared order it—worried about parasites."
"Ah..." Hong Hu relaxed. "If that's the case..." He approached the corpse. After three sips, he stood abruptly. "What awful taste!"
"When did I say it tasted good?" Feng Bu Jue shrugged.
"Then why that satisfied 'not bad' line?" Hong Hu snapped.
"It quenched my thirst without abnormal status", Feng Bu Jue replied. "Two checks make it drinkable. What more do you want?"
"Honestly..." Ji Bu added, "I'd want it in a bowl with cilantro and crushed peanuts..."
"I'd boil it with some salt", Tian Ma Xing Kong agreed.
"Enough!" Feng Bu Jue snapped at the two overthinkers. "Drink or I'll finish the carcass. Do you want to rescue Fei Chai Shu or start dividing loot back to Gaolao Village?"
(End of Chapter)
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