Chapter 36: Soul-Devouring Parent-Child Array
Mountain Lothgar sprawled vast and untamed, its rugged terrain a labyrinth of peaks, waterfalls, and winding rivers. Lordi Payne recalled the conversation he'd had with Chen Mave on the Corpse Cloud, where she had given him a rundown of the region. It boasted five dozens towering peaks, ten dozens cascading waterfalls, and countless rivers and streams, its main range stretching tens of thousands of miles.
The region's thick moisture nurtured a thriving ecosystem. The dense forest teemed with life: birds, beasts, snakes, and insects of every kind. It was a place where nature ruled, and humans were merely visitors.
Chen Haunt's crew, however, had come prepared. As they entered the forest, they distributed insect-repellent sachets, the faint herbal scent warding off the swarms of buzzing pests. Gum Torin took the lead, his long blade flashing as he hacked through the undergrowth, clearing a path for the group. Along the way, they faced ambushes from venomous snakes and territorial beasts, but Chen Haunt's team moved with the precision of seasoned task-runners. Each threat was met with swift, coordinated action, and the journey proceeded with surprising smoothness.
"Quiet!" Gum Torin's sharp command cut through the forest's ambient noise. The group froze, their bodies tensing as they scanned their surroundings. Before Lordi Payne could react, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder—Chen Haunt, stepping up from behind, his grip firm and unyielding.
Chen Haunt's usually refined face clouded over. He shot Lordi Payne a warning glance before turning his attention forward, his eyes narrowing as he peered through the dense foliage. Between the towering ancient trees, behind a thicket of brush, several red-eyed, blue-furred ape-like beasts frolicked.
Motioning the group to retreat to a safe distance, Chen Haunt whispered, "From prior checks, these Fire-Eyed Cyan Apes are the biggest hassle here. If we don't clear them, they'll complicate things later."
Lordi Payne watched silently, his expression neutral but his mind racing. He had no intention of pitching in. In fact, he hoped for the opposite—that Chen Haunt's team would slip up, giving him an opening to act. If chaos erupted, he could seize the opportunity to grab Chen Mave and strike a deal with Willow.
But then, Sil Deshah and the others pulled out liquor and knockout drops from their storage pouches. With practiced precision, they rigged a clever trap, exploiting the Fire-Eyed Cyan Apes' love for booze. The apes, drawn by the scent, eagerly lapped up the spiked liquor. Within moments, they slumped to the ground, unconscious—no blood spilled, no sound made.
Next, they moved on to a nest of Spirit-Devouring Ants. These tiny, voracious creatures were a nightmare for any cultivator, capable of stripping flesh from bone in seconds. But Chen Haunt's team had come prepared. Using a combination of fire talismans and poison powder, they eradicated the nest without a single ant escaping. A Blue-Winged Crow, a cunning and territorial bird known for its razor-sharp talons, met a similar fate. The squad cleared threats of the area with cooperation.