Chapter 410: Chapter 404: Shadowing Every Step

Shen Liang nodded and smiled, “Brother Su seems to know the No-Man’s Land quite well, have you been here before?”

Su Changxing noticed Shen Liang’s probing but didn’t shy away, “Yes, I even stayed here for a while.”

Wu Qingsheng asked thoughtfully, “So you were injured in the No-Man’s Land before.”

Su Changxing nodded calmly, “Yes, almost died there, but I was lucky.”

Wu Qingsheng sat upright, supporting himself with one hand on the ground, staring at Su Changxing with a smile, “Brother Su, no matter what happens in the end, you must survive. The more the world is like this, the more it needs strong people to survive.”

“It doesn’t matter if there’s one more or one less of me. I was always destined to die early; living this long has been a privilege.”

Su Changxing wiped his face and chuckled, “Those who’ve survived this long aren’t destined for cheap lives, and isn’t there a saying that the cheaper the life, the harder the fate?”

The air was mixed with lingering gasoline fumes, unpleasant but masking the stench of rot, surprisingly comforting.

At this point, everyone was holding onto their last breath; once that was gone, there would be complete despair.

Someone posted on the forum before dying, a post with only a photo of a nearly collapsed table with nothing else around it.

“Did he see something else?”

The Monk was puzzled, feeling it wasn’t that simple.

Su Changxing leaned against the wall, pondering, “He saw something different from what was photographed, he probably was influenced by the foreboding tree, causing mental distortion.”

He thought of the scene he encountered earlier in the gathering place, the porcelain dolls appearing out of nowhere, the eerie laughter, sending chills down his spine.

Even with strong spirit resistance, it seemed useless; only because of the Monk’s timely intervention did they escape.

By noon, they saw the shadow of the foreboding tree again, making everyone panic-stricken.

“Logically, even if it grows very tall, we shouldn’t be able to see it.” A Long stared at the sky, his face twitching uncontrollably, speaking incoherently.

Before he finished speaking, he collapsed to the ground convulsing, emotionally breaking down.

Wu Qingsheng kicked him in the behind sternly, “There are so many people here, don’t embarrass me. Be a man; if you die, you die. When you were almost hacked to death before, I didn’t see you cry.”

A Long slowly stood up from the ground, his expression returned to calm, said quietly, “Boss, I’m sorry, I lost control.”

They had no options left, only to wait, waiting for death to come, like facing execution, watching the executioner beside them raise the axe high.

Su Changxing lay atop the gas station, staring at the gloomy sky, listening to the Monk silently reciting sutras, feeling somewhat comforted.

“Weihuo, previously, that old man surrounded and attacked you, showing that your Monk indeed posed a certain threat to him. But unfortunately, you missed that chance.”

He recalled the past events, speculating.

The Monk opened his eyes, thought for a moment, “I don’t know, but my senior is very formidable. Even if I become an Extraordinary, I’m probably still not as good as him.”

“We were clearing those dolls under his lead, perhaps we shouldn’t have entered the No-Man’s Land after all.”

“Actually, he didn’t agree to go in at that time either, but he was persuaded by me…”

“So I’m wondering, have I been doing the wrong things all along?”

Su Changxing turned his head seeing his serious face, chuckled, “Who’s to say what’s right or wrong? As long as the intent is not wrong, it’s not wrong. Many things can’t be controlled or predicted by human beings.”

“Haha, if we survive and go back, I’ll definitely visit your temple and burn some incense, contribute to your offerings.”

The Monk took off his hat, revealing his bald head, wrinkling his forehead, “Just give me money directly, incense offerings won’t reach my hands anyway.”

Su Changxing laughed heartily, “Weihuo, wouldn’t that be breaking your vows, succumbing to greed?”

The Monk shook his head, “I don’t quite resemble a Monk. I’ve been punished many times by my master before; my seniors are the real Monks.”

As time passed, the temperature gradually decreased, the foreboding tree looked increasingly gigantic in view, like it was blocking the sky, the gray sky dark, light scattered in curves beyond the clouds.

Everything seemed unreal.

“Did any of you hear something speaking near your ear?”

Qu Zhaoyu stood by the roadside, looking around, “Sigh, I heard it too, but can’t clearly distinguish what it’s saying?”

“I heard it too.”

A few people nearby also said.

Su Changxing heard it too, feeling as if someone was whispering in the wind, singing, not a spiritual interference, but truly existent.

“It’s coming.”

He raised his head once more, the sky had somehow become crimson, the clouds faintly tinted red.

Empty as the scenery was, he could still perceive the presence there.

“Why aren’t you running anymore? You can’t escape, death is your final destination.”

The old man’s voice suddenly appeared, erratic, moving from left to right, then back to left.

Like he was mocking them.

Su Changxing could feel the old man’s watchful mentality, knowing they kept running away without urgency, only pursuit.

In the distance, an aged tree in the desert gradually transformed, the old man’s slightly hunched figure appeared, looking at them with a proud and elevated demeanor.

The Monk glared with anger, “What did you gain by dragging so many people to die with you?”

The old man waved his hand slowly, “I won’t die with you; from now on, I am an immortal existence, divine spirits are nothing like this.”

[Foreboding Tree Avatar: A replica, possessing Tier Nine strength.]

“Really?”

Su Changxing chuckled, raised his gun at the old man’s forehead, pulled the trigger, the bullet pierced through his head, leaving a fist-sized hole, withered branches left behind.

“The most despairing part for humans is the inability to succeed despite all efforts, only pointless struggles and pointless hopes.”

The old man’s voice still echoed in everyone’s ears, like a nightmare.

Some couldn’t bear it sitting down and crying, their eyes blackened, faces filled with despair.

Suddenly,

Huang Longhu raised the axe in his hand, rushing fiercely at Wu Qingsheng, aiming a chop at his back.

Wu Qingsheng reacted immediately, sidestepping the attack, kicking Huang Longhu to the ground, cursing, “Ah Hu, what the hell are you doing!”

Huang Longhu sat dumbfounded on the ground, staring at Wu Qingsheng, confused, “No, boss, I didn’t mean it that way.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep