My Misfortune Crushed Instances-Chapter 67: How Could the Secret Realm Breaking Have Nothing to Do with Him?
The Silent Forest is located at the border of the ancient Liangting kingdom.
An elite troop is stationed here year-round, known as the Fierce Character Camp.
This troop established an illustrious military record during the founding of Liangting, with the founding emperor personally praising their bravery and ferocity like tigers, and hence the name.
This is how it is recorded in the history books of Liangting.
But Wei Xun knows, the original words of the founding emperor were: "Damn, whose troops are those at the foot of the mountain? Truly fierce, damn it!"
The Wei family knows about this because their ancestors were strategists who accompanied the founding emperor in his conquests. For five generations, they have been dukes and have intermarried with the royal family, making them one of the most powerful families in Liangting.
Being born into such a family, Wei Xun could live a life of luxury and still easily obtain at least a third or fourth-rank idle official position.
However, he chose an unusual path, leaving home to find a master to study martial arts.
No one had high hopes for him, not even his biological father, Duke Cheng, who said: "Consider him as not being my son."
Who would have thought, that after more than ten years, when Wei Xun returned to his homeland, he had become a top-notch expert. The emperor, with a stroke of his pen, appointed him to the Demon Suppression Bureau, directly making him a deputy commander.
Currently, he is hurrying towards the Silent Forest, having accidentally received a distress letter from General Dingyuan of the Fierce Character Camp while patrolling this area.
Wei Xun had long been interested in the Silent Forest, as it is full of ominous and demonic energy. If it wasn’t for the forest being on the border of Liangting and not within its boundaries, he would have wanted to explore it long ago. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Now, with the forest’s edge in sight, he stops because a Daoist in a wide-sleeved robe appears in front.
More importantly, there are countless corpses at his feet.
Wei Xun is not afraid. He rests his hand on the long knife at his waist and sternly asks, "Who goes there?"
The Daoist turns his head, bows, and says succinctly and powerfully: "This humble Daoist is Daoist Zhenyue of Shenxiao Palace."
"So it’s Daoist Zhenyue, I’ve long admired your name."
Wei Xun cupped his fists respectfully and said, "I didn’t expect to meet you here, Daoist. I am Wei Xun from the Demon Suppression Bureau of Liangting. May I know who these people on the ground are?"
Daoist Zhenyue, hearing his background, felt slightly relieved: "You’ll know when you come and take a look."
Wei Xun still held his knife but calmed his murderous aura as he walked closer. He saw that the bodies were not corpses, but human-skin puppets, all identical, with yellow paper stuck to their faces. It was apparent that Daoist Zhenyue had sealed their movements but did not directly destroy them.
Because puppets are connected to their master, once destroyed, the master would know due to the leakage of essence blood and soul. This sealing method tricks them instead, a clever Daoist technique.
"Is this Zuo Qiutian? So he came here," Wei Xun checked the puppets and muttered.
Daoist Zhenyue frowned: "I could tell it was the work of the Evil Dao by the puppet-making technique. I didn’t expect it was him."
"Daoist, do you know the situation of the military camp to the east of the Silent Forest?"
"I haven’t been there, intending to go now."
"Then would you like to travel with me, Wei? What does the Daoist think?"
"Since it’s about Zuo Qiutian... alright."
The two gestured politely to each other and disappeared from the spot, while the human-skin puppets were collected into a jade box by Daoist Zhenyue with a magical artifact before leaving.
...
"The Secret Realm is having problems again!"
Wang Ba held his head in his hands, looking very distressed, "It’s over, it’s over, it’s over."
He got the news quite late, mainly because someone under him was in that Secret Realm; otherwise, the provincial branch wouldn’t have notified him.
Wu Bing, holding a stainless steel tea cup, comforted him: "Don’t worry, since the ten-star Secret Realm already had Li Rui come out, I’m sure it will be trouble-free this time too."
"Oh no, I’m not worried about that."
Wang Ba said with a sour face, "This time in the Secret Realm, both the Hee family and the Huo family have main family members inside. If those two get trapped inside while he comes out alone, can he bear the responsibility?!"
Wu Bing blinked his small eyes twice: "Huh? Why should he bear the responsibility?"
Wang Ba glared: "The Secret Realm has problems, and the task points are gone; who else did it if not him?!"
Wu Bing gasped: "Makes sense, that’s terrible, maybe we should hope he doesn’t come out?"
.....
To be honest, as the two highest-ranking officials of the Baili Association, both Hee Qiunian and Huo Yingjun were somewhat uneasy. Comparatively, Old Huo couldn’t stay calm.
Because when he heard the secretary’s report, both Zhang Shan and Li Shi of the Cangyun Association failed to clear the stages. The name of the Secret Realm engraved on them disappeared, but they hadn’t awoken.
Huo Yun, not yet the backbone of the Huo family but very young, it is quite difficult to find a junior with aspiration, some strength, and no bad habits in such a big family.
Huo Yingjun doesn’t want him to be trapped inside like that.
Hee Qiunian wasn’t in a good state either, He Chengli was still alive, but danger could happen anytime. The main Hee family’s lineage is unlike the Huo family, a careless move could allow a branch family to take over.
Moreover, he was his grandson.
At this time, Song Yao wasn’t comforting them, because he too was uneasy in his heart.
As the superior of the Huangliang branch, he knew more about Li Rui, and right now, he had the same thought.
He believed the problem with the Secret Realm was related to Li Rui.
...
At present, scapegoat Li Rui was leading three others through the forest.
It was completely dark now, and the forest was pitch black. However, he had the Blue Silver Lamp Ring, so he used its flashlight function to light up the surroundings.
Brother Wu was still a little uneasy and advised: "Maybe we should avoid making light, it’s too conspicuous."
Li Rui said: "If a world NPC of that level is looking for us, light doesn’t make a difference. Also, if there’s light, we can see it clearly if it really comes."
"And then what?"
"Then? Then we’ll know how we die."
"..."
Brother Wu was speechless, "You’re still joking around, we could be chased down at any time, aren’t you nervous?"
"Does being nervous help? I’ve been hunted for over ten years."
"Hunted by who?"
"Life."
"I told you to stop joking!"
They were heading in a vertical direction, connecting the camp and deeper into the forest.
This was the agreed result. Everyone concurred that the mysterious NPC must be collecting living souls for something deeper in the forest.
So as long as they stayed away from that line, it would be safer.
"It’s far enough, right?"
Huo Yun suggested, "Should we stop now?"
He was actually asking Li Rui for permission. The first time this happened, He Chengli was surprised, but he noticed that this guy had been like this all along, so he got used to it over time.
It was just another addition to the big brother’s gang, no big deal.
The group agreed to his suggestion, as it was already quite late, and jumping to the treetops made it hard to distinguish direction and risked taking the wrong path by mistake. Anyway, they were far enough.
They found a clearing to rest and pass the time.
The night in the Silent Forest was indeed silent, without the sounds of insects or birds.
Brother Wu, nearby, was massaging his sore feet, while the two juniors from the great families each expressed their admiration.
Huo Yun stared expressionlessly at the ground, no longer having the demeanor he had when they first met: "Li Rui, you saved me; in the future, if you ever need help, you can contact me. If there’s nothing, well, we can always catch up."
He Chengli immediately interrupted: "Brother Rui, when can we get out of here?"
"Let’s wait. As long as we stay alive, when other world NPCs come to handle the anomaly, other exits will open, and we’ll be able to get out safely."
Brother Wu looked more relaxed and was quick to reply, "That’s what the emergency manual says."
"Hey, Brother Wu, does the emergency manual say what to do if a particularly murderous world NPC comes for us?"
"What else is there to do? Just wait to die." Brother Wu replied.
Li Rui forced a stiff smile: "Then we can wait to die now."
With the Blue Silver Lamp Ring, he illuminated the area, and they saw a scholar in a long shirt standing between two trees, dressed the same as the puppets and with a face.
