Chapter 285: Night

On the other side, Su Jinxi and Shen Zhen went to a distance to have a conversation. Both could still remember the first time they saw the dark energy surrounding the planet and even know that they’re here inside, the air was still mixed with it. This made them feel eerie and at the same time eager.

Eagerness to find the ancient ginkgo tree to stimulate their core. It’s been hard on them these days. Everyday they could see the mental pollution everywhere they go, not just on themselves but most importantly to the companions they have. What’s worse was they couldn’t do anything. Other than reminding them occasionally, it’s never enough especially for soldiers like them.

It’s also hard to continue leaning on Qin An. They knew his circumstances and his body cannot handle this everything on his own. He needs help and as someone who was given that chance, only themselves know how much they longed to fulfill this new responsibility on them.

"We have to find the ginkgo tree immediately." Su Jinxi said. Shen Zhen nodded seriously.

"Hopefully while we’re looking for it, nothing too dangerous will happen."

Regrettably, those wishes weren’t granted because in the middle of their rest, a strange phenomena happens again.

It was Fu Minglei and Qi Jian’s turn to look-out that night and they were just chatting with a low voice when all of the sudden, a voice echoed against the wind.

"Help me..."

Both of them were startled and turned their heads around yet they saw no one.

"Help me!"

"!!!"

"Who is it?!" They quickly stood up and had their guards up. They definitely heard that sound from someone but no matter in which direction they turn, they see no one. They even used their mental power but they couldn’t detect anyone’s presence.

And that voice doesn’t even sound as if it’s far away from them. It just sounds near but why can’t they see anyone?

Fu Minglei and Qi Jian waited for that voice to answer but strangely, there was nothing after that. Only silence and the small sound from the cold wind were like whispering and whistling in the middle of the night.

They looked at each other, both saw confusion in their eyes. Was that a hallucination? Are they just hearing it wrong? Maybe it was just the wind?

They waited again for a long time that they didn’t know but it was as if the world went back again to the peaceful night.

"What’s going on?"

"Marshal!" It turns out that everyone heard the commotion and quickly prepared themselves except for Qin An who was sleeping with exhaustion, Cheng Yu and Zhi Anming.

"Reporting to Marshal, we just heard someone was asking for help." Fu Minglei stepped forward and told them about what happened. "However we didn’t see anyone around here."

Hong Xinan frowned. "No one?"

"Yes."

"...." They went silent.

"Maybe just the wind?" Ji Wen hesitantly said but they knew that that’s impossible with their situation. If it’s in the past maybe but in this situation where they knew that ghosts exist, it’s hard not to overthink.

"Check the surroundings again." He Li remains unfazed and orders them.

Still, nothing was discovered.

"Marshal, I’m sorry for disrupting your rest." Eventually, Qi Jian felt Ji Wen was right. He’s now regretting that he reacted fast earlier and disturbed everyone’s rest. "You can go back now and—"

"Help me!"

"!!!!" Qi Jian’s voice was cut off when that voice interrupted. This time, all of them heard it way more clearly.

"Ji Wen and Shen Zhen, wake Cheng Yu and Zhi Anming and protect Qin An. Don’t wake him up yet." He Li quietly ordered. Others also grip their mechas and weapons on other hand while their eyes are scanning around. They also chose to circle Qin An’s tent for more protection just in case.

"Who are you? Come out!" Qi Jian once again shouted but they couldn’t see anyone.

He Li’s eyes narrowed. "Su Jinxi, can you see it?"

He just thought that if they couldn’t see it, what about Su Jinxi and other’s ’eyes’?

Everyone also realized this and turned towards Su Jinxi and Shen Zhen but froze when they saw their expressions.

Both of them were standing motionless and the expression on their faces shouts that they are really seeing something they couldn’t.

And even when Zhi Anming went outside the tent, he also froze and his face turned pale again.

"Surround them!" He Li quickly instructed.

"What did you see?" He Li’s expression was still calm.

"M-Marshal," Su Jinxi’s voice quivered. "... There’s so many."

He frowned. Many? What?

Su Jinxi held her breath. At first she could see the dark energy started moving recklessly. Earlier they were just swaying as if they were one with the wind, calm yet eerie. When out of nowhere as the wind blows colder, those dark mist was like being pulled into something.

They went to form and gradually started to shape with human-like silhouettes.

And there are too many figures now in front of them.

"Evil spirits..." They heard Zhi Anming whispers.

They grew even more concerned at those words. No one knows how to deal with them other than Qin An!

"Marshal, should we wake him up?" Ji Wen asked at the back.

He Li turned his head and looked at the lying young man. His face doesn’t look pale anymore but he knew that he still needed a rest from earlier consumption. His face tightened and had no choice for now so he nodded.

However when he saw that the corner of Qin An’s eyes were a little red and it’s obvious that the latter still wanted to rest, his face turned colder even more.

And when he looked back at the front again, his eyes carried sharpness right now.

His eyes were staring straight in front, not as if just turning his head merely but rather glaring over... like he could also see what others can’t see.

"They are here."

Qin An’s voice sounded in the whole place. The young man didn’t hesitate to move forward and stop in front of everyone.

"Are they really evil spirits?" Su Jinxi asked.

Qin An nodded while his eyes were a sidelong glance at the pale face of Zhi Anming. He heard the latter was just recently discovered to have the same ability as Shen Lou and others but he was still fast to recognize what’s in front of him.

While it can be discerned that maybe the young man studied well for this journey, it can also be a possibility that there’s more than that.

However Qin An has no time to dwell that off and just focus on what’s in front of him.

Evil spirits are more aggressive. They no longer have any more self-consciousness like a ghost because the resentment had already consumed them wholly. Right now they are just acting instinctively to who they were before.

And this level is also no longer negotiable like the ghosts he met in the competition.

Thus, force is needed to stop them.

He opens his right palm and a golden magic circle appears before he closes it, grasping the grip of the ancient sword he summoned.

It’s a movement that caught everyone’s attention. They looked surprised and amazed upon seeing that again.

Their reactions are normal... unlike Zhi Anming whose eyes went wide in disbelief and clear astonishment.

This odd expression— he knew the sword more than anyone else here aside from the owner itself.

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