By the time the ice covering the big cat fully melted, the air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt fur, lingering stubbornly in the space. It was clear the big cat had been electrocuted quite severely.
Once the big cat no longer moved at all, Brother Li immediately injected it with a strengthened dose of tranquilizer.
Everyone waited in place for ten minutes. Only when they were certain the big cat truly would not stir did they gradually reduce the current until the power was fully cut. After that, they wrapped the massive beast with the charged net that had subdued it.
Though the big cat was restrained, moving it onto the transport vehicle presented a new problem. The big cat was even longer and heavier than an elephant. While the vehicle could hold it, lifting such a massive body was another matter entirely.
Time was already slipping away. For safety's sake, whether or not the space in the vehicle was tight, nearly everyone rushed forward to help. Lao Gao and Huang Jinghe also joined in, grabbing hold of the big cat's hind legs and heaving forward. At last, with a collective effort, they managed to push the beast fully onto the transport.
Had the front half gone in but not the back, the entire vehicle might have toppled over right there.
Once the big cat was loaded, Brother Li locked the vehicle doors. Their mission was finally complete.
Before parting ways, Brother Zhang said to Brother Li, "Be careful on the road."
Brother Li replied, "May this journey be safe."
Nothing mattered more than safety.
…
After leaving, Lan Jin and the others continued toward the mountain where weeds needed to be cleared.
The place was not far. By 10:40, their convoy was parked at the foot of a mountain.
After disembarking, they found themselves facing a dense forest of withered branches. To Lan Jin and the others, these dead branches looked no different from those they had seen elsewhere.
Seeing their lack of concern, Brother Zhang quickly warned, "The outer edges look the same everywhere. The real danger lies deeper inside the mountain. You four must stay alert, guard against small animal attacks. We'll move forward first. Once we're near the dangerous zone, I'll remind you in advance."
After checking their gear once more, they followed Brother Zhang up the slope.
The mountain was littered with dead branches and broken wood. Thanks to prior human passage, the path was relatively smooth. Still, after half an hour of climbing, small flecks of dried blood on the ground reminded them that this place was indeed dangerous.
Brother Zhang's brows furrowed as he ordered, "Everyone, stay sharp. Report at once if you hear or see anything."
"Yes, sir."
…
In truth, there was no unusual noise around them. Lan Jin and her companions had drunk from the spiritual spring, which heightened their senses. If danger approached, they would detect it first. The difficult terrain was the only real concern, forcing them to be more watchful.
Aside from their footsteps, silence filled the mountain. Soon they reached a steep flight of stone steps.
Lan Jin asked, "Brother Zhang, how much longer until we get there?"
Brother Zhang replied, "Once we climb up here, I'll show you. From there, it's about another hour's walk."
The stairway was daunting—long, narrow, and nearly vertical. As they climbed, Ling Jiang muttered, "Good thing I'm not afraid of heights."
"I'm not either."
"None of us are, otherwise why would we choose to live on the top floor?"
They chatted and laughed as they climbed, entirely lacking any sense of danger. Just as Brother Zhang was about to scold them, Lan Jin suddenly stiffened and said cautiously, "Something is coming."
"What?" Brother Zhang instantly scanned the area, but nothing unusual could be seen. Before he could question further, traces of movement appeared.
Brother Zhang sighed inwardly. "Their vigilance was actually quite good, if only they did not chatter so much."
The threat rushing toward them turned out to be a group of mutated snakes—the very kind they had seen back at the base. Each serpent had a dazzling red crystal embedded in its head. Lao Gao's eyes lit up with interest.
These snakes moved with incredible speed. Lao Gao immediately unleashed his fire ability, scorching the ground. The flames devoured the oncoming serpents, and their charred bodies collapsed.
Yet more snakes slithered up behind them. Lan Jin preferred snakes to multi-legged insects; she was not too afraid. Channeling her lightning ability, she electrocuted the second wave. The snakes spasmed, stiffened, and rolled down the steep cliffside along with the burned remains.
"Aiya, such a pity," Lao Gao sighed. "They fell down. I wanted to dig out the crystals."
Brother Zhang's mouth twitched. "No one comes here. If they're still around when we return, we can pick them up then. The snakes will rot, but the crystals will not. And in this weather, the bodies won't rot quickly anyway."
"Fine then."
…
The number of snakes was not large, and they were swiftly dealt with. Afterward, the group continued their climb.
Once they reached the mountaintop, Brother Zhang pointed to a pit not far away. Inside, a lush patch of green grass swayed in the wind. "That's the area we need to clear," he explained. "But before burning the grass, we must check if any of our squad members are inside."
Compared to destroying weeds, searching for survivors was far more difficult.
Lao Gao said, "If they ran into that big cat earlier, wounded as they were, they probably wouldn't risk stepping into such a dangerous place."
"Logically, yes," Brother Zhang said. "But what if they were forced in? What if they had no choice? The last signal I received placed them not far from the entrance to that grassland. We must at least check. If anything looks wrong, we'll retreat immediately."
Whether or not they liked it, they had to enter. Otherwise, this journey would be wasted.
Lan Jin and the others naturally had no objections. "Alright, Brother Zhang, we'll follow your lead."
…
The exhausting climb up the steep cliff left everyone drained. Brother Zhang ordered a short rest before they set off again.
The descent path bore clear signs of human modification, much easier to navigate than the uphill climb.
Brother Zhang explained as they went, "This area used to be a tourist spot. That pit was once a lake, though not a deep one. Except during the rainy season, it was often dry. Before the great freeze, nothing grew there. I don't know why, but after the extreme cold ended, mutated plants spread all over it."
Lao Gao raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Nothing before, but now so many plants. Could it be someone planted them on purpose? Maybe someone lives there?"