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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 47: [The End of the Song, the Departure of the Crowd]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Under the night sky, the mountain forest was shrouded in darkness.
The vast expanse lay eerily silent today, except for the grazing herbivores; it was difficult to encounter a predator today.
Qin Ming sprinted through the dense woods, abruptly halting at the edge of a thicket.
He took off his armor, set down his Black Gold Hammer, and dug a gleaming set of refined gold armor from the snow.
These were the belongings of Wang Nianzhu, who was already dead but still a wanted man.
Qin Ming quickly changed into the armor, fearing that the bear cubs or donkey calves he might encounter possessed high Spiritual intelligence and would remember his face, which would spell disaster.
Everyone knew that Wang Nianzhu had slain the Blood Snake and wiped out the Mountain Patrol Group led by Fu Entao and Feng Yi'an.
His current foray into the mutant creatures' lair amidst the chaos seemed perfectly logical.
After fastening Wang Nianzhu's longsword—as clear as a spring—to his waist, Qin Ming covered his face with a cloth.
He wasn't strong enough yet to risk carelessness.
He then ran eight miles in one breath, arriving at a Stone Forest surrounded by dense woods.
The area was littered with rocks, some piled into near-mountainous formations.
"It stinks!" Qin Ming recoiled.
The white giant bear's lair was notoriously unhygienic; even from a distance, the stench of bear dung filled the air.
Deep within the Stone Forest lay a Fire Spring, its crimson mist swirling around shimmering, rippling waters.
Similar in scale to the Second-Tier Fire Spring in Yinteng (Silvervine) Town, it was a coveted resource.
Despite its multiple mutations and formidable strength, the massive white bear lacked the qualifications to venture deeper into the Great Mountain and claim a more magnificent Fire Spring.
Yet for the Mountain People, this place was already a treasure trove.
But the bear had utterly desecrated this precious site.
Animal pelts, bones, and carcasses littered the ground, while massive piles of bear dung lay scattered near the Fire Spring.
Clearly, its hibernation had been incomplete, forcing it to continue hunting frequently throughout the mountains.
"It must be an old male bear," Qin Ming muttered, surveying the scene.
"Too solitary. He's wasting this treasure by living here alone."
He searched the area, but the stench was overwhelming, and there was practically nothing of value to be found.
Frustration boiled within him.
He had traveled so far, risked so much, only to find nothing but the stench of bear dung.
Qin Ming desperately wanted to set the place ablaze and burn it clean.
Even if the old bear had offspring here, he would at least vent his anger. If all else failed, he could chop off a pair of bear paws to take back.
He couldn't even say the place was "cleanly poor," because the reality was unbearably filthy.
The stench was so overpowering, he nearly vomited.
This was the first time Qin Ming had been completely thwarted, leaving him feeling utterly helpless and suffocated.
He desperately wanted revenge, but in the end, he had to pinch his nose and give up, unable to endure another moment in this place.
Just as he turned to leave, a flash of scales caught his eye in the Fire Spring, instantly revitalizing his spirits.
"This old Bear actually knows how to raise fish?"
Qin Ming rushed to the edge of the Fire Spring, where he spotted fish shadows in the six-to-seven-zhang-square pool.
However, his excitement quickly turned to disappointment.
These were just fingerlings.
"That foul-smelling old bear is utterly shameless! These fish will never grow to maturity—he'll just scoop them up and eat them before they get a chance!"
In the end, he targeted the fingerlings.
He kept none shorter than his finger, but scooped up every one that approached the length of his palm.
The two largest were about seven inches long, bringing his total catch to over twenty fish.
These were Spiritual Fish, their bodies shimmering blue and translucent in places.
When fully grown, they could reach over a meter in length and would be brimming with spiritual energy and vitality.
Unfortunately, with that impatient old bear around, they would never reach such a size.
"Even though they're small, they still possess some spiritual energy. These will make excellent nourishment."
Qin Ming always carried a beast hide pouch when venturing into the mountains—a practical habit born from the harsh survival conditions.
Now, it proved its worth.
This was one of the reasons Huang Jingjun smirked secretly, his lips curling in amusement.
Without looking back, Qin Ming dashed toward Wild Bull Ridge, seven miles away.
He was exploiting the time difference, and speed was crucial.
Under the night sky, the mountain range stretched endlessly, blanketed by vast forests.
As Qin Ming burst into the golden giant bull's territory, he was immediately stunned.
Deep within the forest lay a Second-Tier Fire Spring. Instead of pooling in a basin, the crimson, glowing liquid was channeled into a chaotic network of Fire Fields.
The Fire Spring wasn't hot—far cooler than human body temperature—but it warded off the biting cold brought by the wind and snow.
The Fire Fields teemed with lush greenery and vibrant blossoms.
"The Old Yellow Bull is quite the diligent farmer!" Qin Ming marveled.
The Great Mountain was blanketed in snow, with snowflakes still drifting down, yet this area pulsed with such vibrant life—a truly captivating sight.
A vine laden with Fire Pears caught his eye.
Among them, twenty or thirty glowed crimson, emitting an enticing fruity aroma.
"These fruits replenish Qi and blood," Qin Ming thought, quickly harvesting them.
He then spotted a patch of low-growing plants, barely a foot tall, each laden with sweet-and-sour Purple Sun Fruits.
"So many Purple Sun Fruits! A few of these will quickly restore energy when I'm exhausted. Old Bull has planted nothing but treasures!" Qin Ming's admiration for the golden giant bull surged.
Although the chaotic Fire Field hadn't been meticulously tended, the high Spiritual energy of the Second-Tier Fire Spring ensured all the plants thrived.
Unfortunately, Old Yellow Bull's vast domain, where he led a herd of wild buffalo across these mountain ridges, left little Spiritual Substance for Awakening.
It seemed his bovine descendants had devoured it all.
Disappointed, Qin Ming ventured into the lair of a creature that had undergone multiple mutations, hoping to find something that would grant him a Third Awakening.
"I can't rely on Old Bear or Yellow Bull anymore. It seems Old Man Liu is the only reliable one. I'll head back and join him in the mountains!"
The Fire Field was abundant with fruits and melons, each carrying a trace of Spiritual energy—a potent nourishment for ordinary humans.
Some were already ripe. Seeing such delectable fruits in this icy wilderness temporarily dispelled Qin Ming's disappointment, and a glimmer of light returned to his eyes.
He harvested every ripe fruit, whether crimson berries or golden melons, filling both his animal hide bags to the brim.
"Are there any calves left behind?" Qin Ming scanned the depths of Wild Buffalo Ridge.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, his pupils contracted.
He spotted no buffalo calves, but there was a donkey calf.
It resembled Old Weasel's mount, but couldn't be the same one. This was just a small Hairy Donkey, and it was stealing melons too!
In the distant Fire Field, the melon dropped from the donkey calf's mouth with a thud.
Startled by the sudden appearance of the armored Two-Legged Beast, it froze in place.
"Little Donkey, don't you dare make a sound!" Qin Ming turned and fled.
The little donkey posed no immediate threat, but its powerful connections made it dangerous.
If it started braying here, who knew what kind of monsters it might attract?
Qin Ming was convinced this must be a descendant of Old Weasel's mount.
How else would a donkey calf dare to sneak into this place to steal melons?
Qin Ming sprinted away, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Amidst the chaotic Fire Field, the donkey calf stood bewildered. It had been about to bolt, but the Two-Legged Beast had fled first.
Feeling guilty, it didn't dare bray.
Instead, it wandered around like a street urchin, gorging itself on melons.
After a satisfied burp, it flicked its tail and scampered away.
Long after, a Great White Bull emerged from the depths of Wild Bull Ridge.
This creature had undergone three Mutations.
With the Old Yellow Bull's vast territory and resources, it was only natural to keep bulls guarding the homestead.
The Great White Bull had spotted the donkey calf the moment it appeared.
Instead of driving it away, the bull hid itself, knowing the calf's lineage and not wanting to disturb it.
"We mustn't let the little one sense anything," the Great White Bull said in its bovine tongue. "Later, we'll let Senior Donkey know we've been taking good care of his offspring."
Even in the remote Great Mountain, a bull born into this world had to understand the ways of social etiquette.
"I... Moo! Could it be... a whole herd of donkeys?!" The Great White Bull approached the Fire Field and froze in utter astonishment.
Qin Ming sprinted six miles in one breath.
When he sensed no pursuit, he finally exhaled deeply and continued his journey to retrieve his armor and warhammer.
He also took the opportunity to collect the Jade Iron he had hidden in the mountains.
With all the dangerous experts now gathered at the Great Rift Valley, the surrounding areas were completely deserted.
"Xiao Qin, you're finally back safe! If anything had happened to you, we would have felt guilty for the rest of our lives!" Xu Yueping, Yang Yongqing, and the others had been waiting anxiously at the village entrance.
"I'm fine," Qin Ming said simply, recounting the events at the Great Rift Valley. "It was a close call, but I managed to bring back some mountain goods along the way."
Xu Yueping was stunned.
The idea of mutant creatures organizing a large-scale, reverse hunt left him speechless.
Yang Yongqing was equally shaken and filled with lingering fear. He realized that even the nobles and elites of Chi Xia City would have been stripped bare in that place.
When they learned that all the Mountain People had emerged safely, they fell silent again, caught between laughter and tears.
They could only sigh at the capriciousness of fate—the very people most likely to perish had somehow escaped unscathed.
"Uncle, it's so great that you're back safe! We were all worried!" Wen Rui rubbed his small hands together, his breath forming white clouds in the frosty air.
Standing in the snow outside his home, he jumped for joy when he saw Qin Ming return.
He had run outside more than a dozen times that day, each time finding Qin Ming's courtyard gate still locked, his heart sinking with dread.
He feared something terrible had happened to his Uncle.
After all, he had learned from Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing that Qin Ming had been taken away by people from Golden Rooster Ridge for a dangerous mission.
Although Lu Ze had suffered severe injuries, his excellent constitution allowed him to venture outside with Liang Wanqing's support.
Fifteen minutes later, Qin Ming arrived at their small courtyard carrying a large bag filled with bright red and golden-yellow fruits.
During their usual mountain expeditions, they occasionally found wild fruits preserved under the snow from autumn, but nothing this fresh.
"Wow, these aren't persimmons! They're my favorite red berries! Uncle, you're amazing!" Wen Rui exclaimed, his cheeks flushed with delight as he devoured the fruit.
Two-year-old Wen Hui clung to Qin Ming's neck, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek, his babbling expressing pure joy.
Inside the iron cage, the fiery-red Mutant Squirrel leaped frantically, nearly driven to tears by the aroma, its eyes fixed on the fruit as it chittered incessantly.
"Bow to me, and I'll give you a red berry," Qin Ming teased with a smile.
To his surprise, the squirrel stood on its hind legs inside the cage and began bowing repeatedly, each bow accompanied by a squeak, as if counting.
"Are you actually becoming sentient?" Qin Ming's heart skipped a beat.
...
The prolonged absence of the mountain expedition naturally sparked widespread concern.
The major clans, having left small contingents in Yinteng (Silvervine) Town and other settlements, realized something had gone wrong.
Upon returning, Qin Ming immediately sent Xu Yueping to Yinteng (Silvervine) Town with a message.
In fact, veteran hunters from other villages, having recovered from the ordeal, had already dispatched their own messengers.
Soon, raptors soared into the night sky, carrying urgent pleas for aid from the clans' remaining forces to Chi Xia City, warning of the grave danger.
That very night, experts from Chi Xia City set out at once.
Rescuing lives was like putting out a fire—every moment mattered.
A single hour's delay could mean the loss of countless lives.
The mutant creatures creatures in the mountains had no intention of annihilating the intruders, fearing bloody retaliation from Chi Xia City.
As midnight approached, they began their retreat.
By the time the Chi Xia City experts arrived, the crisis had already resolved itself.
Every clan suffered losses, some more severe than others.
Even Cao Long, Mu Qing, Wei Zhirou, and their group, who had ventured deep into the Great Rift Valley, sustained casualties.
Some families lost twenty to thirty percent of their members, while others, like the Huang Family, suffered forty to fifty percent losses.
The Golden Rooster Ridge bandits and the Three-Eyed Sect fared the worst.
Positioned at the entrance, they were nearly wiped out entirely.
In the end, only a few bloodied old men from these two factions managed to escape, supporting each other as they fled.
The two leaders of the Golden Rooster Ridge bandits were furious when they heard the details, nearly charging over to kill the group themselves.
They cursed the group as useless, saying they were worse than a bunch of Mountain People.
The core members of the Three-Eyed Sect in the region were equally stunned, nearly vomiting blood in frustration.
The next day, Qin Ming, Old Liu, and others went to see them off.
Cao Long, Mu Qing, Wei Zhirou, and the rest were leaving.
From the emergence of the special Node to the battle for the Mysterious Resources, the Mountain Sweep Operation had finally come to an end, and the group was about to disperse.
"Qin Ming, you should leave this place soon. It's too remote. You should go to a Major City, learn and interact with others there. The resources are abundant, and the people are talented and enlightened..."
"Yes, the world beyond is vibrant and colorful. The glittering cities are incredibly prosperous. You can see all kinds of creatures there, even Spirits who have taken human form. It's beyond your wildest imagination."
"Five hundred years ago, Black and White Mountain was famous throughout the world, but those days are long gone..."
Before parting, they all urged Qin Ming to leave this place as soon as possible.
During this time, Qin Ming also saw Nie Rui, Shen Jiayun, and the others, who came over to greet him warmly.
Finally, the group departed into the distance.
...
That night, Qin Ming visited Old Liu, carrying a bag of fruits and melons.
"Fire Pears, Purple Sun Berries, Silver Melons—where did you raid the lair of some powerful mutated creature? Only monsters with at least four mutations actively tend Fire Fields. You've really outdone yourself!" Old Man Liu's eyelids twitched in astonishment.
"Let me think... That old bear is definitely out—lazy, brutal, and filthy. The Mountain tiger, though exceptionally strong, rarely eats plants. The Old Yellow Bull is the most diligent, but you wouldn't have gone there, would you?!" Old Man Liu was genuinely shocked.
Qin Ming couldn't help but admire the old man's encyclopedic knowledge of the Great Mountain's various regions.
He knew them like the back of his hand.
It was precisely this familiarity that had brought Qin Ming here.
Qin Ming spoke up: "Grandpa Liu, that bear and the Old Yellow Bull nearly killed me in the Great Rift Valley. When can we go to the place you mentioned to find Spiritual Substance?"
Old Liu glanced at him and said, "You survived being hunted by creatures that have undergone multiple mutations? You must have found a loophole, raided their lair, and gotten away with a steal while playing innocent."
Then he realized Qin Ming's strength must have increased dramatically.
Why else would he be so eager to find Spiritual Substance?
Clearly, he was yearning for another Awakening.
"Did you undergo a Second Awakening?" he asked in a low voice.
"Yes, I've been running a fever lately. It should be complete soon. What about you?" Qin Ming asked.
"Give me two more days. I should be ready soon too," Old Liu replied, closing the door.
"Remember, we shouldn't reveal our Second Awakening just yet."
"Understood!" Qin Ming nodded.
The two exchanged knowing smiles.
...
Two days later, Qin Ming and Old Liu huddled together, studying maps and making preparations for their expedition into the mountains.
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END OF CHAPTER
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