“Awooo—”
This time, the wolf’s howl lasted unusually long, causing everyone present—and even the wolf pack—to be affected by the “red-eye effect.” Not only did they become exceptionally irritable, but their combat abilities skyrocketed.
Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Led by the alpha, the wolves launched an attack on the humans—but they only chased Su Mo and Xia Qingqing, completely ignoring everyone else.
At first, Su Mo and Xia Qingqing simply dodged and fled, avoiding direct confrontation. But under the influence of the red-eye effect, they eventually turned around and fought back, sending the wolves scattering with yelps.
The others weren’t much better off. Minor conflicts between them were amplified endlessly, and some even came to blows.
Take Xia Qingqing, for example. One moment, she was fighting wolves; the next, she spotted Luo Xiu and immediately turned away. “You blockhead! How dare you make me angry?”
When Luo Xiu saw it was Xia Qingqing, an inexplicable irritation surged in him. As usual, he tried to shove her aside—only to be caught off guard and slammed to the ground with a perfect shoulder throw.
He stared in disbelief at the petite girl in front of him. Why is she suddenly so strong? She was never a match for me before.
His competitive spirit flared. He got up and challenged her again. “Let’s go.”
Even after giving it his all, he only managed a slight upper hand—and that was purely due to technique. In terms of raw physical attributes, he seemed inferior to Xia Qingqing.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
He tried again, with the same result.
Had she been holding back all this time? Is that why I used to beat her so easily?
The mere thought nearly shattered Luo Xiu’s confidence.
If it’s true… why would she do that?
He searched for an answer but found none.
“Luo Xiu, you bastard! I’ll kill you!”
Seeing her small fist closing in, he instinctively prepared to counter with his usual cool composure—but then remembered the earlier throw and opted for a tactical retreat instead.
Such a tiny body, yet so much power.
Truly, the saying “Good things come in small packages” couldn’t be more accurate.
From that day on, Luo Xiu saw Xia Qingqing in a new light—a girl who had deliberately concealed her strength during their past fights.
And it wasn’t just them. Many others also had their little secrets exposed.
“I’m so damn pissed! If you hadn’t suddenly come back, she would’ve been mine by now!”
“Oh, you’ve got the nerve to talk? Too broke to get a hotel room, so you tried to hook up in the dorm? If I hadn’t walked in—ow! You hit me!”
“Damn right I hit you!”
“Oh, so that’s how it is? Hitting me, eh? MONKEY STEALS THE PEACH!”
……
“Aaaargh! Li Tingkui, you thieving scum! Just thinking about you stealing my lighter makes me furious—take this!”
“It’s just a stupid lighter! What’s the big deal? You used my tissues—that’s 2.5 yuan a pack!”
“My lighter cost 3 yuan! You’re the one in the wrong here!”
“You used TWO packs!”
“You stole THREE lighters!”
“A scholar’s actions can’t be called theft! I merely… borrowed them!”
……
“Wu Heng, don’t think just because you’re stronger, more talented, better-looking, and more popular… that I respect you. I’ve had enough of you! Why does everyone listen to you? Why do girls flock to talk to you while I can’t even get half a word from anyone?”
Wu Heng stared at the usually quiet boy, speechless.
He looks familiar… must be one of the newer members. Barely remember him…
Tsk—this wolf’s howl is really messing with my temper. Why do I keep wanting to punch someone?
“And so what if you were a mercenary for a few years? So what if you’re more talented than us? What’s there to be so arrogant about? I’ve got half a mind to slug you right now!”
[Wu Heng’s Rage Meter]
10%
20%
30%
……
100%
BAM!
The loudmouthed boy was sent flying, landing hard on the ground. It took him several seconds to recover. “Why did I hit him? Wait, no—I got hit! Dammit, I actually got hit!”
……
Those who had experienced this before struggled to control their emotions—including Su Mo.
He tried not to dwell on unpleasant memories, but it only prevented him from fixating on a specific target. The general irritability, short temper, and disdain for everyone around him remained. It seemed this method wasn’t effective.
Wait—Yin Fire can alleviate and dispel mental corruption. Maybe it can help stabilize my emotions too.
With that thought, he focused his consciousness on the cyan core within him—only to find it trembling in fear.
Oh, right. This thing’s scared of me when I’m angry.
He attempted to use Yin Fire to counteract the red-eye effect, but it proved futile.
Mental corruption was essentially an external force polluting one’s spirit and soul. Since Yin Fire affected spiritual entities, it worked as a direct countermeasure.
The red-eye effect, however, was different. It simply amplified one’s most primal anger—there was no tangible “pollution” for Yin Fire to neutralize.
Moreover, the red-eye effect boosted combat prowess, like a stimulant.
Just then, the crimson light they had seen earlier shot into the sky once more, clearly originating from a mountaintop.
The wolf’s howling abruptly ceased.
Everyone turned toward the light, a single thought flashing through their minds: “That place is special. There must be treasure there.”
As the red-eye effect gradually faded, both humans and wolves calmed down. Though there were some casualties, they were few.
The alpha wolf immediately rallied its pack and charged up the mountain, with Su Mo and the others hot on their heels.
Some were still confused about why they had suddenly lost their temper when their companions pulled them along. “Hurry! The opportunity’s right in front of us. If we’re late, we’ll miss our chance!”
Xia Qingqing and Luo Xiu ran side by side, neither looking at the other—both acutely aware of the awkwardness between them.
About half an hour later, they reached the base of the mountain, though the summit still loomed far above.
“The path’s getting steeper here. Everyone, be careful,” Su Mo warned.
Though he wasn’t thrilled about sharing a potential treasure with so many people, now that they’d all made it this far, he saw no point in scheming against them. From here on out, it’d be a fair contest of skill.
There was no proper trail up the mountain. They had to navigate through rocks and trees, balancing speed and stability while keeping an eye out for venomous snakes that might dart out at any moment.
This was where strength disparities became obvious.
The first tier consisted of people like Su Mo and Wu Heng, for whom the rocky terrain might as well have been flat ground.
Next were Luo Xiu, Xia Qingqing, and others—though not far behind, they were noticeably slower.
Su Mo kept an eye on the two behind him, deliberately maintaining a manageable distance. As a result, Wu Heng began to pull slightly ahead.
“I get the feeling you’re not going all out?”
“It’s just climbing. Why would I go all out?” Su Mo replied matter-of-factly.
Wu Heng suddenly grinned. “Good. I’m not either. I’d hate for you to waste all your energy on something this trivial.”
Clearly, he had already marked Su Mo as a rival, competing with him at every turn.
Before long…
The group arrived at a cliff’s edge. To proceed, they’d have to cross to the other side—connected only by a dozen or so thick iron chains.
Each chain was as thick as an arm, swaying slightly over the abyss. Just one glance was enough to make most reconsider.
Xia Qingqing grimaced. “We’re not seriously crossing these, are we? It’s so high up…”
“The wolves already made it across. We don’t have a choice,” Su Mo said, giving her an encouraging look before stepping forward to test the chains.
After all, the wolves had already proven it was possible. There shouldn’t be any surprises.