The aura of an expert is a very real thing.
Ye Yuan didn’t have obvious muscle lines, but from her seemingly casual yet guarded stance, one could tell that if Tang Shifu or Mo Cha showed any intent to attack, Ye Yuan would strike instantly.
By comparison, Mu Bai hadn’t completely let down her guard either, yet she appeared full of openings, looking like someone who was easy to bully.
“Yes, she is Tang Shifu, the person I traded with for the Mechanical Butterfly Watch and Special Dagger before…”
Mu Bai explained.
Ye Yuan understood and extended her right hand toward Tang Shifu.
Tang Shifu hesitated for a moment before reaching out to shake it.
“Hello.”
“Oh… hello.”
The moment their hands met, Ye Yuan realized that this person was a trained martial artist.
The practice suit wasn’t just for show; Tang Shifu likely had a background in martial arts.
The strength in her hand wasn’t loose at all, and she exercised perfect control over her grip.
“Sorry, Ye Yuan and I were attacked by another team before, so we have to stay alert… This Level 3 Eerie Station is very dangerous, so I hope we can avoid internal conflict and cooperate as much as possible.”
Mu Bai spoke up at the right time.
She sensed the atmosphere wasn’t quite right and stepped in to defuse the tension.
With the Station being so dangerous, they couldn’t afford to start fighting among themselves right after entering…
The other party wasn’t an enemy for now, and maintaining a facade of harmony was better than being at each other’s throats.
Before Tang Shifu could speak, Mo Cha interjected, “Don’t worry, we’ve entered similar Weird Stations before and won’t do anything irrational… Let’s add each other to our private chat. In case we’re forced to separate in the Station, we can exchange information.”
Ye Yuan turned her gaze toward Mo Cha, suddenly feeling that this woman might be even more dangerous than Tang Shifu.
Despite being a great beauty, she didn’t seem dazzling at all.
Instead, others would unconsciously lose the influence of her charm, and one might even overlook her if they weren’t paying attention.
No matter how she thought about it, something felt off.
However, Mo Cha’s suggestion was too reasonable, making Ye Yuan feel there was no reason to object.
With no one disagreeing, Ye Yuan added Tang Shifu and Mo Cha as friends.
Mu Bai already had Tang Shifu’s private contact, so she only needed to add Mo Cha this time.
“You should have received the Trial Mission as well, right?”
Mu Bai got straight to the point.
“That’s right. Reach the Ancestral Temple before dark and stay until the next day. I don’t know where this Ancestral Temple is or what it looks like…”
Tang Shifu’s tone carried a hint of distress.
Mu Bai felt a slight sense of relief.
“Ours is the same.”
It seemed the goals of the two teams could align within this Station.
Of course, basic precautions were still necessary; it would be good enough as long as they didn’t encounter a betrayal.
Neither side took the initiative to reveal their methods for dealing with the Weirdness Type.
***
After a few minutes of delay, the four of them traveled together.
Since they knew nothing about the Ancestral Temple and there was a village not far away, Mo Cha suggested going to the village first to gather information.
“Gather information?”
Mu Bai didn’t quite understand.
She agreed with going to the village first; even if there were no living people inside, since a village had appeared, there would be clues more or less.
It was just that Mo Cha’s tone made it sound like she knew there would be living people in the village.
Could they be something like NPCs?
“We’ve encountered this situation before. Perhaps because the Station map is larger, there’s a higher probability of encountering Site Natives of the Station world…”
Tang Shifu took the initiative to explain.
“Site Natives? You mean, we can communicate?”
Mu Bai was shocked.
“Yes… but it’s a matter of probability. It remains to be seen if this Station is like that.”
The dirt road was bumpy and difficult to walk on.
Because they knew they had to stay in the Station until the next day, Mu Bai and Tang Shifu each carried a bag containing some food and water, all of which had been prepared hastily before departure.
Ye Yuan saw that Mu Bai was getting tired from carrying it and wanted to help, but Mu Bai refused.
As a combatant, Ye Yuan couldn’t let a backpack affect her actions at a critical moment.
Moreover, Mu Bai didn’t want to be coddled too much.
Tang Shifu and Mo Cha noticed the interaction and both nodded inwardly.
The distance wasn’t far, and they arrived in about ten minutes without encountering any danger along the way.
As they approached the village, they indeed saw many villagers gathered at the entrance…
About a dozen pale-faced, fierce-looking young men were pushing and shoving each other, nearly breaking into a fight.
However, when they saw Mu Bai and the others, their eyes lit up.
After exchanging glances, their formation spread out, seemingly intending to surround and capture the four women.
Their eyes were full of malice, but it didn’t look like the greed or desire one might expect upon seeing beautiful women.
Instead…
It was as if they were treating them like cargo?
Ye Yuan let out a cold snort and loaded a bolt into her Compound Crossbow.
Mu Bai wasn’t worried about their safety.
Not only did Ye Yuan have the Compound Crossbow, but Tang Shifu and her companion surely had guns—they wouldn’t come to something as significant as a Trial Station without them.
However, under these circumstances, was it even possible to gather information?
The oldest man gave a look, and the person furthest away ran back into the village, likely to report the news.
“With these three wenches, we’ll be able to rest easy for a while again… Only one of them has a weapon. Anyone who’s afraid to step up, we’ll start with his house next time!”
“You damn well better not shrink back then!”
“Everyone stay sharp, don’t let them get away…”
Hmm?
Mu Bai suddenly noticed something wrong.
Weren’t there four of them?
Why did the other side say three?
Mu Bai took two steps back, standing in a safer position while shielding Ye Yuan in front of her, and glanced to the side.
Her heart suddenly jumped.
Mo Cha had disappeared at some unknown point.
Had she vanished on the way here, or… did she have some special item or talent?
To have someone disappear silently, Mu Bai could only think of talents or items related to The Train.
“I was just having a headache over whose family to send up this time, and I didn’t expect a few little broads from outside to show up… Hehe, I suggest you best not resist, or I can’t guarantee how much suffering you’ll endure before you die.”
The young man closest to Mu Bai and the others gave a sinister laugh.
The laughter was dry and raspy, making one’s skin crawl.
Slowly, the group of men began to close in.
Mu Bai pulled Ye Yuan and stepped back gradually.
The words the man spoke were ambiguous and the information was too scarce to analyze for now, but this wasn’t the time to worry about that.
In this moment, if they ran back or proactively shot anyone, it would no longer be a semi-confrontation; instead, all dozen or so men would chase the three of them with everything they had.
Although the distance was closing inch by inch, Mu Bai wasn’t worried, because Tang Shifu must have a gun if she chose to stay…
No matter how well they could fight, a few girls couldn’t fight a dozen adult men without getting hurt; the weight difference alone was massive.
A handgun would be the only thing to settle the matter directly.
But then, a scene occurred that left Mu Bai bewildered.
Tang Shifu neither retreated nor pulled out a gun.
Instead, she walked diagonally for two steps and arrived next to the brick wall of the nearest house.
Under everyone’s gaze.
A single kick.
“Bang!!”
Cracks immediately appeared across the entire brick wall, even spreading outward bit by bit.
Her pink hair fluttered as she returned to a standing posture and gave a gentle push with her hand.
“Rumble!!!”
The wall collapsed with a crash…
The dozen ill-intentioned villagers all stared with wide eyes, stopping in their tracks instantly.
The oldest among them showed a look of deep fear and wariness in his eyes.
It was as if some bad memories had surfaced.
“Old Village Head… Old Village Head!”
Inside the village, the man who went back to report knocked on the door of a dilapidated house.
“I’m coming. Say what you have to say… You lot have started fighting again. Who got hurt this time?”
Behind the door, an aged voice coughed out.
“No, outsiders have come to our village. It’s three wenches, and Third Uncle and the others are planning to grab them…”
“What were they wearing? Have you already made a move?”
“I don’t know, but they look expensive. They’re probably from the city… I don’t know why there isn’t a single man with them.”
Behind the house.
A slightly ajar wooden window made a “creak” sound as it moved upward.
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