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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 43: [Prey and Predator]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Under the cloak of night, towering mountains stood tall, their dense forests already teeming with people, creating a somewhat noisy atmosphere.
The Awakeners from various villages seethed with anger.
Today's expedition into the mountains was destined to be fraught with danger; once they entered the special Nodes, their lives would be at stake.
"What's all the commotion? Who dares to speak out of turn?" A Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Knight appeared, his face impassive, his icy gaze sweeping across the crowd.
The Golden Rooster beneath him was ferocious, letting out a piercing, resonant crow.
"You'd all better behave," the Golden Rooster Knight reprimanded. "We're just having you scout for minerals. What's with all the whining? Shut your mouths and do as you're told!"
The Awakeners from the villages burned with resentment but dared not voice their anger. If not for their wives, children, and elderly parents, they would have gladly fought him to the death.
His words were utterly inhuman; even ordinary people now knew that the Heavenly Light within the special Nodes would severely corrode their bodies.
"Move out," the Golden Rooster Knight threatened. "Let me make this clear: anyone who causes trouble will face my wrath!"
A large group of heavily armed individuals, all Awakeners from Golden Rooster Ridge, flanked the group, escorting them like prisoners.
They marched in silence until they reached the Great Rift Valley.
A group of villagers, brought by the Three-Eyed Sect, awaited them there, confirming the alliance between the two local factions.
The Great Rift Valley was vast and riddled with fissures. Massive rock formations and sparse vegetation characterized the landscape, creating a stark contrast between stone forests and deep ravines.
Few creatures dared to venture into this treacherous terrain, where a single misstep could send them plummeting into the abyss.
Golden Rooster Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect had deployed a large force, waiting here for some time, but they made no attempt to explore the mineral deposits themselves.
"Hmm?" Within the Great Rift Valley, another Golden Rooster Knight spotted Qin Ming, his eyes flashing with malice.
This knight had once led a group to Old Liu's home, attempting to forcibly purchase the crimson grass. Qin Ming had later reported the incident to Cao Long and Mu Qing, resulting in the knight receiving several slaps and losing several teeth on his right side.
"Keep a close eye on that boy later," the knight muttered. "Make sure he actively explores the mineral deposits!"
He dared not act directly, knowing Cao Long and Mu Qing's warnings still hung in the air, and they hadn't left yet.
But this time, the order came from the Golden Rooster Ridge's bandit leaders and the Three-Eyed Sect's local high command, instructing the villagers from beyond the mountains to enter the Node.
He could "guide the situation" with a few casual commands, easily tormenting those who had only undergone Awakening once to their deaths.
Among the villagers, a gray-haired elder spoke with deep concern, "We must find these so-called Mysterious Resources quickly. If we linger too long, even as Awakeners, we'll develop chronic illnesses and might never escape this place!"
"Shut your mouth! Did I ask you to speak?"
With a sharp crack, a Golden Rooster Knight lashed out with his whip, sending the elderly Awakener staggering.
The man's chest was torn open, and the whip's glancing blow across his face left a bloody gash.
"Those who find the Mysterious Resources will not only be immediately released but will also receive a substantial reward! Listen carefully — it won't be Night Silver this time, but Day Gold!"
The Golden Rooster Ridge and Three-Eyed Sect hadn't completely driven everyone to despair.
At least for now, they offered a glimmer of hope, making promises to keep the villagers motivated.
An elder from Golden Rooster Ridge approached and ordered, "Enter the underground. This region is now occupied by us and the Three-Eyed Sect. Every inch of the Great Rift Valley's underground is incredibly valuable now. Search thoroughly!"
The area controlled by Golden Rooster Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect was near the entrance, hardly a prime location.
After all, their strength couldn't match that of Chi Xia City's forces.
Qin Ming followed the other Awakeners into the underground.
Each carried a pre-prepared sunstone to illuminate the pitch-black fissures.
They entered a vast karst cave, its network of spiderweb-like tunnels stretching in all directions.
Some areas glowed with an unbearable light, while others remained dark and comfortable.
"Everyone," an old man suggested, "I don't think we need to risk our bodies or even our lives. Even in the glowing areas, finding Mysterious Resources is nearly impossible. We'd be better off finding safe routes through the dark zones and biding our time..."
In truth, many shared this sentiment.
A middle-aged man spoke up: "Let's split into two groups. One group will pretend to search for Mysterious Resources, while the other urgently seeks escape routes—those deep, hidden passages that ideally lead outside the Great Rift Valley. I suspect these factions will eventually clash, their eyes bloodshot as they fight over strategic Nodes."
"Exactly! We need to prepare now!" The crowd nodded in agreement.
Qin Ming had initially planned to suggest they hide first, but he now realized that people who made their living guarding the dangerous Great Mountain possessed an exceptional survival instinct.
Afterward, he began operating alone, wandering through the vast karst cave complex in search of any Mysterious Resources that might be present.
An hour later, the outsiders had yet to clash, but another powerful force had intervened, triggering bloodshed on the surface.
Above the Great Rift Valley, the air echoed with the roars of apes and the howls of tigers as mutated creatures swarmed forth.
Raptors swooped down from the sky.
"The mutated creatures are attacking!" shouted a Golden Rooster Knight guarding the entrance to the Great Rift Valley.
Mutant creatures had appeared before, leading to sporadic conflicts, but never in such numbers or with such organization.
This was entirely different.
The massive white bear leading the charge stood five to six meters tall.
Perhaps newly awakened from hibernation, it was in a ferocious rage, seizing two Awakeners and tearing them apart instantly.
On the other side, a golden bull bellowed flames from its nostrils, rampaging through the battlefield.
It gored several Three-Eyed Sect members with its horns, tossing them into the air.
These mutated creatures were numerous, and though of different species, they showed no aggression toward each other, focusing their attacks solely on the humans.
In the skies, mutated birds of prey provided support.
A massive silver eagle swooped down, tearing open the skull of a Second Awakener in mid-air.
"Previously, there were few mutated creatures, never appearing in such large numbers," an elder from Golden Rooster Ridge said, leaping into action.
He snatched a twice-mutated eagle owl from the sky and snapped its neck with a twist.
"They were waiting for us to enter the valley, specifically targeting us for slaughter."
"What do we do now?" Panic spread through the crowd as the Great Rift Valley entrance was blocked by hordes of mutated creatures surging into the valley, while birds of prey patrolled the skies.
...
"Something's wrong! The surface is in chaos. We need to hide quickly, block the secret passages with rocks, and conceal all the escape routes."
In the underground world, hunters from various villages, acutely sensitive to any disturbance, sprang into action.
Qin Ming sensed the danger immediately.
He was fearless and could retreat toward the Heavenly Light-filled passages.
Neither the forces of Golden Rooster Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect nor the mutated creatures would dare to venture too far into such places.
On the surface, large contingents from Golden Rooster Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect gathered to form defensive lines.
Panic gripped the ranks as mutated creatures swarmed across the landscape.
"The High-Tier Lifeforms wouldn't personally intervene. After all, they promised Chi Xia City's High-Ranking Figure they wouldn't hunt us in secret. But sending mid-to-low-tier mutated creatures? That's a different story."
This realization was deeply troubling.
Everyone understood that the mutated creatures had been waiting for an opportunity to strike.
The Blood Snakes, Silver Camels, and crimson grasses of the mountains held immense value to outsiders, brimming with potent spiritual essence.
Yet to the mutated creatures dwelling within these mountains, certain Two-Legged Beasts with deep spiritual roots were equally coveted—regarded as "medicinal herbs" rich in spiritual energy.
"So, a massive horde of mutated creatures had come, not just for the Mysterious Resources, but to hunt us as well? They see us as spiritual creatures?"
"That's right!"
Instantly, the faces of the Awakeners from Golden Rooster Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect turned ashen.
Their territory was located right at the mountain pass, making them the first to bear the brunt of the attack.
"The High-Tier Lifeforms deep within the Great Mountain wouldn't dare let their subordinate mutated creatures wipe out all the humans who entered. That would completely enrage City Lord Lingxu and the others, inviting ruthless retaliation. But reducing the number of awakeners here by a fifth or a quarter? They probably wouldn't care much."
A wave of dread washed over everyone. If things continued this way, it would be a complete disaster, and many would never leave the Great Mountain alive.
"Retreat into the karst caves! The surface is no longer safe. Our two factions alone are no match for these mutated creatures!" an elder from the Three-Eyed Sect said.
"Move! Get underground now!" The group immediately sprang into action.
They used the narrow cave passages for defense, creating a bottleneck that made it difficult for the mutated creatures to break through.
However, the underground tunnels formed a labyrinthine network. Some mutated creatures, naturally adapted to subterranean warfare, began searching for alternate routes, attempting to lead other mutant creatures around the defenses to flank the defenders anald attack from another direction.
For a time, chaos erupted both above and below ground.
Many Awakeners from Golden Rooster Ridge and the Three-Eyed Sect scattered into different tunnels, desperately seeking a path that led out of the Great Rift Valley.
After all, this was the exit region.
...
"What a coincidence?" Qin Ming immediately recognized a familiar face: the Golden Rooster Knight who had tried to forcibly buy Old Liu's spiritual material and had previously shown him hostility at the valley entrance.
"You?" The Golden Rooster Knight had long abandoned his mount and was wandering aimlessly through the underground tunnels, desperately searching for an escape route.
"Come here!" he beckoned to Qin Ming. "Have you discovered any Mysterious Resources? Also, you must have heard the commotion above. Tell me everything about the terrain here."
Qin Ming ignored him, continuing to walk forward at his own pace.
"Are you looking for death? Why are you moving so slowly? I asked you a question!" The Golden Rooster Knight's eyes flashed with malice.
His hostility was blatant. He had previously tried to arrange for Qin Ming to be assigned extra mining duties, hoping the constant exposure to Heavenly Light would kill him.
Now, he figured he could simply kill Qin Ming here and no one would ever know.
Afterward, he could blame the mutated creatures—dead men tell no tales.
With no pretense left, he even lashed out with his whip.
He suspected the youth and Old Liu had reported him to Cao Long and Mu Qing, since they were the only witnesses.
Qin Ming easily blocked the whip with his Black Gold Hammer.
"You dare to resist?" The knight's gaze turned icy as he prepared to strike again.
Qin Ming had no patience for passivity.
He refused to tolerate this man repeatedly crossing the line.
With lightning speed, he swung the massive hammer forward.
With a resounding thud, the Golden Rooster Knight saw stars, his face throbbing with unbearable pain.
The Black Gold Hammer had made intimate contact with his mouth and nose, knocking out his front teeth and collapsing his nasal bridge.
The world spun violently, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
"Sorry, my hand slipped," Qin Ming said. "I lost my grip on the hammer."
"I... I'll grind you into mud!" the Golden Rooster Knight spat, his words slurred through the gaps in his teeth.
Fury clouded his mind, making his speech even more garbled.
Enduring the agony in his face, tears and snot streaming down his face, he drew his long sword, his anger rising like a tide.
He was a Second Awakener, confident he could easily crush a mere First Awakener.
But before his sword could even swing, a searing pain tore through his right hand as the Black Gold Hammer struck.
Flesh and bone shattered, the sword clattered to the ground, and his entire hand convulsed, its bones twisted into a grotesque shape resembling the claw of the Golden Rooster he rode.
"So, this is the hand you used to deliver Old Liu's Yellow Mud Palm, huh? Then taste my Black Gold Fist!" Qin Ming wasted no time.
He swung the Black Gold Hammer again and again, each blow landing squarely on the knight's face.
The knight's features were instantly reduced to a bloody pulp, his skull caved in.
The corpse slumped to the ground.
Even as he lay dying, the Golden Rooster Knight couldn't believe how absurd it was.
As a Second Awakener, how could he be outmatched in both strength and speed by this youth?
In his fading consciousness, he realized the truth: his opponent had already undergone Second Awakening and was far more powerful than him!
Qin Ming dragged the corpse into a wide-open area bathed in flowing Heavenly Light, a relatively safe zone for now.
"Hmm?" He whirled around, spotting an elderly man emerging from another passage, silently advancing toward him.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" the old man demanded, his face grim.
"I'm with the Three-Eyed Sect," Qin Ming replied. "I saw this man collapse after being exposed to the Heavenly Light and was trying to help him."
With a thunderous stomp, the old man shattered the hard ground and charged forward, his body radiating a faint white glow—this was the Heavenly Light of the human body, clearly indicating he was a Third Awakener.
He wasn't so easily fooled.
Sensing something amiss, he attacked immediately, showing no mercy even to a youth.
Qin Ming knew he had encountered a formidable foe—an opponent unlike any he had faced before.
He had never fought a Third Awakener before.
"Time to go all out!" Qin Ming growled, his eyes burning with determination. "If I can kill a Third Awakener like you, I might be able to wipe out all the Golden Rooster Ridge forces here!"
He resolved to give it his all and eliminate the old man.
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END OF CHAPTER
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