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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 11: [Corruption]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Feng Yi'an was tall and imposing, his beard bristling like steel needles. His eyes shone brightly, and his words were forceful, giving the impression of a straightforward man.
However, after Qin Ming learned the truth, he felt extreme disgust towards Feng Yi'an.
"We're truly sorry for this. We'll kill that Blood Bear as soon as possible to make amends for our mistake," Feng Yi'an said with a sincere expression.
Old Liu sighed, urging them to guard the mountain forest diligently and prevent any further mutant creature attacks.
At his advanced age, he was deeply angered by their actions.
They had killed people and now came to offer apologies—who were they trying to fool?
This show of false sincerity, delivered in person, was no different than rubbing salt into the wounds of the deceased's family.
They clearly didn't care about the victims or fear any extreme reactions.
"Alas, it's mainly because some of our brothers are injured, we were short-handed during the patrol, which led to this accident," Feng Yi'an explained.
He brought up the old matter again, urging Xu Yueping to plant the Black Moon as soon as possible.
The Mountain Patrolmen needed it for healing, so they could better guard the mountain.
Xu Yueping's heart burned with fury, but he had to suppress it.
Feng Yi'an continued, "We'll set out immediately and won't leave the mountain until we've killed the Blood Bear. Brother Xu, could you please visit the families of the deceased and offer our condolences?"
Qin Ming found this pretense of sincerity utterly repulsive.
Xu Yueping accidentally brushed Qin Ming's arm, then rose to see the Mountain Patrolmen off.
Clearly, he was worried that Qin Ming's youthful impetuosity might lead him to do something rash.
Qin Ming knew that even if he could kill the Mountain Patrolmen now, it would only to a bloody revenge.
After all, there were other members, and even other groups.
If these men were to die here, the entire Twin Tree Village would be dragged down with them.
Naturally, he wouldn't act recklessly.
He rose and joined Xu Yueping, Yang Yongqing, and the others in seeing them out.
As the figures of the Mountain Patrolmen disappeared into the dim wilderness, Yang Yongqing burst out angrily, "This is so infuriating!"
"Can we report this to the higher-ups?" Qin Ming asked.
"What fault can you find? According to regulations, we should provide four to eight Black Moon Plants. This time, the Mountain Patrol Group only asked for the minimum of four. You say the seeds are mutated, but how can we prove it now? They look exactly the same. We can only guess based on last year's Fire Field harvest failure, Feng Yi'an and the others' personalities, and their usual behavior that they've finally succeeded in cultivating the mutated seeds this time."
Old Liu added, "And there's another crucial reason. They wouldn't dare act like this unless they'd already smoothed things ever with the right people."
Xu Yueping said. "The favors left behind by a respected Mountain Patrolman is enough for their descendants to squander for a decade."
In the end, Feng Yi'an and the others' insincere visit was merely to continue pressuring Xu Yueping to cultivate the medicine herb.
They didn't make direct threats, remaining polite and gentle. Yet in this situation, their words and actions were more outrageous than outright intimidation.
Qin Ming exhaled a turbid breath, saying, "They're going too far!"
He then asked, "Is the Black Moon Medicine Herb really that important?"
Xu Yueping nodded solemnly. "After mutation, it becomes incredibly valuable. Long-term consumption offers a slight chance of Second Awakening."
Old Liu added, "As Mountain Patrolmen, we spend our lives traversing deep mountains. We've likely encountered high-level spirits. Who wouldn't want to advance further? Just like this old man, I yearn for another awakening. Second Awakening can extend lifespan and restore youthful vitality. Who wouldn't crave that?"
He explained the reasons and motivations behind the corruption of some members of the Mountain Patrol Group, then continued, "But there must be a bottom line. How can they call themselves Mountain Patrolmen after acting like this? They're more dangerous than Mountain Monsters!"
"Second Awakening..." Qin Ming mused, lost in thought.
Xu Yueping patted his shoulder. "You can definitely achieve it. According to local records, the fastest Awakener with a Golden Foundation achieved the Second Awakening in less than two months."
...
Today, all the villagers who entered the mountains returned covered in blood.
Several were severely injured, their survival uncertain, and cries of grief echoed from many homes.
Xu Yueping went from house to house, offering treatment while suppressing his rage, his chest heaving violently.
Wang Qinglin, a middle-aged man, lay unconscious on his bed.
As an Awakener, his injuries were more severe than anyone else's.
After resetting his bones, Old Liu wiped the blood from his hands and said, "The fractured bone pierced his internal organs. If not for our kind's exceptional vitality, this would be a fatal wound."
Qin Ming observed carefully, convinced that this was another attack by someone wearing a Blood Bear pelt.
Every household was filled with sorrow.
Some children quietly wiped away tears, the joy and satisfaction of the hunt that had filled the past two days completely vanished.
Some villagers had also encountered mutated snow apes, their bodies torn by horrific wounds.
"Two years ago, the Mountain Patrol Group seemed to have kept one as a pet," Yang Yongqing whispered.
Xu Yueping's face darkened, while Old Liu sighed repeatedly.
Qin Ming walked home, a knot forming in his chest, a desperate urge to do something.
The only good news was that Lu Ze had woken up.
Given his physical condition, he shouldn't suffer any lasting complications.
Qin Ming hadn't told him the truth, fearing it would agitate him and hinder his recovery.
"Brother Lu, how many people are in a Mountain Patrol Group?" Qin Ming asked, hoping to gauge the strength of its members.
"Between eight to twelve people," Lu Ze replied.
The group guarding their area currently had nine members, with only the leader being a Second Awakener — and incredibly powerful.
The leader's name was Fu Entao, and he rarely appeared in public.
Lu Ze sighed. "For many, reaching the finish line after giving their all is the sole goal: to achieve awakening. Second Awakening are beyond their wildest dreams — it's an insurmountable barrier."
Qin Ming remarked, "So the leader can completely dominate the other members?"
Lu Ze nodded. "First Awakener experience a significant boost in physical strength. Second Awakener build on that, doubling the enhancement."
"In our area, First Awakeners struggle to lift more than 500 pounds. How did Fu Entao perform back then?" Qin Ming probed, trying to gauge his strength.
Lu Ze thought carefully and said, "Fu Entao was still some distance from the ceiling back then."
He looked at Qin Ming and continued, "You're an Awakener in your Golden Age, and with your Golden Foundation, your Second Awakening transformation is bound to be intense."
Qin Ming understood.
In terms of physical attributes alone, Fu Entao after his Second Awakening transformation still wouldn't be as strong as Qin Ming had been as a First Awakener.
He stood up to take his leave, urging Lu Ze to focus on his recovery without worry.
He would take care of everything.
Back in his own courtyard, Qin Ming began practicing various combat techniques.
Having spent his life surviving in the dangerous mountains, he had naturally learned many combat techniques.
Even before his First Awakening Transformation, he could cleave through blue bricks with his bare hands.
Now, he was even more formidable.
With a whip kick, he shattered a tree stump as thick as a man's thigh with a resounding thump.
When he employed his years-honed "unorthodox techniques," his Spirit became highly focused, and golden ripples appeared between his flesh and blood.
With a gentle nudge, the tree stump disintegrated.
After dinner, Qin Ming visited Xu Yueping's home.
"Uncle Xu, are you still sulking?"
"They're going too far," Xu Yueping said, his heart heavy with resentment.
"Hurry and talk to your uncle," Xu Yueping's wife urged, her face etched with worry. "He hasn't even eaten dinner."
"Auntie, leave this to me," Qin Ming said, entering the room and sitting down.
After practicing his combat techniques at home, he had calmed down and was now discussing the next steps with Xu Yueping.
"You want me to agree to their demands?"
Xu Yueping suddenly looked up, his face slightly cold with anger.
"Do you understand the consequences? The Fire Field will suffer a severe crop failure next year, leading to famine!"
"Uncle, please let me finish," Qin Ming said quickly, genuinely worried about upsetting him.
"Speak!"
"It's still early spring. What harm is there in agreeing to their demands for now? If something unexpected happens in the meantime — like the Mountain Patrol Group all dying during their mountain sweep, or the Spirit taking pity on us and wiping them out tonight, or a violent magnetic disturbance in the mountains driving the Mountain Patrolmen insane..."
Xu Yueping stared at him with a strange expression as Qin Ming solemnly listed these curses.
According to Qin Ming, if something were to happen to those people and an investigation followed, the authorities might suspect anyone with a conflict with the Mountain Patrol Group.
Failing to clear their names beforehand could lead to serious trouble.
Xu Yueping frowned. "How could any of those 'what ifs' possibly happen? You're overthinking this."
Qin Ming's expression turned serious.
"Uncle Xu, what I mean is, let's agree for now and wait for a change."
He explained that they could throw the seeds into the Fire Spring first, then retrieve them after the Mountain Patrol Group left.
Alternatively, they could coat the seeds with a transparent mineral glue unique to the mountains to insulate them from the spring.
Qin Ming added, "With everyone in the village lacking food, our priority is ensuring the villagers can hunt safely in the mountains."
Xu Yueping sighed, acknowledging the logic in Qin Ming's words.
If they couldn't survive the present, what was the point of worrying about next year's famine?
"But what about after we stall them?" he still worried. Feng Yi'an and his men were ruthless; they would surely seek terrible revenge later.
Qin Ming's gaze was resolute. "Uncle, in a few months, I might undergo my Second Awakening. Then I can negotiate with them."
"They're likely backed by someone else," Xu Yueping said, rubbing his temples.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.
"Xiao Qin, since you're a first awakener, can you reach the six-hundred-jin limit by exerting all your strength in your arms?"
"Yes."
Xu Yueping suddenly stood up, saying, "This achievement would be impressive even in the distant Chi Xia City."
A smile gradually spread across his face as he continued, "Come with me to Yinteng (Silvervine) Town tomorrow."
Qin Ming felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Uncle Xu, let's focus on resolving our current predicament first."
"Feng Yi'an told me you can go to town to find him if you change your mind. Besides, there might be a good match waiting for you in Yinteng (Silvervine) Town."
"Huh?" Qin Ming was stunned.
Xu Yueping explained that a mysterious old noble had moved from afar to live in seclusion in the town. His exceptionally beautiful daughter had reached marriageable age.
Qin Ming immediately shook his head.
"Uncle Xu, let's not humiliate ourselves."
In the past, Xu Yueping wouldn't have dared to approach the noble's door. But the noble himself had announced that he would choose a son-in-law based solely on character, not family background.
Qin Ming's Golden Foundation was astonishingly strong, making him a prodigy even in a bright city far away.
This gave Xu Yueping the confidence he needed.
He whispered, "If this marriage can be arranged, it could resolve the threat from the Mountain Patrol Group."
Qin Ming protested, but Xu Yueping insisted on dragging him out for a night of drinking.
The next morning, before the night fog had fully dissipated, Xu Yueping came to fetch Qin Ming for their journey.
"Uncle Xu, isn't it a bit early?"
"I know you might still be feeling resistant right now. Don't worry, you won't have to go to the old noble's house right away. I'll go ahead and scout out the situation first."
Xu Yueping figured that if the arrangement worked out, great; if not, it wouldn't matter much.
Taking a chance was better than doing nothing at all.
In the Shallow Night, the sky remained dim.
Dense forests lined the road on either side, their dark silhouettes looming in the distance.
Occasionally, the calls of wild beasts and strange birds echoed from the depths of the woods.
Qin Ming and Xu Yueping trudged through the thick snow, heading toward Yinteng (Silvervine) Town, over ten miles away.
Halfway there, they suddenly stopped.
A brilliant red light erupted from the distant mountains, piercing the night fog and illuminating the surrounding area.
Countless "Crimson Butterflies" emerged, fluttering and dancing, painting the night sky crimson.
They filled the air, scattering in all directions.
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END OF CHAPTER
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