Chapter 90: Section 91: Formidable Enemy Zong Ge


    Mu Ban’s narrative was very clear. He naturally developed the psychological impression that Zhenjin was a hero sent by the divine powers to save them.


    Zhenjin remained silent, deeply moved by Mu Ban’s final words.


    “If all of this is the arrangement of the divine, then why is it that every time I pray, there’s no response?” Zhenjin pondered.


    “As a Holy Temple Knight, shouldn’t I always be under the watchful eye of the Holy Emperor?”


    “Could it be… that the lack of response to my prayers is actually the Holy Emperor’s arrangement?”


    “Or perhaps… all of this is a specific test given to me by the Holy Emperor?”


    ...


    “Is the Demon Core in my heart also a part of the test?”


    “Wait, are you saying that you were transported here a few days ago?” Cang Xu, who had been quietly listening, asked at this moment.


    “Yes. To be precise, five days ago.” Mu Ban replied.


    Cang Xu and Zhenjin exchanged glances.


    Neither of them doubted Mu Ban’s words—after all, lying about something like this would be easily exposed given so many people were present.


    Of course, it was possible that everyone was in on it, sticking to a common story.


    But that seemed unlikely, the most critical point being that there was no benefit to be gained from such a lie.


    “Ai!” Cang Xu sighed, “I didn’t expect so much to have happened in the camp after I left.”


    Zhenjin’s expression was calm, “It’s normal. You and I have both experienced it. Watching the food run out right before our eyes, or under the pressure of death, people often go mad, fall into hysteria, and act out of character.”


    Lan Zao was stirred by these words, and he slightly lowered his eyelids. His hand, clenching the knife handle, strained until veins popped, and his steady breathing became erratic.


    “A true leader should not be consumed by personal desires, becoming a parasite that sucks the life and blood from their subordinates. The First Officer has already met the fate he deserved.”


    “If it were me, after the exploration team mysteriously disappeared, I personally would have led a second exploration team into the jungle to find more food and water for everyone. That is what a leader should do,” Zhenjin continued.


    Lan Zao stood behind Zhenjin, gazing at the young knight’s back. His gloomy eyes lit up again, and his breathing returned to normal.


    In front of everyone, Cang Xu loudly praised, “My Lord, I have no doubt of the determination you would have to execute all of this. Your bravery and virtue are the reason we all rally behind you, ready to follow your every command. This island is a devil’s land, filled with tribulations and perils. Mu Ban is right, you are the hero sent by the divine to save us!”


    “But Lord Zhenjin, there’s something I’m very concerned about right now.”


    “Xi Suo, the old shipwright, and others went to chop wood and have not returned.”


    “Oh?” Zhenjin frowned and looked towards Mu Ban, “When did they leave, and when were they scheduled to return?”


    Mu Ban glanced at the sky, “According to our arrangement, they should have returned to the camp fifteen minutes ago.”


    “They didn’t get attacked by a herd of animals, did they?” A worried expression crossed Mu Ban’s face.


    “Don’t, don’t worry, we have Big Fool with them,” Fat Tongue said.


    Hei Juan shook his head, speaking solemnly, “Although Big Fool has giant blood and his life level has reached the Black Iron Level, he only relies on brute strength and has not trained in any martial arts. What if he encountered the Silver Level rhinoceros that just smashed the wooden hut? Even without a Silver Magical Beast, an attack from a group of bat monkeys could put Big Fool’s life at risk.”


    The level of life doesn’t necessarily determine victory or defeat.


    “Lord Zhenjin, there’s another thing I’m really concerned about,” Cang Xu continued, “The bat monkeys and that Silver Rhinoceros, why did they attack the camp in the first place?”


    “Five days ago, when they were transported to the forest and started to repair this campsite, it was only today that they suffered an animal attack.”


    Zhenjin’s brows furrowed deeply, “Cang Xu, are you suggesting if this camp was invading the territory of the animals, they would have attacked on the first or second day. Attacking on the fifth day is indeed very strange.”


    “And,” Cang Xu said, “why would the Silver Rhinoceros attack here along with the bat swarm? They are two different types of Magic Beasts. Moreover, after the Silver Rhinoceros rammed into the wooden hut, it left the campsite, which is very unnatural.”


    “Although there is not enough evidence, I have an indescribable feeling. It’s as if they are being manipulated by someone.”


    “Manipulated by someone?” The others looked at each other, puzzled.


    “Could it be that the enemy has a Beast Tamer, a, a Beast Tamer?” Fat Tongue asked.


    Cang Xu said gravely, “It might not necessarily be a Beast Tamer. In reality, most animals, even Magic Beasts, have low intelligence. If one understands their behaviors well enough, they can be manipulated. Like how we use the excrement of High-grade Magic Beasts to drive away the lower ones around our camp, or how we use bait when fishing. Aren’t these ways we influence the behavior of these wild creatures?”


    Hearing this, Zi Di’s complexion changed slightly, and a chill rose in her heart.


    She looked towards Zhenjin and called out, “My Lord, that Armor Plate…”


    Before she could finish speaking, Zhenjin already took out the Armor Plate.


    “Who among you is wearing armor of this material?” Zhenjin, realizing something, asked urgently.


    Mu Ban shook his head, “As you can see, my lord. This is a kind of high-grade fine steel, which we people can hardly afford. Most of our warriors wear leather armor. Even if they have armor, it’s just a half set of iron armor, not this kind of steel armor.”


    “Ah, ah, ah! It’s, it’s, it’s him!” Fat Tongue suddenly exclaimed, his face filled with panic.


    “Who is he?” Zhenjin narrowed his eyes and immediately pressed for an answer.


    “He, he, he, is, is, is just…” As Fat Tongue grew more nervous, he became more stuttered.


    “It’s Zong Ge!” Hei Juan took over his words, his face also tense, “On the entire ship, only Zong Ge had such high-quality battle armor. I’ve seen him wear it many times, defeating Big Fool, he was wearing fine steel armor. This must be a fragment of the armor from his body!”


    “That’s impossible.” Mu Ban objected, “How could Zong Ge be nearby? We’ve already shaken him off.”


    “No, you were teleported here.” Zi Di’s eyes sparkled, “Didn’t you just say it? While Zong Ge was pursuing you, you were suddenly teleported. It’s possible that Zong Ge’s group was also transported.”


    Zhenjin’s fingers stroked the shattered armor plate, his expression grave.


    All clues indicated that Zong Ge’s group of pursuers had also been teleported here.


    The traces that Zhenjin had seen earlier were left by Zong Ge’s group. The reason they cleaned up the battlefield was, in all likelihood, to guard against Xi Suo, Mu Ban, and their group.


    “It must be Zong Ge!” Hei Juan suddenly asserted confidently, “The bat monkey horde and the Silver Rhinoceros were also lured here by Zong Ge to launch a fierce attack on my camp.”


    Cang Xu was slightly taken aback, “Do you have any evidence?”


    “Hmph! Don’t forget, he’s a Half-Beast. He must have a connection with wild beasts; certainly, he has ways to influence the beast herds,” Hei Juan said.


    Zhenjin shook his head slightly, “Beastmen and Half-Beasts indeed have a closer affinity with wild beasts, but that doesn’t prove that Zong Ge’s group is the culprit behind the assault on the camp. In fact, the penetrative wounds on the Captain’s body are also insufficient to indict Zong Ge as the true murderer.”


    “My lord.” Hei Juan touched his chest and bowed to Zhenjin, “You truly are a Holy Temple Knight, always upholding a spirit of justice and fairness. But my suspicion of Zong Ge is not unfounded.”


    “He has undergone strict combat training!” Hei Juan continued.


    Everyone looked at each other, puzzled.


    He continued, “Every mercenary, or every sailor, has undergone combat training. The kind of combat training I’m talking about isn’t the usual kind, but military training.”


    “Trust me, I’m sure he has served in the military. Only someone who has undergone strict military training, and has served in the armed forces, could exude such a soldier’s aura, which is something I know all too well.”


    “Zong Ge is of Black Iron Level, and his skills are formidable. I witnessed him defeat Big Fool with just three punches and two kicks, the entire process was very clean and efficient. He fully demonstrated his own strength!”


    “The key point is, on this island, we cannot use Fighting Energy or magic, in battle, we can only rely on our martial arts and the physical strength and agility of our bodies.”


    “Zong Ge has the Bloodline of a Lion-man, his strength, speed, endurance, and so on, are all far superior to us of the Pure Blood Clan. With his high-grade battle armor, he even withstood a trunk sweep from Big Fool!”


    “Gentlemen, think about it carefully. Why such a strong individual would not continue to serve in the army? Any army would not let go of such an elite if they could. As long as he served dutifully, his prospects would be bright! Unless he committed a major offense that revealed him as a cunning and evil person, leading to his expulsion from the military.”


    Hei Juan’s analysis did have some merit. Mu Ban, Fat Tongue, and others could not help but nod slightly after listening.


    Indeed, those who boarded the Pig Kiss at this time of year to venture to the Wilderness Continent could not be viewed as ordinary.


    Most of them were people who could not mesh well in the Holy Bright Continent or were dissatisfied with their lives. They took the risk of endangering their lives in the hopes of seizing opportunities and gaining profits from war. They were adventurers, and possibly criminals.


    Like Bai Ya, he needed to become a knight.


    Like Cang Xu, he was a wanted criminal.


    Even Zhenjin, he too was carrying the mission to revive his family. Sёarch* The novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhenjin stroked the hilt of his sword, lost in thought.


    From the narratives of Mu Ban and Hei Juan, as well as from the frightened demeanor of Fat Tongue, it was apparent how formidable Zong Ge was.


    Zong Ge was a mixed-blood of Beastman and Human Race, a Half-Beast status was not well-received in human society. More accurately, it was met with discrimination.


    However, upon this island, the identity of a Half-Beast made Zong Ge’s combat power stand out.


    “If I do not mutate, I fear I will not defeat Zong Ge.”


    “Only with mutation would I stand a chance. But the mutation can’t be seen by others. Once I use the Heart Core within me, I must ensure that Zong Ge will certainly die!”


    Zhenjin felt a pressure bearing down on him.


    He was unable to use Fighting Energy, his prayers to the divinities went unanswered, he could not be blessed with Divine Arts, he could only rely on the strength of his own body.


    He wasn’t even clear about his own Cultivation level; although his physical fitness far surpassed the normal standard, his strength, speed, and so on, were merely average.


    If it were not for the Heart Core, a bit of luck, and Zhenjin’s steadfast willpower, Zhenjin would have died long ago.


    “So, is my opponent this time not some Magic Beast, but a person instead?”