Chapter 27: The High-Level Standoff
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Xu Yue Ping glanced at Qin Ming and said quietly, “Hey Qin, want to go take a look at what’s happening up there?”
Qin Ming raised an eyebrow, curiosity bright in his eyes. He tried not to sound too excited, keeping his voice steady. “Are Cao Long, Wei Zhi Rou, and Mu Qing already headed that way? If they’re going, I guess it’s safe enough.” He shrugged, trying to sound casual and not too eager.
Xu Yue Ping nodded, pointing toward the village entrance. “They passed by not too long ago. The big shots said it was fine as long as we stay back and don’t get too close.”
Hearing this, Old Man Liu couldn’t hold back. He puffed out his chest and said, “What are we waiting for, then? Let’s go before we miss something important!” Without another word, he rushed ahead, clearly thrilled at the idea of seeing something extraordinary.
Qin Ming followed after them, rolling his eyes but grinning a little. “All right, all right. If the big names are there, guess we won’t be the first to get trampled if things turn nasty,” he joked, trying to sound tougher than he felt.
Before long, their little group reached the edge of the mountain. The entire slope was packed with Awakeners and other curious folk. Some stretched on their tiptoes, others craned their necks, all desperate to catch a glimpse of whatever was stirring up so much excitement. People whispered, pointed, and murmured, hoping to spot the high-level leaders from Red Glow City.
Qin Ming’s eyes flicked to a donkey standing oddly near the front. It reminded him of a donkey he’d hunted just a few days ago. He snorted quietly, thinking, What’s with these donkey look-alikes? Must be some cousin or something. But this donkey had a passenger: a small, pure-white weasel perched calmly on its back. The weasel was oddly still, with deep, thoughtful eyes. There was something almost human—or maybe more than human—about the way it observed the scene.
Qin Ming swallowed, suddenly anxious. Trying to blend in, he used his Silent Void skill to mask his presence. Then he slipped into the crowd, half-hidden by his Light Shroud technique. This was one of his best tricks: staying unnoticed.
“Look!” someone hissed nearby. In the faint moonlight, a distant shape began to emerge on the snow-covered clearing. Step by step, it came closer, its outline sharpening. People muttered nervously, wondering if this newcomer was from Red Glow City’s side or the mountains’.
A hush fell as the figure turned out to be something else entirely—another strange creature. This one, a tabby cat as big as a small child, slowly approached. Instead of walking on all fours, it strutted on two legs like a tiny warrior. Qin Ming felt his jaw slacken. Cats weren’t supposed to walk like that, right? Yet here it was, each step elegant and unhurried.
It made Qin Ming think, I’ve seen powerful creatures before, but not like these. He remembered that weasels and cats were usually not on friendly terms. Would these two end up clawing at each other?
It seemed the crowd shared his worries. Everyone watched, holding their breath, waiting to see if the white weasel and the tabby cat would clash. Still, no one dared to speak their fears aloud. The tension hung thick as fog.
“I always thought top-tier beasts were like the Moon Bug,” Old Man Liu mumbled under his breath, recalling legends of mighty monsters ruling the wildlands. Back in his day, rumors spoke of ancient creatures: giant birds, massive predators, and old spirits in the forests. But this scene was very different—no towering beasts, just these odd, clever-looking animals.
“Are they gonna fight?” a voice whispered. All eyes shifted between the cat and the weasel. The tabby cat carried a red sword strapped to its back, partly drawn. Its blade shimmered like a crimson sunset, lighting the snow with an eerie glow.
The weasel hopped off the donkey and gently patted its steed, as if telling it to leave. Now on its hind legs, the weasel held a string of prayer beads in one tiny paw, the other paw resting at its side in a strangely human manner. A thin white mist floated out from those beads, pushing back against the red light from the cat’s sword. It was like a silent battle of energies—one side red and fierce, the other white and calm.
The crowd gaped. Many asked in hushed voices, “Wait, aren’t they supposed to be on the same side?” Others wondered if one of them might actually be human, transformed over time into a creature that looked nothing like a person.
These were mysteries nobody could solve on the spot. People from all walks of life—Mountain Patrol guards, noble Awakeners, ordinary villagers, and visitors from other towns—had gathered to witness this standoff. It was a rare spectacle. Even the veteran Mountain Patrol members who had spent decades in these mountains had never seen such a gathering of powerful beings.
On the human side stood figures from Red Glow City. Cao Long was easy to spot, nearly three meters tall in shining armor, clutching a huge spear as if daring anyone to come closer. Wei Zhi Rou and Mu Qing stayed close, their eyes sharp and their bodies tense. In the forests beyond, countless creatures peered out. Some of their bodies shimmered in strange colors—purples, reds, and greens. Their calls and growls drowned out nervous chatter among the humans.
“Weren’t we told there would be some sort of negotiations?” someone asked, sounding confused and worried. “Is this really going to turn into a fight?”
Mu Qing, dressed in a black cloak, answered quietly, “We don’t want trouble, but if they cross the line, we fight. Our leaders will back us up.” She sounded calm, but Qin Ming could tell her nerves were on edge.
Similar feelings spread among the people of Red Glow City and the patrol squads. They all tightened their grips on weapons and quietly prepared for the worst. Old Man Liu’s eyes lit up with an odd excitement. “Hasn’t been a big showdown like this in decades,” he murmured, gripping his machete tightly.
Qin Ming hovered at the edge of the crowd. He was tempted to push forward, but he also knew better than to rush into something this dangerous. Still, he didn’t want to miss a thing. He adjusted his hold on his purple-gold hammer, keeping it ready just in case.
Suddenly, a towering figure appeared right in the middle of the standoff. No one saw him approach—he was just there, as if he had stepped out of thin air. The man stood at least ten meters tall, clad in old-fashioned armor, holding a long black spear. His mere presence made the air feel heavier, and for a moment Qin Ming could hardly breathe. Then, as if sensing their discomfort, this giant’s fierce aura faded slightly, allowing everyone to breathe normally again.
He looked about forty, with a craggy, weathered face and long black hair that fell loosely. Some whispered he might be related to the legendary Giant Spirit lineage. Others just stared, stunned by his sheer size and power.
“Is he one of our top warriors from Red Glow City?” someone asked softly.
Cao Long and Wei Zhi Rou were baffled too. They’d never seen the giant before. But they could tell he was human, not a forest creature in disguise. He stepped toward the white weasel, standing calmly at its side, facing the tabby cat and its sword.
As soon as the giant arrived, the red sword on the cat’s back began to glow and hum, reacting to his presence. It was as if the sword itself knew this newcomer was a threat.
An older member of the Mountain Patrol leaned in and whispered, “That settles it. This giant is one of ours, a top fighter from Red Glow City’s side. And that white weasel… well, I suppose it’s one of our allies too, a senior figure who just chose a different path.”
The crowd murmured, finally understanding something of this mysterious lineup. The cat with the red sword must be from the mountain’s side—one of the high-level beings who opposed Red Glow City.
Just then, another human figure appeared by the tabby cat’s side, silent as a ghost. He wore flowing white robes and looked to be in his early forties. His face was calm, scholarly, and serious. The newcomers recognized him immediately. His name was Ling Xu—the City Lord of Red Glow City.
Qin Ming’s jaw dropped. This was really happening: City Lord Ling Xu had shown up in person. Now it was clear that both sides had sent their greatest representatives. On one side, the giant and the weasel stood for the city. On the other side, the tabby cat and Ling Xu—though this was puzzling because Ling Xu was supposed to be from Red Glow City, wasn’t he? Yet he stood opposite the giant.
“Wei Mo, Wei Xiong,” Ling Xu spoke calmly, looking at the giant, “it’s been twenty years.”
The giant, apparently called Wei Mo, nodded, his armor clanking softly. “Yes, Ling Xu. Time hasn’t been kind to you,” he replied, voice low and steady.
Those who knew these names from old tales sucked in their breath. People whispered about Wei Mo, a legendary fighter long thought vanished into the deep forests. Now he was here, together with a strange weasel, facing off against Ling Xu, the City Lord, who was standing beside the feline creature.
Qin Ming’s head spun. Whose side was who on, really? He couldn’t make sense of it. But whatever these four beings were doing—negotiating or arguing—their business seemed beyond the crowd’s understanding.
Without warning, all four sat down on the snowy ground—giant, weasel, cat, and city lord. It looked like they were about to hold some secret meeting. The crowd leaned in, straining their ears, but no sound reached them. It was as if they had sealed themselves in a quiet bubble of energy.
They didn’t stay peaceful for long. Red haze swirled around the cat’s sword, and white mist coiled around the weasel’s beads. The ground trembled as if an invisible fight were breaking out between them. At one point, the cat drew its crimson blade, a brilliant glow lighting the night sky. The weasel’s beads rattled in response, and a tap of its paw sent snow flying.
On the forest side, monstrous roars echoed. More creatures emerged—some perched atop cliffs, their eyes gleaming in the dark; others soared overhead, wings beating ominously. The strangest was the Moon Bug, a shining insect lighting up the distant mountains, stirring fear and awe.
Across from the bug, a huge green bird appeared on the human side, a robed figure standing on its back. The aura around that person clashed with the Moon Bug’s radiance, holding it at bay.
As Qin Ming watched all this, a sudden pain stabbed through his head. Something about that robed figure on the green bird triggered an old, half-forgotten memory. He was fourteen then, and it involved blood and a lightning-like flash in his mind. The memory made him flinch, gripping his hammer more tightly.