Chapter 441 - 439: Trekking 1000 Li to Find Wanwan

Chapter 441: Chapter 439: Trekking 1000 Li to Find Wanwan

Their bodies were covered in lash marks and branding scars. Countless bones were broken, and only faint moans proved they were still alive.

Chou Rong sat coldly on the stone chair above, personally overseeing the interrogation.

"Who sent you? Where is the female, Bai Wanwan?" a Beastman demanded, viciously whipping their beast forms.

The only response he received was pained groans and fragmented, nonsensical ramblings:

"So bright... obey..."

"Master... eternal..."

"The female... take her... must."

These Beastmen’s eyes were vacant and unfocused. Even under immense pain, they were incapable of expressing themselves clearly.

Their answers were chaotic, like marionettes controlled by invisible strings, completely lacking the fear and logic a normal Beastman should possess.

The interrogating Beastman was exasperated. He turned to Chou Rong. "Clan Leader, we’ve been questioning them for days, but all they do is repeat this same nonsense."

A cold, murderous intent glinted in Chou Rong’s eyes, radiating a suffocating pressure.

"If they don’t talk by the end of the day... kill them all."

Just then, the heavy iron door of the stone dungeon was shoved open, and a guard rushed in. "Clan Leader! Zhu Xiu and the others are back!"

Light instantly flooded Chou Rong’s dull, weary eyes. He shot to his feet and strode quickly out of the stone dungeon.

Outside the council hall stood the travel-worn figures of Zhu Xiu, Yan Lie, Jin Yi, Xin Feng, and Yin Ze. Their faces were etched with unconcealable exhaustion and... gravity.

Chou Rong’s gaze swept past them, searching for the figure who had been robbing him of sleep.

But she wasn’t there.

The light in his vermilion-gold eyes instantly dimmed, and his heart sank.

"Chou Rong," Zhu Xiu spoke first, his voice hoarse and tinged with a barely perceptible exhaustion from the long journey. "We... we didn’t find Wanwan."

A sinister, hostile energy seemed to overflow from his narrow, serpentine eyes.

Yan Lie, whose face was usually sunny, was now clouded with gloom and profound self-loathing. He slammed his fist into a nearby Stone Pillar with a dull thud. "Damn it! We searched every possible route and area. It’s like Wanwan just vanished into thin air!"

Chou Rong suppressed his disappointment and anxiety, his vermilion-gold eyes turning to Zhu Xiu. His voice was tense. "Did you find any clues related to Wanwan? Anything at all!"

Zhu Xiu slowly shook his head, his gaze icy. "No. Our opponent is extremely cunning and their methods are highly sophisticated; they erased every trace. Even... even her scent was masked by some special substance."

Chou Rong’s heart sank a little more, but he had no time to wallow in disappointment.

He took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening once more. "Follow me."

He led the males back into the dark, blood-stained stone dungeon.

He brought Zhu Xiu and the others before the dying, delirious traitors. "I’ve been interrogating them this whole time. But... their minds seem to be muddled. Their answers are nonsensical, not at all like normal Beastmen."

Chou Rong pointed to one of the Beastmen, who was muttering to himself with vacant eyes. "Have any of you ever seen a situation like this?"

Zhu Xiu’s narrow, serpentine eyes narrowed. He took a step forward, leaned down, and gently placed his long, cool fingers on the Beastman’s forehead.

His sharp senses caught an extremely faint, sinister fluctuation of Dark Energy that carried the stench of decay.

"Dark Energy..." Zhu Xiu’s voice was bone-chillingly cold. "They are indeed being controlled. This energy has eroded their consciousness, turning them into puppets who only know how to follow orders."

He stood up and looked at Chou Rong, his expression incredibly grave. "Taking Wanwan has exposed these controlled pawns, but it’s also a warning to us. Chou Rong, you need to have your clansmen immediately start monitoring each other. Check everyone around you carefully! If someone can secretly control most of the powerful Beastmen in your tribe..."

Zhu Xiu didn’t finish, but the grim coldness that flashed in his serpentine eyes sent a chill through all the males present.

Chou Rong’s expression became exceedingly grim; he instantly grasped the critical point. "I understand! I’ll personally investigate this matter. I’ll tear this place apart if I have to, but I will find the mastermind! But for now, the most important thing is finding Wanwan!"

Jin Yi stepped forward, his golden eyes flashing sharply in the dim light. "Most of us are Land Beastmen. Our tracking skills are most effective on land. If someone deliberately wanted to erase Wanwan’s trail and evade us..." He paused, pointing south. "Could they have taken her... to the sea? That’s a place where our influence is limited."

Xin Feng pondered for a moment and nodded, his handsome face grave. "Jin Yi has a point. The sea is vast and dotted with islands. It’s also crawling with powerful Sea Clans like the Merfolk and the Crocodylus porosus. It’s difficult for Land Beastmen to investigate deep within their territory. What’s more, erasing scents and tracks or using currents to hide their path wouldn’t be hard for a Sea Clan. The likelihood that Wanwan was taken to the sea... is very high."

The males exchanged a look, quickly reaching an agreement.

As Clan Leader, Chou Rong had to stay and preside over the Tiger Clan, tasked with rooting out the internal traitors and hidden threats, as well as providing support from their home base.

Thus, the great responsibility of finding Bai Wanwan fell to the five males: Zhu Xiu, Yan Lie, Jin Yi, Xin Feng, and Yin Ze.

「More than twenty days later」

After a long journey from the frigid snow plains, they arrived at the edge of a warm, humid sea.

The five males stood on the jagged coastal reefs as a salty sea breeze washed over them.

Before them lay the vast, churning, azure ocean—a sight completely different from the lands they knew.

"There’s no trace of Wanwan’s scent here, either." Zhu Xiu closed his eyes to sense his surroundings for a moment, his expression growing even darker.

The scents of the sea were complex and overpowering, completely masking any faint traces from the land.

"We need to find a way to ask the Sea Clan for information," Xin Feng said, frowning.

Just as they were about to search for a nearby fishing village or Sea Clan tribe, the water’s surface not far off suddenly began to churn violently!

SPLASH!

Several massive, ferocious Beastmen—covered in thick, dark-green scales, with long snouts and sharp teeth—burst from the water!

It was none other than the notorious overlords of this sea—the Crocodylus porosus Clan!

The leading Crocodylus porosus Beastman’s eyes were savage, his voice as grating as sandpaper. He spoke with unconcealed hostility and menace, "Land Beastmen! Get out of these waters! This area is sealed off. You are forbidden to approach! If you don’t, you’ll have only yourselves to blame when we get rough!"

Their attitude was utterly tyrannical.

Xin Feng stepped forward, doing his best to keep his tone calm and courteous. "Warriors of the Crocodylus porosus Clan, we mean no offense. We are searching for a missing female companion who may have been brought near these waters. I wonder, have you seen any unfamiliar females recently, or has anything unusual occurred? We would reward you handsomely for any clues you could provide!"