CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 116: BEAST TIDE STRIKES, 9-STAR CITY FALLS

Lin Chen pondered.

He had lived in Jiuxing City for so many years, and in his memory, the frequency of beast tides was not that high.

But in the past two years, they’ve been particularly frequent, and he wondered if there was any special reason behind it.

This time, the Beastmasters did not initiate a city lockdown, which means they probably haven’t found any evidence.

Just after Lin Chen finished his meal, Lee Zhen brought Huang Xiaotian to his door.

"You’re not going to make me find evidence, are you?" Lin Chen coughed dryly.

The beast tide and such were what he feared most...

In times of chaos, someone like him, a small fry, could easily end up dead like a passerby.

"Originally, we didn’t want to trouble you, but if this matter isn’t cleared up, the whole city could be in danger," Lee Zhen said. "I’ll assign a few more teams to you, and the moment something seems off, we’ll get you out first."

Huang Xiaotian added, "There are usually signs before a beast tide hits. We might not be able to beat them, but escaping shouldn’t be too hard. This investigation won’t be too in-depth; we just want to see if you can find some clues."

"Alright then." Lin Chen nodded, and as he turned around, he suddenly got an idea and said, "Wait a moment."

Lin Chen ran into the room and said to Qin Shaoshao, "Elder, if the Spirit-Devouring Vine is cultivated like that long-term, it’s not the best. The best way is still..."

"Let’s go," Qin Shaoshao interrupted him before he could finish, getting up directly.

Lin Chen was overjoyed immediately.

With such an expert by his side, he wasn’t afraid to dive into the tiger’s den...

....

Seeing Lin Chen bring Qin Shaoshao out, Lee Zhen’s mouth twitched as he thought to himself, is he that afraid of dying?

However, if Qin Shaoshao was willing to go, then that was for the best, ensuring their safety.

Huang Xiaotian didn’t know Qin Shaoshao’s identity, but back in Black Mountain City, Qin Shaoshao had put him to sleep once, so he knew she was a master.

"I won’t be going; I need to coordinate defense preparations," Lee Zhen said. "You all go ahead."

Since Qin Shaoshao was there, there was no need to send so many experts. Lee Zhen decided to let the three of them go; it would make it easier to retreat if necessary.

Time was tight, and the task was heavy, so Lin Chen and the others boarded a Gale Beast and flew outside the city.

After traveling for a day, they finally landed, eighty kilometers outside Jiuxing City.

As soon as they landed, Lin Chen said to Qin Shaoshao, "Release the Spirit-Devouring Vine and let it move around in the wild. Plant Spirit Beasts love the wild."

Qin Shaoshao waved her hand, and the Spirit-Devouring Vine immediately appeared.

Huang Xiaotian glanced at the Spirit-Devouring Vine, a bit surprised by its low level, but then thought it might be Qin Shaoshao’s new beast, so he didn’t ponder too much and quickly got to work. He said to Lin Chen, "We tracked here before but were blocked by Death Warriors and lost the trail."

Lin Chen followed Huang Xiaotian over and indeed saw many Spirit Beast corpses.

The bloodline power of these Spirit Beasts was very low, obviously just some small fry.

As Huang Xiaotian said, the traces ahead were chaotic, as this was a stretch of barren land with a complex terrain, making it hard to find tracks.

Despite entering this area, they found no clues.

"Assuming your guess holds, and they were here to gather information, what would be their objective?" Lin Chen posed a question.

The purposes of a beast tide are typically twofold:

First, for the thrill of harming humans.

Second, to seize food.

Such preliminary scouting actions that alert the human race before launching a surprise attack were rare.

"That’s the point I can’t figure out either," Huang Xiaotian said. "It’s like they want us to know they’re coming but don’t let us detect them."

The two discussed without resolution; at night they lit a campfire in the wild and settled down.

The next day, Lin Chen and the others continued deeper, crossing the barren land into a dense forest.

Lin Chen checked the map and said, "If I’m not mistaken, it seems like ahead is a national grain warehouse site."

"Yes."

Huang Xiaotian nodded.

The Beast Taming World has massive food demands, so ordinary wastelands are insufficient to meet those needs.

Since the Celestial Beast Era, four major merchants have colluded to control food and maliciously raise prices.

Later, the Cangling Ancient Country implemented policies, with the Beast Tamer Guild taking charge to reclaim wasteland in plains areas across countries.

In places like these, Plowhorn Beasts, capable of cultivating land, are the most preferred.

Apart from these workers, the Beast Tamer Guild usually sends skilled guards for the safety of the staff and the grain.

Huang Xiaotian knew a bit about this and told Lin Chen this grain warehouse was named the Shuangcheng Grain Warehouse, which directly supplied Jiuxing City and Black Mountain City.

"...Since it is a grain-heavy area, outsiders are generally unwelcome here. Only during monthly shift change or food transport is there contact with the city," Huang Xiaotian recalled and said, "I remember that warehouses of this level are usually guarded by a Level 50 Spirit Beast."

"Can we go and take a look?" Lin Chen asked.

"Should be doable." Huang Xiaotian nodded.

They quickly approached. Strangely, even within a two-kilometer radius, no Beastmasters showed up to warn them.

Such critical areas must be equipped with information system Spirit Beasts for warning against enemy attacks.

Huang Xiaotian sent his Spirit Beast to scout, and he quickly opened his eyes and anxiously said, "Something’s happened."

...

When Lin Chen and the others hurried over, they saw traces of destruction everywhere, with bloodstains on the ground, indicating that not much time had passed.