Chapter 22: Embracing the Mission

The interior of the ice wall seemed to be filled with countless refractive surfaces, resembling a deep, undulating blue ocean that was impossible to fathom.

Guo Zhenhu looked left and right, shaking his head repeatedly as he muttered to himself, "This is truly strange. I saw it with my own eyes, so where could the creature have gone? Could it have burrowed underground?"

Without a word, Bao Xiaotong quickly unhooked the grappling claw from her waist and threw it forcefully toward the top of the ice wall, determined to climb up and investigate.

The grappling claw was a common tool in the martial arts world of the past, serving as both a climbing aid and a weapon. It consisted of a metal claw at the front attached to a sturdy rope. Even in this modern era of advanced technology, Bao Xiaotong, known as the "Princess of the Martial Arts World," remained deeply attached to it. Especially during expeditions, her exquisite martial arts skills made her exceptionally adept at using the tool.

Xiaotong threw the claw at the cliff face again and again, but failed each time.

"Junior sister," Guo Zhenhu advised from below, "the glacier wall is too high and slippery; the monster couldn't have escaped that way."

Refusing to give up, Bao Xiaotong hurled the claw toward the high ice wall once more. This time, it caught onto an exposed rock. Light as a swallow, she ascended the wall in a blur. Using her nocturnal vision techniques, she crouched down and focused her gaze into the distance. However, all she saw was a vast, hazy world of ice and snow; the mist was too thick to discern anything ahead.

Where could it have gone? she wondered to herself.

"Junior sister, do you see anything?" Guo Zhenhu shouted from below.

"It’s just a grey blur; I can't see a thing," Xiaotong replied helplessly.

"Come down. It couldn't have climbed such a high wall," Guo Zhenhu called out. He then began carefully examining the smooth ice surface, hoping to find some trace or clue.

At that moment, the team leader, Bao Tianxi, walked over and asked, "Hey, do you think that thing we saw was a wild man?"

"Iron Hand" Gu Dajun rubbed his injured head, still feeling a lingering sense of dread. "If that was a wild man, he was incredibly powerful! He was at least twice my size!"

"If it wasn't a wild man, then what was it?" Miaomiao asked, puzzled.

"I think it looked like a gorilla, a baboon, or maybe a drill," Deng Da, nicknamed 'The Rat,' speculated uncertainly.

Miaomiao curled her lip in disdain. "How could that be? Don't forget, we are on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau! How could those creatures be here?"

For Miaomiao, her experience searching for wild men in the Shennongjia mountains a few years ago, though perilous, had provided her with considerable experience. Back then, following rumors that the long-extinct wild men had reappeared, she had spent over four months in the Shennongjia forest region under her superior, Zou Dongxu. Although they never saw a wild man, they had narrowly escaped becoming prey to bears, wild boars, and even baboons multiple times. Therefore, she was convinced that what they had just seen was a wild man.

"Gazi" Ye Qing questioned her from the side, "You’ve never seen a wild man before, so how can you be so sure?"

"Regardless, I saw a humanoid monster," Chen Miaomiao retorted defiantly.

"You're calling it a wild man without even seeing it clearly?" someone mocked.

"Whatever it is, it was a humanoid creature, and we all saw it with our own eyes!" Hao Xiaoyu stepped in to support Miaomiao.

But where had the monster gone? Everyone looked at each other, unable to provide an answer.

Guo Zhenhu pondered to himself, feeling uneasy. It was truly baffling. He did not give up, continuing to search for the footprints left by the humanoid creature. He pushed against the ice wall again, only to find that it had lost its earlier elasticity, becoming as hard and immovable as it had been before.

The others joined him in peering into the ice, all hoping to find some suspicious traces.

Meanwhile, in a world on the other side of the ice, the Longshan people—fleeing their bitter rivals, the Halaha, and searching for the path home—had just activated the "Heavenly Furnace Golden Gourd" gravitational field under the guidance of their tribal shaman. They had attempted an unsuccessful instantaneous space-time jump.

The effort had caused the surrounding space-time to twist and warp, resulting in the disappearance of several Longshan tribesmen, and ultimately, the attempt had been abandoned halfway.

Chief Simolam’s eyes gleamed with unyielding resolve.

Years ago, the Longshan people had faced the brutal pursuit of the Halaha. In that life-or-death struggle, they were forced to leave their homes in the familiar Bafang Valley and flee in panic, eventually arriving in this strange world filled with gargantuan, savage beasts.

Upon their arrival, their roles had undergone a 180-degree shift: they were no longer the majestic hunters, but the hunted, living in constant fear and hiding. Yet, the Longshan people possessed innate resilience and an extraordinary ability to adapt. After enduring difficult trials, they grew clever and resourceful, becoming formidable "sprites" adept at using their wits to overcome foes much larger than themselves. With their courage and intellect, they gradually established a foothold in this perilous land.

As their bravery and intelligence shone through, this once-savage and unknown world no longer confused them. On the contrary, the former apex predators of this land—the dinosaurs and other beasts—felt increasingly threatened by the Longshan people, growing uneasy. Every appearance of the Longshan people seemed to challenge their dominance, making survival in this land ever more difficult.

Seeing that the Moonlight Gems used for their flying craft were dwindling, Waza decided to lead his people on another quest to find energy gems. Before his departure, Simolam handed him an ancient star map left behind by Nise-Guo, charging him to bring everyone back safely. Waza knew he carried the weight of the entire tribe on his shoulders; only by traversing the desolate lands to find the traces of the Moonlight Stones could he bring hope and a future to the Longshan people.

Standing before the vine-covered flying craft, Waza resembled the former chief, Nuka. He was tall and robust, his powerful physique suggesting that every muscle contained endless strength. His long, glossy black hair danced wildly in the gale like silk, adding to his untamed and heroic aura. He wore a simple, durable linen tunic, with a sturdy turtle-shell breastplate worn over his chest. The patterns on the shell seemed to tell stories of the ages, shimmering with a mysterious luster as if it were a loyal guardian watching over his heart. He paired this with a fur skirt, which provided warmth while highlighting a unique, primitive charm that anchored him to this savage world.

Slung across his broad back was a massive "Longshan Chopper," radiating a primal chill. This weapon, shaped like a saw-axe, was actually a machete used in the daily life of the Longshan people. It was forged from incredibly hard meteorite iron with exquisite craftsmanship. Waza’s blade was significantly larger than those of his peers, its surface gleaming with a cold light that seemed to recount the countless fierce battles it had endured—each scratch a testament to his bravery and fearlessness.

Mysterious totems were tattooed on his arms, seemingly coming to life with his every movement. His well-defined, powerful muscles exuded a wild, unrestrained, and vibrant youthful energy, manifesting his dignity and glory as the greatest warrior of the Longshan people.

Three flying craft slowly ascended into the sky, heading toward their predetermined destination...

Meanwhile, on the snowy plateau, the treasure-hunting expedition team remained collectively perplexed by the encounter with the humanoid creature.

Meng Yang asked, "Do you think the wild man is human?"

Chen Miaomiao replied, "I think they are human! Just wild ones."

Deng Da chimed in, "What if they are ancient people who escaped from the center of the earth?"

"Unlikely," Chen Miaomiao said. "If they were, they should be more advanced than us, not so savage." She reached out to her best friend. "Xiaotong, lend me your 'Super-Sense' for a moment."

Bao Xiaotong knew she was referring to the Super-Sense bracelet on her wrist, a custom-made, new-generation wrist device she had ordered for herself and her senior brother, He Yunfei, before they set out. She asked, "What do you need it for?"

"Don't worry about it, sister," Miaomiao said. "I'm going to show them what a wild man really is." She then unceremoniously began to unfasten the bracelet from Xiaotong's wrist.

"You can play with it for a few days, but don't break it!" Xiaotong warned.

Upon hearing she could keep it for a few days, Miaomiao was overjoyed. "Great! I'll test it out and do some research today." Putting on the bracelet, she began to link her consciousness to the Super-Sense.

Everyone observed the device: it was an ultra-thin bracelet, two to three times wider than a watch, with a soft yet sturdy interface that looked extraordinary, even the clasp exuding a unique sense of grandeur. What puzzled them, however, was why no buttons were visible on the surface.

As someone focused on digital technology, Chen Miaomiao had naturally heard that this smart bracelet could connect to the world's most advanced biological computer, the "Smart-Life Cloud," and possessed incredible energy storage and data transmission capabilities. With her experience in controlling drones via consciousness, she quickly grasped the operating procedures of the Super-Sense.

"What is that fancy thing? Why can't I see any buttons?" Bao Tianxi asked from the side.

Ignoring Gazi, Miaomiao examined the device for a moment before concentrating her intent to delve deeper.