Lin Ye didn't know which way to lead, but he occasionally found textual markings on Yao Beast droppings.
Some of the Yao Beast droppings were exposed, while others were buried.
The direction Lin Ye led was precisely where the Yao Beast droppings were buried.
If he walked a long time in one direction without encountering buried Yao Beast droppings, he would change direction.
You Suowei followed behind Lin Ye, his expression growing more suspicious with each step.
"There were Yao Beast droppings over there just now; the Yao Beast's lair might be nearby."
Lin Ye didn't know how to explain it to You Suowei; he couldn't very well say he knew about those buried Yao Beast droppings.
Although Yao Beasts aren't highly intelligent, they are comparable to human children of seven or eight years old.
Most Yao Beasts are very clean; how could they possibly defecate indiscriminately outside their own homes?
Those droppings exposed on the ground might have been deliberately left by the Yao Beast to mark its territory.
Healthy droppings can prove that the Yao Beast is healthy and in its prime, and surrounding Yao Beasts can identify a lot of information from the smell of the droppings, so they wouldn't provoke it without reason.
You Suowei thought for a moment, then, with a resigned expression, waved his hand at Lin Ye, "Forget it, you lead whichever way you want. I've tried to judge direction by experience and have never been right."
Finally, Lin Ye led You Suowei to an underground cave.
When You Suowei saw the fur next to the cave entrance, his eyes immediately lit up.
"This is the fur of a Tier 1 Demon Beast, the Ground Rat. They prefer to live in underground caves, so this cave must be its nest."
"Good heavens, I just said good heavens, your luck is truly Heaven-Defying! You can wander around and still find a Yao Beast's lair."
Lin Ye didn't know what to say, so he simply smiled.
He wasn't wandering aimlessly; he was quietly judging based on various markings.
Although the name Ground Rat sounds small, its size is comparable to that of an ordinary wild boar.
You Suowei led Lin Ye directly into the cave entrance, even reassuring Lin Ye.
"Don't be afraid, there won't be any danger in the underground cave."
Lin Ye nodded gently at You Suowei but still gripped the Tang Dao in his hand tightly.
Although You Suowei said there was no danger in the underground cave, he didn't relax for a second, keeping his weapon ready to attack at any moment.
The light in the underground cave was very dim, but to Lin Ye's eyes, it was very bright because there were too many sparkling textual markings around.
【Ten-year Dark Spiritual Plant】 【Iron Essence】 【Iron Essence】 【Tier 1 Demon Beast Leg Bone】
...
You Suowei gasped softly when he saw the Iron Essence, "This underground cave wouldn't happen to have an Iron Essence mine, would it!"
"Quick, collect them! Don't miss those Spirit Medicine either. Most of these Spirit Medicine have a symbiotic relationship with Yao Beasts. If a Yao Beast dies and doesn't return to its underground cave for a long time, the Spirit Medicine will also wither quickly."
You Suowei continued proudly, "I truly am prescient; I brought a backpack out."
Seeing You Suowei digging for Iron Essence, Lin Ye took out his night vision goggles and put them on before going forward to pick the Spirit Medicine.
【Mutated Bloodthirsty Vine, can be recognized as master by dripping blood while it is still in its nascent state.】
Lin Ye knew about the Bloodthirsty Vine; it is a very ferocious Mutated Plant.
The strangling ability of a Tier 1 Bloodthirsty Vine is comparable to a car hitting something at full speed.
What kind of thing is a Mutated Bloodthirsty Vine?
A thought flashed through Lin Ye's mind: fortune favors the bold, while the timid starve.
Seeing the half-exposed Iron Essence nearby, he had an idea.
"Hiss..."
You Suowei heard Lin Ye's sharp intake of breath and looked back.
"Are you alright? Be careful, Iron Essence is very sharp."
Lin Ye waved his hand indifferently, "It's nothing, I just couldn't see clearly and cut my hand. I'll just disinfect it when we get back."
You Suowei slapped his forehead upon hearing this, "My brain really isn't working right; I forgot you're not like me, and your vision hasn't been enhanced yet."
"Once you successfully condense Qi and blood, your eyesight will greatly improve, and you won't need night vision goggles anymore."
"Don't go any further inside; it's even darker in there."
Lin Ye heard this and walked towards the Mutated Bloodthirsty Vine, deliberately flicking the blood from his hand onto the Bloodthirsty Vine.
The matter of the Bloodthirsty Vine recognizing him as its master couldn't be hidden from You Suowei, and even if it could be hidden from You Suowei, it couldn't be hidden from the base's inspections, so it was better to expose the Bloodthirsty Vine from the start.
When the fresh blood was flicked onto the Mutated Bloodthirsty Vine, the Mutated Bloodthirsty Vine quickly climbed from the stone wall towards Lin Ye, its size shrinking more and more until it transformed into the shape of a wooden bracelet, coiling around Lin Ye's wrist.
"You Ge, my wrist is wrapped by something. It looks like a snake."
Lin Ye finished speaking and deliberately took a deep breath, feigning a startled expression.
You Suowei was startled when he heard this because he hadn't brought any snake venom antidote.
If the snake venom took effect too quickly, he might not be able to get back with Lin Ye.
When You Suowei saw what was on Lin Ye's wrist, his tone was full of doubt.
"Eh, what is this? It doesn't look like a snake; it looks more like some kind of vine."
"Did you accidentally get tangled in it just now?"
Lin Ye's tone was very serious and fearful, "Absolutely not! I haven't moved at all, and there are no vines around. This thing just suddenly appeared on my wrist, just like a snake."
"You Ge, I really didn't lie to you; this thing was moving just now."
Seeing Lin Ye's frightened expression, You Suowei cautiously approached to observe.
"Hiss, I don't understand it. Let's just go back to the camp first. Leave the Spirit Medicine and Iron Essence here for now."
If, during the time they were away, other mercenaries came and dug up the Spirit Medicine and Iron Essence, it could only mean that these things were not destined for him.
As Lin Ye left the underground cave, he touched the Mutated Bloodthirsty Vine with his hand. The Bloodthirsty Vine wrapped around his wrist immediately became warm and soft, as if trying to please Lin Ye.
On the surface, You Suowei looked at the thing wrapped around Lin Ye's wrist with a face full of question marks.
"No head, not a snake, the patterns look strange, and the color is a bit eerie, like blood."
"Why does it look like a wooden bracelet? Did it really suddenly wrap around your wrist in the underground cave, or is it a decoration you brought into the ruins yourself?"
Lin Ye couldn't help but curl his lips when he heard this, "You Ge, do you want to hear what you're saying? How could I possibly use something like this to scare you?"
Lin Ye finished speaking and deliberately swung the Bloodthirsty Vine on his wrist.
When the Bloodthirsty Vine saw You Suowei trying to touch it, it quickly whipped You Suowei's hand.
You Suowei's eyes widened, and he drew his knife, his gaze at the Bloodthirsty Vine filled with Killing Intent.
"Mutated Plant!!!"
"Don't worry, my hand speed is very fast; you won't feel much pain. Your hand can still be reattached after I cut it off."
Lin Ye saw that You Suowei truly wanted to cut off his hand, so he quickly pulled his hand back.
"You Ge, how can there be such a small Mutated Plant? Let's go back to the camp and let everyone see what this thing is."
"I feel like it's not dangerous."
You Suowei reflexively wanted to refute Lin Ye; there are many strange things in the ruins, and a moment's inattention could cost half a life. How could one rely on feeling to discern danger?
But as the words reached his lips, he remembered Lin Ye's special talent.
"Alright, since you feel there's no danger, then let's go back to the camp first."
"Let's see if Cheng Ye and the others recognize this thing."
"If you show any signs of poisoning on the way back, you must cut off your hand early."
"Between a hand and a life, of course, life is more important."
"If your hand is gone but your life remains, what's the use of a hand if your life is gone?"
...
You Suowei's intuition told him that the thing was a Mutated Plant, and his mind was in a mess, making him more verbose than usual.
He was afraid that if he stopped, he wouldn't be able to control himself from drawing his knife and attacking Lin Ye.