Sunlight poured down as the team transporting the green jade continued to move forward slowly. Ahead of them, a forest gradually appeared, and the road beneath their feet passed right through it.

Captain's somewhat irritable and fierce voice rang out once again at this moment, making sure everyone heard it, like a roar: "All of you, keep your eyes wide open! Once we enter the forest, don't take the wrong path, don't touch any flowers, plants, or wild fruits, and absolutely do not provoke any birds or beasts. Otherwise, if you die, no one will collect your corpse!"

Many people simultaneously looked up at the somewhat deep and shadowy forest ahead, a trace of fear gradually appearing on their faces. But the team did not stop moving; under Captain's urging, they slowly approached the forest.

Brian Cooper walked among the crowd, appearing to be just an ordinary and unremarkable member. He only glanced casually at the forest ahead, seemingly not paying much attention.

※※※

"Have you noticed that the construction speed has been getting slower and slower lately?" As they walked into the forest with the team, Brian Cooper suddenly asked Captain beside him.

Captain didn't say anything, but nodded.

"It's already been a month, and the fifteenth green jade station up ahead still isn't finished," Brian Cooper said. "Could it be that they've run into some insurmountable danger up ahead?"

Captain was silent for a moment, then said, "That shouldn't be the problem. Actually, I feel that in the past month or two—no, in the past three or four months—the amount of green jade coming in from outside seems to be gradually decreasing."

Brian Cooper was taken aback. "Is that so?"

Captain said, "Yeah, you haven't been paying attention to this, so it's not strange you don't know. I'm in charge of transporting goods for these hundred people, so of course I notice. The green jade coming in from outside really is decreasing."

Brian Cooper said, "Isn't it said that green jade is all formed in the Divine River, and that there's an endless supply?"

"Who knows what's going on! Maybe after seventy or eighty years of mining, all the easily accessible green jade has been dug up, and what's left is deep in the Divine River and hard to get," Captain guessed.

Brian Cooper started laughing. Captain glanced at him and said irritably, "What are you laughing at! Even if there's less green jade, there'll still be some for you to carry... Uh, why does this forest seem especially quiet today?"

Brian Cooper paused, then turned to look around.

The road beneath their feet had been built by the human guards a few years ago. Though rough, it was fairly level. As they passed through the forest, they could see the lush, vibrant branches and leaves all around.

But both Captain and Brian Cooper were veterans; they were the ones in this group who had walked through this forest the most times. So they were also the first to notice that something seemed different from usual.

This forest was too quiet.

Before, whenever they passed through here, there was always danger lurking, and the sounds of birds and beasts would occasionally come from deep within the woods. But today, they had walked a long way and hadn't heard a single sound.

The entire forest seemed to have suddenly lost all living creatures, leaving only the trees standing silently.

The muscles on Captain's face tightened as he said in a low voice, "Something's not right!"

Brian Cooper saw that he seemed about to rush forward and shout, so he quickly grabbed him and lowered his voice: "Don't do anything rash! There are quite a few inexperienced people here. If you start shouting warnings, they're the ones who'll panic first, and something will go wrong."

Captain gritted his teeth. "Then what do you suggest?"

Brian Cooper hesitated for a moment. "For now, nothing's happened, so let's just keep going for a bit and see."

Captain hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright."

This conversation took place only between the two of them; no one else in the team heard it. So most people continued walking calmly through the forest, and the team moved forward slowly.

Nothing unexpected happened—at least, not yet.

Everything was quiet, and everyone was safe.

Captain's gaze kept sweeping through the woods around them, and then he suddenly asked, "Do you remember what monsters used to live in this forest?"

Brian Cooper thought for a moment. "Blood wolves?"

Captain nodded. "Yeah, blood wolves. There used to be a wolf pack here, and they were really fierce. But later we wiped them out, and things have been peaceful since then."

Brian Cooper smiled. "What, do you want to go back to the guard unit?"

Captain spat. "Living with your head in your hands, facing death every day and never knowing if you'll survive tomorrow—I've had enough of that. What about you? If you can handle it, go back yourself."

Brian Cooper sighed. "I can't either. I saw too many people die back then..."

Captain fell silent, seemingly lost in memories stirred up by those words.

Chapter 3: Beast Attack (Part 1)

The entire team walked on in silence like this, and before they knew it, they had actually made it safely out of the forest.

When the warm sunlight shone down on them once again, the expression on Captain's face visibly relaxed. "Thank goodness, thank goodness," he said.

As he spoke, he looked ahead, then turned back and shouted to the team, "Let's pick up the pace! We're halfway there!"