"Just say Wu Chengfeng went to Changbai Mountain," I made up an excuse.
Chen Ke answered the phone, and was subsequently scolded by her superior, who demanded to know why she hadn't reported it earlier.
"I'm sorry, I just found out myself!"
"Where the hell were you? Why weren't you at the hotel just now?"
"I..." Chen Ke seemed to struggle with lying and looked at me for help.
Lin Xi leaned closer to the phone, disguised her voice, and mimicked Chen Ke's tone: "I've gone undercover within the local Shabia. They are also heading to Changbai Mountain. I heard they're going to capture a demon. Sir, I heard that demon is very powerful. How about we go too and subdue it, make it serve us?"
The other party was taken aback: "How do you know Shabia's whereabouts so clearly?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"I'm a local, I have two informants inside Shabia."
"What kind of demon?" the other party asked.
Lin Xi had just returned from Shabia, so what she said was likely true, not fabricated.
"A Ginseng Demon!"
"Oh? What's the exact location?"
"It's at that, that, that," Lin Xi scratched her head, "Ah, I remember, in the Underground Forest!"
"Good, you've atoned for your mistake!" The other party hung up.
I looked at Lin Xi with confusion: "Why would you lead them there? Aren't you worried about your people being attacked?"
Lin Xi pouted: "Even if Long Yue dared, she wouldn't openly attack Shabia members, not even a city-level department."
That was true, Shabia was a national organization.
"Is there really another Ginseng Demon?" the Eagle Demon asked.
"Another? What do you mean?" Chen Ke asked.
"Your Mohe leader, is a ginseng," I said.
"What? Isn't our leader dead? I heard Mu Jige killed him!"
"Song Shanhe was just a puppet. Your true Mohe leader is called Long Yue, didn't you know?" Lin Xi asked.
Chen Ke shook her head blankly: "I don't know her, never heard of her."
Perhaps Chen Ke's rank was too low.
I activated my Qi Sensing technique again. Changbai Mountain and Siping City were in opposite directions, but on the same line. If they rerouted to Changbai Mountain, Long Yue and her group should return, pass by the hotel, and then head east.
As expected, not long after, the aura of Long Yue, which had disappeared, reappeared. However, they did not dare to approach the hotel, instead taking a detour, following a '几' shaped path, and then continuing east, soon disappearing from my Qi Sensing range.
During this time, the Whale God sat quietly not far away, watching us talk.
I got up and tested myself. My ability to walk was normal, although my groin still ached faintly. I might have strained a ligament while making movements in the air. I walked up to the Whale God and, as an old friend, introduced each of us to the other. The Whale God was very polite and did not act superior due to her age. She shook hands with the highly vigilant Lin Xi, the Eagle Demon, and Chen Ke.
"What's next?" Lin Xi asked me.
I asked the Whale God about her plans.
The Whale God said she wanted to continue searching for Bai Ze. She knew I wasn't Bai Ze, but Lin Xi thought I was. I quickly glossed over it and said, "Then you go ahead and tend to your business. We're going to Changbai Mountain to take a look."
"Changbai Mountain, Tianchi?" the Whale God asked. "I'd like to go too, to take a bath."
After speaking, she gestured to her waist and then widened her hand gesture: "My true form, as you know, cannot bathe normally."
That made sense. There might be rivers or lakes nearby, but her whale body was a hundred meters long and at least ten meters high. Most lakes might be large enough, but not necessarily deep enough. If she lay down, she'd sink to the bottom and get a belly full of mud, which would be worse than not bathing at all!
"How long does it take to drive to Changbai Mountain from here?" I asked Lin Xi.
"Less than two hours."
"That means we definitely can't catch up."
Lin Xi nodded: "Unless we deploy a helicopter. But Mohe also has helicopters, and I'm worried about an aerial encounter."
If they met in the air, Mohe dared to attack Shabia. They could use a flying accident as an excuse.
"Where are your city bureau's people now?" I asked again.
Lin Xi checked her watch: "They should have reached the scenic area by now and are currently clearing out the tourists."
"What's the origin of that ginseng spirit?" I asked again.
Lin Xi shook her head: "I'm not entirely sure of the specifics. Someone just reported seeing a naked little boy running in the Underground Forest, with a red rope tied around his waist. He was incredibly fast and kept laughing. These are all characteristics of a ginseng spirit that has taken human form."