Chapter 786: Eyes of the Shadowed Forest
by xennovelThe group gasped in unison.
Words cannot describe the unnerving feeling of being watched by countless grinning faces hanging overhead.
A tingling numbness crept over their scalps as a chill raced from the top of their heads to the soles of their feet.
In the dim light, they saw these eerie, human-like heads suspended in mid-air; their vision grew hazy as phantom, maniacal laughter—like sharp needles—pierced their minds.
And the laughter grew louder, as if threatening to overwhelm their hearts.
Even Lu Xin couldn’t help but clench his fist in slight anxiety.
On the other side, a girl known as Sissi stood her ground, rolling her eyes as she looked upward.
Inside her down jacket, the clatter of metal grew increasingly frequent.
……
……
“Don’t worry,”
Dr. An suddenly spoke in a deep, resonant tone that jolted everyone awake.
“Whatever you just heard or saw is nothing but an illusion.”
She explained softly, “In areas with intense mental radiation, it’s easy for perceptions to become mixed up.”
“So, whenever there’s suggestive input, it’s even more likely to trigger hallucinations.”
“Seeing those bizarre, smiling patterns on the fruit makes one prone to hearing all sorts of odd laughter…”
“Just remember, it’s all an illusion…”
“…”
Her reassurance suddenly brought clarity to everyone’s minds.
Looking up again, they realized that those fruit-like remnants—resembling dismembered human torsos—were nothing more than fruit.
They hung silently in the air, swaying slightly in the wind.
There was no laughter, no sinister smiles.
“Then what do we do?”
Lu Xin asked calmly, his face composed and committed to his duty.
“There’s nothing we can do,”
Dr. An glanced at the drifting fruit and shook her head gently. “There are too many of them. Even if we wanted to destroy them, who knows how long it would take. We’re here to investigate, not pick fruit…”
“Let’s move on!”
She added, “There may be more of these suggestive triggers up ahead—so be prepared.”
“Once we succumb to the illusions, we risk defeating ourselves and revealing our hand to the unknown.”
“…”
Following their leader’s words, everyone nodded in agreement.
Some shook their heads, others patted their cheeks to steady themselves.
A few even sniffed an invigorating balm, striving to clear their minds as they silently moved forward.
Yet, under the incessant watch of those smiling fruit, the weight on their spirits only grew heavier.
Their steps became subconsciously more measured and precise as they walked.
Even though they knew it was just an illusion, deep down, the feeling of being scrutinized was undeniable.
Slowly, each of them began to stride as if they were seasoned models on a runway.
……
……
The team trudged through the dark, dense forest in silence, their footsteps uneven on the leaf-littered ground.
Just as Dr. An had warned, as they ventured deeper, increasingly bizarre and suggestive flora and fauna appeared, like scenes from a waking nightmare.
They saw grotesque faces forming on the gnarled roots of an ancient banyan tree.
Rigid and lifeless, those faces seemed to suddenly open their eyes and stare at them with a cold, unyielding gaze.
But upon closer inspection, it was just an inert tree knot—no facial features at all.
As they continued, a low, gurgling sound echoed.
Looking up in surprise, they spotted a plump owl perched at the treetop, its wide, round eyes fixated on them.
No sooner had Lu Xin picked up a stone than the owl flapped away with a startled squawk.
During their trek, at times they suddenly felt soft, sticky arms grab at their ankles.
After a brief, panicked flurry of kicking, they realized it was nothing more than twisted, ancient roots pulled from beneath withering branches—apart from a few sluggish ants scurrying away, nothing was amiss.
Other unsettling sensations, like the feeling of unseen eyes peering at them from deep within the forest,
or the rustling in nearby bushes, felt like nothing more than an appetizer of unease.
……
……
This was, by far, Lu Xin’s most oppressive experience yet.
Back when he led pollution cleanup missions, he would dig deep to uncover every detail and eliminate every trace of pollution. But now, even though the forest was riddled with problems, they deliberately ignored most issues to prioritize investigative efficiency.
At least he could bear it knowing the primary objective was at stake.
Surprisingly, his sister seemed to be in a much better mood.
She would sometimes lie on Lu Xin’s back, then jump onto the wooden easel carried by A Zhen.
Other times, when an owl fixed its gaze on them from a treetop, she would curiously watch it.
In this stealthy, bizarre forest teeming with oddities, his sister appeared more elated than anything else.
……
……
After nearly a full day, it felt as though they were finally nearing the forest’s edge.
According to the map, it should have taken only about four hours to traverse this forest.
Yet, inexplicably, they seemed to be venturing ever deeper.
Up ahead, no hint of the forest’s exit could be seen—only taller trees and increasingly strange plants. After a break, Dr. An shot a meaningful look at Dr. Wang among the three researchers, as if signaling something.
Thus, Dr. Wang moved slightly ahead in the formation.
“Turn left,”
“Then head to the right…”
“Skirt around that large tree and keep moving forward.”
“…”
As they marched on, he occasionally offered directions to guide the group.
The atmosphere remained heavy and silent—Dr. Wang’s words were only brief reminders, never overt explanations.
But Lu Xin felt that with every step, they were delving deeper into the forest.
It was as if they had stepped from midnight into the darkest stretch just before dawn, and the mental radiation around them was growing denser.
Gradually, perhaps due to the oppressive environment, even Lu Xin could feel his steps growing heavier.
Sweat soaked his body in multiple layers.
His thoughts became stiff during this monotonous journey.
It felt as if a thick membrane muffled their hearing, letting them only vaguely perceive the crunch of footsteps on twigs and dry leaves.
“Rustle…rustle…rustle…”
“Rustle…rustle…rustle…”
“Thud, thud, thud…”
“…”
What started as the soft crunching of brittle branches evolved into a synchronized, heavy march.
In the end, it felt as though countless footsteps marched as one.
“Huh?”
Lu Xin suddenly became alert, his gaze sweeping the surroundings as his heart sank slightly.
The investigative team had seven members, plus his sister.
Since his sister refused to walk on her own, there should have been only seven sets of footsteps.
But somehow, every step had merged into one constant, heavy beat—as if from many more.
This heaviness couldn’t be explained by the mere steps of seven people—it felt as though there were a multitude of souls.
Watching slowly with his peripheral vision,
he noticed a dark figure silently emerging among them, keeping pace with the group.
After a short time, another shadow appeared—featureless, just a silhouette following on the side.
Then another, and another…
Gradually, their footsteps sounded like that of an organized army.
And trailing behind them were one after another of these dark silhouettes.
In the near-dark forest, they moved in unison—orderly and relentless.
Every step they took, all at once, carried the weight of countless others.
A vast, horde-like presence pressed in the gloom of the forest.
At the same moment, as they lifted and set down their feet in unison, these dark forms seemed to wrap around the seven members, slowly making their way through the forest.
……
……
“We’ve been walking for over two hours without a break,”
Just as Lu Xin noticed this bizarre scene and considered alerting Dr. An,
Dr. Wang, who was in the midst of the group, suddenly stopped and said, “We need to take care of them.”
“Otherwise, we’ll wear ourselves out.”
“…”
Dr. An also halted.
At that moment, all the dark silhouettes stopped—standing silently around them, watching.
A dangerous aura began to pervade the forest, growing steadily more intense.
Dr. An took a deep breath and turned to Dr. Wang. Several dark figures separated them.
She seemed oblivious to the shadows as she stepped past them, her gaze fixed on Dr. Wang:
“Based on your analysis, what’s happening here?”
“…”
Dr. Wang glanced down at his wristwatch, as if trying to decipher order from the chaotic numbers.
“I’m more skilled in observation and perception than in analysis,”
but without looking up from his watch, he replied, “Find that corrupt bastard.”
“…”
Exasperated, Dr. An turned to Dr. Zhang.
“Why, when you mention corruption, do you always look at me like that…?”
Dr. Zhang mumbled with a shake of his head,
saying, “I’m a specialist in mental monsters. We know their essence is to act as pollution sources.”
“Their nature is to infect more mental entities and strengthen themselves, much like the spread of a plague.”
“Yet mental monsters possess their own consciousness, which often diverges—or even contradicts—their true nature.”
“And what we’re facing is no different.”
“Clearly, their essence is to pollute us, but their consciousness seems intent on preventing it.”
“So Old Wang’s earlier tactic—to analyze their true intent through the actions of the mental monsters and determine our proper path—was spot on. No wonder they call him the Human Data Museum…”
“After all, mental monsters aren’t exactly known for their intelligence; predicting their moves is usually easy…”
“…”
“Hah, stop getting all chummy,”
Dr. Wang sneered. “You’re so smart, yet you don’t know that no one should casually flirt with someone else’s wife.”
“This…”
Dr. Zhang’s face flushed in embarrassment as he replied,
“First, I was merely analyzing and evaluating your work—there’s no dodging friendly terms here.”
“Second, in this matter, I was actually on the receiving end. I’m a victim too.”
“Third, the situation escalated so badly mainly because you went overboard and used parasitic items…”
“…I thought that if you caught on, you’d only manage two cuts at most.”
“…With your surgical skill, I’m sure even two slices would somehow miss the vital points!”
“…”
Lu Xin, listening from the sidelines in amazement, almost forgot about the surrounding dark silhouettes.
“Nonsense, who flirted with you?”
Before Dr. An or Dr. Wang could respond, Engineer Master Li interrupted, dissatisfied:
“It was clearly you.”
“You took advantage of me when I was drunk—I’m the true victim here.”
“…”
“Eh?”
Dr. Wang, visibly agitated, turned to Li Master, “So you still have feelings for me?”
“Not at all,”
Master Li replied coldly, “I’ve been wanting a divorce for ages.”
Dr. Wang immediately fell silent.
Dr. Zhang added, “If you weren’t flirting with me, why do you drink so much with our department and dress so provocatively?”
“I wear what I like—what’s it to you?”
Master Li, infuriated, retorted to Dr. Zhang, “Besides, I was set on Xiao Dong until you took advantage of me.”
“Xiao Dong?”
Dr. Wang snapped out of his stupor, “You mean that pretty boy?”
Dr. Zhang angrily replied, “Yes, that pretty boy with nothing but a master’s degree?”
……
The atmosphere suddenly became unbearably awkward, especially for Lu Xin, who thought of his own college degree and felt a pang of self-doubt.
He wanted to speak but had no courage to continue.
Dr. An, alarmed by the tension, quickly intervened:
“We’re on an investigation—can you all cut the nonsense…”
“Besides, I know Xiao Dong; he’s a well-grounded kid. Please, don’t drag him into your messy affairs, especially you, Teacher Wang—he’s never wronged you, so don’t act on impulse…”
“…”
“Why are you so protective of him?”
Master Li suddenly turned to Dr. An, his pupils contracting.
“Eh?”
Dr. An was startled and quickly waved her hand, “I’m not involved with him—I was just stating the truth…”
Master Li snorted, “Heh-heh.”
Glancing at Lu Xin, he added, “Come on, can you really trust someone like her?”
“Eh?”
Lu Xin was taken aback—why was he being dragged into this?
……
……
For a moment, the atmosphere reached an unbearable level of awkwardness.
Dr. Wang glared at Dr. Zhang, Dr. Zhang shot daggers at Master Li, and Master Li scrutinized Dr. An.
Dr. An, both angry and frustrated, glared at Lu Xin for not coming forward to vouch for her character.
Nearby, Sissi nonchalantly drooped her eyes while A Zhen in the back stared blankly at the ground.
Quietly, the surrounding dark silhouettes watched them all.
Up in a nearby tree, Lu Xin’s sister observed the black shadows…
“Chaotic…”
“This is way too messed up.”
“Maybe…”
Unable to hold back any longer in this mess, Lu Xin whispered,
“Let’s deal with what’s right in front of us first, alright?”
“…”
“…”
“Phew…”
Dr. An regained her leadership aura and said, “Yes, our investigation must take priority.”
“Whatever…”
Master Li replied indifferently before suddenly fixing his gaze on Dr. An, “Are you really alright?”
Dr. An quickly raised her hand and swore, “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Alright then…”
Thus, all eyes eventually turned to Dr. Wang and Dr. Zhang.
“What’s the point of an investigation if we don’t even know what we’re up against?”
Dr. Zhang mumbled, casting an anxious glance at Dr. Wang, “Based on my perceptions and analyses, we’ve been spied on by at least seven different types of mental monsters. It’s almost as if we’ve entered their kingdom.”
“Right now, among all these mental monsters, one of them is the strongest.”
“They pollute us, but in doing so, they inadvertently keep us safe for a while.”
“Of course, as we continue forward, we’ll approach their limit—and then they’ll launch their attack.”
“…”
“Just as if we couldn’t see it coming…”
Dr. Wang muttered disdainfully, then his tone rose slightly, “Pollution logic?”
“Frequency!”
Dr. Zhang’s voice also rose, “In areas with high mental radiation, staying close to creatures intent on polluting us means that from the very first step, their presence starts to unify with us.”
“Step by step, syncing with our breathing, our heartbeats, even our mental power fluctuations.”
“When every aspect of us aligns with them, we silently become one of them.”
“…”
“On this journey, it was precisely because we had one person with remarkably stable mental power…”
He shot a glance at Lu Xin and added, “Who managed to disrupt their frequency with an abnormal mental fluctuation, which is why we haven’t been fully polluted yet.”
“But remember, they do have consciousness—even if it’s sluggish—and within that lies a command to stop us.”
“So if we keep going, they might change their behavior and forcefully pollute us.”
“In other words, they might finally unleash their true nature.”
“…”
“Ah…”
Lu Xin was genuinely surprised.
He hadn’t expected these seemingly unreliable researchers to have so clearly seen through everything.
Especially regarding him—their inference was spot on.
He even suspected that some force was disrupting the surrounding frequencies.
What he didn’t know was that this so-called force wasn’t his at all—it was his sister’s.
“Phew…”
After listening to his analysis, Dr. An sighed softly and asked, “What consequences would cleaning them up bring?”
Dr. Zhang shook his head, scanning the surroundings, “Two outcomes.”
“If we eliminate them, we lose the protection they’ve been affording us, leaving us vulnerable to other monsters.”
“Or, by destroying these monsters, the others might sense our vulnerability and attack en masse, driven by a strong will.”
“…”
“Pretty much what I expected.”
Dr. An lowered her head, pondering, “Then that’s settled.”
She turned and nodded at Sissi.
The girl known as Sissi had always exuded an air of impatience—though in truth, she and A Zhen at the back were completely indifferent to the outside world until a certain intuitive danger forced them into heightened alertness.
Noticing Dr. An’s glance, she took a few deliberate steps forward.
Seeing her move, Dr. Zhang, Dr. Wang, and Master Li instinctively huddled closer together—packed tightly, yet filled with mutual disdain.
Meanwhile, Dr. An joined them, and even the tall A Zhen stepped forward silently to stand beside them, like a sturdy tree sheltering the group with his imposing figure.
With everyone in place, they turned simultaneously to look at Lu Xin.
“Shall I join you?”
Lu Xin pointed to his nose and obediently stepped forward to stand beside A Zhen.
Facing this group, he found solace only in A Zhen’s reliable presence.
……
……
As they maneuvered, the shadows nearby subtly adjusted their formation.
Each blurry, faceless entity seemed to gaze vacantly at them.
Rustle…
In the far distance beyond layers of trees, a disturbance arose among the strange phenomena.
“That’s enough,”
Dr. An, seeing everyone assembled, softly commanded Sissi, “Hurry up.”
“We’re pressed for time.”
“…”
The girl known as Sissi silently nodded, then unzipped her thick down jacket with a loud rustle.
It tumbled from her body, and only then did Lu Xin notice her appearance.
In that instant, his pupils contracted involuntarily.
Throughout the journey, he’d heard the constant clatter of metal inside her jacket.
He had long wondered what she might be hiding beneath it all.
Only now did Lu Xin see that this seemingly ordinary little girl had an eerily abnormal body.
Clusters of blood-red, fleshy growths twisted around her skin like fine threads, each gently writhing.
And at various points on her body, shiny stainless steel rings locked these masses in place.
It was as if, without the rings, the flesh would have been uncontrollable.
At that moment, as her down jacket fell away, the little girl known as Sissi also unfastened a metal ring on her right arm.
……
……
“Watch out!”
Dr. An whispered urgently,
“Though she appears as an ordinary little girl, in reality she is a highly dangerous, high-level creature from a forbidden zone.”
“Thanks to genetic restructuring and advanced cerebral cortex reinforcement technology from the Research Institute, we’ve managed to keep her stable—for now.”
“Without her specially engineered mental trait suppressor, her power could spiral out of control at any moment…”
“And if that happens, the cost could easily be the destruction of an entire city!”