Let's rewind time to the moment Sarl vanished, causing a brief stir among the group.
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"With the two guides included, if I recall correctly, this expedition's original count should have been seventy-five. Subtracting Huang Ji, who left early, and Sarl, who vanished without explanation, the remaining number should be seventy-three."
Lu Sheng silently calculated in his mind. He then concentrated his formidable level 12 psychic power, closely monitoring every member of the group.
In truth, he wasn't the only one doing this. Several others within the group were engaged in the same activity as him. A few capable level 12 powerhouses, along with the two guides. This method of psychic surveillance hinged on the concept of "coverage". Put simply, those with weaker mental energy cannot detect the surveillance imposed by those with stronger mental energy.
Let's illustrate this: imagine standing in a room where you can clearly see everything within your field of vision. Yet, a surveillance camera positioned above your head can observe both you and the entire room without your awareness.
If the entire group is compared to that room, the few level 12 members monitoring the whole team are standing in the room, surveying their surroundings. The two guides possess greater power than them, akin to individuals in a control room observing everyone through surveillance cameras. And Sheng's psychic power surpasses even the two guides, placing him in the role of the one installing surveillance within the control room.
In this analogy, the monitored team occupies the first level, the monitoring level 12 powerhouses form the second level, and the guides are in the third level. Sheng, however, stands in the fourth level. From this vantage point, he quietly observed the entire team and periodically he conducted headcounts.
'Seventy-one, seventy-two... Huh?!'
During his fifth headcount, Lu Sheng suddenly realized the group had lost one member without him noticing. He remained calm.
'Looks like there's another guy standing on a fifth level.'
Lu Sheng showed no irritation. He concentrated his mental energy, watching the entire group's movements even more closely.
'Sixty-eight, sixty-nine, seventy... huh?'
After a while, he was startled to find he could only count up to seventy. Scanning the group again, he confirmed two more people were missing than before. And no one else had noticed.
Even more unsettling, as Lu Sheng carefully recalled their faces in his mind, he found the memories of those who had vanished growing hazy. They were fading steadily, becoming impossible to recall clearly in the moment.
"Hiss—"
A note of gravity filled his eyes. This was downright unsettling. Given his current strength, memory deterioration was simply impossible. Not only could he recall the faces of companions he'd spent every waking moment with these past few days, but even the features of a passerby he'd crossed paths with years ago remained crystal clear.
"Forgetting... This guy on the fifth level possesses a bizarre ability to make people forget things in a short time. Relying on mental force to monitor the void won't work."
Sheng drew in a sharp breath. He'd already realized the opponent's psychic power far surpassed his own. To that person, his psychic force likely resembled a net full of holes. Relying solely on mental surveillance to track the entire group was utterly futile.
"Then what should I use?"
Lu Sheng's mind raced. Soon, a new idea crystallized.
'Emotions. I can manipulate emotions too. My mastery might not match that guy's, but using this to pick up some clues should be manageable.'
This realization instantly opened up new possibilities for Lu Sheng. After advancing to level 12 in the Divine Crystal Dao, he could now command the emotional energies of anger, sorrow, fear, and joy.
'Right now, the entire team is in turmoil. Anger, sorrow, and fear—everyone carries some degree of these emotions. But joy? That's rare. Well, except for Tang Dun.'
Lu Sheng made up his mind and discreetly planted a seeds of joy within the hearts of every member of the team. Right after he planted these seeds, everyone in the group including the two guides couldn't help but recall something that made them happy, their lips curling into faint smiles without realizing it.
'Huh? Why am I suddenly thinking about my ex-wife drowning in a latrine?'
'Ah, so much time has passed since I lost my virginity...'
Some found it odd, but none gave it much thought.
Unfounded fear, anger, or sorrow might raise suspicion, but joy never did. Who would refuse a chance to feel happier?
Sheng planted the seeds, then waited patiently without a trace of emotion, all while silently counting the team members over and over in his mind. On his eighth count, suddenly, an emotion seed at the rear of the formation quietly extinguished.
'It's happening!'
A sharp gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes. Without using mental energy, he casually turned his gaze toward that direction. The chosen one—a towering man clad in black combat gear—flashed a sudden surge of anger across his face. As if struck by a thought, he gritted his teeth, broke ranks, and sprinted swiftly to the side. A level 12 powerhouse, he vanished completely in the blink of an eye.
Throughout the entire sequence, no one noticed except Lu Sheng, who had "accidentally" witnessed it. Not even a level 12 powerhouse standing less than ten meters beside the tall man detected his departure, completely oblivious to his exit.
'So he really did leave on his own...'
Lu Sheng withdrew his gaze, feigning ignorance, and continued following the main group. He knew that even if he warned them, it would be useless. The gap in cultivation between the members of their team and that figure standing on the fifth level was simply too vast.
Even if they managed to stop this person, it wouldn't be long before someone else fell victim to the same trick. Moreover, sticking his neck out now would likely make him the next target for that lurking figure in the shadows.
But... Lu Sheng also felt a lingering curiosity to experience the opponent's deception firsthand. The enemy was clearly a master manipulating emotional forces. Engaging them might deepen his understanding of the Divine Crystal Dao.
'But what if I lose?'
Sheng had no idea where those who had left the group had gone, nor what fate awaited them. Should he risk his own safety? He hesitated.
In the time that followed, he watched helplessly as the creature lurking in the shadows on the fifth level lured away one person after another. Its pattern of selection was discernible—it primarily targeted those on the periphery of the group, cautious individuals who rarely interacted with others, the "lone wolves".
After watching for a long while, as the group dwindled and seven more members had vanished, he could no longer hold back.
'Let's try it. It's only level 13. I have no reason to fear it.'
With that thought, Lu Sheng deliberately slowed his pace, slipping unnoticed to the rear right of the group. He was like an old fisherman using himself as bait, quietly waiting for the sea monster lurking beneath the dark surface to reveal itself.
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Translation notes by dhoo
Interesting tension building :) This arc is much better in the novel than in the manhua.
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No new keywords! Feel free to check my Glossary chapter for more information about the old ones.