Chapter Thirty-Nine: The White-Browed Tall Spider (4)

The three of them rested for an hour, then found a spot to observe the situation in the city, but as before, they found nothing.

“Hans, we can’t keep wandering around like this. Why don’t we just go straight to their lair and take a look?” Chu Xingran really didn’t want to walk anymore; if she weren’t a ghost, her feet would’ve been blistered by now.

With the temperature still at thirty-nine degrees at this hour, it seemed determined to roast them alive. Thankfully, she wasn’t bothered by sunlight or anything like that—otherwise, she would’ve been reduced to ashes long ago.

With the heat in Flame City, she never wanted to come back here again. She couldn’t imagine how that group managed. Weren’t there other ways to go about things? Why did they have to crank up the temperature? No one could stand this kind of heat.

“Let’s go. We’ll take a look. I’m guessing they’re waiting for us,” Mo Han replied. He didn’t believe Chi Zhou’s appearance was a coincidence, nor was it simply a casual meeting with Chen Yuan.

They’d gone to too much trouble for this to be a mere attempt to wear them out; exhausting their stamina would hardly affect them. If their enemies were truly this foolish, there would be no need for citywide control.

Clearly, the goal was to see whether the three of them were of one mind. Chi Zhou’s appearance was merely to test Chen Yuan’s attitude, to see what she would choose.

They already knew where the white-browed huntsman spider’s nest was, so getting there wouldn’t be difficult. If that group was there as well, things would be much simpler—they could head straight in.

They’d fought plenty of battles before; fighting was second nature to them.

The three of them walked along the road out of the city, still seeing no sign of the white-browed huntsman spiders. Left with no other option, they got in the car and drove out toward the countryside.

It didn’t matter. As long as they found the white-browed huntsman spiders in the countryside, that would do.

“Hans, this business of the white-browed huntsman spider controlling people—this is the first time I’ve seen it. Has it ever happened before?” Forgive her; in all her years, this was truly a first.

Chu Xingran glanced at Mo Han, who was driving with focus. The Mo family was huge; surely he’d heard of such things before.

“No, this is my first time, too. I’d bet nine out of ten that this is the handiwork of the Chi family.” As he spoke, Mo Han glanced at Chen Yuan in the back seat, relieved that her expression hadn’t changed.

He’d heard a little about the business between Chi Zhou and Chen Yuan. Both of them had their faults, but the key issue still lay with the Chi family.

Compared to those people, Chen Yuan was clearly too weak and naive.

“Chi Zhou holds an unusual status in the Chi family. He wouldn’t lie to us—the matter of the white-browed huntsman spiders must be true.” It wasn’t that Chen Yuan was defending him; it was simply that Chi Zhou was genuinely incapable of lying.

Though there had been much unpleasantness between them, Chi Zhou had never deceived her.

—

Small countryside village, Nanshan, in Flame City.

A handful of scattered households.

Dilapidated mud houses, with wild grass growing unchecked around them.

Clearly, no one had lived here for ages—the place was devoid of any sign of life and had evidently been abandoned for many years.

At the very least, it had been uninhabited for several years.

“This place is perfect—the white-browed huntsman spiders love spots like this,” Chen Yuan joked, when suddenly a strand of spider silk flew at her.

“Ouch, that’s a bit too welcoming, isn’t it?” She raised her hand to dissolve the attack, not missing the chance to disgust her opponent.

“Chen Yuan, is that you?” The speaker was a half-human, half-spider creature—let’s call her a woman for now.

Her face was rather pretty, provided you ignored her lower half.

Her voice was soft and delicate, and she didn’t come across as particularly dangerous.

Her long legs were truly remarkable—Chen Yuan couldn’t help but feel a fleeting pang of envy.

“You know me? I don’t know any ugly thing like you!” Forgive her bluntness; the half-human, half-spider form was simply hideous.

Besides, she didn’t know this woman, and it didn’t matter if the woman knew her—there was bound to be a fight soon anyway.

Mo Han and Chu Xingran stood on either side of Chen Yuan, coldly eyeing the half-spider woman. But it was clear this wasn’t the one they sought.

“I know you. Chi Zhou has your pictures—dozens of them,” the woman said, sounding a bit downcast at the mention of Chi Zhou.

She’d known Chi Zhou for months; the clan head and the Chi family had agreed that Chi Zhou would marry her.

But Chi Zhou flatly refused, saying that apart from Chen Yuan, he would have no one else in this life.

She’d even visited Chi Zhou’s villa, where everything was filled with Chen Yuan’s photos and her old possessions—her presence was everywhere.

Chi Zhou lived alone there, forbidding anyone else to approach. If she hadn’t stumbled in by accident, she never would have known Chi Zhou loved someone.

Chi Zhou’s devotion to Chen Yuan bordered on obsession; his world held only her and no one else.

“What does that have to do with me? Why say all this—think we’ll let you go?” Chen Yuan scoffed. She wasn’t the type to lose her head over such things.

Men were just men—if you lose one, find another. Why cling to someone who doesn’t want you?

Better to spend your time on something worthwhile than waste it on hopeless causes.

—

“Do you realize it’s because of you that he won’t marry me?” The woman spoke as she shifted into full human form.

She was the very image of a delicate beauty—a willow in the wind.

But to a group of spirits like them, appearance meant nothing.

“Your feelings for him are your concern. We’re here to take your life; the two things are not the same!” Mo Han cut her off, having no patience for these tiresome romantic woes.

Since she could shift into human form, they might as well kill her. White-browed huntsman spiders like this all had spirit cores.

The level wasn’t high, but it would suffice.

“Kill me? On what grounds? Chi Zhou didn’t even marry me!” the woman suddenly shrieked, her voice sharp with rage.

Mo Han frowned in annoyance. Why did every female spirit start screeching when they were upset? The sound was unbearable.

“Killing you has nothing to do with that fool Chi Zhou. We just want your life, understand?” At that moment, Chen Yuan wished she could go back in time and avoid ever meeting Chi Zhou.

Had she never met him, none of this nonsense would have happened.

Now even a minor spirit dared use him to threaten her—utterly infuriating!

“Enough talk, my ears are ringing,” Mo Han said, launching an attack at the woman’s face.

Was this really the time for such conversations?

Sure enough, women were never clear-headed about love. If you don’t love someone, you don’t; if there’s no chance, there’s none.

Couldn’t she see things more clearly, instead of wasting her youth pining for someone unattainable? It was almost pathetic.

Better to do something useful than be obsessed with love.

He was like that, too, but he knew how to prioritize; he always knew what needed to be done.

Women were troublesome, especially when it came to love.

“Let’s get this over with. We’ve got other things to do after this—don’t waste time!” With those words, the four of them clashed.

None of them noticed the tiny white-browed huntsman spider on a withered tree nearby, watching them intently.