At Ji Youzhi’s gesture, everyone scattered immediately.
The Land Temple was located on the north side of White Cloud Mountain. This area wasn’t deserted; people often came to worship.
Ji Youzhi mused that if he were the kidnapper, he wouldn’t have hidden the child in such an obvious place.
Something feels off, Ji Youzhi thought, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.
"Uncle Qi, there seems to be someone over there."
Xiaosuisui pointed to the bushes ahead. Ji Youzhi looked, but no one was there anymore.
"It could be one of the constable uncles investigating nearby!"
"No! He’s not a constable uncle."
Suisui knew all the constable uncles. The man who had just flashed past was definitely not one of them.
"Not a constable uncle? Are you sure, Suisui?"
Suisui nodded firmly. "It’s not!"
Ji Youzhi immediately stopped. WHOOSH! He leaped up a towering tree.
Xiaosuisui clapped wildly. "Feifei! Uncle Qi, Feifei!"
"Shh! From now on, Suisui, you mustn’t speak. Understand?"
Seeing Ji Youzhi’s serious and tense expression, Xiaosuisui also grew tense and nodded firmly. "Understood."
Seeing his niece behaving so well, Ji Youzhi finally understood why so many people in the family adored her.
Now, he couldn’t resist gently pinching her small, delicate nose. "Such a good girl!"
Standing in the tree, he surveyed the surroundings.
"Uncle Qi, over there..." The girl suddenly stopped speaking, remembering she had just promised Uncle Qi she wouldn’t.
"I see it. That must be the entrance to the Mountain Cave."
Ji Youzhi had also seen where Xiaosuisui was pointing. He closed his eyes and listened intently, but he didn’t hear the THUMP-THUMP-THUMP sound his third sister-in-law had mentioned.
Strange. I can smell incense and candles here, but why is there no THUMP-THUMP-THUMP sound? Ji Youzhi wondered.
As Ji Youzhi was pondering this, he saw Captain Wang approaching with two men from a short distance away. It seemed they had also discovered the Mountain Cave here.
WHOOSH! Ji Youzhi leaped down from the tree, carrying Xiaosuisui.
He then landed in front of Captain Wang.
"Impressive skills, Lord Divine Hunter!"
Captain Wang and his men’s eyes lit up with admiration.
"Ahem, just average skills. Are you planning to go in directly?"
Captain Wang nodded. "I plan to go in alone first and take a look."
"Alright! Be careful."
Ji Youzhi cautioned him, then hid in the bushes.
Captain Wang was speechless. Shouldn’t the Lord Divine Hunter politely offer to go first since it’s dangerous? He’s the Divine Hunter; shouldn’t he be the one to face danger first?
Heart pounding with fear, Captain Wang drew his saber, glancing back every few steps as he cautiously entered the Mountain Cave.
Before long, Captain Wang emerged from the Mountain Cave.
"How was it, Captain Wang?"
Ji Youzhi quickly stepped forward to ask.
Captain Wang said with a solemn expression, "There is indeed a Mountain Cave inside, but there’s no one there."
"No one? How is that possible?"
Ji Youzhi murmured to himself and, carrying Xiaosuisui, strode into the Mountain Cave.
It was a large Mountain Cave, spacious enough to hold about twenty to thirty people.
Listening intently, Ji Youzhi whispered, "This sound..."
"It’s the THUMP-THUMP-THUMP sound Brother Yanchen mentioned," Xiaosuisui chimed in.
Ji Youzhi nodded. Following the sound, he found a small stream flowing through a crevice in the Mountain Cave.
Beneath the stream, someone had placed a small iron basin to catch the water; the THUMP-THUMP-THUMP was the sound of dripping water.
"What’s this?"
Captain Wang’s puzzled voice was heard. Suisui and Ji Youzhi turned to look. It was a red string.
Xiaosuisui’s eyes lit up. "It’s Brother Yanchen’s red string!"
Hearing this, everyone turned to look at her and asked in unison, "You recognize this red string?"