Chapter 266: Tianbei Mountain

Tianbei Mountain.

1:47 A.M.

The mountain road twisted through dense forest.

There were no streetlights.

No houses.

No late-night convenience stores.

Nothing.

Only darkness.

Trees.

Rock.

And the occasional flash of moonlight slipping between the clouds.

A black SUV tore through the winding road.

Lu Chen sat behind the wheel.

His expression was cold.

Focused.

Different.

No Rose.

No Lin Yue.

No Gu Qingya.

No thoughts about women.

For once...

His entire mind revolved around one thing.

Power.

The coordinates Viper had sent were getting closer.

2.3 kilometers.

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes.

His instincts hadn’t stopped screaming since he left the city.

Something was wrong.

Viper was never generous.

Xue Long was alive.

And somehow...

Both of them knew about an ancient inheritance buried beneath a mountain in China.

Too convenient.

Far too convenient.

Lu Chen wasn’t stupid.

This could be a trap.

It probably was.

But...

That didn’t matter.

He needed strength.

His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

Shen Tian’s voice returned.

You’re boring.

Lu Chen’s jaw tightened.

Act like someone worth following.

CRACK!

The steering wheel groaned.

Lu Chen forced his grip to loosen.

"Shen Tian..."

His eyes became cold.

"Enjoy looking down on me."

The vehicle disappeared around another bend.

"While you still can."

. . .

Several kilometers behind him...

Another car moved through the darkness.

Much quieter.

Much faster.

Shen Tian drove with one hand resting lazily on the wheel.

Xu Ning floated upside down beside him.

[Host.]

"Hm?"

[You realize we’re following an angry mercenary protagonist into an unknown ancient inheritance site in the middle of the night.]

"Correct."

[One that may contain traps.]

"Probably."

[Set up by people actively plotting against you.]

"Likely."

Xu Ning stared.

[And you’re not concerned?]

Shen Tian’s green eyes remained on the road.

"No."

[Why?]

"Because I’m stronger than him."

Xu Ning slowly rotated upright.

[That arrogance is going to get you in trouble eventually.]

"Probably."

[You said that disturbingly easily.]

"Because it’s true."

Xu Ning sighed.

Then...

A panel appeared.

[Lu Chen Current Fate Value: 402,000]

Current Emotional State: Hatred / Obsession / Determination

Heavenly Wolf Inheritance Compatibility: 96%

Estimated Fate Gain if inheritance obtained: +45,000

Shen Tian’s eyebrow rose.

"It increases his Fate?"

[Significantly.]

"So this is a recovery opportunity."

[Yes.]

Xu Ning crossed her arms.

[His protagonist halo is attempting to stabilize.]

Shen Tian smiled.

"That’s cute."

[Host.]

"What?"

[Don’t underestimate protagonist correction.]

"I don’t."

Shen Tian’s smile slowly disappeared.

That part...

He actually took seriously.

Yun Wanhe had taught him something important.

A protagonist whose Fate was being stolen didn’t simply sit there waiting to disappear.

The world corrected.

Opportunities appeared.

Masters.

Treasures.

Inheritance.

Enemies conveniently carrying resources.

Near-death breakthroughs.

Everything bent slightly in their favor.

And Lu Chen...

Still possessed more than four hundred thousand Fate.

That was enormous.

Which meant...

Shen Tian couldn’t afford to become lazy.

Again.

He had already made that mistake once.

Shen Tian’s eyes sharpened.

"Xu Ning."

[Yes?]

"How much Fate do I take if I steal everything?"

She checked.

[Unknown.]

"Estimate."

[Minimum twenty thousand.]

[Maximum...]

She paused.

[Potentially the full thirty-eight thousand associated with the event.]

Shen Tian smiled.

"Good."

[There’s another problem.]

"What?"

A second panel appeared.

[Special Condition]

The Heavenly Wolf Inheritance selects successors based on combat instinct, survival experience, physical compatibility, and killing intent.

Shen Tian stared.

Xu Ning smiled awkwardly.

[Lu Chen is basically the perfect candidate.]

"..."

[Mercenary.]

"Yes."

[Combat veteran.]

"Yes."

[Survivor.]

"Yes."

[Extensive killing experience.]

"Xu Ning."

[Wolf-related title.]

Shen Tian slowly looked toward her.

"You’re enjoying this."

[A little.]

He sighed.

"So I can’t simply walk in and take it."

[Probably not.]

Shen Tian’s fingers tapped the steering wheel.

Interesting.

Then...

His smile returned.

"Fine."

Xu Ning immediately became suspicious.

[Why are you smiling?]

"If the inheritance wants Lu Chen..."

His green eyes gleamed.

"...I’ll make it change its mind."

. . .

2:06 A.M.

Lu Chen arrived first.

The SUV stopped beside an abandoned hiking trail.

He stepped outside.

Cold mountain air immediately surrounded him.

His boots touched gravel.

Silence.

Lu Chen closed the door.

Then...

He listened.

Nothing.

No animals.

No insects.

No wind.

His expression changed.

Too quiet.

His hand moved beneath his jacket.

A combat knife appeared.

Not because he needed it.

Because old habits never disappeared.

Lu Chen checked the coordinates.

400 meters northeast.

He started walking.

Branches cracked beneath his boots.

Moonlight occasionally illuminated the trail.

Then...

He felt it.

Qi.

Extremely faint.

Ancient.

Heavy.

Lu Chen stopped.

His eyes narrowed.

"So it’s real."

His heartbeat accelerated.

He moved faster.

Three hundred meters.

Two hundred.

One hundred.

Then...

He reached a cliff face.

Nothing.

Just stone.

Lu Chen stared.

Checked his phone.

The coordinates ended here.

He looked around.

No cave.

No entrance.

No markings.

Nothing.

His expression darkened.

"Viper..."

Then...

He felt it.

A pulse.

Thump.

Lu Chen froze.

Another.

THUMP.

His eyes moved toward the cliff.

Qi.

Behind it.

Lu Chen slowly approached.

He placed his palm against the rock.

Immediately...

BOOM!

His consciousness shook.

Images exploded through his mind.

War.

Thousands of soldiers.

Ancient cultivators fighting across mountains.

Blood covering the earth.

A gigantic silver wolf standing atop a mountain of corpses.

AWOOOOOOOO!

Lu Chen stumbled backward.

His eyes widened.

Then...

The mountain responded.

RUMBLE...

Dust fell.

Stone cracked.

A massive symbol slowly illuminated across the cliff.

A wolf.

Lu Chen stared.

His heartbeat thundered.

"This..."

His lips slowly curled upward.

"...belongs to me."

The cliff split.

RUMBLE!

Two enormous stone doors appeared.

Ancient characters illuminated.

Lu Chen couldn’t read them.

But somehow...

He understood.

HE WHO WALKS THROUGH BLOOD MAY ENTER.

Lu Chen smiled.

"Perfect."

He stepped forward.

The doors opened.

Darkness waited.

Lu Chen entered without hesitation.

And...

Several minutes later...

Shen Tian walked out of the forest.

He looked at the enormous wolf symbol.

Then...

At the ancient message.

Xu Ning appeared.

[Very dramatic.]

Shen Tian nodded.

"A little excessive."

[Host.]

"Hm?"

[You literally own a mansion.]

"That’s practical."

[Your bedroom has marble pillars.]

"Architectural choice."

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