From the moment Yi Tianxing read the reports, he knew the Burrowing Worm wouldn't be easy to deal with—no, it would be an absolute nightmare. The most terrifying part was its ability to tunnel underground. No one knew where it would surface or when it would strike. It could attack from anywhere at any time. That kind of unpredictability was a recipe for chaos and terror.
The worst part? Even knowing the Burrowing Worm was a major threat was useless if they had no way of locating it underground. Without the ability to dig or sense beneath the earth, there was simply no way to track it. That was a huge problem. If left unresolved, it could even affect Yi Tianxing's standing and authority within Xuanhuang Village.
And that was not a risk he could afford to take.
"We have to find a way to lure the Burrowing Worm out. Otherwise, it's like a sword hanging over our heads, ready to drop at any moment. The danger is just too great. But the question now is—how do we draw it out?"
Xuanhuang Village had a fair number of people. The worm could target any of them. But with so many potential victims, how could one guess who it would go after next? It was practically impossible.
Unless someone caught it in the act—the moment it struck—there was no chance to stop it. If they could just hold it long enough to prevent it from escaping underground, they might actually have a shot at killing it.
Right now, the burrow in front of them was filled with highly concentrated sulfuric acid, so potent it had already corroded the ground. If an ordinary person were to fall in, they'd likely be reduced to a pile of bones in seconds.
"Village Chief! Something terrible's happened—the river, the river! There are strange fish in it. Someone was washing clothes near the bank, and they got dragged into the water by one of those things. Their whole body—just bones left—sank to the riverbed!"
A woman in her thirties came running from the riverbank, shouting in panic.
"Da Hu, stay here with your men and seal off this burrow with stones. Make sure no one gets close. The rest of you—follow me to the river."
Yi Tianxing's heart sank again. He had no choice but to set aside the matter of the Burrowing Worm for now and deal with this new crisis. Without a method to counter it, he couldn't do anything about an underground foe. Until he found a way, he'd have to turn his attention to whatever threat was in the river.
They had chosen this location to build Xuanhuang Village because it was near a major river. Water was essential—life-giving. Whether for farming, building a shipyard, or developing a port, a river like this brought endless possibilities. The whole area could become a strategic hub for prosperity.
But now, it was clear—this new world was dangerous everywhere. Even with the village established, survival was far from guaranteed. Just staying alive was a monumental challenge.
His mood grew heavier.
By the time they reached the riverbank, the wide river still had no name. The water rushed by with urgency. People had instinctively backed away from the water's edge. A faint trace of blood still lingered on the surface, slowly dispersing.
The scent of blood hung in the air.
Many villagers looked pale with fright. The women who had been washing clothes were clearly still in shock. The recent horror had rattled them badly.
"Village Chief! The fish in the river are monsters! Just now, Cuihua was bitten on the arm, dragged in—and then, in moments—nothing left but bones! It was too cruel…"
"What do we do now, Chief? With those monsters in the river, we don't dare go near it anymore!"
The villagers looked to Yi Tianxing with pleading eyes.
To them, he was their rock—the one person they could rely on.
"Bring me a few of the green-skinned monster corpses we killed yesterday," Yi Tianxing ordered the soldiers beside him, frowning as he looked at the river.
While the soldiers ran off, Huang Chengyan arrived at the riverbank.
"This world is too dangerous. Underground monsters one day, river beasts the next… Surviving here isn't going to be easy," Huang Chengyan said grimly.
He had already heard about the situation in the village. Just one peaceful night, and the morning had already brought another devastating blow. There truly was no such thing as a "safe place" anymore. Danger lurked everywhere. Death could come at any moment.
This new era was merciless—especially to ordinary people.
"There's no paradise in this world," Yi Tianxing replied heavily. "And even if there is, it'll be built on blood and bone—carved out by our own hands. This is a brutal era. No one's coming to save us. If we want to live, we can only rely on ourselves. First we save ourselves, then we save others. If Xuanhuang Village grows strong, we can help more people. But we have no choice. This is the beginning of a new epoch."
Huang Chengyan opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated, a flicker of conflict crossing his face.
At that moment, a rush of footsteps came from behind. The soldiers had returned, carrying three corpses of the green-skinned monsters. Their limbs had been hacked off, but they hadn't been dismembered further. The plan was to toss them outside the village today—but now, it seemed they'd come in handy after all.
"Lord, we've brought the bodies," one soldier reported.
"What's your name?" Yi Tianxing asked, studying the soldier who spoke. He had a rugged, soldierly look, tall and quiet, with calluses on his hands—clearly a veteran.
"Feng Yumo," the soldier answered crisply.
"Good. Toss one of the bodies into the river."
Splash!
The corpse, cold and stiff, still retained a faint scent of blood. It landed in the river and was quickly caught in the current.
SPLASH!
Within moments, a monstrous fish with rows of razor-sharp teeth leapt out of the water and bit deep into the corpse, tearing off a large chunk of flesh and swallowing it whole. It didn't care that the body was cold. Blood was blood.
And it wasn't alone.
One after another, dozens of monstrous fish broke the surface, swarming the corpse. They tore it apart so fast it made onlookers' scalps tingle. In less than ten breaths, nothing was left but bones, which sank quietly into the depths.
The villagers turned pale. None of them had ever seen such ferocious fish before.
"Piranhas!"
Yi Tianxing's face darkened.
Yes—these were piranhas. Big-headed, sharp-toothed, bloodthirsty eyes. The way they devoured prey in a frenzy—all classic signs. But these were bigger than any known species. Some reached over a meter long—massive and terrifying. True aquatic predators.
Piranhas never hunted alone. They attacked in packs. Their sheer numbers and savagery made them dangerous even to apex predators.
And these ones were even more terrifying than the legends.
The idea that such monsters were lurking in their river made Yi Tianxing's face turn grim.
"Hmph! I don't care if you're piranhas or devils. You dared show up here—so now, you're dead. I might not be able to deal with the Burrowing Worm yet, but I can deal with you. You eat people? Then I'll eat you."
He sneered coldly at the river.
"I happen to have a nice little treasure among the relics I've found—was going to save it for something big, but now? Time to boost my power now."
"Savage things," Huang Chengyan muttered. "Once someone enters the water, there's no escape. Unless they're on land, those fish are unstoppable. Even arrows probably wouldn't work…"
He tugged on his beard in frustration, realizing just how powerless he truly was. All his books and knowledge were no help here. The desire for real power surged inside him.
His eyes turned toward Yi Tianxing with newfound resolve.
"Feng Yumo, get me some long poles and ropes. Also, go grab the rest of the green-skin corpses. I refuse to let a bunch of fish scare us. No matter how deadly they are—they're still beasts. Today, we eat piranha!"
Yi Tianxing's voice rang out with a cold, sharp edge.
The relentless threats had stoked a fire in him. A burning killing intent.
"Village Chief, how do you plan to handle them? If we don't eliminate them, they'll remain a huge threat to the villagers," Huang Chengyan asked, sensing that Yi Tianxing already had a plan.
"Simple. Bait the prey. Old Huang—tonight, we're feasting on fish."
Yi Tianxing's gaze turned icy, his intent resolute.
The Burrowing Worm might be out of reach—but a pack of fish?
He'd make them pay.