Chapter 183 Nowhere to Hide

Chapter 183 Nowhere to Hide

The vast grassland is swaying in the wind.

Tuoba Xiao lay prone in a secluded ditch of withered grass, not even daring to breathe heavily.

His proud "earth-遁术" (earth-遁术) was indeed superb; even as the black-armored guards' horses thundered overhead, no one noticed that a person was hiding in the soil beneath their feet.

"Hmph, a bunch of blind men."

Tuoba Xiao wiped the cow dung and soot off his face, feeling somewhat relieved.

As long as he can get through the day and night falls, he can escape back to the depths of the northern desert along the narrow paths and make a comeback.

However, at some point, he suddenly felt a strange gaze upon him.

That wasn't human vision.

It was a kind of... staring, blank, yet omnipresent gaze.

"rustle."

Tuoba Xiao suddenly turned around.

Less than three steps behind him, in the grass, a gray hare stood with its long ears erect and its ruby-like eyes fixed on him.

The strangest thing is that the rabbit has half a fresh, juicy carrot in its mouth.

"Crack, crack."

It chewed while staring at him, as if he were some rare species.

"roll!"

Tuoba Xiao gave a low shout, picked up a stone, and threw it.

The rabbit was startled and disappeared into its burrow.

Tuoba Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and changed his posture to continue lying in wait.

But less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

"squeak--"

On the earthen slope directly in front of him, another round, yellowish-brown head peeked out.

It is a marmot.

It stood upright like a person, its two short little hands holding a carrot, its small, beady eyes fixed on Tuoba Xiao's face.

It didn't run away or make a sound; it just watched him quietly, its eyes even revealing a hint of... scrutiny?

Is this the ugly monster worth two carrots?

[Yeah, it's really ugly, and it smells bad too.]

The marmot mentally assessed the situation, then turned and called out to the distant bushes:

[Squeak!] (Target confirmed!)

Tuoba Xiao felt a chill run down his spine from that gaze, so he moved to another spot.

But no matter where he hides—

He ducked into the bushes, where squirrels were watching him from the trees.

He lay in the mud pit, a field mouse staring at him from the entrance of the burrow.

Even when he wanted to urinate, as soon as he unzipped his pants, a row of rabbits would pop out of the bushes and stare at him.

Without exception, they were all holding food in their hands (and mouths).

They didn't attack him, nor did they approach him; they just... stared at him.

It was as if the entire grassland had eyes, and behind every blade of grass and every stone, there was a pair of eyes watching his every move.

"They've gone mad...they've all gone mad..."

Tuoba Xiao's psychological defenses finally collapsed.

The fear of being locked onto by countless inhuman eyes was more terrifying than facing a thousand troops.

Stop looking! Get out!

Unable to endure the mental torment any longer, he jumped out of his hiding place, brandishing a dagger and driving away the non-existent "ghosts" around him like a madman.

And just as he revealed himself.

The intelligence network on the grassland was ignited instantly, like a beacon tower.

The rabbit told the groundhog, the groundhog told the field mouse, and the field mouse told the eagle…

The news spread at an astonishing speed toward Pei Yunjing's location.

...

"Squeak squeak—!!!"

A burst of rapid and excited screams broke the silence of the Black Armor Guard search team.

Then, the fattest marmot, panting heavily, rolled out of the grass and rolled all the way to Tangli's feet.

It was so tired that its tongue was sticking out, but its two little paws were pointing frantically in the southwest direction, and its whole body of fat was trembling with excitement:

Found it! Found it!

[Right there! That stinky two-legged beast has gone mad!]

He ran off to that place with lots of stinky mud! There are lots of fat pigs with long noses there!

Tang Li's eyes lit up instantly after hearing this.

She stood up, patted the marmot king on the head, casually rewarded it with a handful of peanuts, and then turned to look at Pei Yunjing, who was already unable to contain himself.

"Your Highness, we've caught them."

Tang Li pointed southwest, her tone firm, yet tinged with a strange smile:

"That guy got really annoyed by these little cuties staring at him, he lost his mind, and is now fleeing towards the herders' area in the southwest."

"According to reports from the scouts at the front..."

Tang Li pursed her lips, suppressing a smile:

In his panic, he ran into a... pigsty.

"Pigsty?"

Pei Yunjing raised an eyebrow, a chilling sneer curling at the corner of his lips.

The dignified Wolf Lord of the Northern Rong actually ended up sleeping with pigs?

That does... fit his current status.

"Oh."

Pei Yunjing sneered, and the whip in his hand cracked in the air.

"Walk."

He mounted his horse, his black battle robe fluttering in the wind, and a murderous intent burst forth from his eyes:

"Go catch that...toothless mouse."