The very next morning, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin were up early. After a light bite, they headed toward the Demon Beast Forest.

Today felt auspicious; the sun was bright, the air still, and Zhong Shenxiu’s mood mirrored the weather—exceptionally good!

His plan was about to unfold, and he couldn't help but feel a thrill. Beside him, Robin was equally delighted, knowing that soon she would be able to cultivate the Dao. Once the matter of the skeleton warriors was settled, her Master would proceed with her marrow-cleansing and body transformation!

Entering the Demon Beast Forest, the pair walked at an unhurried pace. However, before long, Zhong Shenxiu sensed something was amiss!

He could no longer feel the presence of the skeleton warriors, as if they had vanished into thin air. He tried several times, but none responded.

What in the world was happening? Zhong Shenxiu’s expression instantly grew solemn, his earlier bright mood turning overcast!

Sensing a possible complication, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin quickened their steps.

According to the orders Zhong Shenxiu had given the skeletons, they were supposed to hide in the concealed spot he had prepared for them during the day. But when Zhong Shenxiu reached the location, he found nothing—utterly empty, not even a trace of a skull fragment (Ugh, right, skeletons don't have hair! Haha, slip of the tongue—_—)!

Where had the skeleton warriors gone?

It wasn't just Zhong Shenxiu wondering; Robin beside him was equally perplexed.

Zhong Shenxiu thoroughly scouted the area around the hiding spot and finally concluded with certainty that the skeletons had never returned. This meant that sometime the previous night, they must have encountered an irresistible force, preventing their return!

Having reached this conclusion, Zhong Shenxiu quickly turned to the still-bewildered Robin and said, “Come, let’s search elsewhere!”

Thanks to the convenient and efficient radar provided by the "Swift Eagle," Zhong Shenxiu soon located a suspicious area.

Rushing with Robin to the location, Zhong Shenxiu frowned deeply!

Before them lay a vast patch of ground scorched black by fire, the very terrain altered in some way. The scene of devastation confirmed that a fierce battle had occurred here not long ago!

Robin looked at Zhong Shenxiu's serious expression, then at the wreckage surrounding them, and a sudden, terrible premonition gripped her!

Zhong Shenxiu conducted a detailed examination of everything nearby. He then bent down, scooped up a pinch of ash from the ground, brought it close to his nose to sniff, and finally, held it tightly, feeling its texture.

Moments later, Zhong Shenxiu’s tightly closed eyes snapped open, and a faint smile touched his lips!

Anyone familiar with Zhong Shenxiu would recognize that this particular smile conveyed a clear message: I am furious, and the consequences will be severe!!

Robin, clearly having some understanding of her Master, stood quietly to the side, unwilling to disturb him!

“Robin, there’s no need to search further; those skeleton warriors have been annihilated!”

Zhong Shenxiu’s voice was level, but the light in his eyes when he spoke was anything but calm—it was a flicker of barely perceptible cold malice!!

From the scent of the ash and the faint trace of dark necromantic power he sensed, Zhong Shenxiu was certain this was the residue of the skeleton warriors.

And he was one hundred percent positive they had been destroyed by someone because the common beasts in the forest simply couldn't manage such a thorough job!

Not to mention whether a beast’s attack would even produce this result, Zhong Shenxiu, having spent considerable time in the Demon Beast Forest, knew that beasts never attacked without reason. There were only two causes for their aggression: self-defense or the need for survival!

These skeleton warriors possessed neither offensive power nor caloric value. Which beast, satiated and content, would bother attacking them? Even if they did attack, it would only be a warning; how could they be so utterly destructive as to leave not a single intact bone behind?

Hearing this, Robin, though somewhat prepared for bad news, was still startled! She was also indignant; those skeletons that were fine yesterday were now reduced to powder today, and what truly angered her was that this incident meant her Master would surely be in a foul mood!

Zhong Shenxiu was deeply frustrated. He couldn't believe such a thing could happen in just one night he was absent. If this was coincidence, it was too much of one! Who would be so ruthless? It felt like a personal attack aimed squarely at him!

Could it be that girl, Angelia? She was the only one who knew about him and these skeleton warriors!

Angelia was Zhong Shenxiu’s first suspect because, apart from her, absolutely no one else was aware of the skeletons’ existence.

However, though suspicious, Zhong Shenxiu did not jump to a definitive conclusion. Despite his annoyance, he had not lost his reason; his analytical mind was still sharp!

To ascertain who was behind this, Zhong Shenxiu began to meticulously re-examine the battlefield.

Unlike his previous survey, this time Zhong Shenxiu’s focus was on finding the true culprits!

Zhong Shenxiu was labeled a "prodigy" not just because he loved research, but because his mind was so agile, able to connect countless implications from the smallest detail. His reverse-deductive logic was almost unmatched. (If he didn't possess such a brilliant mind, he never could have devised so many inventions!)

Just then, Zhong Shenxiu squatted down, appearing to have made a new discovery!

There were several sets of footprints, faint marks that could easily be overlooked!

The study of deduction is profound and vast; often, a tiny, insignificant discovery can reveal a great deal of information.

No one should underestimate these few sets of footprints. Based on their size, shape, and depth, Zhong Shenxiu had already sketched out the approximate weight, height, gender, age, and even profession of these individuals in his mind.

These were the footprints of three mages: two females and one male.

The male mage weighed approximately sixty kilograms, stood around 1.75 meters tall, and was about eighteen years old.

Of the two female mages, one weighed around forty kilograms and stood about 1.54 meters tall, likely no older than sixteen. The other weighed about forty-five kilograms and stood approximately 1.63 meters tall, probably around twenty-four years old!

Zhong Shenxiu's deductions were accurate; he had profiled Thomas, Cherry, and Elena.

Subsequently, in the center of the battlefield, Zhong Shenxiu found another set of prints. This person was likely a swordsman, weighing around seventy kilograms, standing about 1.80 meters tall, and also around eighteen years old. Judging by the depth of the impressions, Zhong Shenxiu deduced that the sword this person used weighed roughly twenty-five kilograms.

This person was Solomon!

As Zhong Shenxiu continued to gather evidence and reason, the profile of the suspects grew increasingly clear.

However, one detail puzzled Zhong Shenxiu: judging by the scene, the skeleton warriors he had summoned seemed to have been surprisingly potent fighters. What exactly was going on here?

Unnoticed, the time had moved from early morning to noon, and Zhong Shenxiu finally straightened up.

A barely perceptible smile bloomed on his lips!

The appearance of this smile seemed to foreshadow impending doom for certain individuals...

For more novels, visit storyread.net.