Zhang Yang suddenly stood up and called out directly.

Lightning had only sensed danger; as for what it was, or what dangerous presence was nearby, it had no idea, but that didn't stop Zhang Yang from making a judgment.

If even Lightning felt a threat, there was no reason for them to stay here.

"What did you say?"

Chang Feng was the first to ask, surprised. Long Cheng and Su Zhantao were already on their feet by this time.

Chang Feng had less time interacting with Zhang Yang and didn't know how capable Zhang Yang was. Seeing Zhang Yang suddenly demand they leave, he was somewhat perplexed.

Not only Long Cheng and Su Zhantao had risen, but Huang Hai and Li Ya exchanged a glance and stood up as well.

"If you don't want to die, hurry up and leave!" Zhang Yang said in a low voice. It was no longer just Lightning's sensation; he too felt a prickle of dread. For an expert of the Neijia school, such a feeling was definitely not a good sign.

"Zhang Yang, is it really that serious?" Seeing Zhang Yang's solemn expression, Long Cheng asked hurriedly. His cultivation was shallow; he only felt that something was off, unlike Zhang Yang, who had a strong premonition.

"Leave now!" Zhang Yang nodded once, and as he spoke, he was already lifting his leg, turning to head back.

Long Feng's face also changed. He now had the same sensation as Zhang Yang. He glanced back in astonishment, then immediately followed behind Zhang Yang, walking without hesitation toward the mountain exit.

Huang Hai and Li Ya trailed closely behind, and Su Zhantao pulled Yang Ling along to keep up. Long Cheng glanced back and immediately frowned.

"What are you waiting for? If you want to live, keep up!" He was speaking to Chang Feng and Wu Zhiguo. Because they understood Zhang Yang less, and since Zhang Yang hadn't explained why he was leaving so abruptly—before they had even finished eating—they were slow to react and hadn't stood up yet.

Long Cheng didn't bother explaining. He urged them to follow immediately. His tone was grave, and Chang Feng and Wu Zhiguo dared not disobey.

After walking a good distance, the unsettling feeling finally subsided in Zhang Yang's chest; they were practically out of the danger zone. As for why that specific location had been so perilous, Zhang Yang hadn't the slightest clue.

"Leopard, a leopard!"

As they cleared the deep mountain area, Li Ya suddenly cried out. Instinctively, he raised his gun. The others quickly followed his gaze and saw it—a spotted leopard standing not far away, watching them coldly.

Seeing that these people had noticed it, the spotted leopard slowly turned around and vanished from their sight a moment later.

"I deserve to die! Why didn't I think to shoot!" After the leopard disappeared, Li A suddenly smacked his thigh in frustration. The leopard hadn't been far, and with so many of them together, all armed, there was no need for fear. If he had shot, he might have brought down that spotted leopard—it would have been an impressive trophy.

"Should we chase it?" Still unwilling to give up, Li Ya proposed another suggestion. Because of the leopard sighting, everyone had paused.

(Shu Shu Wu)

Zhang Yang shook his head. They were already out of the deep mountains, and Lightning registered no further danger, yet he remained uneasy and didn't want to waste time here.

"A leopard! It's a shame not to pursue it!" Li Ya sounded truly regretful. If the others wouldn't go, he certainly wouldn't dare chase it alone, but the thought of a fine leopard slipping away right under his nose made him quite vexed.

"Don't chase it, just listen to Zhang Yang!" Huang Hai chimed in. The group continued moving outward.

They hadn't gone much farther when they spotted a small bear. Li Ya yelped with excitement and immediately opened fire, but he missed, letting the cub escape. He started to chase again but was held back by Long Cheng.

Small bears don't travel alone; a large bear was likely nearby. Their guns were somewhat inadequate against a bear, and if there were more than one, they would be in danger. At this point, Long Cheng's brow was tightly furrowed.

He finally understood why he had felt something was wrong. They were now outside the deep mountains, at the edge of the range, in the area where the townspeople operated—this was not the domain of large beasts. Normally, these predators wouldn't venture here. Yet, he had seen one beast after another—yesterday the wild boar, today the leopard and the bear. Something was definitely not right. Furthermore, Zhang Yang’s reaction confirmed this. If even an expert of Zhang Yang's caliber suddenly insisted on leaving, something major must be about to happen.

The group did not linger, moving quickly outward. Along the way, they spotted several roe deer, but by now, no one had the appetite for a hunt. Seeing the larger game, they lost interest in the smaller ones.

Traveling rapidly, they soon returned to the camp. Er Hu and the others were quite surprised to see them back so early.

Upon returning to the camp, Zhang Yang felt a slight easing of tension. This was a place touched by human settlement; more people usually brought a degree of comfort—it was a human instinct, independent of strength. People, after all, are social creatures.

"Zhang Yang, what exactly happened? Why rush us back, and so quickly?" Once they sat down to rest, Su Zhantao asked softly. He knew Zhang Yang’s capabilities, which was why he had followed so readily, but that didn't mean curiosity was absent from his mind.

Zhang Yang shook his head gently. "I'm not entirely sure myself. I just kept feeling danger inside, so I told everyone to come back."

Chang Feng's eyes widened, and finally, he sighed, "Just based on a feeling, you brought everyone out? Isn't that a bit reckless?"

Zhang Yang didn't reply. Long Cheng immediately shook his head and whispered, "No, it's not reckless at all. Haven't you noticed how strange things have been? When we came hunting before, or what the old local hunters say, that outer mountain area rarely has large game. Yesterday, we saw large wild boars, more than one. Today, a leopard and a bear. Don't you feel something is off?"

Chang Feng, Wu Zhiguo, and the others widened their eyes. Li Ya even opened his mouth. Before Long Cheng spoke, they hadn't thought that far, but now that he pointed it out, everyone sensed that something was amiss.

"I'll go find Town Chief Wang. Everyone else rest for a bit!" Long Cheng stood up. His words had managed to smooth over Zhang Yang's earlier abruptness; no one pressed him further on his initial question. Zhang Yang sensing danger and urging their collective departure felt similar to how those animals sensed something threatening and abandoned their territories. This could only mean Zhang Yang's intuition was exceptionally sharp, like a human sixth sense that can predict danger early—something that had happened more than once.

"What kind of thing could scare away so many predators?" After a moment, Li Ya finally spoke slowly. They had already seen boars, bears, and leopards; who knew how many others had fled. Even if tigers or lions had appeared, they wouldn't necessarily scare off this many beasts. Many animals are fiercely territorial and will only leave their domain in dire necessity.

"I don't know. I certainly don't know of anything like that!" Huang Hai shook his head. In his experience, nothing could frighten this many large animals into fleeing like this, unless it was a large contingent of people—soldiers, perhaps. But that was unlikely; if a large military presence entered the deep mountains, there would be perimeter security and guards posted outside. Moreover, there was no logical reason for them to be deep in the mountains, as if tracking a fugitive.

A short while later, Long Cheng returned, accompanied by Town Chief Wang. After hearing Long Cheng's account, the Town Chief immediately grasped the abnormality. Unusual occurrences imply serious trouble; so many predators leaving the deep mountains for the periphery certainly indicated a major event. Chief Wang didn't know what the event was, but he knew that if these beasts were near the outskirts, the townspeople would be in danger.

He had already issued orders forbidding the townsfolk from entering the mountain and had mobilized the joint defense team, issuing them weapons for emergency alert. This was to prevent wild animals from entering the town and harming people, and also to guard against the unknown threat—whatever strange thing could frighten so many predators must be formidable.

The Town Chief accompanied Long Cheng here to persuade everyone to leave first, at least returning to Sushan County, which was safer. He had made this suggestion earlier, but Long Cheng had opposed it, so he had followed.

Hearing the Town Chief’s renewed urging, Chang Feng was the first to shake his head. "Town Chief Wang, we appreciate your kind intentions, but if the people who have lived here for generations aren't afraid, why should we be?"

"Right, we won't leave. We have so many people here!" Wu Zhiguo called out in agreement. They could leave the deep mountains—it was genuinely dangerous inside—but retreating to the town only to potentially flee again would be an act of cowardice for them. They wouldn't put themselves in true peril willingly, and while they valued their lives, they weren't the type to bolt at the first whisper of trouble. However, if real danger arose, they would certainly leave immediately; having vehicles gave them an advantage in speed. That would be the time to stop being brave.

Since they would not leave, Town Chief Wang could do nothing but instruct a squad of defense members to set up a perimeter here to ensure their safety.

The evening passed without any beast bothering the town, which offered some relief. There was still plenty of wild boar meat from yesterday, plus some game they had hunted today. Town Chief Wang also brought over dried mushrooms and other mountain provisions that would taste excellent stewed with this game. However, given the day's events, no one had much appetite. They ate quickly, drank little alcohol, and retired for the night.

Inside Zhang Yang's tent, he was carefully preparing some supplies. Just as he finished and was about to step out, Long Feng suddenly entered from outside. Observing Zhang Yang’s demeanor, Long Feng understood immediately: Zhang Yang intended to re-enter the deep mountains to investigate exactly what had caused this commotion.

"I'm going with you!" Long Feng said simply, without asking a single question. Zhang Yang looked up at him, momentarily stunned.

Sixth update. I took a short nap for over an hour; without it, I couldn't maintain the energy to keep going. Please forgive the slightly later update time. There are two more chapters coming, and the pace is tightening. Can my friends grant Little Yu another ten votes of support?