In the snow, a five-person group was running.
Gu Yue Jiao San glanced at the sky and said, "It's getting late. Our task for this trip is to collect rotten mud and frozen soil. Simple, but time-consuming. We need to speed up. Everyone, stay close to me and try not to fall behind. Fang Yuan, if you can't hold on, just say so. It's okay. You're the newbie; we'll take care of you."
Gu Yue Jiao San's smile was very kind.
Fang Yuan nodded without speaking.
But the other three members exchanged glances. In fact, it was still early; Jiao San's actions were completely unnecessary. Actually, he just wanted to intimidate Fang Yuan.
They all knew it well, but none of them exposed this.
In fact, this kind of intimidation was common in Section 88: Intimidation, Harassment, and Suppression. When a new member joined a group, the old members would always more or less throw their weight around to dampen the newbie's spirit, making it easier for future commands and management.
"Let's go." Jiao San shouted lightly, and with swift steps, he rushed out first.
Fang Yuan's eyes flickered, and like the other three, he accelerated and followed closely.
Bamboo straw shoes trampled on the snow, leaving a string of deep footprints.
The mountain terrain was rugged and difficult to walk on. Especially after being covered with snow, it was easier to slip. At the same time, the snow was unpredictable; who knew what was beneath the snow—sharp stones or pits?
If they stepped into a hunter's trap, that would be even worse.
Life in this world was harsh. Traveling seemed simple, but it was actually a skill. Many newbies had stumbled because of this.
Only Gu Masters who had trained long and endured much hardship could effectively avoid these obstacles.
The cold winter wind blew in their faces, and Fang Yuan raced across the snow.
Sometimes leaping, sometimes running long strides, sometimes climbing, sometimes sidestepping, he stayed close behind Jiao San.
The entire Qing Mao Mountain was wrapped in a snow coat. The branches of many trees in Section 88: Intimidation, Harassment, and Suppression were bare, without a single leaf.
Occasionally, squirrels or deer were startled by the group and scurried away into the distance.
After half an hour, Jiao San suddenly stopped. They had reached their destination.
He turned around, looked at Fang Yuan, and praised with a smile, "Not bad! Fang Yuan, you truly live up to being this year's top scholar. You've kept up with me without falling behind."
Fang Yuan smiled but said nothing. He was already familiar with this kind of intimidation. In fact, running in the snow had become a "traditional program." Many groups used it to suppress the newbie's spirit.
The two stood in place for a while, and only then did the other three members catch up.
Huh, huh, huh...
They were breathing heavily, their foreheads covered in sweat, faces flushed. Two were bent over with hands on their knees, while the third had collapsed directly onto the snow.
Jiao San glared at them fiercely and snapped, "Stand up straight! Aren't you ashamed? Look at Fang Yuan, then look at yourselves. Hmph, after this mission, go home and reflect thoroughly."
The three quickly straightened up, but with heads lowered, not daring to look up or argue under Jiao San's scolding.
However, their gazes toward Fang Yuan had changed.
"How strange! How is Fang Yuan so experienced? We never saw him fall once!"
"Sigh, our strength is only average. How can we compare to this freak?"
"Hmph, we didn't get to see a good show, and instead, we became the scapegoats. This guy..."
"Alright, perk up." Jiao San pointed forward. "This small valley is our destination. There's plenty of rotten mud and frozen soil to collect. We'll separate and gather the frozen soil. Meet back here in an hour. Kong Jing, distribute the tools now."
As Jiao San finished speaking, a male member named Gu Yue Kong Jing stepped forward.
He spread his palm flat, and a yellow light shot out from his abdominal aperture, hovering in the center of his palm.
The yellow light dissipated, revealing its true form: a golden-backed frog.
This golden frog was plump, with a snow-white belly that was extremely large, swollen so that its entire body looked like a round ball. Its toad-like mouth and eyes were pushed to the top of its head by its belly, compressed together.
Fang Yuan's eyes flickered, and he instantly recognized this Gu insect.
It was a second-turn Gu insect—the Big Belly Frog.
Then, strands of reddish iron true essence flowed out from Kong Jing's hand and were absorbed by the big belly frog.
Croak.