Chapter 35: The Eye Thieves
Li Cheng, wearing a fox mask, froze for a mont and thought:
Could it be that this senior doesn’t know about the treasure?
No, that’s impossible!
The locust shadow behind him exuded an ancient aura, indicating that the individual before him was likely one of those undying beings.
The passage of ti had granted them unparalleled wisdom and experience, making their thoughts incomprehensible to ordinary individuals.
But why did he ask to explain everything?
Could it be…
Countless thoughts raced through Li Cheng’s mind, and he quickly realised why the senior had made such a request.
The senior might have misunderstood and thought the treasure referred to sothing entirely different!
After all, with such imnse power, the senior would naturally regard the treasure as already belonging to him. Li Cheng’s proposal to share information about the treasure might have been interpreted as referring to another item altogether!
Alternatively, this could be a test to assess Li Cheng’s honesty. Any falsehood would undoubtedly result in catastrophic consequences!
That was close—I almost made a monuntal mistake!
Li Cheng organised his thoughts and inwardly praised his quick thinking. The possibility that the senior was unaware of the treasure was imdiately dismissed.
After all, such powerful figures were not commonplace. They typically resided in grand main cities or within the void itself and would have no reason to visit an ordinary city like Hang City out of boredom.
What Li Cheng couldn’t have imagined was that the mysterious figure standing before him—Lu Yu—was not so ancient and enigmatic powerhouse but a half-awakened individual who possessed power but lacked training!
Lu Yu, anwhile, observed Li Cheng’s deep contemplation with a calm expression. Completely ignorant of the topic at hand, he figured that saying less was the safest approach.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Li Cheng finally spoke:
“This matter began a month ago when a group of Eye Thieves robbed a small rchant caravan of its cargo…”
“Eye Thieves!”
Xu Xiaoqing exclaid, her face contorted with disgust. Realising her interruption, she quickly apologised:
“Sorry for interrupting!”
“It’s alright,” Li Cheng replied with a faint smile as he shook his head. “It seems you’ve heard of the Eye Thieves.”
Xu Xiaoqing nodded, her expression still brimming with revulsion, and elaborated:
“I’ve read about them in books. Eye Thieves were originally ruthless criminals who fled into the wilderness to escape justice. However, as they were not awakened individuals, they lacked the ability to survive in such harsh environnts.
“Their leader, however, was a follower of an evil god. Under his guidance, they perford a blood sacrifice through a sinister ritual, offering themselves to an unknown deity. This transford them into grotesque creatures with heads covered in eyeballs. Each eye harboured a nacing power capable of intimidating humans and most other life forms, rivaling the secret arts of so awakened individuals.
“Furthermore, since they had turned themselves into monsters, they no longer attracted attacks from the wilderness’s native creatures.”
Her tone grew angrier as she continued:
“While the ritual granted them monstrous strength and extended lifespans, it also cursed them. They could only sustain themselves by consuming fresh human eyeballs.
“If they attempted to eat normal food, they would vomit violently and experience intense nausea. Prolonged abstinence from consuming eyeballs would cause the ones on their heads to rot, leading to their physical decay.
“Conversely, the more human eyeballs they devoured, the stronger they beca. Their ability to intimidate with ntal shock is particularly lethal to awakened individuals. Combined with their human intelligence and frequent use of cunning strategies, they have beco formidable enemies of humanity.
“Unfortunately, the details of this sinister ritual have leaked. Many criminals and desperate individuals seeking immortality have resorted to becoming Eye Thieves, thus turning themselves into enemies of humankind.
“They roam the wilderness, ambushing rchant caravans. Sotis, they even launch large-scale attacks on human settlents or small towns, leaving destruction and suffering in their wake.”
Well done, young lady. That explanation was excellent—I finally understand what the Eye Thieves are.
Lu Yu silently gave Xu Xiaoqing a thumbs-up in his heart. The more he observed her, the more he appreciated her. Despite her talkative and sowhat eccentric personality, her extensive knowledge was impressive. This explanation deserved full marks.
The existence of these Eye Thieves broadened Lu Yu’s understanding. He had always known the wilderness to be dangerous but now realised that the threats extended beyond monsters—humanity itself could be just as perilous.
Nearby, the Night Market’s owner, Ma Yang, lanted:
“These Eye Thieves are utterly despicable. Several of my caravans have been attacked by them, leaving the victims blind and their lives completely ruined!”
While most people had only heard of the Eye Thieves, Ma Yang had firsthand experience with their brutality. The sheer madness of these creatures was undeniable. If they hadn’t limited their attacks to the wilderness and relied on their ntal intimidation abilities, Ma Yang would have destroyed them long ago.
Li Cheng nodded in agreent and continued:
“But this ti, among the goods they seized, there was an extraordinary treasure!”
Xu Xiaoqing’s curiosity was piqued, and she asked:
“What kind of treasure?”
Li Cheng’s gaze turned profound as he replied in a deep voice:
“A dragon egg!”
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