Chapter 5, Wufeng Mountain

"Enough, let that lovely little bird go!" Guo Jing said dismissively

Tengfei and Guo Jing burst into laughter again.

Cao Sen, please come to my office.

There are a total of nineteen brothers in Cao Sen's special operations team. Excluding Sima De, who is on his honeymoon, the remaining eighteen brave men took turns like a revolving lantern to catch ghosts in the teaching building. They persisted for seven consecutive days, during which the teaching building was never quiet at night. Whenever the night grew deep and silent, several brothers would be wandering inside, leading to the emergence of rumors

I am dead, am I not breathing?" Cao Sen surveyed the surroundings and casually reminded Ding Haitao, "Can't you use a telescope?"

Several people exchanged puzzled glances, wondering who had cleaned the teaching building. Could it be that female ghost?

Teacher Hu nodded and said, "Do not take it lightly. Internal sources indicate that this year's positions for teaching at the school will be selected from among the outstanding graduates. Positions in higher education are not something that can be purchased with money."

I have reviewed your grades in other subjects, and along with your excellent performance in the graduation defense, you are also the class monitor and a key member of the student council. Given these factors, Cao Sen, you are very likely to be recognized as this year's 'Outstanding Graduate'

This fellow always brings trouble whenever he shows up, just like a bird, is it really necessary?" Guo Jing took a military water bottle and gulped it down vigorously, "Why is it so stuffy today, is it going to rain?"

Ding Haitao slapped his forehead, took out the military model 62 eight-power telescope, and slowly searched the surrounding trees and bushes, clearly unwilling to give up until he caught that magpie

As university students approach graduation, they inevitably face the complexities of society, leading to a sense of psychological discomfort. The sudden appearance of the female ghost conveniently distracts Cao Sen and others, alleviating their feelings of reluctance to part with their school. After the fleeting glimpse of the female ghost, she vanishes without a trace, leaving Cao Sen with a sense of loss and momentarily at a loss for what to do.

What are you pondering?" Tengfei gave Cao Sen a light tap.

This left them perplexed. According to legend, female ghosts are fond of red clothing and are attracted to women with heavy yin energy. They followed the prescribed methods to concoct potions to lure the female ghost, yet all their attempts ended in failure. Could it be that the female ghost was merely a passerby, who happened to cross paths with them once and then departed?

Just when a few people were feeling bored, something happened

Do you want to be a teacher

Teacher Hu smiled with satisfaction and lowered his voice to say, "You know Zhu Jianjun from the Department of Social Sciences, right?"

"Would you like to know your defense score?" Teacher Hu smiled at the student

"Let's go, gentlemen, have you seen enough?" Cao Sen did not wish to linger any longer; he still wanted to inquire about the female ghost at Wufeng Temple.

Nonsense, two men are called comrades

However, this also provided Cao Sen with a way to pass the time. He and Teng Fei discussed it and decided to take a trip to Wufeng Mountain, located to the west of Nanchuan City. There is a Wufeng Temple on Wufeng Mountain, where several eminent monks practice. It is said that the Bodhisattva there is very effective, granting every wish. The eminent monks are also deeply learned in Buddhist teachings and possess great compassion, earning the affection of the faithful. Cao Sen wanted to consult a master about matters concerning spirits, as it might yield unexpected insights related to his studies.

The annual "Outstanding Graduate" selection at Dongshan University holds immense allure for all graduating students. Attaining this title makes it exceedingly easy to secure a good job in Nanquan City, which is of paramount importance to students facing significant employment pressure, comparable to the importance of gaining admission to a university. However, there are only five slots available, while the number of graduates each year has increased to at least four to five hundred, making the competition incredibly fierce.

"That's not right, the young lady has a stern expression. Damn, this is catching someone in the act. Damn, it's turning into a fight," Guo Jing also remarked.

"One is being self-deprecating." Cao Sen concluded

Cao Sen understood that Teacher Hu had called him in order to encourage him to take the opportunity to engage in activities "up there" and earn the title of an outstanding graduate. This was a kind gesture, and Cao Sen was grateful; however, he did not care about being outstanding or not. In his view, demonstrating his skills at the prospective employer was far more indicative of his abilities than any certificate.

The three brothers laughed heartily

Wufeng Mountain is located over 100 li from Nanquan City and serves as the main peak of a mountain range that stretches for dozens of li. Although the mountain is not high, it is lush and verdant with abundant trees. There are many unknown clear springs on the mountain, making it an excellent place for vacation and leisure. Cao Sen and his companions are familiar with Wufeng Mountain, as they have come here to engage in jungle warfare while playing special operations games.

On a Saturday morning, the four brothers got into Cao Sen's Jeep 2500 and sped all the way to Wufeng Mountain

Cao Sen, however, does not care about this title; even though he possesses absolute competitiveness, he does not wish to wade into this murky water. Firstly, he firmly believes that his abilities will enable him to find a satisfactory job. Secondly, he is aware of how his exam results were achieved; aside from his major course grades, which are free of any manipulation, he nearly plagiarized in all other subjects. Therefore, he does not want to seize opportunities that rightfully belong to graduates with genuine skills and knowledge.

Cao Sen felt that his thoughts were indeed somewhat absurd after being teased by his brothers. Perhaps he was more suited to be a professional soldier, or maybe he would become a competent mold designer in the future, but he was definitely not cut out to be a teacher. Moreover, if he were to stay at the university, pursuing a master's degree would be imperative. However, he was truly weary of the torment of reviewing, memorizing, and taking exams. Damn it, he thought it would be better to venture out into society, leaving a pure land in the university for the younger students, providing them with a good learning environment, while he himself would not tarnish this final sanctuary.

Seeing that Cao Sen had no reaction, Teacher Hu continued, "Our Mechanical Engineering Department has already recommended you, Cao Sen. You also know the prevailing atmosphere in society; the era of relying solely on ability to make one's way in the world has passed." At this point, Teacher Hu paused and leaned forward slightly, "Do you know who has the authority to decide the quota above?"

Cao Sen turned his gaze in the direction of the sound and saw Teacher Hu, the instructor for the mold design program in their class, as well as the advisor for the graduation project. He has always regarded Cao Sen as his prized student

How noble of him? Every time he goes to the nightclub, he has more escorts than anyone else.

"What did you see?" Guo Jing asked in confusion, as the tone of the two people seemed to suggest that someone named Zhu Jianjun was having an affair with a certain girl.

Ding Haitao swiftly dodged the stone, laughing and scolding: "You all just need more practice. Look at our Sen Ge, not even out of breath; that's what you call quality"

At this moment, Ding Haitao murmured, "Damn, a prince? I see a whole kind of horse. It's a pity I didn't bring my digital camera; otherwise, I would take a picture and post it on the Dongda forum. Damn, I really can't stand this kind of stuff."

It is widely rumored on the campus of Dongda University that there are ghosts appearing in the teaching building. During a certain individual's romantic encounter, they heard noises coming from inside, while another security officer reported seeing lights in the building and shadowy figures moving about. This has caused concern among the university leadership, prompting them to issue a formal denial and assign specific personnel to patrol the teaching building at night to reassure the students.

"Sen Ge, have you ever heard a saying?" Ding Haitao asked seriously, putting away his smile

Stay at school

"What a ruthless act, this is the second slap already," Ding Haitao said with a pained expression

"Not afraid of the sky, not afraid of the earth, just afraid of cultured rogues," Ding Haitao continued to speak to himself, "Hehe, if you, this rogue, were to don the garb of a teacher, Dongda would become the largest rogue organization in the country"

Haha, you really managed to upset those teachers quite a bit

Do you want to stay at school

In fact, among all the teachers responsible for the defense, only this Teacher Hu has extensive practical processing experience, yet he does not undermine his own students.

Such a result was unexpected for Cao Sen, and he had no choice but to inform his brothers not to go to the teaching building in the near future, to avoid causing panic and drawing attention

Cao Sen, holding a cigarette, took out a military map and spread it on the ground. Using a compass to determine their current position, he gestured and said skillfully: "We are located three thousand meters north of the main peak, not far from Wufeng Temple."

As far as I know, Zhu Jianjun has similar qualifications to yours, and the two of you are competing for one position. Yesterday, I happened to see him visiting the principal's house. Cao Sen, you need to act quickly

"Sit down," Teacher Hu said, pointing to a chair

What, what did you say? I must have misheard you

"Let me rest for a moment, or I will be done for," Guo Jing said, panting.

Brother Sen, your nobility is of no concern to us; as for my depravity, you need not interfere

Ha ha ... ... , the three mischievous friends burst into laughter

After a night of terror, Wu Fang and Zheng Jingjing no longer dared to stay at school. As graduates with plenty of free time, they decided to retreat to their homes. After being good girls at home for a week, their fear of ghosts had dissipated, and they no longer wanted to be cooped up. The two girls then discussed going to a famous mountain temple to seek a talisman for peace and to dispel their misfortune. Naturally, when going to worship in the deep mountains and forests, they needed to find bodyguards and laborers to accompany them, so the two girls thought of Cao Sen and his group.

Cao Sen took a seat while offering a cigarette to the teacher

"This damn weather, I curse it to hell," Ding Haitao muttered. No sooner had he spoken than he tripped over a vine underfoot and fell into the grass nest.

Upon exiting Teacher Hu's office, Cao Sen's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of staying at the school, until he was interrupted by three good friends.

One should not even think about it. Cao Sen also came to educate the ignorant youth

Ding Haitao cast a dissatisfied glance at Cao Sen and said, "Sen Ge, when will you understand the importance of cherishing and valuing women? If you continue like this, you will regret it sooner or later"

On the third day, Cao Sen spent money to hire several escorts and once again entered the teaching building, yet he still gained nothing

"Do not speak carelessly, this is Wufeng Mountain, where the spiritual energy is overwhelming, and retribution comes swiftly," Tengfei said seriously

One man and one woman

With a thunderous roar, immediately following Ding Haitao's curses, a powerful thunderclap exploded above the canyon, startling Ding Haitao, who instinctively shrank his neck and hurriedly got up to catch up with his three brothers

Cao Sen looked at the three brothers with amusement in his heart. It's not as if they had never been with women before; there are plenty of ladies in nightclubs and hair salons. They could easily find a place to enjoy themselves. The girls there are not only beautiful but also professional, and the environment is comfortable, far more relaxed than in the mountains.

"Hey, another girl is here, ready for a double flight?" Ding Haitao's tone was filled with envy, "This guy is impressive!"

"Take a break, Sen Ge. In a while, we might have to run around with Tao Tao again," Teng Fei said

The four brothers did not walk along the artificially constructed stone path, but instead ventured into a forest. As usual, they avoided the main entrance of any place that required an admission fee, not because they could not afford the ticket, but because they believed that the price of the ticket was not commensurate with the services provided.

Perhaps it was the magpie that possessed an extraordinary vitality among its kind, or perhaps the deities of Wufeng Mountain were using the magpie to punish Ding Haitao for his reckless killing of living beings. The four brothers followed the injured magpie over mountains and valleys for more than half an hour, eventually chasing it to a canyon in the back mountain. The four of them were panting heavily, drenched in sweat, yet in the end, the magpie still managed to escape

"It's over, everyone." Cao Sen did not wish to continue watching, nor did he feel any sympathy for the girl who was being beaten. In his view, this was purely the girl's own fault; she had chosen the wrong boyfriend without being discerning. When problems arose, she only cried and made a fuss, and even after being beaten, she refused to leave. What else could this be but self-degradation?

You go deal with that Zhu fellow, and I will comfort the girl. Ding Haitao certainly knows how to keep himself busy

Cao Sen knows that there are no ivory tusks in a dog's mouth, so he ignores him

Ding Haitao shouted and chased after them. Cao Sen and the other two had no choice but to follow closely behind Ding Haitao, running deep into the forest.

However, the result is equally disappointing

Ding Haitao lay in the grass nest, feeling wronged, and looked up at the three serious individuals, muttering softly: "Where are my brothers? They don't even offer a hand or a word of comfort. I just cursed, so what? I cursed the heavens, damn it." Suddenly, he raised his voice and shouted, "Damn your second uncle!"

On the fourth day, after several exhausting escapades, Cao Sen and a few others decided to sleep soundly in the dormitory. However, the other brothers who had encountered ghosts could not contain their excitement and sneaked into the teaching building again in the dead of night. One of them was a professional photographer, equipped with a full set of photography gear, hoping to capture the moment a ghost appeared, which would undoubtedly make headlines around the world.

"In order to catch a magpie, I ran over ten miles of mountain roads; it's truly insane." Tengfei sat on a rock, rubbing his feet, and saw Ding Haitao still looking around for the injured magpie. He casually picked up a stone and threw it over.

Shall we go teach that kid a lesson? Since we have nothing to do anyway. This stirred Guo Jing's chivalrous spirit of helping the weak and punishing the strong.

"Let's go, guys, it's meaningless." Cao Sen put away the mirror, oriented himself, and took the lead towards Wufeng Temple.

Gift-giving? Since middle school, Cao Sen has been managing some interpersonal relationships for his father, who is not good at socializing. Although his skills in entertaining and gift-giving may not be as refined as those of seasoned socialites, he is certainly more experienced than his peers in this regard. However, in this matter, Cao Sen did not wish to expend much effort, nor did he want to be explicit with Teacher Hu. He vaguely stated, "Teacher Hu, you can rest assured, you know my capabilities."

The three brothers followed closely behind Cao Sen, still discussing the vivid and colorful events that had just transpired

Guo Jing could no longer contain himself and joined the two individuals, forming a group of three. Each person held a telescope, gazing at the same location, occasionally offering comments and reflections.

Teacher Hu, "Cao Sen does not want to disappoint the teacher who cares about him, "Thank you for telling me these things, I understand, and I will definitely do what needs to be done."

After parking the car, Cao Sen and the four of them shouldered their jungle packs, which contained numerous survival tools from the mountains and forests. This was their habit; they always liked to carry them just in case. Just like when they usually went out, even if it was for class or shopping, they always carried collapsible batons, hand dogs, and tactical flashlights, as if they were not in a peaceful environment but rather in a life-and-death battlefield fraught with danger. Cao Sen and his companions were a unique group of individuals who had ingrained their passion for special operations deep into their bones.

Ha, you don't even know him? A prominent figure from Tsinghua University, Zhu Jianjun, the prince in the eyes of the girls

On the night of the second day, the four brothers changed into bright red clothing and carried their guns, searching for most of the night, but found nothing

Zhu Jianjun? Cao Sen recalled this name again. Didn't Teacher Hu say that he might compete with him for the quota of outstanding graduates? Hey, if he really wanted to vie for that quota, now would be a good opportunity. The question is, does he really want to do that? Cao Sen asked himself, sneering in disdain; he certainly looked down on such underhanded tactics. Even if he were to compete, it should be based on strength rather than connections. Cao Sen asked himself again, sneering in disdain; he certainly looked down on such underhanded tactics. Even if he were to compete, it should be based on strength rather than connections.

"It's not a bird, it's a person, two people, hey, that guy is quite impressive... Hmm... it seems like they are students from our school, what was their name again?" Ding Haitao said excitedly, his eyes glued to the telescope.

What the hell! This sentence was uttered in unison by three people

Cao Sen was finally intrigued by their live commentary and walked over to take a closer look through the telescope

Tengfei tossed a cigarette to both Cao Sen and Guo Jing, then lit one for himself and took a satisfying puff. "Let it rain, they say that when it rains at Wufeng Mountain, there are mountain floods, quite a spectacle. Just in time for us to feast our eyes on it."

There is a situation! "Ding Haitao said softly, 'Two o'clock direction, one hundred meters.'"

On the second day, after dawn, Cao Sen, Teng Fei, and others went to the teaching building to inspect. To their surprise, the fifth floor, which had been fiercely contested the night before, had returned to its original state, with not a single steel ball visible on the ground. Although the ceiling and walls were covered with small marks from the steel ball shots, no traces of the steel balls could be found.

Zhu Jianjun? Cao Sen certainly knows this person, a prominent figure at Dongda University, the prince charming in the hearts of female students, and also a graduate this year. Zhu Jianjun almost became a member of Cao Sen's special operations team, but for various reasons, he did not join. However, he maintains a good relationship with Cao Sen.

The three brothers are never idle with their eyes and mouths

Two beautiful women extended an invitation to travel, and perhaps the other boys would be overjoyed. However, Cao Sen resolutely declined. He absolutely could not tolerate the sight of girls being delicate and overly dramatic in the mountains, as their exaggerated reactions would be nothing short of torment for him

Cao Sen signaled to a few brothers and went to Teacher Hu's office

In the field of view of the telescope, Cao Sen saw Zhu Jianjun stark naked from the waist down, forcefully pushing a beautiful girl. The girl was crying out, seemingly rebuking Zhu Jianjun for his flirtatiousness and infidelity. Suddenly, Zhu Jianjun raised his hand and struck the girl hard across the face. The girl staggered back a few steps, covering her face while continuing to cry out about something.

"Indeed, unclean matters must never be spoken of carelessly," Guo Jing added.

A thunderous explosion resounded overhead, the tremendous sound causing the vegetation in the canyon to tremble violently. Following this, the dark clouds in the sky descended, and the already oppressive air became even more viscous, making it nearly impossible to draw a breath into one's lungs

If it were someone else, they would definitely stay as far away as possible from a haunted place. However, Cao Sen is quite the opposite; he loves adventure. He felt a great regret for not being able to confront the female ghost last night. If he could stay at school, he would truly have enough time to engage with the female ghost.

That night, Cao Sen and three others, fully equipped, sneaked into the teaching building, but found nothing.

The four brothers jokingly made another round on the stairs, finding nothing unusual and encountering no cold winds or anything of the sort. They felt quite disappointed and decided to return tonight to confront that female ghost.

This sentence stirred Cao Sen's emotions; the benefits of remaining at Dongda University are self-evident. Not to mention the job security, even the two holidays each year make Cao Sen yearn for it. Moreover, this teaching building is rumored to be haunted.

Shut up, do you understand this is a live broadcast

Cao Sen knew that Teacher Hu was talking about the "special move" he invented, and he laughed, saying, "It's just that Guo Jing is out of luck, haha"

Excellent," Cao Sen replied in a casual tone

Ding Haitao pondered to himself, this Wufeng Mountain is indeed somewhat sinister

Tengfei quickly got up and moved closer to Ding Haitao, also taking out a telescope to look over.

In the lush forest, numerous birds frolicked among the branches and leaves. Ding Haitao, feeling restless, drew a pistol from his lower back. After chambering a round, he raised his hand and fired a shot. With a soft "pop," a 6mm steel pellet swiftly cut through the air, producing a "whoosh" sound as it struck the wing of a gray magpie. The other magpies, startled, flapped their wings in panic and fled, while the hit magpie flew off at an awkward angle deeper into the woods