Chapter Seventy-Seven: Let Us Step Into the New World Together, Young Friends

Those who remained at the scene felt both fear and excitement, their emotions tangled and layered, leaving most people somewhat bewildered and at a loss. Xiang Biao and Hua Zi were whispering to themselves, “It’s coming, it’s coming—the company’s greatest secret!” As the tremors in the ground intensified, the first thing to appear in their line of sight was an enormous humanoid monster, its entire body wrapped in branches and lush green leaves.

Everyone had seen the classic Lord of the Rings films, and quickly recognized it as an Ent, but this tree being radiated far more presence and majesty than any depicted in the movies. Its branches were thicker, its foliage more abundant, and its joints were formed of rough, protruding knots; atop its head, a cluster of leafy twigs looked rather like a wild mane. The robust, verdant body clearly harbored immense strength, not to mention the towering figure that reached well over ten meters.

But the spectacle was far from over.

After the first Ancient Tree Spirit appeared, four more followed, each equal or even greater in stature, presenting themselves before the crowd. No wonder the earth quaked. These ecological transformers, covered in greenery, were each as heavy as a construction vehicle—perhaps even more so—and they walked without the need for wheels.

Tree people! Real, living tree people!

The crowd hadn’t yet recovered from the shock of seeing the tree spirits when several emerald vines extended from the ground. Just a few meters away, the vines intertwined to form a feminine figure, dotted with tiny white flowers that adorned her form like a dress. The Bloodsucking Demon Vine, shaped as a woman, mimicked human etiquette, waving to the crowd, her face twisted into a smile by the arrangement of the vines.

“That… That’s the vine wall from the perimeter!” someone gasped in a low voice.

“So, the wall surrounding the entire Shiniu Mountain Ecological Zone is actually…”

Even before they could finish exchanging thoughts, a deafening lion’s roar thundered nearby. Apart from Wu You, everyone was startled, even Xiang Biao and Hua Zi, who had been prepared. These two especially dreaded Garuru.

As everyone turned toward the source of the roar, instinctively some began to step back. In their line of sight, standing alongside Wu You, was a humanoid lion-headed creature. Its powerful head was crowned with a mane that gently rippled, and beneath its dense golden fur, explosive muscles bulged. Beside it, neatly folded atop a rock, lay a suit.

No fool among them, everyone realized that this was their boss’s silent bodyguard, Garuru, who was almost never seen apart from the boss.

Wu You remarked that Garuru’s suits were all high-end custom pieces, and every transformation destroyed another expensive outfit.

Though the lion’s appearance was far less approachable than the tree people, the employees had met Garuru many times; occasionally, he even helped move heavy objects. So, while there was fear, it wasn’t overwhelming—especially since their boss stood even closer.

But before that thought could finish, everyone took another step back, for Garuru smiled at them—at least, it seemed like he was smiling… That smile… Please, big guy, don’t smile.

Yet, their fear of Garuru was soon eclipsed by a far more primal sense of oppression from behind. Even without seeing, goosebumps danced across their skin.

“Ahem, let me introduce everyone. Over there you see Ancient Tree Spirits One through Five. This lady here is the Bloodsucking Demon Vine—her name is quite literal. As for Garuru, you all know him; now you see his true form, the Lion-faced Vajra.”

“Now, please turn your bodies 180 degrees. Yes, relax, don’t be so stiff…”

Wu You relished his role as guide and narrator. The crowd turned like marionettes, stiffly, and in Wu You’s mind, he imagined their joints creaking.

Once they turned, they were confronted by a far more astonishing sight—one they had missed while focusing on Garuru.

Ao Guang’s body hovered about five meters above the ground, part trailing behind, part coiled upward. The enormous dragon stretched over fifty meters in length, its body as thick as a massive round table.

Everyone’s mouths hung open in disbelief. From childhood, the spiritual totem of the dragon had permeated every aspect of their culture for thousands of years. Seeing Ao Guang in person was even more overwhelming than witnessing the mountain tree spirits.

Dragon! The word flashed through every mind.

There really was a dragon!

“It’s a Jiao dragon—it has no horns…” someone whispered after regaining composure.

Beside Ao Guang, a creature whose size paled in comparison, but whose presence was equally formidable, appeared quietly. Its features were less immediately recognizable than Ao Guang’s, but among those present—unlike the illiterate human traffickers before—someone soon identified it.

“It’s Qiongqi, the divine beast from the Classic of Mountains and Seas—one of the four great fiend beasts of ancient China.”

Qiongqi had spent the past few days with Ao Guang, and the two seemed inseparable, showing signs of forming a mischievous duo.

Compared to the dramatic entrance of the two great silver beasts, the other creations—Little Black, the spirit musk deer, and various first-level alchemical lifeforms—were far less conspicuous.

Wu You seized the moment to speak again.

“No need for introductions for the Jiao dragon, you all recognize it—it’s Qing Jiao Ao Guang. Beside him is Qiongqi Demon Ke. Let me clarify: the Classic of Mountains and Seas misunderstood Qiongqi. True, it likes villains, but its ‘liking’ is somewhat different…”

“Over there are Little Heavenly Dog, Little Black, the spirit musk deer, and the white eagle… Of course, there are others I can’t bring out to meet you all just yet.”

After his introductions, Wu You accepted a bottle of mineral water from Garuru, taking several sips to moisten his throat, then spoke to the employees, most of whom were in a semi-dazed state.

“As you’ve seen, this is the true face of ‘Ten Thousand Beasts Manor.’ The wondrous creatures you see here, in principle, are of the same status as you—they are all company employees.”

Seeing their dazed expressions, he thought, Damn, did I scare them silly?

“Hey! Are you listening? Damn it, Garuru!”

“Roar!” A lion’s roar snapped everyone back to their senses.

Wu You took another sip of water.

“Ahem, you didn’t hear me just now? Let me repeat…”

Even with the mind-shielding of the mountain tree and the guidance from the two great silver spirits, Wu You still spent a fair amount of effort explaining everything. After more than twenty minutes, every employee—from Wang Hui and Xiang Biao down to the newest graduates—was brimming with excitement, their hearts racing.

It turned out the company they worked for was a “mythical company!” Many of their colleagues were actually divine beasts! So this was the true Ten Thousand Beasts Manor!

And the boss had just announced that everyone would receive ancient martial arts manuals as an extra company reward.

As for whether it was real? The dragon had appeared—how could ancient martial arts not be?

Not a single person considered leaking the secret. Their minds replayed Wu You’s closing remarks:

“The stronger the company becomes, the stronger you will become—money! Status! Martial prowess! Even longevity! The company belongs to me, but also to all of you. You have the right to enjoy its benefits, and the duty to protect it!”

“Come, young ones, let us open the door to a new world together!”