Chapter 154 Attacked, Chaos
The mortal beast was pure white, with a pair of beautiful horns on its head, and its scales shimmered in the sunlight.
His sudden attack caught everyone off guard.
Although the Anderson Mercenary Group has four mid-level mages and three mid-level knights, they have no chance of winning against a level two peak magical beast.
Anderson, as the team leader, quickly analyzed the situation. He organized everyone to remain calm, not to launch an attack, and to focus on defense to cover the team members' escape from this dangerous place.
The mortal beasts didn't know why they were angry; they were unaware that all their little actions were being observed by the mortal beasts.
"Human beings."
Sheen's heart tightened.
A talking monster means that this monster is more powerful than they imagined.
Having traversed the Eton Forest for over a decade, this was the first time they had encountered such a powerful magical beast, which was tantamount to declaring that they had already stepped halfway into the territory of the Supreme God.
"Where have you taken my cubs?"
This statement effectively sealed the fate of Anderson's mercenary group.
He was actually the father of the cubs they had taken away before! Children are an inviolable taboo for any race. With such a deep-seated hatred, if they were to escape safely, it must be the protection of the supreme god.
It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived yet. The evil deeds I sowed in the past have finally come back to haunt me, and I can only swallow my pride and bear it.
A baby mortal? Mortals are too terrifying; Sheen doesn't recall them ever taking the risk to try and capture one.
Suddenly, a memory popped into Sheen's mind: he vaguely remembered that last year they found a fluffy white ball next to a badly injured female animal.
They assumed the white ball was the female beast's companion animal, and that its furry appearance would likely win over nobles and fetch more gold coins. After catching it, they didn't pay much attention to it, never imagining that it might actually be a young mortal beast.
Who would have thought that the mortal beast, whose body is covered in hard scales from head to tail when it grows up, looks like this when it is a cub!
What happened to that white ball of fluff? Apparently, after the team members found it barely alive, they threw it into the ditch by the roadside.
In such cold weather, with such a weak little creature, the outcome was predictable.
Instantly, Sheen felt a chill run through his body. He exchanged a glance with Anderson and immediately understood that Anderson had also remembered what happened last year.
“We did not take your cubs.”
Anderson spoke with utmost sincerity, as if nothing had ever happened.
When they encountered the female beast, there were no other magical beasts around, and no one knew that they were the ones who did it. Moreover, the female beast was seriously injured and probably wouldn't live much longer.
"Humans, I'm giving you one last chance. I can smell your scent near where the cubs went missing."
A magic ball condensed between the mortal beast's horns and struck Anderson directly beside him, instantly turning everything in that spot into an ice sculpture.
“We were just passing through. The cub was taken away by other mercenary groups that came to explore long ago. Perhaps we can help you find your cub.”
They absolutely refused to admit that the cubs had been taken away and were likely already dead, otherwise they would surely face the wrath of the male mortal beast.
Of course, he also needed to appear as if he hadn't taken the cubs but knew their whereabouts. Only then would he have a chance to persuade him to spare the entire mercenary group.
"Oh."
The mortal beast stared directly into Anderson's eyes, as if trying to discern the truthfulness of his words through them. Anderson met its gaze without fear.
A moment later, the mortuary beast suddenly moved, slapping Anderson with its claw. Anderson narrowly dodged to the side, holding his weapon and wary of the beast's second attack.
"run!"
Following Anderson's instructions, the squad members dispersed. Anderson and the other stronger members took charge of the rear, while Sheen provided cover and timely support from behind.
Recalling this, the chilling feeling that had gripped Sheen returned. This wasn't a balanced resistance, but a one-sided massacre by the mortal beasts.
He could have used magic to kill them outright, but instead chose the most brutal method. Blood stained the surrounding plants, and severed limbs, caught in the crossfire, shattered again from the secondary injuries…
How did they manage to escape?
Yes, although the magical beasts possessed immense combat power, they couldn't teleport. They used a spatial magic scroll to teleport themselves five kilometers away, which gave them a glimmer of hope, but the mortal beasts still relentlessly pursued them.
Later, they were caught by him on the fifth floor, and another life-or-death battle ensued. Anderson was no match for him and had his left leg bitten off by the mortal beast. Later, they managed to cross the barrier, the scene changed, and they finally escaped the mortal beast.
The expedition resulted in heavy casualties; only half of them survived.
The smell of blood would attract monsters, so they didn't dare to delay and quickly left Eaton after dealing with the situation.
They brought back the two monster eggs and the herbs they had gathered, but the members were left behind in Eaton forever, without even a complete corpse.
"Deputy Commander, the Commander has woken up and wants to see you."
Sheen strode into the room and saw Anderson leaning against the headboard.
The candlelight flickered, illuminating the small space. Despite being an unfamiliar place, it gave one a sense of security.
"Sheen, I knew I had a bad feeling."
Anderson grinned.
"Anderson, don't force yourself. Your smile looks worse than a grimace."
Sheen's voice was hoarse, and his tone was filled with pain.
The room fell silent. The two sat facing each other, separated by a candlelight, and neither spoke.
"Hmm."
Anderson groaned, beads of sweat rolled down his face, veins bulged on his forehead, and he clutched his left leg, looking extremely pained.
Although he has lost his left leg, he cannot forget the pain he experienced. It was an inexplicable phantom limb pain that would accompany him for the rest of his life.
A green light appeared in Sheen's palms, and he grabbed Anderson's thighs with both hands, using magic to alleviate his pain. The magic only lasted a few seconds before stopping.
Sheen's magic had been completely depleted during the escape. In addition, he was also responsible for healing every wounded member, so his magic had been in a state of exhaustion and had not yet fully recovered.
"Okay, Sheen. I feel much better, let's stop now."
Anderson stopped Sheen from continuing to exploit his dwindling magical reserves, feigning nonchalance.
"Anderson, just bear with it for now. We'll go to town to find a doctor first thing tomorrow morning. We're all too exhausted to continue our journey tonight."
"Yes, thank you for your hard work, Sheen."
“I’m fine, as long as you’re alive, as long as everyone else is alive.” Sheen’s voice was choked with emotion. “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m just too weak.”
Anderson hugged Sheehan, letting him rest his head on his shoulder, and heard Sheehan's sobs in his ear.
"You're tired, Sheen. You need to rest."
Anderson knocked Sheen unconscious from behind, struggled to move his body to make room, and dragged Sheen to the edge of the bed.
There was no wind tonight; it was an ordinary, sultry autumn night. A person burdened with worries silently watched the flickering shadows on the opposite wall until the candlelight gradually dimmed and finally went out…
Several of the mercenary survivors were seriously injured. They dared not delay and prepared to set off at dawn, having only rested for six hours.
It was too early to say goodbye to Barnett, so he had to hand over the silver coins he needed to pay for the lodging to a villager on patrol to pass on. The Anderson Mercenary Group never defaulted on any payments, no matter what their circumstances.
The carriage carried them away from the small mountain village; perhaps this parting would be their last meeting.
On the afternoon the mercenary group left, Lai learned from the villagers that they had been there.
The mercenary group members were seriously injured, and many died. The villagers gathered together and discussed the matter, wondering if Anderson's mercenary group would come to the village again next year.
They sympathized with the mercenary group's plight, despised their act of capturing monster cubs, and secretly envied the astonishing profits this industry brought.
"It's Father! It must be Father searching for the beast!"
Tata followed behind Lai and overheard a lot of gossip about the mercenary group. When she heard that Anderson and his group had been attacked by a very powerful mortal beast, the little monster perked up its ears and started shouting loudly as soon as it got home.
Tata excitedly ran around the entire first and second floor staircases like a disobedient little mad dog.
"Oh, oh! Father is looking for the beast!"
Lai didn't stop Tata from running around, waiting for the little monster's excitement to pass on its own.
"Lay, Father hasn't forgotten the Beast; he's looking for it!"
"Okay, I understand. Tata's father is looking for Tata."
After running for half an hour, Tata finally calmed down, got up and jumped onto the chair opposite Laiyi, flattening the beast into a fried egg.
"Lay, the beast wants to go home."
Tata was somewhat disappointed after her initial excitement.
"Are you planning to leave next year?"
"Really!" Tata stood up abruptly. "Forget it."
The little monster plopped down on the chair again.
"Lei, Li is too weak. If he goes in like this, he'll be eaten up by everyone."
Tata knew how weak the human who was taking care of her was.
"I'm sorry, we'll go after we repair your magic core."
"It's okay, being weak isn't your fault."
Forehead……
Lai felt as if he had been unintentionally offended, which was quite hurtful.
The departure of Anderson's mercenary group was not the end. In the days that followed, other mercenary groups and bounty hunters, covered in wounds and in a sorry state, continued to flee from the Great Forest of Eaton.
Everyone who mentions the current state of Eaton Forest is filled with fear and sorrow, saying that the inner perimeter of Eaton is now in chaos.
A group of monsters has gathered together and is hunting humans everywhere, and many people have died under their claws.
They said that it wasn't just humans being hunted; conflicts had also broken out among high-level magical beasts, and weaker magical beasts were constantly dying in the chaos.
The mercenary group anxiously awaited the latest news from the Eton Great Forest, but the residents of Rosen Town, which lived around Eton, were not afraid. The "Line of Judgment" protected their safety, preventing those ferocious beasts from getting close to them.
The mercenary groups have mostly retreated to the outskirts of the "Line of Judgment".
They rented a room in Rosen, hoping the chaos would end soon. They hadn't made enough money on this trip and definitely couldn't go back empty-handed.
Actually, this kind of thing is not unusual. Every once in a while, the magical beasts living inside the Eton Forest will cause a riot.
The last time something like this happened wasn't long ago, just ten years ago. But in any case, every year or two, the people who depend on the Eton Forest for their livelihood will gather again in Rosen and continue their journey toward the mysterious and dangerous Eton.
This was true hundreds of years ago, and it is true today.
The Great Forest of Eaton has so much to explore, yet only about one-seventh of its area has been developed.
On the maps that are available for purchase, a large portion is marked in black, indicating that no one has ever crossed the vast ocean to enter from the other side of the Great Forest of Eton.
Its adjacent side to the mainland is only about a third of the way, while the other side has an interface to Eaton in the distant Orc tribes.
That place is even more dangerous and barbaric.
Some call Eton a treasure trove for hunters; others call it the most dangerous place; and in the lyrics of bards, Eton is the last pure land on the entire continent.
This year's treasure hunt season has come to a hasty end, with only those persistent mercenary groups lingering in the forest.
However, none of this concerned Lai, who was driving a mule cart to the low hills to fetch the goblins, and he had already changed into a windproof long-sleeved shirt.
-----------------------
Author's Note: My darlings, if you find any bugs while reading, please leave a comment with the relevant chapter and bug.
I'll write down all the relevant points in this notebook and correct them when I have time. Thank you, everyone!
Please leave lots of comments to show your support! This lazy author is incredibly talented right now! (Just kidding!)
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-06-30 23:23:08 and 2024-07-03 13:38:09!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Shuangshuangzi (4 bottles); Yuanxu (2 bottles); and Xiuxian Dafa Hao (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
