Chapter 43 The Flooded Restaurant! Has Boss Gray's Hidden Profession Been Exposed? ^^……
"The rain keeps falling~~, the atmosphere isn't very harmonious~~, ahhhhh, God, are you heartbroken?"
"What's wrong with Lord Lin? He's speaking strangely, and his tone is odd too. Is he performing some kind of ceremony?"
"Shh, don't disturb him, what if it really is..."
The rainy season in the Cursed Land is like a burly man after a breakup—not only is he irritable, but he also has no self-control!
This rain finally unleashed its full power, an unprecedented torrential downpour, pouring down like a celestial river bursting its banks!
Huge raindrops, dense and like machine gun fire, pounded on the humble roof of the small restaurant, making a deafening "cracking" sound, as if they were about to smash through the pitiful thatch and wooden planks! The gale, carrying rainwater, poured in from all directions, causing the oil lamp's flame to dance wildly, almost extinguishing it!
The world was a vast expanse of white; apart from the deafening sounds of rain and wind, nothing could be heard or seen!
"Damn it! Is this rain planning to send us straight back to the Stone Age and let us experience the life of aquatic apes?!" Lin Yue stood at the door of the main house, looking at the apocalyptic scene outside, and let out a desperate wail.
Worse still, due to the continuous heavy rainfall, the soil on the nearby mountains became soft and brittle from the rainwater. Finally, unable to withstand the pressure, a small-scale mudslide began to occur, accompanied by a muffled roar!
The murky mud, carrying broken trees and rocks, roared down the mountain and rushed towards the edge of the Lin Family Restaurant, a low-lying area where the newly built refugee work sheds and the farmland they had painstakingly cultivated were located!
"Oh no! It's a landslide! Quick! Quickly organize people! Rescue and relief!" Lin Yue was terrified when he saw the surging mud!
In times of crisis, there's no need to worry about men, women, or children! Lin Yue shouted, directing everyone who could still move to join the fight against the natural disaster!
However, faced with this sudden and irresistible force of nature, most people panicked! The timid ones were so frightened that they cried out for their parents and ran around in all directions, creating a scene of extreme chaos!
At this critical moment, Gray, who had been silent and quietly protecting Xiaofen with his body, suddenly let out a low growl like a wounded beast!
His eyes, which usually carried a hint of confusion and repression, were now unusually bright and sharp! It was as if some long-dormant power had awakened within him!
He is no longer the "Grey Stone" who only works silently and occasionally utters a few words!
"Over there! Danger! Retreat!" He pointed to a torrent about to rush towards a workers' shed, his voice no longer hoarse and low, but becoming exceptionally clear and loud, with an undeniable penetrating power!
The refugees, who were originally panicked and at a loss, were stunned by his sudden aura and subconsciously followed his instructions, scrambling and crawling towards the safe area!
"The breach in the fence can't be held!" Gray's gaze quickly swept over a gap in the fence that had been washed away by mud and water. "Amu! Lige! Take some men to dig a ditch! Dig a drainage ditch in front of the house and divert the water to the low-lying area to the west! Hurry!!"
"Auntie Leah! Bring all the women! Bring out all our animal skins and rags! Fill them with mud! Come with me! We're going to build a dam here!"
His instructions were concise and precise. His judgment of the water flow and terrain was even more professional than Lin Yue's, who had studied engineering! He could even accurately predict the weak points that the next mudslide might hit and organize people to reinforce them in advance!
He no longer remained silent, but instead issued instructions continuously, mobilizing every available manpower to build fragile but resilient defensive lines using makeshift, rudimentary mud and sandbags, stones, and even their own bodies!
His behavior was nothing like that of an ordinary, illiterate vagrant! He seemed more like a seasoned battlefield commander, or... a tribal leader who was well-versed in water management and had spent his life fighting against nature!
[System Notification: Detected that partner 'Grey' has triggered [Bloodline Awakening (Beginner)] and [Command Instinct (Beginner)] under extreme crisis conditions! His abilities in hydrodynamics, terrain utilization, and team coordination command have been greatly enhanced! Note: This guy… is definitely not an ordinary person!]
Lin Yue was dumbfounded, with only one thought in his mind: "Holy crap! Gray! Is your hidden class Druid or Mountain Ranger Commander?! You always act so low-key, but it turns out you're a king carrying a bronze player!"
With the strong intervention of Gray, the on-site commander, the originally chaotic rescue scene gradually became orderly.
Although danger still lingers, although people are still crying out of fear, although workers' sheds are still being submerged by floods, and crops are still being destroyed by mudslides...
But at least, thanks to Gray's precise and efficient command and everyone's strenuous rescue efforts, the core area of the small restaurant was saved! Most importantly, there were no casualties!
This thrilling battle against the flood continued until late into the night before the rain gradually subsided.
Once the last torrent was successfully diverted and it was confirmed that there was no further danger, everyone collapsed in the mud, soaked to the bone and utterly exhausted, but their faces bore the relief of surviving a disaster.
As the MVP of this battle, Gray, who had been at the forefront, commanding with composure and even using his body to withstand the falling wooden stakes and impacts several times, could no longer hold on after confirming that everyone was safe. His tall body swayed violently and then fell straight down with a "thud"!
"Gray!" Lin Yue, who was closest to him, was terrified and rushed over!
Gray's face was deathly pale, his lips were purple, and his forehead was burning hot! He had clearly exhausted all his strength and suffered internal injuries, falling into a high fever and unconsciousness!
"Quick! Carry him inside!" Lin Yue shouted.
The group hurriedly carried the unconscious Gray into the relatively dry main house and placed him on Lin Yue's luxurious single bed made of hay.
Little Finn frantically circled around Gray, whimpering and rubbing her little head against Gray's cold hand.
Uncle Stone Fist leaned over to examine Gray's condition, then shook his head gravely: "...He's badly injured. And...there seems to be a strange power surging within him...this high fever is probably coming on very fast!"
Lin Yue was extremely anxious! Gray was the pillar of their restaurant! If something happened to him, the consequences would be unimaginable!
"System! System! Quick! Do you have any fever reducers or special medicines for treating internal injuries?!" Lin Yue called out to his unreliable cheat code again.
[System Response: We detected that partner 'Grey' has weak vital signs, an abnormally high body temperature, and disordered internal energy. There are currently no effective medications available in the shop for this condition. Recommendations: 1. Try physical cooling methods; 2. Look for herbs with heat-clearing, detoxifying, calming, and sedative effects; 3. Replenish with sufficient fluids and easily digestible nutrients.]
"This nonsense again!" Lin Yue was so angry he wanted to smash the system.
But now is not the time to complain! Saving lives is the priority!
He immediately began giving orders: "Mia! Amu! Go boil water! Prepare clean cloths! Use physical methods to cool down!"
"Old Bard! Do you know any herbs that can reduce fever? Or anything that can calm the nerves?"
"Uncle Stone Fist! You're so knowledgeable! Do you have any folk remedies that can help alleviate his symptoms?"
Everyone immediately sprang into action.
Lin Yue stayed by Gray's side without taking off his clothes, constantly wiping his forehead, neck and palms with a damp cloth, trying to help him cool down.
In his coma, Gray's brow was furrowed, and his face was contorted with pain. He babbled incoherently, the words incoherent and fragmented, but all pointing to specific words:
"...The valley...we can't let them in..."
"...The seal...has loosened..."
“...My people…”
These words exploded in Lin Yue's mind like thunder!
Valley? Seal? Clan?
Could it be that... Gray's abnormal behavior is not just due to the rainy season, but also because... he sensed some kind of enormous crisis related to him?!
Lin Yue's heart sank. He felt as if he were getting closer and closer to a shocking secret!
He tried, speaking softly and soothingly to the unconscious Gray:
"Grey...don't be afraid...tell me...what's in the valley?"
"A seal... what kind of seal is it? Who is protecting it?"
"Are your people... alright?"
Gray seemed to hear his voice, and the incoherent ramblings became a little clearer, but were still incoherent.
Lin Yue could only continue to cool him down physically while memorizing every word he said.
Old Bard quickly found some herbs that were said to have antipyretic effects, crushed them, and applied them to Gray's forehead. Mia, on the other hand, used the small amount of minced meat and potatoes that Lin Yue had previously stored to luxuriously cook a small pot of extremely thick minced meat and potato porridge, intending to feed it to Gray once he was a little more awake.
Looking at the simple aroma of the meat porridge in the pot, Lin Yue remembered the underground moss powder that Shi Quan had previously contributed. He had a sudden inspiration and added a small pinch to the porridge.
"This stuff is good for the brain! Gray, remember it! Tell me everything you know!" Lin Yue muttered to himself while stirring the porridge. "And this fever-reducing herbal medicine, hurry up and bring the fever down! Once the fever is down, you can talk properly... oops, I mean, you can talk properly!"
The battle against the high fever lasted all night.
Lin Yue barely slept, constantly monitoring Gray's condition.
Finally, at dawn the next day, Gray's body temperature began to slowly drop, and his breathing gradually became steady.
As the first rays of dawn shone through the window onto his pale face, Gray's heavy eyelids finally trembled slightly, and then... slowly opened.
His eyes still held a trace of confusion and weakness, but they had regained their clarity.
He looked at Lin Yue, who was standing by the bedside, his face weary and his eyes dark, then at Shi Quan and Xiao Fen, who were also looking worried, and at Mia, who was holding a bowl of hot porridge and whose eyes were red...
A complex yet warm emotion welled up within him.
“…Lin Yue…” he said hoarsely, his voice weak but clear.
"Grey! You're awake! That's great!" Lin Yue was so excited he almost jumped up. "How are you feeling? Is there anything else that's bothering you?"
Gray shook his head and struggled to sit up, but Lin Yue held him down.
"Don't move! You just recovered from your fever and you're still very weak!" Lin Yue said, taking the bowl of porridge from Mia's hand. "Here, have some porridge to replenish your energy."
He carefully scooped up a spoonful of warm minced meat and potato porridge, blew on it, and fed it to Gray.
Gray silently opened his mouth and sipped the porridge, one mouthful at a time. The simple porridge, with its aroma of meat and potatoes, seemed to possess a magical healing power, warming his stomach and his heart.
After drinking the porridge, Gray's spirits improved noticeably.
Lin Yue looked at him and knew it was time.
“Grey,” he took a deep breath and asked in as calm a tone as possible, “last night…you were talking nonsense…about the valley, the seal, and your people…”
Gray's body stiffened abruptly, his eyes instantly becoming complex, filled with pain, struggle, and... a trace of unconcealable sadness.
“Tell me, Gray.” Lin Yue’s gaze was sincere and firm. “What happened? Your village… your people… how are they now?”
Gray remained silent for a long time, so long that Lin Yue thought he wouldn't answer.
Finally, he let out a long sigh, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted, and slowly spoke:
“...My real name...is Graeme Silent Whisperer.”
“My village is deep in that misty valley in the east, a place known as… the Valley of Shivar’s Tears.”
“Our Silent Tribe has guarded for generations an ancient ‘Sorrow of the Earth’ in the Valley of Tears. It is one of the sources of the calamities of the Cursed Lands.”
"This torrential rain and flash flood... reminded me of a prophecy passed down through generations of my tribe... about the 'Rain of Great Cleansing'... about the loosening of the seal and the spread of calamity..."
"I sense... something's happened to the Earth's Lament! I must... go back immediately! Check on the seal! And... my people... them..."
His voice was filled with anxiety.
Lin Yue's heart sank along with his words.
A tragedy for the land? The source of the calamity? The seal breaking?
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Author's Note: Lin Yue (patting Gray on the shoulder): Boss, you should have said you were a hidden boss earlier! Could you give us a warning before the next downpour?
Gray (weakly): I... when I awakened... the system also glitched...
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