Chapter 49 A Terrifying Return Journey: Hunting and Counter-hunting in the Fog...
If the journey here was a long, arduous training exercise, then the journey back was an escort mission where the entire team could be wiped out at any moment.
The expedition team has now been upgraded to the first immigrant escort team in Hope Town, and the team size has suddenly expanded from five people and one dog to nearly a hundred people. Most of them are the elderly, women, children and seriously ill. They are so weak that they need to help each other to walk. More than a dozen people are lying on the makeshift stretchers that Amu and his team made, and are carried by the young and strong men who are still somewhat strong.
The entire group moved like a wounded python, crawling slowly and laboriously through the fog, its pace shockingly slow.
"Slow down! Slow down! Watch your step!" Lin Yue shouted, constantly reminding the team. He had long since lost his makeshift gas mask, as he needed to keep talking to direct, reassure, and boost morale. He could only cover his mouth and nose with a damp strip of cloth that carried the cool, calming scent of calming mushrooms.
The consumption of food and water was enormous. The precious rations in Lin Yue's backpack were dwindling at a visible rate. Every meal had to be carefully planned to ensure that every patient and child received enough energy to sustain their lives.
Amu and several young Silent Ones became full-time porters, carrying stretchers every day, trudging along muddy and slippery roads until they were almost exhausted. The old hunter Barton, along with several sharp-eyed Silent Ones, constantly searched around the group for any usable resources: edible wild vegetables, dry branches for starting a fire, and vines for making ropes.
Lin Yue was incredibly busy, spinning like a top. He was not only responsible for planning routes and distributing supplies, but also had to occasionally act as a barefoot doctor, using his meager knowledge of herbal medicine and system prompts to treat some simple external injuries and illnesses.
However, what is more terrifying than exhaustion and resource shortages is the danger lurking in the fog.
This weakened force was nothing short of a tempting, mobile buffet for the predators of this land.
"Awooo—!"
That evening, just as the team was preparing to set up camp and rest, Xiao Fen, who was on guard duty on the flank, suddenly bristled and let out a low growl full of warning! It stared intently at an area of thick fog rolling to its left, making threatening "whimpering" sounds in its throat.
"Something's coming! Everyone be on guard!" Gray reacted immediately, gripping his iron spear tightly and scanning his surroundings with a cold gaze.
As soon as the words were spoken, a series of ghostly, subtle rustling sounds came from the thick fog. Several swift, lightning-fast black shadows darted out of the fog and rushed straight towards a young Silent One who was carrying a stretcher and was a few steps behind at the end of the group.
They are shadowclaw leopards, and there's more than one!
These creatures, perhaps made even more bloodthirsty by the increased concentration of foul air, used the mist as natural cover to launch a textbook sneak attack.
"Watch out!" Lin Yue shouted.
The young Silent One was clearly terrified. In his panic, he slipped and fell to the ground, stretcher and all!
It looked like the sharp leopard claws were about to tear his throat open!
"Get out of the way!" Amu roared and charged forward like a bull. He had no weapon, so he used his strong body to slam into the Shadow Claw Leopard.
"Bang!"
The Shadow Claw Leopard was knocked sideways and flew away, but it also left several deep, bone-revealing bloody marks on Amu's arm.
At the same time, several other shadow leopards launched attacks from different directions, their targets clearly defined as the weakest and most defenseless elderly, infirm, and disabled.
In an instant, screams, roars, and monster howls mingled together.
"Stay calm! Don't panic! Form a circle! Surround the elderly, women, and children in the middle!" Gray's voice rang out like a stabilizing force amidst the chaos.
Though weakened, the surviving Silent Whispers retained their instinct to fight danger, honed over generations. They swiftly followed Gray's instructions, forming a fragile but resolute defensive circle with their bodies and rudimentary weapons. Some of the able-bodied young Silent Whispers, relying on their superior physical abilities and long-cultivated teamwork, spontaneously formed an effective coordination with Gray, repelling the relentless attacks of the Shadowclaw Leopards.
Lin Yue and Old Barton immediately sprang into action.
"Uncle Patton! Trap!" Lin Yue shouted.
The two worked together seamlessly, using the surrounding terrain to quickly stretch the tough vines between the two trees to create a tripwire; Lin Yue even took out his last stockpile of special smoke bombs mixed with fire crystal pepper powder.
Goreem and Amu fought valiantly on the front lines. Goreem's iron spear aimed straight for the Shadowclaw Leopard's vitals with every strike, while Amu used a hastily acquired, tattered wooden shield to protect himself and his companions behind him, enduring one attack after another with his own body. Despite being covered in wounds, he did not retreat an inch.
The battle has reached a fever pitch and is now at a stalemate.
There were more Shadowclaw Leopards than they had expected, a total of seven or eight. They were exceptionally cunning; if they missed their first attack, they would immediately flee, then use the cover of the mist to launch another attack from an unexpected angle, constantly wearing down the group's physical and mental strength.
Just as everyone was struggling to cope, a deep roar, full of ferocity and completely different from that of an ordinary Shadowclaw Leopard, suddenly came from the depths of the thick fog.
Immediately afterwards, a gigantic figure, nearly twice the size of an ordinary Shadowclaw Leopard, with jet-black fur and eyes flashing with a ferocious crimson light, silently pounced out from the thick fog on the side like a cannonball.
Its target was Elder Farador, who was located in the center of the group and was being protected by everyone.
It's the Leopard King.
This beast actually knows how to capture the king first.
"Elder, be careful!" Gray cried out in alarm, wanting to rush back to help, but he was tightly entangled by the two Shadowclaw Leopards and couldn't break free at all.
The gleaming claws were about to strike the elder's head.
Everyone closed their eyes in despair.
"Awooo—!!!"
At this critical moment, a roar full of primal wildness and boundless majesty suddenly exploded.
Xiao Fen, who had been standing by the elder's side and seemed to be frozen in fear by the Leopard King's aura, suddenly moved.
Its originally agile body seemed to swell up at this moment! Every hair on its body stood on end, and the lightning bolt-shaped mark on its forehead burst forth with unprecedented brilliance. Its speed exceeded everyone's imagination; it transformed into a gray lightning bolt, arriving first despite being behind, and slammed hard into the leopard king's side.
"Bang!"
The once invincible Leopard King was actually knocked off balance by the enormous impact, and its attack trajectory was deviated from the mark.
[System Notification: Fenrir's bloodline power was activated during battle, unlocking the skill [Intimidating Roar (Basic)], which has a powerful intimidating effect on beasts of the same or lower level.]
Having landed a successful blow, Xiao Fen didn't linger. She immediately used the momentum to retreat, baring her sharp teeth as she confronted the Leopard King, firmly protecting the elder behind her.
This scene stunned everyone, especially Elder Farador. He stared in shock at the brave and fearless little creature before him, at the familiar, shimmering lightning bolt mark on its forehead, and a memory he had long buried suddenly surfaced in his mind.
"...It's...it's him...the Windseeker's child...So...he's still alive..." The elder's lips trembled slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief, shock, and excitement. He had always felt that Xiao Fen looked familiar, but due to the critical situation and Xiao Fen's young age, her aura was not apparent, so he hadn't thought about it deeply. Only now, with Xiao Fen unleashing her powerful bloodline strength, and those familiar marks and aura, did he finally confirm Xiao Fen's identity. This was indeed the child of the exceptionally talented Windseeker chieftain of the Demon Wolf Beastman tribe, whom he had known in his early years. For some reason, it had been stranded in the outside world and was with Lin Yue and the others.
Gray seemed to recognize something as well, glancing at Xiao Fen with a complex expression. Perhaps his initial opposition to Lin Yue adopting it wasn't just due to prejudice against orcs, but also because he subconsciously recognized the mark and knew its extraordinary identity would bring endless trouble.
The leopard king was enraged by Xiao Fen's arrogant and ignorant provocation. It let out a deafening roar and pounced again.
Undeterred, Xiao Fen charged at the leopard king. Although much smaller than the leopard, she was far faster and more agile. She constantly dodged the leopard's pounces, while using her sharp claws to leave wounds on its body.
For a moment, the two beasts, one large and one small, were locked in a fierce battle in the center of the camp.
Little Finn's bravery bought Gray precious time. He roared, forcing back the two Shadowclaw Leopards that were entangled with him, then poured all his strength into the iron spear in his hand, thrusting it straight at the exposed neck of the Leopard King, who was still fighting with Little Finn!
"Pfft!"
A fatal blow!
The Leopard King let out a shrill scream, its massive body crashing to the ground. It twitched a few times and then fell silent.
[System Scan: Shadowclaw Leopard King (Boss) defeated! Gained massive experience points! Team morale greatly boosted!]
With their leader killed, the remaining Shadowclaw Leopards were thrown into disarray, letting out terrified howls. No longer daring to fight, they tucked their tails between their legs and disappeared into the thick fog.
A thrilling battle has finally come to an end.
The camp was a scene of chaos. Everyone lay on the ground, panting heavily, their bodies bearing injuries of varying degrees. Amu had a long gash on his arm, from which blood flowed freely. Several Silent Ones also sustained minor wounds.
But they survived.
All eyes were focused on the little wolf, its body covered in blood and mud, yet still standing tall and majestic.
Xiao Fen was panting heavily, the lightning bolt mark on her forehead gradually fading. She walked to the unconscious leopard king's corpse, stepped on the leopard king's head with her front paws, and let out a wolf howl filled with the joy of victory.
"Awooo—!!!"
At this moment, it was no longer just a cute husky, but a true... descendant of the wolf god!
After the battle, Lin Yue, disregarding his exhaustion, immediately directed everyone to clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded.
Then, his gaze fell on the corpses of the Shadowclaw Leopards.
"We can't waste it..." This guy's foodie instincts kicked in again.
[System Notification: Loot detected: Shadowclaw Leopard Meat. The meat is firm with coarse fibers and carries a faint shadow energy. Direct consumption may cause indigestion and lethargy. Recommendation: Stew for a long time and add yang spices such as fire crystal pepper powder and otherworldly ginger to neutralize it, transforming it into a high-quality food that replenishes energy and dispels cold.]
"Alright! System, you're such a sweetheart!" Lin Yue was overjoyed.
He immediately asked Uncle Barton for help to clean the leopard meat, then set up a large pot, cut the leopard meat into pieces, added a lot of water, wild vegetables, fire crystal pepper powder and otherworldly ginger slices, and began to simmer a pot of hot, fragrant and spicy leopard meat and wild vegetable soup!
When that spicy and domineering aroma filled the damp and cold camp, everyone felt invigorated!
As they drank the hot and spicy leopard meat soup and ate the tender and flavorful leopard meat, the fatigue, coldness, and fear of the past few days seemed to be dispelled by the spicy and delicious flavor.
Morale was boosted once again.
Looking at everyone's faces, now brimming with renewed fighting spirit, and then at Xiao Fen, who was being fed meat soup like a hero, Lin Yue felt a surge of emotion.
This journey home is destined to be anything but peaceful.
But as long as they are united, as long as they have enough wisdom, courage, and... a hot soup that can dispel all gloom, they will surely be able to return to the place they call home.
"Hope Town, we'll be back soon!"
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Author's note: Lin Yue (holding a ladle): This soup can dispel gloom!
Xiao Fen (rolling her eyes): Next time, can you please not make me fight before we eat?
Friendly reminder: Your order for the [Main Characters' Homecoming Service] has been delivered via cross-time and space express (according to the Relativity Special Offer Terms), with an estimated arrival time of tomorrow evening.
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