Chapter 61

The next morning, only four apprentices remained by the Grease River. Mr. Dalle had already left quietly. Zhao Mai looked around but found no evidence that he was still nearby. He let out a light breath, realizing that from now on, he would have to rely on himself.

"How far is it to Wolf Ear Town?" Ziyue's question went unanswered. Even though Zhao Mai had a map of the area, without any landmarks or a positioning system, he still couldn't determine his location.

"The direction of the river won't change, so we just need to follow it," Lucius said, using a water spell to extinguish the campfire and then equipping himself. Zhao Mai had the most gear and needed to secure each item one by one. Aphra came over to help, which sped up the process significantly.

"I have an idea," Zhao Mai said as he worked. "The current of the Grease River isn't strong, and the terrain it flows through is flat. Why don't we build a raft and float downstream? It would save us effort and be much faster."

"Isn't that cheating?" Lucius shook his head. "Mr. Dalle told us to go south, not to float south. If we save effort now and fail the task, can you take the responsibility?"

"I can't build a raft alone, and if no one helps, I'll just give up," Zhao Mai grunted, not forcing the issue. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and fastened the chest strap. If he encountered a dangerous situation, he could quickly pull the strap to release it and free himself from the load.

Since there was no more nanny, he could only rely on his bodyguard, the saber-toothed beast gun in his hand. Even without loading ammunition— to avoid losing gunpowder or accidental discharge—the spear equipped with two blades was still a formidable weapon.

"Your weapon looks like it has a dwarven style. Where did you get it?" Lucius stared intently at the saber-toothed beast gun. On the journey, Zhao Mai had always lagged behind, and under Dalle's protection, there was no need to carry his weapon all the time. This was the first time Lucius noticed his companion had such a good weapon.

"I have a dwarf friend who made it for me," Zhao Mai replied briefly, then changed the subject. "Let's go. It looks like we'll have to rely on our legs."

So the four of them began their journey south along the Grease River, accompanied by its peculiar smell. Sometimes it was pungent, sometimes nauseating, but occasionally it would suddenly become fragrant. These were the legacies of ancient mages, and even after countless years, the wilderness had not fully healed the scars left by the magic wars.

Walking along the river was not a torment, but it was a test. This was evident from the occasional frowns on their faces. After casting the food purification prayer, the river water didn't taste as terrible as it smelled. Once they overcame the psychological barrier, it wasn't so bad physically. The four druid apprentices followed the riverbank, with Zhao Mai walking third. He had wanted to guard from the rear, but Ziyue's argument was very convincing.

"My owl can keep looking back from my shoulder. You don't have that convenience!"

Because Ziyue was at the back, Lucius had to slow down the group's pace and couldn't leave Zhao Mai behind. He walked silently at the front, holding his weapon. His blue eyes watched the forest on their left and frequently looked back to check on the group.

Aphra, who had a quiet nature, walked second, leaning on a wooden staff. She rarely looked back, relying on the gray-blue long-armed ape to report the situation. Thus, the group would occasionally hear the strange sounds of "woof woof~gag gag," which only Aphra seemed to understand.

Finally, they no longer had to navigate through the tangled forest, and the reserve food was liberated. It ran back and forth, seemingly with boundless energy. Zhao Mai picked up a small branch from the ground and suddenly threw it. The reserve food quickly rushed forward and returned with the stick. This was a way to train the animal companion, increasing the bond between them.

This time, Zhao Mai threw the stick quite far. The reserve food ran halfway and suddenly stopped, growling at the forest. From its raised tail and lowered shoulders, it was clear that the other party was not friendly.

"The smell of the Grease River is strong, and almost no animals come here to drink. Is your dog mistaken?" Although he said this, Lucius still stopped. He looked at his cheetah, which showed no signs of distress. "Mike, call your dog back..."

Before he could finish, the cheetah's fur bristled, its tail curled behind it, its ears pressed back, and its mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth. The reserve food let out a cry and ran past the cheetah, returning to Zhao Mai's side. The cheetah, now showing its claws, crouched low in an attack stance.

"What is it?" Zhao Mai squinted and crouched, loading two bullets. Although he saw nothing, he trusted the reserve food's instincts. Everyone gathered in the center of the group and readied their weapons.

Lucius seemed to have noticed something, stood up straight, and fired an arrow. His cheetah suddenly pounced, not forward but to knock Lucius down. At that moment, a spear flew past, grazing the cheetah's back.

Zhao Mai glanced at the spear: about a meter long, the tip was not metal but a sharpened wooden stick; the shaft was naturally curved, indicating poor craftsmanship. Estimating the spear's flight path and speed, Zhao Mai said, "Be careful, the opponent is likely an intelligent humanoid, not larger than medium size. Since they dare to attack us four, their numbers won't be small! Don't spread out, avoid being picked off one by one. We are about twenty meters from the forest, which is enough distance to react to spears! Wait for them to come, don't enter the forest!"

As he spoke, he equipped his shield. Ziyue giggled and hid behind Zhao Mai, taking advantage of the shield's protection. Aphra thought for a moment, crouched, and ran over to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ziyue.

"Don't all look at me. Assign someone to watch the river," Zhao Mai said, not underestimating any intelligent enemy. "Ziyue, you have an owl, so this task is yours!"

Lucius moved the cheetah off him, bit his lip, and climbed to his feet. He should have given those orders, not Zhao Mai! Although his initial reaction was slow, he could have said those things. There was no reason for the black-haired boy to take the lead. He looked at the other three, knowing he couldn't hide behind Zhao Mai's shield. He picked up his bow and carefully watched the forest.

Some small black figures moved through the underbrush, wielding weapons like spears and curved knives. Lucius fired two more arrows, both hitting tree trunks. The trembling arrow tails drew laughter from the other side, a sound like "chirp chirp chirp."

"How many arrows do you have left?" Zhao Mai asked.

"I haven't counted!"

"Then use them sparingly..." Zhao Mai felt very helpless.