Chapter 62

"Did you see what kind of creatures they are?" Zhao Mai held up his shield and could only see vague outlines. Those creatures were very cunning and never came out of the forest. Similarly, they didn't leave either, occasionally throwing a few stones or branches to assert their presence.

Such harassment was extremely annoying for the four of them. They had to constantly pay attention to the movements in the forest, not daring to relax for a moment. But if they were to charge in and attack, without knowing the enemy's situation, no one dared to make that decision easily. They could only huddle together and walk along the riverbank downstream, hoping to find a more suitable terrain. It would be even better if they could reach a human village.

Zhao Mai still had some memory of the map of the areas on both sides of the Grease River, knowing that this was basically a desolate region. Over many years, the river had eroded the ground, slowly moving westward, leaving behind a large number of old riverbeds. Over time, this action had created a bizarre scene where one side of the Grease River was full of life, while the other side was desolate. On the side closer to the Farmer's Forest, the river flowed beneath the tree roots, while on Zhao Mai's side, the original old riverbed was barren.

As for the distant Raven Plains, there were only a few scattered small villages, all built around some sweet water wells, not on the banks of the Grease River. The group might have to walk all the way to Wolf Ear Town near the Ash Lake to get help. This news would have a very negative impact on morale, so Zhao Mai didn't mention it at all.

An anxious mood began to creep into the hearts of the four, but no one showed it. The three exchange students from Eagle Wing Community were the best among the druid apprentices, with strong mental fortitude. At least so far, there had been no mutual blame or arguments.

"I can't see clearly, maybe it's a group of goblins." Lu Xius, who had the best eyesight, was using his bow to suppress the enemy, which was one of the reasons they hadn't charged yet. Zhao Mai analyzed that it was likely his first arrow had hit the target, otherwise it would be hard to explain why the enemy suddenly became timid.

"Goblins can see in the dark. If we wait until nightfall, we'll be in trouble." Zhao Mai looked at the sky: "It's already noon, and these people have been following us for several hours without giving up. The chances of them giving up in the next few hours are very small. We need to decide whether to find a place to defend or..."

"Or try to cross the river and use the river as a defensive barrier."

"Is it necessary to run away from a few goblins?" Lu Xius thought Zhao Mai's idea was good, but he just didn't want to admit it.

"Let's take back the initiative on the battlefield first." Zhao Mai said: "Even a pack of wolves will shift, surround, and then counterattack."

"But with your heavy load, crossing the river is also very dangerous. The current isn't very fast here, but the river is wide, and we don't know how deep it is. You won't be able to swim across." Aphra advised. But by saying this, she had already agreed to the plan to cross the river.

"I have a rope in my backpack, it should be enough." Zhao Mai had unknowingly taken command of the group: "Let the owl fly across, circling the tree twice, then let the gorilla go. Aphra, see if you can make the monkey hold the rope tightly. The two ladies go first. Lu Xius, do you have any objections?" Lu Xius shook his head.

"I'm a good swimmer, should I go first?" Ziyue volunteered: "I can hold my breath for five minutes, most fish can't outswim me."

"Then you'll handle any emergencies, okay?" Zhao Mai arranged: "You're our safety guarantee."

"No problem!"

They walked a few hundred meters to a place where the river looked wider but the current was relatively gentle. Ziyue opened Zhao Mai's backpack, marveling at "so many things," and took out a rope, throwing it to the owl. She then used gestures and whistles to direct the bird to fly across the river, find a tree, and wrap the rope around the branches a few times, managing to secure it.

Of course, the rope couldn't be completely tied down. Aphra then held the rope on the riverbank side, letting her gorilla climb across. The rope loosened but held firm. "Grab the rope!" The black-haired girl shouted for the first time at such a high volume.

"I'll go first, hehe!" Ziyue quickly ran into the river, diving in. With the help of the rope, she swam across quickly. After reaching the shore, she hurriedly tied the rope and waved to Aphra.

The enemies in the forest weren't fools; seeing this, they immediately charged out. Lu Xius raised his bow and shot two arrows, one hitting its mark and felling a goblin, who rolled on the ground, moaning. However, ten goblins still charged through the bushes, brandishing various weapons and shouting wildly.

"Who knows the Entangle spell? Cast it on the group!" Zhao Mai calmly commanded: "Aphra, go quickly!"

Aphra bent down, picked up some grass leaves from the ground, and scattered them. As she chanted the spell, vines sprouted from the barren ground. Several goblins, unable to react in time, crashed into them, tripped, or were bound by the vines. Unfortunately, the sparse vegetation here limited the effectiveness of the Entangle spell.

Zhao Mai took the rope at this moment, tying it around his waist in a few quick moves. "Lu Xius, come to my side to shoot, I'll cover you!"

The goblins were already throwing their short spears. Although none had hit yet, it also reduced Lu Xius's accuracy. Having someone to cover him was exactly what Lu Xius wanted. Standing behind Zhao Mai, many spears were now a concern for Zhao Mai, who held the shield.

The cheetah had already charged into the goblin crowd, using its agile steps to disrupt them. The goblins, armed with spears and curved swords, still posed a significant threat to the young cheetah. Lu Xius's shooting skills were not enough to support his animal companion in the melee, so he didn't dare to order a full attack.

A spear flew over, and Zhao Mai, seeing the right moment, tilted his shield and pushed it outward. Fortunately, the goblins weren't very strong, and the spear was easily deflected. A goblin took this opportunity to throw a short sword, using it as a throwing weapon to attack Zhao Mai. How to defend against multi-directional attacks had been explained by Ranger Karl. Even without the absolute defense of the spare shield, Zhao Mai could handle it.

This wooden shield was much lighter than the spare.

An arrow shot out, and another goblin fell. But next, they would enter close combat. Zhao Mai crouched, gripping the saber-toothed spear, ready.

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