Chapter 68

"Are you saying that the three apprentices of Eagle Wing are very likely still alive and have been taken hostage?" After listening to Zhao Mai's account, Joseph furrowed his brow deeply. He then turned to ask the other druids, "Apart from them, are there any other apprentices who haven't returned from outside the community?"

"No, Elder Joseph. The four people Brother Daler took away were the only apprentices who were outside before."

"Hmm, that makes me feel better." Joseph asked Zhao Mai, "Is there anything else you need to add?"

Zhao Mai shook his head. He had already reported everything to the druid elders, including the goblin attack, the rope being cut and falling into the water, and everything he discovered afterward. "Because of this unexpected situation, can my patrol mission be considered complete?"

"Yes, your apprentice mission is complete. You can now follow the group to the north, to the elven city for temporary refuge."

"I don't want to go north, but south instead." Zhao Mai shook his head. "I need to return to Nibo Town."

"Why?" Joseph was a bit puzzled. "The southern forest has some unusual activity and is not safe. You are just an apprentice, and your safety cannot be guaranteed. We also can't spare anyone to escort you."

"The Greasy River can take me south all the way. Once I reach Wolf Ear Town, I can find a boat or travel by land. I will manage to get there."

Joseph and the other elders exchanged glances and communicated telepathically, then nodded in agreement. "Since this is the direction you choose, we respect it. A calf that leaves the herd may perish, but a tiger must stand on its own. Go and inform Teacher Celine. She is still tallying the number of people heading north. If you need anything, let Celine prepare it for you."

Zhao Mai smiled and bowed in farewell. After he left, the elders began a discussion in Joseph's mind space.

"Are you sure of his loyalty? He is just an apprentice, and his character cannot be seen from the Heart of Nature. Can you trust him with that thing?"

Joseph shook his head. "I can't be 100% sure, just as none of us can accurately predict tomorrow's weather. But my intuition tells me that Mike is someone we can trust."

Master Duncan rarely spoke on such matters, but this time he said, "Mike is not our only fallback. It's fine to entrust it to him. We can't place all our hopes on the north and west. Now that someone is voluntarily heading south, it's a good sign."

After a discussion among the druid masters, they narrowly agreed to Joseph's proposal.

Zhao Mai was eager to return. He first went back to where he slept, dug up the disease-removal potion buried underground, and solemnly placed it in his backpack. Then, he found Teacher Celine and explained his plans.

As expected, the elven teacher opposed Zhao Mai's plan but respected his choice. "You are no longer a young boy. Compared to Lucius and others, you are older and more mature. I can't change your decision, but I hope you are careful, very careful."

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Celine. I will return to learn from you again."

"Um, I will either be here or in the elven city of Silvian. We'll see when this turmoil ends." Celine's eyes held a trace of unresolvable worry, as if she was concerned about the future of the druid community. But seeing the many druid apprentices preparing to leave nearby, she quickly hid her sorrow. "Alright, everyone's time is tight, so I won't say more. You have completed an apprentice mission and can now cast first-level spells. According to tradition, I should give you an apprentice gift."

After saying this, she turned and returned to her treehouse, coming back after a while. In her hand was a branch about a meter long, straight and without any branches. Celine, with an awkward smile, said, "I was going to give you my adamantine wood staff, but I suddenly remembered it was a reward for a certain mission. If I gave it to you, I wouldn't have a second one. This is an unformed staff. Once you settle down, find a place to plant it in fertile soil, water it occasionally, and it will grow into a woodland staff—though it may take a long time. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you." Zhao Mai felt something was off but still accepted it. After a light embrace with the elven teacher, he bid farewell to the Unseen Walker community.

Zhao Mai followed the reserve grain outside, but unexpectedly, the puppy led him to the base of the tree where Daler lived, barking at him. Zhao Mai slapped his forehead, cursing himself for being too hasty and excited, forgetting such an important matter. Daler was dead, but his box of potions was still in the tree, along with some of his old equipment. His body size was similar to Daler's, so he needed to find a new set of armor.

Vines carried them up and then down again. Zhao Mai changed into a full set of equipment, but his backpack was only half full to avoid sinking him in the water again. Adjusting the straps on his leather armor at the shoulders, ribs, and waist, tightening the leather helmet, and getting used to the new, finely crafted wooden shield, he also tied a jungle machete to his thigh, which could be used as a machete when necessary. But the biggest gain was the various potions in his backpack.

A group of about thirty people left the community heading north, while Zhao Mai went alone. He had fully learned from his previous mistake and wouldn't let the weight of his backpack hinder his mobility. During the apprentice patrol mission, someone could slow down to accompany him, but this time, he had to take care of himself. The reserve grain was busy using its nose to check the surroundings; it was not yet grown and couldn't help carry the load. Even if it grew up, he might not want to burden it.

Zhao Mai used the wooden stick given by Teacher Celine as a walking stick to assist him. He didn't believe this thing would grow into a staff. All staffs were crafted, requiring a lot of effort from the maker. If a branch could grow into a woodland staff on its own, it would be a divine power breaking the rules. However, this wooden stick, though thin, was unexpectedly very sturdy and had a good feel, not slipping even when his hands were sweaty. It was perfect as a walking stick.

On the way, he often saw alert animal guards. Sometimes it was a tiger lurking in the bushes, sometimes a python hidden in the branches. These were the druids' animal companions, who might not be with them at the moment but still obeyed their commands. The reserve grain seemed to be able to distinguish friend from foe with its nose, possibly smelling the scent of the Unseen community? In any case, Zhao Mai was often startled by these hidden sentinels, but seeing that the animals ignored him, he gradually calmed down.

This time, his goal was clear, and he was traveling light. He reached the Greasy River in half the time it took last time. Then, he spent more than half a day cutting six relatively straight branches, arranging four of them side by side and tying the ends tightly with ropes. The remaining two branches were cut and tied to the ends of the raft to provide lateral tension and prevent it from capsizing. This raft couldn't support standing, but it was enough to provide the buoyancy Zhao Mai needed and keep his musket dry.

The reserve grain sat at the bow, and Zhao Mai in the middle. A flat piece of bark served as a paddle to help adjust the direction of the raft. With this rudimentary tool, one man and one dog drifted southward.