Chapter 69

Zhao Mai and his dog were floating downstream on a wooden raft, completely unaware of what had happened in the Farmer's Forest. Along the way, they occasionally heard angry roars from deep within the forest, as if some large beast had been provoked. Sometimes, the sounds of battles that shook the heavens and the earth reached Zhao Mai's ears, making him very curious about what was happening deep in the forest. However, this curiosity did not lower Zhao Mai's intelligence; he was very clear about what he needed to do.

Fortunately, the Smoky River had no turbulent areas, so the journey was very peaceful, and they encountered no danger. Zhao Mai and A Liang spent two days and one night, and finally saw Wolf Ear Town, at least they could sleep without having to soak in the water again. This was a town mainly engaged in farming and iron smelting, with cargo ships transporting goods out every day, passing through the calm and safe Ash Lake, straight to Nibo Town. Zhao Mai only spent a little money and boarded such a ship that night.

"Are you going to continue your journey right after getting out of the river?" The captain of the cargo ship was an experienced old man who lived and ate on the lake with his son. "If you're not in such a hurry, you can stay in the town for a night. Alisha at the Grass Carp Inn is a warm-hearted beauty."

"Uh, I do have an urgent matter. I need to go back to see my father, who is sick."

The captain, seeing that Zhao Mai did not seem to be lying, agreed to let him travel with him. Recently, the Farmer's Forest had become increasingly unsafe, with rumors of terrifying monsters lurking inside, capable of transforming into human form and sneaking into the town to do evil deeds. The mayor of Wolf Ear Town had already sent two messengers to seek help from the druids, but there had been no news yet.

Zhao Mai's attire resembled that of a druid, and he was accompanied by a dog. The old man had never seen such an intelligent dog in his life; it knew exactly where to stay without any command. Normally, he should have taken the druid to see the mayor, at least giving the mayor a chance to ask about the druid's situation. But this young man looked genuinely anxious to get home, so he shrugged and spared him the trouble.

This was an old sailboat. While sailing, the mast swayed slightly in the wind, making a creaking sound. Zhao Mai meditated in this sound, connecting his body with the natural forces, feeling the difference between the lake water and the forest air. Actively participating in adventures and placing oneself in a situation where one must strive to survive can indeed stimulate one's potential and promote growth. However, meditation, a passive approach, is also essential, as movement and stillness are both natural states that need to be balanced.

"Young man, something seems off ahead," the captain shaded his eyes and looked far to the south. "Why do I see so many smoke columns over Nibo Town?"

Zhao Mai flipped and stood up, also straining to look at the horizon where the sky and water met. Indeed, as the captain said, several black smoke clouds could be seen faintly rising into the sky. This was definitely not cooking smoke, and it was certainly not a good omen. "Let's continue forward and see what's happening. It might just be a fire."

The captain nodded: "Kid, maybe you're right. Let's sail a bit further."

The closer they got, the more obvious the smoke columns became, and Zhao Mai's heart sank. The number of smoke columns had exceeded ten, clearly not caused by an accident, but more like a siege attack. The captain frowned, looking at the water, and suddenly turned pale, immediately turning the boat and adjusting the sails to head west.

Zhao Mai stumbled and quickly asked: "Captain, why are we turning?"

"Look, there are ripples coming from Nibo Town, but no boats. Normally, whether it's a regular merchant ship or a small boat fleeing, the lake shouldn't be so calm at this time. Do you understand now?"

Someone or something was blocking the waterway, and Zhao Mai quickly came to the same conclusion. "Captain, if you decide not to go to Nibo Town, can you drop me off on the east shore? That way, I can continue my journey."

"Why are you in such a hurry? There's a battle ahead! Those who can block the waterway are not ordinary villains; at least ordinary bandits can't do that. Listen to me, go from the west shore, or we can head straight to Gadoria. Baron Pides has a castle that can protect you!"

"I insist on landing on the east side. Just drop me off and you can leave," Zhao Mai said. "I have a reason I must go."

"You!" The captain was about to argue when he suddenly noticed the druid's hand on the hilt of his weapon, and his dog in a defensive stance. Damn it, this job was purely unlucky. He must have been lacking in prayers to the goddess Desna, which is why he was stuck with this bad luck.

Reluctantly, he turned the boat halfway and headed east.

There was no dock on the east shore, so the cargo ship dared not get too close. Zhao Mai and his dog had to wade ashore. When they stood on dry land, the cargo ship had already sailed far away.

"Reserve Grain, you should come home with me. I'll treat you to a big meal. You know, Chinese cuisine is the greatest food in the world."

Reserve Grain barked twice, but it didn't sound very excited. Zhao Mai looked at him and sighed deeply: "Sigh, you really understand me. Sok and Green are still in Nibo Town, and I'm worried about them. But you know, it's important to get back quickly. I have a family in another world, and a father who needs my care."

"Woof!" Reserve Grain seemed to understand and started wagging his tail. "Sometimes, people have to make choices. I'm just a level one druid, what can I do, right?"

Zhao Mai kept talking incessantly, but he couldn't completely shake off his hesitation. He kept reminding himself: This is not my world, I'm just a taxi driver, not a savior.

The black smoke columns rising from Nibo Town in the south were so glaring in the sky, each time he looked, it tugged at Zhao Mai's nerves. He had to lower his head and focus on the ground, trying not to think about what was happening far away.

Avoiding trouble doesn't mean trouble won't find you. Just as he was about to reach the place where he had hidden "THE·CHE," Reserve Grain suddenly ran into the woods. "Stop, where are you going?!" Zhao Mai shouted, but couldn't stop him, so he had to follow.

Reserve Grain ran very fast, not caring about the pain from the thorns of the shrubs. Zhao Mai followed closely behind, already wielding a machete and cutting a path through the brush. After entering the woods for just a few dozen meters, Zhao Mai could smell the faint scent of blood in the air, making him tense.

Rounding a patch of heather and following the barks, Zhao Mai was stunned by what he saw. Without a moment's hesitation, he rushed forward, reciting the healing light wound spell with a trembling voice.

Ranger Karl lay in a pool of blood, resting on the python "Longchong." Both he and the python were severely injured, their blood mixing to form a small pool. Seeing Reserve Grain and Zhao Mai, the python nodded slightly and pointed at Karl with its tongue.

The natural forces released by the healing light wound spell, mixed with Zhao Mai's anxious sweat, brought healing power to Karl. After one spell, the wounds were still there, but the bleeding had finally stopped.