Chapter 8

The Ashen Lake is a misnomer, as there is no ash within it. The lake water is clear and calm, and under the midday sun, the distant forests and mountains form a clear reflection, along with the azure sky and white clouds, creating a beautiful and peaceful scene. Such a view is already very rare on Earth, and any place with beautiful scenery is inevitably visited by humans, who then influence or even destroy it. If it weren't for the crossbow bolt at his feet, Zhao Mai would say that this is the most beautiful lakeside he has ever seen.

He held the car door with one hand and raised the other, showing that he had no weapons. His eyes quickly and carefully scanned the surroundings, hoping to find who had shot the arrow. The dense shrubs, taller than a person, blocked his view, and the forest behind them was so thick that he could see nothing. No one was found.

The other party was either well hidden or had already changed position. Zhao Mai called out several times in the common language, but still no one responded. Although returning to the car would be safe, it would be no different from being trapped in a city in the clouds by a devil.

After waiting for two more minutes, no more crossbow bolts came, and no one came forward to claim responsibility for the attack. Zhao Mai thought about it and decided that the likelihood of being attacked again was low, so he might as well be bold and do what he needed to do. He took a deep breath, prayed to all the gods and Buddhas he knew in his heart, and then slowly walked forward, stepping over the body under the car wheels, and stood on the clean ground.

The pebbles by the lakeside had been washed smooth and round, and stepping on them finally gave him a sense of being on solid ground. Zhao Mai looked around and, after a moment of observation, finally understood what the car had killed. There are not many creatures with wings and three heads, especially with three different heads. This was undoubtedly a chimera.

A chimera is not a specific type of creature but a general term for a class of creatures. Any creature influenced by chaotic magic, possessing magical abilities, and having three or more heads and characteristics is called a chimera. No two chimeras are the same, and their significant differences make it difficult for them to produce stable offspring. However, these creatures have a lifespan of a thousand years, and after no longer needing to worry about reproduction, chimeras are left with only one desire: to eat.

Chaotic magical power gives them the ability to spray multiple elements and sometimes even the ability to cast simple spells. Different heads can cast different spells, such as fire, strong acid, ice, and lightning, which greatly assist in hunting. Besides wild creatures, the vicious chimeras often attack villages, so they are frequently at the top of adventurers' hunting lists. Unlike dragons, whose colors and elements correspond, the abilities of chimeras have no relation to the shape of their heads. This makes them very difficult for adventurers to deal with, and chimeras often become the meals of adventurers.

The chimera under Zhao Mai's feet had the heads of a sheep, a lion, and a bird. It had just caught a wild boar and was about to feast by the lake. Zhao Mai's taxi landed right behind its neck, and the absolute hardness brought a huge impact, breaking its shoulder and turning its upper body into a mess. This was a quick and painless death, leaving most of its body intact and undamaged.

Looking at the dark green scales on the chimera's thick thighs and the wild boar with its belly already torn open, Zhao Mai shook his head. He still needed to start with the food he was familiar with.

The crossbow bolt was still stuck in the ground, and at this moment, he could think about eating. Perhaps this is the strongest gene ingrained in the Chinese people. Food is the foundation of life, and every grain on the plate is hard-earned. Zhao Mai knew there was nothing to eat in his car except for two emergency chocolate bars and a few bottles of mineral water. Since his planned breakfast of steamed buns had become a dream, he naturally had to find a way to solve his eating and drinking problems.

To eat pork, he needed to cut and clean the pork, but Zhao Mai had no knife, so he immediately decided to use the chimera's sharp claws. Since the upper body of this monster was already completely broken, he started cutting the left front paw with the right front paw. One front leg weighed over fifty pounds, and carrying it on his shoulder was very strenuous. Using it as a saw in his arms was even more exhausting. Only the cut-off claw tips were light enough to be used as a weapon.

"No food, no clothes, the enemy will provide; no guns, no cannons, the enemy will make them for us..." Zhao Mai sang while working, and there was no song more suitable for his current situation than the guerrilla song.

Although this world did not have Cao Cao, the idea that what you think about will appear might be a quirk of every world. Zhao Mai swore he did not relax his vigilance, but he still did not know how the sharp blade behind his head got there.

"No ill will, no ill will," Zhao Mai slowly released what he was holding and repeated it. He was not at all panicked, knowing his judgment was correct. The other party had a ranged weapon and had not killed him earlier, so they were not ruthless bandits and could still communicate.

Of course, there was danger, and Zhao Mai was well aware of it. If he had landed in a big city, he would not have taken the risk. But in this remote wilderness, the current situation was the best.

The other party mumbled a few words, and from the sound, it was impossible to determine age or even gender. Zhao Mai's common language was not good enough to understand what was said, but he understood the meaning of the light tap of the blade on the side of his head. He slowly turned around and finally saw who had "captured" him.

It was a withered old man covered in camouflage, wearing a net-like cloak adorned with plants. If he lay on the ground, he would look like a clump of shrubs. Zhao Mai often saw such old men in parks, mostly waving chess pieces or fishing rods. The old man in front of him had a calm and peaceful face, no different from a kind old neighbor, but he was fully armed. Besides the steady sword in his hand, three spears and a heavy crossbow were on his back, a blowpipe and a set of poison darts were on his belt, and daggers were tied to both sides of his boots.

"Can't speak well," Zhao Mai pointed to his mouth and then added, "No ill will." The camouflaged old man kept the short sword on Zhao Mai's neck, searched him to ensure he had no hidden weapons, and then put the sword away. He pointed to the car and then to Zhao Mai, and with a different tone, said, "No ill will?"

Zhao Mai immediately repeated it. To prove he had intelligence, he pointed to his chest and said, "Zhao Mai."

The camouflaged old man understood Zhao Mai's meaning, but his tongue was clumsy, and he could not pronounce "Zhao," which always sounded like "Lao." If it were "Lao Zhao," it would be fine, but "Lao Mai" was not right. Zhao Mai thought about it and, to hide his real name, changed it to "Mike."

This pronunciation was much easier for the camouflaged old man. After a few exchanges, Zhao Mai also learned the old man's name: Karl Kowasa.

Not only that, but he also deduced the old man's main ability: he was a forest ranger.