Chapter 45: I Am Xia Hong, Leader of Xia Camp [Here I Come]

The second night, as dusk fell, Shi Qing sought out Luo Ming to take his leave.

The leaders of the five camps had reached an agreement: they would join Yang and Li one final time at Redwood Ridge to try luring out the Wood Puppet Wicked, and finally slay it.

Luo Ming brought three Earth-Digging Realm cultivators and twenty-five Wood-Cutting Realm cultivators; the other four camps also brought every able-bodied man they could spare. Compared to the previous four expeditions, this time everyone had clearly resolved themselves to greater determination.

But none of this mattered to Shi Qing in the least.

Shi Camp had suffered heavy losses; even if he wished to help, he had no men to spare.

After wishing the group success in slaying the wicked, Shi Qing and his younger brother Shi Dong set out via Redwood Ridge, heading back toward Shi Camp.

Along the way, they carried a sack of crystal fruits gifted by Luo Ming.

There was little interaction between the camps, so no major paths connected them; travelers generally stuck to the outer edges of Redwood Ridge.

Redwood Ridge was vast. To say these camps lay around Redwood Ridge was inaccurate—actually, all nine camps were clustered along its eastern side.

Luo Ge Camp lay due east, while Shi Camp and Xia Camp were precisely southeast, though Xia Camp lay even farther south.

The territory each camp claimed along Redwood Ridge’s perimeter roughly matched their location. Luo Ge Camp, the strongest, held the largest area—over two thousand meters from north to south.

The other eight camps each held only about five hundred meters.

South of Luo Ge Camp lay four camps in sequence: Huang Zhao, Da Chuan, Shi Camp, and Xia Camp. So if you left Luo Ge Camp, entered Redwood Ridge, and headed south, you’d reach Shi Camp’s territory in roughly three kilometers.

Worried for the safety of his camp’s three hundred-plus people, Shi Qing hurried with Shi Dong, racing through the snow. Three kilometers was not far—they arrived at their territory quickly.

“Phew… finally here! Let’s get back fast!”

Though still within Redwood Ridge, stepping onto their own territory eased Shi Qing’s mind somewhat—until he remembered he’d have to tell the others about the loss of three brothers. His heart sank.

It had been barely half a month since they lost eight brothers in Xia Camp’s territory. Now three more were dead. Three months ago, Shi Camp had sixteen Wood-Cutting Realm fighters—he’d even proposed hunting Frost Beasts himself.

In just a few months, their situation had shifted from paradise to hell.

As Shi Qing walked, he suddenly turned to glance at the sack on Shi Dong’s back.

“Second brother, wait.”

Shi Dong stopped, looking at him in confusion.

Shi Qing reached out, took the sack, weighed it, then frowned: “It’s been over half a month. The crystal fruits left at camp must be long gone. This sack holds only a thousand jin or so—it won’t be enough when we return. Let’s head to the Bing Shuo trees first and see if we can pick more.”

Shi Dong nodded, standing still until Shi Qing led the way toward the Bing Shuo trees, then followed behind.

As camp leader, Shi Qing knew the location of all six Bing Shuo trees on their territory by heart. He soon reached the nearest one.

But when he was still over thirty meters from the tree, his expression changed abruptly. He grabbed Shi Dong and yanked him behind a nearby tree.

“Someone’s broken in!”

Shi Dong had already noticed. Both stared toward the tree.

Two young men were on the Bing Shuo tree, filling sacks with crystal fruits, laughing and enjoying themselves. Below, three others stood guard—five in total.

After carefully studying the five, Shi Qing’s face first showed shock, then confusion.

“So young—who’s camp are they from?”

Anyone venturing out at night must be at least Wood-Cutting Realm.

But these five youths looked no older than twenty.

Even Luo Ge Camp couldn’t produce five Wood-Cutting Realm cultivators this young.

Could they be from some other large—or even massive—camp?

No, no.

Shi Qing quickly dismissed the idea.

Because all five wore ordinary animal-skin skirts.

“Those five are from Xia Camp,” Shi Dong suddenly spoke up.

Shi Qing froze. A chill surged through him. His gaze toward the five youths instantly changed.

“You mean… those five might be…”

Shi Dong said nothing—only nodded gently.

Shi Qing swallowed hard. His heart skipped half a beat. He moved silently, afraid of making any sound that might alert the five.

He hadn’t forgotten: Xia Ding and his men were all dead.

If a camp’s entire Wood-Cutting team perishes, the survivors have no hope left.

Before going to Luo Ge Camp, Shi Qing had been certain: Xia Camp’s people had either starved to death or been killed by a wicked long ago.

This scene before him now clearly answered that question.

Wicked.

Yes, of course—it was a wicked controlling them.

Otherwise, how could there be five Wood-Cutting Realm cultivators so young?

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“Quiet. Don’t alert them. Let’s go.”

Hearing Shi Qing’s signal, Shi Dong nodded, a shadow flickering in his eyes.

The two retreated silently, soon putting twenty to thirty meters between them and the group.

Shi Qing finally exhaled, turned, and prepared to head toward Ta Mountain.

“Camp Leader Shi, where are you two headed?”

But a mocking voice suddenly rang out ahead. Shi Qing and Shi Dong froze.

They looked up to see a burly young man standing on a large tree five meters ahead, stone axe in hand, watching them.

The young man’s voice carried. The five picking crystal fruits immediately stopped, abandoning their task and rushing over.

Worse—two more appeared from each side, closing in.

In an instant, they were surrounded by ten. Despair spread across Shi Qing’s face.

Ten wicked—him and Shi Dong stood no chance.

“Camp Leader Xia, you came to pick crystal fruits, but now you want to kill us?”

But at that moment, Shi Dong spoke up.

Shi Qing stared, eyes fixed on the burly youth on the tree. A flicker of recognition passed through him. He asked, uncertain: “Are you… Ding’s son?”

Xia Hong stretched, leapt down from the tree, and landed without sinking the snow. He walked calmly to Shi Qing’s side.

“Correct. I am Xia Hong, current leader of Xia Camp.”

Not a wicked?

Shi Qing suddenly realized this. Relief flooded him—he nearly grinned. But the smile vanished in an instant, replaced by shock.

“You’re all… Wood-Cutting Realm?”

Xia Hong said nothing. But Yuan Cheng, Xia Chuan, and the other seven—Yue Feng, Lin Kai, and the rest—couldn’t help but chuckle.

Youthful pride. Hearing Shi Qing’s astonishment, they couldn’t help but feel smug, especially Xia Chuan and Yuan Cheng, who still held grudges against Shi Camp for crossing their territory twice.

Xia Hong wouldn’t let such a small thing make him proud. His thoughts were fixed on the change in Shi Qing’s expression.

From despair when first seeing him, to joy when Shi Dong named him—this shift intrigued him.

This curiosity even made him forget his original intent: to confront the two and teach Shi Camp a lesson for past trespasses.

“Camp Leader Xia, I haven’t returned to camp in a long time. I must go back first. When I have time to come to Redwood Ridge again, we’ll meet up, yes?”

But Shi Qing clearly had no intention of answering his questions.

(End of Chapter)