Chapter 83

The people who arrived were none other than Hong Gang and Huang Yong.

And behind each of them, they brought three people.

It turned out that because they had been retreating north, without realizing it, they had actually reached the middle of the Da Chuan and Huang Zhao camps.

Although he did not understand how Hong Gang and Huang Yong appeared at the same time, the situation was critical, and Xia Hong had no time to ask in detail.

"Slaughter this pack of beasts!"

When the eight people approached, Xia Hong immediately drew his great blade, roared angrily, and was actually the first to rush toward the frostwolf pack.

The others were somewhat confused, but still followed Xia Hong quickly. Li Baihe and the other four also shot all their remaining few arrows toward the wolf pack in one go.

Seeing the crowd's momentum like a rainbow, all the frostwolves crouched on the ground, baring their fangs, front limbs low and hind limbs kicking the ground, as if they would spring up at any moment and pounce on the crowd.

But when the arrows shot in front of them, and Xia Hong was only two or three meters away,

That pack of frostwolves all stood up quickly and fled in a single streak.

The others did not know what to think, but Xia Hong, in any case, did not show any expression, only staring fiercely at the backs of the fleeing wolf pack.

Not until confirming that the wolf pack had completely disappeared did Xia Hong quietly turn around, look at the crowd around him, and breathe a sigh of relief, his expression completely relaxing.

"Whoosh………… How dangerous, how dangerous."

The crowd had long been puzzled. Even with the eight people from Huang Zhao and Hong Gang coming to help, they were not sure they could deal with this pack of frostwolves. How could Xia Hong have taken the initiative to rush forward just now?

Seeing Xia Hong's current reaction, the crowd naturally understood that he had been bluffing just now, but the problem was, he had actually scared the frostwolf pack away...

For a time, everyone looked at Xia Hong with expressions of admiration.

Especially Li Baihe, who recalled the decisiveness Xia Hong had shown when first encountering the frostwolf pack, and then the alertness he showed in scaring them away just now, and a different look flashed in his eyes.

Xia Hong naturally did not know the thoughts in everyone's hearts; he only lowered his head to scan the dozens of corpses on the ground, and his expression suddenly became much heavier.

"This place is not suitable for a long stay. Let's go back first, we'll talk after we get back!"

Worried that the frostwolf pack would return, Xia Hong called the eight people, including Hong Gang and Huang Yong, and suggested returning to the valley together first.

The two, who were already bursting with curiosity, naturally did not refuse and followed behind the crowd toward the valley.

"Leader Luo, are you planning to take everyone from Does Does Da Xia into the Luo Ge camp?"

As soon as they set off, Hong Gang could not help but ask.

It was so late, and so many people from the Does Does Da Xia camp were walking toward the Luo Ge camp together.

There was only this explanation.

Thinking of the strength shown by the Does Does Da Xia camp when facing the wood puppet ghost, it was reasonable for them to be favored by the Luo Ge camp for a merger. Hong Gang and Huang Yong both thought so in their hearts.

"You two have misunderstood. It is the Luo Ge camp merging into Does Does Da Xia. From now on, there will only be the Does Does Da Xia camp around Red Wood Ridge, and no Luo Ge camp."

But as Luo Ming answered, the two who heard the truth were instantly dumbfounded.

Luo Ge, merging into Does Does Da Xia?

How is this possible?

As Luo Ming told them about his intention to leave Red Wood Ridge, the two finally understood the reason and turned to look at Xia Hong with some envy.

It was not jealousy; it was envy.

After the wood puppet ghost incident, Xia Hong's strength in the Red Wood Ridge area could be said to be obvious to all. Moreover, Hong Gang had received favors from Xia Hong and naturally had a good impression of him.

Knowing that Does Does Da Xia would replace the Luo Ge camp in the future, the two felt a slight stir. Thinking that congratulating him at this time was somewhat inappropriate, they both nodded slightly toward Xia Hong.

"Leader Xia, please take care of the Huang Zhao camp in the future."

"Leader Xia saved my son last time. Hong Mu has no way to repay him. Although my Da Chuan is weak, as long as Leader Xia says the word in the future, I, Hong, will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Xia Hong, who was lowering his head in thought, nodded upon hearing their words.

Suddenly thinking of something, Xia Hong asked: "By the way, how did you two appear at the same time just now?"

When they were in danger just now, they were in the middle of the Da Chuan and Huang Zhao camps. Even if they were alarmed, it shouldn't have been enough for both of them to arrive together, and with so many people.

Upon hearing Xia Hong's question, the expressions of the two became slightly stiff.

They looked at each other. Seeing Huang Yong nod, Hong Gang looked at Xia Hong and answered with a hint of bitterness: "We won't hide it from Leader Xia. The previous wood puppet ghost incident caused our two camps to lose all their Woodcutting Realm members. Now each camp only has four, and even going out to pick crystal fruits and cut wood has become a problem.

In desperation, Huang Yong and I discussed merging the woodcutting teams first, and when the time was ripe, we would simply merge the two camps into one.

Today just happened to be the first time we agreed to go out to pick crystal fruits together. We didn't expect to run into you on the way back."

Hearing Hong Gang's words, a trace of guilt appeared on Luo Ming's face. If he hadn't insisted on cooperating with the two people Yang and Li some time ago, the two camps wouldn't have lost so many people and ended up in this state. He definitely had to bear some of the blame.

"Leader Luo, there is no need for this. In the end, eliminating the wood puppet ghost was beneficial to all of us, which is why we agreed. Being born in the Ice Abyss, life is already precarious; it's just a matter of dying sooner or later."

Seeing the guilt on Luo Ming's face, Hong Gang was the first to speak words of comfort.

It was just that the final self-deprecating remark clearly carried a thick sense of decadence.

They had just suffered a disaster and so many people had died, so everyone's spirits were a bit low. Hearing this sentence from Hong Gang, their expressions became even dimmer.

Being born in the Ice Abyss, life is already precarious; it's just a matter of dying sooner or later.

This sentence could be said to be most appropriate for the dozens of people who had just died. When those people left the Does Does Da Xia camp at night, they were probably imagining that they could live a better life after arriving at the Luo Ge camp.

But before they could even see the valley of the Luo Ge camp, they died.

Who could have imagined that outside Red Wood Ridge, a pack of frostwolves would appear so abruptly, and with clear division of labor and organized movements? If it weren't for Xia Hong's final bluff, never mind the ordinary people, even they, these Woodcutting Realm members, might not necessarily have survived.

"Two leaders, if you don't mind, why don't you bring everyone from your camps and merge directly into my Does Does Da Xia, and we can make a living together around Red Wood Ridge in the future, how about that?"

Xia Hong, who had not spoken for a long time, suddenly asked.

The crowd, who were originally walking toward the valley, all stopped instantly.

Including Luo Ming, everyone turned their heads and looked at Xia Hong in shock.

Hong Gang and Huang Yong were stunned at first, thinking they had misheard or that Xia Hong was joking. Seeing everyone stop, they looked back at Xia Hong and found that his expression was serious and not like he was joking, and the two were instantly stunned in place.

"Leader Xia, are you serious?"

Xia Hong did not speak, only nodded gently toward the two.

Upon receiving Xia Hong's definite reply, a look of ecstasy instantly appeared on the faces of Hong Gang and Huang Yong, and their bodies even trembled uncontrollably.

The two stood in place, their expressions excited, unable to say a word for a long time.

After more than ten breaths, the two finally calmed their emotions, took a deep breath, and bowed to Xia Hong at the same time:

"I, Hong, thank the leader for his great kindness."

"I, Huang, thank Leader Xia on behalf of the two hundred-plus people in the camp."

Xia Hong hurriedly stepped forward to help the two up, his heart not feeling too much surprise.

Merging all the camps around Red Wood Ridge into Does Does Da Xia was an idea he had long ago, but before, he hadn't been in such a hurry.

The events of tonight served as a wake-up call for him.

One second he was still feeling smug about taking over the Luo Ge camp, and the next moment a pack of frostwolves arrived. Moreover, being able to escape tonight was purely luck plus courage, having nothing to do with strength.

What about next time? What if the next ones to come are a pack of fearless snow-maned beasts, or some other cold beast pack? What should they do then?

They must speed up. Whether it is the strength of the camp or his own personal strength, both must be improved as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, a desperate situation like this will come again very soon.

Xia Hong took a deep breath and didn't say anything more, only quickening his pace and leading the crowd to walk rapidly toward the Luo Ge camp.

(End of chapter)