Chapter 69: Undead Creature

The clash between Xia Nan and the thin man was extremely brief.

The other retreated almost at a single strike; after discovering he was no match, he made a decision instantly, spitting out misty light to delay time while taking the opportunity to escape.

So much so that when the supporting adventurers rushed to the room door, the man had already fled to the window.

Just like how he could evade the perception of the many adventurers in the inn and sneak into Jeff's room without a sound.

The other seemed to possess some kind of stealth ability, and after leaving everyone's sight, he disappeared without a trace.

Buzz—

The battle ended, and the Halfling, who had provided encouragement for Xia Nan with lute music, also entered the room with the adventurers.

The mini lute on his back was even still trembling with lingering echoes.

Without chasing toward the window with the crowd, Alton walked straight to the bed.

He took out a small glass bottle containing gray liquid from his bosom.

The amount of potion in the bottle was only one-fifth or even less.

Shaking it, he poured it all into the captain's mouth.

Perhaps the medicinal effect was outstanding, or perhaps because the thin man had moved away, the wound where Jeff's left leg had been severed flatly lost the support of invisible power and began to bleed like a spring.

The Halfling was very skilled, taking out a medical kit, disinfecting, stopping the bleeding, and wrapping bandages.

In just a few minutes, he had neatly completed the emergency treatment.

Jeff's originally pale and painful expression gradually calmed down.

His chest, rising and falling with his breathing, also relaxed.

But his eyes remained closed.

"Just now... what was that thing?"

An adventurer with disheveled clothes looked at the night sky gradually melting in the morning light outside the window and asked with lingering fear.

That ability to hide one's figure—if the target of the attack had been changed to himself, he was afraid he could only lie on the bed like Jeff, unable to do anything.

"Tim, it's Tim!"

Suddenly, an adventurer who had arrived at the room first and thus seen the man's full appearance shouted.

"Tim?" The unfamiliar name that suddenly popped out of the other's mouth made Xia Nan frown.

"Right!" The adventurer looked thoughtful, as if comparing the image in his mind, and then nodded firmly.

"Although I don't know why his skin became like that, he also looks much more weathered."

"But it's definitely him!"

"I used to play cards with him often, the kind that lasted all night, I wouldn't recognize him wrong."

As he spoke, this adventurer seemed to recall more details about Tim.

"Tim was also an adventurer once, his strength was quite good, although he hadn't reached the level of a professional, he was far stronger than the bottom-level people like us."

Halfway through, the other suddenly looked at Xia Nan, who had put away his sword and was looking at him earnestly, and swallowed his saliva instinctively.

"He worked as an adventurer for many years, and he should have saved quite a bit of money; he retired after getting married."

"But I heard... life hasn't been very smooth recently, and his wife and daughter were forced to move outside the town." Seeming afraid that others would suspect why he knew so much, the adventurer added, "I heard it from a few friends who often go to the 'Full Bag of Gold'."

"Then, does this Tim have anything strange recently?"

Not caring about the grudges between them, Xia Nan pursued.

"Strange... not really." Hearing this, the other just shook his head thoughtfully and replied.

"I haven't seen him in Kalanfur for a long time; I thought he had returned to his old profession and gone out on a mission."

"I didn't expect..."

Remembering this information in his mind, Xia Nan silently recalled the scene in the battle just now.

The pale, cyan, lifeless skin color, the dead-gray eyes without focus, and the wooden sword 【Green Pine】 that suddenly took effect...

"It seems this Tim has become some kind of undead creature?"

He thought in his heart.

Recalling the scene he saw when he entered the door, he couldn't help but turn around and ask Alton by the bed:

"How is Jeff? Is he okay?"

The Halfling's set of movements just now was quite skilled, clearly having experience in handling it.

He didn't give a definite reply.

Alton just stroked his smooth chin while staring at the blood-stained bandage on Jeff's left leg.

Shaking his head, he said:

"Hard to say."

"It seems there's something else remaining inside the wound."

"Although it doesn't have any erosive nature, it is unusually stubborn, as if it has merged into the flesh and blood, preventing the wound from healing."

As he spoke, he looked up at Xia Nan, a hint of a smile appearing on his face:

"But it's not a big problem; just find a church."

"Such a small thing, any priest can handle it."

"It's just that our old Jeff, if he's reluctant to pay for the treatment, will just have to accompany his daughter to run the tailor shop for the rest of his life."

Hearing the other say this, Xia Nan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

It's fine as long as he's okay.

Although he had only known him for a few days, he had a good impression of this honest and simple man.

With a pair of children at home, dying so silently would be too unworthy.

Turning around, he looked at the sky.

Seeing the morning sun rising slowly.

Xia Nan asked the Halfling beside him:

"I remember you mentioned before that there is a church in Kalanfur, we..."

Before he could finish, hurried footsteps came from outside the house.

Ingram rushed over with two guards.

This sheriff with a strong sense of responsibility clearly hadn't slept all night.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his handsome, rain-soaked, and disheveled face also had a touch of haggardness.

"Jeff!?"

Seeing the caravan captain lying on the bed with his eyes closed, Ingram's footsteps became even more hurried.

But after reaching the bed, he seemed a bit awkward.

Wanting to check the situation, but worried that his movements would cause the wound to worsen.

He just looked at Xia Nan and the others with some pleading in his eyes.

"What happened to him? What happened here?"

Awakened from his dream and seeing that the matter had come to an end.

An adventurer yawned and told the other the whole process just now.

"Slap."

A warm palm grabbed Xia Nan's arm tightly, and Ingram said with sincere gratitude:

"Thank you, thank you!"

"If it weren't for you, I'm afraid my old friend would have..."

While speaking, he had already waved his hand, letting the two guards behind him go downstairs to see if they could find any traces left by Tim.

Not used to such contact, Xia Nan pulled away from the other's hands without a trace.

"No need for this, I just happened to discover it."

"How can you say that? I was..."

Before the sheriff could finish, the Halfling suddenly interrupted the other's words.

He raised his finger and pointed to the golden sun pattern on the inside of his sleeve.

"You should be a follower of Amaunator, take us to the church."

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!"

The sheriff finally reacted, instinctively tightening his sleeves, and went out to find a stretcher.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 70 =====