Chapter 97: Run

The mushroom discovered in the Goblin cave should be related to some kind of thing that the Barbarian Fugang was investigating.

Perhaps it was too dangerous, or perhaps it was because the situation was truly urgent.

Even though Xia Nan had now pushed the progress to the point of being one step away, needing only a little more to truly get 【Tooth Hunt】 to the entry level.

He still had to follow the other back to the nearest human gathering place.

There was nothing to complain about; he had enough patience for just these few days.

Moreover, the reason Fugang didn't go directly to the depths of the forest to pursue after discovering something, but decided to send Xia Nan back to the town first,

was considering the high risk for Xia Nan to return to the town from the Mist Forest alone with his current strength.

And Xia Nan didn't have the slightest intention of coming into contact with such events involving the transcendent level.

A high-level professional taught him for just two days, and he was able to learn a precious combat technique that he had practiced for many days against countless skill books without any progress;

similarly, the battle of such high-level powerhouses, he was afraid that just by getting involved, the aftermath alone would be enough to kill him countless times.

What Xia Nan needed to do now was already clear:

Follow the Barbarian's arrangements and stay safely in the town.

Just like the destructive force when he came, pushing all the way through.

The two's return journey was also smooth.

The chilling frost wind from the Northern icefield was enough to make 99.99% of the creatures on the outskirts of the Mist Forest flinch and dare not approach.

In the day and a half of the return journey, the only monster Xia Nan saw was a Spined Devil that didn't know where it came from.

He didn't know if it was reckless or smart.

Clearly sensing the transcendent aura of the Barbarian, it still approached them driven by the desire for hunger.

But it didn't take the initiative to launch an attack, just far away across the mist and trees, glanced at by Fugang, and then hurriedly flapped its wings and fled in wails.

It was worth mentioning that after learning from the Barbarian that the nearest town to this place was Kalanfur, which he had just visited a few days ago,

for the sake of safety, Xia Nan also carefully chose his words and told the other about his encounter in the town.

He naturally omitted and blurred the part where he killed Ingram.

He just focused on explaining to the other the strange phenomenon that the town remained calm after losing its sheriff, as if nothing had happened.

And the two suspected high-level professionals in the town—the priest in the church and the aged gravedigger living alone in the suburbs.

Fugang's face, which was like ice, still had no reaction.

In the place illuminated by the holy emblem of the Sun God "Amanata," nothing was more important than upholding social constancy and maintaining order.

Let alone a small sheriff; even if the priest in the church suddenly passed away, it wouldn't have any impact on the daily life of the entire town.

The residents of the town would only discover that the priest presiding over the service in the church had been replaced by someone else on their day off.

As for high-level professionals...

Kalanfur, as one of the most prosperous large human gathering points near the Mist Forest besides Hegu Town, was very important for both the Sun Church and the adventurers in the surrounding area.

It was nothing strange to have transcendent-level professionals stationed and settled in the town.

The mist permeating the air slowly dissipated, and the dense shrubs and oak trees around also gradually became sparse.

When Xia Nan stood on the muddy country road full of ruts and saw the silhouettes of houses with rising smoke in the distance,

The sky had already dimmed, and the dusky twilight pressed down as the setting sun sank gloomily.

Fugang beside him stopped.

He didn't intend to enter the town to rest; being able to send Xia Nan here was already the limit.

The high-pitched wolf howl constantly echoing in his heart, and the ice-cold chill seeping into his bone marrow, were urging him to go back every moment, pursuing the revenge target hidden deep in the Mist Forest.

Fugang looked at the black-haired youth carrying two swords in front of him.

It was a coincidence that the tracking ability granted by 【Frostbound Oathkeeper】, although it could help him lock onto the general direction of the enemy, did not have the ability to pinpoint the location.

If it weren't for taking on the commission of the offspring of a former teammate, taking this rookie adventurer named "Xia Nan" to the forest to train combat techniques.

He was afraid he would have really missed the important clues in the Goblin nest.

*Whoosh-hum—*

Flashing with ice light, the biting cold wind, under Fugang's intentional control, seeped into Xia Nan's skin from his pores, soaking into his muscles and bones.

Referring to the training intensity of Xia Nan observed these past few days, combined with his progress speed that far exceeded ordinary people.

Before the cold air was used up, it should be enough for the other to get the combat technique to the entry level.

Noticing the Barbarian was stagnant in place and no longer moving forward.

Feeling the cold pouring into his body from the air around him,

Xia Nan also understood that it was time to say goodbye.

It was just a pity that he hadn't had time to get 【Tooth Hunt】 to the entry level.

He tightened the heavy backpack behind him—it was filled with trophies and supplies he had collected these past few days.

Having known each other for only a few days, and with such a large gap in strength levels, naturally, there wasn't much friendship to speak of.

The Barbarian's ice-rock-like silent personality made it even harder to get close.

After these few days, Xia Nan hadn't even figured out the other's specific attitude, to the point where he was cautious in everything he did.

So he didn't say much.

He simply said goodbye and turned around, walking toward the Kalanfur city area.

Thinking to himself:

The previous sheriff of the town, Ingram, was killed by him; although the other's motives were evil, and the matter seemed to have been suppressed by the church.

But he still couldn't relax his vigilance; it was best not to stay, and he should hurry up and see if there was a caravan going to Hegu Town, and tomorrow morning he would...

"Wait."

Behind him, the Barbarian's low, thick voice came.

Subconsciously stopping, he turned his head and looked.

He saw Fugang still standing in place, but those ice-blue eyes, like cold lakes, were staring fixedly at the side of the road.

In the shadows covered by dense grass,

lay a dark purple mushroom.

"Do you know the direction of Hegu Town?"

Not knowing what had happened, Xia Nan showed a look of surprise on his face and just subconsciously nodded.

"You have

Fugang slowly raised his head, and the cold wind that suddenly surged around his body caused the wolf-skin cloak draped over him to sway violently.

His gaze, laden with an invisible pressure, seemed capable of piercing through the barriers of space, sweeping past Xia Nan and looking far away toward Kalanfur behind him.

A high-pitched, excited wolf howl sounded faintly, only to be suppressed and dissipated shortly after, along with the cold wind filled with icy mist.

In the blink of an eye, all abnormal sounds subsided completely.

In the air, only the quiet chirping of insects echoing through the forest remained.

Just like an adventurer who had just finished a mission and intended to return to the city to rest.

Fugang strode forward, slowly walking in the direction of the Kalanfur city district.

"Do not look back."

"Run."

(End of chapter)