The forest shrouded in heavy snow is not quiet. There are often dead branches broken by the falling snow, making a clicking sound that echoes in the forest. There is more than a foot of snow piled on the forest floor, reaching the half-elf's knees. Virto
Ke and his party all put on special snow boots, with a layer of wooden boards similar to duck webs buckled on the soles, so that they would not completely sink into the snow when walking, making trekking in the snow forest much easier.
As the team gradually moved away from Braun Town, everyone's tense mood was relieved to a certain extent. A few younger store clerks even had time to pick up frozen forest birds from under the snow and bring them to Wiltok as if they were treasures.
look.
Looking for food in the snow-covered forest is a must-learn subject for adventurers. They will judge whether there are frozen birds and animals under the snow based on the shape of the snow. Although the escape team is not short of food for the time being, the youngest team member is still
Show everyone your abilities and value.
Wiltok remembered that winter is also called the season of water, which is the period when the water element is most active. The Taku tribe and the Hemer tribe like to call winter the season of life. However, the season of life treats life a little too coldly.
All life has to withstand the severe cold of ice and snow. Even the branches that are not strong enough will bend and break because they cannot bear the weight of falling snow, making room for the growth of new shoots in the coming year. The old and weak birds and animals are not immune to their death.
It also provides other birds and beasts with a chance to survive.
The fleeing team encountered a group of gray wolves deep in the snow forest. They just happened to find an old deer that had died from the cold. They found that the half-elf fugitive had only blown up his back hair, showing off his sharp fangs, and letting out an irritating low sound in his throat.
Roaring, deterring these uninvited guests from their food, did not attack the half-elves. The old deer that froze to death actually saved the wolves.
The twenty-eight half-elves around Wiltok are the core backbone of the adventurer's house, and the majority are professionals. The nine almost-adult shop assistants are also awakened, and their physical fitness is better than that of ordinary half-elf soldiers. They have received strict training
With excellent training, you will be alert and flexible, and move vigorously without the need for others to worry about you.
Wiltok is now the nominal leader of the Adventurer's House, but he is still taken care of by everyone. He does not need to think about the future. He can enjoy the snow scenery while driving on the roadside when he is free, and use "knowledge puzzles" to think about the mysteries of the water element.
Water, ice crystals, and steam are all manifestations of the water element, but they are not equal to the water element. Philosophically, the water element symbolizes time and life, but in reality, the philosophical symbols of the water element have corresponding practical meanings.
Wiltok knew that his surging talent belonged to the changes of the water element in the field of life. It was the endless flow of life potential that allowed him to gain extra physical energy and energy, which was reflected in the length of time.
If the flowing form of the water element corresponds to the activation talent, what do its solid and gaseous forms correspond to?
Wiltok didn't know why he was thinking about such strange questions when he saw the snow scene. He just felt that the abilities that were currently awakened were not perfect. If he could understand the changing laws of the four elements, it would definitely help him find himself and improve his talents.
helpful.
Unfortunately, except for Dr. Cole, the other half-elves around him were not interested in these inexplicable questions. Even Cole just listened and did not give him any valuable suggestions.
The imperfect talent of life toughness has brought Wiltok's physical fitness to an inhuman level. He did not feel tired at all during the non-stop forced march and trekked for more than 100 kilometers in the ice and snow, but most of the people in the team had to save the battle.
The critical point of physical fitness.
When it was getting dark, the dark hunter Max finally stopped and turned around and said: "Rest where you are, don't light a fire, eat dry food, drink water, and get some sleep first, we will continue on the road in the middle of the night...Huck,
Let the professionals with your physique orientation take turns keeping vigil."
Huck nodded and said nothing. He sat down with his back against a big tree and ate dry food silently. Boss Bottom decided to stay alone to fight against the orcs. The barbarian invaders hit him hard and he couldn't even speak on the way.
Too lazy to say.
The smile on Max's face, the fourth-level stealth hunter, also disappeared, but he shouldered the responsibility of leading the team.
The young store clerks were the weakest and were exhausted. They ate something casually, took off a roll of bearskin blanket from their shoulders, spread it directly on the snow, wrapped themselves in rainproof cloaks, and fell asleep.
When Max looked at these underage friends, a trace of unnoticeable gloom flashed in his eyes.
In the second half of the night, those who were resting were woken up one by one. Piru and other store clerks yawned, wiped their faces with ice and snow to refresh themselves, and then quickly packed their luggage and prepared to continue on their way.
However, Max called all nine awakened people together and said with difficulty: "Piru, you have to walk the road behind you... don't follow us."
The store clerks at the Adventurer's House all changed their faces. They all lowered their heads, not wanting others to see their expressions of wanting to cry.
Wiltok noticed the movement here, strode over, and asked Max: "Why do you want to drive them away?"
When Piru and others saw Vertok, it was like seeing a savior. They raised their heads with hopeful looks on their faces.
Hidden hunter Max smiled bitterly and said: "Vell, look back at the traces on the snow..."
There is a ravine in the white and soft snow, which is the road plowed by the fat cook Sarah. Sarah is tall and fat, probably weighing more than 400 pounds, and she also carries a heavy rolling pin. Snow boots are not suitable for her at all.
It didn't work. Along the way, she left very conspicuous marks on the snow.
"The orcs attacked Braun Town. The old people, women and children who had no fighting ability were evacuated from the back door first. Their physical strength was poor, so they had to flee west and take refuge in the nearest Jinsha Town. The walls of Braun Town fell too fast, and we could not give them any help.
Buy more time to escape... Each adventure group can catch up with the old, weak, women and children in Braun Town if they leave late. To be honest, as long as the adventurers surpass them, they can use them as bait and have more chances to escape from the orcs and the
The barbarians are chasing them. So, don’t expect the adventure group to rescue the townspeople.”
The dark hunter did not dare to look into Vertok's pure eyes. While he was stunned, he turned to Piru and others and said: "There are nearly 200 awakened people in the Adventurer's House. They divided into small groups and evacuated separately. Piru
, if you catch up with the townspeople while escaping, will you find a way to help them?"
Pilu Nana said: "I, I don't know, we should help them, right?"
"This is what I'm most worried about." Max shook his head, pressed Piru's shoulder, and said: "If you don't help the townspeople, they will die; if you help them, they will die together. Fortunately, we don't have to do this.
There is no other option. Bottom asks us to evacuate from the north, so that we are less likely to encounter the fleeing townspeople. Bottom asks you to follow Mr. Wiltok, but he actually hopes that you can survive..."
"Of course, we have tried our best to help the townspeople who escaped. We were the last group of people to leave, and we left obvious enough traces... I hope the orcs and barbarians will chase us behind. In this way, others will also have a chance to
Survive.”
"In other words, we took the initiative to act as bait, and our current situation is even more dangerous!"
"Piru, don't think that there are more people than you are safe. This is a damned illusion. Our battle with the orcs and barbarian pursuers has already begun. A day and night of rapid march will wear down ordinary orc pursuers. If we can catch up,
Our enemies must be powerful butchers, shamans, or barbarian fighters."
"We must prepare for the worst. You are the weakest. Following us will not only slow down the team's progress, but will eventually be killed by the enemy first. If you want to survive, you have to leave the team... Do you understand?
"
Max made it very clear that the awakened ones in the team are a drag and the professionals are bait. If everyone wants to rely on physical strength to defeat the pursuers, the weakest awakened ones should leave the team, otherwise everyone will be ruined. From another perspective
From a perspective, if shopkeepers like Piru part ways with the team, they can also distract the attention of the orcs and barbarian pursuers, giving others a chance to fight back or escape.
In the end, whether those people can survive depends only on their own luck. But for the nine young store clerks who choose to leave, their chances of survival are definitely greater.
After all, Max is a level four stealth hunter who is good at tracking, lurking, reconnaissance, assassination, and counter-tracking. His arrangement seems to be very reasonable. At least, Wiltok can't find any faults. It is precisely because he has to take care of the members of the team.
The awakened person, his physical advantages were not used at all.
Wiltok estimated that he would double his marching speed. He would run for three days and three nights without eating or drinking, and would have to travel 600 to 700 kilometers in a row before feeling tired. If he used the activation talent, he could continue running for 150 kilometers.
Kilometers. Orcs and barbarian pursuers are following him, and they may not even be able to eat ashes. He has not taken into account the factors of Gluttony Talent and Golden Toad Secret Shape. The super physical strength of Life Tenacity Talent alone is enough to defeat him.
most enemies.
High-level orcs and high-level barbarians may be able to compete with Vertok physically, but will they travel more than 600 kilometers away from their home base in order to hunt down Vertok?
"Uncle Max, we understand... let's leave now." Piru nodded.
Max nodded and said solemnly: "Well, I have taught you how to survive in the winter forest. I believe in your abilities, and you must also believe in your own abilities. Because you are all the best training camp students and adventurers."
The Awakened Ones carefully cultivated by the House of Masters! Remember, after you escape, don’t go to Jinsha Town, go to Beibang in Luoye City to find ‘Wooden Leg Velen’!”
"Hope to see you again."
"Hope to see you again."
Piru and eight shop assistants waved goodbye to everyone, carried their bags and weapons, and headed west. Their figures soon disappeared into the dark snow forest.
After all the awakened ones left, the fleeing team's march speed increased a lot. By evening, everyone had walked almost 80 kilometers and was about to enter the territory of the shadow lurkers.
The Shadow Lurker is a terrifying monster with a life level of five. Its territory was originally a restricted area for adventurers, but the dragon cavalry from the famous Golden Oak family came here a few days ago to hunt the Shadow Lurker. This forest should now belong to no one.
In this land, even if they encounter ordinary beasts, they do not pose much of a threat to the elites of the Adventurer's House.
"In the summer, I came here specifically to detect shadow lurkers, and I am very familiar with the terrain here. There is a deep ditch 5 kilometers away to the west, covered with wormwood over two meters high, which is especially suitable for hiding under the snow." Max pointed.
Xi Niang said: "I think we can hide our traces by dividing half of our men and sneaking along the deep ditch. Cole, you are not a combat professional. You can take Wiltok and all the first-level professionals to move out of that deep ditch...
…”
"No." Wiltok suddenly interrupted Max.
"Um?"
Vertok stared into Max's eyes, stretched out his left index finger, pointed at Huck, Cole, John and other half-elves one by one, and asked seriously: "You asked Piru and the others to leave last night, but there was no one except me.
Raise doubts. This is wrong! When you drove Piru and the others away, he, he, and he didn't object? You usually have a close relationship with the store clerk, why don't you stand up for Piru and the others?"
Those half-elves were publicly criticized by Wiltok, and their expressions became a little unnatural.
Max tried his best to explain: "Weir, I have already told you the reason why I asked the store clerk to escape alone. Didn't you object after listening to it? My old clerk understands my ability and trusts my judgment. They always start first.
Listen to what I have to say and you won’t immediately object to my suggestion..."
Wiltok sneered: "What is your reason? You said that Piru and the others are not strong enough and will hurt everyone."
"Yes." Max nodded and said
"Assuming your reason is valid, the premise is that there are orcs and barbarians pursuing us behind us, and they are powerful, right?"
"Well, that's what I think, so I have to take precautions in advance."
Vertok asked with stern eyes: "What if there are no pursuers behind us? If Piru and the others leave the team, won't they have to face the beasts in the forest alone?"
Max spread his hands and said helplessly: "Piru and the others are all awakened and have the ability to deal with wild beasts. And even if they suffer casualties, there is nothing they can do about it."
"But you asked Piru if he would stop to help the townspeople when he met them on the way to escape? Piru said that he might stay. If they don't protect the townspeople, the townspeople will die; if
If we stay to help the townspeople, they and the townspeople will die! Boss Bottom asked nine shop assistants to follow us and escape north, just to prevent them from having to make this choice. Because Bottom thought that Piru and the others would not be able to bear it.
Abandon the townspeople!”
Wiltok glanced at the other people present and asked loudly: "Now, I ask you the same question, Piru and the others need help, will you abandon them? Say! Will you choose to abandon them?!"
The half-elf professionals lowered their heads and avoided Vertok's sight. However, Vertok was not ready to let them go. He walked up to them one by one, held their collars, looked into their eyes, and then pushed them down on the snow.
"You are all mixed-race. You were adopted by Boss Bottom and grew up in a training camp. You may still be related by blood. You are brothers and family members. If you choose to abandon the weak shop assistants and let them live in the snow forest
If it is attacked by wild beasts, then there is no need for the Adventurer’s House to exist!”
John jumped up and shouted angrily: "We did not abandon Piru and the others..."
Like a gust of wind, Wiltok flashed in front of John and said calmly: "Of course, you didn't abandon Piru and the others...just like Boss Bottom asked you to retreat at the end, escape to the north, attract the pursuit of orcs and barbarians, and...
This is to protect the awakened people and townspeople who fled to Jinsha Town. You have done what you can do, and there is no need to have any psychological burden."
John opened his mouth, but had nothing to say, so he just let out a long sigh.
"Since you will not abandon Piru and the others, then my assumption that there are no pursuers behind the team is invalid!"
Wiltok walked up to the dark hunter, looked down at him, and said: "You know there are pursuers behind us. They all know that you know there are pursuers behind us. Therefore, even if the nine awakened shop assistants face the enemy in the forest,
Being a beast is much better than staying with the team."
Max smiled bitterly and said: "I am a level four secret hunter. I have the ability to see through trackers. I can feel that the enemy is always following us..."
"Why did you hide it from me?" Wiltok asked forcefully.
Max tightened his lips and stopped talking.
"You first asked Piru and the others to leave the team, and now you asked Dr. Cole to take me and the first-level professionals out of the deep ditch in the snow... The strong people attract the pursuers behind, and cover the weak people to escape. This is very difficult.
OK! Then what?”
Wiltok nodded, suddenly pointed at the fat cook, and said through gritted teeth: "If this continues, the only person who will attract pursuers is Sarah... You have not abandoned any companions, you have only abandoned Sarah! You dare not
Tell me, you are afraid that I will oppose your escape plan!"
Max covered his forehead. Wiltok usually looked stupid, but he was actually too smart. He even suspected that Wiltok was an intellectually awakened person.
Vertok, who has a mental attribute of 15 points, is definitely not a fool, he just reacts a little slowly. "Knowledge Puzzle" takes time to independently analyze the problem, but nothing is missed. Everyone's micro-expressions are seen by Vertok,
"Knowledge Puzzle" sorts out the clues, and it is not difficult to find the answer to Sarah's sacrifice.
Wiltok was furious and reached out to grab Max, "Okay, you really want to sacrifice Sarah!"
"Vell, you misunderstood..."
"What a misunderstanding!"
The dark hunter saw that Vertok's five fingers were like hooks and contained terrifying power, and he grabbed him fiercely. He quickly dodged sideways, but was chased by Vertok and jumped all over the ground, unable to even speak.
A warm big hand covered Wiltok's head. He stopped chasing Max and turned around to see the fat cook Sarah shaking her head at herself. She said gently, "Vil, good boy, don't embarrass everyone."
Wiltok snatched the heavy stone rolling pin from Sarah's hand, pulled her toward the woods, and said angrily: "Sarah, let's go and don't worry about them."
The rest of the people stayed on the ground and looked at each other. Max grinned and said: "Is Mr. Wiltok a strength, intelligence, physique, or agility person? I feel like if I persist for a while, I will be caught by him...
…”
Dr. Cole glanced at Max with gloating, shook his head, and said worriedly: "Sister Sarah's speed has slowed down... She is getting farther and farther away from the mark. I don't think she can hold on for too long. If Sarah
If there is something wrong with the eldest sister, will Wiltok still accept us?"
Huck, who had been in a low mood, suddenly said: "Sister Sarah saved my life, I will not let her die in front of me! Wiltok will see that the Adventurer Family dares to sacrifice to protect their loved ones!
"
Cole was silent for a moment, nodded with a smile and said: "That's fine, I can live for nothing...and the situation may not be that bad. I will go with you."
Huck let out a disdainful "Bah" and said: "A guy like you has no fighting ability at all, so what's the use of accompanying us? Or follow Max's method, you take young people under 35 years old out of the snow ditch
Let’s go, just don’t put any burden on us. Everyone over 35 years old will follow me and accompany Sister Sarah through the last part of the journey!”