The next day, before dawn, Chai Anping was gently nudged awake. It was Picker.
"Ready to go." He said softly.
"Well……"
Chai Anping responded and twisted his aching waist. He had never camped in the wild and basically didn't sleep well all night...
On the other side, Partridge got up angrier and almost kicked a hole in his sleeping bag.
"Xilulu!"
After a night's rest, the horse trampled the broken leaves under its feet, and from time to time lowered its head to look for still fresh fodder under the leaves.
Chai Anping glanced at the sleepy noble young master and felt an unprecedented sense of recognition.
"Set off!"
In silence, Quinn waved his hand and the group set off again.
Breakfast was served on horseback. Under Picker's guidance, Chai Anping learned to let go of the reins with both hands and let the horse move on its own.
An hour later, the team came to a stone bridge.
Stop.
Quinn frowned, because the bridge was broken!
On the wide river, a large section of the bridge deck in the middle has sunk into the water for unknown reasons, and nearby residents are trying to fish it out.
"Change the road."
Quinn immediately turned the horse's head.
Pickle rushed to the front and said in a voice that only two people could hear: "Captain, this bridge does not look like it was damaged by nature."
"I know." Quinn muttered: "We don't have time to investigate the truth. Our mission is not to repair the bridge."
More than an hour later, the group came to another bridge.
Even Partridge sensed something was wrong - the bridge collapsed.
"War Mason." Pickle and Quinn sneered at the same time.
If there are war masons blocking this trip, then the three-day deadline will be somewhat suspended!
"Look for a shallow place along the river. Let's cross the river directly." Quinn no longer tried to find a intact bridge, but called Valor to look for any suspicious characters in the sky around the team.
The team's alert level has been increased by several levels. Even within the national borders, Noxian assassins and spies are still factors that these small teams with heavy responsibilities have to be wary of.
It took another hour or two to finally find a section of the river where the water level was gentle and shallow. However, even so, when everyone crossed the river, the water level was still almost up to their thighs.
"Violent!"
After everyone crossed the river, the giant blue-winged eagle in the sky suddenly swooped down and screamed.
Quinn narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction where Valor was flying.
"Pikel, you go and take a look, while the others move on."
Pickle licked the corner of his mouth, clamped his legs on the horse's belly and galloped directly in that direction.
The strength of the uncrowned king of the Glory Competition was very reassuring, and the remaining four people continued to move forward along the established route.
Chai Anping watched the streak of smoke go away, but what suddenly flashed through his mind was the image of a giant sword fighting into the flesh and crushing the flesh.
It was already noon when Pickle caught up with everyone, and everyone was repairing and having lunch in the simple camp.
When he came back, his gray cloak was speckled with blood and plum blossoms, and two severed ears were embedded in the hook above the front hooves of his war horse.
"They are two war masons, a man and a woman, disguised as civilians in the kingdom." He reported to Quinn: "They were able to escape, but they have all been wiped out."
"good."
Traces of war masons appeared along the way. It seemed that the mysterious army... indeed existed.
Quinn was not surprised by Pickel's gains: "Sit down and rest for a while. We will rest for another two-quarters of an hour. We will probably have to travel at night, otherwise we will not be able to reach the area where the Fearless Pioneer Camp is tomorrow."
"It doesn't matter." Pikel shook his arm. With his body, even if he fought on the battlefield for three or four days, he would not be exhausted!
"Everyone, put on your winter clothes and head into the mountains. The temperature will start to drop."
When necessary, they will have to abandon their horses and walk. These well-trained horses will find nearby sentries and return to the team.
Everyone hurriedly finished the meal and went on the road again. It is worth mentioning that Partridge also joined in the "snatching" of the small pot of food at noon with trembling lips, as if he understood that dry and hard pasta is really not suitable for eating directly.
The young aristocratic young master was riding on horseback and sometimes lost his mind in thinking about what his grandfather said to him - he never seemed to care about his childish ideas, but occasionally smiled and told himself that it would be better if he joined the army.
Now he seems to understand his words somewhat...
The last time Chai Anping came with Dragon Girl, it was still summer, the vegetation was lush and all kinds of exotic plants were growing exceptionally vigorously.
When we come back this time, the entire Owendale Mountains have been clearly divided into three layers.
The trees on the mountainside have already taken on the orange color of autumn, and dead leaves fall around everyone when the wind blows.
After entering the mountains, everyone's formation also changed. The strong Partridge and Pickle were responsible for clearing the road in the front, Quinn and Dobbin were in the middle, and Chai Anping and Needham took care of the rear.
The ferocious beasts all over the place may attack from anywhere, but a team of six people cannot scare them away, let alone the fugitives and spies lurking in the mountains.
As night fell slowly, Picker cut down a few pieces of wood and wrapped them in linen cloth to make torches.
The light of the fire immediately attracted the prying eyes of unknown creatures.
Chai Anping heard the unique and eerie cry of the mountain ghost, which was very permeable under the night, and a vague murderous aura lingered around everyone.
Chai Anping narrowed his eyes slightly and held the handle of the knife in one hand. The dim firelight vaguely reflected the illusion around him.
"call--"
Suddenly there was a gust of wind howling from the right. Chai Anping immediately reached for the torch and saw a big withered hand suddenly appearing within the scope of the fire.
The twisted and terrifying body of the mountain ghost arrived next. It grabbed the vines with one hand and swung rapidly. Its small eyes were filled with bloodthirsty excitement. Its target was actually Quinn, the only female in the team!
"careful!"
Knowing how agile this monster is, Chai Anping immediately leaned forward and stepped on the horse as soon as he gave the warning sound.
"Qiang——!"
The moonlight sword was instantly unsheathed, and a soft moonlight appeared.
Chai Anping flew into the air. In Dobin's stunned expression, a black line appeared in front of Chai Anping's eyes.
"Hey……"
He smiled at the rickety and strange face of the mountain ghost: "Good evening, Groot!"
"Jie...?"
The sharp long knife cut along the black line, and the withered palm captured by the mountain ghost was cut off directly by the moonlight, and smelly blood splashed out.
It seemed as if the mountain ghost's neck hit Chai Anping's long knife on its own, and the bloodthirsty eyes of this mountain ghost suddenly turned into panic.
"Stab-"
The tough body was cut open like rags, and Chai Anping flew by as if strolling through a garden. A strange head rose into the sky, and the round eyes became confused in the moonlight, and then fell into deathly silence.
Needham couldn't help but praise him. He whipped the horse's belly with his legs and rushed forward to catch the fallen Chai Anping, while avoiding the body of the mountain ghost that had lost its strength and rolled down.
"Brother Shelley, this knife is fine!"
"Where, where..."
The stunning Moonlight Slash frightened the predators who were waiting for an opportunity in the jungle, and the "rustling" sounds around the team suddenly decreased a lot.
Partridge in front turned around and snorted softly.