Although Trunks was renowned for being a difficult character to shake off, his reputation was indeed quite good. After receiving his promise and having him swear a blood oath, Han Shuo didn't make further trouble for him.
Having been seriously injured, Trunks didn't pay further attention to Han Shuo as he struggled to take out some gauze and medicinal water from his space ring. He shook and trembled as he smeared the medicine over his injuries, and then grimaced with pain as he finished dressing his wounds.
"Your injuries look quite severe, how long will you need before you can fully recover?" Han Shuo frowned and asked when he saw Trunks like this.
Snorting bad temperedly, Trunks said, "Weren't you the one who caused my injuries? And you still dare to ask, but don't you worry, my injuries look severe, but they'll be easy to recover from as long as my tendons and bones haven't been hurt. Not to mention that the medicinal water I treated it with just now was developed from magical herbs that I picked in the Dark Forest. It's especially useful for scabbing over wounds. As long as we wait for my fighting aura to recover, I won't become a burden to you."
Nodding, Han Shuo said, "Alright then, let's return now then."
"Wait!" Trunks called out, and then concentrated he looked at Han Shuo's face, finally asking in confusion, "Can you tell me how you discovered me as soon as I entered your tent area, and why I was located no matter where I hid? Why is it that although I can first use fighting aura to lock onto an enemy before deploying Restrained Dragon Slash, so that they'll be at my mercy as long as their strength isn't greater than mine, your weapon still automatically flies up to protect you?"
"Sorry, I can't answer your two questions. The only thing I can say is never try to ambush me in the future. That will only be creating trouble for yourself." Han Shuo shrugged as he said to Trunks.
Nodding his head in understanding, Trunks said, "If no one can ambush you, then your strength is several times higher within the Dark Forest. It looks like we may actually have a chance of succeeding on our trip to search for the Fruit of Dagmar this time."
The way back expended more than five times the amount of time it'd taken for them to get here. Trunks' speed was greatly decreased because of his injuries, but he resolutely turned down Han Shuo's offer to support him, stubbornly insisting on walking by himself.
In this manner, Han Shuo understood many things about the Dark Forest as the two proceeded, finally making it back to camp late in the afternoon.
The tents of Odysseus and the others were all still here as they hadn't left. When Han Shuo and Trunks appeared, it was as if the entire group was faced with a great enemy as they all grasped their weapons tightly and leveled them at Trunks.
"Everyone put down your weapons, he will pose no further threat to us." Han Shuo walked over and tried to convince the others with a grave face that there was no need to brandish their weapons.
When everyone heard Han Shuo's words and saw Trunks' bedraggled condition, they hesitated for a moment and then withdrew the weapons in their hands. Water adept mage Aphrodite asked askance, "Han, what's going on?"
"I'll tell you later, how's Odysseus' wounds?" Han Shuo asked Aphrodite with a creased brow.
Casting an unfriendly glance at Trunks, Aphrodite opened her mouth to say, "There's no threat to his life, but there's a bloody imprint on his chest after the manticore struck him. His entire body is very stiff now and very odd. I feel that even if he recovers in the future, I'm afraid that the injury to his chest will affect his strength. He's just gone to lay down and rest."
Everyone's eyes were filled with hate and bitterness when Aphrodite spoke her piece and swept gazes over Trunks' body, seeming to want to draw their weapons at any time to give Trunks a thorough, painful beating.
"Han, can you tell us why you've brought this person? Oh, I know, you captured him alive in order to execute him in front of Odysseus?" Gordon stared tightly at Han Shuo as he asked with a darkened face.
Because of captain Odysseus' injuries, these people now had a hard to conceal hatred towards Trunks. Han Shuo could feel the anger within their hearts from their tones and expressions. If it hadn't been for Han Shuo restraining them just now, it was likely that Trunks would've suffered an immediate, furious revenge as soon as he'd appeared.
But Han Shuo now needed Trunks to lead him to search for the Fruit of Dagmar, therefore Han Shuo couldn't let these people hurt Trunks yet. Han Shuo hesitated upon seeing Gordon's vicious expression, and then explained what had happened.
When Han Shuo finished, Grodon laughed coldly and said loudly, "Screw that Fruit of Dagmar! Odysseus was heavily injured. What we need is no longer the Fruit of Dagmar, but this damned killer's life!"
"Han, do you want the Fruit of Dagmar, or revenge for Odysseus?" Elven archer Nia suddenly looked coldly at Han Shuo at this moment and asked him faintly.
The other adventurers all focused their gazes on Han Shuo in a moment, as if waiting for his answer. At this moment, Han Shuo suddenly felt a huge headache. He hadn't anticipated that Odysseus' injuries would be so severe, and definitely hadn't reckoned on these people's concern for Odysseus being far in excess of their care of the Fruit of Dagmar.
Han Shuo hadn't originally viewed these people as trustworthy companions originally. He'd come with them purely for the Fruit of Dagmar. He was a bit surprised by what was happening now, and was a bit touched by these people's friendship with Odysseus, but because he had already promised Trunks his safety, he was at a loss for how to handle the situation in the span of a moment.
As the person in question, Trunks hadn't said anything since arriving here. There was no trace of panic in his eyes, but he rather calmly took his measure of everyone's expressions. He suddenly opened his mouth now and said, "It looks like no one welcomes me, but I have a way to deal with Odysseus' injury. Are any of you willing to trust me?"
Han Shuo didn't wait for the others to speak after Trunks said these words and immediately asked, "You can help Odysseus?"
Nodding, Trunks said affirmatively, "Odysseus' injuries were a result of being clawed by the manticore. The manticore is my companion, I naturally know how to cure an injury at its hands."
"Follow me!" Having long since sensed Odysseus' breathing, Han Shuo didn't waste time in further chitchat and brought Trunks to one of the tents. He lifted open the flap to reveal a pale-faced, somewhat weak Odysseus.
A large hole had opened in the chest of the soft armor that Odysseus wore. It was now wrapped up in gauze, making it impossible to see the status of the wound inside. When Trunks and Han Shuo entered, so did Aphrodite and Gordon. The others surrounded the tent on the outside, on their guard against Trunks' lightest moves.
"Undo the gauze on the wound." Trunks instructed after walking in.
Ever since Trunks said he had a way to help Odysseus, the group of people hadn't said anything, as if waiting to see how Trunks would act before deciding their next action.
Gordon remained silent without a word, but walked towards Odysseus. He first woke Odysseus up, then undid the gauze on his wound beneath Odysseus' astonished gaze. A frightening injury to the point of seeing bone in his chest was revealed.
"Han, what's going on? Odysseus looked at Han Shou weakly and asked in confusion.
"Don't move and don't say a word. I'll explain to you when your injury stabilizes!" Han Shuo said softly as he drew nearer to Odysseus.
At this moment, Trunks took a flask of medicine from his space ring and poured out some red powder from it, slowly applying it to Odysseus' wound on his chest. He explained faintly, "The tail of the manticore has an extreme poison that paralyzes the entire body. The claws have it too, but it's not as strong as the amount on the tail. The powder I'm applying can remove the poisonous effects of the manticore's claws and increase the rate in which his injuries scab over."
"If you still want to obtain the Fruit of Dagmar, you'll meet the Medusa monster within that swamp. The fresh blood of a Medusa monster has miraculous properties for wounds. As long as we can kill the Medusa monster and obtain its blood, I promise that he'll have no aftereffects once we wipe it down on him. The speed in which the injuries of his chest will heal at will be even faster in the future." Trunks explained faintly as he flicked a glance at Grodon.
Looking at Gordon and then at Aphrodite, Han Shuo said calmly. "I think we need him to help us find the Medusa monster for us. What do you think?"
Aphrodite and Gordon looked at each other, nodding at the same time.