Chapter 51
Filled with curiosity, Alex kept his gaze fixed on the beehive suspended above the tree. With meticulous caution, he began to ascend the tree, using the filaments from the space ring to shield himself.
Meanwhile, Jamu noticed Alex's climbing and grew increasingly enthusiastic.
"Wang! Wang! Master, what goodies do you have for me?"
Jamu's barking caught Alex's attention, prompting him to glance toward the source of the sound. He suddenly recalled that he had his canine companion with him. Lost in his eagerness for the taste of wild honey, he had momentarily forgotten the potential danger of wild bee stings.
With this realization, Alex carefully placed Jamu into the ring room, ensuring the dog's safety before continuing his ascent.
Jamu, suddenly finding himself in an unfamiliar place, couldn't help but become agitated. He darted around, searching for traces of his master's scent.
Wang! Wang!
"Master, where am I? Why am I suddenly in this strange place? Master!"
Seeing the distressed yellow sheepdog, Alex quickly projected his voice into the ring room.
"Don't worry, Jamu, I'll fetch you right away."
Upon hearing that familiar voice, the yellow sheepdog's agitation began to subside. Nonetheless, it continued to explore its new surroundings, its adventurous spirit stirred by this sudden change of environment.
Observing that his dog was no longer stressed, Alex was reassured and could now resume his climbing with a calm mind.
After a challenging climb, Alex finally stood right in front of an enormous wild beehive. The current situation was noisy and tense. If anyone else were in Alex's position, they would probably have succumbed to fright long before now.
Imagine having thousands of bees adhering to your body without any protective gear. Even Alex, who has lived two lives, shuddered slightly at the thought of swarms of bees nibbling at his flesh.
At this moment, Alex could feel the nearness of stings all over his body. Yet, before any of the stingers could pierce his skin, they were intercepted by a layer of filaments covering his body.
"Ahhh, luckily the ring space is still highly reliable!"
After acclimating to the sensation of being encircled by bees, Alex mustered the courage to begin cutting the beehive.
He deliberately refrained from using smoke to disperse the bees, deeming it unnecessary. He could now extract the beehive without obstruction, even without smoke and protective gear.
Moreover, as a dedicated "nature activist," Alex was intent on not driving away the bees and forcing them to abandon their hive. He had heard that smoking beehives caused the bees to become averse to their homes.
With that in mind, Alex proceeded to trim the outermost fifth of the suspended beehive using his specialized machete. The cutting process flowed smoothly, facilitated by the keen edge of the machete.
Alex was cautious, worried that any mishap could lead to inadvertently severing the nest from the supporting tree trunk.
Thankfully, Alex's apprehensions remained unfounded. He handled the beehive cutting with utmost care, driven by a determination to preserve it.
After completing the task, Alex promptly placed the cut honeycomb into the space ring.
Ensuring his safe descent, he walked a distance, causing the bees that had been trailing him to disperse and vanish.
Subsequently, Alex retrieved a small portion of the honeycomb from his storage space for consumption.
"Ummmm!" he exclaimed, his expression brimming with contentment. The rich, sweet flavor accompanied by the aromatic scent of grass and flowers rendered the experience of eating wild honey truly remarkable. Furthermore, a lingering hint of sourness at the finish left a refreshing sensation in the mouth.
Afterward, Alex strolled through the forest, and after a while, he recalled that Jamu hadn't been released from the ring space.
Alex initiated a connection with the ring space using his consciousness.
In the ring chamber, the yellow dog, Jamu, was exuberantly circling the floating artificial garden island. The dog seemed to be in high spirits, enjoying the comfort of its newfound territory. Despite the chill in the air, there was a sense of warmth surrounding it.
As Jamu continued his exploration, he reached a sizable tree and halted. Drawing closer to the tree, he raised one of his hind legs and proceeded to perform the "marking" ritual. Completing the action, Jamu nodded contentedly, seemingly satisfied with the mark he had just left.
Observing this through his heightened awareness, Alex couldn't help but feel a sense of bemusement.
He promptly retrieved Jamu from the ring room after the completion of the ritual. Jamu, sensing the abrupt change in his surroundings, became visibly unsettled.
Wang! Wang!
The yellow sheepdog slipped into a state of agitation once again, only to gradually calm down upon hearing Alex's reassuring voice.
"Alright, Jamu, settle down."
Upon hearing this, Jamu turned his gaze toward Alex with a quizzical expression.
Wang~ wang~
"Master, please take me back to that place quickly! It's so comfortable there, and I've already claimed it as my new base!"
With a satisfied and somewhat proud expression, the dog let out a series of barks.
Observing this, Alex remained unfazed and continued his exploration, accompanied by the persistent barking of the yellow dog, who seemed to have discovered a newfound fascination, akin to a child who had stumbled upon a new toy and was pleading with their parents to buy it.
…
Recently, Alex had grown remarkably acquainted with the depths of the forest. Consequently, he found himself increasingly inclined to explore its innermost recesses, bolstering his sense of adventure.
Moreover, during his expeditions, Alex encountered nothing particularly disconcerting. This lack of alarming encounters further emboldened him, increasing his courage.
Following his successful retrieval of the beehives, Alex stumbled upon a pack of wolves. Curiously, instead of feeling fear, Alex's interest was piqued. His body's shrouding of filaments ensured that none of his scents leaked out, effectively concealing his presence from the wolves.
In this instance, Alex desired to test the efficacy of long-range combat using various pistols and rifles.
Contemplating in this manner, Alex opted to trail the wolf pack to glean insights into their behaviors and patterns before resorting to gunfire.
After investing time and exercising patience, Alex's opportunity finally arrived. With this opening, he no longer enshrouded Jamu in space filaments. He directed Jamu to directly engage one of the wolves.
Jamu, receptive to Alex's command, felt a surge of excitement. Having previously been the weakest dog on the streets, he thirsted for power and longed to prove himself to Alex and himself.
The sheepdog lunged at the approaching wolves. Despite their collective awareness of the incoming presence, the wolves hesitated. Alex's removal of the filaments from Jamu's body had placed the pack on high alert. After all, the scent of a dog closely resembles that of a wolf, and the aroma of an unfamiliar wolf stirs territorial instincts.
Jamu, jaws agape, lunged at the wolf's neck, but the alert predator evaded in time, causing Jamu to latch onto the wolf's leg instead.
"Owl~ Wow~" The wolf's pained howl reverberated through the air as Jamu's bite took effect.
Observing Jamu locked in this encounter, Alex refused to remain idle. He raised his rifle with precision and took careful aim.
Meanwhile, the other wolves in proximity to Jamu were poised to join the fray, but their advance was halted by the explosive report of a gunshot and a speeding bullet-headed their way.
Bang!
The targeted wolf momentarily froze as the impact of the bullet surged through its body, before ultimately collapsing and succumbing to convulsions.
Despite Alex's attempt to minimize harm by avoiding vital areas, the intense force of the bullet triggered significant pain responses in the wolf's nervous system.
Jamu, unshaken by the explosive sound, acted swiftly by ensnaring another healthy wolf with his sharp claws.
Splat!
The clawed wolf was promptly drenched in a gush of its blood.
The pack's alpha wolf, witnessing this spectacle, hesitated momentarily before unleashing a fierce, resounding howl.
Upon hearing the alpha's call, the remaining wolves gathered their resolve, overcoming their initial tremors and instability. The alpha's dominance was the bedrock of the pack's unity.
In response, the alpha directed a series of barks toward Jamu, signaling the pack of a dozen or so wolves to launch a frenzied charge.
Realizing the imminent threat, Alex rapidly fired multiple shots to incapacitate the oncoming wolves.
Meanwhile, Jamu himself was far from idle, employing his claws and teeth to fend off his adversaries.
Yet, despite his valiant efforts, Jamu sustained injuries from the onslaught of the wolves. Relentless attacks left him surrounded and visibly fatigued.
Observing this, the alpha wolf's eyes glinted with ferocity. Without a shred of hesitation, it lunged recklessly at Jamu.
Alex, witnessing the perilous situation, felt a surge of urgency. He took direct aim at the alpha wolf and fired without delay.
Bang!
Alex's marksmanship was impeccable, leaving the alpha wolf no chance to evade the shot. However, despite being hit, the alpha wolf managed to adjust its trajectory mid-air, directing its hateful pounce toward Jamu.
Though gravely wounded, the alpha wolf's assault took a toll on Jamu as well. Recognizing the dire circumstances, Alex decisively picked off the remaining wolves from a distance.
"Huff, it appears I underestimated the prowess of wild animals..." Alex muttered, a tinge of regret evident in his voice.
Approaching Jamu, Alex assessed his condition. However, as he drew closer, one seemingly lifeless wolf suddenly sprang to life, lunging at Alex with jaws agape.
Reacting swiftly, Alex fired a shot toward the wolf in a desperate attempt. But the danger was far from over, as a pair of bright green eyes materialized behind Alex, poised to sink into his neck.
Alert to the threat, Alex swiftly swung the rifle in his hand, delivering a forceful blow that incapacitated the menacing wolf.
With caution, Alex scanned his surroundings, ensuring that no other conscious wolves posed a threat to his safety. Seeing that none of the remaining wolves were capable of combat, a wave of relief washed over him.
After checking on Jamu's condition, Alex sighed in relief upon confirming that the dog was unharmed.
To ensure his safety and gain a better understanding of his surroundings, Alex then extended his divine awareness.
However, as his consciousness reached a certain corner, Alex's body abruptly tensed.
Soon after, a voice broke the silence, its flat tone piercing through the air. "Nice dog."
The words sent a shiver down Alex's spine, causing his body to tense even further as he listened to the eerie sound.
...
thanks to: John_Carlo_Jalasco and realkiller11111 for power stone.