Early morning, in the wooden house at the northeast corner of Sandon Kaya.
Before going to bed, Joan had already refueled the charcoal fire and replaced the herbs for Uncle Hamsin. He recovered quickly and was able to walk this morning.
She curled up in the recliner habitually.
The village cleaning task was coming to an end, and Mrs. Tennyson organized everyone to go to the nearby woods to find wild fruits tomorrow.
Half asleep and half awake, she thought of the hunters who returned today.
The hunting was not smooth, the food was barely enough to survive, and something was following them, and everyone was worried about it.
"My name is Ken Bouvier."
This sentence floated in Joan's mind.
The hunters admired how brave the young gentleman was, and also sighed that it was the last time they met.
Joan shrank tighter.
Too many people died this winter.
In the early morning, the dawn was not clear, and the owls were still cooing.
The night guard issued a warning.
A monster smashed the village fence. Its tall body was covered with mane, and its pupils were bloodshot. It jumped onto the roof like a ghost and easily tore the chimney apart.
More people came out from behind, holding weapons and kicking open the wooden door one by one.
"Wake up, my child." Hamsin looked out the window. "Oh no, it's the Apostle of Qibing." He said, and quickly hid the person under the bed.
Qiong trembled all over. She remembered this name.
The Apostle of Qibing believed in death.
Their behavior was no different from that of bandits. They made a living by looting, and they would offer the lives of the creatures they went to to the old gods in exchange for more brutal power.
Hamsin removed two legs of the bed.
He used pottery jars and wooden boxes to cover the gaps one by one, and then randomly splashed some animal blood to create a sign that they had been robbed and no one was left alive.
Joan grabbed his hand from the gap, her eyes full of fear, and asked in a low voice, "Where are you going?"
She felt a pair of rough hands touching her face.
"Listen, child. I have to go to the altar, and the Winter Mother will bless you to live."
"No, don't go."
The Sandunkaya tribe serves the Winter Mother. Whenever there is a life-or-death situation, the elders will go to the altar to ask for the power of the old gods.
But they will not leave even their bones except blood.
"Hush, hide." Hamsin also showed reluctance and made a sloppy prayer gesture. "May the Winter Mother bless you for the rest of your life."
The entrance to the cave was blocked and the figure disappeared.
She didn't dare to shout to keep him, so she could only cover her mouth and sob.
There were shouts coming from far away outside, and the roof was stepped on by something heavy, and dust fell.
It was the same two weeks ago.
The bandits stole the food for winter.
Now, they have provoked the Qibing Apostles again. They are more cruel than giant hyenas, inhumane, and enjoy slaughtering.
Who will be left after tonight among the forty survivors?
Outside the window, orange flashed.
Qiong tried to hide back until she was close to the wall, and the wet soil had already covered her hair.
The shouts and screams gradually became louder, and the roars like beasts exploded in the village.
The light became swaying, and the charred ashes floated up to the night sky. The flames grew bigger and bigger, and the crackling sound mixed with the thick smoke spread out layers of heat waves.
The wooden door was kicked open.
A burly and tall black shadow came in with a battle axe, and his breath blew his nose hair.
He looked around, his eyes were cold, and he prostrated himself in front of the earth pit, gnawing on the cold porridge on the ground like a beast.
The strange chewing sound echoed in the room.
The Qibing apostles were all born in poor tribes. They lived in a very bad environment and were unwilling to waste any usable materials.
He made a huge swallowing sound, slowly picked up the axe and walked towards the bed.
Boom! The blade sank into the wood.
Qiong trembled all over, took a deep breath, and covered his mouth tightly.
Wow, swish——
The thick blanket was torn apart.
Qibing apostle rolled up his worn lining, and the stench instantly filled the room. He wrapped the new blanket around his body.
The weapon was pulled out with a rustle.
Qiong only felt cold hands and feet, sawdust fell in front of her eyes, and she saw the other party walking towards the door through the gap.
Hu——
The white mist exhaled tremblingly.
The hand pressing on the door frame paused, and a fierce face shrank back from the door, with blue cobalt eyes wide open.
Boom, boom, boom!
He bared his teeth, walked over quickly, raised the battle axe high, and split the bed with a bang.
The girl's scream came from the hole into the night wind.
But there was no response except the rising flames.
The eyes of the Apostle Qibing were bloodshot, and a strong impulse occupied his mind.
Qiong felt as if her calf was clamped by a hunting trap. She looked down and saw a black and bloody hand on it. A huge force dragged her out of the mud.
Swinging, roaring, screaming.
Her throat was suddenly pinched, and she was like a straw in the wind, about to break at will.
"Uh, ah——"
The Apostle Qibing suddenly shouted, and the loud sound like a bell seemed to lift the roof.
Qiong felt the pressure on her throat suddenly relieved.
She opened her eyes and saw a cold light across her head. It was not until the blood dripped on her cheek that she realized that it was a sword that passed through her shoulder.
The blade was pulled out while cutting the flesh!
The Apostle Qibing opened his mouth wide, his eyes were bloodshot, his tendons had been cut, and a hand opened from behind, reached into his mouth, and lifted it up with force.
"Cough, crack."
The strong man whimpered, and the swordsman was fully exposed under the firelight and moonlight.
Ken and Qiong met each other's eyes, and he looked at a baby bird with pity, fortunately nothing happened, and he just said calmly: "Close your eyes."
Qiong felt the temperature in this sentence, and felt the power that could suppress trembling and fear.
She curled up and slowly closed her eyes.
"Well, you, bastard."
The voice of the Apostle Qibing choked in his throat.
Like a fish swimming in the air, he cursed sporadically.
Qiong felt the temperature become real, until her fingers became sticky, she realized that the warm thing was spurting blood.
Then, someone gently hugged her and covered her with a thin blanket.
Ken embraced her and walked out.
In the room, the Apostle Qibing knelt on the ground, then his whole body went limp, his hands unable to stop the blood from oozing from his cut throat.
Kuima was already guarding the door.
With the help of Ken's gray vision, they avoided the firelight and went into the night, and found a pit near the village fishing ground for shelter.
[Reputation +20]
A woman named [Tennyson Sivi] held June in her arms.
Women, children and children all sobbed, and looking around, only a few people had sad faces.
Kuima choked in the crowd.
His expedition team set out half a month ago, but he didn't expect that when he escaped and returned, the village had suffered two disasters.
Various sufferings intertwined, reducing the air pressure in the cave to freezing point.
"Mr. Ken." June's call focused everyone's attention on the young swordsman. "Uncle Xin and the others went to the altar..."
Her voice was getting lower and lower.
The other party had no obligation to do so. As for saving his life, Ken had done enough.
Take the initiative to attract the looters.
Rescue and bring back the lost tribesmen.
Now he is risking his life to bring himself out.
The Santonkaya people are simple by nature. Several pairs of eyes looked at him, but no one asked for his help.
Ken said calmly: "Stay here, I'll go and see."
Quima wiped his tears and caught up. He held the axe tightly and showed a strong fighting spirit.
[Mission: Santonkaya in the Firelight]
[Progress: Survival 8/8]
[Kill: Enemy 4/15]
[Description: The outpost of the Apostle of Lacquer Ice is destroyed in the tribe. Find and kill them, and try to keep the fighting force. ]