Lin Fei stared at his stats for a while, but ultimately he couldn't make a decision. He decided to just take things one step at a time; after all, the critical moment hadn't arrived yet.
However, with the increase in his militia level, he had ten skill points that he needed to use immediately. In such a dangerous environment, any extra strength is a blessing. It seemed that learning swordsmanship or combat skills would be a good idea, and most people would choose that here. But Lin Fei hesitated and thought of something else.
So, while letting the data fade from his retina, he looked up at the others. He noticed that the young militiamen were still caught up in their earlier excitement. They looked momentarily stunned, then their faces turned serious.
This was not a good omen.
He signaled for Roman to help him up slightly, then asked, "Do you all think we're safe?"
His voice was not loud, but it made everyone there freeze. The surrounding area became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Lin Fei's authority was still palpable. These young militiamen had not forgotten who had guided them to victory. As it turned out, the young man's earlier alarming words were coming true. They suddenly realized it was indeed not the time for celebration. It felt rather bizarre to be celebrating when they were still in a precarious situation.
So, everyone unanimously stopped and turned their gaze toward him. Despite his weakness, Lin Fei had an aura that suggested he could lead them to victory.
Everyone thought so—even Freya let out a sigh. This was supposed to be her responsibility, but she, like her team members, had lost control of her emotions and momentarily forgot the responsibilities of her role as a leader.
Remembering this, the girl with the long ponytail couldn't help but show a look of self-reproach.
"Treat the wounds, clean up the battlefield, and remember what you learned in training. I shouldn't have to remind you," Lin Fei sighed. These greenhorns were even more inexperienced than novices, but their physical fitness was better than that of ordinary NPCs, though nothing compared to players. Hero templates are hero templates; just thinking about their initial stats and growth—never mind, it's better not to dwell on it.
Lin Fei rubbed his forehead in frustration.
Under his guidance, the young militiamen from Butchi quickly started to act. Indeed, the injured needed to be treated, and the skeletons of swords and armor were also worth recovering, especially since chain mail was far superior to their leather armor in terms of protection.
Others extinguished the bonfires under Lin Fei's instructions, which amused him—lighting bonfires behind enemy lines? He couldn't understand what these guys were thinking.
Freya, who was initially looking for tasks she could assist with since Lin Fei didn't know them well, soon realized that her help wasn't needed. The young man named Charlotte was handling things far more thoughtfully than she could.
She couldn't help but ponder whether the difference between Butchi and Braggs was so significant. Freya had never thought that city folk could be so much stronger, but now, in Lin Fei's presence, she felt a bit disheartened.
How could it be like this?
On the other hand, Miss Roman didn't have such concerns. She had already eagerly joined others in organizing the spoils. It seemed that this future merchant was quite interested in that.
Lin Fei noticed that the young troublemaker named Xia Feinis had gone to the unconscious Josen and looked up, asking everyone:
"What about Josen?"
This question stunned everyone.
For a moment, an unusual silence spread among them.
Indeed, they were all young people from the same village, familiar with each other, and considered good friends. Josen was the most timid among them, but they hadn't expected him to do something like this.
Even though he was coerced, such an act of betrayal had still caused them harm. It felt as though a rift had opened in their once innocent world, creating a breach of trust among them.
Even Freya was unsure how to handle the breakdown in relationships. She wanted to protect every companion, but Josen had not only hurt others but also deeply hurt himself.
The ponytailed girl wanted to speak up but lacked confidence to persuade the others.
If she spoke, the harmonious relationship between friends might be irreparably damaged.
Everyone shared the same thoughts. After all, they were merely naive young people, possessing both weakness and stubbornness. They hesitated and instinctively turned their gaze to the only outsider present: Lin Fei.
Our protagonist sighed.
"Miss Freya?" he asked.
"I—I don't know…"
"Then just bandage him up. I don't know if he'll stop bleeding, but he might die before sunrise," Lin Fei sighed. He wondered why he could be so calm; wasn't this his first encounter with death too?
Everyone sighed in relief. Lin Fei's command was clear, and they simply had to follow it.
This was a form of escape, but sometimes people need to rely on escape.
Meanwhile, Lin Fei gestured for Freya to come over. The ponytailed girl looked slightly stunned and regarded him with curiosity.
"Can you perform first aid, Miss Freya?" Lin Fei asked.
"Just call me Freya," Freya nodded. "I learned a bit from Captain Marden."
"Captain Marden? Really, that old guy also teaches first aid!" Lin Fei almost choked.
In the game, the first NPC to teach first aid in the Golan-Elson region was Dr. Bog of Ridenburg, who would give a quest to collect 50 bundles of flax, which was incredibly frustrating. Many players skipped Ridenburg and went straight to Braggs, where they only needed to pay ten silver coins to the Flame Temple.
Although the market price for 50 bundles of flax was not much different from ten silver coins, the process was much more troublesome.
This was a previously undiscovered secret! Lin Fei felt a surge of excitement but quickly became disappointed as he remembered he couldn't go back. What was he thinking?
He immediately lost his enthusiasm and felt disheartened: "Can you tell me about it?"
Freya took a deep breath and couldn't help but grit her teeth. She looked at him with annoyance. How dare he imply that her skills were poor! But since she was not one to hold grudges, she thought for a moment and asked, "What do you want to know…"
"Techniques and key points."
Freya didn't immediately answer but instead checked the injured girl lying on the ground. Roman had eagerly gone off to organize the spoils, leaving her behind.
Fortunately, the girl had only been scared.
She turned back to the young man with the pale face and hesitated. "Let me see your wounds."
"No need. I know my own injuries," Lin Fei replied.
"You…"
"Alright, what did you learn?" Lin Fei changed the topic.
"Mainly techniques for bandaging and stopping bleeding, as well as cleaning wounds."
Lin Fei felt a jolt, almost as if by telepathy. It wasn't through sound or text, but he clearly received a message:
"Freya is teaching you 'Field First Aid.' It will cost 8 experience points to upgrade to level 0. Do you wish to learn it?"
He let out a long breath. This was exactly what he needed! It was just like in the game, and he was thrilled to learn it. He hadn't expected to get field first aid, which was a pleasant surprise!
Field First Aid mainly focuses on stopping bleeding and preventing wound infection. It neglects environmental factors, with a significantly higher success rate. This was precisely what Lin Fei needed. In the game, only the Flame Temple's accompanying clerics could perform field first aid, and players from the theological faction were the most likely to learn it—other players had to grind for reputation.
But to think that Marden knew this—what a revelation. As he contemplated this, he accepted the request in his mind. Another message immediately followed:
"No matching profession found for Field First Aid. Which profession would you like to assign it to?"
This wasn't crucial, but Lin Fei assigned it to the militia profession. Although field first aid was a non-core skill for both militiamen and civilians, meaning it required double experience to level up, militiamen could upgrade their profession, whereas civilians as a base identity could not.
Skills can't exceed the level of their profession.
Freya patiently explained the key points of bandaging techniques, but the young man lying on the ground continued to stare at her blankly, seemingly not reacting to her words.
She was momentarily taken aback and then felt a surge of anger rising from within.
This guy wasn't trying to use this as an excuse to take advantage of her, was he?
The girl clenched her fists, her long ponytail trembling with her frustration. How could he be like this? How could he do this to Roman, who was clearly devoted to him?
Freya struggled to control herself, almost reaching out to slap Lin Fei, but instead, she just shook her hand in front of him.
If it weren't for the fact that he was injured, she might have kicked him. But at that moment, Lin Fei's expression cleared, and he regained his composure.
He sorted out his skills and felt a small sense of satisfaction—having first aid ensured better sustainability in upcoming battles.
Recovery capability is a crucial standard for a team's survival. Experienced players in the game never overlooked this, and Lin Fei was no exception. That's why he chose first aid over swordsmanship and combat skills.
But when he looked up, he saw Freya staring at him with evident dissatisfaction.
"What's wrong?" he asked, puzzled.
"Were you even listening?" the girl asked through gritted teeth.
"Of course, I've learned it," Lin Fei replied matter-of-factly.
"You—" Freya nearly choked. "I haven't even finished explaining, and you already learned it?" She scrutinized him with intense disbelief.
"Of course."
Freya was momentarily stunned, about to retort when someone shouted from the distance: "Boss, we can't stop Josen's bleeding. Come and check—"
Freya instinctively turned around but saw Lin Fei saying, "Perfect timing. How about I give it a try?"
"You?"
Freya's face showed severe skepticism.
"Help me over."
"Don't be reckless."
"Should I ask Miss Roman to help then?"
"Dream on. I won't let her come near you again, you shameless wretch!" Freya gritted her teeth as she refused but still went over to help Lin Fei up.
"What shamelessness?" Lin Fei was taken aback, wondering when he had earned such a title.
"You know exactly what I mean."
"Eh?"