The big bearded man lay quietly on the ground, sunlight filtering through the canopy above and casting a slanted pattern on his face, bringing him a hint of warmth. In his mind's eye, he saw his daughter's smile and the worried look in her eyes as he left. He recalled the young man whose leg he almost broke, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, grateful that he hadn't actually done it.
As the light spots disappeared and shadows were cast over his face, Aflra squatted down and poked his cheek with a twig: "What are you thinking about? You're almost dead and still smiling so happily."
The big bearded man was taken aback for a moment, then relaxed. He knew whoever appeared here must not be ordinary, but it was better than dying in the jaws of a gray wolf. "I was thinking about my daughter. By the way, are you human?"
Aflra rolled her eyes: "Of course, I am. What else would I be? I'm a witch, how did you guess?"
The big bearded man chuckled: "The ability to scare off a pack of wolves all by oneself, aside from those legendary heroes, only a wizard could do that."
Aflra nodded and continued: "You're badly injured and dying. So, do you want to live?"
A glimmer of hope appeared in the big bearded man's eyes: "Of course, it would be best not to die. So, what does the witch want from me?"
"You're quite smart," Aflra smiled, "I need a subject for experiments and a bodyguard, and you seem suitable."
The big bearded man paused for a moment and said, "I agree, but before that, I need to see my daughter."
Aflra said with pity: "I'm afraid it's going to be difficult. The environment here is harsh, and I don't have adequate conditions for experiments. So, after saving your life, your appearance will change drastically."
"Will I become like the monsters in the legend?"
Aflra nodded: "Yes, most of your internal organs are damaged, eight of your ribs are broken, and your muscles are necrotic. If I had enough time and culture dishes, I could clone your organs and muscles, but I don't have those conditions now. I will replace your damaged parts with ogre genes, which have a high compatibility with human bodies."
The big bearded man sighed: "Alright, replace them. As long as I can catch a glimpse of my daughter from afar, that's enough."
Aflra smiled brightly: "So, we have a deal?"
"Yes," the big bearded man smiled, "From now on, I am your subordinate. May I ask how I should address you?"
"Aflra, just call me Aflra."
...
Aix thought he and his sister were safe because they had encountered a kind witch. But by this afternoon, everything had been turned upside down. Aflra brought back a man covered in blood, along with three headless ogre corpses. These bodies were dragged back by the evil-faced spiders, which scared Aix quite a bit.
As soon as Aflra returned, she locked herself in the small cave and never came out again. Aix and Aurora's dinner was fruit brought by the human-faced spiders; Aix suspected the fruit was poisoned and only let his sister eat after he tasted it and confirmed it was safe.
The next morning, the two children rubbed their eyes and got up to another breakfast of fruit. Aurora looked at Aix pitifully: "Brother, when will Sister Aflra come out?"
Aix was at his wit's end. If it weren't for the two big cats, Kelly and Phoebe, guarding them, and the dangers of wandering around the forest, he would have taken his sister and left. He worried that Aflra would use them for experiments one day, and the thought of being sliced made him shudder.
However, without Aflra, they couldn't survive, as neither sibling could make a fire. As for the two big cats, Phoebe was fine, at least she could hunt, while Kelly was utterly useless, good for nothing more than being cute.
Just then, Kelly quietly approached, nudged Aurora with her head, licked her face a few times, making Aurora giggle. In return, Aurora stroked Kelly's soft fur, which made her close her eyes in comfort.
With his sister's problem temporarily solved, Aix breathed a sigh of relief. The weather was warm and perfect for sleeping, but he decided to train himself to protect his sister and keep her safe from the evil witch.
He ran to the edge of the forest, picked up a stick, and started wildly swinging it around, imitating his father's sword dance. Phoebe lazily lay on the tree, watching the foolish human below. Soon, Aix was sweating profusely, and dejectedly threw away the stick. He plucked a blade of grass, put it in his mouth, lay on a rock with his hands behind his head, and enjoyed the sunshine.
He thought he would only rest for a while, but he fell asleep. Indeed, a salted fish would always be a salted fish, no matter what.
The cold voice of the Wolf Witch echoed through the hall, and the shadow wolves howled. Through her magical staff, the Wolf Witch could understand the language of the wolves. A few wolves reported that the humans had arrived at the Clearwater Lake at the lower level of White Fang Mountain.
The entire White Fang Mountain had two lakes: the Clearwater Lake at the lower level and the Ice Mirror Lake at the upper level. To maintain ecological balance, Alik had ordered that no powerful carnivorous monsters were allowed near Clearwater Lake to ensure the number of wild animals. However, the adventurers arrived here in just two days, posing a serious threat to Alik's plan.
The Wolf Witch frowned and ordered, "Inform all the wolf packs that we need a hunt."
Tietooth, the leader of the wolf pack, immediately objected: "No way, my lord, we have suffered heavy losses last time, if we do it again, I'm afraid..."
The Wolf Witch snorted coldly and stared at Tietooth with cold eyes. Tietooth did not back down and confronted the Wolf Witch. In the end, the Wolf Witch compromised and ordered him to inform the kobolds and jackals to act together.
The strength of the kobolds and jackals should not be underestimated, but they do not fully obey Alik's orders. The kobolds think Alik is a thief, and the jackals are naturally born bandits, difficult to control. However, if they can be persuaded to join, it will greatly reduce the pressure on the wolf pack.
Tietooth asked excitedly, "What if they don't agree?"
The Wolf Witch narrowed her eyes, her voice even colder: "Tell them that this time it's about the master's life and death. If the plan fails, the master will spare no effort to attack them. Of course, whoever kills a person, that person's equipment and weapons will belong to them. They will agree."