Accompanied by a dull thud, the swamp giant let out an angry roar.
The two spells had bought them at least half a minute of time as the group stumbled forward, running in a panic.
The key to saving the entire team lay in whether the weak points of the group could hold out until the end. Charlie could already hear the labored breaths of the three girls in the team, gasping for air, their lungs burning from the intense exertion, feeling the pain and suffocation. They were on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
Charlie endured the burning sensation in his chest and used the brief moments between breaths to cast several spells, applying "Lightness" on the three girls and a "Mana Shield" on David.
"Host's lung capillaries are partially ruptured, oxygen supply is severely inadequate, heart overloaded by 20%! Please refrain from speaking and casting spells! Maintain breathing rhythm!" The chip warned repeatedly in his brain.
"Charlie, I love you!" David let out a strange cry from the front.
As the arrowhead of the team, David felt a bit nervous while charging recklessly across the wasteland, but reality didn't give him the chance to stop and cast spells. The rumbling sound from behind was growing increasingly urgent, highlighting the value of moving and casting magic, something he couldn't manage alone.
However, the dangerous situation hadn't been turned around by a few spells.
Charlie turned his head and the chip instantly processed a large amount of information.
The swamp giant stood 3.2 meters tall, covered with dark green water plants and twisted vines. Beneath the plants, its skeleton was not of a plant but of a razor-toothed, clawed beast. With each stride spanning nearly two meters, at its current pace, it would catch up to the last member of the team, Charlie, in about 40 seconds.
Charlie's perception of danger was exceptionally sharp. In fact, the chip had provided reference data, indicating that based on the swamp giant's current explosive power, its strength probably exceeded a ton, equivalent to a full-force attack from a formal knight.
He really didn't want to test its power with his own body!
Yet the situation in front of him was indeed orchestrated by himself; it was his decision to head towards the jungle area. Not to mention the relationships with his partners, he should bear the bitter fruit of his own making.
"Accelerate! If we can get out of the swamp, we'll be safe!" Charlie shouted from the back of the group.
The tremors of the ground grew stronger, and Charlie felt a putrid odor from the swamp giant. He didn't need to look back; the chip's feedback on the sound indicated that the distance between them had already closed to within ten meters.
"Charlie, there's a lake up ahead! D*mn it!" David screamed, suddenly slowing down.
Colin crashed into his back, cursing, "You idiot! How did you lead us to a dead end!!"
"Don't stop! Jump!" Charlie yelled with all his might.
His experiences on the ship had earned Charlie significant respect among this group, and hearing his judgment, they obeyed instinctively without questioning whether they could swim or considering what might be lurking beneath the water.
The three graceful bodies traced light arcs in the air, and the "Lightness" spell reduced their weight by 70%, allowing them to leap at least four or five meters.
The Gosta brothers made a desperate leap and plunged into the lake, swimming fiercely forward.
At that moment, Charlie suddenly found himself flying through the air, enveloped in a faint blue light shield, even though he was still a dozen meters away from the lake's edge.
Simultaneously, the swamp giant let out a deafening roar, its massive paw sweeping horizontally toward Charlie's midsection.
Even with the mana shield protecting him, he would likely be cleaved in two by the strike.
"Charlie!" Two heads floating on the water's surface cried out in despair simultaneously.
The Gosta brothers' minds went blank, unable to provide any valuable assistance; there was no time for magic, only the helplessness of watching.
In that extremely dangerous moment, Charlie's mind entered a state of absolute rationality, engaging in purely mechanical thought and casting aside all emotion.
In mid-air, he completed a quick turn, curling into a ball and drawing his bow to meet the giant's claws with the bowstring, murmuring the incantation for "Lightness" at the last moment.
The claws struck the bowstring, stretching it to its limit before snapping it instantly, causing the bow itself to violently tremble and tearing Charlie's palm.
In the next second, Charlie was sent flying like a ball.
The swamp giant stopped at the lake's edge, opened its arms, and let out an angry roar, surprisingly not charging into the water, perhaps fearing the depth or the potential monsters within.
"Charlie!" the Gosta brothers shouted, swimming towards where he had fallen.
In the cold, wintry wetland, the lake water was exceptionally frigid, and as they entered, it sent shockwaves through them, making them shiver.
Colin could swim, while David was only half competent, needing to rely on his brother's buoyancy to stay afloat.
The icy water stimulated Charlie's brain, and he bore the explosive feeling in his chest, kicking hard to break through the surface, gasping for air.
"Charlie, you're alright?!" the Gosta brothers exclaimed in surprise.
After surfacing, Charlie quickly assessed the situation and felt relieved that his biggest worry hadn't occurred—the swamp giant, after venting its frustration, was turning back.
The Gosta brothers were swimming towards him, while the other three girls were caught in a life-and-death struggle.
"Go save them!" Charlie pointed towards the lake, where a small splash was visible, with just a hand sticking out above the water, but he couldn't tell who it was.
The Gosta brothers suddenly came to their senses.
Charlie then dove towards the other side, where two heads were bobbing in and out of the water, unable to call for help, only the sounds of choking and gasping for air could be heard. Several pale arms flailed above the surface, a typical sign of drowning.
Charlie dove in, swimming like a fish, quickly discerning that the drowning individuals were Qianxue and Qingyan. From the looks of it, Qingyan knew a bit of swimming; despite being in trouble, she remained calm, trying to save herself, but she was entangled by the drowning Qianxue, and the situation was getting worse.
Charlie grabbed Qianxue's arm and struck her back with a hollow palm, forcing out several mouthfuls of water, then seized her hair to pull her out of the water.
Qianxue seemed to have found a lifeline, wrapping her legs tightly around Charlie's waist and gripping his shoulders with both hands, her eyes shut tightly as her body pressed against him, coughing violently while greedily inhaling fresh air—pure instinctive action.
With her clinging to him like this, Charlie was pulled underwater; if not for his exceptional swimming abilities, he might have also been in danger of drowning.
Behind them, Qingyan coughed a few times and gradually swam closer, breaking free from Qianxue's grip. She finally found her rhythm, and Charlie handed her his gnarled wooden staff. With the staff's buoyancy, she could float without further concern.
Seeing their close position, Qingyan smiled and said, "Qianxue fears water; you've experienced it, haven't you?"
Charlie then noticed how long and shapely the thighs tightly wrapped around his waist were, how smooth and delicate the arms draped over his neck felt, and how the budding curves pressing against his chest made it hard to breathe. His body involuntarily reacted, but the cold lake water quickly brought him back to reality.
Qianxue finally regained consciousness and, upon realizing it was Charlie who had saved her, her expression became complex. She then pushed him away and coldly said, "Why did you save me? Let me die! I don't want to live anyway!"
As she broke free, her legs straightened, failing to touch the bottom, and Qianxue began to sink. A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she stubbornly refused to reach out for help or call out, allowing herself to be pulled under.
Charlie pulled her out of the water, gently scolding her, "Don't be ridiculous! We're not out of danger yet!"
"What does it matter to you? My life is mine, not yours! You can do whatever you want!!"
Charlie frowned slightly, "If you keep this up, I'll hit you!"
"Then go ahead! Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Qianxue huffed lightly.
Charlie looked at her face, unsure whether the wetness was from lake water or tears. Her delicate features trembled, and through the dim light, he could see the shapely, alluring figure beneath the water, her bare skin pristine and captivating.
Perhaps sensing Charlie's unusual gaze, Qianxue felt somewhat proud, her eyes sparkling with a hint of challenge.
Qingyan swam up from behind, one hand resting on Charlie's gnarled wooden staff, the other on his shoulder, saying, "Let's get to the shore quickly! We don't know what else might be in the lake, Qianxue, you wouldn't want to become the lake monster's dinner, would you?"
Qianxue's expression shifted slightly, and she murmured in agreement.
With Charlie's efforts, the three swam towards the shore.
Qianxue was plump, and Qingyan was well-proportioned. Just a brief glance allowed Charlie's extraordinary mind to reconstruct their alluring figures. From both intuitive perception and various aspects of data, they were beautiful and flawless.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened until they prepared their bedding in the reeds. An area about ten meters in diameter was cleared, and the cut reeds were laid out on the ground, forming a few rudimentary beds.
Night fell, the clouds were sparse, and the night sky was dotted with a few scattered stars.
"David, Erin brought some insect repellent. Can you help me sprinkle it around?"
"Bro, I'm exhausted today. Can't you handle this little task by yourself?"
Colin stepped forward, forcibly pulling him up and gesturing to the side.
After the Scott brothers moved away, Qingyan quietly shifted to the side.
Qianxue said to Charlie, "You better give me an explanation. Hmph! I'm telling you, this isn't going to end simply. If you don't agree, I'll rush into the swamp tonight and die for you to see!"
Seeing that Charlie didn't respond, she muttered, "What?! You think I wouldn't dare?"
Charlie sighed, "This is your brother's request. He asked me to keep my distance from you for your own good. You are a key figure in the thousand-year empire; we ultimately don't exist on the same level."
"So it really was him! I've noticed him acting all sneaky these past few days!" Qianxue fumed, her voice filled with anger, "He's driving me crazy!!"