Ch. 74 - Tracking

"Bang, bang, bang!"

The sound of a spiked hammer pounding echoed throughout the woodland.

Continuous and unrelenting, like intense yet rhythmic drumbeats.

"Damn it! Why won't you die?"

Staring at the walking corpse that had lost half its head, its grayish-white brain matter already seeping into the soil, its neck so rotted that the windpipe was exposed.

Yet it still crawled toward Catherine, tearing at its vocal cords, emitting guttural "gurgling" moans.

Stonecrusher sat on the ground, drenched in sweat, too lazy to swing his hammer again:

"Never seen a zombie this tough to beat in my whole damn life!"

"You mean you want to kill a corpse to death again—

This shows that necromancer still has some skill, he just had the bad luck of running into us without preparing targeted spells beforehand."

As a scholar specializing in the study of 'life and death,' necromancers excel at infusing magical vitality into dead bodies.

Since they are essentially undead creatures, there's no reason for them to 'die' a second time.

The resilience granted by magic often allows them to struggle back up even after severe damage and continue completing their preset objectives, standing like an undying tumbler...

Unless a cleric shines holy radiance upon them, allowing these desecrated shells to find rest.

Otherwise, in a sense, they might be the most determined 'creatures' in this world.

"Save your strength. Recover a bit, we'll need to set out soon to find someone."

Tang Qi saw that the walking corpse, despite having its head smashed by Stonecrusher, remained stubbornly persistent. He could only have people bind it, then walked over to Melade on his own.

"Can we catch up?"

Stonecrusher was exhausted. Right now, he didn't want to chase anyone.

He just wanted to remove his heavy plate armor and take a long swig of starberry wine.

"We have to chase even if we can't catch up. Did you forget he can confirm our location?

'Strike while the enemy is weak'—otherwise, when he's fully rested and comes back for trouble, that unkillable walking corpse on the ground will be us."

Tang Qi slapped Melade across the face, startling awake the little white pig who could sleep through such commotion:

"Is—is dinner ready?"

He remembered when they first entered Dawnmist Forest, this pampered young master was cursing at the black wheat bread that was harder than tree trunks, refusing to swallow it no matter what, afraid of injuring his noble stomach.

But in just three days, he learned to enjoy that bitter, hard texture, claiming it was 'the most delicious food.'

And three full days of cursing had left his nerves rather frayed.

The first thing he saw upon waking was Tang Qi, and he reacted as if he'd encountered some terrifying monster, his pudgy face trembling:

"You—don't scold me anymore! I was wrong, I'm a useless burden, a fatty that should be cut up and rendered for oil, taken away to be made into grease—

I'm a black-hearted slave master who exploits his subjects, a stupid noble who doesn't deserve to live in this world!

I was wrong, I really was wrong, wuuuu..."

"How the hell did you condition him like this?"

Even Stonecrusher felt a bit sorry for him.

Tang Qi hadn't expected that three consecutive days of reproach would bring this sheltered young master to the brink of mental collapse—

Having grown up with a golden spoon, enjoying money and adoration, Melade probably never imagined a person's mouth could spew such filthy abuse.

Considering he'd still need his help later, Tang Qi decided it was time to ease up.

He first patted Melade's shoulder, startling him into a shiver:

"No, you're certainly not worthless."

"What?" Melade froze.

Tang Qi plucked a few strings, singing softly:

"Perhaps you've already felt lost, doubting and hesitating about your past life.

But life is full of such ups and downs, people must always experience growth.

Being useless doesn't matter much, find yourself a new dream—

How about becoming a 'hero'?

Go write your own glory!"

Melade admitted that Tang Qi's song was brief yet powerful.

For that moment, he actually felt genuinely encouraged.

But:

"Isn't my confusion because you called me fat?"

"Slander, pure slander! Let me help you recall the truth—"

Tang Qi shook his head, his song continuing,

"Think carefully, wasn't it Steward Huss who wanted you to lose weight!"

Remembering Huss's dying words about "losing weight" and his unwavering loyalty, tears threatened to fill his eyes again.

But then he realized the 'culprit' behind his current predicament was right in front of him:

"What exactly do you want?"

Seeing him pull himself together and able to communicate normally, Tang Qi didn't waste words.

He pointed at the bottled eyeball practically embedded in his shoulder, sleeping alongside him:

"Have it discern the direction and help us find someone."

"Why should I help you..."

Knowing he'd been kidnapped, Melade still couldn't help gritting his teeth.

"Because you don't want to die here."

Tang Qi didn't deliberately frighten him this time, but simply stepped aside to let him see clearly the writhing walking corpse on the ground,

"We were attacked. If you don't want to end up like him, watching your own skin rot and bloat, reeking of decay, we must find him within today."

Melade's legs kicked in fright, but he still wanted to be stubborn:

"But—but—"

"Hey, listen! You're a stupid pig, no doubt about it. But I'm not lying to you—

You're not beyond redemption, understand?"

Tang Qi patted his cheek, signaling him to be more alert,

"When you entered the forest, you also heard the iron hooves of the orcs.

You understand perfectly well that your territory will be plundered, and you're even more aware of how pathetic you looked abandoning your subjects to flee alone!

This shows you still have a sense of shame, still hope your reputation can improve—

Which means you still have a chance to change."

Melade was actually a very easy-to-read young noble.

He was young, naive, incompetent, yet also kind—

Genuinely kind.

It's just that his kindness differed from the morally upright Father Lynn.

Because he was deeply influenced and transformed by the 'noble' environment, his kindness had more of a 'looking down' quality.

So much so that when expressed, it didn't seem like mutual 'help' between people.

But rather human 'pity' for cats and dogs.

But at the root of it all, he still craved love, respect, even recognition.

Otherwise, he wouldn't always show "benevolence" toward Catherine.

"You also don't want to be looked down upon, to become that bastard noble who fled with his tail between his legs in everyone's mouths, right?"

Tang Qi patted his shoulder,

"Help us find that person, and everyone will know you saved the camp.

You'll be a 'hero' just like us, leading them to survival."

"I—I can be a hero too?"

Melade blinked, looking past Tang Qi at those commoners frightened by the struggling walking corpse.

This made him recall that night when he left Starberry Town—

That version of himself, as pathetic as a stray dog.

He hesitated for a moment.

Finally nodding:

"Then—then what do you need me to do?"

"Mount up first."

Tang Qi waved his hand, directing the others in camp,

"Stonecrusher, rest on the road. Catherine comes with us, in case that mage sneaks back while we're gone.

Anbi, you..."

He paused for a long moment, somewhat uncertain whether to involve a little girl in this sort of thing.

Even though she'd just displayed certain combat instincts.

"Anbi wants to go!"

When it concerned her father, she wouldn't let him off no matter what.

So she pointed at her nose, trying to prove her worth:

"Anbi can smell the bad person's stink!"

Damn, this was actually the assistance they urgently needed.

Otherwise they could only discern direction by hoofprints in the damp soil, which would inevitably slow their tracking pace.

Tang Qi nodded:

"Then we'll go together.

Mister David?"

He looked toward Old David, who had even tried to help them at the very start of combat,

"I'm afraid while we're gone, you'll need to take your pitchfork and keep stabbing this zombie until it stops resisting.

When we're back, I'll buy you a drink."

Old David looked at the zombie's terrifying face, his heart still trembling with fear.

But he understood he needed to gain this wandering poet's trust—

So he could continue living with his wife and children after reaching Longgold City.

So he agreed readily: "Leave it to me!"

"Father Lynn, you have prestige and people trust your words. Please coordinate camp affairs, don't let anyone wander off and get lost—and protect the camp."

"I'll take a few guards to bury the dead in the center of camp, then patrol within the camp. I won't let them stray too far."

Having arranged everything, Tang Qi had the camp's stable hand unburden the pack horses.

Since Melade had previously broken one horse, only three remained usable—

"Stonecrusher, I can't ride, you carry me."

The Poet's Academy didn't have courses specifically teaching 'horsemanship.'

After all, Dean Ulasan always liked to uphold certain strange traditions—

"Rushing too hastily always makes you overlook the scenery before you. We are wandering poets, we should measure the world with our own feet."

Hard to say it was without merit.

"As for you..."

Tang Qi looked at Melade's bloated figure and sighed,

"You ride one by yourself."

"Wait—"

The stable hand said somewhat urgently,

"Poet sir, my horse can't bear the weight of you two grown men."

Tang Qi looked at himself, then at Stonecrusher, comparing heights:

"How about you rub your eyes and look again?"

Stonecrusher stomped his foot, feeling Tang Qi was always targeting him:

"Just say it, when the hell did I piss you off?"

"From when we decided to compete and you got pissed first."

"Weren't you the one who started it? Fine, I was wrong, okay?"

"Okay, but I'm not changing."

"You foul-mouthed bastard!"

The stable hand quickly interrupted their conversation, explaining:

"Master Dwarf once requisitioned my horse, I still know his weight, not to mention he's wearing armor..."

Though dwarves are generally short in stature, their thick, dense bones and coiled muscles make them extremely solid.

Just Stonecrusher's exaggerated arms were nearly as thick as Tang Qi's thighs.

Tang Qi sighed, could only choose another plan:

"Anbi, we'll switch."

Kuru took up almost no weight.

And little girls are always light.

So Anbi sat behind Stonecrusher.

She stood on the horse's back with both feet, squatting down and gripping Stonecrusher's shoulders tightly—this way seemed more convenient for movement.

Meanwhile, Tang Qi was the first to mount the horse—

"Ha, compared to Catherine, I'd say you're the one acting like a woman!"

Stonecrusher wouldn't miss a chance to mock Tang Qi.

Who told Tang Qi he couldn't ride, and could only let Catherine control the reins?

So she could only sit behind Tang Qi, practically embracing him to maintain their balance.

That soft pressure against his back made Tang Qi suddenly realize this beautiful 'Dawnbloom' had more to praise than just her appearance.

But now wasn't the time to indulge in romantic thoughts. He retorted:

"Really? At least 'women' don't need a stool to mount up."

"Fuck off!"

"Anbi, discern the direction. Melade, have the construct lead the way!"

The little girl sniffled, distinguishing which scent represented the sweetness of flower nectar, which was the fragrance of soil—

She didn't take much time.

Because each fragrance had its own characteristics, making that stench of rotting corpses and blood smell stand out abruptly.

So she pointed north:

"That way!"

Melade closed his left eye, and the bottled eyeball on his shoulder was independently activated, flying first into the white fog.

Tang Qi held a torch as the three pack horses whinnied and chased after it.

"How does this construct work? Why do you close one eye?"

He couldn't help asking curiously.

"The Duchess linked my eye with it together. This allows me to use my thoughts to control its movements."

Tang Qi frowned, recalling the eyeball that had appeared in the orc tribe:

"Which means, to use this eyeball, you must have that Duchess cast the spell?"

"No. Normally no one can see the Duchess, so she acts through a written contract instead."

So it couldn't prove that the Duchess had a direct connection with the orc tribe...

As Tang Qi pondered, the eyeball flying at the front suddenly turned left.

"This thing isn't leading us wrong, is it?"

Stonecrusher said in surprise, somewhat hesitant whether to follow the turn.

Melade closed one eye and confirmed:

"It's not leading us wrong, rather we weren't maintaining a straight line forward earlier."

"'Halfling's lies'! My horse's head has been facing straight ahead the whole time!"

"The fog here has a hallucinogenic effect, it's easy to lose direction, resulting in 'you think you're advancing, but you're getting farther from your destination.'"

Tang Qi had personally experienced this mist.

That day he had guided the direction while Kuru held the torch high, only then escaping the forest depths.

Anbi also nodded, confirming:

"This direction is right—just then for that moment, my nose got mixed up with many scents. Now it's clearer, I can smell that stench!"

"Damn, without this little white pig, we'd really get lost in this forest?"

Stonecrusher couldn't help muttering.

These words reached Melade's ears. Though a bit harsh,

They also made him feel an inexplicable...

Warmth?

This seemed to be a kind of recognition, making him feel somewhat happy.

It would be even better if they didn't call him 'white pig'...

When he returned to Longgold City, he must eat less and move more, lose this belly full of fat!

Though the pack horses' galloping speed didn't match the 'Skeleton's' Phantom Steed, they were still horses capable of long journeys.

Therefore, throughout the journey, though they vaguely heard some rustling of leaves and howling of wild beasts,

They never encountered any real trouble.

This made their tracking remarkably smooth.

Tang Qi roughly estimated they had galloped north for about two hours.

Before them was always the unchanging trees, white fog, and scattered Dawnblooms.

But at some point, the Dawnblooms scattered everywhere, shimmering brilliantly, began gathering together in patches.

Until finally, they even formed a forest of flowers suffused with soft radiance.

"We've arrived!"

Anbi suddenly said.

Tang Qi raised the torch high, trying to see clearly the outline hidden in the night and mist ahead.

He couldn't help exclaiming:

"Why would he live in a place like this?"

That appeared to be a...

Temple?

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