Chapter 11 - 10
They hid the iron collar on Fred’s neck beneath a scarf. Lumberling wasn’t sure it was enough, but it was better than nothing.
For the next few days, Lumberling and Uncle Drake laid low. After killing a Sengolio hunting squad, neither of them expected the enemy to send three Knight Pages to investigate so quickly. Thankfully, Fred acted as their insider, allowing them to avoid encounters.
Fred was just a common soldier with limited access to classified areas, but even so, he provided valuable intel.
Through him, they learned the makeup of hunting squads, their numbers, strengths, and usual patrol paths. With that knowledge, they stayed one step ahead.
"Ugh, I miss fried chicken delivery... I want Coke. Spaghetti... shit."
Lumberling muttered to himself while training his spearmanship. He often reminisced about Earth, where he could eat anything at any time.
For the past two months, they barely ate. Hunting was dangerous. Yet in the meantime, Lumberling honed his spearmanship, sprint, and concealment. He sparred regularly with Uncle Drake to track his progress and spent at least an hour a day studying the Sengolio language. They needed fluency to infiltrate the enemy camp.
The front remained quiet. It felt like both sides were amassing strength for an all-out assault. Fred continued supplying them with updates.
Eventually, Lumberling opened his status window.
Name: Lumberling
Race: Human