Chapter 7
Chapter 7: A Moment of Peace
***
My vision went dark.
The dagger pierced the left side of my abdomen, though the part that entered the flesh wasn’t very deep. At the crucial moment, an erupting ice crystal blocked most of the Knight Captain’s force, and the freezing mist had already made his body stiff in the final instant, otherwise this strike would have certainly gone clean through.
I covered the wound with one hand while the other held onto the sword hilt to prevent it from falling and causing secondary injury. Bright red blood slowly flowed from the wound, and I took deep breaths, fearing that one wrong breath would cause me to lose consciousness.
The knights rushing from behind were now close enough for me to see their faces.
It’s alright, I can escape. Just hold on, just need to hold on a little longer.
The Knight Captain lying on the ground had already been helped up by others. I gritted my teeth, and black smoke once again rose from beneath my feet, with a “boom” I flew more than 10 meters away. The forceful movement in that instant pulled at the wound, and I practically fell down, with a suffocating pain coming from my abdomen.
My face was pale, with fine beads of sweat appearing on my forehead.
“Ah…” I couldn’t help but cry out in pain.
At least this jump had widened the distance again, but it wasn’t enough. At my current running speed, they would soon catch up again.
Without looking back, I waved my hand, and large-scale ice crystals rose to the sky with “crack crack” sounds, the air suddenly condensed into ice mist, and frost formed on vegetation everywhere.
Once formed, the ice crystals could only melt naturally. Hopefully this would block the pursuers for a moment.
Enduring the pain, I quickly walked forward, black smoke rising as I leaped another great distance, while continuously releasing ice mist behind me during this process.
While being enveloped in black smoke and soaring through the air, my body seemed to be pulled by some force, moving very quickly. To ensure a safe landing, the adjustment movements required were quite large. After several consecutive leaps, I was pale, my teeth chattering, cold sweat dripping down my cheeks, tears flowing from the pain.
Continue, one more time.
Blood dripped onto the ground along my thigh. I paid no attention and had no thought of concealing the traces.
I had entered the forest now, just hold on a bit longer, walk a bit further in. I couldn’t collapse yet, I absolutely had to make sure they couldn’t find me.
But I really couldn’t jump anymore.
I limped toward the depths of the forest, every step pulling at the wound, stopping to catch my breath when the pain became unbearable. After moving forward intermittently for some time, I looked back again to see vegetation growing densely behind me, with no sign of the knights.
Now I should have completely shaken them off, finally allowing my heart to relax.
This forest was somewhat like a tropical rainforest, with all kinds of fantastically shaped ancient trees frightfully large, the damp ground covered with leaves and weeds. Each step either landed on moss-covered, sharply angular hard stones, or slippery mud and rotting wood, making it very uncomfortable for my bare feet.
The air around was quite humid and hot, with vines crisscrossing in front, making progress even more difficult.
Might as well rest then.
Time was approaching dusk, and it seemed that before long, the sky would be completely dark. The complex terrain plus the cover of night was undoubtedly something very good for me.
I found a blue stone to sit on and took off the cloak. I didn’t know what material it was made from, but it felt very exquisite to the touch. I hadn’t looked carefully before, and only now suddenly discovered that this cloak wasn’t actually completely white. In the middle upper portion of the cloak was printed a very beautiful pale golden flower, surrounded by a circle of complex patterns, though the color was quite light and hard to notice without looking closely.
The bearded swordsman’s cloak was too long for me, perfect for tearing off a part to bandage the wound.
I immediately grabbed the hem, compared it to the position of my calf, then tried to tear it open.
I tried to tear it open!
I tore!
…What kind of stubborn cloak is this, how is it so tough.
Tilting my head puzzled for a moment, then my right hand condensed a sharp ice crystal, stabbing and slashing at the cloak, spending a great deal of effort before finally managing to cut open the hem.
So tired, this cloak’s quality was really too good, it seems this world’s textile industry is very advanced.
Wiping away the cold sweat on my forehead, I twisted the torn cloth into a strip and bit it between my teeth, took a deep breath, and gripped the dagger’s hilt with both hands.
“Huff——”
Slowly exhaling, with a resolute look…
Taking another deep breath.
I took several deep breaths.
“…”
What should I do, I’m afraid to pull it out.
Before when watching TV, whenever someone encountered a similar situation, there would always be another person crying out desperately not to pull it out! They would die if they did! Then that injured person who originally wasn’t in much danger would indeed faint after pulling it out.
Would it be that after I pull it out, blood would gush out uncontrollably like in TV shows, then my eyes would roll back and I’d never see tomorrow’s sun again?
I was somewhat afraid.
But leaving it in wasn’t an option either.
Seeing that the sky was about to be completely dark, after agonizing for a long time I finally made my decision, pull it out!
I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and the hands gripping the sword hilt suddenly exerted force, pulling out the dagger.
“Mmph——!!”
The intense pain made me groan, large beads of sweat flowing down my forehead.
The wound that had already stopped bleeding began flowing with fresh blood again, though it wasn’t as dramatic as I had imagined. I quickly spat out the cloth strip I had been biting and wrapped it tightly around my waist covering the wound.
The knights of this era were still quite honest, their weapons didn’t have lethal designs like barbs or blood grooves, and the stab wasn’t deep, so it probably hadn’t injured any internal organs. As long as I stopped the bleeding there wouldn’t be any major issue, it just hurt.
After bandaging the wound, I put the cloak back on and lay back on the blue stone resting for quite a while before feeling some strength return, finally able to continue forward.
I struggled to stand up, looking at the cloak that now only reached my ankles, nodding with satisfaction. Although I had torn the hem into ragged, uneven strips that didn’t look very good, at this moment I had nothing else to cover my body with, so I didn’t mind anymore.
Every breath was filled with natural essence, with no more enemies. The dark cloud of death that had been looming overhead dispersed, and as the tense nerves finally relaxed, I felt both thirsty and hungry.
There were many edible things in the forest, but the current urgent matter was to find a water source. Just thinking about water made my mouth feel increasingly dry.
So I forced myself to be energetic, closed my eyes and listened carefully. For a moment, the soft sound of wind brushing through leaves and the rising and falling bird calls and insect chirps, nature’s sounds were like a symphony playing by my ears, with the sound of flowing water like a sweet-toned accompaniment, faintly transmitting.
On the left!
I followed the sound forward, passing through countless intertwining vines. Soon after, the view suddenly opened up, and a clear stream appeared before my eyes.
After gradually getting used to that uncomfortably powerful sensory ability, its effects had fully manifested. Without these unusually keen senses, I probably wouldn’t have survived to here, let alone found a water source so easily.
I hurriedly walked over, and two small deer resting by the stream were startled and jumped away, though they didn’t go far, instead curiously observing this uninvited guest.
The stream water was clear to the bottom, I scooped up a drink, and after feeling no strange taste, gulped down several more big mouthfuls, the cool stream water sliding down my throat with a slightly sweet taste.
After quenching my thirst, I also washed the mud off my feet, stood up and looked toward a tall tree standing nearby, which had green fruits growing on it. Taking advantage of my agile body, I climbed up in two or three moves, picked a fruit, wiped it with my hand and took a bite.
The fruit’s taste couldn’t be called fragrant and delicious, even somewhat sour and astringent, but it didn’t affect my current peaceful and content state of mind.
The giant tree’s branches were strong and powerful, extending outward in all directions. I leaned against one of the trunks, slowly eating the fruit in my hand, humming an unknown tune.
Night had fallen deeply, moonlight spilled through gaps in the leaves, with points of stars adorning the night sky in brilliant colors.
This world had two moons, one large and one small hanging in the celestial vault, rendering the night scenery serene and clear.
Ah, I had come to another world.
This moment’s feeling was incomparably real.
The night forest was filled with a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Deep fatigue from the great battle came over me, I threw away the fruit core in my hand, found a comfortable position for myself, preparing to rest well.
Then I saw torch lights flickering in the distance.