Chapter 18 : Saving Them Along the Way
Chapter 18: Saving Them Along the Way
“Miss, run! They’re catching up!”
Among this group of strangers, the two warriors covering the rear had already been killed. A cluster of red dots on the map was rapidly approaching.
All of them were Demi-humans.
The warrior guarding the golden-haired girl’s right side drew his weapon, his face filled with terror as he looked back.
The Demi-humans moved with agility—leaping and bounding, they closed the distance to within a hundred meters in the blink of an eye.
A rough count showed there were more than ten of them.
At that very moment, the golden-haired girl tripped over a vine and fell to the ground, letting out a scream.
“Damn it!”
The two leading the way at the front retreated as well, trying to protect their young lady.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
The Demi-humans had already closed in.
The warrior guarding the girl stepped forward, gathering strength in his hands. With an angry shout, he slashed out a blade radiating dazzling red light.
Amid flickering sparks, the blade struck a Demi-human with thunderous force, tearing open his abdomen.
Blood gushed out.
But he too lost his strength, stumbling and collapsing against a tree behind him.
The enemies rushed forward, swinging their blades and cutting him down.
More Demi-humans bypassed him, closing in on the young lady behind.
The golden-haired girl dropped to her knees in despair.
“It’s over.”
Just as she thought all hope was lost…
Whoosh!
A stone axe whistled through the air from afar. With a loud *Duang*, it slammed heavily into the head of a Demi-human in front.
The remaining Demi-humans were startled and turned their heads, only to see one pitch-black creature after another rushing out from the dense forest.
Wolves!
Their bodies were far larger than ordinary wolves.
There were more than ten of them—not fewer than the Demi-humans.
And the two wolves at the very front were especially massive.
A faint trace of crimson lingered at the tips of their fur. When their sharp claws swung, afterimages even flashed in midair.
“Enemy attack!”
The Demi-human leader let out a shocked roar.
All the warriors were forced to divert their attention away from the humans.
Bang!
With a single pounce, the leading Dire Wolf instantly crushed a Demi-human’s body.
The Black Wolves behind it were no less fierce, each locking onto their targets and swiftly activating their skills before the enemy could react.
Under the influence of the Dire Wolf’s [Night Dominion], the entire wolf pack gained a 10% increase in attributes—a terrifying boost.
To the enemy, it likely felt as though opponents who were barely manageable moments ago had suddenly become overwhelmingly dominant.
In just one exchange, four or five Demi-humans were killed on the spot.
Ferocious fangs tore through their throats as if biting into tofu.
One noticeably stronger Demi-human roared, his muscles tensing instantly. His blade slashed out at extreme speed, piercing straight through a Black Wolf’s abdomen in a single strike.
But the wolf seemed not to feel pain at all. With a twist of its head, it bit down onto his arm.
As a Black Iron–level warrior, he was utterly shocked, already sensing the terrifying nature of these creatures.
It seemed… they felt no fear?
Though they had not yet broken through that threshold, they displayed extraordinary combat power.
He did not know that this was the comprehensive effect brought by Night Dominion.
Nor did he understand that when Loyalty generally exceeded 70, death and pain mattered far less than completing their master’s orders.
The Demi-human formation collapsed.
Caught off guard and having lost half their fighting strength, their resistance became chaotic and powerless.
In truth, the leader of the Demi-humans was stronger than the Dire Wolf—but he failed to react in time. In the first clash, he was struck heavily by a wolf’s claw.
Losing his balance, that gaping maw bit off his right leg, completely robbing him of his prized mobility.
Then two Black Wolves that had already targeted him rushed forward, biting into his vital points.
The entire battle was witnessed by the golden-haired girl not far away.
She was stunned.
The two remaining warriors under her command were equally dazed, their faces filled with shock.
“Saved?”
A pack of black wolves had saved them?
Supported by her subordinates, the girl was not foolish. She quickly realized that behind these wolves, there was very likely a commander.
Sure enough, when her gaze turned in that direction, she immediately saw a figure with a unique aura.
A young girl.
At that instant, her breathing hitched.
As a noble lady, Yilin had seen countless elegantly dressed socialites in her circle and had always been proud of her own widely praised beauty.
Yet at this moment, upon seeing this unfamiliar girl, an unprecedented sense of shock surged within her.
If she had to describe it, it was like a pure and holy beam of moonlight in the night—flawless and immaculate.
Her slightly Gothic black uniform dress was completely different from the aristocratic attire of this era. Under its contrast, the girl’s pure face and graceful figure were displayed in near perfection.
Too unreal.
What kind of human girl could command such a ferocious wolf pack?
Her elegance and beauty were utterly out of place in this bloody and terrifying slaughter.
It made one wonder if what stood before them was an angel descended to the mortal world.
Yilin felt the disparity and couldn’t help but glance back—sure enough, her guards were also frozen in place.
As all the Demi-humans were killed, the scene gradually returned to an ordinary calm.
“Miss Yilin.”
The voice of a subordinate snapped her back to reality. The girl quickly composed herself and said, “Come with me to express our thanks.”
“Yes!”
Including a butler, a guard, and two warriors, the four survivors accompanied their young lady to the beautiful girl.
“Thank you for saving us, beautiful miss.”
The one who spoke was the butler. With his white hair and formal attire, he carried a steady and mature demeanor.
Seeing him bow, Eluan—who was actually a bit nervous—maintained a relaxed and casual posture as she spoke, “It’s nothing, just something I did along the way. Why don’t you introduce yourselves?”
Supported by her guard, the young lady stepped forward slightly and gave a small bow. “My name is Yilin. My father is a merchant operating within the territories controlled by external races of the Empire. Due to a family crisis, we urgently need to find a high-energy mineral that exists within this forest to turn the situation around. Only I have mastered the related extraction techniques, so I had no choice but to personally lead my people into this risky venture.”
“I see. If you knew this forest was dangerous, why did you only bring so few people?” the girl asked.
Faced with the question, Yilin exchanged a glance with the butler beside her, a trace of helplessness flashing across their expressions. “To be honest, we originally had quite a large group. But who would have thought those Forest Subhumans would go mad and gather over a hundred to besiege us—there were even Bronze-level beings among them. Although we managed to drive them off in the end, we…”
“Bronze…”
A tier above Black Iron?
Eluan’s heart skipped a beat, though her expression remained calm. “If it’s that dangerous, are you still planning to go deeper?”
“Of course not. We don’t have the ability anymore.” The girl smiled bitterly. “The Black Tide is approaching. It will likely be difficult just to leave this forest. However…”
She looked at Eluan’s neat attire and then at the wolves, a thought stirring in her mind. “Miss, since you can command such a powerful wolf pack, would you be willing to escort us out? If we can leave, I’m willing to give you all the money I have on me.”
“Emm… how far is it from here to get out?” Eluan asked.