Chapter 440
Chapter 440: Sorrow, Twenty Years of Cherished First Kiss Gone Just Like That?
Hog rode dejectedly on his dire wolf with his guards as they left Plague Town. However, as soon as they entered the swamp, his expression immediately turned joyful.
That shoe-horn face of his changed expressions as naturally as if performing facial art, making one wonder if there wasn’t a cunning goblin soul hiding beneath this gnoll’s skin.
“Lord Murphy, my mission is complete!”
Code-named “Pangolin”, Chieftain Hog cheered atop his dire wolf.
The guards beside him also showed relaxed expressions. These were all Hog’s die-hard followers. They might not have much fondness for vampires, but like Hog, they could understand how vile the contempt and exploitation from the Dark Mountain gnolls was toward them.
In comparison, the vampires of Transia seemed so warm and affectionate.
“Chieftain, can we finally retreat back to Smuggler’s Woods and ignore all the bad things happening outside?”
An astute personal guard said with deep feeling:
“These days have been too worrying. Dealing with these Plague Clan folks is much harder than living under Kenport’s command. We’ve already helped the vampires get all the defense positions of Plague Town, given them all the information they need. We shouldn’t continue anymore.
We can’t afford to offend either side!”
“Hmph, you’re thinking too beautifully,”
Hog said disdainfully from atop his dire wolf:
“Just a bit slow in the head. We’ve already chosen sides, my dear tribesmen. Right now, apart from following Lord Murphy to the bitter end, there’s no second path left for us on this land.
Forget it.
I don’t expect you to understand such complex matters, but the upcoming affairs indeed won’t require our tribesmen to mobilize in force anymore. You can finally live some peaceful days.
After returning, have Nash adjust the deployment, move the outposts near Cato backward, avoid too much contact with the Silans who will soon be camping there.
They’re different from Lord Murphy’s warriors, they don’t know the key role we play in this swamp battle. I don’t want to capsize in a gutter.”
“Chieftain, we don’t need to fear them at all!”
Another personal guard carrying a decapitation greatsword snorted, saying disdainfully:
“Thanks to your leadership, our barbarian troops are all well-fed and fully equipped! We have enough kobold geomancers, and we also have the skeleton army given by the Plague Clan.
I admit we couldn’t be a match for Lord Murphy and his warriors, but mere Silans? If they dare enter our forest, we’ll make sure they never return!”
“That’s what you say, but it would be miserable if we really fought,”
Hog sneered at this kind of inflated mindset. As a gnoll chieftain who had systematically studied continental history, Hog knew clearly that his clan’s current strength wasn’t enough to support their arrogance.
Perhaps the Silan expedition vanguard indeed couldn’t handle them, but once they truly provoked the Goldflower Kingdom, King Louis’s wrath would drown their tiny clan in an instant.
So…
Keep a low profile!
Must keep a low profile at this stage.
Moreover, looking at the current situation, being Lord Murphy’s dog isn’t bad at all!
The whole clan eats well, lives well, as long as they continue this correct strategy, following behind Lord Murphy’s invincible warriors and picking up some leftovers is good enough.
“Besides, don’t we have a big ‘inheritance’ waiting for us to claim?”
Hog let out a strange laugh, turning back on his dire wolf saddle to look at Plague Town, now shrouded in mist and no longer visible, he narrowed his eyes.
This town and this swamp…
Humans couldn’t possibly dwell here long-term. Even the toughest warriors would be driven to breakdown by the terrible environment of the Foul Swamp, but gnolls quite liked the dampness and mud here.
In other words, once Lord Murphy owned this place, he, Hog, could also benefit.
It would be wishful thinking for the entire swamp to be under his command, but having Plague Town in hand could instantly double the Blood Claw Clan’s territory and more. The clan’s core would be relocated here, while Smuggler’s Woods would become their frontier.
Hehe.
“Swamp Lord” Hog Gnawbone, now that’s a fantastic title.
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“The gnoll warlocks of Plague Town are contracting their defense lines. In the past 7 days, they’ve removed 26 outposts from the outer perimeter, leaving only some mediocre skeleton armies guarding there.
If they’re not preparing to retreat, this is enough to show these gnolls must be planning something big.”
On a giant dwarf tree sunken into the marsh in Foul Swamp, scout Amber lowered her spirit energy-enhanced telescope and said to Niuniu who was crouching vigilantly beside her:
“Our reconnaissance operation should come to an end too. The information collected now, combined with the defense map brought back by Hog’s Blood Claw Clan, is enough for Lord Murphy to launch a raid.
However, it’s regrettable that we still haven’t found the direction where the gnolls will march. The forbidden area deep in this swamp is vast, it’s hard to judge the specific route without personally going in…
Are you listening to what I’m saying?
Why do you keep staring at me blankly? Is there something dirty on my face?”
“Uh, nothing.”
Questioned thus, Niuniu coughed once and said seriously:
“You’re a scout and I’m not, I’m just here as a guard to protect your safety, of course I won’t understand what you’re saying. But seeing how confident you look, I guess you must have reached a complete conclusion, so, can we leave now?”
Speaking to this point, Niuniu uncomfortably moved his shoulders and complained:
“Life in this swamp is just too awful. I’ve had enough of this damn environment. Although not bathing won’t cause any effects, but my body is about to stink.
I’m a grown man and can barely stand it, really don’t know how you as a young lady can endure it.”
“What’s this supposed to be?”
Amber was amused by Niuniu’s “rich guy talk”, while packing things into her field pack, she said:
“During the early Ten-Year War, we were dispatched to fight mountain folk in the forests of Saxony region. Although that was forest, the environment there wasn’t much better than Foul Swamp.
I remember Natalie and I squeezed in a cave and endured like that for 2 months. After making it out of the forest alive I felt like my whole being had ascended.
Someone spoiled like you could never understand that kind of cruelty. Even being unable to bathe is considered torture by you. Niuniu, although you’re getting stronger, your mindset hasn’t changed.
Still a rich young master, almost like a playboy in my view.”
“Huh? I still count as a rich young master?”
Niuniu snorted, getting up to help Amber pack away the reconnaissance equipment set up on the dwarf tree trunk, he said softly:
“I’m already considered the rough type back in our place. If you had Little Ashina or Lady Aqua spend 10 days in the swamp unable to bathe, they’d probably go crazy.”
“That’s why I can never understand what kind of fairy-tale life you all live in your world.”
Amber sighed.
After several seconds, she asked:
“So, Niuniu, if I was born in your world, what kind of life would I be living now?”
“Oh, let me think.”
Niuniu shouldered his load and jumped down from the dwarf tree, his combat boots sinking into the mud.
He naturally reached out to hold Amber’s wrist and helped her down from the tree, even though Amber’s agility meant she didn’t need Niuniu’s help at all.
The two trudged through the mud toward the evacuation point, to regroup with the other 6 scout teams scattered throughout the swamp preparing to withdraw.
The swamp’s environment was naturally very poor, but it was very quiet here. Due to the existence of Plague Town, the nearby swamp beasts had all fled long ago, even bird calls were lacking.
To avoid detection, Niuniu and Amber could only advance with steps as light as possible. After about a dozen seconds of contemplation, Niuniu spoke to Amber:
“If you were in our world, you would receive the safest protection from your parents from birth, would have professional pediatricians regularly checking your health, would grow up in a warm home until age 3 then enter kindergarten to start general education, then elementary school, middle school, high school, university.
Study all the way until your twenties when you can choose to continue diving deeper into academics based on your interests and talents, swimming in the sea of knowledge, or choose to enter society and find a job that can support a family.
Maybe encounter black-hearted bosses, maybe unable to find opportunities to climb up due to mediocrity, but basic food and clothing would always be guaranteed.
Even if mediocre, could still live life in a way you want and that fits reality.
You would find a husband who loves you.
You would build a family with him and have children of your own, then care for them the way your parents cared for you, until they grow up until you retire and start enjoying your golden years, until walking the final journey amid the mourning of family and friends.
Actually there isn’t much difference between that side and this side.”
Niuniu scratched his head and said:
“I can’t really tell you what it feels like to live a life over there either, after all I haven’t even completed the first stage of life yet, I’m still a poor student.
Don’t laugh, but I’m very confused about the future.
Part of my resistance to my sister also comes from her too excellent resume, I feel I probably won’t be able to reach my sister’s level in this lifetime.
So when my grandfather said I was rotten wood, he probably wasn’t wrong.
Although I feel I’ve worked very hard, but the talent issue really can’t be helped.”
Amber didn’t respond.
She just listened very patiently, until after Niuniu spoke out his worries, Amber burst out laughing, she shook her head and said:
“You think there’s no difference between life in the two worlds? What a naive view, my warrior, my life here is completely different from what you imagine.
I’m an orphan.
Grew up in Hunter Camp No.16 in the Emerald Forest of Antani, the villagers took good care of me, probably because my father died under a wild bear’s claws while protecting the village.
Although I don’t have many memories of hunger from childhood, but even having a full meal wasn’t such an easy thing back then.
I remember by age 4 I was already very skilled at gathering fruits and mushrooms in the forest, playing wildly in the forest with Helu and other children is my most beautiful childhood memory.
No pediatricians, no warm home and no general education that you resist, I didn’t learn to write my own name until age 12 at the Avalon priest’s place, after that I just kept doing odd jobs helping at the Avalon Church cathedral.
I thought my life would follow that priest nun’s path, but the sudden rebellion and war disrupted all my plans.
I was forced to take up weapons and become a warrior I could never have imagined, I thought I would die in my first battle, fortunately I met Natalie.
If not for her, I probably would have died long ago.
I used to think such desolation and suffering was just the normal state of life, but after meeting you otherworlders I realized it’s not.
Life can be lived another way.
That kind of life is called happiness and fulfillment, for us, everything you’re familiar with and even resist is like heaven.
Niuniu
We really are people from two different worlds, perhaps we can never truly understand each other? I heard Grandma Marianne say, two people who cannot understand each other could never have a future that can be seen.
Maybe we’ve already gone too far, what do you think?”
Amber sighed regretfully, leaving Niuniu speechless.
He sensed that Amber seemed to be making some decision that would leave him regretful, he wanted to salvage something, even raised his hand but couldn’t speak.
He knew he really had no way to make any promises or guarantees to this “NPC” before him.
This was no longer an insignificant issue like “dowry” or “bride price”, as Amber said, there was an entire world between them
That was a distance that would make anything called “love” feel daunted.
Niuniu’s mood turned sour.
He suddenly understood why Sister Pomegranate always forbade him from getting too close to Amber, his sister who had been very clever since childhood probably saw early on that this ambiguity would eventually develop into tragedy.
Just like how Aragorn and Arwen’s love was not blessed by their people in Lord of the Rings, that couple faced the test of time, while Niuniu faced space, even more complex.
It was reality versus virtual.
So the two who were just chatting and laughing became silent now, walking through the swamp also became annoying.
Niuniu gripped the flail handle at his waist somewhat unhappily, but the next moment, suddenly a purple radiance burst forth behind them.
Niuniu and Amber whirled around, and saw a purple light shockwave spreading outward from Plague Town as its source. Before the two could react they were swept over by the radiance, causing no damage but they realized their position had been exposed, this was definitely some sudden and hidden detection spell technique.
Worse was yet to come.
As Niuniu quickly stepped forward and grabbed Amber, spreading wings to fly into the sky planning to break through, a dazzling spirit energy lightning bolt shot out from the high tower of Plague Town, fast and urgent, hitting the vampire shield guardian who had just taken flight.
The Tomb Guard’s resistance to spirit energy saved Niuniu’s life, but shattered his blood wings, making him and Amber fall from the sky.
Niuniu held the petite Amber tightly in his arms, curling his body to meet the impact, but unfortunately crashed right onto a protruding rock on the ground.
This impact made Niuniu’s vision go black, his health bar instantly dropping by more than half.
But under his protection, Amber was unharmed.
The two’s predicament didn’t end there, the gnoll warlock’s pursuit came right after, large numbers of skeleton armies chasing over from all directions, trapping them in place before Niuniu and Amber could break out of the encirclement.
“Follow me!”
Niuniu spat once, grabbing Kenport’s destruction flail and bone shield, activating the berserk technique and life drain carried on the weapon, transforming into a berserker charging in front. The sovereign-grade flail in his hand took away blocking skeletons with each swing, this spirit energy heavy weapon couldn’t be more suitable for crushing these undead creatures.
Amber wasn’t a burden.
Although this scout’s luck was really bad, but she did have combat power.
Wielding two witch hunter war swords, she followed behind Niuniu, the two’s nearly perfect coordination in battle quickly opened up a gap. Other scouts also quickly appeared to provide support, finally rescuing the two when the situation was at its worst.
The gnoll warlock’s pursuit stopped here.
Obviously Flesh Render didn’t plan to waste too much time on these insignificant scouts, this was just a small warning, but Niuniu’s condition had already deteriorated to the extreme.
He was already injured in the fall, then the berserk technique further drained his life force. After breaking free he collapsed to his knees, then crashed to the ground amid Amber’s screams.
The witch hunter scouts picked up Niuniu, frantically taking out various potions but were stopped by Niuniu.
Looking at his rapidly declining health bar, he realized this life really couldn’t be saved today. Tch, he had planned to challenge “completing the game in one life”.
Regrettably, in this real world, such a feat was too difficult, too difficult.
“Don’t bother, we’ll meet again in 3 days.”
Niuniu struggled to remove his helmet, he reached out to hold Amber’s hand, staring into her eyes, he said:
“My life is consumable, but yours isn’t.
I’d rather die 100 times than see you hurt again. You only have one life, if you were gone I would be heartbroken and might even leave Transia forever.
I’ve actually known all along what you’ve been waiting for me to say actively…
but I can’t give you a promise, Amber. It’s not that I don’t like you, as you said, we’re people from two different worlds, but I still have to tell you…
just over ten days ago, I rejected my junior because of you.
She was exactly the kind of girl who grew up like me as you described, we could probably understand each other but I rejected her without much hesitation.
Because I like you, Amber.
I don’t want to worry about what we’ll develop into anymore, I just know that when I was most confused in my life, I met a female warrior a hundred times stronger than me.
Compared to everything you’ve been through, what I was worried about is so laughable…
Ah, no time left, I’m about to die, let’s leave the rest for three days later. Remember to bring my equipment, these were not easy for me to get, if they were just lost like this, I would be mmph.”
His remaining rambling words were all stopped by lips carrying a sweet fragrance. In that instant Niuniu’s eyes widened, he realized his first kiss that he had carefully preserved for over twenty years was gone just like that.
Ah, he was no longer pure, and if this continued he would definitely be disciplined by his sister, but who cares.
With such thoughts, Niuniu closed his eyes, responding with actions to Amber’s heart that had finally been won back and become even more determined.
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A few minutes later, Niuniu sat up from the bed with a regretful expression, he took off his helmet, raised his left hand and looked at his fingers with a peculiar expression.
“Damn! Just a little more…”
The athlete slammed the wall hard, the commotion attracting several companions who were washing up at the time.
“I died,”
Niuniu told them:
“Had an accident, really fatal”
“Why the hell do you still have such a lecherous smile when you’re dead? Hey, have you gone stupid from playing games?”
“You guys don’t understand shit! Barbecue tonight! My treat.”
“Although don’t know what happened, but… hurray!”