Chapter 45: I Am Xia Hong, Leader of Great Xia Camp [Here We Go] |
Just after nightfall on the second day, Shi Qing went to find Luo Ming to bid farewell.
The leaders of the five camps had already reached an agreement to cooperate with Yang and Li one last time at Redwood Ridge, attempting to lure out the Wood Puppet Abomination and finally eliminate it.
Luo Ming brought three Digging Realm experts and twenty-five Lumberjack Realm fighters. The other four camps also mobilized everyone they could. Compared to the previous four attempts, everyone showed much greater determination this time.
But none of this concerned Shi Qing anymore.
Boulder Camp had suffered heavy losses. Even if he wanted to help, he couldn't provide any manpower.
After wishing everyone success in slaying the Abomination, Shi Qing took his younger brother Shi Dong and set off through Redwood Ridge to return to Boulder Camp.
They also carried a bag of Crystal Fruits gifted by Luo Ming.
Interactions between camps were rare, so there were no proper roads between them. They usually traveled along Redwood Ridge's periphery.
Redwood Ridge was vast. Saying these camps were located around it wasn't entirely accurate - all nine camps were actually distributed only along its eastern side.
Each camp's territory along Redwood Ridge was roughly divided according to their positions. Rogge Camp, being the strongest, naturally controlled the largest area - nearly two thousand meters from north to south.
The other eight camps each had about five hundred meters.
South of Rogge Camp were four camps: Huang Zhao, Great Chuan, Boulder, and Great Xia. So from Rogge Camp, entering Redwood Ridge and heading south about three kilometers would bring them into Boulder Camp's territory.
Concerned for his camp's three hundred members, Shi Qing hurried back with Shi Dong at full speed. Three kilometers wasn't far, and they soon reached their territory.
"Whew... finally back. Let's hurry home!"
Though still in Redwood Ridge, stepping into their own territory eased Shi Qing's mind. But thinking about having to report losing three more brothers made his heart heavy again.
Just over half a month had passed since losing eight brothers in Great Xia's territory, and now three more were gone. Three months ago, Boulder Camp had sixteen Lumberjack Realm fighters - enough that he'd proposed hunting Frost Beasts.
The drastic change in their situation over just a few months felt like falling from heaven to hell.
As they walked, Shi Qing suddenly glanced back at the bag on Shi Dong's back.
"Second Brother, wait."
Shi Dong stopped, looking at him questioningly.
Shi Qing took the bag and hefted it, frowning slightly. "It's been over half a month - they must have finished the Crystal Fruits we left. This bag only has about a thousand pounds - probably not enough. Let's check the Crystal Fruit Trees first to see if we can gather more."
Shi Dong nodded, waiting as Shi Qing led the way toward the trees.
As camp leader, Shi Qing knew the locations of all six Crystal Fruit Trees in their territory and soon reached the nearest one.
But thirty meters away, his expression suddenly changed. He pulled Shi Dong behind a tree.
"Intruders!"
Shi Dong had noticed too. They both peered toward the tree.
Two young men were happily picking Crystal Fruits while three others stood guard below - five in total.
After studying their faces, Shi Qing first looked shocked, then confused.
"So young... which camp are they from?"
Being out at night meant they must be Lumberjack Realm.
But these five looked no older than twenty.
Even Rogge Camp probably couldn't produce five Lumberjack Realm fighters this young.
Could they be from a large or even massive camp?
No, that didn't make sense.
Shi Qing quickly dismissed the idea because all five wore simple animal hide skirts.
"Those five... are from Great Xia Camp."
Shi Dong's sudden words made Shi Qing freeze.
Fear welled up inside him as his view of the young men instantly changed.
"You mean those five might be..."
Shi Dong didn't speak, just nodded slightly.
Shi Qing swallowed hard, his heart skipping a beat. He moved cautiously, terrified of alerting the five.
He hadn't forgotten - Xia Ding's group was supposed to be dead.
Any camp losing all its lumberjack team members was essentially doomed.
Before going to Rogge Camp, Shi Qing had been certain Great Xia's people would either starve or fall to Abominations.
This scene gave him the answer.
Abominations!
Yes, it had to be Abomination-controlled.
How else could there be five such young Lumberjack Realm fighters?
"Quiet. Don't alert them. Let's go!"
At Shi Qing's signal, Shi Dong nodded, eyes glinting strangely.
They crept backward about twenty to thirty meters before Shi Qing finally relaxed, turning toward Pagoda Mountain.
"Leader Shi, where are you two going?"
A mocking voice suddenly rang out ahead, freezing both men in place.
Looking up, they saw a burly young man holding a hand axe, standing on a tree five meters ahead, watching them.
The young man's voice carried, making the five fruit-pickers immediately stop and run over.
Then two more appeared from each side, surrounding them completely.
Trapped by ten people, despair filled Shi Qing's face.
Ten Abominations - impossible for him and Shi Dong to handle.
"Leader Xia, picking our fruits is one thing, but now you want to kill us too?"
Shi Dong's sudden words made Shi Qing start.
Looking closely at the burly youth, recognition flashed in Shi Qing's eyes.
"You're... Old Ding's son?"
Xia Hong stretched, leaping down from the tree without leaving footprints in the snow. He walked slowly toward Shi Qing.
"Correct. I am Xia Hong, current leader of Great Xia Camp!"
Not Abominations?
This realization brought Shi Qing overwhelming relief, but his brief smile quickly turned to shock again.
"You're all... Lumberjack Realm?"
Xia Hong remained silent, but Yuan Cheng, Xia Chuan, Yue Feng, Lin Kai and the others couldn't suppress chuckles.
Youth being youth, they couldn't help feeling smug at Shi Qing's astonishment - especially Xia Chuan and Yuan Cheng, who held grudges from Boulder Camp's previous trespasses.
Xia Hong wasn't one to gloat over such things. He was more intrigued by Shi Qing's earlier expression changes - from despair upon seeing him to relief after Shi Dong identified him.
This curiosity even made him forget his original plan to teach Boulder Camp a lesson for their past offenses.
"Leader Xia, I haven't returned to camp in a while and need to get back. Let's meet again in Redwood Ridge when you're free, alright?"
But Shi Qing clearly had no intention of satisfying Xia Hong's curiosity.