Chapter 69: Xia Chuan Awakens |
"Brother, it seems like there's a lot more in my mind now..."
Before Xia Hong could speak, Xia Chuan, who had already regained consciousness, spoke first.
"What kind of things?"
Xia Chuan didn't answer directly. Instead, he extended both hands with a strange expression, palms facing upward, then closed his eyes as if concentrating on something.
After a short while, two wisps of black energy suddenly rose from his palms.
The black energy swirled for only three or four breaths before gradually dissipating. After the dissipation, a three-inch small knife and a bundle of transparent threads appeared in Xia Chuan's hands respectively.
"Aren't those the Wood Puppet Abomination's things?"
Yuan Cheng, being straightforward, was the first to shout out excitedly.
Xia Hong naturally recognized these as the Wood Puppet Abomination's possessions too. Unlike Yuan Cheng's excitement, he looked at Xia Chuan with concern instead.
"Brother, don't worry. I've gained tremendous benefits, hahaha!"
After laughing heartily for a while, Xia Chuan noticed Xia Hong's expression and quickly comforted him. His excitement didn't diminish but rather increased as he continued: "There's a puppet inheritance in my mind, along with vast amounts of information about various wooden plants. It must all come from that Wood Puppet Abomination!"
Inheritance, small knife, threads.
Xia Hong recalled the three golden lights from before and suddenly understood.
The Wood Puppet Abomination's three signature abilities were puppetry, threads, and the small knife.
No wonder Yang Ning and Li Hu had been so obsessed with the Wood Puppet Abomination.
This time, Xia Chuan might have truly obtained tremendous benefits.
If he could fully master those three things from the Wood Puppet Abomination, Xia Chuan's future growth potential would likely be limitless.
Yuan Cheng, Yue Feng and the other three couldn't help but look at Xia Chuan with envy.
Xia Hong wasn't as excited, mainly because his understanding of Abominations was limited. But judging from Yang Ning and Li Hu's reactions, these things Xia Chuan obtained shouldn't pose major problems.
Even if there were side effects, they should be within controllable limits.
Having figured this out, Xia Hong stopped worrying and instructed everyone to rest first.
"Alright, don't celebrate too early. We don't know if there are any side effects yet. Let's rest first. When night falls tomorrow, we'll return to camp."
Dawn had already broken. After working hard all night, no one was in the mood for talking. Once Xia Hong took the lead to rest, the others followed suit and lay down to sleep.
Soon, the wooden house was filled with waves of snoring.
But mixed within these snores were also a few soft sobs.
Luo Ming, sitting by the coal stove, couldn't fall asleep no matter what.
Thinking of his wife, eldest son Luo Yun, father Luo Feng, and the over thousand people who died last night, his expression twisted in agony, filled with self-blame.
"Father, don't be sad. Cheng'er is still here, the camp is still here. The Wood Puppet Abomination has been destroyed. We won't be in danger anymore!"
A childish voice sounded by his ear. Luo Ming turned to see his eight-year-old youngest son Luo Cheng had somehow come to his side.
Seeing the clearly visible tear stains on his young son's face, he knew the boy must have been crying too. Yet despite this, the child still remembered to comfort his useless father.
Luo Ming could no longer hold back, pulling his son into a tight embrace.
While his heart ached, he couldn't help but feel immensely fortunate.
This fortune came from still having his youngest son Luo Cheng as his sole remaining offspring.
It was pure luck - perhaps because children were harder to impersonate, the Wood Puppet Abomination had only killed adults in the wooden house, leaving many children alive. His youngest son Luo Cheng was one of them.
"Cheng'er, father swears I won't let anything happen to you again. Definitely not. I want to see you marry, have children, and live to a hundred."
Holding his son, Luo Ming spoke slowly. These words seemed directed at himself, and also at his deceased wife and eldest son, his expression filled with determination.
………………
Daytime lasted only four hours. After exhausting themselves all night, everyone easily fell asleep.
As night descended again, everyone gradually woke up.
But upon waking, they noticed five neatly arranged leather bags by the coal stove, with Luo Ming standing beside them.
"All five leaders, please come over!"
Looking at the bags' shapes, Xia Hong immediately knew what was inside, but said nothing, simply following Hong Gang and the other three leaders to stand before Luo Ming.
Seeing the five approach, Luo Ming wasted no words, first bowing deeply and respectfully to them with sincere expression:
"During this disaster at Rogge Camp, thank you five leaders for your righteous assistance. Luo is endlessly grateful. Without your help, our camp's casualties would have been even more severe. This Frost Beast meat isn't much, but please accept it as token of gratitude from everyone at our camp!"
Xia Hong showed no particular reaction, but the other four leaders looked down at the Frost Beast meat, obvious desire flashing across their faces. Yet none stepped forward to take it.
After exchanging glances, straightforward Hong Gang finally stepped forward, shaking his head: "Leader Luo, while we'd like this Frost Beast meat, truthfully speaking, we four didn't contribute much this time. As the saying goes, one shouldn't take rewards without merit. We four should be exempt."
Then he changed tack: "The one who truly helped greatly was Leader Xia alone. If he hadn't come to Redwood Ridge to warn us beforehand, the Wood Puppet Abomination might have slaughtered everyone in your camp before we even knew.
The valley battle later also relied on Leader Xia's Concentrated Fire Oil. Whether we'd even be standing here otherwise is questionable.
So if thanks are due, they should go to Leader Xia alone!"
The other three leaders nodded in agreement, clearly sharing Hong Gang's stance.
Luo Ming gave a light smile, first showing gratitude toward Xia Hong, then looking up at Hong Gang and the others, shaking his head: "Leader Xia deserves thanks, but so do you four. Setting aside tonight's events, some time ago you four honored my request by cooperating with Yang and Li's matter. Luo remembers this kindness. This Frost Beast meat - Leader Xia should take it, and you four must accept it too."
After speaking, he directly picked up the bags, presenting them one by one to the five leaders.
Xia Hong nodded without pretension, stepping forward to accept the bag Luo Ming handed him. Having risked his life all night, this small amount of Frost Beast meat was naturally something he deserved.
Each bag contained about a thousand jin of Frost Beast meat - five bags meant five thousand jin total, no small gesture.
Seeing all five accept the meat, Luo Ming finally smiled, then nodded toward Shang Ping before speaking again: "As Leader Hong said, tonight we owe everything to Brother Xia Hong. Without his advance warning, Rogge Camp likely wouldn't have these hundred-plus survivors.
Later against the Wood Puppet Abomination, without his Concentrated Fire Oil, forget rescuing others - even I, Luo Ming, might not have survived.
Therefore, I've specially prepared a grand gift for Great Xia Camp. Brother Xia Hong, I hope you'll accept it gladly!"
As Luo Ming's voice fell, Shang Ping, Li Baihe and Xu Kang each carried a leather bag to stand before Xia Hong.
Thud... Thud... Thud...
Three heavy impacts sounded as the bags hit the ground.
"Leader Xia, since you can't immediately find coal and iron mines, these three bags contain five thousand jin of coal and four thousand jin of iron in total. Please accept them!"
Hearing this, Hong Gang and the others couldn't help swallowing hard as they glanced at the three bags, then looked up at Luo Ming with shocked expressions.
Even Xia Hong couldn't help looking up at Luo Ming in disbelief.
Comments 2