C38 – The Confrontation in the Depths of the Deadwick
Wen Huaimu soared toward the source of the barbarian’s roar with his flying technique, his speed vastly multiplied. Soon, he reached a valley.
There, he could faintly make out panicked screams and pleas for help.
Could this be the group that had ventured into Deadwick?
His eyes narrowing, Wen Huaimu swiftly ascended a towering tree. Channeling his magic, he projected his psychic force toward the valley ahead.
The valley was narrow, barely ten ters across, strewn with bizarre rocks and scant vegetation.
At the base of a massive boulder, seven individuals huddled together, clutching wooden sticks and assorted items, warily eyeing the long-haired barbarian below.
The barbarian stood tall, his long hair cascading over his shoulders, nearly two ters in height, his body bare save for a large piece of animal hide wrapped around his waist. He crouched like a wild animal, incessantly whimpering as he darted from side to side, his fierce eyes fixed on the group above.
“Prof. J, what’s our move?” asked one of the seven perched on the rock, a group led by an elderly man past fifty with presbyopia glasses and graying hair, the very image of a scholar.
Among them were four young n and two won.
The speaker was a slender, bespectacled man from the group of n, noticeably the most delicate of the bunch. Even the two won appeared more robust than he. Should they scatter and flee, he’d likely be the first to fall.
“And you have the gall to speak? Weren’t you the one who claid barbarians were spotted last night?” retorted another young man in a yellow shirt, his disdain palpable, yet his gaze never strayed from the barbarian below.
“?” The bespectacled man was on the verge of tears, his earlier bravado now replaced by sheer timidity. Even if he survived this ordeal, facing the others again would be a challenge.
“Enough,” Prof. J commanded with authority, “We must stand together. There are seven of us against one barbarian. Surely we’re not afraid?” His words silenced any dissent. Tense and alert, they all kept a watchful eye on the barbarian’s every move, dreading an imminent charge in their direction.
“Don’t worry, everyone. Barbarians live with wild animals year-round and are definitely afraid of fire. Use any spare clothes and towels to start a blaze; we’ll scare him off,” the elder, wise from experience, quickly commanded.
At his words, several youths scrambled to produce an assortnt of clothing and silken items, treating Deadwick as if it were a playground rather than a wilderness.
Ard with lighters, they set their clothes ablaze and brandished the fiery mass at the barbarian.
True to the elder’s prediction, the barbarian recoiled from the fire, retreating several ters in alarm, reluctant to co any closer.
Emboldened by their success, the youths ignited more of their garnts, hurling them at the barbarian while howling. The barbarian, terrified, backed off over twenty ters before they ceased their assault.
“Prof. J, we’ve driven the barbarian back!” the young n cheered, relief washing over the two girls shielded among them. Though they still eyed the distant barbarian fearfully, the paralyzing terror had subsided.
“Don’t celebrate too soon,” Prof. J cautioned. “Barbarians are far cleverer than wild beasts and won’t easily give up on us. Quickly gather so dry wood and get a fire going. As long as we have the light, we’re safer.”
He didn’t let the montary triumph cloud his judgnt and continued to issue instructions.
The youths then noticed the barbarian hadn’t truly left but was lurking dozens of ters away, observing them intently.
Under the gaze of such a formidable ferocious beast, the group hastily agreed to the plan. They divided into two teams: one to keep watch, ard with the burning garnts, and the other to collect dry twigs and leaves.
Their survival through the night hinged on keeping the fire alive until dawn.
Perched in the fork of a tree, Wen Huaimu watched the unfolding drama with keen interest.
He hadn’t anticipated not only encountering the mythical barbarian but also witnessing the even rarer spectacle of a human-barbarian confrontation.
Should he intervene and help dispatch the barbarian, or simply observe the fray from a distance?
After a mont’s hesitation, Wen Huaimu chose not to act. After all, appearing alone as a youth even younger than the others in these perilous woods was a rarity akin to spotting the barbarian itself.
To avoid any complications, he opted to play it by ear. If the fire could keep the barbarians at bay, all the better. If not, he’d step in discreetly to lend a hand.
Amidst their anxious wait, the youths managed to collect the scattered dry firewood.
Prof. J was thrilled, quickly arranging the firewood into a semicircle around the large rock before setting it ablaze. Gradually, the firewood caught fire, casting a warm glow on the rock’s surface.
The sudden blaze startled the barbarians, who turned tail and leaped into the nearby forest, vanishing from sight.
Only then did Prof. J and his companions breathe a sigh of relief.
Despite the abundance of firewood, it wouldn’t last through the night.
With the barbarian threat abated, two girls and Prof. J stayed close to the fire for protection, while the four young n ventured further afield to gather more wood, ensuring their safety.
As ti slipped away, the sky dimd to dusk. Exhausted from a day’s toil and the earlier scare, they collected firewood with frayed nerves. Now, they slumped wearily against the rock, huddling near the fire to fend off the night’s chill.
Amidst them, Prof. J was a beacon of calm. With the fire’s safeguard, he even felt composed enough to jot down notes about the day’s exploration and the barbarians they encountered.
The two girls, full of admiration, clustered around Prof. J. The young girl with a sweet face and short, lively hair voiced her concern, “Prof. J, don’t you fear the barbarians?”
“Fear the barbarians?” Prof. J paused, looking up with a smile. “Rember this, as scholars, humans are the most intelligent of creatures, and it’s the ferocious beasts we should fear, not them. Why should I fear?”
“The barbarians are so fierce, and we’re no match for them,” the short-haired girl lanted.
“Fear not, children. The fire will keep us safe for the ti being. I’ve sent a distress signal via satellite; help will be here shortly,” Prof. J reassured them, smiling kindly.
“Really?” Both girls’ eyes sparkled simultaneously.
“Would I lie to you?” Prof. J chuckled, then turned back to jot sothing more in his notebook.
On the other side, the four young n hung on every word from the professor, grateful to still be alive. They were deep in thought, silently reflecting on their recent encounter with the barbarians, seemingly matured by the experience.
Perched atop a tree under the cloak of night, Wen Huaimu observed with an eerie smile.
The people below seed to believe they were safe, thinking the fire could fend off wild beasts. However, they were dealing with barbarians—creatures with at least a beast’s cunning and greater intelligence. Relying on the fire for protection was proving to be a challenge.
Wen Huaimu’s psychic force extended, sensing everything within a 350-ter radius. Hiding in a thicket 260 ters away, the barbarians crouched, their fierce gaze fixed on the group huddled by the fire. Despite their occasional fearful whimpers at the sight of the flas, they showed no sign of backing down.
The barbarians were driven by a vital purpose, and they were determined not to relent until their mission was fulfilled.
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