Chapter Seventeen: Danger in the Shadows
“Do you know where we are? A mountain area full of monsters! Follow me now, and I’ll take you home later.”
Looking at her brother who was carrying firewood with one hand, Su Jiu said with great seriousness.
“Big Sister, it’s not as exaggerated as you say. We’ve only encountered a few monsters without a rank along the way, and our camp has Lin Family guards…”
Su Xiao Yu scratched his head. He had just managed to appease the beautiful Lin Liu’er, so why would he leave easily?
Moreover, he genuinely felt that Su Jiu, who was covered in blood and wandering around, didn’t fear attracting monsters?
“But Big Sister, how did you get so bloody? I’ll get you some medicine when we get to the camp.” Su Xiao Yu looked down at the bloodstains on Su Jiu’s leg and said softly.
“No need. Just get some water and food… As for the guards you mentioned, are they War General level?” Hearing about guards, Su Jiu’s tone was no longer so harsh, and she continued to ask.
“Huh? Big Sister, War General level isn’t like cabbage, how could it be…”
“What? Sister Su Jiu actually followed me alone? I remember we invited you through Brother Xiao Yu too.”
Su Xiao Yu was about to say more when a delicate female voice sounded from not far away.
“…”
Su Jiu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a familiar face. The long sapphire blue dress highlighted Lin Liu’er’s tall and slender figure to perfection.
Compared to the travel-worn Su Jiu, she looked like a princess next to a general.
“Big Sister, I’ll go get you food.”
Su Xiao Yu felt that the atmosphere wasn’t quite right. He hugged the firewood and walked into the camp, disappearing in a puff of smoke.
“Did I just hear Sister Su Jiu questioning our Lin Family guards? Could it be that you’re worried Brother Xiao Yu will be in danger?”
Although Lin Liu’er called her “Big Sister,” her eyes were filled with disdain. Even though both Su Jiu and she had entered Class A, she always thought, “It’s great to have a mayor for a father.”
After all, Su Jiu was the last one to awaken, and with Mr. Huang’s cover-up, not many people knew.
As Lin Liu’er spoke, three figures suddenly appeared behind her: two big men and a tall woman.
They were all dressed in simple leather clothes and pants. The leading woman’s face exuded an unfriendly aura.
“Are you War General level?” Su Jiu continued to repeat expressionlessly.
“Little girl, War General level individuals are leaders in Huayang City,” Lin Wu glanced at Su Jiu and said coldly, “How could a War General level come to escort a bunch of brats like us.”
Hearing this, Su Jiu’s brow furrowed tighter. She coldly continued to ask, “Then are you Advanced Stage Warriors?”
Lin Wu’s face turned unsightly. She was only an Intermediate Warrior and had come to accompany her cousin Lin Liu’er during her vacation.
Moreover, she often came here when she was in high school, and there were no monsters around.
“Not even Advanced Stage Warriors… Leave here immediately before dark.”
Su Jiu took a deep breath and said with extreme seriousness. With so many people, she was afraid they would become a feast for the monsters.
“Tsk, my cousin can kill Scarlet Flame Wolves that are almost ranked, so why should we leave? We haven’t even encountered any slightly powerful monsters along the way.”
“On the other hand, Sister Su Jiu, you get injured fighting a low-ranked monster like a Mischievous Monkey. You should hurry home.”
Seeing Su Jiu like this, Lin Liu’er suddenly chuckled. She knew that although her cousin and they were all Warrior Class, they had experience hunting monsters, given their age.
Hearing this, Lin Wu and the other two looked at each other and smiled, clearly pleased by Lin Liu’er’s words. They were fundamentally different from these students in ivory towers.
Having experienced the baptism of fire and blood, would they be afraid of unranked monsters?
“Suit yourselves. I’m taking Xiao Yu with me later.”
Su Jiu didn’t say anything more. She smiled and sat down on the spot.
About ten minutes later, Su Xiao Yu reappeared in Su Jiu’s sight. He beckoned her, holding some food and a few bottles of healing medicine.
“Big Sister, the food is here.”
Seeing the medicine, Su Jiu pursed her lips. Although she wasn’t injured, her bratty brother still brought medicine, which moved her slightly.
But the next moment, Su Xiao Yu chuckled, put the items in a bag, and threw them to Su Jiu. Then, he opened a bottle of juice and handed it to Lin Liu’er: “Liu’er, you must be tired from talking so much. Here’s your favorite green apple juice.”
He was practically spoon-feeding Lin Liu’er.
Lin Liu’er was stunned. Normally, she wouldn’t drink it, but seeing Su Jiu there, she smiled and took the juice, giving a sweet smile: “Thank you, Brother Xiao Yu.”
Then, she provocatively winked at Su Jiu.
“What’s wrong, little sister Liu’er? Are your eyes not good? You keep blinking. Do you want me to help you rub them?”
Su Jiu faced Lin Liu’er and the others expressionlessly, then suddenly smiled, a trace of innocence in her eyes.
My foolish younger brother, are you pretending to be a good boy and driving up the price… You know that nice guys are at the bottom of the list.
“Big Sister, if you’re not camping with us, you should hurry down the mountain.”
Su Xiao Yu felt a hint of chill in the air and couldn’t help but shiver. It was only noon, why was it so cold?
“Leave here with me.” Taking a deep breath, ignoring Lin Liu’er’s gaze, Su Jiu said with a particularly serious expression.
Seeing Su Jiu’s expression for the first time, Su Xiao Yu shrunk his head, feeling inexplicably scared. But looking at the goddess beside him, he somehow summoned the courage and suddenly raised his head: “Big Sister, you go by yourself. It’s very safe here. Sister Lin Wu and the others are intermediate warriors who have learned martial skills, and they can even fight against a forest overlord like the Dark Night Tiger.”
Hearing this, Lin Wu and the other two straightened their backs instantly. Although they hadn’t actually fought the Dark Night Tiger, it didn’t prevent them from showing off.
“…”
Su Jiu’s eyebrows gradually knitted. Can’t this brother of hers mature a little? If he dies, who will carry on the family lineage for their deceased father?
“Sister Jiu, give this to him.”
At this moment, faint footsteps approached from behind her. It was Bai Qianyu, who had waited for too long. She handed Su Jiu the signal flare from Bai Chen for the two of them.
Su Jiu sighed, took the flare, and handed it to her brother, saying helplessly: “If you encounter danger, set it off. The Dragon Hunters patrolling nearby will save you, and I will rush over.”
“Pfft, if we really encounter danger that even my cousin can’t handle, will you rush over to be cannon fodder?” Lin Liu’er continued to mock, “Dragon Hunters? There won’t be any Dragon Hunters patrolling for these unranked monsters around here.”
“Noisy!”
As soon as Lin Liu’er finished speaking, Su Jiu gave her a cold glance and then continued to instruct: “Don’t wander around in the evening. If anything happens, contact me on QQ. If you get hurt, Old Man will be sad.”
Su Xiao Yu wanted to say something more, but meeting Su Jiu’s icy gaze, he swallowed all his words and softly replied: “Okay… Okay.”
Where did his normally weak and cute Big Sister go? Why did he feel a strange sense of pressure from her?
He had only felt this feeling once when his father took him to an Adventurer’s Guild banquet, from a one-eyed Uncle.
And that Uncle was a High-level Warrior who lived on the edge of a blade!
…
About another hour or two passed.
Several dark figures approached with heavy footsteps, their eyes glowing with a sinister light, their fierce gazes piercing through the grass at the group around the campfire.
They continued to lower their heads and tear at the Dark Night Tiger meat chunks that had been dragged for thousands of meters, their red eyes occasionally glancing at the sky.
As if waiting for something.
…
After parting ways with the picnickers, Su Jiu and the other walked into the mountains towards a pile of rocks. Seeing that the sky was already entering dusk, they had arrived at their destination for this trip.
“It’s an egg about the size of a water bucket. Go find it. Don’t use your Avatar; it’s too much of a burden on your body.”
Looking at the rocks that were illuminated crimson in the sunlight, Su Jiu had already activated her Ice Dragon Transformation, her vertical pupils scanning the surroundings.
“Okay.”
Bai Qianyu responded softly, without asking why Su Jiu knew that the fortuitous encounter was an egg.
In her heart, Su Jiu today was like a seasoned Dragon Hunter, shocking her in many ways, teaching her combat skills and how to use her Avatar.
Her techniques for killing monsters were sharp and deadly, making Bai Qianyu constantly doubt whether she and Su Jiu were learning the same thing at school.
She mused that she hadn’t even blinked during class.
