Chapter 4, The Lost Civilization
Moreover, it is not just this one strike; the stab at the red-haired area of the neck is also of great significance. It appears that both vital points were struck simultaneously, which instantly incapacitated the baboon demon.
This clearly exceeds the common knowledge of the underworld, and moreover, he does not understand what kind of knowledge cannot be passed down through intelligent minds or ancient books, rather than relying on such obviously unreliable methods as ancestral sacrifices
The majority of the burden capacity of the gray eagle is used to carry the head of the baboon demon, while the collected arrows consist of the heart, liver, and even a portion of the lung and other organs. Only a few pieces of the trunk meat were cut, and in addition, only half of a hind leg was collected
Yet on the surface he appeared calm, while in reality, he was repeatedly comparing the baboon demon with a small monkey in his mind
The term "sacrifice" has not only become extinct in the Age of Empires, but it also did not appear in the general dictionaries during the eras of the Second Federation and the First Federation, which preceded the empire. It can only be found in texts that study ancient cultures, and ordinary people would not encounter it at all
She is already quite exhausted, yet she still says: "It's fine, we must run quickly on this stretch of road to avoid leaving too much scent"
Gradually, this species spread across various star regions in tandem with the expansion of the empire
After running for a while, the young girl said, "Just hold on a little longer, the camp is not far away. Are you alright?"
This level of recovery ability is quite remarkable and is one of the qualities most valued by the Dragon Rider Camp. In wilderness hunting, the effectiveness of recovery often determines the life and death of both parties
The flesh and blood of the baboon demon should both be excellent sources of nutrition, yet the gray eagle and the flying arrow did not take much.
From the attire of the three individuals, it can be inferred that their tribe is likely still in a semi-primitive, semi-manual state. Based on this assessment, the most crucial factors for the survival of the entire community are safety and food
During the imperial period, that small monkey was a common species on the home planet, feeding on fruits and grains, measuring no more than half a meter in length, timid and cowardly, known as the baboon
There is a depression on the sternum of the baboon demon, where the skeleton is the thinnest, barely allowing the tip of a knife to pierce the heart, but only just enough to break the surface. This can be considered the most concealed weakness of the baboon demon, known only to the most seasoned hunters.
What perplexed Huangquan was that the gray eagle had completely severed the head of the baboon demon and was carrying it on its shoulder. The baboon demon's head was both large and heavy, making it impossible to carry anything else on its back.
The three individuals jogged along, and in the blink of an eye, over an hour had passed. Due to the presence of the baboon demon's aura, their journey was quite smooth, and they encountered no disturbances from wild beasts.
The physical exertion was too great, and my limbs felt weak. I did not go to gather the prey, but instead sat beside the underworld, resting while watching him, pondering in my heart: "Was it really just good luck?"
Fei Jian furrowed his brow, feeling somewhat perplexed. The two stabs were executed with utmost precision; however, Yao's hunting knife was not long enough, and even a longsword would be unable to pierce through the thick chest of the baboon demon to reach the heart.
The weakness of the neck, even the flying arrows are unaware of it. Naturally, even if he knows it now, it is of no use; the baboon demon moves like the wind and possesses immense strength. Encountering it, there is a nine out of ten chance of death, and only an extremely slim probability of striking its vital point.
Huang Quan felt every contraction and relaxation of her muscles, experiencing the flow of power within, which was surprisingly primal and instinctively sharp
Gray Eagle Road: "Stop dawdling, it's a rare opportunity to take down a baboon demon, hurry up and take action!"
The girl and the two hunters spoke the Imperial language, and although the grammar was somewhat peculiar and certain words were pronounced differently, it was undoubtedly the common language of the Empire. How could one, having been influenced by the culture of the Empire, end up living in such a primitive tribal manner
After running for several more kilometers, the three of them stopped. The young girl pointed ahead and said, "Look, that is the campsite of our settlement."
The arrow also came to its senses, drew out the hunting knife, and together with the gray eagle, dismembered the prey
The other organs are similar; their purpose is hardly discernible, yet the arrow is painstakingly taken away. Conversely, the quite useful animal hides are disregarded by both.
Our settlement has never killed a baboon demon before. This head must be taken back to be made into a totem, preserved permanently. In the future, when those large settlements send people here, let us see if they still dare to look down on us. The heart and liver are treasures for sacrifice, especially the heart and liver of the baboon demon, which are rare and precious items. By using them for sacrifice, the souls of our ancestors will surely manifest! We will be able to obtain a legacy, making our tribe a little stronger!
The young girl breathed heavily, sweat pouring down her body, and her form trembled slightly. However, her speed did not diminish in the slightest, resembling a cheetah as she swiftly ran through the rainforest. Branches, trunks, vines, and even the stems of some giant grasses became objects she could leverage for support
"Fortunately, can you hold on?" Huang Quan retorted
The corpse of the baboon demon remained largely untouched, and the gray eagle's eyes were filled with regret. He glanced at Yao, seeing the girl helping Huang Quan to his feet, and chose not to say anything. The current gains were still largely due to Huang Quan's stroke of good luck, so even the gray eagle refrained from expressing his displeasure
This time, Huang Quan did not refuse and held the young girl tightly, pressing himself closely against her and subtly adjusting his posture. In this way, the two of them became as one, allowing her to conserve a significant amount of energy while running
I did not expect that after ten thousand years, there would still be people who preserve the tradition of worship. From the words of the young girl, it is evident that they hold a particular reverence for their ancestors, and it seems that the ancestors also appear in some form to impart knowledge, thereby enabling their descendants to become even stronger
It is said that during the era of the home planet, when civilization had not yet fully evolved and technology had not yet dominated the hearts of people, the practice of sacrifice existed.
Once the prey had been gathered and the young girl had fully recovered, Huang Quan regarded her with a newfound respect.
Huang Quan sat quietly, her face as calm as still water, completely indifferent to the gaze of the young girl
The girl spoke with excitement, yet she did not notice the unusual expression on Huang Quan's face
With a heart full of doubts, Huang Quan lay on the girl's back as the three of them continued on their journey. He did not ask any more questions, as conversing during the journey would unnecessarily exhaust the girl's strength, and he had a premonition that these doubts could not be clarified with just a few words.
In the vast starry expanse, during the era of great expansion of the empire, numerous races were encountered, among which there were those that still retained their sacrificial traditions. However, most of these were primitive races that had not yet fully evolved, and were many thousands of years away from stepping out of their star systems.
The ferocious beast known as the baboon demon is a treasure from head to toe. With this hunt, the entire camp can enjoy a period of good fortune. Moreover, they will be quite safe for the time being, as the presence of the baboon demon's scent will deter ordinary ferocious beasts from approaching this place
Huang Quan looked around at the exceptionally tall blades of grass and the incredibly massive ancient trees, deep in thought.
Baboons may not be particularly conspicuous and do not possess significant lethality, yet they exhibit remarkable adaptability, move with lightning speed, and are exceptionally sensitive to danger. Consequently, the imperial army often brings along a group of trained baboons as natural sentinels when deploying to unfamiliar star regions.
Why should we not bring back the meat and skin, but only the head and internal organs?
From the perspective of the underworld, the heart is merely an ordinary muscle, not significantly better than the flesh of the chest or legs. Moreover, the livers of many exotic creatures often contain potent toxins; even if they are not toxic, there is no need to take that risk
Is there really a connection between the baboons here and the baboons of the Empire
After a little more than half a day, the Gray Eagle and the Flying Arrow finally completed their initial harvest of the prey
The Gray Eagle and the Flying Arrow lead the way, while Yao carries the Yellow Springs on his back, following closely behind them
The Gray Eagle nodded: "Indeed, luck is on our side. The baboon demon's attack was such that it essentially impaled itself on these two blades, striking precisely at the vital points."
The baboon demon is significantly larger than the baboon, with a weight difference of several hundred times, and its fur has a much stronger defensive capability. However, if we disregard the size, in terms of appearance, the baboon demon and the baboon look almost identical, except for an additional ring of red fur around the neck. More importantly, their vital points are also completely the same