Chapter 2, Pursuit (II)

Asa found himself somewhat lost in the comfort brought by the suddenly arrived soup and campfire. To encounter fellow humans in this dense forest and swamp spanning several hundred miles, and to comfortably drink soup while replenishing his strength around the campfire, was an almost unbelievable stroke of luck.

The woman is likely around the same age as Asa. Although she is dressed like an adventurer, carrying a large backpack and wrapped in a dirty blanket, her fair and delicate skin indicates that she does not belong to the common folk. She carries high-efficiency rations, and the price of a purification talisman is enough for a common family to live comfortably for a month, suggesting that this woman is likely of noble status

The soup is excellent. Even the river water from the lizard swamp, under the effect of the purification talisman, becomes as clear and sweet as the purest mountain spring. When used to prepare a pot of beef soup, with the addition of salt, even the finest chefs in the city would find no fault with it. One cannot help but feel that this purification talisman is indeed worth a silver coin

"You are truly impressive. This is the first time I have seen someone brave enough to traverse the Lizard Swamp with only a single weapon," said the woman who claimed to be an apothecary, her expression one of admiration.

"How far is it to the Donau River from here?" Asa asked

Asa suddenly realized a method of escape. This is a highly efficient and promising approach. There is no need to set any traps, nor to create any illusions; it does not require physical exertion, and certainly does not waste precious time. All that is needed is to take advantage of this brief moment by the campfire, allowing the pursuers to waste a considerable amount of their time and energy.

Is that alright? The woman blinked her eyes; her eyes were not large, but her eyelashes were long, and the corners of her eyes were slightly drooping. Perhaps even when she was angry, there would still be a hint of hazy laughter flowing within them.

The bonfire was bright, and the eyes were dark. The glow from within cast a soft and warm light, yet Asa did not dare to look directly at it. He averted his gaze, took a deep breath, and tried to keep his tone as natural as possible. "I’m sorry, but I can’t. I have something very important and urgent to attend to"

If you wish to venture deeper into the swamp, you must crush the water mint and pyrethrum and apply them to your clothing and skin. Even if you have insect repellent, you must apply it, as there are several poisonous insects that are deterred only by the scent of these two herbs. " Asa said to the woman in a very serious tone

This discovery made his heart race violently.

I originally thought it was quite remarkable that I could explore the marshlands alone to gather herbs. The terrain and climate here are unique, and many plants only grow in this area. Therefore, even though my father has always disapproved, I still secretly came in. The woman spoke freely like a child without guile. Perhaps it had been a long time since she had seen someone of her kind, especially in such a perilous environment, which is why she felt no wariness towards him

Your life is actually exchanged for the death of countless other lives, so never give up hope for every bit of life.

Chewing a piece of the adventurer's biscuit given by a woman, he washed it down with meat soup, feeling the warmth radiating from the campfire of fortune. Asa sighed with a mix of satisfaction and helplessness.

It seems that any skill is developed through practice. No matter how difficult or contrary to human nature something may be, with enough practice, one will become accustomed to it, then proficient, and even immersed in it. With prior rehearsal opportunities, when Asa spoke the most malicious part of this extremely malevolent lie, his sentences were already quite fluent, and his voice steady; he just could not bring himself to look into those shining eyes. He used the motion of poking the campfire with a stick to disguise his gaze. With prior rehearsal opportunities, when Asa spoke the most malicious part of this extremely malevolent lie, his sentences were already quite fluent, and his voice steady; he just could not bring himself to look into those shining eyes. He used the motion of poking the campfire with a stick to disguise his gaze

Indeed, these two herbs do possess insect-repelling properties. Ever since entering the swamp, Asa has been applying them to his body. However, these two herbs are by no means as effective as the specially formulated insect-repellent oil from the Adventurers' Guild. During these three days, the first thing Asa does upon waking at dawn in the tree hollow is to carefully remove any poisonous insects, such as centipedes, that may be found in his armpits, groin, or even in his hair.

Is it good luck or bad luck? Asa pondered while sipping the meat soup

Walking west from here for about half a day, one can find several types of herbs unique to this marsh, which are believed to have special healing properties. Asa felt that his face was distorted, his voice was altered, and the meaning of his words was unclear. This was the first time he had told an extremely malicious lie to a very kind person, and it was to a woman.

It is better to tell the woman the truth and ask her to join forces against the pursuers. Although the chances of victory are slim, it is certainly better to wait for the enemy to tire than to resort to other methods. Asa contemplated how to phrase his words.

Regardless of whether it is good fortune or misfortune, since it has already occurred, one must, and can only, strive to guide the situation towards a hopeful direction.

Certainly, in the deeper parts of the swamp, there are only two types of poisonous insects that one should fear from these herbs

It would be great to have a wizard or a priest, even if it is just the most basic blessing, a few simple fireballs

Oh? Really? What kind of grass are you talking about?" The woman widened her eyes, and her gaze made Asa feel as if he were seeing the crossbow bolt that had shot at him five nights ago, almost prompting him to duck and dodge. The woman quickly rummaged through her backpack and pulled out paper and a pen.

The angle of the sword at her waist was excellent and precise, allowing her to draw it at the fastest speed. The hilt was tightly wrapped with fine hemp rope, a method employed only by seasoned soldiers, ensuring that even when the hilt was soaked in blood, it would not slip from her grip. Although the color of the hemp rope had not yet been stained by blood, the countless grip marks left from numerous strikes indicated that this sword was certainly not merely for show.

At this moment, the pursuer should be lurking in a tree hollow, watching the glow of the fire here. Even he must hide while the wyverns are howling and hunting in the night sky. However, as soon as dawn appears in the east and the wyverns return to their nests, he will spare no effort to rush here at an astonishing speed, following the guidance of fortune.

Is it just these two types of grass? They are everywhere, aren't they? The woman casually found them around the bonfire

The Dono River initially flows through a section of the Lizard Marsh with such turbulence that even fish cannot swim upstream. It was there that Asa was forced to come ashore and enter the Lizard Marsh. However, after winding around the Lizard Marsh, the river water becomes gentle and calm, and drifting downstream for just one day will lead to the small town of Brakada in the western part of the Empire

It was just the pale yellow flowers ... ... '' Asa mixed up the characteristics of several wild herbs and spoke nonsense. The woman diligently took notes.

Even if two people fight together, it is mostly just a path to death, and she might even become a hindrance, or perhaps not help at all. This method merely makes her death more meaningful, allowing oneself to gain more opportunities for escape. Asa searched her mind for every reason to justify her insidious trap.

Um... sigh. I saw a bull, no, actually two bulls... they were fighting each other, and one of them had an injury on its hind leg, sigh... no, it seems to be the front leg... no... it seems like... anyway, it was bitten and had a very serious injury. It was lying on the ground, almost dying. Then it went to eat some grass and applied it to its injured spot, and after a while, it got better. In a moment of desperation, Asa recalled a story about dogs fighting that he had heard from an old adventurer in his childhood. The meaning was not very clear, but he spoke more and more fluently. Then it went to eat some grass and applied it to its injured spot, and after a while, it got better. In a moment of desperation, Asa recalled a story about dogs fighting that he had heard from an old adventurer in his childhood. The meaning was not very clear, but he spoke more and more fluently.

Asa did not feel at all that he was worthy of admiration. He was completely unaware that the skin where the leech had detached was still bleeding; just a few drops of blood nearly attracted all the carnivorous fish in the swamp. Thus, he had to push a dead tree that had been toppled by a wild bull into the river, standing on it to float downstream in order to avoid the countless mouths below that were eager for him to enter the water. However, when several large crocodiles joined the fray, he had no choice but to clumsily make his way back to the shore. It was already dusk, and just as he was preparing to find a place to hide, he saw a flicker of fire, and then he encountered a fellow being he had never expected to meet.

No matter how much stamina is restored, it is still insufficient to shake off the pursuers in terms of speed. The campfire is warm, safe, and bright enough for any creature in the swamp to see clearly.

Eating such fine meat and drinking such excellent soup, even the most exhausted person would feel invigorated. Asa is well aware of his physical condition; after resting well for one more night, he will be able to take down a bull with his bare hands.

The bonfire is constructed with many large logs stacked together, arranged meticulously, using a mix of solid, dense dry wood and wet wood, ensuring it will burn until the next day. The heat of the bonfire can surpass human body temperature, making it undetectable to the bipedal dragons, eliminating the need to hide in cold tree hollows and burrows. Other wild animals and venomous creatures also dare not approach. Sleeping soundly beside such a bonfire will undoubtedly restore one's strength completely

However, even with her added, it would still be insufficient to deal with the pursuers. In life-and-death struggles, what matters most is not skill or technique, but rather spirit and fighting will. Even if one has been trained rigorously since childhood, if they have never heard the sound of an axe splitting into bone, never listened to the wails of someone cut in half at the waist who has not yet died, and never felt the sharp pain of an enemy's weapon traversing through their flesh, then they are ultimately only half-prepared. When faced with the threat of death, feeling that kind of pain that can immediately drown one's consciousness will lead to fear, retreat, and ultimately a loss of combat effectiveness. If one has never felt the sharp pain of an enemy's weapon tearing through their flesh, they are ultimately only half-prepared. When faced with the threat of death, feeling that kind of pain that can immediately drown one's consciousness will lead to fear, retreat, and ultimately a loss of combat effectiveness.

Even if he could take down five bulls with his bare hands, Asa still lacked the confidence to confront the hunter directly

There is no need to feel guilty. Even if I do not tell her and bravely go to my death alone, it would not lead to a good outcome for her either. Once the hunter discovers any trace of other humans in the swamp, it will not let them go.

The trunk of the tree was entwined with many small roots, straight and slender, resembling the pen used by the old adventurer behind the village. This suddenly reminded Asa of a profound statement he had once made, which undoubtedly elevated the earlier conspiracy to a philosophical depth. Asa felt he could now be at peace with himself. However, an overwhelming sense of disgust suddenly surged forth, leaving him feeling utterly fatigued

"May I ask, could you accompany me for a while? I plan to venture deep into the swamp tomorrow to search for new herbs, and this will be my first time going so deep into the swamp," the woman suddenly inquired. "Of course, I will pay you for your time." She brushed aside a few strands of her flowing black hair, which clung to her thin lips, forming a slightly awkward curve. Her heels gently rubbed against each other, and her feet were somewhat large for a woman, similar in size to Asa's, and she wore a pair of leather shoes commonly used by adventurers, just like Asa's. "Of course, I will pay you for your time." She brushed aside a few strands of her flowing black hair, which clung to her thin lips, forming a slightly awkward curve. Her heels gently rubbed against each other, and her feet were somewhat large for a woman, similar in size to Asa's, and she wore a pair of leather shoes commonly used by adventurers, just like Asa's.

Running at full speed for half a day should be sufficient to reach the destination. However, although it is much closer than anticipated, without a precise distance, there is no certainty. He is, however, quite certain that the pursuer can catch up with him within half a day. The chances of escaping directly are minimal.

What does 'approximately' mean?

The meat is of excellent quality. Using top-grade beef, it is air-dried and pounded into a dense meat floss, with the meat from a single cow fitting into a small pouch. When consumed, it is rehydrated in water, restoring it to delicious beef. This was a common ration for noble warriors during their expeditions

Oh, is that so? The woman showed no understanding of how to conceal the disappointment in her tone and expression

The sword at her waist is the Anka rapier, slender and long, hard yet resilient, lightweight and agile, primarily designed for stabbing. Asa recognized it, as it was always displayed in the most prominent place in his father's shop, allowing customers to exclaim in admiration at the sword and the price tag beneath it.

Not very clear, but not far, probably a journey of one or two days

Thank you very much. If I can find these few herbs and understand their medicinal properties, it will be enough to embarrass those old fellows at the pharmacy. The woman seemed somewhat excited, perhaps feeling that the two of them had developed a friendship, not just casually, but also speaking to him in a very friendly manner. I have long known that the world is so vast, and there must be undiscovered medicines. Yet those old fellows always rely on the works of their predecessors.

Once my achievements are recognized, not only will the potion laboratory take me seriously, but even the magic academy will pay attention to me. Perhaps the archbishop himself will inquire about these new herbs. Out of excitement, the round face of the woman flushed with two shades of red. Pointing to a nearby tree, she said, "Look, this is the type of tree; this is also one of my discoveries. There has never been any record of it in books, but I learned from many retired adventurers that it is quite common in the swamps. Moreover, I discovered that its sap has strong irritant and toxic properties; if it splashes into the eyes of a person or an animal..."