A day passed, and night fell once again.
They only needed to spend one more night in the cave before setting out early the next morning.
Though the temperature was still very low, at least it had not snowed, so it would not affect their plans for the next day. With the sun out, the snow on the road would melt away, though snow would still remain on the mountains.
They slept peacefully through the night. No demons attacked the cave.
"I was really worried those goblins would attack." Mr. Freli let out a sigh of relief. Goblins were not particularly powerful monsters, but they were indeed extremely troublesome. He had once seen a village destroyed by goblins.
"Don't let your guard down. Goblins are cunning creatures. They might be lying in ambush along the road we have to take."
Goblins did not farm. They only knew how to plunder, occasionally hunt, and store food.
The carriage slowly made its way along the mountain road. After resting for a week, the Earth Dragon was lively again.
Their pace slowed once more, because dangerous ravines lay all around them. If they fell in, the rushing currents would sweep them away.
Still, it would not take much longer to get through this valley.
"We're about to leave the valley. There seems to be a forest ahead. Goblins love nesting in places like that." Kate warned the others, then sat beside the driver's seat and began watching the surrounding bushes.
The Earth Dragon pulled the carriage slowly into the forest. The trees here were not especially tall, and there was plenty of light. Because the snow had melted, the air was damp and cold, enough to dull one's judgment. Many scents were scattered away by the flowing water.
The carriage stopped because a tree in the distance blocked their path.
"I'll go take a look." Claire had just been about to get down when rustling sounds came from the surrounding bushes.
With a piercing howl, an arrow shot out from the bushes and lodged directly in the carriage canopy.
One could tell at a glance from that sound that it was a goblin.
Mel Carlo immediately became alert as well. If the canopy had not slowed the arrow down, it would have pierced through it and embedded itself in his head.
As the sounds grew more numerous, the carriage could not remain stopped. Turning around now would only make them slower.
Kate drew her sword and dealt with a goblin that charged at them, but more and more goblins seemed to be appearing around them. She was afraid she could not hold them off alone.
Another arrow flew in from nowhere and lodged in Kate's left hand. They were just as annoying as in the game: numerous, attacking frequently, scattered across the field, and difficult to eliminate all at once. While you dealt with other monsters, goblins would sneak in for an attack. They were the ultimate tormentors of the beginner stage.
"Get in the carriage!"
"Freli, drive through! Leave that tree to me!"
Mel Carlo issued two commands in rapid succession. His life in another world had only just begun; he did not want to die at the hands of goblins like this.
Kate cut off the arrow embedded in her arm and leaped into the carriage.
Freli snapped the whip, and the Earth Dragon began charging forward. Mel Carlo quickly climbed onto the carriage frame, stretched out his hand, and aimed at the fallen tree on the ground.
"Store!"
If System space failed to register it successfully, the Earth Dragon would crash straight into the tree, and then they would be surrounded and killed by the goblins.
Just as they were about to hit it, the system storage succeeded. The tree lying on the ground vanished into thin air.
Kate used her right hand to raise a wooden board inside the carriage and block the arrows flying in from behind. Then she swiftly moved to the front frame and used her sword in her right hand to block an arrow for Mel.
Cold sweat poured down his back. That arrow had nearly gone straight through his head.
For the first time, Mel Carlo felt the difference between this world and a game. If he died here, he likely would not revive as he did in a game. There would be no chance to make the wrong choice again. Once he made a mistake, this other world would delete his account for good.
"So this is hardcore mode!" Mel Carlo finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly retreated into the carriage.
The Earth Dragon soon passed through the forest and arrived at a flat grassland. Other than a few stones, there was not a single tree on the grassland. The snow on the main road had not completely melted, but only a little remained in the center and along both sides of the road.
This was not an especially northern region, so the snow would not remain for long.
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Freli kept driving the carriage onward. Only after they had completely left the goblins' territory did they stop to inspect Kate's injury.
They had to dig out the arrowhead, then clean and bandage the wound. If it became infected, it would be troublesome. They were still two days away from the next town.
Sweat began to bead on Kate's forehead. When she had first been shot, adrenaline had numbed the pain, but now that they were safe, the pain hit her all at once. She could only grit her teeth.
"Mr. Freli... help me dig out the arrowhead."
"But I don't have any anesthetic. I only have some medicine to stop bleeding."
Mel Carlo stood quietly to the side and carefully examined the system points. He called out in his heart, System, can I draw medicine? Can the system be upgraded?
But no matter how he tried, the system would not respond. From the very beginning, he had been abandoned. Even this system framework was a template unsuited for another world.
"Let's draw everything and see what happens."
Current effort points: 34991.
Every 10 points allowed one draw, and every 100 points allowed a ten-pull. If he gained another 9 points, these points would be enough for 350 ten-pulls.
But now was not the time to earn points. He could try drawing first.
"Please, there has to be something else in there. No instant noodles, water, chips, or cola. Give me some medicine!"
He prayed as he drew, but the more he prayed, the less he got what he wanted.
He stared at the points, then at the items, his eyes gradually growing numb. This was even worse than before. Even a single chocolate bean was worth more than a bag of chips.
He spent 30,000 effort points and ended up with nothing but a pile of chocolate beans.
[Chocolate Beans ×3000] Current effort points: 4991.
There were only forty-nine ten-pulls left. He no longer had any hope.
How he wished that a system upgrade would pop up right now. Even if it deducted every last bean, at least it would get Kate out of this predicament. It was not that he did not trust the medicine of this world; Mr. Freli simply had not prepared the right medicine.
More terrifying than a scammy system was a system that gave its host the cold shoulder—one that existed without saying a word.
He clicked another ten-pull and received [Packaged Instant Noodles ×10].
He closed his eyes and threw in all of his final thirty ten-pulls.
Obtained [Alcohol ×10]. Obtained [First Aid Bandage ×10]. Obtained [YunX Baiyao ×5]. Obtained [Disposable Anesthetic Injection ×5].
Current remaining effort points: 91. Storage: Wallet, Instant Noodles ×50, Cola ×50, Chips ×50, Bottled Water ×50, Felled Tree, Bandit's Knife, Alcohol ×10, First Aid Bandage ×10, YunX Baiyao ×5, Disposable Anesthetic Injection ×5... System: Just keep working hard, and leave the rest to fate!
At the same time as the system prompt sounded, the little system, vacationing on a sunny beach, casually edited a line of chicken soup on the system interface. "This is a pretty good saying. But why is the host in such a rush? Is he about to die? I really don't like working when I'm on vacation."
Mel Carlo stared stupidly at the system panel. Had he received a response?
The little system's simple line of chicken soup was taken by him as an important hint.
Sure enough, the system was not that simple. The system really had been watching over me all along. My efforts were not wasted!
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