Jackalmen

"Wait?"

Rein turned his head and found those deep, starry emerald eyes fixed on him.

But there was no killing intent in them.

Rein relaxed slightly and asked, "Is there anything else, Miss Ymir?"

"..."

Ymir frowned.

After pondering for several breaths, as though she had made some decision, she finally said, "This is the Bakenya Highlands. Are you really planning to cross it alone?"

The Bakenya Highlands?

Why had she emphasized that place name?

Rein was unfamiliar with it. The Ice Ridge Wasteland was vast beyond measure, with countless minor place names.

Naturally, he had not taken it to heart.

Of course, Rein could not let her see through the fact that he did not know the terrain, so he put on a calm front and said, "Of course. As you can see, I'm a Scavenger who likes traveling alone."

"..."

Ymir watched his clumsy act and lightly pressed a hand to her forehead.

Sure enough, this fellow had no idea what kind of situation he was in.

After a pause, she explained more bluntly, "What I mean is, the Bakenya Highlands are one of the Empire's most infamous danger zones. There are many High-tier Demonic Beasts here. Few Scavengers who haven't advanced to Third Tier Demon Hunters would come this way."

After saying that, she looked at Rein with a strange expression.

"A danger zone?"

His mind felt as though it had received some very strange information, and for a moment, he could not process it.

Rein's first reaction was: Is this woman trying to scare me?

Then he heard her continue, "Half a year ago, the Scavenger Guild's famous Feathered Serpent Scavenger Team was wiped out near here. Their captain was Mecasi, a renowned Contract Mage among Fourth Tier Transcendents. And where we are now happens to be deep within the Bakenya Highlands."

"Even a Fourth Tier powerhouse died here?"

This time, Rein's expression instantly froze.

At last, he understood the meaning of that strange look she had given him.

So she had seen through everything long ago.

How could a danger zone capable of wiping out a Fourth Tier Grand Demon Hunter team be somewhere a rookie who had only just become Transcendent could casually blunder into?

Thinking back, encountering several Canine Rabbits last night had not meant his luck was terrible. On the contrary, he had been absurdly lucky not to run into any High-tier Demonic Beasts as he rode his motorcycle straight into the heart of this so-called Bakenya Highlands.

He also understood that this woman had not been harboring some twisted intention to repay kindness with enmity. She had simply been tactfully pointing out his foolishness, trying to save his life.

If this place is as dangerous as she says, I probably won't survive the night if I keep going alone.

At that moment, Rein immediately realized his predicament, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

He knew there was no reason for this woman to lie to him.

Besides, she could have ignored him entirely, yet she had gone out of her way to explain all this. Clearly, she wanted to repay him for saving her life last night.

Her tone had remained calm throughout. Clearly, if she had said such things, she was confident she could leave this danger zone alive.

If he continued alone, he would most likely never make it out of the Bakenya Highlands.

If he shamelessly stayed with her, he could live.

The situation had taken a dramatic one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. The one who had saved someone now needed saving, while the stranger he had rescued had become the key to his survival.

Still, it was not easy to ask.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, the woman in the distance did not expose his awkward dilemma. Instead, she took the initiative and gave him a way out.

"Mm... I think my injuries still need a doctor traveling with me to tend to them."

Watching Rein turn back, she hesitated for a moment before asking with a solemn expression, "Would you be willing to accept my employment, Doctor Rein?"

Her words revealed exceptional tact and breeding, without making him feel the slightest bit embarrassed.

Rein almost thought he had misheard her.

But the next instant, his eyes lit up. He strode forward, placed a hand over his chest, and bowed. "It would be my honor, Miss Ymir!"

Before his dignity could hit the ground, someone had helped him hold it up.

This woman was not only clever, but considerate as well.

For the first time, Rein felt kindness from this world.

There were quite a lot of supplies at the camp: sleeping bags, food, wilderness survival gear, as well as a surgeon's instruments, medicines, and materials.

To avoid exposing the fact that he had a Storage Ring, Rein carried all the items he used regularly on his back.

Several large bags filled him out like a backpacker on an expedition.

Ymir quietly followed behind him and did not take the initiative to speak again.

Clearly, she had guessed it too. Although she did not know where that Steam Locomotive had gone, the Imperial Knight she had imagined last night was probably this somewhat slippery young doctor standing before her.

Though she was curious about Rein's identity, she did not ask.

Whether he was a commoner, a Scavenger, or even a master thief...

None of that mattered anymore.

After all, she had survived, hadn't she?

"Miss Ymir, where are you headed?"

"What about you?"

"I plan to stay at the nearest Snow Eagle Fortress for a while."

"Then let's go there."

"Oh."

"..."

Rein walked ahead with his packs, occasionally helping Ymir behind him over difficult terrain.

This mysterious and powerful blonde lady seemed quite accustomed to being cared for.

Rein guessed that she might truly be the daughter of some high-ranking noble family.

The grace and composure she displayed in every gesture were not the affected daintiness of someone putting on airs, but a habit of life carved into her bones.

At the very least, people from the bottom of this world, or even ordinary lesser nobles, could never have cultivated such proud bearing.

The two of them continued across the wasteland.

Ymir spoke very little. Sometimes, even after traveling for several hours, the two would not exchange a single word.

Rein, meanwhile, knew his place.

He naturally understood that while it looked as though he were taking care of this blonde lady, Ymir was actually bringing along a rookie like him to repay her debt for being saved.

Having received someone's kindness, he spoke even less, lest he be misunderstood and make himself seem beneath her.

Sure enough, after they had not traveled through the wilderness for long, Rein finally understood what Ymir truly meant when she called the Bakenya Highlands a place where even Fourth Tier Transcendents could perish.

As the two humans crossed the wasteland, their scent finally drew the attention of a pack of terrifying hunters.

Jackalmen were one of the dominant forces of the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

They were not humans with beast genes like Werewolves, but true upright canine Demonic Beasts: cruel, bloodthirsty, and vicious.

Because they were highly intelligent and knew how to attack in groups, they were also among the monsters Scavengers least wanted to encounter in the wasteland.

And what Rein and Ymir encountered was a pack of more than thirty Jackalmen armed with all kinds of crude stone weapons.

Ordinary adult Jackalmen were Second Tier Demonic Beasts, while their leaders were Third Tier.

In terms of combat power Rein could understand, one adult Jackalman could easily bite three Canine Rabbits to death.

Their sense of smell was keen, and they excelled at tracking and hunting prey.

If Rein had encountered this pack alone, he would have had no chance of escaping. He would have been torn apart so quickly that not even scraps would remain.

Or rather, even a medium-sized team led by a Third Tier Demon Hunter would have been completely wiped out upon encountering them!

Fortunately, he had an expert at his side.

Rein had guessed that Ymir was strong, but seeing that she was injured, he assumed her combat ability had been considerably weakened.

At first, he had worried that facing this pack of Jackalmen would lead to a fierce battle.

Yet he never expected the crisis to be resolved in an instant with a single look.

Ymir did not even make a move. She merely stamped her foot, frosting the ground beneath her, then cast a single glare. The Third Tier Jackalman leader immediately let out weak, whimpering sounds, and the entire pack scattered in panic!

The more intelligent a Demonic Beast was, the sharper its sense of danger.

They knew this human was unbeatable.

Only then did Rein realize that this expert was even more terrifyingly powerful than he had imagined.

Thus, they traveled by day and lit fires to camp at night.

The two crossed the Bakenya Highlands, known as one of the most dangerous regions in southern Oma, and encountered danger several times.

Had Rein been traveling alone, even ten lives would not have been enough to get him out alive.

Finally, after several days, the two gradually became more familiar and could exchange a few words.

No matter how foolish Rein was, he knew this woman had probably guessed that he had secrets. Yet she had not mentioned them even once along the way.

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