Grievous Wounds, Hard to Heal

At five o'clock sharp, the guides began to count the number of people and organize the return to the city.

There were 438 hunters when they came, but only 372 returned, with more than 60 having died on the first day of the hunt.

It's not uncommon for Wildlands Hunter to die on missions, but to lose so many at once is a loss unseen for many years. What's more, there are twice as many seriously injured as the dead. These people are either being helped by their teammates or carried on their backs, greatly slowing down the return journey.

In the world of Vital Energy Cultivator, there are miraculous healing abilities and magical artifacts and spirit medicine that can heal injuries. Minor injuries are easily recovered and generally do not affect the next day's battle. However, looking at the seriously injured members of the team, many are missing limbs, and many are still relying on life-sustaining artifacts to stay alive. Roughly speaking, of the more than three hundred people on the return journey, probably less than two hundred will be able to continue hunting tomorrow.

Compared to the high spirits they had when they left, the atmosphere on the return journey was much heavier. By the time they reached the gates of Lingyun City, it was already past seven in the evening.

The journey of more than ten kilometers took more than two hours, which is considered a snail's pace for hunters who have just started at the Foundation Establishment Realm. I remember that we gathered and set off at nine o'clock in the morning, and even including the time for the training session, we finally arrived at the lakeside before 10:30.

Upon entering Lingyun City, each team arranged for the wounded to rest while also sending members directly to the guild!

Ling Fei just said that the intelligence reward is first-come, first-served!

The Guild Hall was suddenly packed with people, leaving the receptionist on the night shift completely bewildered. There weren't usually this many people on the night shift; she could even manage a nap. What was going on today?

In the end, Ling Fei stabilized the situation, had everyone line up and wait, and went upstairs to arrange matters related to compensation and rewards.

As for Luo Jun, he didn't go to the Guild Hall to join in the fun.

With so many hunters, many must have already fought the Purple-Gold Giant Worm. Others also have the information he has. After waiting in line for so long, he can only pick up scraps from others. Wouldn't that be a waste of time?

On the other hand, Dong Huicheng's team heard that Luo Jun had just arrived in the Savage Wilderness and could only stay in a dormitory, so they warmly invited him to visit their team's house.

The guild provides newly registered hunters with food and lodging for a period of time, but the conditions are not great and can only meet basic survival needs. Once they have earned some money, the hunters will move out of the cramped communal dormitory and rent houses outside.

Lingyun City has built housing of various levels, with different facilities, environments, and sizes to meet the needs of different hunters. However, these are all guild assets and are only for rent, not for sale. The rental prices are listed on the official information board, ensuring transparency and fairness. As long as you can afford the rent, the guild will provide the corresponding services. You don't need to worry about rent increases or facility damage...

Luo Jun's attitude was terrible during the day, partly because he wanted to maintain his aloof persona, and partly because he was worried about failing the mission. Now that he was in a good mood and had nothing better to do, he agreed.

Dong Huicheng's house is located in the middle of the Residential Area. It's not as luxurious as the mansions near the guild, but it's not exactly remote either. It's a detached two-story house with an area of over 200 square meters. The rent is 3,000 points per month, and there are ten rooms in total. There are five people in the team. Three men live on the first floor, two girls live on the second floor, and half of the rooms are empty, reserved for future teammates.

Bai Renxin prepared a room for Luo Jun, Xu Hao and Han Xiaoying went to a nearby restaurant and ordered a banquet. Dong Huicheng wanted to invite Luo Jun to eat at the restaurant, but unfortunately his health was too poor, so they could only order takeout.

Looking at the table full of delicious dishes, all rare delicacies unseen in the Main World, Luo Jun's salivary glands were working overtime. If it were his usual personality, he would have devoured them in no time. However, thinking of the Midnight Mask his face, he swallowed them all, maintaining the demeanor of a master.

With Xu Hao's help, Dong Huicheng sat down, but it was clear that he was not feeling well, and he could only lean against the back of the chair to maintain his posture.

In his words, lying on the sofa would be disrespectful to his benefactor.

"Before we start the meal, let me say a few words..." Dong Huicheng raised his glass.

"What the hell are you talking about? Let's eat!" Luo Jun roared inwardly.

"We are all able to sit here today thanks to Mr. 'Night'! Let me start with this first drink and toast Mister Ye!"

"To Mister Ye!" the team members shouted in unison, raising their glasses. This sudden display startled Luo Jun, who glanced at the wine in his glass...

I just turned 18 last month and haven't even had a drink yet...

But seeing the expectant looks on the table, in order to maintain his expert demeanor, he picked up his wine glass, drank it all in one gulp without saying a word!

The liquor was very strong, probably a potent spirit. With Luo Jun's current physique, this amount of alcohol wouldn't have any effect on him, but the spicy and stimulating taste still made him feel uncomfortable. He forced a breath and endured it without changing his expression.

This stuff doesn't taste as good as cola... It's a pity that while you can brew wine in the Savage Wilderness, you can't buy ice-cold cola...

Seeing him drink it all in one gulp, the others cheered in unison. Then Bai Renxin, Han Xiaoying, Xu Hao, and Dong Huicheng all put down their glasses, while only Deng Yuanlong drank one with him.

"Huh?" Luo Jun was taken aback. "You're not drinking?"

"Oh, Benevolent Heart and I don't drink alcohol..." Little Ying pulled a bottle of juice from under the table...

"My main concern is healing the captain later. Drinking might affect his operational precision, and Xu Hao is allergic to alcohol, which hasn't improved even after cultivating his internal energy," Bai Renxin explained. "Given the captain's current physical condition, drinking will only worsen his injuries..."

So I was the only one who actually drank it, right? Wait, there was also Deng Yuanlong...

Luo Jun looked at Deng Yuanlong, who was already a little tipsy after downing a glass of wine. He raised the bottle and shook it, saying, "Haha, good wine! The wine from the Savage Wilderness is really strong! Mister Ye, they're all cowards. Today, I, Old Deng, will drink with you until we drop!"

"Big Dragon! Stop fooling around!" Dong Huicheng stopped Deng Yuanlong, who seemed to be acting out of drunkenness. He coughed a few times and continued, "Besides thanking Mister Ye. Ye for saving our lives, as the team leader, I also need to reflect on my actions today... I put everyone in danger because of my poor decision-making... I underestimated the danger of the anthill..."

"Captain, don't say that..." Xu Hao advised, "No one expected those ants to be so cunning..."

"Yes, yes..." Han Xiaoying comforted her, "We were all affected by that strange tumor, and the giant worm that finally appeared was beyond the level of a typical Blue Mission ... This isn't your fault!"

Everyone comforted Dong Huicheng, but Luo Jun just stared at the food on the table.

Are you two ever going to stop? If you keep dawdling, the food will get cold...

"Ahem..." Helpless, he coughed lightly, "Let bygones be bygones! Since we've survived, we should seize the present!"

As he spoke, he picked up his chopsticks and pointed slightly at the dishes on the table.

"Mister Ye is right!" Dong Huicheng was encouraged. "Come on, everyone, let's start eating. Now that we've survived, we should enjoy the present and live a wonderful life!"

Dinner is finally served...

The cuisine of this Savage Wilderness is similar to that of the Main World in terms of cooking methods, but the biggest difference lies in the ingredients. The ecological density here far exceeds that of the Main World, and the variety of ingredients is also incredibly diverse, bringing an unprecedented and wonderful taste. With each bite, Luo Jun could feel happiness melting in his mouth.

Without the mask, he felt he could cry; those were tears of happiness...

However, the happiness didn't last long. Halfway through the meal, Dong Huicheng suddenly started coughing violently. Bai Renxin stepped forward, checked his pulse, and looked worried. "Quick, help the captain to the sofa..."

"I'm sorry, Mister Ye..." Dong Huicheng covered her mouth and nose, blood seeping through her fingers. "I apologize that I cannot stay any longer..."

Xu Hao and Deng Yuanlong helped Dong Huicheng lie down on the sofa. Bai Renxin circulated his internal energy to heal him, and a soft white light enveloped Dong Huicheng, making his complexion much better.

Most of the people left their seats, and since their captain was seriously injured, even Luo Jun, with his thick skin, felt embarrassed to continue eating. He stepped forward, took out a chess piece, and activated the Water Healing Construct.

With the combined treatment, Dong Huicheng's condition quickly stabilized.

Bai Renxin withdrew his skill, stood up, wiped himself, and said, "Thank you, Mister Ye. My skills are not yet proficient; relying solely on my abilities, I'm afraid I really couldn't maintain stability..."

"Is the injury that serious?" Luo Jun was also somewhat surprised. He had witnessed how Dong Huicheng was injured; he had been blasted by the fireball, and his entire body was charred black, which was indeed frightening. However, after several treatments, the charring had faded, and the burn marks were barely visible.

"The external injuries are mostly minor." Bai Renxin shook his head. "The captain's biggest problem is internal!"

"Oh?" Luo Jun frowned slightly.

"The situation was critical at the time. To save us, the captain forcibly activated his vital energy and touched the threshold of a breakthrough," Bai Renxin explained. "The captain's cultivation talent is actually very good, and his luck isn't bad either. He has reached level six in both the Body Refinement Realm and the Foundation Establishment Realm. In terms of solid foundation alone, there are few Wildlands Hunter are stronger than him..."

"However, he lacked a bit of fortuitous opportunity and hadn't been able to break through to the Heart Refining Realm. Unexpectedly, this time, despite being in poor condition, he forcibly activated his vital energy and actually found the opportunity to break through. Normally, in this situation, one should seize the opportunity, adjust their state, and carefully attempt a breakthrough with sufficient preparation. But the situation was critical at the time, and the captain forced a breakthrough, resulting in... injuring his meridians..."

"Now, forget about breaking through; he can't even circulate his vital energy..."

I see... Luo Jun thought of his Master, Old Yuan was also unable to break through to the Heart Refining Realm due to internal injuries. However, it seemed that Dong Huicheng's condition was more serious.

"Is there a way to treat this?" Luo Jun asked.

"It's very difficult." Bai Renxin shook his head. "Damage to the meridians is extremely difficult to heal. With my skill level, I'm powerless to help. If it were my master, she might have a way while the injury is still fresh... But she travels the world, constantly on the move, and I can't even contact her. By the time I find her, the new injury will have become an old one, making it even more difficult..."

As he spoke, Bai Renxin looked at Dong Huicheng, feeling a pang of self-reproach.

"Hey, don't be sad." Dong Huicheng waved his hand. "If I'm crippled like this, it's my fate to suffer this calamity. I can't blame anyone else. The King Yama has crossed out the Book of Life and Death; how can a mortal hope to survive?"

"The Book of Life and Death?" Bai Renxin's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Wait, there's another way!"

As she spoke, she opened the Hundred Treasure Box and took out a thin booklet.

Thank you so much for the 2500 Origin Point Coin!

(End of this chapter)