Conflict

"Taking such a huge risk to help you lot of good-for-nothings eliminate the grotesque, and you don't even think to show gratitude. Instead, you dare put on such faces? Do you really think I have no temper?"

Li Hu hadn't said those words calmly. His aura roared around him, his face was livid with fury, and his expression was filled with displeasure as he looked at everyone. Clearly, he had truly lost his temper.

However, the two words "good-for-nothings" instantly ignited all the discontent the others had been bottling up for days.

Shi Qing had already taken two steps forward and was just about to retort when Luo Ming stopped him.

Seeing the pleading look in Luo Ming's eyes, Shi Qing gritted his teeth and ultimately held back, saying nothing.

But Li Hu's anger had yet to subside. When he saw Shi Qing's movement, how could he not know that the man intended to refute him? Luo Ming's intervention failed to make him back down. Instead, his tone grew even more cutting.

"What? You don't like being called good-for-nothings? Believe it or not, the moment the two of us leave, when that Wood Puppet Grotesque comes, all you good-for-nothings together still won't be its match."

Shi Qing could endure it, but the leaders of the other four camps could not.

Hong Gang, Huang Yong, Lu He, and Chen Ying all stepped forward.

Yet just as they were about to speak, Yang Ning, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, spoke first.

"That's enough, Huzi. Stop!"

Although Yang Ning had interrupted Li Hu and prevented the two sides from clashing, he too wore a deep expression of displeasure as he looked at the others.

"Leader Luo, you were the one who asked us to help in the first place, and all of you agreed to cooperate fully. You all have eyes; I won't say more about how formidable that Wood Puppet Grotesque is. If you truly don't need the two of us, then say so now. Li Hu and I will leave immediately!"

Hearing Yang Ning's words, Luo Ming's heart instantly fell into turmoil.

It wasn't just him. Even the leaders of the other four camps who had already decided to withdraw—including Shi Qing, whose losses were the heaviest—began to look hesitant.

They were angry, but Yang Ning's words had given them a very real slap in the face.

Without the two of them, they truly were no match for the Wood Puppet Grotesque.

If Yang Ning and Li Hu really left, given the Wood Puppet Grotesque's bloodlust, the six camps would certainly end up facing annihilation.

"Big brother, no matter what you say, they won't understand. You can't reason with ghosts bent on dying. Let this bunch of fools fend for themselves. Let's go back!"

"Please calm down, my lords."

Seeing Li Hu pull Yang Ning around to leave, Luo Ming hurriedly stepped forward, clasped his hands, and apologized. His tone was awkward as he said, "These past few days, every camp has lost quite a few Lumbering Realm fighters. The various leaders are simply anxious. I hope you two lords can be more understanding."

Luo Ming had no other choice. The camps around Redwood Ridge were simply too weak.

Moreover, they had no contact with the outside world. Once Yang Ning and Li Hu left, they would truly be left without aid. When the grotesques came knocking, no one would be able to stop them.

Seeing that the expressions of Yang Ning and Li Hu were no longer as resolute as before, Luo Ming continued.

"Please forgive me for speaking frankly. Continuing like this isn't a solution either. In the past half-month, the four camps combined have already lost twenty-nine Lumbering Realm fighters.

"And I'm not afraid of being laughed at by you two lords when I say this: we live in a remote and impoverished place. Aside from Rogue Camp, whose situation is a little better, everyone in the other five camps relies on those Lumbering Realm fighters to survive.

"If all of them perish here, then the people in those camps will either starve to death or freeze to death even if they aren't killed by the grotesques."

Yang Ning once again stopped Li Hu with a look when the latter tried to speak. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying solemnly, "I understand your difficulties, but I can also tell you clearly that you can hardly imagine how quickly grotesques grow stronger. You aren't its opponents at all right now. If you drag this out for a few more days, it's hard to imagine how powerful it will become."

At that, he paused, raised his head to meet Luo Ming's gaze, and continued sincerely.

"Believe me. Sacrificing this many people to destroy that Wood Puppet Grotesque is absolutely worth it!"

Li Hu could not help speaking up as well, his face filled with a cold sneer.

"Fools. Sometimes, necessary sacrifices can't be avoided. You don't even understand such a simple principle, yet you think you're fit to be leaders? Meeting the two of us is your good fortune. If it weren't for the fact that we're all human, we wouldn't have lifted a finger to help."

"Two lords, I admit that you're highly capable and immensely strong. When it comes to dealing with grotesques, no one but the two of you will do. But the Lumbering Realm fighters of Big Stone Camp are already dead except for the two of us brothers. We truly can't send anyone out, nor can we offer much help."

Li Hu's words had some truth to them, but hearing him call them good-for-nothings and fools at every turn finally pushed Shi Qing past the limits of his patience.

Big Stone Camp had suffered the greatest losses, and Shi Qing had been the most determined to withdraw. Li Hu's repeated mockery and disrespect had only poured oil on the fire of his retreating resolve.

Even so, Shi Qing knew that the two men were not people he could afford to offend. Thus, although his tone was stiff, he did not dare show the slightest displeasure. He merely bowed deeply to the two of them before turning to Luo Ming.

"Leader Luo, I'm truly sorry, but the two of us must withdraw. We've been out for more than half a month, and the camp should already be running short of food. If we don't return, people will start starving to death."

Luo Ming opened his mouth, wanting to ask them to stay, but when he looked behind Shi Qing and saw only Shi Dong standing there alone, he held it back. He merely glanced up at the moon's position in the sky before saying, "Brother Shi, dawn is almost here. Return to Rogue Camp for now. Tomorrow night, after nightfall, I'll pack a bag of Crystal Fruits for you to take when you leave."

Hearing this, gratitude immediately appeared on Shi Qing's face.

"Thank you, Leader Luo. Shi Qing is deeply grateful!"

Seeing the other four leaders fidgeting restlessly, as if they intended to leave with Shi Qing, Luo Ming hurriedly said, "Two lords, four leaders, dawn is almost here. Let's return to the camp first, then discuss what to do next together?"

The four leaders exchanged several glances. After hesitating for a moment, they nodded.

On the other side, the moment Shi Qing said he intended to leave, Li Hu's expression had already become extremely ugly. He had even taken a step forward. If Yang Ning had not stopped him, it seemed he might have attacked.

When Luo Ming truly agreed to let Shi Qing leave, Yang Ning's brows furrowed several times as well. But after glancing at the other four leaders and thinking it over, he ultimately held his tongue.

He motioned for Luo Ming and the others to go ahead first, then followed behind with Li Hu, his head lowered in thought.

When the others had gone some distance ahead, Li Hu turned to Yang Ning and said in a low voice, "This bunch of fools doesn't know a good thing when they see it. Big brother, let's leave too. We'll go back and call a few helpers over. That grotesque won't be able to escape."

A trace of hesitation flashed across Yang Ning's face. In the end, he shook his head.

"If we call people over, that grotesque won't belong to the two of us anymore. Besides, the round trip will take too long, and it'll definitely grow stronger by then. We might not even be able to deal with it ourselves."

After saying this, Yang Ning looked at the people ahead. He fell silent for a while, sighed, and continued.

"That grotesque has already had one arm severed by us, so its strength should have dropped considerably. Let's try one last time. If it doesn't work, we'll return and ask for reinforcements. As for this bunch... let them fend for themselves!"

The follow-and-read count has been shooting up! Thank you, everyone. This new book is still in its recommendation period, so I'm just begging for more follows and reads. If you have any extra votes, I'd appreciate those too. Thank you, thank you!