Deeper In
Dinner was still warm under the eaves of the pavilion in Moonview Valley.
The Mech-Driven Butler placed the roasted meat and dried fruit on the wooden table, while the Furniture Puppet stood quietly beside the stove, making no unnecessary movements. Lu Heng walked in from the valley entrance, still carrying the chill of the frozen earth outside, with a few dark bloodstains on the hem of his clothes.
He didn't wash his hands or change his clothes before sitting down.
Just now outside, he had cleaved eight Bronze Elite Green Demon in two with a single axe stroke. The stench of blood from the battlefield, the crisp sound of bone blades breaking, and the muffled thuds of the Green Demon falling to the ground still lingered in his senses. But as soon as he stepped into the valley, those things seemed to be separated by an invisible line.
Outside the pavilion lies Frost Forest, inside, warm food awaits.
The contrast was stark, but Lu Heng did not pause.
He picked up a piece of roast meat and took a bite.
The meat was roasted to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the fat melting in your mouth. He ate steadily, at a moderate pace, as if completing a necessary task.
As he ate, he mentally reviewed the changes in combat strength that day.
The Insect Armor Sword is still in my Wristband; it's light, fast, and suitable for kiting, finding weaknesses, and sustaining damage—it's the old strategy. The Goblin Battleaxe is in my hand; it's heavy, thick, and can penetrate defenses head-on. Once the Blood Qi Rune, the tearing effect is amplified. The two weapons don't conflict; one is for close combat, and the other is for overwhelming the opponent. I switch between them as needed.
The Blood Qi Rune can now be activated reliably. When activated at a shallow level, it does not consume excessive resources, while when activated in a burst, it can increase the damage of the Battle Axe.
The Greedy Wolf Power is no longer just passively triggered. He tried it on the battlefield just now; when he actively activated it, the moment the axe blade grazed the Green Demon's flesh, it could draw out a wisp of blood and energy, which would flow into his body. The more he fought, the more stable he became, and the more sustainable he was.
Offense, defense, burst damage, and sustainability—a closed loop has been formed.
Lu Heng put down the meat in his hand, picked up the water and took a sip.
I should be able to handle the Silver Tier.
But he did not relax because of this.
The appearance of organized elite squads in the Frost Forest indicates that the Plane erosion is accelerating. Eight came today, sixteen tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow there might be more than just Green Demon.
He finished the last bite of dried fruit and cleaned the table.
The Mech-Driven Butler and Furniture Puppet began cleaning the dishes, their movements still silent.
Lu Heng sat down under the pavilion and raised his Wristband.
The Bronze Elite Victor's Treasure Chest lay there quietly.
He took it out and placed it in his palm.
This treasure chest is smaller than the one dropped by the Big Goblin, and its surface texture is finer, giving it a noticeably different feel.
He applied slight pressure to his palm, and the treasure chest slowly unfolded.
Three faint lights floated in mid-air in turn.
The first wisp was an invisible stream of consciousness, without a physical form, like a gust of wind brushing against the skin. The moment it touched Lu Heng, it entered his mind directly.
It wasn't words, it wasn't a book, but a series of rough, short syllables.
Hissing, growling, guttural groans, and urgent warning sounds.
Lu Heng's throat moved involuntarily.
He let out a low, hoarse sound, and the moment the sound left his mouth, he paused for a moment.
Those were short phrases the Green Demon used to warn his companions.
The meaning is simple: There is an enemy on our flank.
Lu Heng raised an eyebrow slightly.
This elite squad operates in close coordination year-round; their language isn't the written language of a civilized system, but rather the shouts, commands, warnings, and tactical signals honed on the battlefield. Now, this logic has directly entered his mind.
When encountering groups of Green Demon in the future, the sounds they exchange will no longer be meaningless howls of wild beasts.
He can understand some of it.
It can also be imitated.
Secondly, a pair of Bone-Patterned War Boots landed on the wooden table, making a slight clattering sound.
The upper is made of polished animal bone pieces pieced together, held together by strong ribs, and the surface is engraved with the shallow patterns common to the Green Demon tribe. The sole is thick, with wear marks on the edges, clearly indicating that it has been worn for a long time.
Lu Heng picked it up and weighed it in his hand.
It's not light, but it's not bulky either. The bone plates fit the instep, and the sutures can be tightened to secure the ankle. The sole has fine raised patterns, so it shouldn't be slippery when walking on frozen ground or rocks.
He took off his original shoes and put on these Bone-Patterned War Boots.
He tightened the reinforcing thread, stood up, and took a couple of steps.
When my foot landed, I could clearly feel the grip provided by the sole of my shoe. The stone slab under the pavilion made a soft thud under my foot, feeling more stable than before.
When the third glimmer of light dispersed, it had no physical form and made no sound.
What flooded my mind were fragmented pieces of experience.
How to use the wind to avoid smells, how to step on the edge of wet mud to reduce noise, how to blend your body into the shadows of trees, how to judge when the enemy has passed by by looking at broken branches, how to move with a low profile in woodlands, frozen ground, and among rocks, and how to identify the enemy's common guard positions and rotation habits.
This knowledge is neither complete nor systematic.
It comes from the members of this elite Bronze squad responsible for forward reconnaissance; it is the battlefield common sense they have learned after countless stealth, ambush, and vigilance maneuvers in the Frost Forest.
Lu Heng closed his eyes briefly.
He knew he hadn't become a master stealth operator overnight. Truly approaching the enemy covertly still required judgment, patience, and physical control. But at least, in the future, when he looked for tracks in the forest, he wouldn't just see tangled weeds and footprints.
He can understand more.
All three items have been received.
Lu Heng stomped firmly on his Bone-Patterned War Boots and went through the reconnaissance and camouflage knowledge in his mind again.
He did not linger in the valley.
Now that we have obtained the Green Demon language and have a foundation for reconnaissance and disguise, it's time to confirm the true situation in Frost Forest.
He left Moonview Valley alone.
They didn't bring any Puppet or butlers, only the Insect Armor Sword and the Goblin Battleaxe.
The light in the woods had already dimmed.
Lu Heng lowered his body and moved towards the edge of the forest, using the trees as cover. He did not venture too far, always maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Moonview Valley. Before each step, he would look at the ground and listen to the sounds around him.
The wind blew through the forest, carrying the earthy smell of frozen soil.
He stopped behind a sloping hill, crouched down, and did not immediately peek out.
Listen first.
The intermittent roars of the Green Demon echoed from deep within the forest.
Those sounds, which used to be just a cacophony of shouts, now have a more discernible quality. There are short shouts, deep responses, and even commanding pauses.
He couldn't understand everything, but he could grasp a few fragments.
Assemble. Patrol. Forward.
Lu Heng did not move.
He waited for a while before slowly peeking out half an eye from the edge of the earthen slope.
In the distance, on the woodland, there was a patch of grass that had been trampled down.
The grass stems were all bent over in the same direction, indicating that a group of creatures had passed through, heading deeper into the Frost Forest. The edges of the grass blades were already dry, suggesting that they hadn't just passed by, but not for very long either.
Further ahead, there were several signs of the mud being turned over.
The footprints varied in depth and numbered in large numbers. Judging from the spacing, they were not traveling alone, but in groups. There were remnants of a campfire next to the footprints, the ashes half-cold, and a few gnawed animal bones scattered nearby.
Lu Heng withdrew his gaze.
He continued to move sideways, going around to behind another bush.
This time, he paid attention to the wind direction.
The wind blew from behind him into the forest, preventing his scent from reaching the Green Demon's potential detection range first. He walked along the shadows, avoiding clearings and trying to blend his silhouette into the tree trunks and bushes.
Occasionally, birds and animals would be startled and take flight in the woods.
Lu Heng stopped, held his breath, and waited for the commotion to subside.
He didn't chase after them, nor did he show any curiosity.
Stealth isn't about taking risks; it's about gathering information. Once you have enough information, you retreat.
He observed for nearly half an hour.
The marks on the ground are becoming more and more numerous.
There were rows of footprints, broken branches, trampled snow, remnants of a makeshift fire, and several cleared areas. There were no bodies or bloodstains in those areas, only drag marks.
The Green Demon roared more frequently in the forest than before.
Sometimes it was two short roars, sometimes one long and one short, and sometimes a series of low shouts. Lu Heng, combining what he had just learned in the language, understood some of it intermittently.
Shift change.
food.
Assemble ahead.
He lay down behind a fallen tree and pieced the fragments together little by little.
The Green Demon is no longer a scattered, wandering entity.
They began to form small groups, with patrols, rallies, temporary camps, and simple command calls. The order in the Frost Forest was being replaced by another order.
The Plane erosion is occurring faster than expected.
Lu Heng did not delve any further.
Having confirmed enough information, he slowly retreated along the same route. He kept his steps low and paid attention to the wind direction and sounds until the outline of Moonview Valley reappeared in his field of vision, at which point he relaxed slightly.
By the time we returned to the valley, it was completely dark.
Lu Heng sat under the pavilion, without lighting too many lamps.
He placed the Insect Armor Sword and the Goblin Battleaxe side by side beside him.
The Insect Armor Sword is suitable for close-quarters combat, while the Goblin Battleaxe provides burst damage. Blood Qi Rune increases damage, and Greedy Wolf Power provides sustain. Bone-Patterned War Boots enhance mountain mobility, Green Demon Language allows him to understand enemy tactical signals, and Reconnaissance and Camouflage Knowledge makes it easier for him to approach targets and gather intelligence.
There are more methods now.
But the enemy is also changing.
He leaned against a pavilion pillar, gazing out at the dark forest beyond the valley.
Deep within the Frost Forest, a low rumble, a mixture of strange creatures, echoed continuously. It wasn't the howls of scattered wild beasts, but rather the sound of an area being stirred up by some force.