C118 Timber Wolf!

"Finished eating?" Chen Guo inquired.

"I've never tasted anything so delicious. I can't keep it all to myself; I need to share it with my best friend," Chu Xiaohong replied.

There's an old saying: one's mouth is softened by gifts, and one's hands are shortened by favors. This truth is universal.

Once Chu Xiaohong had a taste of Chen Guo's banana, her wariness significantly lessened. Her tears stopped, and she began to examine Chen Guo with curiosity. She had never encountered a human so vibrant and radiant, not to mention incredibly attractive and full of charm.

"What a thoughtful child you are. Please, help yourself to more; I have plenty of bananas..." Chen Guo said warmly, as if he were a nurturing elementary school teacher.

Chen Guo wasn't just making empty promises about the abundance of bananas. During the recent monster siege, he had amassed a large quantity of them. He could practically start his own banana distribution business.

These weren't your run-of-the-mill dried bananas, but rather a type that could restore health points—a truly valuable food source.

Chen Guo enjoyed feeding bananas to others, whether trial challengers or NPCs, finding joy in the act. It brought back fond memories of feeding the national treasure at the zoo, despite his personal disinterest in eating bananas.

"You're trying to find out where our stronghold is, aren't you? I won't tell you," Chu Xiaohong declared.

"I do want to know where it is, since we're all human. I have some information I'd like to discuss with your leader," Chen Guo explained. "But why are you so distrustful? We're not the bad guys here. Our people even saved your life!"

Chu Xiaohong responded, "We can't afford to take risks anymore! We're down to our last stronghold. If anything were to happen to it, all the survivors in the Dusk Forest would vanish. I can't bear the thought of that tragedy."

"Decades ago, another stronghold put their trust in outsiders, only to invite disaster. Those strangers were under monster control and left the place in ruins."

"Since that incident, we've been extra cautious with outsiders. I can't bring myself to trust you, even though something tells me you're a good person."

Listening to Chu Xiaohong, Chen Guo began to grasp the depth of her caution. They were in dire straits and couldn't afford to gamble any longer.

Chen Guo and his team were likely good people. If they turned out to be villains, it would spell disaster for their last stronghold, potentially dooming everyone there.

Chen Guo could resort to force or magic to make the little girl talk, but that went against his principles. Besides, the girl wasn't the crux of the matter; earning the trust of the humans at the stronghold was.

Therefore, using brute force to gain the survivors' trust was out of the question.

"I get it. You've been so isolated, it's become difficult to trust other humans. I need to take action to earn your trust," Chen Guo mused, then directly inquired, "What's the most dangerous creature in the Dusk Forest? Do you know where it can be found?"

"Do you mean to...?" Chu Xiaohong was visibly astonished.

"If I eliminate your greatest threat, will that earn your trust?" Chen Guo proposed.

Chu Xiaohong replied earnestly, "If you could do that, we'd not only trust you, but we'd be eternally grateful and ready to do anything for you."

"But you have no idea. The threat we face is a formidable villain, one you're not equipped to handle!" Chu Xiaohong warned with concern.

Chen Guo inwardly commended the girl's kindness and responded with composure, "Whether we can handle this threat is for us to decide. We're not naive—if we're outmatched, we'll know when to retreat. But first, tell us what we're up against."

After a pause, Chu Xiaohong divulged, "Our greatest threat is the Timber Wolf!"

"Timber Wolf?" Zhou Tao scoffed. "That name couldn't be less intimidating. Sounds like a cartoon character."

Chu Xiaohong insisted, "Don't be fooled by the name. The Timber Wolf is extremely vicious—a lycanthrope of remarkable intelligence."

"Keep in mind, most lycanthropes lack any real smarts. Those black wolves, too, lack intelligence, and witches, while slightly cleverer, are easily outwitted."

"But the Timber Wolf is different. He's as cunning as any human, using his wits to control both the black wolves' alpha and the witches' leader, becoming the shadowy overlord of the Dusk Forest. Our human outposts have fallen one by one, all due to the Timber Wolf's schemes."

The Timber Wolf has even recruited a band of scoundrels who have turned their backs on humanity. He's cunning enough to use humans in his schemes against us. We've been burned before, which is why we're so cautious around strangers."

"This Timber Wolf isn't just formidable on his own; he's also guarded by several monster chieftains. His ranks include fierce werewolves, rogues, and witches. We've had mighty warriors in our stronghold attempt to take him down, but none have returned."

"The Timber Wolf resides near Phoenix Nest Mountain, which is akin to entering a dragon's lair or a tiger's den for us. Trying to take him down is nearly impossible. But if you can bring us his head, you'll earn the trust of our entire community."

"Nothing could better demonstrate that you aren't traitors to humanity than the Timber Wolf's head."

Chu Xiaohong rattled off quite a bit in one go, clearly showing a favorable impression of the group. She sensed their strength and perhaps saw an opportunity to enlist their help in eliminating the Timber Wolf.

Chen Guo, unconcerned with the girl's thoughts, cut to the chase: "This Timber Wolf poses a significant threat to you, so where exactly is Phoenix Nest Mountain? Can you show me?"

Chu Xiaohong pointed out the location of Phoenix Nest Mountain to Chen Guo, detailing the landscape and the path. Finally, with a touch of sorrow, she added, "My mother was among the warriors who went to slay the Timber Wolf and never returned. I remember the route so well because I hope to one day grow strong enough to avenge her."

"Poor child," Chen Guo sympathized. "Give me your hand. I'll lead you there to seek justice for your mother. This Timber Wolf isn't invincible; he can't take more than a few good hits!"

With that, Chen Guo instructed everyone to join hands, then took hold of Chu Xiaohong's hand.