Crisis Averted, A Strange Little Green Vegetable Discovered

"My Lord, stay close to me for a while," Ashina whispered, gripping Field's arm. "I'm confident we can break through."

Field understood her meaning and nodded. "I will. But I won't flee unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Abandon the carts here. Load the crossbows." Field had learned from the last encounter and specifically brought crossbows this time.

"Grahh!" A dwarf-like monster, with unnaturally long limbs, vaulted over a ruined wall and landed on a guard. Its gaping maw tore viciously into the soldier's lamellar armor, producing sharp, grating sounds.

The soldier panicked, flailing wildly but failing to dislodge the creature.

Fortunately, Ashina reacted swiftly. Drawing her long blade, she cleaved the monster in two.

"Is that... a corrupted monkey?"

With its elongated limbs and tail, it was unmistakably a monkey.

As if triggered by some signal, Rum Village erupted. Hordes of these dwarf-like creatures began leaping chaotically everywhere, a dark, churning tide flooding the ruins.

Field forced himself to calm down. He scanned his mini-map rapidly, calculating furiously. One wrong step could doom them all. "Run! Southeast! There's a large courtyard!"

One, two, ten—more and more of the monkey-like monstrosities vaulted over Rum Village's debris, landing within Field's line of sight.

"Loose arrows!" Field commanded. The guards, primed for this moment, instantly fired their crossbows. The leaping monkey creatures erupted in sprays of blood, as if hitting an invisible wall. Corpses littered the ground.

"Clear the path!" Ashina gestured, and her dragon-wolf surged forward, spewing deadly flames while advancing rapidly.

Ashina herself took the rear guard. Five monkey monsters lunged at her simultaneously. As they aligned in a straight trajectory, Ashina blurred into motion. Her long cavalry blade flashed coldly, slicing all five monsters cleanly at the waist. They fell, spilling blood and entrails.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted another creature scuttling low across the ground, poised to leap up and ambush. Ashina lifted her alabaster leg and slammed her boot down hard onto the monster's head. *Crack!* The skull exploded, eyeballs popping out grotesquely.

Using the time Ashina had bought them, Field led the men rushing into the large courtyard. Guards were already piling stones and rotten furniture against the gate.

"This isn't secure enough! Fall back further! Use the buildings for defense!" Field glanced again at his mini-map. The tide of red markers seemed endless. The only consolation was that the monsters weren't targeting him; they were running *past* Rum Village towards another destination. They were merely brushing against the village.

"Barricade the gate! Rotate rests! They're just passing through! They'll be gone soon!" Field rallied the men.

With the dragon-wolf, Ashina, and the soldiers, holding the gate wasn't difficult.

Soon, the corrupted monkeys launched a furious assault.

But Field's defensive formation held like a stubborn dike. Guards braced at the entrance, clad in full armor and wielding heavy shields. The monkeys couldn't break through.

Ashina's giant wolf was like a flamethrowing tank. Its thick armor rendered it impervious; even swarmed by corrupted creatures, not a single scale was dislodged. The only drawback was that Ashina was forced to dismount again, fighting as infantry.

Field gasped for breath, his heart pounding furiously. The Cursed Lands lived up to their fearsome reputation. Luck had played a large part in his survival thus far.

*"We need high walls built quickly,"* he thought, rubbing his temples. He was grateful the horde wasn't heading towards the Great Vineyard.

Covering each other, they held out for half an hour before the monster tide slowly subsided.

"Whew... exhausted."

Ashina pulled her blade free, flicking off the gore. Even as the Chosen One, her strength had limits. This was the largest undead tide they'd faced since arriving in Nightfall Territory. Thankfully, the last corrupted monkey fell, clearing the area.

"You've worked hard," Field said, his heart aching as he saw Ashina drenched in sweat. She'd held the line, dealt massive damage, and constantly relieved pressure on the others. Her presence alone had prevented any guard deaths. One could say everyone was holding Ashina back, yet training the guards was necessary.

Ashina blinked playfully. "Hmph, no meat comes for free."

"Thank you, Lady Ashina." The guards thanked her sheepishly, their eyes now free of hostility and wariness, replaced by pure reverence.

Humans in this world, unlike those on Earth with their peculiar preferences, had always harbored resentment toward demi-humans. They viewed them as monstrous hybrids of beasts and humans—unclean abominations.

"Rest for half an hour, then we move," Field ordered. He prodded a monster's corpse with his sword, curious about their anatomy and migration purpose.

After a decade of corruption, most houses in Rum Village had collapsed, windows shattered. What was once a village now resembled a massive garbage heap. Field held little hope for salvage.

Once rested, he commanded: "Form groups of five. Search for anything useful—take whatever can be carried."

Nightfall Territory lacked everything: pots, pans, bowls, even wood scraps held value.

Placing the mist-repelling lantern at the village center, Field surveyed Rum Village, assessing its potential as an outpost.

Ashina returned from scouting the village. "My Lord, I noticed a strange plant in a farmyard—glowing green. I sensed magical energy."

"Oh?" Field sprang to his feet. The word "magic" was irresistible. "Could it be like those rare magical herbs from the stories?"

They arrived at a house on the village's western edge. The main structure had crumbled, but the courtyard's stone walls—sturdier than a flimsy fence—remained intact.

Field spotted the small cluster of green plants immediately. They shimmered with starlike specks of light. Drawn by instinct, he bent closer to examine them.

"Looks like baby bok choy just sprouting," he murmured, poking one with his finger.

A strange scent flooded his nostrils.

*Ah-choo!* Field sneezed violently.

Ashina chuckled at his discomfort. "My Lord, best not touch strange things so carelessly."

"Wait—are you alright?" Seeing Field's dazed, unfocused eyes, she gasped and rushed to his side.

Veins throbbed at Field's temples. Sweat beaded on his skin. A sudden, intense physical reaction surged through him.

He inhaled Ashina's alluring scent.

As if beyond his control, his hand shot out and clamped around her wrist.