"Woo!!"
A high-pitched wolf howl came from the forest. A massive silver-gray shadow darted and ran amidst the tree shadows, carrying orcs brandishing flails and bone axes into the fray.
"Lord Groln, we're here!"
"Surround them!"
"Don't let them escape!"
Only thirteen orcs entered the fray this time, but without exception, they were all elite frost wolf cavalry from the tribe who had passed the wolf-riding trials.
The rapport cultivated with frost wolves since childhood had long accustomed them to the jolting ride, allowing them to maintain high mobility while coordinating attacks with the wolves' bites and claw strikes.
It could be said that the orc tribe's ability to become the overlords of the snowy plains largely depended on these frost wolf cavalry that roamed the tundra.
Their appearance was undoubtedly adding frost to snow for the wild people's tribe, casting a shadow over the fleeing wild people's hearts while adding a touch of fear to their eyes.
The frenzied Groln had become extremely irritable and lost his reason, but in exchange, he gained terrifying strength.
His entire body was crimson as he crouched on the ground like a beast. Mana and ferocious aura swirled around him like blood, forming an even taller, more violent bloody silhouette.
This horrifying aura caused Semiaya's consciousness to falter for a moment.
Immediately after, Groln let out a "boom," shaking off the accumulated snow, and streaked across as a bloody shadow, arriving before Semiaya in an instant, swinging his crimson fist straight down.
Semiaya's eyes focused, dispelling the intimidating mental pressure.
She did not choose to match strength with this beast-like orc. Her flexible waist bent at an impossible angle in an instant, dodging the fist.
Before Groln could even react, Semiaya had already slid behind him and, without the slightest hesitation, plunged her remaining bone blade into his shoulder blade.
"Thud!"
The bone blade had only penetrated a small part before getting stuck by the taut muscles and bone. Groln roared like a beast, his crimson eyes like fiery meteors shifting to look behind him, forcing Semiaya to retreat.
However, the frenzied Groln had long lost his sense of pain. Without even pulling out the bone blade stuck in his shoulder, he launched a storm-like assault on Semiaya.
The crimson fists struck with afterimages, shaking Semiaya's arms painfully. Fine cracks appeared in her resilient ulna and radius bones.
Just as she was struggling to hold on, Sekashi used a seized spiked club to smash a wolf-riding orc and his frost wolf flying together.
"Despicable orc, your opponent is me, ah ah ah!"
Sekashi raised the spiked club and charged over directly like a reckless little pig.
This crisp shout instantly startled the frenzied Groln, his eyes regaining a sliver of clarity. Before he could turn around, a tremendous force struck his back. The iron spikes of the spiked club pierced flesh, then smashed him flying several meters before he stabilized and landed.
Semiaya seized the chance to disengage, drew a spare short blade, and chased after the frost wolf cavalry surrounding the wild people.
"Sekashi, I'll leave this guy to you. I'll deal with those cavalry."
Semiaya's agile figure ran swiftly across the snow. Although her profession was warrior, she had simultaneously passed the tribe's Jungle Walker trial and the Life Spirit trial.
Neither her constitution nor agility was low. Compared to other strength-reliant warriors, she was more well-rounded, with almost no weaknesses.
Such a terrifyingly versatile warrior plunged into the frost wolf pack, maneuvering and fighting against a group of giant wolves half a person's height. Her momentum didn't lose out in the slightest, making those wolf-riding orcs dare not approach.
Both sides temporarily maintained a stalemate.
As for Sekashi's side, Groln was still being chased and fleeing in disarray by the spiked club she was swinging.
"Damn it!! Do you only know how to chase and hit me?!" Groln cursed hatefully, narrowly dodging her pursuit.
"You guessed right." Sekashi shouted righteously.
She was a bit angry now.
The oak staff the Envoy had given her was lost during the confrontation with the frost wolf cavalry earlier.
It was all these orcs' fault.
"I'm beating you up! If you have the guts, don't run!"
Joking, not run and wait to be pounded into meat paste?!
The frenzy effect was gradually fading. Groln could feel the blocked pain sensations returning, making him hurt so much he almost stumbled.
"Gr… Groln, my lord, you?!"
Without any hesitation, he directly pulled a frost wolf cavalryman off his mount, rode the frost wolf, and continued running forward.
Only, this frost wolf was clearly still concerned about its original master, frequently wanting to turn back to rescue that cavalryman.
"Beast! Hurry and chase those wild people." Groln yanked its neck, cursing loudly.
The wild people ahead were already exhausted. After stopping, they were surrounded and circled by the frost wolf cavalry.
"Hurry and go, don't mind me!" Shaman Brutu panted heavily, waving for the young wild people to leave.
"Shaman, the children can't run anymore. We can't retreat. Let's fight them to the death!"
The wild people all showed resolute expressions, gathering into a circle, protecting the elderly and children inside, wary of the frost wolf cavalry's sudden attacks.
However, if not for Semiaya holding the line, these wild people armed only with wooden bows and bone hammers would have long been slaughtered clean by these cavalry.
Unable to overcome Semiaya for a long time, the frost wolf cavalry exchanged glances and tacitly changed their tactics. They no longer chose direct confrontation but circled around, wearing down her stamina.
Even when Sekashi arrived and cast spells to counter, it was difficult to hit the highly mobile cavalry.
Clearly, these orcs intended to exhaust them to death here.
Semiaya and Sekashi stood back-to-back, their eyes still alert to the wolf cavalry circling around. Semiaya lowered her head and asked, "Sekashi, do you have a plan?"
Sekashi was first stunned, then showed hesitation. "Perhaps I can pray to the Envoy."
Just like last time in the elemental plane, the Envoy always appeared by her side in time and helped her.
As a believer, frequently troubling the Envoy made her feel ashamed, but this was the only way among no ways.
Semiaya nodded, choosing to believe her.
Then, under the orcs' gazes, Sekashi put down the spiked club in her hand and began to pray.
"Great Putu and Envoy, please cast down your compassionate gaze, save me and Semiaya, and these poor folks…"
"Damn it, what spell is this lizard casting again?"
Groln's eyelids twitched. This time, he didn't dare approach and could only circle around.
But soon, he realized Sekashi was merely praying, and instantly felt like he was being made a fool of.
"Praying to a deity, hmph, deities wouldn't easily respond to believers…"
He had just spoken halfway when a frost wolf cavalryman looked up at the sky and warned alertly, "Alert, unidentified units in the air."
In this pure white world, the dark forms of aerial magical creatures were particularly conspicuous, immediately spotted by everyone.
It was a swarm of poisonous wasps and beetles.
Even more bizarre was that the leader was actually a slime with wings that could fly!
Damn it!!
Why would magical creatures from outside the snowy plains appear here?
Sekashi also ended her prayer at this moment, looking up curiously along with everyone's gaze. When she saw that slime, her face instantly lit up with delight.
"It's the Envoy! It's here!"
"She summoned it?!"
Groln's heart instantly grew wary, and he intended to retreat.
Who knew that slime seemed drunk, wobbling and tilting as it plummeted toward him.
"Ouch… no, no strength left…"
The little slime was tired from flying and simply plunged headfirst, landing with a "splat" right on Groln's helmet.
Instantly, the snowy plains fell into silence.
Both the frost wolf cavalry and the wild people stopped their actions, watching this scene.
"Is this the lizard's scheme?!"
Groln's heart jolted. He was just about to shake his helmet to fling off the slime on his head.
At that moment, a chaotic force poured into his mind, instantly scrambling his consciousness.
[Chaos Preach]
What is this?!
Damn it…
This thought flashed through Groln's mind, followed by an inexplicable surge of guilt, timidity, and self-loathing in his heart.
But only for an instant. He then sobered up, breaking free from this chaotic state. He hurriedly shook the slime off his head and scrambled away from the spot, his gaze suspicious and wary as he watched the slime slowly land.
What the hell is this thing?!
Could it really be the divine envoy that lizard spoke of?
"Lord Groln?"
The frost wolf cavalry confronted the poison-stinger wasp swarm in the air, cautiously approaching. They looked at their own tribe's warrior's disheveled state, feeling puzzled.
They didn't understand why he would react so strongly to a slime.
They hadn't seen this green type of slime before, but in some mana-rich areas of the snowy plains, they had seen frost slimes that could spit and swallow ice chunks.
Orcs often encountered them when hunting on the snowy plains. These not-very-powerful magical creatures at most caused some trouble for hunting parties and weren't considered particularly fearsome.
Groln didn't respond to them. Instead, he cautiously retreated, raising his hand and saying, "Withdraw!"
Looking at these uninvited guests who didn't look easy to deal with, especially this strange slime, he chose the most conservative approach.
Although the frost wolf cavalry and other orcs didn't understand, they slowly retreated into the snowy forest until their figures completely disappeared.
"They… ran away?"
The wild people were stunned, then their gazes all fell on the little slime on the snow, whose eyes were almost covered by snow.
"Did it save us?"
"Divine envoy! This is the divine envoy!!"
The wild people became excited, cheering.
Having narrowly escaped death, some even knelt on the spot crying, praying and giving thanks to the Sekashi sisters and the little slime.
Semiaya hurried to help these wild people up, while Sekashi trotted over and picked up that little slime.
"Envoy, did you come because you heard my prayer?"
The little slime blinked its confused eyes. "Co, coincidence… signal bad, can't contact main body. This slime is here to deliver food."
After it finished speaking, Sekashi noticed the bagged supplies being carried by those poison-stinger wasps and beetles.
Sekashi was stunned. "Are these all the airdrops the Envoy mentioned?"
"So… so many."
The bat slime happily bubbled. "Mhm mhm! Food, and equipment for Sekashi."
Staying here any longer was too dangerous;
the orcs could return at any time. Sekashi didn't immediately check what was inside those bags. Instead, she and Semiaya continued leading the wild people toward the direction of Mount Buda.
Along the way, the wild people curiously watched the orderly wasp team following behind, their eyes filled with both curiosity and a touch of reverence.
Semiaya walked over, glanced at the little slime in Sekashi's arms, bent at the waist, and performed a respectful bow. "Thank you for the rescue, Envoy. Semiaya is endlessly grateful."
The bat slime seemed to understand, bobbing its gel up and down to indicate a nod. Then it squeezed out a small blob of gel, gesturing for Sekashi to give it to Semiaya to wear.
Puzzled, Semiaya clipped the small blob of gel behind her ear. Suddenly, a soft, sticky voice sounded in her mind.
"This, this slime doesn't treat the main body's believers unfairly."
After hearing this, Semiaya's heart jolted. She hadn't expected to also be qualified to hear divine messages. She immediately lowered her head. "Thank you, Envoy."
After they finished their exchange, Sekashi then asked curiously, "That arrogant orc from earlier seemed very afraid of you. Has Putu's reputation already spread to the snowy plains?"
Hearing this, Semiaya also looked over curiously, seemingly pondering how the Slime Envoy would answer.
The bat slime thought a little. "Orc, coward, afraid of me."
Thinking this, it really felt it was correct, couldn't help but admire its own awesomeness, and slightly puffed out its chest.
Sekashi didn't have any doubts, exclaiming in admiration, "So… so amazing."
Semiaya also nodded, gaining more understanding of that mysterious Putu Envoy.
Just the Envoy's clone could scare that orc away. Perhaps the Envoy itself was a transcendent, powerful existence.
Moreover, this Envoy had repeatedly helped Sekashi. It was too doting on its believers.
Of course, Putu's believers seemed few to begin with. There were even rumors that Putu had long disappeared, left Zeyarila.
Perhaps listening to believers' requests would be more convenient this way, she thought unbidden.
The group continued walking, finally reaching the foot of Mount Buda after some time.
Following the map left by their ancestors, Semiaya searched for a while and finally discovered the cave their ancestors had left behind.
The space inside was fairly spacious, enough to accommodate all of them for rest.
Everyone filed into the cool cave, shook the snow off their shoulders and hats, patted the snow and black mud sticking to their fur boots, and only then sat down to rest.
Away from the howling cold wind, the children stopped shivering, but the cave still wasn't warm enough.
So the wild people, enduring the sorrow of losing companions, went out to search for firewood and food, leaving only the injured, elderly, and children waiting in the cave.
Semiaya kept watch at the cave entrance. Inside, Sekashi placed both hands on a wild person's wound and began treatment.
A glow of natural light appeared, and the wild person's pained expression began to ease.
After the wound healed enough, she sought out another wild person and continued treatment.
The bat slime standing on her shoulder just watched all this curiously, when an idea suddenly popped into its mind.
This snowy plain seemed livelier than the main body thought.
Should we also build a fortress here, expand the Kingdom's sphere of influence to the snowy plains?
This seemed like a good idea.
"Ah, as expected of this slime, already half as smart as the main body." It was quite satisfied with its own genius idea, planning to tell the main body after returning.
After Sekashi finished her treatments and just relaxed, Shaman Brutu was slowly helped over by the wild people.
Before Sekashi could speak, the old man slowly knelt and bowed in prayer.
"Thank you, divine envoy. Thank you, Miss Sekashi. We are endlessly grateful for your kindness."
"If permitted, our tribe is willing to convert and serve this deity for generations."
Sekashi felt a bit flustered. "Y-you, please get up first."
Spreading faith was no small matter.
Especially for a faithless tribe like the wild people's, to actively propose believing in Putu.
Shaman Brutu looked up, respectfully gazing at the slime on her shoulder, seemingly asking for its opinion.
Believers?
What use was this thing?
The bat slime was somewhat puzzled, but still bobbed its gel up and down to indicate a nod.
Only then did Brutu show a smile and was helped to his feet.
Time passed until almost nightfall, when the wild people who went out to search for supplies returned.
They had gathered enough firewood and hunted a few snow rabbits and some plant roots. Although not enough to fill and satisfy their bellies, it was absolutely enough to maintain vital signs.
Everyone busied themselves for half the day. Finally, the bonfire was lit. The rabbit meat on the spit sizzled and dripped with oil. The starving wild people reluctantly gave up the roasted meat.
"Shaman, please eat."
Shaman Brutu shook his head, reaching out to refuse. "Let our two warriors eat first."
The wild person nodded, then carefully and respectfully offered the entire roasted rabbit to Sekashi and the other.
"Warriors, please eat."
Sekashi had just finished her busy work. Turning her head, her gaze fell on the tempting roasted meat, then shifted to the children secretly swallowing their saliva. She inexplicably felt a pang of sadness.
During countless Winter Years in the swamp, she and her sister had also lived like this.
When food was scarce, their father would always find various excuses and reasons to give the little remaining meat to them, the sisters, while he himself simply gnawed on some tubers to barely fill his stomach.
In these pairs of longing eyes, she seemed to see her former self.
On Sekashi's shoulder, the bat slime seemed to sense her dejection. It patted her cheek and declared grandly, "Main body told this slime to bring lots and lots of food. Eat freely."
Sekashi snapped back to reality, remembering the airdrops the Envoy mentioned, her face showing an expectant expression.
"Sister, remember the surprise I told you about before?"
Semiaya had just refused the wild people's kindness. Turning back upon hearing Sekashi's words, she looked puzzled.
"What surprise?"
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you."
She explained, "Remember when I told you about meeting the Envoy in the elemental plane?"
Semiaya nodded, indicating she remembered.
"At that time, the Envoy said it would give me some supplies, and then they came…"
"You mean, those bags contain food?!" Semiaya reacted.