Chapter 109: Vita Village
"Lord Wu Fan, hello."
After purchasing some essential Daily Necessities and Food in the West District, I walked directly out of the Door here. Greeting me were two familiar faces.
"You are... Ai Er and De Ke?" I thought for a moment and finally recognized them. Weren't these the two Soldiers I met the first time I returned to Rogue Encampment?
"It's truly an Honor. We didn't expect Lord to still remember our Names," the two Rogue Archers said excitedly.
I smiled faintly and looked around. I noticed that the Guards at the Door were double the usual number, and patrolling Soldiers passed by from time to time outside, looking heavily guarded. This Monster Attack was different from before; it was as if someone was directing it from behind the scenes. Therefore, Rogue Encampment also had to become vigilant. While protecting the ten Villages, the Camp's Defense was also significantly strengthened to prevent those Monsters from playing any tricks.
"Oh right, may I ask which direction Vita Village is in?" Speaking of which, I only knew the Distance to the Village, but I hadn't figured out the direction at all.
"Oh, Lord, you just need to follow this main road straight ahead. If you encounter a fork, turn left. If you don't mind it being slow, you can also take a Vehicle," Ai Er said, pointing to the main road that extended from the Door.
A Vehicle? I suppressed the doubt in my heart and slowly left Rogue Encampment according to Ai Er's instructions.
Walking on the fresh main road, the morning mist had just dissipated. The roadside was densely covered with tender Green Grass, and there were still crystal clear dewdrops on the Leaf (Rune Word)s. With every Gentle Breeze that blew, it was accompanied by the swaying of countless Leaf (Rune Word)s, emitting a rustling charming sound. The rising Sun had already slightly revealed half its face. The gentle and soft Morning Light was warm, shining on this lush Grassland. The white light was reflected by countless dewdrops, emitting multicolored Glows. At first glance, it looked as if the Grassland was sprinkled with countless dazzling Gems.
In this clean white Act without pollution, the sky was azure. The Grassland was emerald green, the Plain was vast, the Cool Breeze was refreshing, the Air was fresh. Everything seemed so natural. Even the heavy Aura lingering above Rogue Encampment dissipated as I gradually moved away. My whole being felt like a Small Bird that had escaped from a cage and was about to spread its wings and fly high, enjoying this Fairyland-like Beautiful Scenery.
"Lord! Lord?"
Just as I was immersed in the Beautiful Scenery, an untimely old Voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned my Head with some displeasure, but what entered my sight was an Old Man. He was wearing Coarse Linen Clothes and Ragged Cloth Shoes covered in Dirt. His Hair was already white, and the wrinkles left by the years on his face were dry and looked like Tree Bark. He looked very old in Age, but his Physique seemed sturdy. His back was straight, and his eyes were simple yet spirited. Hidden within that withered yellow Skin, weathered by wind and sun, was a sturdy physique.
No matter how I looked at it, this Old Man before me resembled those old Peasants who had spent their entire lives working the land. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but soften my Tone.
"Old man, may I ask if there's anything?"
The Old Man's Appearance was very reserved. Seeing that I seemed a bit displeased, he had stammered and didn't know what to say. Only when my Tone softened did he ask carefully with an even more respectful Attitude.
"May I ask if Lord is going to Vita Village?"
"That's right."
Hearing me say this, the Old Man's eyes lit up. Suppressing his excitement, he said stammering,
"Th-thank you, Lord, for not minding the hardship to come to our Village. If Lord doesn't mind, let this old man give Lord a ride."
He pointed behind him to the Cart Frame that had already caught my attention. It was like a Carriage, pulled by an unknown Animal. The entire body of the Vehicle was essentially a large Wooden Board, with Wooden Railings fixed on both sides. It was all made of hard Wood, including the four Wheels. The simple Frame and the not-so-perfectly round wooden Wheels made my heart twitch. If this Vehicle were to travel on a bumpy road, my Buttocks would surely suffer greatly.
However, having never had such an Experience, I followed the Old Man's Suggestion and got onto this simple wooden board Carriage, which had the Style of a medieval Peasant's exclusive Vehicle. I started chatting with the Old Man who subsequently sat on the Front Seat to drive the Vehicle.
It turned out that this unremarkable-looking Old Man was one of the Elders of Vita Village. Like many stubborn old people, having been born and raised there, he was unwilling to migrate to Rogue Encampment with his whole family like most Young Persons. Even if he were to die, he would rather fall in a place where he could smell the familiar scent of Dirt.
There were quite a few people who shared his Idea. To thank us Adventurers who had specifically come to protect their Homeland, they took out the Stored Supplies from the Village to entertain Guests. Over a dozen Experienced Persons even brought over Mule-Beast vehicles (Mule-Beasts, that strange Creature pulling the Vehicle). Every day before dawn, they would eagerly wait near the Door of Rogue Encampment, hoping to do something for us Adventurers.
For most Adventurers, such Carriages were too bumpy, and their Speed was far inferior to their own Speed. Therefore, not many people were willing to ride them. But they still tirelessly used this Method, which was all they could do, to Repay the Adventurers who defended their Homeland. And this Old Man named Butu was now driving the Vehicle with one hand, a satisfied Smile on his face. For him, there was nothing more joyful than being able to help these Adventurers.
I have to say, the wooden-wheeled Carriage was indeed very uncomfortable. Even with the Thick-skinned and tough physique of a Class Changer, I couldn't quite bear it. However, compared to riding on Light Snow 's back, it had a unique Flavor. Sitting on it, watching the small grass by the roadside slowly receding, not far away, herds of Livestock were wandering around under the guidance of Herdsmen. Butu, who was driving the Vehicle, couldn't help but sing the Song of the Prairie with a heavy Accent. His loud and clear Voice echoed in the Sky, lingering for a long time. Listening and watching, it felt as if there was a Sense of Belonging to returning to pastoral life—if only there were no War, how good that would be!
"Old man, is there any Situation in Vita Village?" The Vehicle swayed forward. I saw that it would take a while to reach the Destination, so I couldn't help but ask.
"Lord, please rest assured. Under the Command of Lord Druv, the Village has not had any Situation so far. Those damned Monsters are just gathered outside and haven't made any Movement/Activity. The Lords are all working hard to Protect the Village. Alas, if my Son were still here, perhaps he would also be one of them!" Butu said sadly.
"Your Son was also an Adventurer?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, although he wasn't like Lord you, becoming a Class Changer, he was also a very excellent Archer. It's just a pity that not long ago, only a bow was brought back," the Old Man's Tone was unspeakably proud when talking about his Son, but then his Tone slowly became low.
My heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it?
"Old man, what was your Son's Name? Maybe we've met before."
"Really? His Name was Bu Lang. He was a Rogue Archer. Does Lord have any impression?" Butu's face revealed a surprised expression, and he hastily asked eagerly.
Indeed, this Act is too small! The Son Butu mentioned, wasn't he the Rogue Archer who died at the entrance of the Monastery some time ago?
"Met him. I even fought alongside him! Your Son was indeed a very excellent Adventurer. You should feel proud of him." Yes, I did "fight together" with him, it's just that at that time, he was already a Corpse.
Hearing me say this, the Old Man's eyes lit up, and his Tone became a bit more intimate. The sorrowful Aura from just now also seemed to have dissipated quite a bit.
"Oh, where? An Adventurer as excellent as Lord, who became a Class Changer at such a young Age, being able to fight with you, that was his Honor. I believe that even in Heaven, he would feel proud because of this."
"Oh right. I haven't asked for Lord's Name yet," Butu seemed to only remember now that he should properly remember this Lord who had once fought alongside his Son.
"My Name is Wu Fan, Druid Wu Fan," I said casually while looking at the surrounding scenery.
With a "Creak," the Vehicle suddenly stopped.
By the time I reacted and turned around strangely, Butu had already knelt before me with a "plop."
"What are you doing?" I said, greatly startled.
"Thank you, thank you, Benefactor, for allowing Bu Lang's Soul to rest in peace. I always, always wanted to kowtow to Lord, but I am insignificant and weak and couldn't find Lord you no matter what. I didn't expect to meet you here. This must be God's arrangement. Thank God, Lord, this old man will kowtow to you!" Butu said incoherently, old tears streaming down. That simple yellow face full of wrinkles looked so heartbreaking.
It seems he learned from the Archer Captain. I looked at the Old Man kneeling on the ground unwilling to get up, feeling a headache. Damn it, making an Old Man kneel will shorten one's lifespan.
Finally, after talking until my mouth was dry, and even forcefully threatening him, I finally managed to make Butu stand up from the ground with great difficulty. If I had known this earlier, I would have just said a random Name to fool him. Alas!
After all that fuss, it wasn't until the Sun rose into Mid-air that the outline of Vita Village gradually appeared before our eyes. This was a very simple Village, only surrounded by a wooden fence taller than a person, which simply couldn't resist the Attack of Monsters. According to Butu, the Village originally had about several thousand people living there, but now seven or eight tenths have left, leaving less than a thousand people, mostly elderly and women.
The Vehicle stopped at the village entrance. A few Adventurers were acting as gatekeepers. Seeing it was me, they immediately welcomed me warmly. However, I couldn't call out their Names and felt a bit awkward. Fortunately, they also seemed to be used to it. In this Act where Strongest Expert is respected, if you want others to remember you, you can't do it without Strength/Power.
"Benefactor, please you must come to my house. At least during this time, let us properly Repay you. Please you must agree." Butu had been following behind me ever since he saw me to the entrance, with an appearance of not giving up until his goal was reached. Looking at the Old Man's simple and sincere Gaze, I really couldn't say words of Refusal and could only agree. Only then did he thank me profusely and leave.
At this moment, the entire Village was filled with Adventurers. Several thousand Class Changers were divided into ten parts by Kashya. This meant that each Village had several hundred Class Changers in Existence, plus over a thousand Mercenaries and several thousand Soldiers. The current Number of People in the Village was not at all less than before the Monster Attack.
After several inquiries, I finally found Druv and the others in a Large Tent in the Village. What surprised me was that Lars and the Barbarian Brothers were also nearby. This is good. It saved me a lot of Effort.
"Wu, you're finally here. This is good, the Number of People is finally complete."
Druv said, overjoyed, when he saw me come in. A few people were just gathered around a Table, seemingly discussing something.
Lars and the others also happily ran over and patted my shoulder. I dodged, hoho~~ Doug, I saw through your purpose long ago. Want to trick me? No way.
"How is the situation now?"
After greeting them, I didn't stand on ceremony and walked straight to the side of the Table. It turned out that on the Table was a Map Paper drawn with various strange Symbols, looking a bit like a Troop Distribution Map. It seems Druv did quite well. Some people are naturally born with Leadership Aptitude/Talent. I can't help but envy them.
Everyone understood that Time was urgent and stopped talking Nonsense. First, Druv pointed at a red Symbol on the Blueprint and said,
"Wu, look, this is our Village. Those Monsters are gathered Northwest of the Village. The Quantity hasn't been estimated clearly yet, but it's probably around several tens of thousands. These two days, they have tended to stabilize. I estimate they will launch a full-scale Attack soon." He paused, then pointed at the other Symbols and continued,
"Among these Monsters, the most numerous are Fallen and Saber Cats. Estimated together, they account for at least three-fifths of the Total Number of Monsters. Look." He pointed at the most numerous blue Triangle Symbols on the paper.
"Besides these, among these Monsters, there are also Zombies, Hungry Dead, Giant Beasts, Dark Hunters, Foul Hunters, etc. Most of them are Basic Monsters and their Evolved Forms. Perhaps for the confidentiality of this Attack, these Monsters are not very Powerful. The Highest Level Monsters also only come from Stony Field and the Underground Cavern within it.
"As for our side, we have 231 Class Changers, 1368 Mercenaries, and 3891 temporarily mobilized Soldiers. Although the Quantity is far inferior, in terms of Strength/Power, we still have a greater Advantage. But the most difficult thing is how to minimize Casualties as much as possible. We can't afford the losses!" Druv said, having a bit of a headache.
"Especially those Ranged Attack Monsters. If someone is directing them, and they concentrate their Attack on a Single Point, that would be an Instant Kill. Now we only Hope they are not being directed, or that we can deal with most of them outside their range."
I looked at the Blueprint and also had a headache. Compared to Monsters with infinite Resurrection, we Adventurers lose one every time one dies. Kashya and Fara, those two abnormal ones, probably won't make a move. Everything depends on ourselves. It's just a pity that the Assassin's Tier 3 Trap can only be learned at level 24. Otherwise, as long as we place a few hundred Fire Blasts, Electric Guards, and so on in the middle, we could at least eliminate a small half of the Enemies. Alas...
Then, Druv also roughly explained to me the specific situation of our side's Combat Power and the preliminary drafted response Plan. They were all very comprehensive, leaving me no chance to show off. Tch...
Unconsciously, several hours had already passed. A few people gathered together didn't even bother to eat lunch. Even I was immersed in it. A Man's heart, more or less, holds a bit of hot-blooded impulse towards War. Even I, this Otaku, couldn't avoid it. It wasn't until the afternoon, when everyone's stomachs successively made protesting sounds, that everyone looked at each other and Smiled.
Soon after, a few women and children brought up hot Food. Druv casually took out a few Gold Coins and forcefully stuffed them over. These Villagers also seemed to have understood Druv's character and did not Refuse. Instead, they thanked him profusely, bowed, and left.
"Protecting the Village is our Obligation, and Lady Akara has already said that Adventurers participating in this Battle can all receive a Reward paid by the Camp. If we can still comfortably enjoy the Villagers' Contribution, then what's the difference from Bandits?" Seeing my smiling Gaze, Druv said thus. As expected of a Paladin taught out by the Temple.
"Army does not disturb the populace, that's what it means, right?" I Smiled and replied casually.
"Army does not disturb the populace? Haha, this phrase describes it well. Later, I'll go revise the Announcement and add this sentence," Druv's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands excitedly.
"However, I was really surprised just now when I heard that the Special Action Squad in our Village was just you, Wu." After eating and drinking to our fill, Druv's eyes still held a hint of curiosity as he looked at me. He had fought with me and knew that although my Strength/Power was decent, it wasn't exaggerated to the point of being able to rely on one person's Strength to join the Special Action Squad.
I chuckled, not knowing what to say. Big-mouthed Doug beside me shamelessly patted his Chest and chimed in.
"Of course. I tell you, Wu's Strength/Power is not weaker than Lady Sharna. With him here, there's absolutely no problem in the Village."
Regarding Doug's character, I could only give a wry Smile.
Next, Druv took me for a walk around the Village. My Status had already spread throughout the Village. Now that I suddenly appeared, it naturally attracted the Attention/Gaze of many people, making me have to put on the Hat of my Cloak to block everyone's burning Gaze. However, in the Rumors about me later, another Mysterious Aura was added. Terrible Gossip, wow.
"I want to go outside and look around to specifically understand the Information." Coming outside the Village, I said to everyone.
"Be careful with everything."
Druv nodded. Although he was the Leadership of Vita Village, the Special Action Squad did not have the Quest of defending the Village, so he naturally also had no Power to restrain my actions. Even in this Act where Strongest Expert is respected, strictly speaking, my Status and Position are even a bit higher than his, it's just that I'm not used to ordering others.
"Don't worry, it's a small matter."
I gave everyone a Thumb up and said with full Confidence. Then, my expression became serious, and I closed my eyes. Accompanied by a proficient Summon, Light Snow 's huge figure slowly rose up from the Magic Array. Under everyone's Dumbfounded Gaze, Light Snow , who had been holding back for a long time, couldn't help but let out a long howl towards the Sky after coming out. That earth-shattering Presence formed a fierce Gale, spreading out with it as the center, making everyone's Cloaks flap loudly.
The Roar full of Presence caused a great commotion inside the Village. Why are you howling for no reason? I gently patted Light Snow 's Head. Under its Wronged Gaze, I strode onto its back. Looking at the crowd beside me who were still in a stunned Buff and hadn't reacted, and the Adventurers who were rushing towards this side, I thought inwardly, 'This is bad.' I hastily rode Light Snow and galloped out, only leaving behind a receding Back View, leaving the Adventurers who were rushing over stunned.
The Powerful Presence emitted by Light Snow truly Shocked the Adventurers of the entire Village. They originally thought it was a sudden Attack by a Monster boss. When they ran out of the Village with their Weapons, they only saw a galloping Back View on the Plains.
"What exactly was that?"
An Adventurer who arrived first muttered to himself, looking at the White Wolf that was gradually moving away, and that aloof Back View on the White Wolf.
"Did everyone see that? That is Lord Wu Fan of our Special Action Squad! With his Strength, this Battle, we will surely achieve Victory!!" Druv, who was the first to regain consciousness, was secretly excited in his heart, and at the same time, he didn't forget to loudly rouse everyone's Presence.
"With him here, what do we have to fear! This Battle, we will surely achieve Victory!!"
"Certain victory, certain victory..." Those Adventurers who were closest, after regaining consciousness, couldn't help but start roaring. Then, as if contagious, in an instant, all the Adventurers became excited, raising the Weapons in their hands high.
"Certain victory, certain victory, Wu Fan, certain victory..."