Chapter 129: Undercurrents Rising

The moonlight was dim and hazy, casting mottled shadows through the trees as Ye Ran trudged wearily through the Green Demon Forest. Behind him, a troll lumbered along, carrying the bear-headed hunter over its shoulder.

"The 'strange breeds' from the Forbidden Zone of New Species only entered the Green Demon Forest recently," Ye Ran said. "Those lunatics create all sorts of powerful yet nauseating abominations. In our eyes, they are even more deserving of death than trolls."

"Roar!"

The troll let out a low, angry growl. It shared a blood feud with the hunters of the Hunter’s Pit; had Ye Ran not been present, it would have torn the hunter to shreds on the spot. Ye Ran gave it a sidelong glance, and it immediately quieted down.

Mandy, the sprite trailing behind them, chimed in with dissatisfaction, "You despicable humans are the worst of all—even more detestable than ugly trolls."

The troll growled again; these two insolent creatures were always making it the target of their friction.

Ignoring them, Ye Ran asked, "What kind of people are these 'Life-Shapers' from the Forbidden Zone? Though that particular Life-Shaper didn't possess overwhelming strength, he felt incredibly dangerous to me."

The bear-headed hunter replied, "Your instincts are correct. That blue-faced Life-Shaper is named Simon. He is a rising young talent, but unlike others of his kind, he doesn't just experiment on others—he uses his own body as a test subject. The Life-Shapers of the Forbidden Zone are madmen who oppose humanity, divinity, and the laws of all living things. They are convinced they can create the ultimate lifeform that transcends all known races, which is why they call themselves 'Life-Shapers.' The 'strange breeds' are simply the monsters they have manufactured."

He adjusted his bear-head cap. Ever since a fire had scarred half his face in his youth, he had worn the mask, never taking it off, not even to sleep.

"The ultimate lifeform?" Ye Ran furrowed his brows.

"Hmph," the hunter scoffed. "That’s just the wishful thinking of lunatics. Yet, driven by this obsession, they capture countless living people—no, living creatures—for their grotesque experiments. The half-orcs are merely one of their results. It is for this reason that those Life-Shapers have become the public enemy of the Evil Lands of Ibo. Though the various races and factions here are constantly at odds, they are united in their stance against the Life-Shapers. We will never allow those scoundrels to set foot in the Evil Lands." He paused. "The attack on you earlier was a misunderstanding; we thought you were one of them. My apologies."

Although Ye Ran had injured him, he had also saved his life, and the bear-headed hunter held no grudge.

"I understand," Ye Ran said, "but why were you so hostile toward me in the southern forest back then?"

The hunter replied, "Little brother, that is the instinct of a hunter. When we are on a hunt, we subconsciously clear away all obstacles."

"So, it seems I brought it upon myself?" Ye Ran asked with a self-deprecating smile.

"I wouldn't put it that way. Everyone has their share of bad luck, don't you think?"

Ye Ran shrugged it off. As they talked, they soon arrived at the spot where Andolu and Andre had been camped not long before. A few tents remained on the ground and the campfires were not yet cold, but there was no sign of life; Andolu and his mercenaries had already departed. The same was true for Andre’s camp.

They reached the Hunter’s Pit in the small hours of the morning. From a distance, Ye Ran could see lit torches and piles of hay. Thin threads were strung across the tree trunks, adorned with small bells—simple traps fashioned by the hunters. Ye Ran knew that beyond this point lay the hunters' territory, riddled with deadly mechanisms and traps. Having taken a detour to avoid this area on his way in, he intended to do the same on his way out. He turned and signaled for the troll to put the hunter down. "I’ll leave you here," he said.

Though his wrist was injured, the bear-headed hunter had grown up in these woods and knew the traps by heart. "Little brother, my thanks. We may have started as enemies, but we’ve ended as acquaintances. If you ever need anything, just say the word." He gave a respectful salute and vanished into the woods.

Ye Ran led the troll and the sprite on a detour. After walking a long distance, he suddenly slapped his forehead. "That bear-headed uncle never even told me his name—how is he supposed to repay me?"

...

By dawn, Ye Ran returned to the Tauren encampment. Everyone stared in astonishment when they saw Mandy the sprite following behind him. Many had read of sprites in books, and some in the academic world even doubted their existence. How could they have imagined that they would one day see with their own eyes this legendary angel, this embodiment of nature?

"It's true! Xin, look at her wings!"

Meng Qi reached out to touch her translucent wings, but Mandy slapped his hand away in disgust. "Nasty human, go away! Go away!" She spread her shimmering wings and hovered in the air, arms crossed, looking fierce. Yet, with her exquisite, doll-like features, it was impossible for anyone to truly dislike her. Meng Qi just chuckled and pulled his hand back, unbothered.

Bannar, the Tauren chieftain, had emerged from the Green Demon Forest and knew more about sprites than Ye Ran. Upon hearing of Mandy's ordeal at Fairy Lake, he was filled with sympathy and immediately ordered Labrador to build a house for Lady Mandy.

"Miss Mandy, I will immediately inform Dodolo and Cecil of your arrival. The Tauren, Dwarves, and Elves will provide for you just as they always have," the honest chieftain said.

Mandy crossed her arms and nodded haughtily. "Fine, fine. Go, go! And don't forget to tell the King of the Elves to send his armies to attack that despicable human who dared to kidnap me!"

"This... I will do my best."

With the Green Demon Forest in turmoil, Mandy had to stay at the Tauren camp for the time being. The simple, honest Tauren brought her all their best food and endured her pride and bad temper. Ye Ran felt a wave of emotion; perhaps this was fate. Some were born to toil, like these Tauren, while others were born with the capital for arrogance, like this sprite.

Trolls and Tauren were usually mortal enemies, but the one Ye Ran had rescued from Andolu’s camp was different. Although it had a fiery temper, it never lashed out without cause, and it would never act without Ye Ran’s permission. Since it could not return to the forest, it stayed in the camp, and Ye Ran named it "Big Black."

"The people from the Forbidden Zone of New Species entered the forest about five days ago, at the same time as Andolu and Andre. And as far as I know, there has never been any conflict between them," Ye Ran mused, growing anxious after settling Mandy and Big Black. The Evil Lands were bordered by Grus Fortress to the west, the Forbidden Zone and the Island of Slaughter to the east, and the Green Demon Forest to the north. Any one of these factions had the power to swallow the region whole. He could not fathom how this small territory had survived until now.

"Andolu and Andre are backed by the higher-ups of Torrent City. If they are linked to the Life-Shapers of the Forbidden Zone, then things have become truly complicated."