One-Eyed Monster

Chapter 58: Chapter 54: On the Brink of Death

Although the Alchemist’s Heaven and Earth Bind Array did not succeed, Dawn Peak became a lot quieter due to this stir.

The originally bustling peak suddenly became deserted. Lacking the usual laughter and constant foot traffic of the Treasure Hunters, Dawn Peak seemed exceptionally empty. This desolate sight usually only occurred during severe winter snowfalls when the snow-blocked roads made it impossible for people to ascend or descend the mountain.

This time, winter’s heavy snow had not yet arrived, but the Treasure Hunters had already descended the mountain in droves. They made the decision to leave before the second batch of Exchange Beasts arrived, causing them to miss the spectacular sight of the Alchemy Array in the Alchemy Workshop.

Those who chose to stay on the mountain were fortunate enough to witness this event. Despite the fierce arrival of the Alchemy Exchange Beasts, these individuals did not feel much tension. This group either had absolute confidence in their own abilities, like Stan Sol and Baharo, believing they could handle any unforeseen events, or they were completely oblivious to what was happening, like Igor.

Although the Heaven and Earth Bind Array failed, the mountaintop was indeed cleared of most people. Stan Sol sniffed the air and quickened his pace. A slight doubt in his mind had been unintentionally clarified by Kadi. Understanding that no living being had ever existed on this peak before, he gained more confidence in his tracking.

A Hunter’s Secret Sensing Skills are most vulnerable to interference from other Spirit Powers. If the target is attacked by a more powerful beast, that beast’s strong Spirit Power will mask the target’s own, making it difficult to distinguish. An error in judgment at this point could lead to tracking the beast instead of the target.

Stan Sol found Igor thanks to the stones he possessed. He sought Igor first because he was more anxious to learn of his brother’s whereabouts. Although the Crows’ messages all indicated his brother was in the Sea of Death, he still clung to hope. After all, he could still feel the faint thrum of his brother’s blood within him.

Although that fellow Igor couldn’t provide much useful information, Stan Sol still felt it was fated. The fact that this young man could utilize the Lightning captured by his brother demonstrated a certain tacit understanding between the youth and his brother.

Meeting his brother now depended on only one final condition: leverage for negotiating with Rostov.

Stan Sol continued to quicken his pace. The quiet demeanor of Igor, the youth following him, and the Alien Species over the recent period gave him a sense of relief.

Igor’s silence stemmed from not knowing what to ask. His mind was filled with countless questions, yet he had no idea how to phrase them. Each question he had asked previously often led to new ones, and these layers of questions left him rather muddled. He needed to sort out his thoughts before he could ask anything more. Thus, this brief silence was merely him gathering strength before an inevitable outburst.

As for Kadi, the monster, he had been preoccupied with how to escape the damned rope around his hand and had no energy for conversation.

The three of them walked on in silence, reaching the summit before they knew it.

Dawn Peak wasn’t overly steep, and its summit was quite flat. The most remarkable feature was an unusually large stone standing on the eastern edge, like the first living being on the peak to greet the sun.

Upon reaching the summit, Igor gazed at the lush pines, a wave of relief washing over him. After stumbling along a path fraught with scares yet no real danger for nearly two days, he had finally made it to the summit. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

It was hard to see many clouds in the winter sky. The sky appeared surprisingly blue. He wanted to reach out and touch it. Just as he was about to extend his hand, he remembered he was still tied up. So, Igor dismissed the thought and shifted his gaze to the base of the mountain. The various pubs and inns below were barely discernible; only the vague, orderly outlines of the buildings could be seen. The most prominent feature in his view was the expanse of green trees.

Kadi had long grown tired of the view from Dawn Peak. At this moment, he was mindlessly watching Igor, who stood mesmerized. Kadi felt an indescribable sensation. Igor’s expression seems so familiar, he thought, as if I’ve seen it somewhere before.

The view from the peak truly is different! Just as Igor was preparing to voice his full heart, Stan Sol tugged the Binding Beast Rope again, and Igor and Kadi involuntarily followed the rope towards the large stone.

Stan Sol stood by the stone for a moment then began to walk towards the other end of the peak.

It was clear that Stan Sol had chosen a path leading down the mountain.

He didn’t walk far down that path before he stopped.

”Finally... found it.”

Looking at Stan Sol’s relaxed brow, Igor was still utterly puzzled. Apart from trees of various heights, there’s nothing else around here. What on earth has Stan found?

Shortly after, Stan Sol picked up a pale yellow cloak that had been tucked between a few small trees.

”Nice... piece of... equipment.”

Underneath the pale yellow cloak, a handsome face shivered.

”Hustace!” Igor exclaimed in surprise.

”Huh? Is this the Governor’s son? He doesn’t look to be in good shape,” Kadi said. Having been fully briefed on the situation that morning, he showed genuine concern for the young man.

Hustace huddled his arms to his chest and bent his legs, curling his body into a ball. His wet hair hung messily over his handsome face, and his lips were purple from the cold.

”He... needs... heat,” Stan Sol said, taking a Zhì Rou Grass from his purple robe and conjuring a flame in his palm. The Zhì Rou Grass quickly bloomed. Then Stan Sol poured water from his canteen into the flower-like bloom. With a SIZZLE, steam began to rise as the bloom held the water like a vessel.

Stan Sol carefully helped Hustace sit up and slowly poured the warm water from the bloom into the young man’s mouth.

Igor and Kadi quietly observed this delicate operation, sharing a meaningful glance.

After gulping down some warm water infused with Zhì Rou Grass, Hustace’s pale face slightly improved.

”I... I’m cold...” Hustace moaned, his eyes closed.

”Do you need any help?” Igor asked, feeling awkward just standing by idly.

”Just stand... there. That will... be fine,” Stan Sol replied, not accepting Igor’s kind offer.

”It’s so miserable for someone with frostbite,” Kadi remarked from the side.

It truly was a miracle Hustace hadn’t frozen to death.

After nightfall on the summit of Guru Mountain, the temperature would plummet to an unbearable degree. The winds at the summit, always strong, would grow even fiercer after dark. These harsh winds would rapidly drain a person’s body heat, creating intense cold and potentially triggering mysterious illnesses. Without sufficient wilderness survival skills, typical Treasure Hunters wouldn’t choose to spend the night on the summit.

But Hustace was clearly not an experienced climber. With the aid of the Invisibility Cloak, he had swiftly ascended to the summit, unnoticed by anyone because no one could see him.

Hustace hadn’t heeded Qi Liu’s advice to find a cave for the night. Firstly, he wanted to reach the summit as quickly as possible. Secondly, he couldn’t find any cave.

He was the son of the Governor of Luona, always accompanied by League Guards and servants on his outings. For him, climbing a mountain alone was already a tremendous achievement.

And he always believed that as long as he climbed to the summit, he would find Igor...

Therefore, when he opened his eyes and saw Igor standing right beside him, a smile instantly spread across his face. ”I knew it! I would definitely find you on the summit, Igor!”

This unexpected remark left Igor baffled. However, seeing Hustace—who had been on the brink of death—now awake and safe, he pushed his doubts aside.

”Don’t... talk. You... need... warmth,” Stan Sol interrupted the young man.

Hustace looked pale. He felt a vague numbness, and parts of his skin had become congested and swollen. Occasionally, he felt an itch in those red areas and wanted to scratch them, but a sudden pang of pain would surge up his arm.

”Don’t move. Frostbite... can’t be... rushed,” Stan Sol advised.

Hustace felt grateful to this stranger, yet he also sensed something was odd.

It seems like Igor is tied up, and there’s a gentle-faced... monster... behind him...

Hustace wasn’t shocked by Kadi’s appearance. Despite being from a wealthy family, he had encountered many bizarre things. He had seen Dwarves and Mountain Monsters. Compared to this One-Eyed Monster, he mused, both Dwarves and Mountain Monsters are far uglier.

Igor didn’t know how to treat frostbite. He silently watched as Stan Sol tore off a piece of cloth, soaked it with the warm water infused with Zhì Rou Grass, and gently wiped Hustace’s frostbitten areas.

Being a Hunter is truly an amazing profession; they know so much... Igor thought.

Kadi was almost drowsing. He had spent the whole morning trying to make sense of Stan’s story while simultaneously figuring out how to get rid of the rope binding his hands. By now, he understood the gist of the story, but the problem of the rope remained unsolved.

After Stan Sol’s careful treatment, a healthy color finally returned to Hustace’s face.

”Now... you can... move,” Stan Sol told him.

Just as Hustace was about to express his gratitude, he suddenly realized that his hands had also been tied without his noticing.

”What do you mean by this?” Hustace asked.

”Leverage. Can’t be... at death’s... door,” Stan Sol replied.

”What does he mean by that?” Hustace turned to Igor.

”Well... it’s a long story.”

”In any case, you’re the key, and we’re the unfortunate ones caught up in this mess,” Kadi explained, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

”But...” Before Hustace could finish, a loud CLANG interrupted him.

Stan Sol lifted his arm from under his purple robe, blocking a Flying Sword head-on!