yournovel Chapter 59 At this moment, Rhodes' reliability is reassuring.
Chapter 59 At this moment, Rhodes' reliability is reassuring.
Chapter 59 At this moment, Rhodes' reliability is reassuring.
"Huff—" Don Quixote, who was covering his mouth, quickly turned red in the face and was forced to gasp for breath. "I can't breathe."
"I just told you to keep your voice down, I didn't tell you not to breathe." Milan couldn't help but tap her head with her staff.
"The road here is narrow and difficult to walk on."
Rhodes pressed himself against the rough inner wall, carefully parting the thick vines blocking his way and scanning the area. He saw that the cave passage was narrow and dark, with damp, faint light emanating from the rock walls on both sides. It was only wide enough for one person to walk through, and it was difficult to walk side by side.
Although this design makes walking difficult, it better conceals the entrance, preventing the monster horde from rushing in even if discovered, which is beneficial for those hiding inside to defend themselves.
"The entrance is narrow, allowing only one person at a time to pass," Rhodes suggested. "Let's first determine the order in which the group will proceed—"
"Then let us lead the way!" Don Quixote immediately stepped forward, gripping his greatsword with fierce determination. "Whatever difficulties lie ahead, I will become your shield, protecting you from danger and leading you forward!"
Don Quixote patted his breastplate, making a move to be the first to crawl inside.
As a warrior, she was always used to clearing the way. No matter what danger she encountered, her armor could protect her from damage and provide enough room for error. Whether fighting or fleeing, she could buy time for her comrades.
Don Quixote had just lifted his foot when Rhodes stopped him with a hand: "Can you see clearly in the dark?"
"Hmm—" She scratched her head, "I should be able to see clearly, right? It's okay, even if someone attacks us, we're not afraid—"
"I'm afraid you won't be able to detect unknown dangers," Milan interrupted impatiently. "Entering such a small, dark place rashly could easily lead to an accident—"
"Then I'll walk behind her," Susanna, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up.
"I know illumination magic, so walking in front will provide better lighting for everyone," she said nervously, gripping her staff and looking at the dark entrance of the cave. "In case of a surprise attack, this position will make it easier to provide healing and protection spells for Miss Don Quixote."
"Can you do it?" Seeing her nervous look, Milan paused for a moment, "How about I do it? I can use fireball to light the way."
"But when it comes to investigation—" Susanna hesitated for a moment before whispering, "I'm still a bit more perceptive than you, Ms. Milan, aren't I?"
Milan raised an eyebrow, recalling what had happened on the way, yet she couldn't refute it.
"Actually, I can walk in front," Rhodes said, stroking his chin. "I can see clearly in the dark, and my reconnaissance skills are pretty good."
Thanks to Alina's racial talent, the combined ability of [Dark Vision] allows Rhodes to move freely in many dark environments.
"Is the Ranger trying to take our starting position?" Don Quixote said with a serious expression. "We will not back down on this matter."
Seeing her resolute expression of defiance against authority, Milan immediately cast a silencing spell on her.
"Hero, you'll be in charge of covering the rear. Your shooting range is long, so it'll be easier to provide support from the back," Milan said, ignoring her excited shouts and turning to Rod. "You can also guard against any possible attacks from behind the column."
"Besides, if there's any danger inside, we can run back faster," Milan said, a troubled look on her face. "If Don Quixote were to cover the retreat—"
Following her words, the others unconsciously imagined Don Quixote slowly turning around, dragging his armor, and blocking everyone's escape route.
"Hmm—anyway, she's wearing heavy armor, so even if she encounters a monster and takes a few hits, she'll still be alive and kicking." Milan said, gently tapping Don Quixote's armor.
"Hmm—I will heal her," Susanna said, seemingly offering Milan's support with kind and gentle words.
"Luckily, I ran fast—"
After thinking about it carefully, Rhodes realized that he was probably the fastest person in the team.
If he really wanted to escape, he would leave the others far behind and wouldn't hinder his teammates' escape at all.
"Don't talk about running away in such a boastful tone—" Alina couldn't help but complain in her mind space.
The queue was quickly formed, and the four people filed in one after another, moving forward in the narrow, dark passage.
Each person deliberately maintains a distance of one or two meters. This distance allows for quick mutual support in case of any unusual activity and also prevents the entire team from being dragged into the trap.
The passage was narrower than I had imagined.
The road inside the cave was full of potholes, and Susanna and Milan almost slipped and fell while stepping on the uneven gravel and leaves.
But before long, Rod noticed that the soil beneath his feet was gradually showing signs of being trampled.
Without the rubble used to cover the traces, messy footprints were exposed, stretching deep into the rock face. A few tattered pieces of coarse cloth hung along the edge of the rock wall, along with some bloodstained handprints, suggesting that an injured person had been walking along the wall.
Don Quixote walked at the front, his eyes wide open, staring intently into the darkness ahead, as if afraid a monster might suddenly leap out.
She held her greatsword horizontally in front of her, taking each step with heavy footing. Only this feeling of being grounded could give her peace of mind in the unknown environment.
Even after saying so much, she still couldn't help but feel a little nervous when she actually entered such a dark, narrow, and unfamiliar environment.
However, considering herself a hero, she would never allow herself to show any sign of backing down in front of her companions.
Susanna and Milan were the same; although they didn't say it, they simply pretended to be calm and continued on their way.
Even Alina, who was in the realm of consciousness, couldn't help but be affected by the tense atmosphere.
As for Rhodes—he was truly unafraid.
Even if he could see in the dark now, he would be more curious than afraid of such a thing.
After all, before meeting Alina, Rhodes was far inferior in both strength and circumstances to what he is now.
Back then, he was all alone and didn't have much money to buy oil lamps or other lighting equipment, so he had to bear everything on his own—
Even so, it didn't stop him from living leisurely in the cemetery for more than two months.
"Don't be afraid, everyone, we will protect you—" Don Quixote, who was walking at the very bottom, suddenly said, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.
"Don't talk, keep walking," Milan whispered, startled by her sudden outburst.
The atmosphere fell silent again.
"There's no need to be too afraid, because—" Rhodes squinted, silently pulling up the mask around his neck to protect his fragile sense of smell, "We've arrived."
He smelled a familiar scent, a human scent—
Upon hearing his words, the others walking ahead quickly smelled the unpleasant odor, causing them to wrinkle their noses and instinctively cover their mouths and noses to hold their breath.
The smells of blood, feces, and sweat wafted over, along with several breathing sounds of different frequencies.
This is undoubtedly a good sign.
With the help of Susanna's light-up magic, after turning the next corner, the world suddenly opened up before them, revealing a natural cave that had been carved out by human hands.
The cave wasn't large, but it was crammed with about twenty people, including elderly people with gray hair, pregnant women with protruding bellies, and seven or eight children.
They were all dressed in rags, their faces covered in mud and tear stains, their lips chapped and peeling, their cheekbones protruding high, clearly indicating that they had been starving for a long time and had not eaten or drunk anything.
Moldy hay was spread on the ground, and several empty earthenware jars were scattered haphazardly to one side.
Almost everyone was holding something in their hands, some were farm tools like hoes and sickles, and others were just a sharpened wooden stick.
They huddled in a corner of the cave, their eyes filled with terror and despair.
The sudden light and the intruder shattered the darkness and silence of the place.
The cave was initially deathly silent; some people didn't dare to breathe, their eyes fixed on them.
The next second, a mother holding an infant let out a heart-wrenching scream.
"ah--!"
Then came a series of screams, which gave them a headache.
"A monster has come in?!"
"Don't kill me!"
"Help!!!"
The villagers, who had been numb, were like a frightened herd of beasts. Amidst the chaos and fear, those who still had the strength began to move.
This reaction under extreme fear was entirely instinctive. With their last remaining strength, they stood up to resist the unknown enemy. Rusty hoes and pitchforks swayed slightly in the fluorescent light, pointing at them as if they wanted to perish together with the intruders.
"We are not here to kill you—" Don Quixote immediately waved her hand, but the intimidating presence of the greatsword in her hand made it impossible for the others to listen to her.
"Wait, we're not the enemy—" Susanna couldn't help but say, but her voice was quickly drowned out by the chaos.
"We're here to rescue you," Rhodes stepped forward, blocking the others behind him. "Are you villagers from Thornwood Village?"
Compared to the shouts of others, his voice wasn't loud, but it echoed in the enclosed space, instantly stunning some of the people.
Upon hearing Rhodes' question and the keyword "Thornwood Village," some people snapped out of their daze and nodded unconsciously, while Rhodes stared at them and continued speaking.
"We've come to your rescue on behalf of the Adventurers' Guild," he said, unarmed but holding his gleaming silver adventurer's pass.
"Please tell me about the current situation so that we can better assist you."
To the villagers, who were gripped by extreme fear, the young ranger standing at the front was tall and straight. He did not brandish a weapon to show hostility, but simply held the silver badge that represented his identity steadily.
That young face showed no panic or helplessness. Normally, it might have seemed cold, but in this desperate situation, his extraordinary composure had a strange calming power, making many of the emotionally distraught villagers unconsciously calm down.
Behind him stood a knight in heavy armor, a mage wielding a purple staff, and a priest with a worried expression, all indicating that this was a complete and elite adventurer party.
At this moment, Rhodes' reliability was reassuring.
Even Alina had to admit this.
The chaotic sounds gradually subsided, and although they still held their weapons, they were no longer as tense as before.
"Are you adventurers? Did they manage to escape and call for help?"
"Finally, rescue has arrived! Great, we're saved!"
"Wow, Mom, they're dressed exactly like those adventurers in the stories!"
Such words gradually filled the cave, just then, a stern rebuke interrupted them.
"Shut up, all of you! Do you want to bring in monsters from outside?"
Upon hearing such threatening words, everyone immediately fell silent, covering their mouths for fear of attracting those terrifying monsters.
An old man, leaning on a cane, walked unsteadily towards Rhodes and the others.
"Adventurers, you've finally arrived! Thank goodness we held out until now—" He sighed. "Are there only four of you here? Have all the monsters outside been cleared out?"
"There are still some monsters outside." As he spoke, Rhode glanced around the inside of the cave.
The area is mostly populated by the elderly, women, children, and adults; there are hardly any able-bodied young adults to be seen.
He put away the badge, frowned slightly, and asked, "Are these the only people in your village?"
"No, of course not—" Upon hearing the question, the village chief nearly burst into tears. "Only a small number of people from our village successfully evacuated here—"
"It's just that a few days ago, those terrifying monsters stormed into the village, and the situation was extremely dangerous." He unconsciously gripped his cane tighter and explained in a pained voice.
"The villagers with fighting ability split into two groups. One group stayed in the village with their weapons, desperately defending against the monsters and covering our slow and cumbersome retreat to this cave."
"The other group was responsible for leading the way. After they safely settled us in the cave, they saw the food shortage and decided to risk going out to seek help."
The old man wiped the mud off his face, looked towards the cave entrance, his eyes filled with heartache: "The children left behind in the village to raise the last of the family—I wonder how they are now."
Upon hearing this, a woman nearby couldn't help but cover her face and cry, and the other villagers also lowered their heads, their eyes red.
"We've been hiding here for three days and three nights, and we've run out of food and water," his voice was a little hoarse. "The people who went out to ask for help haven't come back yet. If the adults hadn't arrived, we would probably have had to risk going out to try our luck here without food or water."
Don Quixote's grip on his greatsword made a cracking sound.
"Damn goblins! Don't worry, old man! We'll go to the village right now and rescue those brave warriors who covered our retreat!" she said, and started to rush out.
Milan quickly used her staff to stop her, nearly being pulled off balance.
"What's your rush?" She couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"You don't even know how many goblins are in the village. Are you going to rush in to save people or just die?"
"But—" Don Quixote struggled.
"Let's save them first; they don't look well," Susanna suddenly said.
Then Tang Jihede realized that Rhodes, who had been talking to the old man, had taken out his water and food and distributed them to the people.
C