Chapter 93: Steelspine Wolf
I pushed aside the matter of suddenly falling asleep for some unknown reason. Wasting time over it like some imperial scholar would get me nowhere except closer to death.
The beast on the ground had already left after searching for its prey. And that prey? It was right above its head.
I jumped down from the tall tree, making sure to reduce the noise to a minimum. It was my first time getting close to the field where the herbs my mission required me to reap grew. I counted them, wondering—were there even enough left for me to harvest?
One, two... ten, eleven.
More Ironbark Flowers had been damaged when the beast tide came through.
Inside, I felt heartbroken, but I had to gather what was left and would need to write a report explaining the delay and why the Ironbark Flowers weren't sufficient for the mission.
Despite its name, the Ironbark Flower is anything but rugged in appearance. Delicate and ethereal, its soft, translucent petals shimmer under the moonlight, giving off a faint silver glow. The petals, thin as silk, flutter at the slightest breeze, resembling fragile glass rather than iron. Its slender stem bends with ease, and the leaves are velvety to the touch, exuding a faint, soothing fragrance. Only upon closer inspection does one realize that beneath its fragile beauty lies an unyielding resilience—its petals, though soft in texture, are nearly impervious to cuts, and its roots anchor deep into the stony ground, defying even the harshest elements.
I pulled my outstretched hand back from the thin stem of the Ironbark Flower. I'd forgotten that I no longer had a way to carry them back to the sect without causing further damage.
"Is there any way I can store these?" If someone had seen me from a distance, they'd have thought I had lost my mind or was simply talking to myself.
[Yes, Host. The system has a complete space built specifically for storing your supplies.] I narrowed my eyes and gave the system a smile that was worse than crying. [Obviously, Host, it's for free. But if you want more space to store larger items, like an entire mountain or something, you'd need to buy a monthly or yearly plan, paying with points or their equivalent.]
The system replied in its usual steady, metallic voice, which had no gender. I was sure it sensed that I was about to curse its four generations, so it decided to make things clear.
Though I didn't fully understand the monthly or yearly plan part, I got the gist of it, and it wasn't like I was planning to carry around a mountain.
"Wouldn't the herbs lose their properties like that?" I acted like I was talking to myself, inwardly musing over different ideas. This way, even if someone were spying on me, they wouldn't figure out that I had a system.
I was well aware of the famous saying: "A man is innocent, but he harbors a treasure."
If someone powerful found out that I could receive rewards by investing in major antagonists and protagonists, they'd surely capture me and force me to keep investing in others without ever receiving anything in return from my system.
I gently removed the soil from around the Ironbark Flower and, with careful movements, shook its stem a little and gently pulled it out. Immediately, the faint glow around the herb dimmed. "System, open the space to store things and make sure these herbs are gathered in one place."
Ding—
[The host just needs to say "Inventory."]
With that, I stored the Ironbark Flowers one by one in the system's inventory. I wasn't sure what they were for, but they might be used in making some pill or medicine.
My robes and hands were covered in dirt and soil, but I had a smile on my face. Doing this brought back memories. Though my father had a clinic and used to treat people in the village, we also had a small farm where my mother and I would harvest fruits and vegetables she had sown.
Those times were really the best. Back then, I only wished to grow up quickly so I could help my father manage his clinic more efficiently. He was the only person in the village with any knowledge of medicine, and every day, twenty to thirty patients visited him, leaving him exhausted.
But now that I was all grown up and ready to help... they were no longer around. Even the mission I chose was partly to see if it would feel the same. I was wrong. It wasn't the work I enjoyed, it was the memories. Happy memories.
Now, I was the true successor of the Hidden Dragon Sect. People held many expectations of me, which is why they invested in me. But only after stepping out into the world did I realize that my parents never expected anything from me. They just wanted to see me happy. Even though they sometimes forced me to learn, it wasn't because they wanted me to care for the sect's future. They just didn't want me to live in poverty.
Aaaahhhh!!!
My expression twisted as a sudden scream broke me out of my thoughts. The voice sounded like a young girl's.
I looked up and saw birds scattering from a spot in the Readsack Woodland. It wasn't too far, but it wasn't exactly close either.
I'd have to venture deeper into the forest to see if someone needed help—and whether I was in a condition to offer it.
'But this place is still relatively close to the sect. It could be a disciple out here completing a mission.' Due to my upbringing, it was hard for me to leave someone in need behind without at least checking if I could help.
I ran on foot, at a regular pace, since I still hadn't practiced any movement techniques.
Crunch, crunch.
Tap-tap-tap.
The dry leaves and twigs underfoot crunched with each step, and my speed was hindered by the slippery ground from melted snow. I also had to be careful not to step into quicksand and get sucked in. Although, as a cultivator, I could force my way out of it, it would only make me more filthy than I already was.
I pushed myself to go faster.
"Go! Just go! Get back to the sect and call for help!" A panicked male voice rang through the night, ragged and strained with pain. "I'll stall it—I'll buy you time!"
I froze in my tracks, heart pounding. Carefully, I climbed onto a low branch, pushing past a curtain of frozen leaves to get a better look.
"No! I won't leave you!" A girl's voice cracked, torn between fear and stubbornness. "Don't make me run while you die, Brother! Please—we can fight it together!"
I saw the two of them—likely brother and sister—defending against the attacks from the Steelspine Wolf. I tilted my head in confusion. As far as I knew, the Steelspine Wolf was the leader of the wolf pack, and if the leader was here, its pack members were likely nearby.
My expression darkened. The way the Steelspine Wolf focused on the brother and sister didn't look good—it was giving them its full attention. If I jumped in to save them, I would surely die. And if its pack arrived before we could escape from the leader... well, there would be no escape. Only the cold embrace of the forest, if the wolves didn't eat me first. And if they did try to eat me, I would have no choice but to self-destruct.