81: Chapter 81: A Stick on the Head, Integrating Redwood Ridge 81: Chapter 81: A Stick on the Head, Integrating Redwood Ridge The newcomers were Hong Gang and Huang Yong.
Moreover, each of them had three people with them.
It turned out that as they retreated northward, unknowingly, they had reached the middle ground between Dajia and Huang Zhao Camp.
Although it was unclear how Hong Gang and Huang Yong appeared at the same time, with the urgency of the situation, Xia Hong didn’t have the time to ask questions.
“Slaughter these beasts!”
As the eight approached, Xia Hong immediately drew his broadsword and shouted angrily, charging first towards the Frost Wolf pack.
The others were a bit taken aback but quickly followed behind Xia Hong, while Li Baihe and four others released the few remaining arrows directly at the wolf pack.
Seeing the group’s morale like a rainbow, all the Frost Wolves crouched low, baring their teeth, poised with their front legs and ready to leap at any moment.
However, when the arrows reached them, with Xia Hong only two or three meters away,
the Frost Wolves swiftly rose and bolted away.
The others didn’t know what to think, but Xia Hong maintained a fierce gaze at the fleeing wolves’ backs without showing any expression.
It wasn’t until he confirmed that the wolves had disappeared that Xia Hong quietly turned around to look at everyone else, exhaling loudly and relaxing his tense expression.
Everyone was perplexed; even with the help of these eight from Huang Zhao and Hong Gang, they weren’t confident about handling this pack of Frost Wolves.
Why did Xia Hong charge forward just now?
Seeing Xia Hong’s current reaction, everyone understood that he was putting on a façade, but it indeed scared off the Frost Wolves…
At the moment, everyone looked at Xia Hong with admiration on their faces.
Especially Li Baihe, remembering Xia Hong’s decisiveness when first encountering the Frost Wolf pack, followed by the clever scare tactics just now, his eyes flickered with a different light.
Xia Hong was oblivious to what everyone else was thinking, simply lowering his head to glance at the dozens of corpses on the ground, his expression turning grave.
“This place is not safe for long; we should head back and discuss it later!”
Worried about the return of the Frost Wolf pack, Xia Hong invited Hong Gang and Huang Yong and the others to head back to the valley together first.
Already filled with curiosity, the two naturally did not refuse and walked towards the valley, following the others.
“Leader Luo, are you planning to move everyone from Great Xia into Rogel Camp?”
Just as they set off, Hong Gang couldn’t help but ask.
To see so many from the Great Xia Camp heading towards Rogel Camp this late,
only this explanation seemed plausible.
Reflecting on the previous confrontation with the Wood Puppet Monster, the strength the Great Xia Camp demonstrated would naturally attract Rogel Camp’s interest in a merger, Hong Gang and Huang Yong thought.
“You misunderstand; it is Rogel Camp that will be merging into Great Xia.
From now on, there will only be the Great Xia Camp around Redwood Ridge, no longer any Rogel Camp.”
As Luo Ming began to explain, the two were dumbfounded by the truth.
Rogel, merged into Great Xia?
How is that possible?
With Luo Ming mentioning his intent to leave Redwood Ridge, the two understood the reason and looked enviously at Xia Hong.
No jealousy, just admiration.
After the Wood Puppet Monster incident, Xia Hong’s power in the Redwood Ridge area was well recognized, especially as Hong Gang had received favors from Xia Hong, he naturally held goodwill.
Knowing that Great Xia would eventually replace Rogel Camp, the two felt a twinge of envy, knowing that offering congratulations would be inappropriate at the moment, they nodded slightly towards Xia Hong.
“Leader Xia, may I trouble you to look after the Huang Zhao Camp in the future.”
“Leader Xia saved my son last time; Hong Mu can’t repay this favor.
Although DaXia is weak, as long as you need it in the future, I, Hong, will go through fire and water without hesitation.”
Deep in thought, Xia Hong nodded upon hearing their words.
Suddenly remembering something, Xia Hong asked, “By the way, how did you two appear at the same time just now?”
The encounter happened between Dajia and Huang Zhao Camp, even if alarmed, it wouldn’t explain their simultaneous arrival with so many people.
After hearing Xia Hong’s inquiry, the two’s expressions slightly stiffened.
Exchanging a glance, Hong Gang saw Huang Yong nod in indication, and then turned to Xia Hong with a somewhat bitter smile and said, “We won’t hide it from you, Leader Xia.
The incident with the Wood Puppet Monster caused our camps to suffer severe losses in the Logging Realm.
Now both camps have only four left, making activities like picking Crystal Fruits challenging.
Having no other choice, Huang Yong and I decided to merge our logging teams and eventually combine both camps when the opportunity arises.
Today was just our first outing to pick Crystal Fruits together, and unexpectedly, we bumped into you on the way back.”
Listening to Hong Gang’s words, Luo Ming showed a hint of guilt.
Had it not been for his insistence on cooperating with Yang and Li before, the two camps wouldn’t have suffered so many casualties, ending up in their current predicament.
He obviously bore some of the blame.
“Leader Luo, there’s no need for that.
Ultimately, eliminating the Wood Puppet Monster benefits all of us, which is why we agreed.
Living in the Ice Abyss means uncertainty every day.
It’s just a matter of sooner or later.”
Seeing the remorse on Luo Ming’s face, Hong Gang was the first to offer comfort.
However, his final self-deprecating remark carried a heavy sense of despair.
They had just endured a disaster where so many died, and everyone’s spirits were low.
Hearing Hong Gang’s words only made their expressions gloomier.
Living in the Ice Abyss, uncertainty is the norm, just a matter of sooner or later.
This phrase aptly described the dozens who died earlier; when they left the Great Xia Camp at night, they likely envisioned a better life at Rogel Camp.
But they died before seeing Rogel Camp’s valley.
Who would have thought that outside Redwood Ridge, a pack of well-organized Frost Wolves would appear?
Without Xia Hong’s final bravado, neither ordinary people nor those in the Logging Realm would likely have survived.
“If you don’t mind, bring everyone from your camp and merge directly into my Great Xia.
We’ll strive for survival together here in Redwood Ridge; how does that sound?”
After a long period of silence, Xia Hong suddenly inquired.
The group, originally heading towards the valley, immediately halted.
Everyone, including Luo Ming, turned their heads, shocked, toward Xia Hong.
Hong Gang and Huang Yong were initially stunned, thinking they had misheard or that Xia Hong was joking.
Then seeing everyone stop, they looked back at Xia Hong and realized his expression was serious, not joking, leaving them both stunned on the spot.
“Leader Xia, are you serious?”
Xia Hong didn’t speak, simply nodding lightly at them.
Upon receiving Xia Hong’s confirmation, Hong Gang and Huang Yong’s faces lit with joy, their bodies trembling with excitement.
They stood there, overwhelmed, unable to speak for a while.
After more than ten breaths, they managed to calm their emotions, took a deep breath, and both bowed deeply to Xia Hong:
“I, Hong, thank the leader for his great grace.”
“On behalf of over two hundred people in the camp, I, Huang, thank Leader Xia.”
Xia Hong quickly stepped forward to help them up, without showing much surprise.
Merging all the camps around Redwood Ridge into Great Xia was something he had considered for a long time; only before, he wasn’t in a hurry.
The events of tonight served as a wake-up call.
Just moments before, he had been smug about taking over Rogel Camp, only for a pack of Frost Wolves to appear.
Escaping tonight relied purely on luck and courage, not strength.
What about next time?
What if an unrelenting Snow Mane Group or another Cold Beast pack comes next?
There must be acceleration, both in camp strength and personal power; both need rapid advancement.
Otherwise, such dire situations will soon recur.
Xia Hong took a deep breath, said no more, and quickened his pace towards Rogel Camp with the group.