bdsm-fiction Page 443
Page 443
Smelling the aroma, the black bear's gaze softened, and it slowly approached Zhao De. Zhao De carefully offered the meat, which the bear took a bite of and began to chew. After a while, the bear finished eating, let out a satisfied burp, and turned to leave.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao De patted Zhao De on the shoulder and praised him, "Well done!"
After collecting enough samples, the group began their journey home. On the way, the medical expert meticulously examined the venom sample in his hand, occasionally frowning in deep thought.
"This poison is very complex, and a suitable antidote is needed to completely eliminate its harm," the expert said seriously.
Back in the village, the villagers anxiously awaited their return. When they saw Zhao De and his team return safely, bringing back many herbal samples, the village chief happily said, "You've worked hard, come and sit down and rest."
“Village chief, there are several experts from the county town here who will help us solve this problem,” Zhao De introduced.
The prefect nodded in acknowledgment: "We will do our best to help everyone solve the problem and put everyone at ease."
The expert team then began their busy work. They worked for several hours in the makeshift laboratory, constantly experimenting with various herbal combinations. Xiao Jie helped organize the tools and occasionally inquired about their progress.
One of the experts finally stopped what he was doing, wiped the sweat from his brow, and looked up at the others: "We've found a way to cure this."
Upon hearing this, Zhao De and the others immediately gathered around, eagerly asking, "How exactly do we do it?"
Chapter 1322 Protection
Chapter 1322 Protection
The expert picked up several herbs and explained, "First, these herbs need to be mixed together and boiled into a medicinal liquid. Then, some specific ingredients are added. After each person takes it, the toxicity will gradually be eliminated."
Hearing this, everyone smiled with relief. However, the expert added, "But this is only a preliminary plan and still needs further verification."
"In any case, this is good news," Zhao De said with a smile. "Thank you for the efforts of all the experts."
As night fell, the entire village was enveloped in an atmosphere of hope. Everyone sat around the campfire, discussing their next steps.
Just as the discussion was in full swing, the village chief stood up and said, "Fellow villagers, although we have found a preliminary solution, this antidote still needs further verification. I hope everyone will remain patient and have confidence."
“The village chief is right. As long as we work together, there’s nothing we can’t solve,” Zhao De echoed, his gaze sweeping firmly over each villager. “And, there’s something else I’d like to announce…”
Everyone's curiosity was ignited, and all eyes turned to Zhao De.
He took a deep breath and continued, "Zhao De performed exceptionally well this time. He used his wit and courage to quell a potential disaster. Therefore, I recommend that he be appointed as our hunter captain."
Upon hearing this, everyone present began to whisper among themselves, but no one voiced any objection. After all, they had all witnessed Zhao De's bravery in handling the black bear incident. Finally, amidst a chorus of approval, the village chief nodded in agreement: "Very well, from today onwards, Zhao De will be our village's new hunter captain! I hope you can lead the team to better protect our home."
Faced with the sudden appointment, despite some surprise and nervousness, Zhao De calmly stood up and replied, "Thank you for your trust and support. I will do my best in this job, please rest assured!"
Just as the atmosphere was beginning to lighten, one of the medical experts frowned as he looked at the research report in his hand, as if he had discovered something. "Wait a minute... I think we seem to have overlooked a crucial point." His serious expression drew everyone's attention back.
"How did this disease break out? Is it really just a simple case of natural mutation?" the expert questioned, his eyes gleaming with a passion for exploring the unknown. "I suspect there's a deeper reason behind it... Perhaps someone is deliberately causing trouble?"
These words instantly cast a shadow over the previously peaceful and pleasant gathering. "If that's the case, then the situation might become much more complicated than we imagine!" a young soldier said worriedly, his brow furrowed and his tone revealing deep concern.
Seeing this, Zhao De patted the young man's arm to comfort him, "Don't worry, don't panic. We have new leads now, and we should investigate them as soon as possible. In that case, I'll go out with a few brothers to find out what's going on first thing tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jie hurriedly raised his hand to sign up, "I want to go too! I'm very familiar with the terrain around the village."
Everyone looked at the enthusiastic child and smiled gently. "Alright, but you have to stay close to the older brothers," Zhao De said, patting Xiao Jie's head lightly. "Don't run around, okay? Safety first."
Chapter 1323 Uncovering the Truth
Chapter 1323 Uncovering the Truth
So, before dawn the next day, a small group of experienced warriors, fully equipped, set off for the area where something amiss might be. They carried all the necessary tools and rations, hoping to unravel the mystery that had long plagued the entire village.
After several hours of trekking, the team finally arrived at their destination—beside a mysterious lake deep in the mountains, rarely visited by anyone. The lake was tranquil and wide, reflecting the dense ancient trees surrounding it; the air was damp and cold, giving people a strange sense of oppression.
Zhao De glanced around, his eyes scanning every inch of the woods warily, and whispered, "Everyone be careful, something definitely isn't right here."
“Yes, this is the first time I’ve ever felt this kind of oppressive atmosphere,” Zhao De replied softly. He took out a map from his backpack and carefully compared it with the surrounding terrain. “According to the intelligence report, the area suspected of having unusual activity should be nearby.”
Xiao Jie looked around excitedly, but Zhao De quickly pulled him back into the group, saying, "Don't run around, stay with us."
"Oh, okay, big brother." Although Xiao Jie agreed verbally, the curiosity in his eyes did not diminish at all.
They cautiously approached the lakeside when they suddenly heard a soft ripple. Immediately afterward, a dark shadow leaped from the lake and lunged towards the shore. The soldiers immediately assumed defensive positions, preparing to deal with the sudden attacker, only to discover that it was merely a large fish struggling to return to the water.
"Oh my god, that scared me to death!" Xiao Jie patted his chest, his face full of surprise and relief. "I thought it was a monster!"
“Don’t let your guard down,” Zhao De said seriously. “The quieter the place, the greater the danger it may be.”
“That’s right,” Zhao De agreed, pointing to a dense thicket of bushes not far ahead. “There look like there were marks where something had been trampled over. Let’s go take a look.”
The three men slowly approached their target location and, sure enough, discovered a hidden path leading to a seemingly long-abandoned stone house. A foul odor permeated the air, making them uneasy. "This place feels a bit eerie," one of the accompanying soldiers whispered.
"No matter what, now that we're here, we have to find out the whole truth," Zhao De said firmly, leading the way into the dilapidated house.
The room was dimly lit, with only a few weak rays of sunlight filtering through the dilapidated roof, barely enough to make out the surroundings. In the corner lay a pile of rusty tools and some unidentified plants, but the most striking thing was an old map hanging above the table, marked with strange symbols and locations highlighted in red.
"What are these?" Xiao Jie asked, pointing to several particularly prominent points on the map.
Zhao De took a step closer and examined it carefully. He frowned and said, "It looks like some kind of experimental record? And..." His voice suddenly became serious, "The last location marked here seems to be the lake area where we are."
"You mean to say that this outbreak of disease is very likely related to this place?" Zhao De asked after a moment of contemplation.
“Very likely,” Zhao De nodded in agreement, “and if we can find more clues here, we might be able to unravel the secrets hidden behind it.”
Chapter 1324 Fierce Conflict
Chapter 1324 Fierce Conflict
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a villager with a nervous expression rushing in. "Something bad has happened! Someone just spotted some strangers moving around at the edge of the forest. They seem to have discovered something too."
As soon as he said this, everyone became alert. Zhao De quickly made a decision, "We must go back and report the situation immediately. Zhao De, you take the team ahead and inform the villagers to prepare; as for me and the others, we will stay behind to continue searching the area and see if we can find any more useful information."
"Okay, then you must be careful," Zhao De nodded in agreement, and quickly left with Xiao Jie and the other companions.
Zhao De turned to the remaining team members and said, "We'll split up, two people per group, and gather as much information as possible while maintaining a safe distance. Remember, don't act alone, just in case."
Thus, the entire search operation began in a tense but orderly manner...
As evening fell and the last rays of the setting sun gradually disappeared into the horizon, Zhao De finally led his team back to the village and reported the preliminary investigation results to the villagers who had been waiting for him.
The setting sun cast its last rays upon the edge of the village, adding a touch of desolation to the scene. A crowd of anxious people had gathered under the old banyan tree at the village entrance, their eyes filled with a complex mix of fear and anticipation. As soon as Zhao De and his group appeared, a murmur of discussion arose from the crowd.
"Quiet down, everyone," Zhao De waved for everyone to quiet down, then cleared his throat and said seriously, "Our preliminary investigation has uncovered some clues, and it seems that the lake area does indeed hide some unknown secrets..."
Just then, a sharp cry for help suddenly came from not far away, interrupting Zhao De's words. "Help! A monster is attacking!" A villager came running in panic, covered in mud and weeds.
The atmosphere immediately became tense. Several quick-thinking young people rushed forward to protect the injured man and tried to extract more details from him.
"What does it look like? Which direction did it run off in?" Zhao De asked quickly, while trying to calm the frightened villager and piece together useful information from his incoherent description.
"It was... about three meters tall! Completely black, like a giant wild boar, but it ran incredibly fast!" the man said haltingly. "It headed towards the lake..."
After learning the general situation, Zhao De immediately made a decision: "We must find that thing as soon as possible to prevent more innocent people from being harmed." He then turned to a young man named Li Ming beside him, "You are responsible for leading the villagers to a safe area and making sure no one is wandering around outside."
After saying this, Zhao De led several of the more capable soldiers and volunteers toward the scene of the incident. Along the way, the night grew increasingly dark, with only a few torches casting a faint glow to illuminate their path.
"Everyone stay close and be vigilant!" the leading soldier reminded them. Although they were inevitably a little uneasy, everyone present understood that this was not the time to back down.
After a search, the team finally discovered something unusual near the lake—several fallen trees, scattered pebbles, and trampled weeds all indicated that a fierce conflict had just taken place. "Looks like our opponents aren't easy to deal with," a young soldier murmured.
Chapter 1325 Specially Made Spear
Chapter 1325 Specially Made Spear
Just then, heavy, low footsteps sounded again in the distance, filling the air with a strong sense of threat. Everyone instantly tensed up, preparing for battle. "They're here!" Zhao De shouted softly, his eyes fixed intently on the depths of darkness.
As the moonlight occasionally pierced through the clouds, casting a few beams of light, a massive figure could be vaguely seen slowly moving towards them. Just as the villager who had been attacked earlier had said, this creature was indeed enormous and covered in jet-black armor; at first glance, it really did resemble a terrifying version of a wild boar.
"Switch to ranged priority attack mode, maintain a certain distance and don't let the enemy get close!" Zhao De calmly commanded. The group then drew their bows and arrows and other ranged weapons, aiming at the target and beginning to fire.
The first volley of arrows rained down on the monster, failing to inflict fatal damage but enough to enrage it into a deafening roar. "Don't be afraid, aim for its weak points and keep hitting!" Seeing the enemy's ferocity, Zhao De grew even more composed, encouraging his companions to continue their courageous fight.
Just as the two sides reached a stalemate, Zhao De, who remained inside the abandoned house, also sensed the commotion outside. "Looks like there's some serious trouble out there..."
"Old Zhao, what do we do now?" asked a team member named Zhao De.
After a moment's thought, Zhao De replied, "We can't just wait to be passively attacked. Since there are so many mysteries here that haven't been solved yet, why don't we try to crack the map code in front of us? Maybe we can find the key to solving the problem."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battle, Zhao De and his teammates continued their desperate struggle against the monster. Suddenly, Zhao De noticed that the monster's movements began to slow down. "The opportunity has arrived!"
He shouted, quickly adjusting his position while directing his teammates to concentrate their firepower, "Now, aim at its head and legs, and give it a good beating!"
At Zhao De's command, arrows rained down again, this time seemingly with even greater effect. The monster let out a painful roar, its body swaying, clearly struck in a vital spot. But the monster reacted swiftly, suddenly lunging at Zhao De and his companions, attempting to end the battle with a close-quarters attack.
"Get out of the way!" Zhao De shouted, jumping aside to avoid a fierce attack from the monster. At the same time, he noticed that several of his teammates had prepared some special weapons—several specially made spears, clearly designed to deal with such a powerful opponent.
"Use spears!" Zhao De shouted, quickly grabbing one himself and joining the attack. The group worked in perfect coordination, their spears striking the enormous creature from different directions like venomous snakes, each hit causing the monster to howl in pain. Slowly, with everyone's efforts, the behemoth began to falter.
Just when everyone thought the battle was about to end, the monster suddenly let out a deafening roar, then struggled violently, breaking free of the encirclement and charging towards the lake. "Don't let it escape!" Zhao De shouted, immediately leading his team in pursuit.
The chase under the cover of night was exceptionally fierce. Just when Zhao De and the others were almost unable to catch up with the dark figure, the monster suddenly stopped and turned around, as if it had discovered something. Then, it actually abandoned its escape and turned to face its pursuers, its eyes flashing with an eerie red light.
Chapter 1326 A Not Small Victory
Chapter 1326 A Not Small Victory
"What is it going to do?" someone exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh no, it might launch an attack!" Alarm bells rang in Zhao De's mind. No sooner had he spoken than the monster began to gather a powerful ball of energy, clearly intending to unleash a devastating attack.