262: Chapter 262 The Path of the Unorthodox Alliance

The contract was made, and the subtle atmosphere in the cave shifted. It was no longer purely a relationship between a savior and the dying, nor was it entirely equal partners; rather, it was a twisted symbiotic relationship based on coercion, necessity, and a faint glimmer of hope. The air remained heavy, but the despair permeating it was slightly replaced by a colder, more "pragmatic" sense of urgency.

"Call me Old Shi." The "Grave Digger" was the first to break the silence, its voice still hoarse but seemingly a bit smoother, carrying an effort to "normalize" communication after resignation. "Codename is a thing of the past. Here... names have no meaning."

Ling Ye was noncommittal, simply nodding to accept the address. He did not ask for the other's real name or gender; those were irrelevant in the face of survival.

"We need to leave here immediately." Ling Ye took the initiative to propose an action plan. "Although the 'thing' in that rock cave hasn't chased us out for now, there is no guarantee it won't. The 'Dao Mark' in your body might also attract other trouble. It's too close to the Water Source here, and it's easily discovered by the 'Dark Nest' regular patrols (if there are any). We need a new hideout that is more concealed, safer, and preferably one that can temporarily block the leakage of the polluted energy within you."

Old Shi nodded weakly: "You are right. I know... a place. Further west, near the edge of a complex Rift Canyon formed by ancient earthquakes. The geological structure there is special, with strong, chaotic natural magnetic fields and energy turbulence, which should be able to interfere with and weaken most conventional energy detection and pollution signal propagation. Moreover, the terrain is complex and easy to defend but difficult to attack; perhaps we can find a relatively dry crevice to take shelter. I have... seen it marked in earlier exploration records, but I didn't dare to go deep, fearing there might be more troublesome 'Abyssal Remains' inside."

Rift Canyon, an area of energy turbulence. This sounded like an excellent hiding place, but also potentially a new dangerous nest.

"Distance? Risks on the road? How much do you know about that area?" Ling Ye questioned.

"At our current speed... it will take at least three to five days to reach the edge. We have to cross a relatively open gravel wasteland on the way, which is easy to expose us. But the advantage is that there are very few signs of vegetation and 'Abyssal Remains' activity there, perhaps because the land is barren and energy is scarce. After entering the canyon area, the terrain is complex and needs careful exploration. I have... limited knowledge of the specific situation inside; there are only fragments of old records from decades ago, mentioning that the 'energy field is abnormally active, suspected to have ancient energy nodes remaining, occasionally there are geomagnetic storm phenomena, and biological life is extinct.'" Old Shi said while recalling, its tone carrying uncertainty.

Ancient energy nodes? Geomagnetic storms? It didn't sound like a stable place. But at the moment, there didn't seem to be a better choice. The conventional wilderness environment was like a beacon in the dark night for Old Shi, this "pollution source," and was too dangerous. Only this kind of energy-chaotic area could potentially provide some cover.

"We need to prepare." Ling Ye made a decision quickly. "Food, water, medicine, tools. My condition has recovered some, but it is far from my Peak. You need to recover at least enough to walk by yourself, otherwise I cannot carry you on a long journey. Let's rest here for one or two days, use this time to collect supplies as much as possible, and at the same time, you teach me some basic knowledge about 'Abyssal Remains' Energy Perception, avoidance, as well as simple wound treatment and pollution protection. Then we set off."

"Food and water..." A look of difficulty appeared on Old Shi's face. "My previous reserves were all in the shack and that rock cave, I'm afraid... they are all gone. Medicine is even more scarce. I only have a little self-made ointment for hemostasis and anti-inflammation extracted from wild plants, the effect is very weak, and it's almost used up."

"I will figure out the food." Ling Ye stood up, stretched his limbs that were still sore but able to exert force, and picked up the bow and quiver beside him. "You stay here, try not to move, and conserve your strength. I will go get some food back. By the way, I will see if there are any traces left near the Water Source."

"Be careful..." "Old Shi" whispered, genuine worry in its eyes. "If you encounter any... unusual energy fluctuations, or see stones or plants with abnormal colors or forms, stay away immediately. Do not approach, do not be curious."

Ling Ye nodded without saying much. He kept the fruit knife and a small bag of salt with him, left most of the arrows in the cave (only took four), and checked the cave entrance warning device. After confirming it was intact, he turned sideways and slipped out.

The sky outside was a depressing leaden gray, and the cold wind was biting. Ling Ye took a deep breath, the cold air refreshing his spirit. The weakness and pain of his body were still there, but the slow and firm resilience originating from the "Star Visualization" and the "Ancient Ring" mark, as well as a certain "sense of direction" brought by reaching a contract with "Old Shi" and clarifying short-term goals, allowed him to temporarily suppress his fatigue.

He did not go directly to the Water Source; it was a potential exposure point. He chose another direction, a leeward slope where he had seen signs of wild rabbit activity in his memory. He walked very slowly and carefully, raising the passive perception of the "bone ring" and the sensing of environmental energy to the maximum. Old Shi's description of the characteristics of "Abyssal Remains" gave him a new dimension of perception of the surroundings—not just life signs and conventional dangers, but also paying attention to those unnatural energy stagnation points, twisted "fields," and objects with abnormal colors and textures.

Along the way, he saw several unnatural dark lusters on the rock surfaces. When approaching, he could feel an extremely faint, uncomfortable energy aftertaste. He kept Old Shi's warning in mind and circled far away. He also saw some withered plants, twisted in form and strange in color, and avoided them as well.

This seemingly silent wilderness, under the "knowledge" filter of Old Shi, seemed to have turned into a dangerous map filled with invisible traps and strange markers.

Hunting was not smooth. Perhaps because the weather was cold, or perhaps because there were not many preys in this area, he lurked and searched for nearly two hours, only to find a few sand rats scurrying past. The targets were too small and the distance was far, so he was not sure. Just as he was considering whether to risk setting a simple trap and then returning, the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of a gray-brown, slightly squirming shadow under a patch of low, thorny bushes in the distance.

Is it a wild rabbit? Or something else?

Ling Ye immediately prostrated his body, as if merging with the ground, and slowly moved to a position upwind with rock cover. He nocked an arrow and pulled the string, his gaze sharply locking onto that direction.

The distance was about thirty meters, a bit far, but still within effective range. Most of the target's body was blocked by the bushes, with only a small half of its buttocks and one hind leg exposed, seemingly gnawing on something.

Ling Ye held his breath and slowly drew the bow. The soreness in his arms seemed to be ignored in his focus. The bowstring was pulled into a full moon, the arrow tip adjusted slightly, aiming at the connection between the exposed hind leg and the body—the goal was to make it lose mobility, rather than killing it in one blow, which would be easier to track.

"Twang!"

The bowstring hummed, and the arrow left the string!

"Plop!"

A muffled sound, accompanied by a short, sharp shriek! The gray shadow suddenly darted out from under the bushes, carrying the arrow, limping and frantically fleeing towards the pile of rubble nearby! The arrow hit its hind leg but did not penetrate; it was stuck in the bone.

It's a wild rabbit! And a big one!

Ling Ye immediately jumped out from his hiding spot, holding his bow and arrow, and quickly chased in the direction the wild rabbit was fleeing! The injured wild rabbit's speed was greatly reduced, stumbling among the rubble. Ling Ye chased for less than fifty meters before seeing the wild rabbit collapse in front of a rock crevice, its hind legs twitching, no longer moving.

He stepped forward quickly to confirm the wild rabbit was dead (due to blood loss and shock). He pulled out the arrow; the arrowhead was stained with blood and shredded meat. A good harvest, enough for the two of them to eat for two or three days.

He quickly processed the prey, wrapped it in large tree leaves, and stuffed it into the tattered sack he carried. Then, he did not return immediately, but took a detour to the vicinity of the Water Source, observing from a great distance in hiding for a long time.

The Water Source depression was silent, and there was nothing on the stone slab. There was no new "Stone Language," nor any sign of "Old Shi" returning. He carefully checked the surroundings and found no fresh, suspicious footprints or energy residues. It seemed that no "things" had followed here for the time being.

He felt slightly relieved, quickly took some water (still carefully filtering it), and then returned to the cave.

Back in the cave, Old Shi was still maintaining its original posture, but seeing him bring the prey back, a faint light flashed in its cloudy eyes.

Ling Ye lit a small fire, roasted most of the rabbit meat, and they shared it. The steaming, fresh roast meat was the best supplement for two weak people. Ling Ye ate quickly but carefully, chewing thoroughly. Old Shi ate extremely slowly and with difficulty, as if every bite required all its strength, but it still persisted in eating.

With food in their stomachs, heat slowly spread in their cold bodies. Ling Ye felt that his physical strength recovery speed seemed to have accelerated a bit. And on Old Shi's face, a little extremely weak blood color had returned.

After the meal, Ling Ye did not rest. He began to process the fur of the wild rabbit, preparing for tanning. At the same time, he let Old Shi begin to fulfill the first part of the "contract" — knowledge imparting.

"Start with the most basic ones." Ling Ye said while scraping the fat on the rabbit skin with a stone. "How to perceive and distinguish the energy characteristics of 'Abyssal Remains'? What are the common danger signals? If encountered, how should one react at the first time?"

Old Shi leaned against the cave wall, eyes closed, seemingly organizing its thoughts, and then slowly opened its mouth:

"The energy polluted by the 'abyssal eye' has a kind of... unique 'incoordination' feeling. Like... oil stains abruptly on a calm water surface, or harsh noise in an orderly musical score. You should have felt it when you were fighting the pollution in my body earlier. In the environment, if a certain area makes you instinctively feel slightly dizzy, nauseated, irritable, or your skin has inexplicable tingling or chilling, and there are unexplainable, sweet or rotten strange smells floating in the air, or the color and texture of plants or rocks are abnormal (such as stones that shouldn't have luster reflecting light, or plants presenting unnatural metallic or fluorescent colors), there is likely 'Abyssal Remains' activity nearby, or there is pollution residue."

"Perceiving abnormalities, the first principle is to stay away, never approach to investigate. If you cannot stay away, try to stay in an open, high, and favorable wind direction (upwind) position. The perception of 'Abyssal Remains' mostly relies on energy fields, vibrations, smells, and temperatures. For fast, irregular moving targets, and targets in complex energy backgrounds (such as geomagnetic disturbance areas, thunderstorm weather), their perception ability will decrease."

"If you encounter the inert/mineral type, as long as you don't touch it directly or stay close for a long time, it is generally fine. But note that some inert 'Abyssal Remains' crystals may be 'activated' when subjected to energy shocks (such as lightning, or your special energy), becoming dangerous."

"If you encounter the active/crawling type, keep your distance and use the terrain to maneuver. Their movement speed is usually not fast. Your bow and arrow, if you can hit its energy core (usually located in the center of the torso or the head, but the position is not fixed, you need to observe the point where its energy flow is densest), may be able to severely injure or 'paralyze' it. Ordinary physical attacks have limited effects, unless you can completely destroy its structure. Remember, don't get splashed by its body fluids or fragments, as they may be corrosive or polluting."

"The aggregate/mother type and special types... if you encounter them, it is basically a dead end. The only chance of survival might be to use the environment (such as triggering a landslide, leading it into an extreme energy environment), or... pray for the intervention of a more powerful existence. The source of the 'fragment' in my body is an unformed 'Mother', and its terror... you cannot imagine."

Old Shi's narration, combined with Ling Ye's own encounters, gave him a more concrete and intuitive understanding of the threat of 'Abyssal Remains'. These were not just monsters, but a kind of malicious energy creation that twisted the laws of nature.

For the next two days, Ling Ye went out during the day to hunt, fetch water, and collect available Materials (such as tougher vines, flint, relatively clean rags), and communicated with Old Shi at night. Although Old Shi was weak, its knowledge reserve was indeed amazing. It taught Ling Ye how to use the simplest Materials to make simple filters for purifying water quality (charcoal, sand and stones, multi-layer cloth), how to identify several wild plants that are relatively common in the wilderness and have anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, and analgesic effects (although the effect is very weak), how to use flint and specific dry plants to start a fire quickly, how to set up more concealed and effective early warnings and traps, and even... how to judge the direction and weather trends roughly by observing the stars (on nights with less pollution) and geomagnetic changes.

Ling Ye absorbed this knowledge thirstily. These were "capital" for long-term survival in the wilderness, more precious than any weapon or food. And in the process of imparting knowledge, Old Shi seemed to have found a bit of "sense of value," and the death aura in its eyes dissipated slightly.

At the same time, Ling Ye continued to use the warm current of "Star Visualization" to assist Old Shi in dredging the pollution in its right arm. The effect was slow, but it was indeed stabilizing the injury bit by bit, delaying the deterioration. Although the gray-green patches on Old Shi's right hand did not disappear, they did not continue to spread significantly.

Two days later, Ling Ye's body recovered about 70%. Although it was still far from his Peak, long-distance trekking was no longer a problem. Old Shi could also barely walk with help. Although it was still weak, at least it didn't need to be fully carried. They collected enough dried meat (air-dried) and drinking water for three days. Ling Ye improved the carrying equipment with the tougher vines and rags he found. Bow, arrows, knife, flint, tinder, salt, medicine (little left), water bottle, and a few relatively "safe" special Ores (collected by Old Shi before) that were said to be able to weakly interfere with energy detection in specific situations, became all their belongings.

Before leaving, Ling Ye checked the cave one last time and wiped away most of the traces of living. Old Shi leaned against the cave entrance, looking at the barren hill where it had lived briefly and almost died, its eyes complex.

"Let's go." Ling Ye had no extra words. He carried his backpack and handed the modified long wooden stick that served as a crutch to Old Shi.

Old Shi took it, took a deep breath of the cold air filled with wilderness dust, and nodded.

The two, one in front and one behind, left this temporary shelter, stepped on the lead-gray sky light, and headed towards the unknown Rift Canyon in the west, full of energy turbulence and ancient legends, beginning their first, and also uncertain, desperate journey together after the "Twisted Alliance".

The wind of the wilderness was still cold and biting, rolling up sand and dust, blurring the way back and the road ahead.

Behind them was a brief peace and a heavy secret.

Ahead was unpredictable danger and a faint hope.