128: First Expedition

The sun slanted westward, dyeing the wasteland a blood red.

Rock Stele did not walk fast; it had to save its strength. The dry rations Kleid gave it were only enough for a few days. It calculated that it needed to find a place to get some food as soon as possible.

The wind in the canyon was like a knife, scraping its face painfully. Rock Stele tightened the animal skin on its body; it was something it had brought from the village, full of holes, but it could barely block the wind.

"Damn it, this godforsaken place, there isn't even a ghost of a shadow!"

The sound of complaining came from above the canyon. Rock Stele's heart tightened, and it subconsciously pressed itself against the stone wall.

"Boss, who are we waiting for here? We've been waiting for days, and we haven't seen a trace."

"Shut up! The Great King told us to wait here, so we have to wait!"

"But..."

"No buts! If you spout any more nonsense, I'll tear your mouth off!"

Rock Stele understood; it had unintentionally stumbled into a conflict between two parties. They were setting an ambush here. But who were they trying to ambush?

Rock Stele didn't dare move; it didn't want to provoke these guys.

"Boss, look, what is that?"

"Where?"

"There! Below the canyon!"

Rock Stele's heart skipped a beat. Oh no! It had been discovered!

"Go down and take a look!"

Footsteps grew closer and closer. Rock Stele knew it couldn't hide anymore. It took a deep breath and gripped the stone axe in its hand tightly.

"Kid, where are you from?"

Several burly beasts appeared before Rock Stele. They were carrying weapons and looked fierce.

"Just passing through." Rock Stele tried its best to make its voice sound calmer.

"Passing through?" The leading beast sneered, "I think you're a spy for the rebels, aren't you?"

"I'm not."

"Not? We'll know once we search you!"

The leading beast waved its hand, and several beasts pounced.

Rock Stele knew this wouldn't end well. It roared, coiled its tail around the stone axe, and swung it at a beast.

"Clang!" The stone axe struck the beast's bone knife, and sparks flew.

Rock Stele felt its tail go numb, and the stone axe almost slipped from its grip. These guys were "Gods Favored Ones"!

"Kid, you still dare to resist?" The leading beast grinned, "Take it down!"

Several beasts pounced on Rock Stele at the same time.

Rock Stele swung the stone axe, hacking left and right. But after all, it was just a guy who had just completed the "Visualization Diagram"; how could it be a match for these "Gods Favored Ones"?

Before long, Rock Stele was wounded.

"Pfft!" A bone knife stabbed into Rock Stele's shoulder.

Rock Stele groaned and nearly fell over.

"Kid, you can really take a beating!" The leading beast grinned, "Let's see how long you can last!"

Rock Stele knew that if this continued, it would definitely die here. It gritted its teeth, preparing to use the "Shadow Evasion Talisman".

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

"Rumble..."

The earth shook and mountains swayed; the canyon walls on both sides collapsed with a roar.

"Oh no! It's a trap!"

The leading beast exclaimed and turned to run.

But it was already too late.

Countless giant boulders fell from the sky, completely sealing off the canyon.

Rock Stele was also buried underneath.

"Cough, cough..."

Rock Stele crawled out from the pile of rocks, covered in dust.

"Damn it, what is going on?"

Rock Stele looked around; it was a mess.

"Boss! Boss!"

Several beasts crawled out from the pile of rocks, wailing and howling.

"Shut up!"

The leading beast walked out from behind a giant boulder. It was also wounded and in a sorry state.

"This... what is going on?"

"I don't know!" The leading beast's face was livid, "We... seem to have been played by someone!"

"Played?"

"Yeah." The leading beast nodded, "The one we were supposed to ambush wasn't this kid."

Rock Stele finally understood that it had taken the hit for someone else.

"Boss, what do we do now?"

"What else can we do?" The leading beast glared viciously at Rock Stele, "Retreat!"

The several beasts left, looking dejected.

Rock Stele let out a long sigh, picked up the stone axe that had dropped to the ground, and left the canyon.

...

On the wasteland, a group was struggling to advance.

This group was composed of dozens of ordinary beasts. They had no uniform, no fine weapons, and not even enough food.

But the eyes of every member were exceptionally bright, like stars in the night sky.

"Brothers, keep it up!"

An Old Beast shouted.

"Transport these supplies back to the camp so that more people can have a full meal!"

This group was the Resistance Army, rebelling against the rule of the Blade Claw.

Rock Stele joined them.

"Brother, do you think... we can really win?"

A young beast asked the Old Beast.

"Whether we can win, I don't know." The Old Beast shook its head, "But I know that if we don't resist, we will never have a chance to win."

Rock Stele didn't speak; it just walked silently.

It thought of Kleid's words and its own family.

It knew the road it had to walk was still very long.

...

Night fell, and bonfires were lit in the Resistance Army's camp.

Rock Stele sat by the bonfire, silently wiping its stone axe.

"Young man, you've got some decent skills!"

A voice sounded behind Rock Stele.

Rock Stele turned back to look; it was an Old Beast.

"Brother, you flatter me."

"Haha, don't be modest." The Old Beast sat down next to Rock Stele, "My name is Wood Hammer, and I am the leader of this group."

"Rock Stele."

"Rock Stele..." Wood Hammer recited it once, "Good name."

"Brother, how many... people do we have?"

"Not many, just a few hundred."

"A few hundred?" Rock Stele frowned, "Will it work?"

"Why wouldn't it?" Wood Hammer smiled, "A single spark can start a prairie fire!"

Rock Stele looked at Wood Hammer, a glimmer of admiration flashing in its eyes.

"Young man, what are your plans?"

"I want... to become stronger." Rock Stele's voice was low and firm, "I want... to take revenge for my family!"

"Good!" Wood Hammer patted Rock Stele on the shoulder, "Ambitious!"

"Brother, can I... do anything to help you?"

"Of course you can." Wood Hammer nodded, "We are just lacking talent like you here."

"What I know, it's not much."

"Haha, that's enough!" Wood Hammer smiled, "Tomorrow, you will know."

...

The next day, just as dawn broke, Rock Stele was woken up by Wood Hammer.

"Young man, come, I'll take you somewhere."

Rock Stele followed Wood Hammer to a corner of the camp.

Here, many broken weapons were piled up.

"This is..."

"This is our armory." Wood Hammer smiled bitterly, "It's all scrap metal."

"Brother, you want me to...?"

"That's right." Wood Hammer nodded, "Didn't you say yesterday that you knew how to forge weapons? I was thinking of letting you help us improve these weapons."

Rock Stele looked at these broken weapons and frowned.

"Brother, I'll... give it a try."

"Good!" Wood Hammer smiled, "I believe in you."

Rock Stele began to work; it used the limited conditions and the knowledge it possessed to modify these weapons.

It also sewed some animal skins into simple armor.

...

A few days later, the Resistance Army's weapons were completely renewed.

"Young man, you are truly a Genius!"

Wood Hammer looked at these brand-new weapons, full of praise.

"Brother, you flatter me."

"Haha, don't be modest." Wood Hammer smiled, "Come, let's go test the power of these weapons!"

...

On the wasteland, a Blade Claw transport team was moving slowly.

This transport team was composed of dozens of "Gods Favored Ones". They were escorting a large amount of supplies to the Royal Capital.

"Boss, how much profit do you think we can make this time?"

A "Gods Favored One" asked the leading beast.

"You won't get any less!" The leading beast grinned, "Once we reach the Royal Capital, we'll have a good time enjoying ourselves!"

"Hehe, the boss is right."

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

A rain of arrows fell from the sky.

"Oh no! It's an ambush!"

The leading beast exclaimed and drew its bone knife.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft..."

Several bone arrows struck a few "Gods Favored Ones".

"Ah..."

Screams rose and fell one after another.

"Kill!"

A chorus of battle cries came from all directions.

The Resistance Army rushed out from the grass.

Rock Stele led the charge.

It swung its stone axe, hacking at a "Gods Favored One".

"Clang!" The stone axe struck the "Gods Favored One"'s bone knife.

The "Gods Favored One" felt the web of its hand go numb, and the bone knife almost slipped from its grip.

Rock Stele didn't give it a chance to breathe and hacked another axe blow at it.

"Pfft!" The stone axe hacked into the "Gods Favored One"'s head.

The "Gods Favored One" screamed and fell to the ground.

Rock Stele didn't stop; it continued to swing its stone axe, hacking at the other "Gods Favored Ones".

...

The battle ended quickly.

The Resistance Army won a complete victory.

"Brothers, we won!"

Wood Hammer held his stone axe high, cheering.

The members of the Resistance Army also started cheering.

Rock Stele stood to the side, watching silently.

There was not a trace of a smile on its face.

It knew this was just the beginning.

...

Inside the Resistance Army's camp, an Old Beast left quietly.

Its figure disappeared into the vast night.

A strange light flashed in its eyes.