Zhang Mengyao was looking for the herbs and Kang Xue accompanied her.
"Quassia leaf, lime-green, has three lobes, and seven red dots on it…" Kang Xue muttered in a low voice while looking around at the surroundings. They looked for the herb at the west side where they killed the Serpent King.
"Two central Quassia leaves and we are done," Zhang Mengyao nodded her head while searching at the other side.
"I wonder if there's a herb for cooking as well. With the current situation, we will run out of pepper and even salt later on, is there a herb that can replace the spice?" They scavenged salt and pepper from the house and even the market, but it was not a permanent source.
"I can imagine that man would complain if the food is bland. If that day arrives, it would be funny though," Zhang Mengyao stopped for a moment as she imagined Tang Shaoyang complained with his weird antics, roleplaying the past emperor.
"Huhu…" Kang Xue shared the same thought as both giggled out at the thoughts.
"Huh!? Did you hear that?" Zhang Mengyao stopped her giggle as she heard something. Her face turned serious as she glanced at Kang Xue.
Kang Xue had a confused look on her face. She did not hear anything, so this time she concentrated.
A few seconds later, Zhang Mengyao heard the noise again, "What about just now?" It was a faint noise so she was unsure. She asked Kang Xue to confirm the noise, but the latter shook her head in confusion, "It may be because of my high Sense," she muttered while turning toward the west.
"We will go checking the west, follow me," Zhang Mengyao decided to check.
*** ***
There was a scenario that played in Lu An's mind. It was for these needles to shoot them down. The image of the needles with the size half of his arm shot his team played in his mind. Lu An could avoid the impending danger easily, turn around, and activated [Dash]. He would be safe by doing that but he did not do so.
'What about the others? I can't let them die, not under my lead!' His shoulder however was burdened by his subordinates' lives. He was the one who was responsible for them, 'I can't let them die!' He would not run away while letting his subordinates die.
He thought so hard of the solution of the impending danger. But he had no way to save them, he did not have the capability to do that. He could put his body as a shield to save one or maybe two.
While he was in that state, Lu An froze on the spot. He noticed the hardening bristles were about to shoot. At the last moment, Lu An just stayed still, thinking of dying together with his subordinates. He found no point in surviving if his subordinates were dying. He had no face to meet with the Boss.
In the end, Lu An gave up and closed his eyes. He chose to die with his subordinates rather than meeting with bis Boss without his subordinates.
CRACK! CRACK!
The cracking sound woke Lu An, he opened his eyes and found out the standing needles had returned to normal brownish-red hair. He glanced to the side and saw Wartusk's head was crushed by a big and black lance.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Mengyao's angry and questioning look came into his eyes. His pupil enlarged in shock but then it returned to normal.
Zhang Mengyao was holding the lance with her two hands. The lance pierced through Wartusk's forehead deeper to the body, leaving the handle outside.
Earlier, when she heard the noise, she came to check with Kang Xue. When she arrived at the place, she saw Lu An was just standing on the spot next to the wild boar while the immobilized Wartusk was about to launch his skill.
Zhang Mengyao did not think twice, she rushed forward and activated [Unbending Strike]. Level 2 skill and the mana which strengthened the skill, she easily killed the helpless Wartusk.
Lu An shook his head as he fell on his butts. The last minutes were nerve-wracking for him, sweats soaked his back without him realizing it.
Zhang Mengyao pulled the lance and walked toward Lu An, "What's wrong with you? Why don't you kill the beast?"
"I will if I could…" Lu An smiled wryly while shaking his head. He looked up, Zhang Mengyao was still angry with him, her face showed it, "What are you doing here, General Zhang? Where's Boss?"
"Just call me like you usually call me and don't return my question with a question!" She did not let it slide easily, "Boss will angry if he knows I…" before Lu An could finish, Zhang Mengyao cut in, "He will angry if he knows what just happened,"
Lu An's body shuddered when he heard that. In the end, he relented, "I will tell you on the way to meet Brother Shaoyang,"
"That's more like it. Get your men ready, we will regroup to the main team!" Zhang Mengyao then turned toward the big boar she just killed. The massive boar was lying on the top of a pool of blood.
"This is a Beast King," from the side, she heard Kang Xue's astonishing voice. She approached the girl, "That's right, this one is a Beast King. Ah, this is your first time seeing the Beast King, right?"
"Mnnn, I wonder if this beast king's meat tastes better than normal pork?" Kang Xue had gotten used to the bloody scene around her. Seeing the Beast King's head was holed was nothing to her
Zhang Mengyao let out a chuckle while shaking her head. She stored the carcass and the Level 8 Treasure Chest before they went back to the village.
"You have become a lot stronger than me, Sister Mengyao~," there was an admiration contained in his voice. It was not jealousy but admiration which showed the lad was good-natured, "I kinda regret about my choice now," he looked down at his sword. He blamed his choice of class and attribute allocation that made him incapable of killing the Beast King.
"Hah, you will soon be strong just like me, your Brother Shaoyang has prepared a gift for you. I have gotten mine, so don't be discouraged," Zhang Mengyao tapped Lu An's shoulder, "So, what happened? Why did you freeze in front of the helpless beast? That's not like you!"
Lu An went with "Ah" as he suddenly realized why his Sister Mengyao became so strong in the span of a few days. It was because of the gift, now she told him about it so he could not wait what kind of gift it was.
On the way back, Lu An narrated everything what happened back then. His feelings, his helplessness, and why he chose to die instead of running away.
With a long sigh, Zhang Mengyao rubbed the boy's hair, "Trust me, I have been there. And it sucks, I know that well, but if you have a way to live, you should live, live for the people who died because of your mistakes! Don't give up, learn from your mistakes, and protect the family your men leave behind!"
Lu An halted his steps and looked at Zhang Mengyao with his widened eyes. Tears started to swell up in his eyes, "I am a failure, I don't deserve my position, I…" his voice was small, only Zhang Mengyao could hear him
"Were you listening to your sister? Learn from your mistakes! Whining and crying is not going to help you, my boy," Zhang Mengyao put up an image of a stern elder sister who scolded her younger brother, "You have realized your mistakes, you have recognized what you are lacking, now you should work hard on those things, not whining that you are a failure or anything! Work hard and don't repeat the same mistake,"
With a small laugh, she continued, "That was what your Brother Shaoyang told me before,"
Lu An was listening in silence. His mind immediately reflected his mistakes. He endangered his men because he lowered his guard. After all, the Beast King could no longer move, he did not think the possibility of the Beast King had a skill that had not been used before. If he did not lower his guard and instructed them to get back, everyone would be safe.
"But I will still tell your Brother Shaoyang what happened, have a good talk with him later. He may give you better words than me,"