Rustling.
Under the night sky, two shadowy figures darted through the cavern.
"Big Bro~!"
A whispered voice with a slight accent came from the darkness. In the dim light that inexplicably emanated from the cavern, one could see that the speaker was an orc with a bull's head.
His eyes were filled with exhaustion, and his spirit was flagging.
"Big Bro, I can't walk anymore."
"Can't walk anymore?" The horse-headed person in front furrowed his brow. "You can't walk after just a few steps. Hold on a bit longer, maybe we'll find something to eat in the next cavern."
The bull-headed orc said nothing, merely giving him a look.
*I don't believe you, not one bit.*
He had heard that phrase so many times his ears were going numb.
Seeing the bull-headed orc's skeptical gaze, the horse-headed person coughed lightly.
Truth be told, he didn't believe it himself.
He didn't know why it was so uncanny. While food resources were scarce in the caverns, statistically speaking, they should have encountered some food after going through dozens of them.
Even if it were just some moss.
But there was absolutely nothing!
He himself was being starved to his limit, and what was more unbearable than hunger was the lack of water.
"Hold on a bit longer. Even if we sit here now, we won't have any food," the horse-headed person encouraged. "Just a little longer."
Unexpectedly, the bull-headed orc still said nothing, but instead extended his hand.
"What?"
The horse-headed person's eyes narrowed.
"Town portal scroll. I want to go back to the city-state," the bull-headed orc said, his bull-like eyes wide. "I can't hold on anymore. I want to go back to the city-state and fill my stomach."
Upon hearing this, the horse-headed person immediately frowned.
Giving up?
If they returned to the city now, all their efforts would be in vain, and the funds they had invested upfront would all turn into smoke.
After all, for this mercenary mission, he had used up his savings.
However—
Frankly speaking, their situation was indeed dire.
No food, no water.
The target of the bounty notice could not be confirmed.
Returning to the city.
It was, in fact, their only way out.
"How about this, let's explore one last cavern," the horse-headed person murmured, his gaze fixed. "If we still can't find food and water in the next one, we'll return to the city-state."
"Really!?"
Upon hearing that they could return to the city, the dejected bull-headed orc's spirits immediately lifted.
"Alright, I'll listen to you, Brother Ma."
One last gamble.
The bull and horse brothers rallied their spirits.
Relatively speaking, the horse-headed person did not want to return. Before entering the portal, he had prayed countless times in his heart. He even picked up a twig from the ground and tossed it high into the air, letting it fall to the ground.
The twig pointed precisely in the direction of a portal.
What is this?!
Seeing this, the horse-headed person was astonished.
So accurate.
Was this not the guidance of fate?
"Let's go!"
After throwing the twig, the horse-headed person's confidence soared. He ran towards the portal with wide eyes.
A flash of silver light.
The two figures appeared in a brand-new cavern space.
Looking around—
Under the night sky, a campsite stood in the distance, brightly lit. Vaguely, one could smell the aroma of roasted meat wafting through the air.
"Meat!!!"
Before the horse-headed person could even speak, the bull-headed orc's eyes widened, and white mist puffed from his nostrils. He was as excited as if he had consumed two ounces of stimulants.
His body was flushed with blood.
"Big Bro~ There's meat to eat!!!"
Listening to the joyful cries in his ears, the horse-headed person's eyes also widened.
Heavens, heavens will not block a horse's way?!
He had already prepared to return to the city, only to find hope in this last gamble.
Could it be?
Was this the heavens' intention to keep him?
When heaven is about to bestow a great responsibility upon a person, it first makes his heart suffer, his sinews and bones tired, his body suffer from hunger, causing his skin to become thin and withered, and makes him suffer from extreme poverty.
And in the end, it brings him unexpected joy!
Enlightened!
In an instant, the horse-headed person felt as if he had received divine inspiration, his soul and mind crystal clear.
The campsite before him was likely a reminder from the heavens. This time, his mercenary mission would surely succeed, and among the many competitors, he would stand out.
"Certain success!"
The horse-headed person clenched his fist.
The bull-headed orc beside him didn't know what strange affliction the horse-headed person was suffering from. However, based on his experience, all he needed to do at this moment was to follow along and shout.
"Certain success!"
Crossing their arms, the horse-headed person's eyes blazed like torches.
"Good brother, our days of turning our fortunes around are about to arrive." The horse-headed person's eyes sparkled, and the bull-headed orc nodded incessantly, then cautiously asked, "Brother, when do we get to eat?"
"Eat? We're going to have a feast right now!"
Believing he had received divine guidance, the horse-headed person was filled with confidence.
In his view—
The campsite before them was for their resource replenishment.
Specifically provided for them.
The horse-headed person walked in front with a swagger, his steps exuding an indescribable confidence.
However,
The closer he walked towards the campsite, the more uneasy he became.
He seemed to see a drying rack, and most unbelievably, there seemed to be meat placed on those racks.
"Hey, look, are those pieces of meat?" The horse-headed person, not entirely certain, reached out. The bull-headed orc stared intently for a long time and nodded vigorously, "They all are!"
Gulp!
As soon as he said this, the horse-headed person instantly swallowed.
This?
What kind of campsite is this?
Even the wealthy families living in the city-states were facing tight food resources, yet they encountered such a prosperous campsite in the wilderness?
Could it be the campsite of some noble clan from the royal city?
If so, they wouldn't dare to rob such a campsite.
For a moment, the horse-headed person hesitated.
On the other hand, the bull-headed orc's mouth was already watering. He had been starving for a long time, and seeing so much meat, his stomach was rumbling like thunder.
He, wanted to eat!
"Brother Ma, let's go for it!" the bull-headed orc said, continuously swallowing. "Look how rich this campsite is. If we rob them, even if we abandon the mission, this trip won't be in vain!"
Bang!
The bull-headed orc was met with an unceremonious slap on the back of his head.
Are you an idiot?
Rob?
Could they afford to rob this campsite?
A noble clan from the royal city, any guard they picked would be able to kill them as easily as crushing an ant.
The bull-headed orc, who had been slapped, looked wronged.
"Big Bro~ Why are you hitting me?"
"Don't be foolish. Can we rob this campsite?" the horse-headed person retorted. "Perhaps this is a campsite of a noble clan from the royal city, and you still want to rob it?"
"Then... how do we eat if we don't rob them?"
The bull-headed orc was confused.
He didn't care about royalty or anything else. To him, eating was the most important thing.
"We can..."
"Hey!"
Before the horse-headed person could finish speaking, a robust and imposing figure suddenly walked out from the campsite, followed by a squad of muscular kobolds.
His towering physique, with his back to the campsite's firelight,
Cast a shadow that resembled a great mountain, instantly engulfing the horse-headed and bull-headed figures.
Gulp!
The horse-headed person instinctively swallowed again and looked up slightly, seeing a fierce and menacing face that made him tremble and take half a step back.
"We... we meant no offense, we'll leave now..."
Immediately, the horse-headed person turned to leave, but after only a few steps, they were surrounded.
"This..."
Seeing the kobolds surrounding them, the horse-headed person was bewildered.
"What do you mean by this?"
"Consider yourselves lucky. Our leader wants to see you," the burly and imposing kobold said, his eyebrows lowered. He then slightly turned sideways. "Please."
--
Author's Notes:
Good evening, have you eaten?