Fifth Chapter Thirty-Six Dreamland (Part 1)

"Annie, I'm tired."

"Just hold on a little longer, we're almost there."

Beneath her feet were hard pebbles, and every step brought a piercing pain. Yifei wanted to stop, but Annie held her hand tightly, pulling her forward. Whether crossing thorny bushes or icy streams, Annie's pace never faltered. From behind, her figure was as firm as a mountain.

"Annie, I'm really tired..."

Yifei pleaded again.

Her soles felt like they were on fire, her whole body ached, and no matter how she breathed, her chest felt suffocated. She felt like she was about to die.

Annie sighed softly, listened to the ground for a moment, and then pointed to a protruding rock not far away, "Let's rest there."

Hearing that they could rest, the last bit of strength rose from her heart. She gritted her teeth and walked quickly to the boulder, then collapsed—at that moment, she even wanted to stay there forever.

Annie didn't sit down immediately. She found a few broken tree crowns from around and surrounded the rock on both sides, which could block part of the view. The upturned rock was like a natural canopy, and now with the branches on both sides, it looked even more like a nest. It was a pity that the ground was still uneven with stones, which made her buttocks ache, and the small gap could not allow two people to lie down flat.

"The church won't catch up, we've escaped so far."

"We can't let our guard down. This distance isn't safe for us."

Annie was as vigilant as a wildcat, always pricking up her ears and monitoring everything around her. But she was much tougher than a wildcat. Suffering was commonplace for her. Compared to those cruel Judgment Army soldiers, Annie was more like a silent predator—if she had a weapon.

"Does the Bloodfang Association... really exist?"

They weren't the only two witches looking for the Bloodfang Association. However, after leaving Greystone Fortress, the group was intercepted by the church. Five witches had to split up. She met Annie after walking east for three days and three nights, while the others were completely missing.

"Of course," Annie said, rubbing her toes, "I heard they're on Wolf Fang Island across the sea."

"But how do we cross the sea?"

"As long as we get to the sea, we can find a ferry," Annie comforted, "Don't worry, leave everything to me."

"Okay," Yifei responded in a low voice.

She took out a piece of dried meat skin from her bag, held it with both hands, and soon the meat skin steamed with white smoke, becoming hot and soft. "Eat something first, and we'll continue on our way after eating."

This was Annie's ability. Her palms could ignite branches and sticks, and also cook food. Yifei swallowed the meat skin greedily, looking at the meat skin in the other person's hand with saliva. Annie smiled, bit off half and threw it to her, "You can eat more, I'm not too hungry."

After eating this piece too, even her fingers were "yunxi" one by one, it was time to set off again.

Yifei struggled to get up from the ground. Before she could get out of the rock, the dead leaves on the branches suddenly trembled.

That wasn't the swaying of the autumn wind, but a slight and rapid vibration, as if something was approaching.

Annie's pupils dilated instantly, "It's a horse! They're coming on horseback! Run!"

Yifei felt herself being pulled up. She subconsciously took a few steps, and the pain in her feet instantly returned to her whole body—her body hadn't recovered at all. It was difficult enough just to stand, let alone run?

She glanced back and saw a dozen horses appearing at the end of the stone beach. Probably afraid that the mounts would break their hooves, the pursuers weren't very fast, but it was enough for the two who were fleeing barefoot.

They couldn't escape.

Or rather, she couldn't escape.

Yifei broke free from Annie's hand, "You go first."

"I'll carry you."

"That way you won't be fast!"

"Listen to me, get on quickly."

While hesitating, the Judgment Army soldiers riding tall horses were getting closer and closer. Yifei could already see someone raising a hand crossbow and a javelin.

Just then, the bumpy gravel ground suddenly collapsed, and the enemy in front screamed and fell into the pit. The team hurriedly scattered to both sides, but unexpectedly the horses all knelt to the ground. A group of figures wearing blood-red robes appeared in front of the church pursuers without warning, as if they had emerged from the ground. The close-range crossbow volley caught the Judgment Army off guard. The enemies who were lucky enough to dodge the crossbow bolts couldn't escape the ambushers' pursuit either. In a short while, more than ten church pursuers were all killed on the stone beach.

Then they quickly stripped off their armor, rations, and packages, and didn't even let go of the God's Punishment Stone.

One of them walked up to them.

"Are you looking for the Bloodfang Association?"

"How do you know?" Yifei asked in surprise.

"Yes, ma'am," Annie pinched her hand anxiously, "We are all witches, and there are three others who got lost on the way. Can you help them?"

"We don't have that many people to take care of other witches," the person who came took off his hood, revealing a head of fiery red short hair, "If your companions can't rely on their own strength to get here, they are not qualified to join the Bloodfang Association." She paused for a moment, "Of course, not everyone who arrives here will definitely be able to join the Bloodfang Association."

Yifei felt Annie's hand tighten.

"What are your abilities? Show me."

After the two performed their abilities, the red-haired woman nodded to Yifei, "You can go to Duke Island," then said to Annie, "But you can't."

"Why?"

"Ma'am, I—"

"I will send someone to take you to other witch organizations, but not the Bloodfang Association," the other party's tone was unquestionable, "You can't become a combat witch, and the Bloodfang Association doesn't need a cook."

……

"What's there to cry about?" the red-haired woman scolded impatiently, "If you look like this when you see the master later, she will definitely make you look good."

"I... want to be with Annie..."

"What a good-for-nothing kid, she's just a burden."

"She's not, she saved me!" Yifei swallowed her snot, "Annie is the combat witch you need..."

"Tch, whether you are a combat witch depends on your ability when you awaken, not your thick limbs," the other party said disdainfully, "You think she's great, but it's only because she's five or six years older than you. In fact, your potential is much greater than hers."

"Then you... where will you send Annie?"

"That's none of your business."

Yifei's nose tingled again.

The red-haired woman frowned, "Listen carefully, the master doesn't like cowards. If you want to survive on Duke Island, don't mention the past again."

……