Chapter 177: Cold War
Chapter 177: Cold War
Early the next morning, Lindsey and Red set off once again.
One of them had dark circles under their eyes, while the other's smooth, long hair had turned into a tangled mess.
They silently packed up their campsite and began their journey without exchanging a word.
After climbing a cliff, they assessed their direction and route, embarking on another arduous trek.
There was a simple word that perfectly described their current state.
Cold War.
They packed up their campsite early in the morning, prepared breakfast, and began their journey.
Neither of them spoke a word.
After a morning of traveling, they stopped for a midday break and ate their meal in silence.
Not a single word was exchanged between them.
Throughout the afternoon, they continued their journey, crossing several canyons with their now well-practiced and improved speed.
Yet, they still didn't utter a word to each other.
This went on until dusk.
They entered a robust canyon.
This was the massive canyon they had seen from afar before entering this area.
Their future path was now laid out before Lindsey.
Continuing eastward in a straight line, or taking a detour along the bottom of the canyon for a while.
The answer was quickly determined through rough calculations.
Traveling eastward in a straight line would mean encountering countless cracks and fissures along the way.
However, following the bottom of this vast canyon would be a more efficient route.
Although it might deviate from their intended direction, they could adjust their course later.
This method would undoubtedly be more time-saving than crossing the canyon directly.
"..."
Neither of them spoke during their journey.
Lindsey led the way into the canyon, where a stream flowed at the bottom, indicating a usable water source.
Although he could prepare clean water using the Infinite Water technique...
...the presence of flowing water still provided a sense of reassurance, an instinctive habit passed down through generations.
The only discomforting aspect of the canyon was the eerie howling sound echoing through it.
Lindsey carefully observed the source of the sound and realized it was the wind.
Due to the unique sound reflection within the canyon, the normal wind noise transformed into a strange howling, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
They walked along the bottom of the canyon for half an hour.
Outside, the sun was setting, casting a yellow glow over the land.
The towering cliffs within the canyon blocked the sunlight, causing the surroundings to darken faster than usual.
It was as if they were sulking, and Lindsey decided to set up camp within the canyon instead of on the canyon's peak, as Red had suggested the previous day.
He justified his decision to himself, thinking, "What if I roll off the cliff in my sleep while dreaming? It's safer to sleep at the bottom!"
Time continued to pass.
The setting sun began to pull the yellow glow from the earth.
Although they didn't communicate, Lindsey skillfully lit a campfire and set up a temporary campsite.
Red turned and ventured into the canyon, searching for today's prey.
After a month of traveling together, they had developed a routine. Even without verbal communication, they understood each other's tasks through unspoken understanding.
The hunter, Red, had remarkable luck.
She found a vulture's nest in a dead tree on the cliff's edge, bringing back not only the nest's owner but also three eggs, ensuring a complete family.
"Tonight's dinner will definitely be better!"
Thinking of the month-long diet of roasted meat, Red couldn't help but smile with joy.
She hurried back to the campsite, but before reaching it, she composed her smile.
After crossing the canyon's obstacles, Red's gaze froze.
"Huh?"
The scene before her differed from what she had expected.
Lindsey was in the midst of constructing a campsite, having just completed the shelter's roof. However, the very structure he had built now obstructed his view, becoming a potential hazard.
Just above Lindsey, a four-meter-tall earthy yellow figure had mysteriously emerged from the rocks and was silently creeping towards the shelter's top.
It made no sound.
Positioned in the shade of the canyon, it cast no shadow below, making its approach even more stealthy.
"Lindsey, watch out above!"
Reacting swiftly, Red tossed aside her dinner.
The anticipated vulture egg shattered upon impact.
But the keen-eyed girl didn't care about that.
Without hesitation, she hurled her spear and, like an afterimage, followed the trajectory of her weapon, ready to thwart the ambush on Lindsey.
Bang! The meteorite spear pierced the creature's body, and the high temperature began to destroy its tissues, exacerbating the injury.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Lindsey also realized the impending danger.
He crawled out of the shelter and jumped away from his original spot.
Turning his head, he saw the monster that had attempted to attack him and the girl who had rushed to his aid.
To protect her companion from the ambush, Red acted without hesitation.
Unable to draw her spear due to their relative positions, she bravely engaged the enemy in close combat. Her slender body seemed like a fragile toy next to the massive enemy.
"What the hell is this?"
Lindsey quickly assessed the situation and took out the Spider Silk Nightshade, firing three arrows with the force of a flail in a single breath.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The earthy yellow figure was slammed against the cliff face by the three arrows.
At that moment, Red approached again.
Seizing the opportunity while the enemy was immobilized against the cliff face, she drew her meteorite spear, infused it with essence, and thrust it into the enemy's head once more.
Crack!
A flash of meteor firelight vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Red's strike was swift and precise, leaving the enemy with no chance to dodge. Her rapid assault outpaced the enemy's ability to react.
As the spear penetrated, the high temperature began to incinerate the enemy's head.
The battle seemed to be decided.
However, the hunting expedition had honed Red's combat awareness.
The head wasn't necessarily the weak point of all enemies.
Moreover, the enemy before them had just endured the meteorite spear's injury and fought against Red.
After delivering this theoretically fatal blow, Red immediately withdrew her spear and leaped backward, guarding against any potential last-ditch counterattacks.
"..."
Silence filled the canyon.
The massive body, which had been slammed against the cliff face and then had its head pierced, finally collapsed, showing no signs of movement on the surface.
Lindsey had an innate advantage in assessing the enemy's condition.
He opened the attribute panel and, seeing a slight increase in experience points, breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's dead," he said, sheathing his weapon and approaching the creature's body.
He began to investigate its origins while also collecting materials from the prey.
"What the heck is this thing, and where did it come from?"
"..."
From behind, Red also approached.
A single battle was enough to dispel any lingering unhappiness.
Moreover, there wasn't much animosity between the two; it was more like a childish sulk.
As Lindsey began to examine the attacker's body, Red squatted beside him.
"What is this?" she asked.
"It's called a Stone Puppet," Lindsey read from the commodity panel.
(End of Chapter)
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