This was a dilapidated tribe.
A tribe where only an aging shaman and weak, naive hilichurls lived.
Mitachurls once lived here, but now they were nowhere to be found, suspected to have been dragged away by an ice monster.
Gu Baizhou's thoughts churned endlessly, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Mosi gusha (Sadness)..."
Several hilichurls awoke, sitting despondently in place, emitting low, mournful whimpers.
This was an opportunity—a chance to elevate his authority.
After resolving this, teaching them farming and fish breeding, he would leave this place.
"Let's go out."
Having made up his mind, Gu Baizhou grabbed the nearby crossbow and several sturdy arrows, leading a group of hilichurls and the old shaman outside.
The night was vast and dim.
The courtyard was as clear as accumulated water, permeated with a faint dampness.
There really was water.
On the muddy ground, deep hilichurl footprints were sunken into the earth. Gu Baizhou quickly stepped forward, crouched down, and reached out a finger to touch the ground.
Swish.
A moist sensation adhered to his skin.
"Hydro elemental monster."
Gu Baizhou's first thought had been the "ice monster" mentioned by the Geo Samachurl.
But the residue left at the scene was water.
"The incident location is so close, yet there was no commotion."
Gu Baizhou stood rooted to the spot, surveying the surroundings, growing increasingly vigilant.
"No bloodstains. The monster probably subdued the hilichurl instantly and took it away."
Liquid residue still remained on the ground.
If they wanted to pursue, there was a general direction to follow.
But the strength of that Hydro monster likely exceeded his ability to handle.
Should he pursue?
Gu Baizhou fell into deep thought. He looked back; several hilichurls held torches, waiting there.
Was there even a choice?
"Let's go. Hold the torches steady. I'll use the arrows for fire later."
Gu Baizhou made his decision. He stepped out of the tribe first, following the water trail, heading downhill.
He nocked an arrow onto the crossbow, aiming where his gaze fell, while streams of information flashed through his mind.
"+1 Eagle Eye EXP"
"+1 Steady Wrist EXP"
"+1 Basic Archery EXP"
"..."
[Upgrade Complete]
[Comprehensive Archery lv2: 0/10]
"+1 Comprehensive Archery EXP."
"..."
——————
Following the damp water trail, Gu Baizhou and the hilichurls arrived at the river at the mountain's base.
This was the mountain's backside, not the river where they had fished earlier.
River water rushed out from a fissure beneath the mountain. A long, narrow wooden-plank walkway was built clinging to the cliff face, winding away into the distance.
The scene was a mess.
Shattered, azure-blue limb tentacles were scattered everywhere, mixed with some kind of frigid ice particles.
Gu Baizhou held the arrow's fletching and lifted a piece of the monster's severed tentacle. A briny, oceanic smell assailed his nostrils.
"+1 Advanced Olfaction EXP"
After the message flickered, Gu Baizhou wrinkled his nose; the briny smell intensified.
He held his breath, examining the monster's fragmented flesh.
"Cleaved by some sharp, heavy weapon. Like a great axe or a greatsword."
Gu Baizhou piled the bluish-green flesh fragments together. They were mixed with eyeballs, teeth, and entrails.
"Resembles an octopus. More than one. Probably from the sea—due to high tide?"
He also noticed ice crystals mixed within the flesh.
The monster hunter wielding the greatsword was perhaps a Cryo Vision holder.
This was Gu Baizhou's first trace of humans.
"Have you found anything?"
He asked the other hilichurls, but they were simple creatures, only shaking their heads mournfully.
"No."
The Geo Samachurl hung its head, utterly dejected.
Expected. Gu Baizhou hadn't held much hope for them; it was just a routine question.
Just as he was about to offer routine comfort and persuade them to give up, his gaze was drawn to something in the river.
It was a wooden carving plaque, floating quietly on the water's surface.
Splash...
Gu Baizhou rolled up his pant legs, waded into the water, and picked up the peachwood plaque.
"+1 Material Science EXP"
[Material Science lv3: 4/5]
It was a waist token carved from peachwood, likely used for warding off evil spirits.
That hilichurl, though no body was found, had probably died under the exorcist's greatsword.
Thud, thud.
The sound of water persisted. A faint, obscure sound of stones knocking together came from the river.
"+1 Advanced Hearing EXP"
The moment Gu Baizhou saw the message, his pupils contracted, and he sprinted away!
Swoosh!
The river water surged rapidly, producing a sound of urgent, rushing currents.
Bluish-green tentacles pierced through the water, reaching for his ankles!
The suckers covering the tentacles would latch on fiercely upon contact, entangling relentlessly!
In the blink of an eye,
man and beast were within arm's reach!
Shhk!
Gu Baizhou gripped the arrow, stabbing fiercely into the river, but only stirred up a splash.
"Same color as the environment..."
He was momentarily stunned, a chill running down his spine.
He was going to get injured...
Boom!
Suddenly,
a muffled sound came from the riverbed. A stone pillar erupted from the ground, lifting Gu Baizhou out of the water!
"Dada! (Great!)"
In an instant, Gu Baizhou reacted. Muttering the words, he leaped up and scrambled onto the bank.
He swiftly turned, aiming the wooden crossbow at the azure, soft-bodied monster crawling up the stone pillar, and pulled the trigger.
Thwip!
The arrow streaked across the night sky, piercing flesh and embedding itself in the monster's body.
Immediately, it fell into the lake. Its eight tentacles stretched toward the rear, slapping the water as it charged forward.
Water sprayed vigorously. The slippery, greasy tentacles reached shore first, claw-like blades extending from their tips and digging into the ground.
A mist-like blue light enveloped its body. The azure eyes on its large, round head sent shivers down the spine.
"+1 Biology EXP."
Gu Baizhou had an inexplicable sense. He nocked an arrow onto the crossbow, aiming just above its eyes.
Thud!
The sturdy arrow pierced through the monster's nerve center.
Pale blue blood spurted. Its eyes rapidly lost focus, freezing in place, though its tentacles still writhed.
"A mutated octopus?"
Gu Baizhou quickly approached, using the arrow to stab into its head, stirring viciously.
It should be dead now.
Thinking this, he breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the fortune of surviving a near-death experience.
"Let's search a bit more."
Holding some gratitude, Gu Baizhou suggested to the shaman:
"We didn't find its body here. And downstream, there are monsters and people. If it's still alive, it probably wouldn't go along the river—it might have fled into the mountains."
"Dada! (Excellent!)"
The Geo Samachurl readily agreed. They followed Gu Baizhou, retracing their steps.
Midway up the mountain,
a dark figure came rushing over.
Gu Baizhou recognized it as the hilichurl with fiery red fluff. It was drenched, clutching several red fruits in its hands.
It actually didn't die?
He was somewhat perplexed. The surrounding hilichurls cheered happily.
"Eat! Tasty!"
The red-furred hilichurl extended its dark hand, offering the fruits.
Gu Baizhou accepted the crimson fruits, bringing them to his nose for a deep sniff.
An intensely spicy scent instantly filled his nasal passages.
They were chili peppers.
Gu Baizhou couldn't refuse its kindness. He took one and took a bite.
"Sss..."
The spiciness spread from the base of his tongue to his throat. His whole body grew hot and feverish, restless.
"The taste... isn't bad."
Gu Baizhou furrowed his brows, his expression somewhat contorted, addressing the well-meaning hilichurl.
It couldn't read human expressions, only hearing the positive feedback. It cheered happily.
Tribe, wooden hut.
The hilichurls didn't return to sleep but began dancing a rhythmic dance.
The Geo Samachurl stood at their center, its aged voice chanting a song:
"I can no longer hunt..."
"I am no longer strong..."
"I am about to meet life's inevitable end..."
"Hateful, sad..."
Its mood was quite low. After finishing the song, it presented a small stone vase.
Gu Baizhou took it curiously, touching it gently.
The texture was somewhat coarse, as if eroded, pitted and uneven.
The stone vase contained fine sand that rustled when shaken.
He fiddled with it for a while. A message emerged in his mind:
[Sand-Laden Stone Vase]
[Sands of Time]
[Hilichurls will therefore regard you as a good person, although they already held some goodwill toward you initially.]
[It will protect you from the harm of rock slides and quicksand.]
[Description: An ancient stone vase, accompanying the old shaman from new life to twilight. Its appearance has faded, its life force withered, but its story will not end because of this.]
"An Artifact?"
A strange thought crossed Gu Baizhou's mind: "Then, this learning interface of mine... couldn't it also be an Artifact?"
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