The two sides studied each other. Heather looked him up and down, searching for anything unpleasant. Finding none, she gave him an encouraging smile. Zachary’s eyes remained on her face. Now that it had regained some color, he was struck by her beauty.
He had only paid slight attention to it on the navy ship. Back then, they weren’t able to shower or clean themselves for a whole month. It was difficult to appear attractive under those conditions but she still managed to do it. Now, bereft of dirt and grime, her oval face was smooth and flawless.
Heart shaped lips, a sharp nose, a pair of narrow eyebrows; her features were balanced and perfect. Thick lashes framed a pair of gray orbs filled with charm and intrigue. She was a heartbreaker; she was a soul-stealer. Everywhere she went, she would be the center of attention. She was like someone who had stepped out of a painting just to drive men mad.
“Wow! Zach bro, you really have good taste!” Wander barked, “She is really something. If I was human, I would want her too! Hahaha!”
Wander’s laughter broke the spell. Zachary pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. After clearing away the fog around his thoughts, he grimaced and looked back Heather. This time, she didn’t appear so enthralling. Still a top-tier beauty but not so much so that she appeared supernatural.
He cleared his throat and spoke carefully, “What I want is pretty straightforward. I was stuck somewhere for many months and only managed escape recently. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, I haven’t interacted with other people for a long time. I don’t know which survivors are strong, how many have formed groups like yours, and what the overall situation is.”
“That’s easy. We can a long chat after we get back. I’ll explain everything.” Heather said, “But that can’t be everything. You could get information from anyone by trading a few days’ worth of food.”
“Of course. What I want is to get stronger. I want information on where adept rank wild Ensouled reside, what elemental attributes they have, their habits, and their weaknesses. Hunting wild Ensouled is also easier with more people so I hope that we can work together. If things go well, it can even be a long term partnership.”
She nodded along as he spoke and smiled when he finished, “We can do all of that. Don’t worry. Our gang isn’t like those Dark Star bastards. Since you have saved us twice already, we have to show our sincerity as well. Suhua, he wanted the Soul Ruby Fruit, give it to him.”
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“Heather! Why!” Suhua whined and tugged on Heather’s arm.
“Suhua, stop it. I’ll compensate you later.”
“Hmph, fine!” The younger woman huffed and puffed.
She glared at Zachary before finally handing the tiny red fruit over.
“Many thanks,” He said.
“No problem.” Heather said, “Alright, let’s go. I’m still dying here.”
She laughed at her own joke and waved to her people. Suhua and Nellie put her on a makeshift stretcher and picked her up. Zachary and Oliver once again took charge of scouting and protecting the rear.
The group set off, crossing the stream. Everyone was alert, even Heather who remained conscious. Although this was a path they had taken many times before, nothing was for certain. The jungle was ever-changing, almost like a giant living creature.
The sun slowly drifted from its peak towards the west. Step by step, the party of five slogged through this wild new land. It rained sporadically, turning the ground to mud and their progress sometimes slowed to a crawl. They also had to fight off a few wild Ensouled. They were only at the novice rank and not a challenge but it only served to delay them even further.
Finally, after what seemed like a whole afternoon of walking, they encountered something that made the four people aside from Zachary smile and laugh. It was a large rodent that had popped out of the underbrush. It stood in the middle of the path, blocking their way.
“Ey, is that Peanut, or is that Acorn?” Suhua asked.
“I think it's actually Pecan.” Oliver said while chuckling.
“What?” Zachary muttered in confusion.
“These are giant swamp rats, our scouts. They aren’t useful for much else but they have excellent senses.” Heather explained, “We like to name them after nuts, obviously. I have one named Hazel. Seeing them means we’re home.”
“We’re home! Thank the saints!” Suhua cried out, raising her hands to the sky as if in prayer.
Oliver laughed, “We made it!”
Soon, a wooden palisade wall appeared amidst the tall trees. It was about three meters high with sharp tips on top. There were two square watchtowers on two sides, acting as the anchors. It was an impressive construction, a human settlement in the New World. It was made with care and foresight. Anyone could tell at a glance that this was intended for long-term habitation.
“What do you think of my Rowan Oak Village?” Heather asked.
Her face was full of pride even if it still carried a hint of paleness from her injury.
“Impressive,” Zachary replied. “It's far more than I expected.”
“Heh, we tried our best.”
“Hey!” Suhua shouted at the walls, “Heather is back! Open the gate, hurry! She’s injured!”
“Alright, wait a second!” Someone shouted.
The heavy wooden gate slowly swung inward, revealing two people, one middle-aged woman with graying hair and a young man who was taller than Zachary. Upon seeing Heather on a stretcher, they rushed out.
“What happened?”
“Is she alright?”
“She’ll live but she needs immediate treatment.” Nellie said, “Olga, get the medicine bags and boil some water.”
“Okay!” The middle-aged woman named Olga rushed back into the village.
Nellie and Suhua went as well, carrying Heather. Zachary made to follow but the young man stepped in his way with an unfriendly expression.