In the midst of the primitive forest at noon, the woods were oppressively hot, the air teed with a scorching heat and a faint scent of decay, perhaps from the corpse of so animal. Satiated and hydrated, the group rested in place. Luo Zheng looked up through the canopy to see the sun hanging high, its branches swaying in the breeze—a pity the winds didn't reach the forest floor. He took another swig of water, glancing at the carcass of the python, his gaze then shifting to the river as he pondered.
"We need to hurry on our way. Mountains lie ahead and mountains flank us. Continuing overland will delay us. How about we take the river route? I've checked the map, and this river connects to another river. That river is just a half-day away from our destination. Traveling by water will save us a lot of ti and conserve our energy," Lan Xue ca over and whispered.
"Agreed, but we'll need to build a raft. This ancient forest is too strange, there might be dangers lurking underwater that we must guard against," Luo Zheng replied with a nod, a trace of worry crossing his calm face. He looked around at the surrounding forest and continued, "I'll go cut so trees for the raft."
"That'll work," Lan Xue didn't object. Instead, she turned and called out to the resting group, "Ghost Hand, Snow Leopard, assist Ghost in cutting down trees to build the raft. We're taking the water route. Mountain Eagle, you take the left, I'll take the right, on guard."
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison and sprang into action.
Luo Zheng approached a large tree that required two arms to hug and drew his Dragon Tooth to start chopping. Its blade was incredibly sharp, sinking seven inches into the wood with each cut. Ghost Hand and Snow Leopard waited alongside; they took turns, and before long, the tree fell. They stripped off the branches and split the trunk in two, hauling it to the river to serve as the hull, then they cut smaller logs for crosspieces and bound them tightly with sturdy vines.
In about two hours, a simple raft was ready, with two arm-span thick trees forming its base—strong and solid. They pushed the raft into the river, climbed aboard, Luo Zheng picked up a pole prepared earlier, and Ghost Hand took up another at the stern. Both n pushed off and started downriver with the current. Lan Xue and Mountain Eagle kept watch on either side, and Snow Leopard guarded the riverbed below.
As a qualified Soldier King, Luo Zheng knew to never let his guard down. The safer the mont, the more danger lurked. The group floated downstream, Luo Zheng watching the front with composed eyes. The banks were shaded with lush green trees, and several leaf monkeys frolicked above. A waterbird dived suddenly, then swiftly erged and flew off with a big fish in its beak, wings flapping into the distance. The river surface was a picture of peace.
A little further on, Luo Zheng spotted a fist-sized water snake crossing the river. Upon noticing the approaching raft, it swiftly disappeared under the water. Luo Zheng didn't pay it much mind and continued on. Not long after, the raft jolted as if sothing had collided with it. Startled, he asked in a low voice, "What's that?" He kept his eyes forward, not looking back, trusting Snow Leopard to handle whatever was at the river bottom. In tis of danger, one must be all the more cautious.
"Not sure. Seems like sothing swam past," Snow Leopard reported in a low voice from his post overseeing the bottom.
"If it's big enough to nudge our raft, it's no small fish or shrimp. Could we have run into a crocodile?" Ghost Hand murmured from the back, eyes fixed aft. With five people, each had their own direction to watch. This division of labor was basic tactical training, and the team didn't fall into disarray, trusting each other to manage any situation.
"Ghost, hand the Dragon Tooth," said Snow Leopard, his tone even as his eyes swept the riverbed, constantly searching for any suspicious entities. His grip tightened on his steel gun, daring not to be careless.
As they approached their destination, it was better not to fire a gun if possible. Luo Zheng understood and tossed the Dragon Tooth over. Snow Leopard caught it, drew a knife, and suddenly felt the raft shake once again. With clear sight, Snow Leopard thrust the knife down, felt it pierce sothing, and was overjoyed. Clutching the knife handle, he twisted it and quickly withdrew the blade.
Soon, the river surface was stained with blood. Sothing was rolling around on the riverbed, but sadly, it wasn't clear to see. Snow Leopard gripped the steel gun, his index finger on the trigger, ready and waiting. Not long after, a crocodile burst from the riverbed, its gaping, bloody maw charging above the water's surface, snapping at the people on the raft.
The raft was supported by thick hardwood, so there was no worry that it would be bitten through. Seeing the crocodile attacking, Snow Leopard beca enraged and roared, "You little beast dare to be so rampant, seeking death." With that, he put down the gun, picked up the Dragon Tooth, and hacked at the crocodile's gaping mouth.
The sharp blade sliced across the crocodile's maw, leaving a long gash in its cheek. The crocodile, in pain, collided with the raft and quickly rolled back into the riverbed, disappearing without a trace. Everyone remained alert as the raft continued forward and the river gradually cald down.
Snow Leopard didn't dare to let his guard down, continuing to watch the riverbed. Looking at the gradually calming water, he let out a sigh of relief and said, "Ghost, brother, I have to say, this Japanese blade is really good, sharp enough. Next ti I get a chance, I'll get one for fun, it's simply a great weapon for ho and travel."
"Sure, I'll help you," said Luo Zheng with a smile, his face calmly fixed on the path ahead, not daring to be careless.
Five people, five directions, but no one noticed the Black Shadow lurking in the dense foliage of a tall tree on the riverbank, dressed in a full black outfit, even his head wrapped up, leaving only a pair of eyes fixed dead on the people on the raft, radiating a cold and fierce glint. Once the raft had passed, the Black Shadow, like a leaf monkey, leapt from the tree and vanished into the surrounding woods without a trace.
To avoid the perception of Luo Zheng and the others, this person's concealnt skills were very high. Luo Zheng coolly watched ahead. After the raft had traveled so distance and entered another river channel, the river widened significantly, the current grew swifter, and the banks were covered in lush shrubs. They all proceeded with caution.
Half an hour later, the river ahead narrowed. So wild deer were drinking by the river. Seeing the raft, they looked up curiously. A young deer happily trotted to the water's edge to drink, when suddenly, a large Black Shadow surged from the riverbed, bit the deer's neck, and dragged it into the water.
The unexpected incident scared the other wild deer, making them turn and run. The river churned, soon reddened by blood. Luo Zheng, observing this scene, knew it was a crocodile hunting; he was unmoved. The law of the jungle, the cycle of predator and prey in nature, the daily slaughter within the food chain, was nothing to make a fuss about.
"It's a pity for that young deer, it was still very young," remarked Lan Xue with so regret, but she quickly regained her resolve. In the face of nature, any sympathy could lead to one's own destruction. She continued to watch her area vigilantly.
The raft kept moving, but Luo Zheng started to feel uneasy. He looked suspiciously at the shrubs on both sides of the river and then looked up at the sky—it was nearing dusk. According to the GPS, in about another hour, they would need to go ashore. However, Luo Zheng felt increasingly uneasy the further they went.
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