Bizarre Survival: I Can Devour Thousands of Talents

Chapter 173, Section 172: Aran Town! The Lost Souls! The Goddess of Light!?

"Huff... huff..."

Angelina, the captain of the ninth hunting squad in Aran Town, tugged at her thick scarf to make herself breathe more comfortably, and also to encourage her slightly tired team members.

"My God! Look! A Faraday tree!"

She strode up the gentle slope in a few steps, rubbed the distinctive bark of the trees through her leather gloves, and said to the team members with delight, "I remember this whole forest was cut down last winter."

"I didn't expect to find fallow trees at this distance so soon after winter began!"

"Ooh ooh ooh!"

A short, stocky old man with a bulbous nose in the group also struggled to climb up after a quick glance.

"Little Lina, the Fara Tree growing closer and closer isn't a good sign..."

Angelina was somewhat surprised, and without hiding anything, she immediately asked.

"Hey? Uncle Sartre, don't you always complain about not having enough materials?"

"In the past, it would take quite a while for the Fara trees to grow after winter, but now they grow so fast and are so close to our town, why isn't that a good omen?"

The old man named Sartre shook his head, and tremblingly took out a portable wine flask engraved with inscriptions from his bosom. After taking a small sip, his hand immediately stopped shaking.

Looking at the bright, curious eyes of these young people, he sighed and began to recount the insights he had gleaned from the surviving ancient texts.

"The Farah tree only grows in winter and is rare, but it is a good material for making wands and magic arrows."

"The town of Yalan compiles annual harvest statistics, including the location and quantity of various resources found. Based on past records, the location where the Fara Tree grows is getting closer and closer..."

"Hmm? Isn't this good news?"

Angelina let out a surprised groan from her pale nose, which was red from the cold.

Don't be misled by superficial benefits!

Sartre smiled wryly and picked up the flask, intending to take a couple more sips, but after weighing the remaining amount of wine, he reluctantly tucked it back into the pocket of his chest.

"For this kind of tree to grow, the surrounding cold must reach a certain level."

"In recent years, the Fara trees have been getting closer and more numerous, which indicates that the power of the winter cold waves is increasing, and the winding valley will soon be unable to withstand the invasion of the cold air..."

"If all goes well, after surviving this winter and the final day of divine intervention, the mayor will once again propose moving deeper into the valley..."

"Oh? Another move!"

A freckled young man with a bow and arrows slung over his shoulder stood atop a gentle slope. Hearing this, he complained with distress, "I much prefer hunting monsters to tearing down houses and rebuilding them elsewhere. That's what a real man should do!"

He spoke as if complaining, while glancing at his captain's reaction out of the corner of his eye.

Young males always like to show off their prowess in front of the females they admire. As the best archer among the younger generation in Aran Town, Gali confidently believes that only he is worthy of Angelina, who is already a novice priest.

A beauty needs a hero to match her!

no doubt!

He, the rising star whom the high-ranking members of the hunting team had placed great hopes on, was a perfect match for the beautiful Captain Angelina!

Sartre put away the wine jug and listened with a smile to the lively chatter of the young people.

Galina's peacock-like cunning, along with the other boys' self-praise and boasting, gave this old man, who was the most experienced in Aran Town, a long-lost sense of youthful vitality.

in those days……

He and the town mayor were also vying for her affections...

Just as Sartre was reminiscing with regret about the reckless things he had done in the past, his expression suddenly changed.

"Watch out from the northeast! A small group of monsters is approaching! Judging from their aura, they should be dwarf apes!"

Even if they weren't among the top eight official squads, the members of the Ninth Squad, as reserve squads, were among the most outstanding and courageous young people in Alan Town!

To prevent young "geniuses" from dying prematurely due to accidents or lack of experience, thus jeopardizing the town's future.

Sartre, the most senior magician, was also specially invited to become the vice-captain of the Ninth Squad.

Normally Angelina takes the lead, but in critical situations, it's up to this old man to step up and take charge.

The young children were too inexperienced to spot the dwarf apes that were moving more stealthily.

Now that he's giving advance warnings, it'll be a good opportunity to see how these young people respond.

Sartre wasn't just out for some fresh air because he had nothing better to do.

He served as the deputy captain for two reasons: firstly, for insurance, and secondly, for performance evaluation.

As for his lingering feelings for his mentor, Angelina...

tsk...

How old are you?!

But if only a twilight romance could happen...

Not bad at all!

Although he was a novice priest, he lacked the means to engage in direct combat.

But Angelina is not just a pretty face who can only whine and scream.

Under the pressure of various external forces, everyone needs to work hard for their own survival and for the survival of the town!

Yalan Town doesn't support idlers!

"Everyone! Unload your gear and prepare for battle!"

"Archers! Climb the trees and scout!"

"Knights! Move forward! Establish a defensive line towards the northeast!"

Angelina deftly removed the basket from her back, opened the small bag at her waist, and took out a short magic wand with a gem embedded at the top.

As she channeled her spiritual energy, causing the magic gem to glow softly, she raised her voice and calmly instructed, "Still the same formation as before!"

"Guardian Knights in front! Slaughter Knights on both flanks!"

"Don't rush forward rashly! Maintain the formation!"

"Master Sartre, please come with me to the center!"

Sartre, acting as the proctor, didn't mince words. He walked up behind Angelina and jokingly said with a smile, "Hey!"

"Just now she was calling me 'Uncle'! Now she's all about Sartre?! Little Lina, you can't follow your teacher's example, she clearly..."

"Uncle Sartre!"

Angelina turned her head, lowered her voice, and winked at him.

"If you give us a high score, I'll definitely praise you a lot to the teacher!"

"But now..."

She suppressed her smile, turned her head back, raised her staff, and solemnly proclaimed, "Holy Light! Please illuminate your most devout followers!"

"Please armor the brave! So that they may not be corrupted by evil, and so that we may march towards victory in glory!"

He immediately unleashed his strongest skill to date.

As an apprentice priest, Angelina had not learned many priestly skills, and with her current spiritual power, she could use even fewer.

[True Words - Holy Light Protection]

Using it at this moment, no one has any objections.

The entire Ninth Squad was enveloped in a warm glow, their bodies covered with a layer of ethereal, golden light.

The holy light not only provided them with direct protection, but also helped them dispel the anxiety that inevitably arises when facing battle.

Encouraged and amplified by Angelina, the Ninth Squad, having switched to battle formation, immediately got into action.

Guardian knights, holding shields in their left hands and short hammers or axes in their right, formed a tight formation, while killing knights, wielding longswords with blood grooves, protected the flanks, ready to charge out from the sides at any moment!

Sartre said nothing, but his eyes were filled with pride as he looked at the little girl's back.

It's not just for her academic achievements, but also for her calm and skillful on-the-spot command.

His Eagle Eye technique had actually been monitoring the approaching dwarf apes.

But since the team hasn't obtained the relevant intelligence yet, he won't specifically inform them.

However, despite the exams, they were still just a group of greenhorn youths.

If we wait until closer to the deadline, the questions will be a bit too "difficult".

Out of respect for Professor Angelina, testing combat coordination and command will suffice...

However, Angelina and the others, who were on high alert, were unaware that Sat, who thought he had everything under control, also failed to detect anything amiss through his Eagle Eye technique.

On a small slope diagonally opposite the Fara Tree, a large rock is wedged in the rock face, casting a rather thick shadow from the protrusion above and the tangled vegetation.

Lingxiao has been holed up here for a long time.

After speeding up and getting closer, Ling Xiao noticed that the other party was still slowly collecting resources, so he decisively entered stealth mode.

After observing from a distance for a while, he first used the [Eye of Peeping] to take a look, and then sent the message back. Using the Shadow World as a medium, he used several jumps to sneak up to the group of people within arm's reach.

These "people," let's just say they can still be considered people...

[The Lost Soul - Angelina (Follower of the Goddess of Light): Soul Integrity (78%)]

【Soul Lost - Sat (Follower of the Forest Goddess): Soul Integrity (56%)】

The latest novel is first published here!

They speak fluently and logically, with emotional expression and a clear logical structure.

The previous "Mental Disorder Freud" could communicate, but he clearly had mental problems.

The attention he attracted almost led to his fatal defeat.

Therefore, Ling Xiao regarded the "Heartless Person" as a complete monster without any hesitation.

Moreover.

His body was filled with either vines or ice blocks; the name "Heartless Person" was truly fitting!

But this [lost soul]...

Why doesn't it look like it's lost its soul?

Ling Xiao had been secretly observing for a long time and had also noticed the budding feelings between these young people of the opposite sex.

This is perfectly normal for an ordinary person of this age. Even for survivors who have fallen to this point, it's not incomprehensible that they might develop feelings for each other.

But is it right for a "lost soul" to be involved in romantic relationships and jealousy?

Shouldn't you be on the same level as the "Heartless People"—a truly bizarre creature?

Ling Xiao couldn't understand it, but he was truly shocked.

So even though the other party showed a very humane side, he remained silent and did not show up for a conversation.

Firstly, the information about the heartless and the soulless was first obtained from the Duchess.

Secondly, Ling Xiao also glimpsed the names of the two deities.

One of the lost souls, named Angelina, was actually a follower of the Goddess of Light!

Goddess of Light...

In a dream not long ago, Ling Xiao heard about the origin of "Embers of Light" from Master Flamel for the first time.

If the information he received was correct, and his deductions were not significantly off...

The "Embers of Radiance" should be the lingering power left behind by the "Goddess of Light".

The initial mass of "divine embers" formed from countless concepts during the struggle for survival was undoubtedly the corpse of this goddess after her fall...

Over the past few days, Ling Xiao has been exploring and trying to survive, gradually getting to know this strange and bizarre world.

He was like a dry sponge, diligently absorbing all sorts of unrelated information.

Now these loose threads have finally come together!

Goddess of Light!

This long-fallen god, with his remaining divine power and lost followers, has "stitched" Lingxiao and this world together.

He was no longer a complete outsider.

Possessing the [Ember's Radiance], he has already been branded with the mark of the Goddess of Light.

Perhaps, like Angelina, she is also a "believer" of the Goddess of Light!

The gains he can get from this group of lost souls are definitely far greater than a few talents!

Contact! Contact is imperative!

But don't rush... you absolutely mustn't be impatient...

……

The shadows that are everywhere are so familiar and common that they have long been overlooked.

That slight increase in color intensity wouldn't attract any attention.

Moreover, the real challenge lies with Angelina and her team!

A string of extremely small monsters emerged from the jumbled crevices of the rocks in the valley.

They are humanoid in shape, with dark green skin covered in wrinkles but little hair, except for a few sparse hairs on the top of their heads.

Upon seeing that there were indeed people below!

And there were women there!

The pygmy ape's dark yellow eyes immediately lit up, its mouth split open to reveal jagged, sharp teeth, and it charged down the hillside with a strange howl!

"That's a goblin!?"

Ling Xiao, who was watching from the sidelines, even had the mood to comment on the comparison between the dwarf ape and a certain classic image.

"The same ugliness, the same madness."

"Same here...goes crazy when he sees a woman?"

The Ninth Squad was no longer a rookie; while their combat experience wasn't extensive, they had seen bloodshed to some extent.

As the dwarf apes surged in chaoticly, a look of disgust flashed in Angelina's pale golden eyes. She then gave a stern order: "Archers! Shoot down the stronger ones!"

"Guardian Knight! Prepare for [Shield Wall Parry]!"

"yes!!"

On the branches of the trees on both sides, Gali, who had freckles, and two others drew their bows and aimed.

The strength and status of pygmy apes can be discerned from their size.

Therefore, the one that charges the fastest and has the tallest physique is definitely the main force!

There was no excessive pursuit of precision in killing with a single arrow!

When facing such a mass charge, especially when shooting down the enemy at the very front.

Just aim roughly, and you can still inflict damage even if you don't kill the enemy or hit the enemy behind you!

This is the difference after experiencing the baptism of real combat!

Ling Xiao moved to a better vantage point and continued to lie in ambush. Observing the archers' shooting techniques also gave him some food for thought.

The Ninth Squad, of course, had no idea that besides Master Sat, there was also Old Six "scoring" their battle.

The novice priest's attack methods are indeed not as simple and brutal as those of the knight or the archer!

However, a priest who can activate buffs for the team is an absolute core figure in any party!

A swarm of dwarf apes rushed to the front of the defensive line.

Because they are so short, they only reach the upper thigh of a normal person on average.

So the guards in front, one crouching and one standing, stacked in two rows to form a solid shield!

Angelina shouted, and another buff aura swept out!

Her timing was impeccable!

Just as the dwarf apes were about to arrive, the knights, already in a defensive stance, were now further enhanced with a temporary power boost!

The dark green, filthy sewage crashed into the rock-solid shield wall!

Murderous intent emerges!

Blood and flesh flying everywhere!

Ling Xiao gazed thoughtfully upwards towards the valley.

There, an even more powerful aura has always been hidden.

It seems the leader of this group of dwarf apes would rather watch his underlings die than make an early appearance...

Something unusual must be going on...

Even Sat, the most powerful "Soul Lost," couldn't detect the lurking enemy...

What should I do?

Is this a reminder, to create a positive connection?

Or should we wait and see, and watch the show?

(End of this chapter)