My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The night was as dark as ink, completely enveloping this eerie forest.

The gray fog seemed to take on a physical form in the darkness, slowly devouring the already faint light.

Having completed his philosophical reflections, the apprentice mage had calmed down. In this forest full of unknowns, maintaining rationality was the first priority for survival.

He re-examined his belongings: a longsword, a card case, healing and antidote potions, and a ration bag containing more than half a sack of stored food.

"Let's find a safe place to spend the night," he said in a low voice, trying to calm the obviously agitated "princess." "The forest at night is ten times more dangerous than during the day."

"Waaah."

The princess nodded, her large eyes sparkling with the only glimmer of light in the darkness. She seemed less anxious and pressed her body close to Xiuqi's legs.

After sharing the "princess's" senses, the darkness within a sixty-foot radius in front of them was illuminated.

The outlines of the surrounding trees and the fallen leaves on the ground were clearly visible to the eye.

This dark vision, a natural ability of the goblin race, became their lifeline in their predicament.

Where is the safest place to spend the night in this monster forest?

Xiuqi had no answer.

As the son of a knight, the Wright family owned a manor and dozens of farmers in the Shire, surrounded by dense forests.

Therefore, he was not lacking in hunting experience, but he had no experience of spending the night in the forest.

He recalled the wilderness survival knowledge he had learned, as well as the key points of wilderness survival mentioned in those adventure stories.

It should have a wide view, be on high ground, and ideally have natural barriers for protection so that it is not vulnerable to attacks from all sides.

"Let's go uphill and find a place with a good view to spend the night."

The two struggled through the dense forest covered with decaying leaves.

The occasional sound of a broken twig being stepped on seemed particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Fortunately, those who are devout are often accompanied by good fortune.

After walking through the dense forest for an hour, he found a gentle slope beside a nearly dry stream.

On the gentle slope, there is a small cave.

It was a shallow hole carved into the rock face of a gentle slope.

The entrance to the cave was small and extremely narrow, requiring Xiuqi to bend down and face forward to squeeze in.

The cave is not very large, only about seven feet square.

The ashes remaining on the ground indicate that someone once camped here.

Xiu Qi drew his longsword from his waist, and a cold, clear light instantly shone forth, flowing like water through the silent black hole.

Using the glow emanating from his longsword, he carefully examined the narrow walls to make sure there were no other "residents".

The ground was covered with soil and gravel, neither too hard nor too soft. He moved some withered leaves and branches to lay another layer on top, which he would use as his bed for the night.

Xiuqi did not choose to light a fire, because he could not be sure whether the campfire in this eerie monster forest would bring warmth or a signal of deadly danger.

He unloaded his bag and took out the dry food prepared by the landlady, Adeline.

Take out the dwarf energy biscuits and dried swamp lizard jerky, the two little guys' favorite dry food, and share them.

Then, I fed the "princess" a wine-infused candy. These small candies are made from fruit wine and maple syrup and can help keep you warm.

Xiu Qi sat cross-legged and took a sip of fairy red tea with his dry rations.

As a warm, slightly sweet sensation flowed into my stomach, the chill of the night also subsided.

After replenishing his energy, he sat down against the cold rock wall, placed "Bavarian Moonlight" across his knees, and ran his fingers along the patterns on the hilt.

The little guy curled up at his feet, his big eyes gazing at the poetic and enchanting moonlight outside the cave.

Her two little hands still gripped the big stick tightly, and her pointed ears twitched from time to time.

The forest shrouded in night is another world altogether.

Unlike the silence of the daytime, the forest at night is audible.

Xiuqi closed his eyes and entered a shallow meditation again.

As a warm current surged into his chest, his senses were heightened to their limit once again.

The intermittent cries of unidentified night birds in the distance, the whispering of the wind rustling through the treetops, and the crisp sound of small animals snapping dry branches as they passed by all added a touch of lively noise to the night forest.

Time passed in silence.

I don't know how much time had passed, maybe it was around midnight.

The little creature, which had been quietly lying at my feet, suddenly raised its head and let out a low, hoarse roar.

Unlike the previous "whooshing" sound, this was a primal roar that was a return to nature.

Its silver-gray fur stood on end, and its eyes stared fiercely at the empty woodland outside the cave.

Xiu Qi was instantly jolted awake from his semi-meditative state. He instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword, and the rough feedback from his hand brought him some peace of mind.

Looking out through the narrow, low opening.

Suddenly, many eerie green flames lit up in the darkness ahead.

One pair, two pairs, three pairs... more and more are gathering, like will-o'-the-wisps in the night, silently converging on their location.

It's the Timberwolves.

And it doesn't look like a typical forest wolf.

Their eyes were a deep crimson color, stained with filthy blood.

The wolves converging on the cave entrance had clearly spotted them. Instead of howling or charging, they moved like a pack of experienced hunters, silently surrounding the entrance.

The image of the mad red-eyed forest wolf that the adventurer in the tavern had mentioned last night echoed in Xiu Qi's mind.

"Use the shovel..."

"These bastards..."

Xiuqi hates being disturbed while he's sleeping the most; to him, it's an unforgivable sin.

In his anger, he blurted out the words that appeared in the system.

He squinted and began to scrutinize the group of "heavily sinful uninvited guests."

There were approximately eight to ten forest wolves.

They are larger than ordinary forest wolves, with dirty and matted fur, thick drool dripping from their gaping mouths, and primal bestial intent hidden in their scarlet eyes.

"Perfect timing, you beasts!"

At this moment, in Xiu Qi's eyes, this pack of wolves, shimmering with a dark red light, resembled exquisite monster cards.

She exuded an alluring fragrance and took the initiative to approach him step by step.

He currently has four one-star cards, enough for the princess to perform one card enhancement.

To upgrade a one-star card to two stars, nine one-star cards need to be sacrificed as secondary cards.

One, two, three... nine!

He counted them again, and there were exactly nine forest wolves, no more and no less.

"Praise be to that most noble and beautiful lady!"

Spending the whole day searching in the forest is less effective than simply lying down on a high spot at night, which is more likely to attract monsters.

Xiuqi slowly drew the long sword from his knee.

The moment "Bavarian Moonlight" was drawn, a cool radiance illuminated his calm and focused profile, and seemed to cause the approaching red lights around him to pause slightly.

As his lips moved rapidly, two cold, metallic glints quickly enveloped him and the "princess."

The casting speed of [Blade Protection] has increased again, this time taking less than a second to cast.

By this time, the wolf pack seemed to have lost patience.

A particularly powerful gray wolf crouched down, its leg muscles suddenly tensed, and it pounced towards the cave entrance!

boom--

A heavy knocking sound rang out, followed by a muffled groan.

A thick wooden stick emerged from the darkness, shattering the silence of the night and whistling through the air, slamming heavily onto the soft flesh of the gray wolf's head.

Like a blacksmith's hammer striking and forging, sparks flew everywhere.

Xiu Qi wiped his eyes, seemingly trying to verify whether the magnificent sparks bursting before him were an illusion.

Amidst a flurry of sparks, the gray wolf, its eyes rolled back, crashed heavily onto the hard rock of the cave floor, its body losing all control.

Before the fallen gray wolf, a silver-gray figure stood proudly.

The "Princess" stood firmly in front of Xiuqi, holding her staff like a majestic guardian knight.

It let out a hoarse, low roar, refusing to back down an inch, its small body completely blocking the entrance to the cave.