7. A Moment of Peace
My vision darkens for a moment.
A short sword pierces my lower abdomen slightly to the left, but the part that actually penetrated isn't very long. In the nick of time, the sudden rise of ice blocked most of the knight captain's force, and the freezing mist also made him stiff at the last moment, otherwise, this stab would have been fatal.
I cover the wound with one hand, and with the other, I hold onto the hilt to prevent it from falling and causing a secondary injury. Blood slowly flows from the wound. I take deep breaths, fearing that any misstep in my breathing could cause me to faint.
The knights who rushed over from behind are now close enough for me to see their faces.
It's okay, I can escape. Just hold on a little longer, just a little longer.
The knight captain lying on the ground has been helped up by others. I clench my teeth, and once again, black smoke rises from beneath my feet, and with a "bang," I fly out more than ten meters. The forceful movement at the moment of exertion pulls at the wound, and I almost fall, a suffocating pain emanating from my abdomen.
My face is pale, and fine beads of sweat form on my forehead.
"Ah…" I can't help but cry out in pain.
But this move has once again widened the gap between us, though it's still not enough. With my current speed, I will soon be caught again.
Without looking back, I wave my hand, and a large expanse of ice rises with a "crackling" sound, and the air suddenly fills with frost, covering the ground with frost.
Once the ice forms, it can only melt naturally. I hope it can block the pursuers for a moment.
Enduring the pain, I walk quickly forward, rise in black smoke, and leap a great distance again, continuously releasing frost mist behind me.
While enveloped in black smoke and airborne, my body feels as if it's being pulled by some force, moving very quickly. To ensure a safe landing, I make large adjustments. After several leaps, my face is bloodless, my teeth chatter, cold sweat drips down my cheeks, and tears of pain stream down.
Continue, one more time.
Blood drips down my thigh onto the ground. I don't care, nor do I have the intention to erase the traces.
I've entered the forest now. Just hold on a little longer, walk a little further inside. I can't fall now; I must ensure they can't find me.
But I really can't jump anymore.
I limp deeper into the forest, stopping to catch my breath whenever the pain becomes unbearable. After moving intermittently for a while, I look back and see only dense vegetation; the knights are no longer in sight.
I should have completely lost them by now, and I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
This jungle resembles a tropical rainforest, with various ancient and bizarre trees that are frighteningly large, and the damp ground is covered with leaves and weeds. Each step I take either lands on moss-covered, sharply edged rocks or on soft, slippery mud and rotting wood, which is very uncomfortable for my bare feet.
The air around me is hot and humid, and vines block my path, making progress even more difficult.
I might as well rest for a bit.
It's nearing dusk, and it won't be long before it's completely dark. The complex terrain and the cover of night are undoubtedly good for me.
I find a piece of bluestone to sit on and take off my cloak. I don't know what material it's made of, but it feels very delicate to the touch. I hadn't looked closely before, but now I suddenly realize that this cloak isn't completely white. There's a beautiful pale golden flower printed slightly above the center of the cloak, surrounded by a complex pattern, but the color is so light that it's hard to notice if you don't look closely.
The bearded swordsman's cloak is too long for me, perfect for tearing off a piece to bandage the wound.
I immediately grab the hem, measure it against my calf, and then tear it off.
I tear it off!
I tear!
…What kind of cloak is this, so tough?
I tilt my head in confusion for a moment, then my right hand forms a sharp icicle, and I start stabbing and slashing at the cloak. It takes a lot of effort, but I finally manage to cut off the hem.
I'm so tired; the quality of this cloak is really too good. It seems that the textile industry in this world is very advanced.
Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I twist the torn piece of cloth into a strip and bite it between my teeth. Taking a deep breath, I grip the hilt of the short sword.
"Whew—"
I exhale slowly, my eyes determined…
And then I take another deep breath.
I take several deep breaths.
"…"
What to do, I'm scared to pull it out.
In the past, when I watched TV shows, if someone was in a similar situation, there would always be another person screaming not to pull it out! You'll die! Then the injured person, who seemed fine, would indeed faint after pulling it out.
What if I pull it out and the blood sprays out like it's free, just like in the TV shows, and then I roll my eyes back and never see tomorrow's sun again?
I'm a bit frightened.
But not pulling it out isn't an option either.
As the sky is about to darken completely, after much hesitation, I finally decide to do it, pull!
I close my eyes, clench my teeth, and with a strong grip on the hilt, I yank the short sword out.
"Mmm—!!"
The intense pain makes me groan, and large beads of sweat form on my forehead.
The wound, which had stopped bleeding, starts to bleed again, but not as dramatically as I had imagined. I quickly spit out the cloth from my mouth and wrap it tightly around my waist to cover the wound.
The knights of this era are quite straightforward; their weapons don't have lethal designs like barbs or blood grooves, and the stab wasn't deep, so it likely didn't reach my organs. As long as I stop the bleeding, it's not a big deal, just painful.
After bandaging the wound, I put the cloak back on and lie back on the bluestone, resting for a good while until I feel some strength returning. Finally, I can continue on.
I struggle to stand up, looking at the cloak that now only reaches my ankles, and nod in satisfaction. Although the hem is ragged and uneven, making it look a bit unsightly, I have no other clothes to cover my body, so I no longer care.
Breathing in the natural air, there are no more enemies around. The dark cloud of death that loomed over my head has dispersed, and my tense nerves finally relax. Only then do I feel both thirsty and hungry.
There are many edible things in the forest, but the priority is to find a water source. Just thinking about water makes my mouth even drier.
So, I muster my energy, close my eyes, and listen carefully. For a moment, the sound of the breeze rustling through the leaves and the intermittent calls of birds and insects create a symphony of nature, with the sound of flowing water like a sweet accompaniment, faintly reaching my ears.
To the left!
I follow the sound, pushing through countless entwined vines. Soon after, the view opens up, and a clear stream comes into sight.
Having gotten used to the discomfort of my heightened senses, their usefulness is now fully apparent. Without this acute sensitivity, I might not have survived to this point, nor would I have found water so easily.
I rush over, and two deer resting by the stream startle and leap away, but they don't go far, instead curiously observing me, the uninvited guest.
The stream is crystal clear to the bottom. I scoop up a handful and take a sip, finding no strange taste, then gulp down several more mouthfuls. The cool water slides down my throat, slightly sweet.
After quenching my thirst, I wash the mud off my feet and stand up, looking at a large tree nearby with blue fruits hanging from it. With agile movements, I climb up and pick a fruit, wiping it on my hand before taking a bite.
The fruit isn't particularly sweet or delicious, even a bit sour, but it doesn't affect my peaceful mood.
The branches of the giant tree are thick and extend in all directions. I lean against one of the branches, slowly eating the fruit in my hand, humming an unknown tune.
The night deepens, and moonlight filters through the leaves, while the starry sky sparkles with beauty.
There are two moons in this world, one large and one small, hanging in the sky, rendering the night serene and clear.
Ah, I have come to another world.
Only now does the feeling become incredibly real.
The night in the jungle is filled with tranquility and peace. After the exhaustion of battle washes over me, I toss away the fruit core and find a comfortable position to rest.
Then I see small flickers of torchlight not far away.
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