Chapter 20

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Chapter 020: Forest Stalker

After the chaos in the graveyard, walking through Duskwood looking for herbs felt just like a stroll in the park.

After being chased by ghouls, even the wolves at Eastvale Logging Camp seemed much cuter.

They didn’t find much Grave Moss. After removing the wet soil and water, the usable medicinal part may have been less than half a pound.

Both of them agreed that if they could find Grave Moss at the makeshift graveyard outside, they should collect whatever they could there since they wouldn’t be able to go back.

There was quite a bit of Silverleaf in South Elwynn, but it was often hidden among various local bushes and plants, requiring sharp eyes to spot.

After walking for a few hours, Jesse felt like his eyes were seeing double.

With the changing time, he noticed the forest’s brightness and darkness changing. The night was pitch black, the dark forest took on a bluish hue in the morning, and by the afternoon, it started turning yellowish.

The traps they set up earlier yielded no results, but they weren’t surprised.

Greed packed up the traps and decided to look further from Raven Hill, but they couldn’t find a spot for traps that matched the previous resting place.

They had walked a long way and now it was time to head south to find the main road back to Raven Hill.

They might have to go out again tomorrow as they had only found Silverleaf and a plant that looked like Briarthorn, but couldn’t find any other herbs. One of the most important ingredients, Kingsblood, was nowhere to be found.

Climbing over a hill, Jesse felt dizzy looking down at the wide slope ahead. He steadied himself to avoid falling over.

Greed turned around to look at him and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"I’m hungry, feeling a bit lightheaded," Jesse took out a piece of hard bread and said, "I need something to eat."

The bread had been left for a few days and had become as hard as a piece of cardboard. Greed sighed, took out a small piece of pale yellow cheese, and said, "Let me add to your meal."

Jesse felt even hungrier when he saw the cheese, he took it and stuffed it into his mouth. He closed his eyes, enjoying the mixture of the bread and the salty cheese blending together in his mouth. The aroma of cheese filled his nose, making him feel like melting.

"This cheese tastes different from the blue cheese in Stormwind, is this a recipe from the dwarves?"

"Yes, it’s less salty, but with a stronger taste of milk." The dwarf also popped a piece into his mouth, and they sat together under a tree.

The creamy, sticky sweetness melted in their mouth, making them not want to get up again.

"If we can’t find Kingsblood, let’s just go back," Jesse licked his lips and fingers, saying, "We can sell what we’ve gathered, and I can use my share to buy enough materials."

Greed asked, "Do you think we can sell these for thirty silver coins?"

Jesse opened the bag and glanced inside, saying, "If that Briarthorn plant is real Briarthorn, and we sell off the Grave Moss, we might even get forty coins. It’s Silverleaf shining in the end."

"If one person can get twenty silver coins, it’s worth it," Greed said, "If we work hard like this, we can relax for two months without regrets."

Jesse nodded, then flopped onto the ground, feeling tiredness washing over him, almost unable to keep his eyes open.

"Don’t fall asleep here, Jesse."

Greed shook his shoulder, and in a daze, Jesse turned his head, sensing something red in the distance.

The sight of the red object startled him, immediately making him alert.

He squinted his eyes and carefully observed for a while over there. Could it be a Kingsblood growing on the slope?

"Look over there… Am I seeing things, I think I see Kingsblood."

Following the direction Jesse pointed, Greed also widened his eyes immediately.

"It really is Kingsblood!"

Greed stood up carrying his trap and sword, wearing a small round shield on his back, staggering out. Jesse quickly picked up his belongings and followed Greed’s pace. The two of them stumbled towards the red thing.

Jesse crawled into the bushes, touching the tall, bunches of mysterious pink flowers, with darker leaves than the Duskwood grass. Yes, it was indeed Kingsblood.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle from above echoed into the deep forest.

Jesse looked up and saw a person sitting on a short tree on the slope.

He was dressed in dark green clothes, draped in a dark brown cloak and hood, almost perfectly blending into the dark forest, so the two of them did not notice his presence at all.

"That bunch of grass belongs to someone, so you can go back the way you came."

A voice from afar, soft and in a common language but heavily accented, almost like a French person speaking English.

"Damn point-ears," Greed muttered under his breath.

An elf?

Jesse said, "Place the trap here."

Greed glanced at Jesse sneakily, then set down the animal trap, carefully arranging it while trying to muffle the sound, covering it lightly with the tall grass and King’s blood around.

As Greed set traps in the bushes, Jesse stood up to attract the elf’s attention.

"Be careful with your movements, human."

The sound of a bowstring being pulled taut resonated clearly in the quiet Duskwood. Jesse knew the other person had raised their hunting bow and aimed it in this direction.

"Oh no, this trap can’t catch the elves." The dwarf whispered almost silently from behind, "They are hunters who have lived for over a hundred years, they wouldn’t make such a basic mistake."

Jesse bit her lip and said, "Let’s try our luck."

"Avoid a fight," the dwarf said. "There’s no need to fight over a bunch of grass. The elves are at least allies, for now at least. Let’s not make it a life and death situation."

"Is our ally pointing an arrow at us?"

"I’m leaving right now! Don’t release the trigger!" Jesse shouted, stepping back slowly.

The elf jumped down from the tree, took off his hood, and his golden hair flowed in the cold evening breeze, standing out in the pitch-black world.

He was a tall man, his eyes glowing with a faint blue light after taking off his hood, resembling a lone wolf in the deep night.

This was Jesse’s first encounter with a hostile elf, feeling deeply the terrifying intimidation of this ancient race.

Even though she felt reluctant, sometimes you have to yield.

"Remember to take your trap with you, dwarf. Even if you sell scrap metal, you can still earn a good amount of money." The elf chuckled and said, "Oh, you wouldn’t be planning to use that on me, would you? That’s too scary."

His tone suddenly turned cold, "Learn what it means to be wise from your human friend, you silly blind man."

Greed’s hand, which had been about to pick up the trap, stopped suddenly upon hearing those words.

Jesse could feel the hostility rising at his feet. He knew that this battle was now unavoidable.