Chapter 23: Another Attack

York did not explain what was happening, but his obvious acceleration unsettled everyone. Liu Zhi was one of the only two who had seen the serpent’s trail, and after discovering it, he calmly positioned himself ahead of the mercenary leader.

The mercenary leader, unsure of what was going on, sensed instinctively that something was wrong. Several times he tried to move ahead of Liu Zhi, only to be subtly blocked. Finally, he voiced his displeasure, “Kid, what’s the meaning of this?”

“It’s about the roles in the team. You’re the mercenary—you’re responsible for leading the way and covering the rear, right? As for me, I’m just here for the map. I might have some fighting power, but I’m not a combatant.”

Though it sounded like an excuse, Liu Zhi spoke the truth. In fact, mercenaries, once hired, would guarantee the employer’s safety until their last breath. No matter how dissatisfied the mercenary leader was, he had no grounds to insist Liu Zhi cover their rear.

He shot Liu Zhi a fierce glare, but ultimately joined the swordsman at the back of the group, guarding the rear. They moved according to the most cautious mercenary standards, constantly checking behind them even as they hurried forward.

After a while, York raised his hand to signal everyone to stop.

“It should be fine now. Let’s rest a bit, eat something, and then set off again. We must find a relatively safe place before nightfall.”

Hearing York declare a temporary safety, everyone relaxed. Yet Liu Zhi felt a chill creeping over his heart. He thought for a moment and moved closer to Perkin.

Seeing Liu Zhi approach, York’s expression remained sour, but he said nothing provocative, merely shooting him a disdainful glance.

It was Lloyd who came up to Liu Zhi, “Let me see your map. Let’s check where we are.”

“Look around—all we see is wood. Are you sure my map could be detailed enough to chart everything in this forest?” Liu Zhi returned Lloyd’s glare.

“You never know,” Lloyd replied, somewhat embarrassed.

“Even if it could, it’s only a slim chance. According to the records, there’s supposed to be an indigenous tribe here. Do you see any signs of habitation?”

“What did you say?” Perkin and York turned to Liu Zhi in unison.

Liu Zhi’s heart tightened, but he silently set down his pack and pulled out his copied notes.

“This is all I have. I stumbled upon it by accident—there’s only this single line among all the records in the Governor’s Office.”

Perkin took the paper, then handed it to York.

The note was brief, stating the source and original wording:

‘Encountered indigenous hunters in the jungle, no tribe identified following attack.’

“Forget it. Even if there’s a tribe in this forest, we don’t have the luxury of time. We must cross this jungle tonight, no matter what,” York quickly decided.

“Alright, you’re the expert. We’ll go with your judgment.” Perkin nodded firmly, returning the note to Liu Zhi.

But Liu Zhi sensed a distinct shift in Perkin’s attitude towards him. Perkin’s stance represented that of the entire team, and soon Liu Zhi was subjected to subtle and overt exclusion.

Sitting beneath a tree, Liu Zhi ran his fingers over the slender rapier in his hand, considering whether he should leave early. Following this group might lead him into unknown dangers.

Lost in thought, that unsettling feeling crept over him again.

Without hesitation, Liu Zhi lunged forward, propelling himself with both hands and feet to rush ahead.

His sudden movement drew everyone’s attention. York was about to rebuke him when a massive serpent’s head struck where Liu Zhi had just been sitting.

This serpent was as large as the previous one, but its coloring was different—where the last had a dusty yellow, perfect for hiding in water, this one bore greenish markings, clearly a kind of anaconda native to the forest.

Having missed its target, the giant snake quickly withdrew, vanishing into the jungle almost instantly.

Neither Liu Zhi, who had scrambled away, nor the stunned onlookers could find any trace of the serpent.

After escaping in another direction, Liu Zhi pressed a hand to his chest. That had been a close call—if not for his quick reflexes, he might already be inside the beast’s belly.

He steadied his breath, then turned to York. “What now?”

York was visibly tense. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on him, waiting for a solution.

But he was a jungle survival specialist, not a ranger or druid—he had no special answers for facing such a monstrous snake. He was just as frightened as the others.

At that moment, Perkin stepped forward. “York, if we reach the planned landing point, will we be able to shake off this snake?”

York hesitated briefly, then gritted his teeth. “Yes. Every snake has its own territory. If we get to the landing point, we’ll be out of its range.”

“Good. I have something that can help us move faster.” Perkin spoke as he set down his pack.

As the expedition’s investor, Perkin’s pack was the smallest, but its contents were all valuable.

Liu Zhi watched as Perkin took out a rope about three meters long, glowing with a faint white light—much like the item Liu Zhi had found on a pirate corpse during his first kill.

“The Traveler’s Rope. It can grant forced marches three times, letting six people run at full speed to a designated location. I’d planned to save it for a last dash, but we have no other choice now. We need to hurry, so we’ll use this.”

Yet, instead of relief, the group received this news with anxiety. Perkin made it clear: the Traveler’s Rope could only carry six people, but there were eight here, counting Liu Zhi.

At once, everyone except Lloyd, who moved closer to Perkin, stepped back, wary of those around them.

Their attention quickly shifted to