Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Chapter 60

"Put down your weapon."

The unfamiliar voice came from behind the group, and Ingrid immediately turned toward it, her eyes narrowing as she tried to see who it was. A man was walking out from between the trees, dressed in a neat uniform that looked different from the clothes worn by the other hunters.

He carried no visible weapon, and there were no red tassels or bells hanging from his body like that of the other hunters, yet something about his presence made Ingrid instinctively pay attention. More importantly, she noticed when Freya straightened up and jumped down fromJowe’s back, while Jowe’s expression changed the instant he recognized the newcomer.

’ Host, the individual approaching you is named Hunter G. He is a Level Seven Hunter and a Lion Beastman, also held in high regard by the Hunter Guild. His combat rating is significantly higher than that of the hunters currently present.’

Ingrid’s body stiffened. A Level Seven Hunter?!

She had only just started learning about the Hunter’s Guild, but even she understood that someone who had reached Level Seven was not an ordinary person. If Freya, a Level Four Hunter, could kill a giant Evolved One with such terrifying ease, Ingrid didn’t even want to imagine what someone three levels higher could do. She immediately reminded herself not to offend this man, especially when they were already surrounded by armed hunters who seemed determined to make trouble for them.

All of them there could be no match for him.

"Lower your weapons," Hunter G repeated, his voice calm but leaving no room for argument.

He wore a pleasant smile as he approached, looking almost like someone who had come to settle a minor disagreement rather than interrupt a potential confrontation. However, the authority in his voice was unmistakable, and the other hunters hesitated as they glanced toward Jowe.

Jowe tightened his grip on his rifle. "Hunter G, we can’t let down our guard just because these people look injured. They claim they escaped from the place we were ordered to destroy, and somehow, they knew exactly where we were waiting. They also brought a giant Evolved One straight to our position, so I think we have every reason to suspect that they might be enemies."

Hunter G stopped a short distance away and regarded him with a patient expression. "I understand your concerns, Jowe, but look at them properly. One woman can barely stand, her companion is seriously injured, and the others are exhausted. Do you honestly believe this group could fight all of you off if they intended to attack us? If they wanted to ambush us, they certainly chose a strange way to do it."

"But...!"

His smile remained, but his eyes sharpened slightly. "I won’t repeat myself. Lower your weapon."

Jowe’s expression darkened as he looked at Ingrid, clearly unhappy about being corrected in front of everyone. For a moment, Ingrid thought he might actually refuse, but he eventually lowered his rifle and secured it against his body. The other hunters followed his example, although several of them continued watching Ingrid’s group with suspicion.

Ingrid didn’t relax.

She had already learned that people could smile at her one moment and try to kill her the next, and she wasn’t going to trust anyone simply because they had lowered their weapons. Besides, Lysander’s arm around her waist had begun to feel unusually heavy, and his breathing sounded wrong. She shifted slightly to look at him, only to notice that his face had become frighteningly pale.

"Good," Hunter G said, turning his attention toward them. "My apologies for the unpleasant welcome. My name is Hunter G, and I’m responsible for overseeing this operation. You can explain what happened once we’ve made sure everyone is safe." He looked at Ingrid with genuine concern. "Are you all right? You look as though you’ve been through quite a lot."

Ingrid opened her mouth to answer, but Lysander suddenly swayed beside her.

"Lysander?"

Before she could catch him properly, his knees buckled, and his entire body fell against hers. Ingrid cried out as they both crashed to the ground, the impact sending a sharp pain through her already aching body. She barely noticed it. Lysander was frighteningly hot when she grabbed his face, and the moment her fingers touched his neck, she felt her heart drop.

He was burning with fever.

"Lysander? Hey, look at me!" Ingrid shook his shoulder, desperately trying to get a response from him. "Lysander, open your eyes! Don’t you dare fall asleep now. You’ve already done enough to scare me today!"

His breathing was shallow, and the blood soaking through his bandages had spread farther across his clothes than she had realized. Every movement he had made during their escape had reopened his wounds, and now that he had finally stopped and the adrenaline had left his body, his body seemed unable to hold itself upright any longer. Ingrid pressed a trembling hand against his cheek, but his eyes remained closed, and panic began rising in her chest.

"Please, someone help him!" she cried, looking desperately toward Hunter G. "He’s badly injured, and he’s burning up. I don’t know how much longer he can hold on, so please, you have to do something!"

Hunter G’s pleasant expression disappeared as he crouched beside them. He examined Lysander’s condition, his gaze moving over the blood-soaked bandages and the wounds that had reopened during the chase. Freya had also climbed off Jowe’s back, and even she had stopped smiling as she watched Ingrid desperately try to keep Lysander conscious.

None of the hunters including the hewcomer made a move, they all stood, watching them like people who came to watch others perform.

"Please, you have to save him!" Her voice broke, and tears began slipping down her cheeks before she could stop them. "I don’t care what you want from us, and I’ll answer all your questions later, but please don’t let him die here."

Ingrid could tell that although this man wanted to help them, he won’t just do it for nothing. So instead of him to ask, she would rather give something in return. That way, it would be a trade by barter.

But what could she give them? Ingrid thought carefully, trying not to let the panic overtake her mind. She barely had anything left. If she brought out any food, they would ask about the system, she couldn’t tell them about it. She needed something small enough to lie that she had it with her all this time.

Ingrid suddenly looked up, "If you help him, I’ll give you Star Glow Herb in return!"

The moment those words left her mouth, Hunter G’s eyes widened. "Star Glow Herb?" he repeated, looking at her with sudden intensity. "Do you really have Star Glow Herb?"

Jowe immediately stepped forward, his earlier suspicion returning to his face. "Hunter G, don’t believe her so easily. We don’t know who these people are or where they came from, and now she’s offering something valuable the moment she’s in trouble. She could be making it up just to get us to help them."

Ingrid slowly turned her tearful face toward him. Even now? Was this man seriously going to keep talking?

"I wouldn’t say I had something I didn’t possess when my companion was dying!" she snapped, her voice shaking with anger and fear. "Do you think I’m playing games here? Look at him! He’s bleeding, he’s burning with fever, and he hasn’t even opened his eyes. What exactly do you think I gain by lying about an herb when this is the person I’m trying to save?"

She turned back to Hunter G and tightened her grip on his sleeve, almost afraid that if she let go, he would walk away. "I have Star Glow Herb, and I’ll give it to you if you help me save him. I swear I’m telling the truth, but you have to help him now. Please, I can’t lose him after everything we’ve survived."

Hunter G studied her face for a moment, apparently trying to determine whether she was lying. Ingrid met his gaze through her tears, too frightened for Lysander to care about anything else. She didn’t know whether Star Glow Herb would be enough to persuade someone of his status, but she was willing to offer it if that meant Lysander could receive proper treatment.

"And that’s not all," she added urgently, before he could answer. "I... I also have information about the zombies we encountered. The giant one you just killed wasn’t the only Evolved One in that area, and the other one was smaller but much stronger. I noticed things about both creatures that might help you understand what’s happening here. If you help save Lysander, I’ll tell you everything I know."

Hunter G’s expression grew serious.

For the first time since he had arrived, his friendly smile faded completely as he glanced toward the dead giant Evolved One. Then he looked back at Ingrid, whose tears continued falling as she held Lysander against her.

"Get the medical team here immediately," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for hesitation. "And someone bring me a secure container for the Star Glow Herb. We’ll discuss the rest after her companion has been stabilized."

Ingrid let out a shaky breath, clutching Lysander’s hand between both of hers.

"Please hold on," she whispered to him, her tears falling onto his bloodstained fingers. "You promised you’d keep going with me, remember? So don’t you dare break that promise now."