Witch Forest Friends Club

Elsa was envious of others being able to enjoy delicious food, and looking at her own bowl, she almost wanted to cry.

"Xiao An, can you dig Luke here? Use your almighty mushroom to find a way."

An Jiaye refused unhappily, "Go out and charm others yourself."

In the end, the little cat still bite the bullet and eat half a bowl of bread chowder, which is better than going hungry.

After a simple breakfast, the one-eyed old man Jose rushed over, impatiently urging the pilgrims to pack up the camp.

After the little witches hurriedly left a mess, they hurriedly gathered together to form a scattered square formation, and followed old man Jose to the east side of the camp. Among the many queues assembled in the camp, they were the most out of place group. rookie.

When the pilgrims were driven to a wooden execution platform, Gambino was pacing back and forth on the platform, accompanied by a few men carrying horsewhips and branding irons.

"Girls, look here." The old man clapped his hands violently.

As soon as the scene on the execution platform came into view, it immediately caused a slight commotion among the little witches.

"Isn't that the prisoner you rescued?" Elsa leaned closer and whispered.

"I'm just a tool for detoxification, and I can't save him at all." An Jiaye sighed softly. She had long realized that the old wolf was going to do something despicable and cruel.

The spy captured last night was tightly tied to a cross, with ten fingers mutilated. Luo's upper body exposed in the cold morning mist was covered with traces of torture mixed with blood—the originally strong body was tortured to the brink of death.

"This gentleman is a spy who sneaked into Tree Whisper Town." Gambino grabbed the prisoner's hair, pinched his chin, and pointed the bloody face at the little witches watching below.

The girls held their breath with depressing expressions—the face had no nose, only bloody holes.

"There is no need to repeat the results of the interrogation. He is the enemy of the Great Witch, a minion hiding in the shadows that endangers the tree court's rule."

Gambino proclaimed the crime of arbitrarily choreographed, and his indifferent tone was even a bit elegant, just like the instructor in the school who used mannequins to give girls anatomy lessons, but Gambino's men were waiting to be slaughtered——not Frog or guinea pig.

The girls listened to the sentence with different reactions from the audience, but their whispering quickly turned into looking at each other.

"You ladies haven't killed anyone, have you?" As Anjaye expected, Gambino really exposed his purpose of acting in this play unabashedly, "If you don't use him as a practice, you have to learn how to kill on the way to the pilgrimage. "

This vicious and cunning old wolf caught the future witches and teased them wantonly. Seeing that the chicks were trembling, he pretended to be disappointed.

"Don't you dare?"

The old man sighed and shook his head.

"What a group of kind ladies. It's a pity that you will fall into the hands of the enemy, and they will be cruel to you."

Gambino raised the knife, and glanced at the prey with a cold light in his eyes, as if he was trying to figure out where to bite.

"Like this."

The knife cut off a piece of scalp at the back of the neck, and the screams pierced through the eardrums of the girls.

"That's it." Another ear fell to the ground.

Anjaye saw that the knife used by the old man to carve wooden figurines last night was now used to cut human body parts—it has to be said that Gambino's method of slaughtering people was more precise and sophisticated than that of poor wood carving.

The ruthless and numb butcher held down the struggling prisoner, easily chopping off slices of meat like a prey, no matter how panic and screams filled the audience.

"Add this."

Gambino kicked again, the prisoner's right leg deformed with a click, and the broken leg bone pierced through the flesh of the knee and was exposed outside the body. The prisoner couldn't bear the severe pain any longer, and the prisoner stopped jumping like a dead fish, and passed out of shock.

Anjaye frowned and looked around, and found that the witches couldn't bear to look at them, and even some little witches covered their mouths, but they couldn't stop their nausea and vomited out the breakfast they had just eaten.

"It's Adele from the Curse Department. It's too exciting to face the nerds." Elsa was probably the only one present who was heartlessly immersed in the joy of watching the show, and even forgot the pain of not being able to eat in the morning.

"No, there are too many squeamish ladies." Gambino finally suspended the execution, and taunted him with open hands, "How can we finish the tour like this?"

Elsa covered her mouth and asked Anjaye: "Didn't he give you a dagger yesterday?"

Anjaye shook his head.

"I'm just a lame and weak witch who can't kill with a sword."

She never recognized the values ​​that Gambino pursued, just when the girl hesitated to release the mushroom spores to end the life of the poor man.

There was a sudden muffled sound on the stage.

The captive's hanging head burst immediately, as if an invisible bomb had torn a watermelon apart.

The little witches were stunned for a moment, and then their fearful eyes turned to a slender figure inside them.

Elsa smacked her lips in displeasure.

It's Vanna.

The blond girl raised the white flying bird staff with her right hand, and drew a smooth combination of runes in the void. There was no requiem melody, and no death bells—just like when they were practicing in the academy, holding wood and grass Like a target, a mediocre division spell easily extinguished the fire of life.

Fragments of flesh and blood splashed across Gambino's face, staining the pitch-black cloak and iron face with scarlet.

The old man wiped off the sticky blood with his hands—the expression of the villain that had been maintained had returned to the indifference and boredom that had no touch on life.

"Even if he is a prisoner of war, I am against torture and killing." Fan Na stood upright, but Anjaye could see that she was suppressing the trembling of her body, "Give him a dignified death."

"Miss Marshall, sympathy for rats undermines the deterrence of great powers."

The old wolf jumped off the execution platform and walked towards the crowd of pilgrims. The surrounding lambs were constantly forced to retreat by the blood-smeared wolf, and finally only Fanna was left to accept the condescending scrutiny.

"Then are you a mouse too?" Fan Na's haughty eyes did not back down in front of the ferocious wolf showing its fangs, "Your Excellency Gambino, if you are a real warrior, you should arrange a decent funeral for him."

The old man's eyes were cloudy like rusty blades, after all, he couldn't pierce the beautiful figure of the young girl. He suddenly showed an indifferent sneer, turned his head and flung his cloak away.

"set off!"

The wolves scattered in all directions, leaving behind the devoured headless corpses, and the crows hovering low in the sky, eagerly waiting to peck.

Fanna cast the spell again in silence, and the flickering magic essence surrounding the blond girl rushed to the bottom of the execution platform. The planks and soil cracked one after another, and the bottom of the cross broke and fell into the deep tomb. A life is buried here.

"Missy is willing to get her hands dirty." Elsa continued, "I'm a little impressed by her."

"Can an upright person tolerate a dog doing dirty work and barking in front of his eyes?" Anjaye said coldly, "I have reservations."

"A dog doing dirty work? Oh, you are really harsh on old man Gambino." Elsa smiled in surprise, "It seems that his atrocities still pissed you off."

Fanna, who got the first drop of blood on the parade road, after burying the sad victim, led her teammates to board the carriage of wandering spirits. The blue guards followed the pace of the master closely, forming a clear separation from Gambino's convoy. camp.

Anjaye noticed the blond knight from Lenghu Territory, rode away from his army, and rode side by side with Gambino, who was inspecting the convoy's departure.

"Old man, you did a good job." The young knight took off his helmet, and the contemptuous look on his face may not only be aimed at Gambino, "If our lady can realize the danger of you being everywhere in the fog Such a scumbag must be of great benefit to her growth."

"There are brave young ladies like her among the nobles, which amazes me." Gambino responded casually with polite words.

"Don't get carried away." The knight squeezed a sneer, "According to my original intention, I will not let jackals like you get involved in the blood of the Marshall family. Miss Naihe disagrees with me. She insists on rejecting the knight's escort. Let’s pursue the sense of ritual of the pilgrimage together.”

The knight lowered his head instantly, approached Gambino's battered face without hesitation, and made a fierce threat: "Jackal, don't try to play despicable tricks under my nose, I will keep an eye on you."

"Master Knight, is Gao's name?" Gambino asked.

"Earnshaw Randall Macchius." The knight regained his gloomy and calm look.

Gambino nodded.

"Your Majesty Marcius, your lady's obsession with the ways of witches may surpass the stupidity of being a nobleman. You have to take care of her and stop staring at me."

Knight Earnshaw withdrew his gloomy gaze from glancing at the old wolf, and rode his horse back to the team.

"Have a nice trip." Gambino still waved to him.

The army disguised as the chamber of commerce finally broke out and poured into the misty mountain road.

Among this high-morale army, only the little witches were downcast, and they were no longer as excited as they were when they first went out yesterday.

An Jiaye took two big mushroom spirits who didn't know any worries, and slowly wandered behind, observing this complex team, and was even more worried about the possible situation ahead.

"Drink the son of wolf blood?" Elsa looked at Gambino's back walking alone in the mist, "Why is a person like him willing to be a dog for the academy?"

After a short moment of regret, An Jiaye said after deliberation: "Humans are not wolves after all."

"Man is a slave of fate, even if he dares to be an enemy of anything, he must be a good slave first."

"Xiao An, you said something I don't understand again." Elsa touched her friend's little head under the hood comfortingly, "Let's be more active and go."

Chapter 14 Domination of Pilgrimage

Those who think they are clever are often seeking skins from tigers.Does Fan Na understand this truth? ——"Ankaye's Chat Notes"

When the army moved out of the camp of Shuyu Town, teams of mercenaries also came from the town upon hearing the news. This group of mobs, like skuas and fish following the track of a big ship, hung far behind the convoy of the Iron Acorn Chamber of Commerce. .

Although there are so many people, the little witches who were sternly sent by Gambino early in the morning to write down Mawei, surrounded by an unfamiliar environment, instead developed a sense of crisis.

Among the 2000 or more predators, the little witches were herbivores who were coerced.

Traveling in a group in the age of fog is a matter of course and common sense. The principle that everyone gathers firewood and burns high is the only rule for mortals to seek survival in the harsh land-Gambino’s method of commanding many subordinates has always been strict and efficient. Disgrace his qualifications to drink wolf blood.

But Anjaye felt many doubts about the composition of this motley army.

The triennial truth-seeking tour is a major event for the Academy to demonstrate its authority externally and consolidate its inheritance internally.

Based on the shrewd calculations of this old wolf, if he was simply guarding patrols or doing business or robbing, there was absolutely no need to gather such a large team and luggage. The consumption on the march alone would be enough for him to lose blood.

But if it is to go to a certain place to participate in the war to earn blood money, why gather the hyenas and vultures who follow behind in advance?

Why did Gambino think that he could control this group of mercenaries with their own ulterior motives, and not be afraid of leaking the news on the road and being dragged back?

Regardless of whether the school or Gambino, who is the lackey of the school, is planning any shady schemes in the fog-Anjaye wants to find out the truth behind the tour.

Although Elsa may have smelled something, this "fun person" is always tricky and hopeless, and she has to search for clues on the road by herself.

This is the personality of a young girl. Even though she looks calm on the surface, she is actually a worrying master on the inside.

She has never been the type to sit firmly on the Diaoyutai. If she feels the slightest threat, she must try to actively defend herself, just like a groundhog always likes to drill deeper and more complicated holes, lest some natural enemies dig it out of the hole and suddenly expose it. under the sun.

Anjaye is actually quite timid, so Elsa often teases her to eat more "violent mushrooms" to strengthen her courage.

. . . . . .

It is a needle in a haystack to encounter human smoke in the vast and foggy environment.When he first left Shuyu Town, An Jiaye could occasionally see a few outlying village strongholds, but after three days of the journey, in the extremely boring marching schedule, there was only the accumulation of anxiety like drifting on an isolated island.

And Elsa was so bored that she didn't even use her memory shells. Like a bear who had hibernated in advance, she huddled in the black hole formed by the shadow servants every day and shut herself up. She would only come out listless at mealtimes.

Thanks to two indomitable mushroom spirits, Lance and Bill, they don't suffer much from the trek.With the natural blessing of the "son of the earth", these two big mushrooms can be rejuvenated overnight after taking root in the soil. Although the mount is not fast, it is better than the endurance index.Anjaye really thanked Teacher Ludir for his foresight and allowed him to bring them.

Mirage Peninsula is a land far away from the center of the Vinland continent. Its civilization inheritance was not destroyed by natural disasters thousands of years ago. ——All kinds of "poor scorched earth" misery were not improved until after the great witch sacrificed the blood of many careerists and established the unshakable authority of the Star Observation Academy.

On the fifth day of the journey, they crossed the hilly meadow on the east side of the sea of ​​sunken trees and entered the dry river valley eroded by time.The map marked the "lower reaches of the Gulaidun River". As one of the past tributaries of the peninsula's mother river, the "Faleng Cui River", this place has long since turned into a necrotic and shrunken capillary on the continent of Vinland—and the bones crossed the riverbed after subsiding. The muddy ground with clusters of stars and stones, among the towering limestones that Anjaye saw along the way, are full of dilapidated ruins, and huge stone statues that have been weathered and fogged tell the secrets of the vicissitudes of life.

The convoy walked through the ruins of overgrown buildings, and gradually penetrated into the cemetery of the peninsula's past prosperity and civilization. Here, people began to come into contact with them. Most of them were passing traders or refugees hunting nearby, and were captured by Gambino's subordinates. When it came time to cross-examine, everyone was frightened by the army.

Anjaye noticed that there were many unlucky people among the crowd released by Gambino—the hyenas following the convoy, and some scum followed them. The spoils of blood come back.

The girl suffered more psychological pressure for this.

No matter how much blood and crime the fog covered up, and even the fog once cut off the communication between civilizations, there are still warriors who overcame thorns and thorns in the wilderness to open up a thoroughfare, turning their flesh and blood into mobile bridges connecting different city-states.

They are facing countless unknown risks lurking in the mist, and avoiding the ubiquitous malicious corruption.When the fog is not rising, the flames, knives and guns in the hands of the soldiers are enough to drive away ordinary bandits and beasts, so that the extremely bored Elsa has little chance to relieve her boredom.

Compared with the rough guys who are used to life in the wild, the little witches who have just been released from the greenhouse have lost their mental and physical strength in the heavy fog after the sense of anticipation and freshness they had just traveled away.

The elements of inner exhaustion and panic, such as the sponge absorbing too much water vapor, are getting worse, and the will that originally hoped to complete the pilgrimage is like a tormented and dehydrated mushroom that is drying up day by day.

The first is the suffering of living habits.

The barracks are dominated by sloppy hunks, and even the aunt who handles the logistics has the same experience in surviving in the wilderness as the hunks—the little witches can only find ways to deal with some of their squeamish troubles.

For example, excretion, mercenaries can deal with it on the spot like wild animals, just find some leaves and grass stems to wipe their buttocks and lift their pants.But for girls who love cleanliness, they must first use the clay sculpture technique to build a simple toilet, or the fast growth technique to make the vines form a tree wall to hide their shame--the water call technique is also used to clean the body, and the body needs to be removed from the mist. The accumulated moisture applies a cleansing spell, preventing it from being infected with curses or miasma.

There are also issues such as camping, traveling, and heating.Even though stone spirits and earth puppets can be driven to do some things, the insufficient spell slots are still consumed in various life problems, and there is even a bullying phenomenon of forcing weaker apprentices to serve in order to save spellcasting—— Few people realize that if this situation continues, when they face sudden difficulties, they are likely to be in a dangerous situation.

During the period, the pilgrims also had some friction with the old man Jose who was in charge of monitoring them.

In order to catch up with time, there were very few breaks and times on the march, and Jose One-Eyed squeezed the little witch's labor.

The little witches who have never experienced the dangers of society have been fooled by this old man many times.

He is like a big bad wolf who has stepped into the sheepfold and has to catch a few unlucky little girls to work every day-whether it is spending precious mana to strengthen the camp project, summoning clay puppets to haul heavy objects, or encountering The complex terrain where carriages and mounts cannot be used, and the laborious casting of spells to cooperate with engineers to open the way, all greatly aggravated their physical and mental burden.

The problem is that the lack of time for meditation has prevented the spirit and magic essence from being effectively replenished. Not everyone has enough pockets to let go of drinking magic essence medicine like Elsa.

When encountering little witches who are dissatisfied and complaining, old man Jose will always stare at the prey with his cloudy lead gray eyes, repeating Gambino's original words arrogantly: "I just eat dry food, I can't stay in my team." go down."

Facing the threat of food shortages, the little witches had to swallow their anger at first. The flock without a unified voice inside could not cope with the pressing wolves.

In order to regain the dominance of the tour controlled by Gambino and defend their self-esteem as a future witch, the little lambs realized that they lacked a leader.

On the seventh day, the eloquent Canbella of Fanna's team came to persuade Anjaye and other apprentices to hold the first internal meeting of the pilgrims.

When resting at night, 34 apprentices, one of them quite a few, formed a large circle around the campfire.

Fan Na stood in the center of the big circle, just like the orator Anjaye recognized in ancient Greece to give a speech. With the momentum of the bonfire burning vigorously, she publicized her grand plans and great achievements to the citizens.