Chapter Twenty-Five: Utterly Doomed

A crisp, sharp sound of wood snapping made everyone’s heart leap into their throats.

"Chu Chunqiu, get down! Crawl across!" Jiang Li shouted urgently. With Chu Chunqiu’s massive frame and the basket on his back, he was carrying at least three hundred pounds. If he were to fall suddenly, it was uncertain whether the four of them could hold him; what worried Jiang Li most was whether the vines securing him would hold.

In this critical moment, Chu Chunqiu dared not be careless. He followed Jiang Li’s instructions, flattened himself onto the wooden raft, and began to inch forward. Jiang Li gripped the vines tightly, fearing any mishap. Fortunately, after half a quarter of an hour, Chu Chunqiu successfully crawled onto the cliffside.

"Chu Chunqiu, throw the raft down; we need to move, now!" Jiang Li urged without hesitation. Even having crossed the cliff, they were not yet safe. The wooden spears and bows held by the indigenous people were not to be underestimated. Chu Chunqiu kicked the raft away, and the group plunged into the dense forest.

After a while, Jiang Li stopped at a gravel patch. They had been busy all night and had not yet eaten. "Let’s have something to eat first."

While the others started a fire, Jiang Li unfolded the animal skin map he had taken from the stone hut. It was not inscribed with words, but with symbols. "Hmm, this raindrop likely represents a source of fresh drinking water. As for this skull—that doesn't look like a good place; we must avoid it. And what does this axe mean? Suitable trees for logging?"

After studying it for a long time, Jiang Li’s hands suddenly trembled. In one corner of the map, there was a castle sketched with a few simple strokes!

"I finally found it!" Jiang Li exclaimed, waving the others over. "Come here! I’ve found the small city."

"What? Where?" Su Yang and the others crowded around immediately.

Jiang Li pointed to the castle on the map. "It must be this. These natives only know how to build stone huts; they definitely couldn't build something like this."

Su Yang looked at the map, perplexed. In a large area in front of the castle, there was a wide circle drawn in what appeared to be blood.

"Young Master, does this area represent something dangerous?"

Jiang Li shrugged. "Perhaps. But no matter how dangerous it is, we have to go. We’ll take it one step at a time; let’s just get there first." According to the map, they were not far from the small city—only three to five days' journey away.

[System loading...]

Hearing the voice suddenly echo in his mind, Jiang Li felt a surge of energy. Since the failure of the last medical mission, this unfortunate system had been dormant for a long time.

[Your planet is on the verge of destruction. As a leader of your people, you must guide them to a new habitat.]
[Mission duration: 15 days. Exceeding this will result in automatic forfeiture.]
[Mission reward: Corn seeds.]

"This reward..." Jiang Li let out a breath. According to Chinese history, records of corn only appeared around the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, whereas the period he was currently in—based on his memory—was at most the Spring and Autumn or Warring States period. Populations were constrained by food production, and years of warfare had left them increasingly sparse. With the sweet potato seeds he already possessed, adding corn would yield enough food to sustain a vast population. If there was food, why worry about a lack of people?

"Forget the wheat mission, but I must complete this one!" Jiang Li gritted his teeth. Corn was far too important; it was high-yielding and not particularly picky about its environment. If he could get his hands on it, it would be a crucial factor in his development.

After eating, the group found a sheltered spot to rest. At daybreak, they set off again. With a clear destination in mind, their pace quickened. Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Early that morning, Jiang Li checked the map and, confirming their position, looked toward the distance. They were only about a hundred miles away from the small city.

"In two more days, we will reach the city," Jiang Li told the group.

"Finally," Qiu Yue said with a faint smile. "I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to sleep in a bed."

Chu Chunqiu rubbed his stomach. "Aye, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a full, uninhibited meal."

Jiang Li shook his head helplessly. It wasn't that they lacked the food, but the wilderness was too dangerous; sometimes, the scent of cooking would draw predators. They could only eat until they were eighty percent full to maintain their mobility.

"Alright, let’s keep moving. Be careful—we are entering the area of the red circle on the map. We don't know what it signifies yet, so stay cautious." Jiang Li put away the map, grabbed his spear, and pushed forward.

Inside the red circle, the terrain was pure wilderness. There were no tall trees, but the weeds were thick and reached the height of a person, making travel difficult and significantly slowing their progress.

"Young Master, let me take the lead," Chu Chunqiu volunteered.

The road through the tall grass was complex; some parts were dry, while others were hidden mud pits that made their journey miserable.

"Everyone hold onto the vines and don't let go. Also, Chu Chunqiu, check behind you every so often to ensure we’re moving in a straight line," Jiang Li warned, scanning his surroundings. With the grass so tall, it was easy to walk in circles.

Half an hour later, Jiang Li took a deep drink from his water skin. The weather was sweltering, and the grass blades constantly scratched their skin, leaving stinging cuts that turned into burning welts when sweat touched them. "Damn it, I should have just burned this place down!" Jiang Li muttered in frustration.

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Chunqiu, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped and roared, "What is that? Come out!"

Jiang Li’s heart sank. According to the map, they were deep within the red circle, and he had no idea what it contained. As the group watched, over a dozen figures emerged from the tall grass, dressed in animal-skin skirts and brandishing wooden spears. Even worse, more figures appeared on their flanks and behind them in an instant.

"We’re done for," was the only thought in Jiang Li’s mind. There were at least thirty or forty of them—far too many for Su Yang and Chu Chunqiu to handle. After traveling over mountains and through rivers to get here, would he never reach that small city after all?