The jungle was lush with weeds and bushes.
And right under these weeds, it was obvious there was something moving quickly, causing the weeds to sway prominently.
"Could the enemy be some kind of magical beast? No, it can't necessarily be an 'enemy,' the system refers to an invading enemy..."
Lin Ke frowned and shouted loudly to the somewhat panicked guards over there, "Guards, raise your blades! The intruder is just a beast!"
Upon hearing their young master's words, the guards steadied themselves a bit, tightened their grip on their sword hilts, and waited attentively.
The object was moving rapidly through the weed clusters, getting closer and closer to their convoy...
Suddenly!
"Swoosh——"
A white shadow leaped out from the grass, pouncing in their direction.
"Kill!"
"For the glory of Azanen!"
"Kill!!"
Those dozen or so guards immediately slashed down their raised blades.
However, the white shadow astonishingly changed direction in mid-air, then jumped over the group of guards, landing on the roof of one of the ox carts, causing the maid inside to scream.
Lin Ke's pupils contracted.
The white shadow had clearly used exceptionally skillful techniques to take advantage of the sword's back to jump out before the sword could strike.
Such brilliant technique! Such nimble agility!
"Wait... wait! I... I mean no harm!" The white shadow stood on the roof and spoke in a weak and rapid voice in Naseng Common Language.
The voice was incredibly young, sounding like a little boy who got lost at an amusement park.
Aggrieved, pleading, confused, helpless.
When Lin Ke looked closely...
A rabbit! A big rabbit!
A rabbit more than a meter tall!
But he wasn't too surprised by this rabbit, after all, the information bombardment of the internet from his previous life was somewhat useful; not just rabbits, there were many anthropomorphic things in the past life.
"Who are you? Why did you attack our convoy?"
Before Lin Ke could ask, John played the role of a devoted manservant very well and questioned the rabbit.
Obviously, John also perceived the rabbit as harmless.
The rabbit looked over here and saw the seemingly fierce but inwardly weak John, and the calm Lin Ke.
"Sir, save me! Please help me!" Upon seeing Lin Ke, the rabbit made a swift move, jumping from the car roof in several bounds to reach Lin Ke's side.
"Young master, be careful!" John was shocked and, without thinking, instantly blocked Lin Ke.
However, the rabbit did not attack them but stopped before them, then very clearly kneeled on one knee, bowed its head, and said:
"Respected human noble, if you are willing to extend a hand, I, Knicks, will become your follower."
Rabbitman! Follower!
Lin Ke's heart stirred, suddenly thinking of that unreliable system's reward.
[The First Exceptionally Promising Follower]
This was the first time he heard the title "follower" in the past few days.
Then... is it him?
This boy from the Rabbitman Race?
If the mission fails, it means the follower dies.
Meaning if he fails, this Rabbitman boy will be killed by the pursuing enemies?
With uncertainty in his heart, Lin Ke then slightly smiled and stepped forward.
"Young master, be careful!"
John stood in front of Lin Ke, afraid that the Rabbitman Knicks might suddenly become violent and harm someone.
Lin Ke patted John, "It's alright."
Nonsense, would this Rabbitman who jumps around on walls really need to kneel on one knee if he wanted to kill me?
John did not dare to disobey Lin Ke, so he stepped aside, and Lin Ke walked forward.
Lin Ke was already a head taller than Rabbitman Knicks.
Now kneeling on one knee, he was even more so.
The sunlight shone down, casting Lin Ke's shadow over Rabbitman Knicks' body.
Hmm... sunlight... shadow... aura...
Perhaps...
The operation of the task should be...
Looking at Knicks in the shadow, Lin Ke smiled gently and warmly, "Please rise, I am willing to help you, but you need to tell me what happened? I must be responsible for my servants."
He bent down, extended a hand, and slightly tilted his head, allowing a bit of the sunlight behind to show through.
Rabbitman Knicks lifted his head, momentarily speechless, "I... I..."
Rabbitman Nix saw the noble human boy in front of him displaying gentle, compassionate, kind, and noble eyes, and reached out his hand in a friendly manner to help him up.
A halo of light formed around the noble boy, brilliant and casting a shadow that just covered one of Nix's eyes.
Ah... the sunlight is truly bright and glaring, but... it is indeed warm... Rabbitman Nix couldn't help but squint his eyes, then unbiddenly put his hand up.
I... have met the person who will save me.
"Come on, get up... tell me, what exactly are you running from?" Lin Ke held Nix's hand, settled his heart, and then asked gently.
Rabbitman Nix by appearance looked just like a rabbit, except that he was wearing clothes and trousers made of burlap, and his hands were distinctly five fingers.
Nix quickly twitched his small nose, and two streams of tears flowed down in torrents, making Lin Ke raise an eyebrow.
The speed of those tears is faster than a three-second man!
"They're all dead! They're all dead! Wuuu..." Rabbitman Nix cried out, seeming extremely sorrowful, as if Lin Ke's warmth made him let down his guard.
Seeing this, Lin Ke first exchanged a glance with John.
John nodded, immediately went to let those guards continue patrolling, although a bit dimwitted, he had some tacit understanding with Lin Ke.
Lin Ke then again gently asked Rabbitman Nix: "Nix, first tell me, are there pursuers behind? What are they?"
Lin Ke was already prepared, if the enemies were really unstoppable, he would rather not have this [Potential] follower.
After all, in his eyes, his, his mother's, and John's life, along with the lives of so many people of Azanen Castle, were more important than a follower.
Especially one whom he had known for less than two minutes.
It was as if Nix just realized, his originally drooping long ears stood up again.
He wiped his tears as he said in panic: "Two tigers! Big tigers! I just heard your voice, shook them off and escaped here, they will follow the scent and come!"
Tigers?
Also... a Rabbitman attracted by my voice...
Seems like the function of the system can be confirmed, but...
"Only two tigers?" Lin Ke unintentionally gently stroked Nix's ears.
Fluffy, really soft, damn it.
"Yes! But they are tigers enlightened with their bloodline! They should be equivalent to level one or level two professionals!" Nix's voice revealed fear.
Level one or level two... professionals?
Can animal magical beasts also enlighten their bloodlines and take up professions?
Lin Ke had initially relaxed but now his heart was clenched again.
Moreover, if it was human pursuers, they could hand Nix over, continue to enter the city or retreat.
But if they were beasts, they were non-communicative.
Seems like a fight is inevitable!
This deceptive system!
"Prepare for battle! Hurry and prepare for battle!"
Lin Ke stood up, dragged the iron sword, then turned around and smiled: "John, you and Nix go inside first, protect my mother, got it?"
John nodded vigorously, pulling Nix inside.
Lin Ke smiled, John was always like this, if asked to hide he wouldn't do it, wanting to stand before Lin Ke.
But when asked to protect mother, he would willingly go and stay there.
Lin Ke looked around, judging the position of the sun and the direction from which Nix came.
"If it's sunlight... best to stand on top of the cart."
Thus, with a new idea about the system, Lin Ke quickly went to the last ox cart, then climbed to the top of the ox cart using hands and feet.
"Guards of Azanen, gather, grip your weapons tight, protect ourselves!"
Lin Ke tried to make his voice deep and loud, shouting at them below.
All the guards had actually already gathered at the tail of the convoy because of Nix, so they all heard Lin Ke's voice.
"Everyone out of the carts! Come, look at how our Azanen's guards repel those beasts!" Lin Ke thought of a plan and shouted again to the servants in the carriage.
After all, without humans and long-range attack means like bows, the servants had no reason to stay inside the carriage.
Coming out might have other effects.
The male and female servants poked their heads out, just able to see the guards standing upright in front of the last carriage while on top of the carriage was Lin Ke in a flaming red luxurious outfit.
"Wow, those guards are really impressive!"
"Yeah, yeah, isn't that Little Qiao Ke? Oh! Such a handsome lad!"
"Hehehehehe."
"Look! That's my dear brother, my brother Little Bush!"
"Andrew's Leg, our young master is so majestic! Praise Azanen!"
The servants and slaves pointed and whispered about the scene.
Originally somewhat scared, the guards upon hearing Lin Ke's words, then seen the servants, were talked about.
They couldn't help but puff their chests out, to appear more majestic.
Showing off.