"Can't let it escape, hurry and chase!"
Bruce shouted lowly, leading Aaron to chase swiftly.
The Cold Beasts possess intelligence and can definitely communicate with each other.
If this rodent returns to its group, it will definitely be a big problem.
The problem is, this rodent's speed is too fast, darting dozens of meters away almost instantly.
At Redwood Ridge's perimeter, the cliffside was only seven to eight hundred meters away.
If they continued to chase for a few more breaths, getting too close to the cliffside would be very dangerous.
Yet Bruce and Aaron did not slow down.
In fact, as they watched the rodent nearing the exit of Redwood Ridge, a hint of anticipation flashed in their eyes.
The rodent was clearly aware that Bruce and Aaron were slower than itself.
Though a smirk appeared on its face, the gleam of ferocity in its eyes did not diminish as it continued to flee without slowing at all.
Twong…
Suddenly, a sound like a taut string echoed under the rodent's feet.
Just shy of the final ten meters to escape Redwood Ridge, the rodent stumbled, its body tumbling forward several meters due to its intense inertia.
Whiz… whiz… whiz…
Simultaneously, several arrows shot swiftly from behind, piercing the rodent's fallen body almost inexorably.
The rodent possessed a strong life force, still struggling towards the cliff after being pierced by several arrows.
However, the arrows seemed relentless, their speed and force growing stronger until the last few arrows pierced completely through the rodent's body and embedded into the snowy ground ahead.
The rodent's life force rapidly diminished, its blood-red eyes reflecting a fierce and violent glare as it watched Bruce and Aaron approaching from a distance.
Seeing the two keeping their distance safely over ten meters away, continually shooting arrows at it, its expression grew even more ferocious.
Suddenly, as if realizing something, it raised its head skyward and opened its mouth, emitting a series of rhythmic calls into the air.
"Squeak… squeak… squeak, squeak…"
"It's summoning its companions, stop it quickly!"
Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak…
To say Bruce's reaction was fast is an understatement, yet the rodent's communication efficiency clearly surpassed that.
With just two or three cries, a rustling sound began to emanate from the ground.
Bruce and Aaron turned their heads simultaneously, realizing the sound came from the North Slope of the cliff, and their expressions changed drastically.
They quickly drew their bows and fired a series of four to five arrows at the rodent's head.
As he issued the warning, Charlie, who had been hiding on the other side of a large tree, blocking the rodent with the White Thread, and playing a crucial role, also dashed out.
He drove the Black Blade into the rodent's neck.
"Collect the bodies of the two rodents, pick up all the arrows on the ground, leave no traces, hurry, and run first into Redwood Ridge!"
At Bruce's command, Aaron immediately collected the bodies of the two rodents; Charlie plucked the White Thread, retrieving all the arrows.
Having battled for so long, many traces were left on the ground.
Bruce glanced around, and using his blade, he swept up the snow on the ground.
Seeing Aaron had wrapped the rodent bodies in leather, and Charlie had recovered the arrows, he led them and rushed frantically into the depths of Redwood Ridge.
The three had barely fled for a dozen breaths when the ground began to tremble slightly, soon accompanied by countless squeaks.
"Squeak… squeak… squeak, squeak, squeak…"
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak…"
A large silver rodent head suddenly broke through the earth.
It extended its sharp nose, sniffing the air, then immediately turned towards the interior of Redwood Ridge, its red eyes, several times larger than those of other rodents, filled with ferocity.
After seemingly pondering for a moment, it withdrew back underground.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak…"
A squeak louder than any other rodent's arose, accompanied by two distinct movements underground, one returning to the North Slope of the cliff, the other pursuing into the interior of Redwood Ridge, the direction where Bruce and his companions had fled.
---
On the north side of Redwood Ridge, within the territory of the Vegeta Camp.
Beside a large tree, Bruce lay prone on the ground, holding his breath, his right ear pressed tightly to the ground.
Charlie and Aaron stood nearby, vigilant, occasionally glancing at him.
"Still underground, about two hundred meters away, pursuing us. It's not because of the rodent corpses; it seems their perception is inherently strong."
Bruce stood up from the ground, his expression extremely grim.
The summoning cry of the rodent just before it died had been of some effect.
Despite his quick actions, he still couldn't escape the notice of the rodent pack that started chasing them.
It had taken more than ten minutes to run from the north slope of the mountain to here, with a brief stop along the way, during which he heard the sound of the rodent swarm digging towards them from underground.
Earlier, he thought the smell of the two rodent corpses had attracted the rodent group, so he found a snow pit midway to mark and temporarily buried the two rodent corpses.
Clearly, he was wrong.
Without the two rodent corpses, the rodent group was still chasing them, and their speed was increasing.
Even running at full speed, the three couldn't put much distance between them and the chasers.
"Leader, we can't stay here any longer; the commotion is getting louder!"
Aaron took a few steps south, sensing the ground's trembling and realizing that the underground rodent swarm was closing in.
His expression turned anxious.
"Run first!"
Bruce realized they couldn't linger there and immediately set off northward with the other two.
They had paid a high price just dealing with those two rodents.
If they were caught by the underground rodent swarm, none of the three would likely survive.
But as they ran, they hadn't gone more than a few dozen meters when Bruce's face grew even darker.
Charlie and Aaron glanced ahead and seemed to understand, their expressions mirroring his.
They were now in the territory of Vegeta Camp, at the northernmost position on the east side of Redwood Ridge.
If they continued north, they'd reach Arrow Bamboo Forest, a completely unfamiliar area to them.
The Ice Abyss World, with its unfamiliar environmental dangers, was as lethal as death itself.
They couldn't run north; staying to fight was suicide; circling back to the camp would endanger more people.
What to do… what to do…
Ideas raced through Bruce's mind until he suddenly turned his gaze westward, inside Redwood Ridge, and his eyes lit up.
"Change direction, run inside, let's see if those beasts dare follow!"
Seeing Bruce suddenly speak and change direction toward the inner west side of Redwood Ridge, Charlie and Aaron, although puzzled, followed closely behind.
For them, the outer 500 meters of Redwood Ridge was a safe zone.
Venturing deeper up to a thousand meters, based on previous explorations by Rogel Camp, they would only encounter some other low-tier Cold Beasts inside.
Despite their strength, they were still within the low-tier range.
As long as they were cautious, it shouldn't be too problematic for the three of them.
Compared to the northern Arrow Bamboo Forest and other more unfamiliar zones, venturing inside a bit deeper seemed more prudent.
But soon, thinking they understood Bruce's intent, the two quickly realized their mistake when Bruce, having led them into Redwood Ridge, directed them toward a region filled with swirling mist.
The three of them knew they were in a life-and-death crisis, so they moved swiftly.
Seeing the misty area, they were less than a hundred meters away.
"Leader, that's the territory of a Cloud Mist Teng Jiao; is it safe to just rush in like that?"
Unlike Charlie, Aaron, having been an early member of the Rogel Camp, was somewhat familiar with the three types of Cold Beasts within the thousand-meter vicinity.
Upon seeing the misty area, he immediately understood.
When Bruce continued to lead them into the mist zone, Aaron thought Bruce might not know about the Cloud Mist Teng Jiao and thus issued a reminder.
"I know, just follow me in.
It's almost daybreak.
If we don't find a way to lose them now, we'll either be eaten or freeze to death, hurry!"
Having explored so many times over the past half month, Bruce certainly knew the creature's lair belonged to a Cloud Mist Teng Jiao.
He was intentionally heading here.
"Snakes and rodents are natural enemies; we might even score a windfall!"
Cursing his own stupidity, Bruce suddenly realized that such a simple truth of snake-rodent enmity hadn't dawned on him until now.
Simultaneously, he realized they might benefit from this, making his eyes sparkle.
"Tear off a piece of fur, dampen it with snow, and cover your face, quickly!"
Upon hearing Bruce's order, Aaron immediately complied.
Although Charlie was unsure, he too quickly fetched a piece of leather from his coat pocket, packed some snow in it, melted it against his chest, and then covered his face with it.
"The reason Teng Jiao bears the name 'Cloud Mist' is that its breath expels a poisonous mist. In the Axeheart Realm, inhalation is lethal. Even in the Earthripper Realm, one can last half an hour by covering the mouth and nose with a damp cloth.
But after half an hour, continued inhalation causes hallucination and unconsciousness, and excessive exposure can also be fatal."
Upon hearing Aaron's explanation, Charlie finally understood.
George's Cold Beast Scroll had long been committed to memory by Bruce.
Seeing Aaron saving his breath explaining, he remained silent.
The three covered their faces and charged into the mist zone.
In the mist zone, visibility was low, but the area was only about fifty to sixty meters in diameter, with just six or seven large trees.
Almost immediately after entering, the three of them saw the massive figure coiled around the large tree in the center.
An ultra-long Teng Jiao, over thirty meters in length, as thick as a barrel, appeared approximately sixty centimeters in diameter.