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Chapter 224: Brotherly Bond
🕑 Added 2024-09-21 08:46:23 +0000 UTC"That's right, these are the black lotus herbs you need. But it seems you've already gathered enough, so the seven I have here might not be of much use to you..." Taylors said, staring at the handful of dark-colored plants resembling mint leaves, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
"Taylors, don't say that!" Tucker's face lit up with joy as he opened his arms to welcome Taylors. Walking toward him, he said, "I knew you had a kind heart. These black lotus herbs are just what I needed, right on time to save me!"
"Really? But... didn't you say you already gathered ten black lotus herbs?" Taylors asked, feigning confusion, though inwardly he was amused, having already guessed the truth and just wanting to tease Tucker.
Tucker was momentarily at a loss for words, then rubbed the back of his head with a nervous laugh, "Well... there is that, but I seem to have forgotten where I hid them. The terrain around here is just too complicated."
"What a terrible excuse..." Taylors thought to himself, rolling his eyes.
Then, with a sly smile, he said, "So you admit your memory isn't the best?"
Tucker's face darkened, and he glared at Taylors with a not-so-friendly look.
"Haha, just kidding!" Taylors waved his hand dismissively, speaking in a casual tone, "Let's cut to the chase, Tucker. I came here to propose a partnership."
"A partnership?" Tucker echoed, glancing at the black lotus herbs in Taylors' hand and guessing, "You want me to help you deal with the Bloodhoof Boar and Flame Rhino?"
"Exactly!" Taylors grinned slyly, "In exchange, I'll give you the black lotus herbs."
He quickly added, "If you think about it, Father gave us pretty simple tasks. If we swap tasks, we can easily complete them. I have an affinity for dark elements, making it easier for me to find black lotus herbs. You're a level two knight, so taking down the Bloodhoof Boar and Flame Rhino should be no problem for you."
Tucker, however, showed no interest, shaking his head firmly as he replied, "Taylors, we can't take shortcuts! Father assigned us these tasks for a reason, and we must follow his instructions exactly."
"Why? Tucker, you're so stubborn!" Taylors exclaimed, his mouth agape in disbelief. "We're far from the campsite; Father won't know if we secretly swap tasks. And since he's not supervising, he probably wouldn't mind us doing it."
"No, Father said that obedience is a soldier's duty. I will follow orders strictly and won't use your black lotus herbs!" Tucker replied stubbornly, clearly not willing to bend the rules.
"Tucker, we're not soldiers anymore. We've been away from the canyon frontlines for two years!" Taylors sighed in exasperation.
Tucker remained calm, his voice steady as he said, "Father also said that even after retiring, we should maintain our discipline. Even if we're not on the battlefield, I won't defy orders."
Taylors widened his eyes, pointing at Tucker in frustration. He found Tucker's single-mindedness infuriating! Fortunately, knowing Tucker's nature, Taylors had anticipated this and prepared a backup plan...
"Tucker, won't you help your poor brother out?"
Switching to a more pitiful tone, Taylors lowered his head and revealed his side, lifting his shirt.
A long, thin wound, about ten centimeters in length, was clearly visible as a red line on his side.
Tucker's expression changed as he looked down, his face turning serious. "Taylors, what happened?"
He leaned closer, squinting at the wound. "It looks fresh..."
"It's that damned Bloodhoof Boar! Its tusks are too sharp. I tried to take it down earlier but didn't dodge quickly enough and got scratched," Taylors said, sounding aggrieved. "If I hadn't reacted quickly, those tusks might have skewered me..."
"You got scratched by a Bloodhoof Boar? You were too careless!" Tucker frowned deeply.
"That's why I came to ask for your help..." Taylors sighed deeply. "If you don't help me, I'll have to face that terrifying Bloodhoof Boar all alone..."
With that, he turned to leave, his hunched back looking forlorn.
Tucker, unable to bear it, frowned and sighed, "Wait, Taylors!"
Taylors stopped but didn’t turn around, "What is it?"
"You wait here; I'll take care of that Bloodhoof Boar and the Flame Rhino for you." Tucker said seriously before striding off.
Hearing this, Taylors felt a surge of joy—his plan had worked!
Tucker moved quickly, soon overtaking Taylors. From behind, Taylors called out, "Tucker, wait for me! I'll give you the black lotus herbs!"
Tucker's resolute voice came back, "No need. I'll take care of the Bloodhoof Boar and Flame Rhino, but I want to find the black lotus herbs myself."
"Why? There's no need to waste time and energy..." Taylors quickened his pace but couldn't keep up with Tucker, who soon disappeared from sight.
Standing still, Taylors reflected on Tucker's words and found himself touched by his brother's stubbornness.
He sighed deeply, staring down at the ground.
Meanwhile, Tucker roamed the hills, searching for the Bloodhoof Boar's tracks, determined to avenge Taylors.
In just ten minutes, he had already left the area where they had met earlier.
Following some likely hoofprints, he eventually picked up the strong, distinct scent of a Bloodhoof Boar—a pungent odor that was even more pronounced in winter. Tucker remembered the smell vividly.
He tracked the footprints for a while.
Suddenly, he noticed a depression in the ground, shaped like a large hazelnut.
Tucker's eyes narrowed as he stared at the small pit. He knew Bloodhoof Boars had a habit of rooting for truffles, though unlike ordinary boars, they weren't particularly fond of them.
Often, when taking truffles, they left behind fragments or even powder, providing useful clues for tracking them down.
He sniffed the air lightly, a smile appearing in his eyes as he caught the unique scent of truffles lingering in the air. Coupled with the hoofprints, he was confident he was on the right track.
With that, Tucker pressed on, moving swiftly through the forest.
Finally, in a foul-smelling thicket, he found the Bloodhoof Boar resting on the ground.
It was the boar's loud snoring that drew Tucker to it. When he got closer, he saw the boar's massive body, like a small moving fortress, covered in blood-red skin with a layer of filth.
Tucker stared at the boar, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. This was a second-rank Bloodhoof Boar, so it couldn't be the one that injured Taylors. There was no way Taylors could have escaped a second-rank boar alone.
As Tucker considered whether to fight or retreat, the boar's snoring continued, but its eyes suddenly snapped open—it had been pretending to sleep. Realizing an intruder had trespassed on its territory, it immediately opened its gaping maw and charged at Tucker.
Thump, thump, thump.
The ground shook with each step as the Bloodhoof Boar, like a small mobile fortress, barreled forward, its tusks—its deadliest weapons—gleaming.
Seeing this, Tucker's eyes grew cold. "Since you've come to me, don't blame me for being rude. I'll warm up with you before avenging Taylors!"
"Cross Slash!" Tucker's sword swung swiftly, forming a cross-shaped flame that seared the air as it clashed with the boar.
Boom!
The air echoed with a loud explosion.
Tucker, feeling the force of the collision, took a step back. The boar's physical strength was impressive, especially during a charge, which was even more powerful than a Minotaur's.
Tucker's arm went numb from the impact. Without a shield, his defense was weaker this time.
The boar, having been slashed on the head, roared in anger, a bloody wound now visible on its forehead.
Enraged, it charged at Tucker again. Tucker, ready, planned to dodge and strike from the side when the boar couldn't stop its momentum.
He thought the boar was clumsy, powerful in its charge but lacking agility, giving him an opening.
But when the boar was nearly upon him, Tucker realized he had misjudged its speed, leaving him unable to dodge in time.
As he tried to sidestep, he couldn't fully evade the boar's charge.
The price of this mistake was that the boar's massive tusks were about to pierce his abdomen.
In the nick of time, Tucker quickly swung his sword horizontally, diverting the tusks slightly so they grazed his side instead of skewering him.
Slash!
Flesh tore.
Blood splattered through the air, but none touched Tucker—it was vaporized by his flame aura.
Tucker took a deep breath, rotating his wrist to twist the sword inside.
To the boar, this was nothing short of a devastating blow. It howled in agony, its limbs giving out as it collapsed to the ground.
A few seconds later, the boar's body twitched and then went still.
Tucker withdrew his sword, breathing a sigh of relief.
He looked at the filthy blade, holding it at arm's length, his face showing clear disdain.
He wasn't a mage and didn't have the ability to summon water, so Tucker could only clean his sword by rubbing it against some large evergreen leaves. After a simple wipe, he continued searching for the first-rank Bloodhoof Boar and Flame Rhino.
Both of these magical beasts were of the first rank, so dealing with them was relatively easy and didn't take much effort.
Half an hour later, Tucker returned to the spot where he had met Taylors earlier, dragging a Bloodhoof Boar and a Flame Rhino, one in each hand, gritting his teeth from the exertion.
At that moment, Taylors was sitting idly on a pile of dry, soft grass, empty-handed. Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, he quickly stood up and hurried over.
"Tucker, you're back! Wait, are you hurt?" Taylors initially greeted him with joy, but his expression changed drastically when he noticed the wound on Tucker's waist.
Thud.
Thud.
Tucker let go of the two beasts, and they hit the ground with a heavy thud.
With a calm expression, Tucker said, "I ran into a Bloodhoof Boar on the way. I was careless and got a little hurt."
"Let me see!" Taylors said urgently, feeling a twinge of guilt. It was his lie that had led to Tucker getting injured.
Tucker brushed off Taylors' hand and shook his head. "No need. It's just a minor wound; it'll heal in a few days. You should take these two beasts back quickly. There's not much time left, and I still need to find the black lotus herbs."
"You..." Taylors started to call him stubborn, but the words got stuck in his throat. Pointing at Tucker, he sighed and lowered his arm. "Fine, may good luck be with you, you fool."
With that, he used wind elements to lift the two beast carcasses, making it easier for him to drag them as he gradually left the area.
When he finally reached the campsite, there was about an hour left before noon.
Seeing his youngest son from afar, Rhett smiled and waved. "Taylors, it seems you've finished before Tucker this time. You win."
On top of Rylei's head, Nina blinked her eyes at Taylors, then timidly moved away.
In the past, Taylors would have celebrated his victory gleefully, perhaps even mocking Tucker a bit.
He might have even grabbed Nina and played with her.
However, at this moment, Taylors didn't even glance at the snow sprite. Instead, he waved half-heartedly and plopped down on the ground. "I'm a bit hungry. Let me have some cheese first."
Rhett stroked his chin and raised an eyebrow. "Makes sense. It must have taken a lot of effort to deal with those two beasts, so it's normal to feel hungry."
Taylors wasn't physically tired—just mentally drained.
After all, he hadn't done any of the work himself; Tucker had handled everything.
Hearing his father's words, Taylors paused for a moment, then silently picked up a piece of cheese and started eating without saying another word.
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