My fists rained down on Bru's face, crack, his nose broke, crack, his teeth loosened. Great splotches of blood spread like dye on cloth, splashing onto my clothes as well.
"Ugh..."
Bru collapsed onto the ground like a broken punching bag, only able to emit incoherent groans.
Damn it, I won!
My eyes were bloodshot, blood dripping from my scraped fists onto the ground. A fire raged in my heart, uncontrollable.
This was the most exhilarating battle I'd had since arriving on this island, every move a brush with death. I was addicted to this feeling of hovering on the edge of life and death.
I took a few deep breaths, looking at Bru, who was no longer breathing. Finally, I slumped onto the ground.
The exhaustion after the adrenaline rush gradually crept in, and the pain I hadn't felt during the fight now shot through my nerves to my head.
Damn it, I shouldn't have gotten into a brawl with Bru if I wanted to take him alive.
I had intended to capture Bru alive to extract intelligence about the Du'an tribe from him. But who would have thought Bru would be so formidable? He almost killed me.
I rubbed my aching chest forcefully. Bru's punch had almost knocked the wind out of me.
I had wanted to rest here for a while longer, but my sharp sixth sense told me there were eyes watching me from the forest.
Perhaps it was my imposing presence that kept these lurking hunters from making a move, but with the smell of blood from our battle filling the air, more and more beasts would likely be drawn here, looking for a share.
This place is not safe for long!
I slowly stood up, looking at the unrecognizable figure of Bru on the ground. I felt a strange sense of admiration.
Even though we were just fighting to the death, putting aside our identities, I felt a sense of camaraderie with Bru as a warrior.
Alas, since you died by my hand, I won't let you be devoured by wild beasts in death.
I dug a shallow pit in the ground with my alloy knife, then threw Bru's body into it, covering him with leaves.
"Hoo..."
I lit a cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and then tossed the butt into the small pit filled with dry leaves.
These leaves were perfect tinder. Within minutes, a fire had ignited.
Watching the flickering flames, my thoughts gradually shifted from Bru to other matters.
When I encountered Bru earlier, he was in a sorry state, and his subordinates were nowhere to be seen.
After fighting Bru, I knew he was an extremely powerful warrior.
If even he was in such a state, what did they encounter after retreating?
Thinking about this, I felt a new sense of apprehension about the unknown.
Ke Ya and the others' camp was nearby, and there were no other options in the short term. If that unknown entity attacked Ke Ya and her group, they might not survive.
Enemies in the open were indeed cause for caution, but dangers lurking in the shadows were the most deadly.
For a moment, I felt hesitant.
I should go back and discuss this with Ke Ya and the others first.
Watching the flames gradually die down, I turned and headed towards the cave where Ke Ya and the others were, without looking back.
After I left, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes, and then silence returned. No one knew that a bloody battle had taken place here.
...
"Ke Ya, when you chose the new campsite, how were the other alternative locations?"
My appearance now was a far cry from when I left this morning. My once clean clothes were covered in dirt and bore several unknown bloodstains.
Although I had tried my best to wash off the bloodstains by the stream on my way back, some still remained.
Seeing me in this state, fresh from a battle, Ke Ya, who had been chatting with everyone, immediately became tense and walked up to me.
"Master, what did you encounter? Could it be the Du'an tribe?"
Ke Ya, both nervous and concerned, gently touched my wounds and quickly called for someone to fetch medicinal herbs.
I thought for a moment and concisely recounted everything that had happened that morning to Ke Ya. When she heard that I had been alone by the stream, a thoughtful expression appeared on her face.
"The old shaman once said that Bru was one of the top warriors in the Du'an tribe. If even he couldn't handle it, could it be..."
At this point, a flicker of fear flashed in Ke Ya's eyes. Without finishing her sentence, she ran deeper into the cave and soon returned with Ke Xin.
Evidently, Ke Xin had already been briefed by Ke Ya, and now wore a worried expression.
"Master, I think Bru might have gone to the Land of the Forsaken..."
"The Land of the Forsaken?!"