The place we are heading is to the west of the Du'an tribe, it was there that the Du'an tribesmen out hunting discovered the footprints of the exiles.
Although we have no means of transportation, every one of us is a strong and valiant warrior, so we are moving at a good pace and should reach our destination before sunset.
"Let's hurry, no one wants to spend the night in this icy snow," I urged the accompanying Du'an tribesmen, my brow furrowed slightly.
The further west we went, the colder it became. It felt as if we had traveled from spring into winter. The weather on this deserted island was simply too capricious. I tightened the beast hide around me, breathing in and out a gust of cold air.
In truth, I've always had a question: why is the weather on the deserted island so abnormal? Although I am not a professional meteorologist, I have received a nine-year compulsory education and attended geography classes. Even the most extreme climates on Earth, the poles and the equator, are not like this deserted island. Last month, it was bright sunshine, so hot it could bake a person to death, and this month it's snowing heavily. What's more, what I find incredible is that even in this strange environment, the flowers, grass, flying beasts, and animals on the island are completely unaffected. They bloom and flourish as usual, seemingly immune to temperature changes. Sometimes, I even wonder if I'm still on Earth. The climate here is not just different from Earth; it's completely unrelated.
As I was lost in thought, Da Zhi, who had been silently following behind me, suddenly nudged my arm. "Hmm?" I glanced back at him subtly and saw him gesture with his chin towards the direction ahead of me. Our group is small, only about thirty people. Normally, the Du'an tribesmen march scattered and chaotically. Having undergone military training, I couldn't stand it. So, when we set out, I divided the team into three parts: vanguard, main force, and rear support. Each part was spaced ten meters apart. This way, if one part was ambushed, the others could quickly react and provide support, preventing us from being wiped out in one go. As the commander of this hunt, I walked in the center of the formation. I also assigned a few of Ada's staunch followers to be the rear support, walking at the very back. As for Gui Lichis, it's already a sign of my great restraint that I didn't kill him on the spot, so I naturally placed him and his subordinates at the very front of the line.
At this moment, Da Zhi was pointing me towards Gui Lichis's group. Gui Lichis and his men seemed to be marching normally, with no apparent anomalies, yet something felt off to me. What is this scoundrel up to? I stared intently at Gui Lichis for a long time, and finally discovered the trick. He was holding some powdery substance in his hand, and as he walked, he casually sprinkled this powder on the ground. We were in a forest, and it had snowed a couple of days ago, covering the ground. The powder was also white, and if you didn't look closely, you wouldn't notice it at all. Is this scoundrel leaving markers? My eyes narrowed, and killing intent boiled within me. He was definitely not leaving markers for us to see. The most likely scenario was that the Shepherd Gods' agents under the Grand Priest would find us by following the markers. This powder must be specially made by them. Although it blended in with the white snow now, they would undoubtedly have a special way to reveal it. If Da Zhi hadn't been observant enough to notice Gui Lichis's subtle actions, we might have died at the hands of our own people before even seeing the enemy! "Da Zhi, find a few brothers to lag behind and clean up. Erase all traces left by Gui Lichis." You wrong me, I wrong you. I took a deep breath, turned, and quietly gave Da Zhi instructions. Da Zhi nodded after hearing my plan. He gradually slowed his pace and moved to the rear of the formation. Gui Lichis, marching at the front, was completely oblivious to everything that had happened behind him. Hmph, I’ll see what other tricks you have. Looking at Gui Lichis still making those subtle movements I had already detected, I felt an urge to laugh.
In a blink of an eye, the sun began to set. Da Zhi, who had been acting as our guide, informed me that we were nearing the temporary outpost of the Du'an tribesmen. Time was of the essence. Our primary mission was to reach that temporary outpost, so we hadn't even rested along the way. When hungry, we just took out dried meat from our pockets and gnawed on it. Everyone was exhausted. Now that the destination was in sight, I couldn't help but let down my guard a little.
Just then, Gui Lichis and his group, who had been clearing the path ahead, suddenly stopped. "Gui Lichis, what is it?" I called out softly, instantly becoming alert. After a moment's hesitation, I called the warriors beside me and walked towards Gui Lichis. Although the possibility of Gui Lichis suddenly attacking me was slim, it's always better to be safe than sorry. As I approached, I saw Gui Lichis looking down at the ground with a grim expression. "They've had an accident." He is dead.