In the early morning, the wooden house in the northeast corner of Santon Kaya.

Before going to bed, Qiong had refilled the charcoal fire and replaced the herbs for Uncle Hamsin. He recovered quickly and was able to walk around this morning.

She sat on the recliner and curled up habitually.

The cleaning task in the village is coming to an end, and Mrs. Tennyson has organized everyone to go looking for wild fruits in the nearby woodland tomorrow.

When she was half asleep and half awake, she thought about the Orion who returned today.

The hunt was not going well, the food was barely enough to survive, and something was following them, and everyone was worried about it.

"My name is Ken Bouvier."

This sentence came to Joan's mind.

The hunters praised the young gentleman for his bravery and lamented that it was the last time they saw him.

Joan shrank tighter.

This winter, too many people died.

In the early morning, the dawn is not yet clear, and the owls are still cooing.

Ye Gang issued a warning.

A monster crashed into the village fence. Its tall body was covered with manes and its pupils were scarlet. It jumped onto the roof like a ghost and easily smashed the chimney.

More people appeared from behind, carrying weapons, and kicked open the wooden doors one by one.

"Wake up, my child." Hamsin looked out the window, "Oh no, it's Apostle Qi Bing." He said and hurriedly hid the person under the bed.

Qiong Chan trembled all over, she remembered this name.

The Qi Bing Apostles believe in death.

Their behavior is no different from that of gangsters. They make a living by looting, and they will sacrifice the creatures wherever they go to the old gods in exchange for more brutal power.

Hamzin removed the two bed legs.

He used clay pots and wooden boxes to cover the gaps one by one, and then sprinkled some animal blood randomly to create a sign that it had been looted and no one was still hiding.

Joan grabbed his hand from the gap, her eyes full of fear, and asked in a low voice, "Where are you going?"

She felt a pair of rough hands touching her face.

"Listen, kid. I have to go to the altar and Winter Mother will keep you alive."

"No, don't go."

The Santon Kaya tribe serves Winter Mother. Whenever life and death are at stake, elders will go to the altar to ask for the power of the old god.

But they will leave nothing but blood and even bones.

"Shh, hide it." Hamsin also showed reluctance and made a scribbled prayer. "May Winter Mother protect you for the rest of your life."

The entrance to the cave was blocked and the figure disappeared.

She didn't dare to make a loud plea to stay, so she could only cover her mouth and choke.

Shouts came from far and near, and something heavy was stepped on the roof, causing ash to fall.

It was the same thing two weeks ago.

The bandits stole the food needed to survive the winter.

Now, we have provoked the Qi Bing Apostles. They are more cruel than hyenas, have no humanity, and enjoy killing.

Of the forty or so survivors, who will be left after tonight?

Outside the window, orange flashed.

Qiong tried her best to hide back until she was close to the wall, and the damp soil had already covered her hair.

The shouts of killing gradually became louder, and beast-like roars exploded in the village.

The light became swaying, blackened ashes floated into the night sky, the flames grew larger and larger, and the crackling sound mixed with the thick smoke spread out layers of heat waves.

The wooden door was kicked open with force.

A tall black figure walked in carrying a battle ax, his breath blowing his nose hairs.

He looked around, with cold eyes, and kneeled down in front of the pit, gnawing on the cold porridge on the ground like a wild animal.

Strange chewing sounds echoed in the room.

The Qi Bing Apostles were all born into poor tribes. They lived in a very harsh environment and were unwilling to waste any available materials.

He made a loud swallowing sound, slowly picked up the ax and walked towards the bed.

Boom! The blade sank into the wood.

Qiong shuddered all over, took a deep breath, and covered her mouth tightly.

Wow, sting——

The thick blanket was pulled apart.

Apostle Qi Bing rolled up the worn lining on his body, and the stench instantly filled the room. He then wrapped a new blanket around his body.

The weapon was pulled out with a bang.

Qiong felt her hands and feet were cold, sawdust fell in front of her eyes, and she saw him walking towards the door through the gap.

call--

The white mist exhaled tremblingly.

The hand pressed against the door frame paused, and a fierce face retracted from the door, its blue cobalt eyes widened.

Boom, boom, boom!

He bared his teeth, walked closer quickly, raised the battle ax high, and split the bed with a bang.

The girl's scream spread into the night wind from the hole.

But other than rising flames, there was no response.

Apostle Qi Bing's eyes were covered with blood red, and some strong impulse occupied his mind.

Qiong felt as if her calf was being clamped by a hunting pin. She lowered her head and saw a black and bloody hand on it, and a huge force dragged her out of the mud.

Beating, roaring, screaming.

Her throat was suddenly pinched, and she was like a straw in the wind, about to break at will.

"Well, ah——"

Apostle Qi Bing suddenly shouted, and the loud sound like a bell seemed to lift the roof.

Joan felt the pressure in her throat ease.

She opened her eyes and saw a cold light across her head. It wasn't until blood dropped on her cheek that she realized that it was a sword that had passed through her shoulder.

The blade cuts out the flesh and pulls it out!

Apostle Qi Bing had a big mouth, his eyes were cracked, and his hamstrings had been severed. A hand opened from behind, stretched into his mouth, and lifted it hard.

"Cough, kaka."

The strong man whimpered, and the sword holder was fully exposed in the firelight and moonlight.

Ken and Joan's eyes met, and he looked pitifully as if he were looking down at a baby bird. Fortunately, nothing happened yet. He only heard him say calmly: "Close your eyes."

Joan felt the warmth in these words, the power that could suppress trembling and fear.

She curled up and slowly closed her eyes.

"Well, you, bastard."

Apostle Qi Bing's words were choked in his throat.

Like a fish hanging in the air, he cursed in a thin voice.

Joan felt the temperature become real, and it wasn't until her fingers became sticky that she realized that the warm thing was splattered blood.

Immediately afterwards, someone hugged me gently and covered me with a thin blanket.

Ken hugged her and walked out.

In the room, Apostle Qi Bing knelt on the ground, and then his whole body went limp. His hands could not stop the red color from oozing from his slit throat.

Kuima was already guarding the door.

With the help of Ken's gray vision, they avoided the firelight and entered the night, finding a hole for shelter near the village's fishing ground.

【Reputation 20】

A woman named [Tennyson Seavey] held Joan in her arms.

Women, children and children all cried out. Looking around, a few of them had sad expressions on their faces.

Kuima choked up in the crowd.

His expedition team set out half a month ago, but he did not expect that when he returned from his escape, the village would have suffered disaster twice.
To be continued...