Chapter 20: A Long Trek
While the group rested by the lake, Ilya suddenly stood up, his expression tightening.
Chu Feng noticed his serious face and tensed up as well.
“What is it?”
“Something’s coming.”
“What kind of something?”
In the distance, Chu Feng saw several wolves closing in from different directions. He had mentally prepared himself for the dangers of this world, but now that he was face-to-face with a pack of wolves, he couldn’t help but feel a bit shaken.
Back on Earth, with rapid urbanization, wild animals were rare. Chu Feng had never seen a real wolf before.
As the wolves howled and charged, Chu Feng felt they looked much larger than he’d imagined.
Ilya darted forward like a gust of wind.
Before Chu Feng could even see what he did, the wolves were already lying on the ground.
Each wolf had its throat slashed open, blood pooling around them.
Chu Feng spotted one wolf lunging at Duoduo. Panicking, Duoduo stumbled over a stone and fell.
Chu Feng grabbed his stun baton and jabbed it into the wolf’s belly.
With the power turned to max, the electric baton released a powerful jolt. The wolf convulsed and dropped.
Gray rushed over and delivered a clean finishing blow.
His movements were swift and decisive—he had a bit of Ilya’s style already.
Duoduo, lying on the ground, looked terrified. When he saw the gray wolf was dead, his face finally relaxed a little.
Ilya quickly finished off the rest of the pack.
Seeing that Gray and the others were unharmed, Ilya let out a big breath of relief.
“Duoduo, are you hurt?” he asked.
Duoduo shook his head. Being half-rabbit, he should’ve been quick to run, but wolves were natural predators of rabbits—just seeing one had made him freeze up, and he tripped in panic.
Ilya glanced at the baton in Chu Feng’s hand with curiosity.
“That’s not just any stick, is it?”
He’d been busy fighting, but he had seen what happened with Duoduo. He’d been too far to help in time—thankfully, things turned out okay.
Chu Feng nodded.
“It’s a stun baton. It releases electric currents to boost attack power.”
Ilya nodded with a half-understanding look.
Gray was curious.
“That stick is really that powerful?”
He’d thought it looked short and not very useful.
He had seen Chu Feng use it but hadn’t really understood how it worked.
“What’s electric current?” Gray asked.
Chu Feng adjusted the baton’s power down to a safe level.
“It’s a current that, when it hits you, makes your body go numb.”
Gray’s eyes lit up.
“Numb? What’s that like? Never mind—hit me with it, I wanna try!”
Chu Feng: “…”
Gray’s thirst for knowledge is seriously intense. Does he want to end up like that wolf?
Ilya glared at Gray.
“Don’t mess around. You want to be writhing on the ground too?”
He turned to Chu Feng.
“Hit me instead—I want to see.”
Chu Feng: “…”
Ilya’s curiosity doesn’t seem any weaker than Gray’s. Who is he to lecture others, then?
The baton was set to a safe level, and from what Chu Feng could tell, Ilya’s physique should be fine. He gave Ilya a light zap.
The moment the current hit, Ilya’s eyes sparkled.
“So that’s what it feels like. It’s really tingly—I can barely hold my knife. But the power seems a bit weak.”
Chu Feng nodded.
“I turned it down. It can be stronger.”
“Big bro, what’s it feel like? Ugh, never mind—your turn’s over, now hit me!”
Gray bounced excitedly on the side, unable to wait.
Chu Feng: “…”
It’s a stun baton, not a toy! These two act like I brought them amusement park rides.
He seriously wondered: if he brought a gun next time, would they want to try getting shot just for fun?
This world must be way too boring if even a stun baton is this entertaining.
Chu Feng saw that Ilya didn’t object, so he gave Gray a jolt as well.
Gray exclaimed excitedly, “So that’s what it feels like! Do it again, do it again!”
Chu Feng: “Once is enough…”
What if he ends up with problems after getting zapped too many times?
“Let me play with it!”
Chu Feng shook his head.
“This is a dangerous item—what if you get hurt?”
Gray lowered his head, visibly disappointed.
Chu Feng turned his head—and accidentally met Duoduo’s sparkling eyes. He thought to himself: This bunny… he’s not thinking of trying it too, is he?
“You’re really amazing,” Chu Feng said.
With Ilya’s skills, in Chu Feng’s original world, he might’ve even been considered the strongest.
Ilya twirled the dagger smoothly in his hand.
“Thanks to your blade. It’s really easy to use.”
Chu Feng smiled.
“As long as you like it.”
He looked at the dagger in Ilya’s hand and thought:
A good blade only reaches its full potential in the right hands.
He had given Ilya several knives, and it seemed Ilya had passed one to Gray as well. Kids in this world were clearly different from those in his own. Gray’s movements when killing the wolf had been so practiced—he must be quite experienced.
Chu Feng suddenly recalled when he first crossed over—Gray had mistaken him for a human hunter.
Even though the boy looked young, he likely could’ve easily killed him. Fortunately, he hadn’t.
Maybe Chu Feng had seemed so clueless that Gray didn’t see him as a threat.
Ilya frowned.
“The smell of blood is spreading. It might attract wild beasts. Let’s move on.”
Chu Feng nodded.
“Alright.”
*
That night, they found an open space to rest.
Chu Feng had been sleeping in a cabin up until now, but tonight, they had no choice but to camp outdoors.
Having grown used to soft beds, sleeping under the open sky was pure torment for Chu Feng.
He glanced over at Duoduo and Gray. Duoduo had transformed into a rabbit, and Gray was curled up next to him.
It was Chu Feng’s first time seeing Duoduo’s beast form, and he was a little amazed.
His white fur looked incredibly smooth and glossy—like it would make a fine pelt.
Ilya landed beside him and asked, “Why are you staring at Duoduo?”
Chu Feng: “…”
It’s my first time seeing a beastkin transform. I’m just curious!
“Nothing. I was just thinking—being able to transform is really convenient.”
Ilya nodded.
“It is.”
“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Ilya asked.
Chu Feng furrowed his brow.
“I can’t fall asleep.”
“You should try. We’ve got more traveling tomorrow,” Ilya said.
Chu Feng looked at him.
“What about you? Aren’t you going to sleep?”
The wilds aren’t exactly safe. Was Ilya planning to keep watch?
Ilya shook his head.
“I’m fine. I’m used to it.”
Chu Feng:
“I’ll sleep first then. If you get tired, wake me up to take over the watch…”
Ilya nodded.
“Okay.”
Chu Feng had thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but maybe because he was too exhausted, he was out within minutes.
When he woke up the next morning, the sun was already up.
“You’re finally awake. I picked some fruit for you,” Gray said.
Chu Feng glanced at the fruit resting on some leaves and thought to himself:
Guess that whole “fruit lover” image has really stuck in Gray’s mind.
Gray munched noisily on some potato chips.
“These are so good!”
Chu Feng smiled.
“As long as you like them.”
“If stuff this tasty exists, why do you like fruit?” Gray asked, totally baffled.
Chu Feng looked at him and said,
“Because the stuff you’re eating makes you gain weight.”
Gray tilted his head.
“Gain weight? What’s wrong with that?”
Chu Feng nodded seriously.
“Gaining weight is a big deal where I’m from. Everyone wants a slim figure. For a lot of people, gaining weight is like the end of the world.”
Gray gave him a puzzled look.
“People from your place are so weird… scared of gaining weight?”
Chu Feng: “…”
Ilya opened a pack of chocolate and started eating.
The sweet aroma of chocolate quickly spread. A soft smile appeared on Ilya’s lips without him realizing.
Seeing Ilya’s smile, Chu Feng suddenly felt a warm sweetness in his heart.
*
They traveled for over three days straight before finally reaching the outskirts of Crescent Village.
Chu Feng was thoroughly exhausted by then.
He felt like his feet were covered in blisters.
He had just become a car owner back home a few days ago! Chu Feng thought bitterly.
Right now, I should be cruising down a highway, enjoying the rush. But here I am—hiking miles on foot.
Only a few days into car ownership, and my feet are already covered in blisters… what kind of karma is this?
“Is it just up ahead?” Chu Feng asked.
Ilya nodded.
“Yeah, right up ahead.”
Gray looked at Chu Feng.
“You look really tired.”
Chu Feng: “…”
It’s not just that I look tired—I am exhausted.
“Once we get to the village, you can rest,” Ilya said.
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Feng suddenly vanished from sight.
Gray blinked and said, “Big bro just went to the other side again, huh?”
Ilya nodded. “Looks like it.”
Ilya had spent a few days with Chu Feng and had come to understand his power. Chu Feng’s ability to travel between worlds couldn’t be controlled—he could only passively wait for each instance to occur.
Gray looked at Ilya, clearly troubled. “Then what should we do?”
Ilya hesitated for a moment and said, “Let’s go into the village first.”
Chu Feng had vanished again, and it would probably be several days before he reappeared.
Gray said a bit regretfully, “How could he just disappear like that…”
Ilya looked at the empty spot where Chu Feng had vanished, suddenly feeling a hollow emptiness in his heart.
