Within the Sacred Word Barrier On the clearing beneath the great tree, three tents were arranged in a triangle, with a campfire nestled at their center. A makeshift roasting rack, fashioned from wood, was set over the flames; its surface was already blackened with ash. The sky above was dense with countless glittering stars, though the vast canopy of the tree completely obscured the zenith directly overhead. Shrouded by the boughs, our immediate surroundings felt even darker, yet the bright bonfire cast a clear, bright crimson glow across each of our faces. At such moments, a strange sense of melancholy and reverie always overtook me. This classic scene—tents, campfire, roasting meat in the wild—was a staple in nearly every fantasy novel. The me of my former life had pictured this countless times; now, I was truly experiencing it, and it felt more comforting and tranquil than I had ever imagined. Of course, it would be absolutely perfect if I had a beautiful woman in my arms. Thinking this, I couldn't help but glance toward Ziyue, only to find her expression still clouded with deep worry. Instantly, my previous intoxication vanished. Indeed, there was a beauty beside me, but she was a beauty lost in thought, burdened by heavy concerns—truly a dampener on the mood. Ziyun, seated next to Ziyue, wore the exact same troubled look. The only other person who could vaguely be called beautiful, Long Xin, was enthusiastically wrestling the large wooden spit holding the wild boar over the fire. With every turn she made, the boar, already golden-brown from the heat, would flip—belly up, then belly down. Occasionally, glistening oil would drip onto the flames, sizzling with a sharp sii, immediately followed by a shower of dazzling, ephemeral sparks. Finally, Long Xin seemed satisfied with the cooking, lowering the boar from the rack and setting it onto a large platter on the small table. Long Zhan was already waiting, knife in hand, looking as if he were ready to devour the entire creature right then and there.

Soon, the small wild boar was butchered into six large pieces. I received a generous portion that included the left foreleg. Long Zhan, as he had hoped, claimed the head. The next piece, attached to a foreleg, was given to the siblings Ziyue and Ziyun. The remaining two portions naturally went to Long Xin and Long Qi.

After eating our fill and drinking, Long Qi and Long Zhan quickly retreated into their tents. Long Xin, however, remained seated by the fire, seemingly deep in meditation. Unlike warriors, mages and Taoists could use their free time for cultivation through meditation. Among the three of them, Long Xin’s strength was undeniably the weakest. This was compounded by the later arrival of the utterly baffling me, which placed immense pressure on her. My appearance eliminated the last excuse she could use to rationalize her position. Previously, she could claim it was natural that Long Zhan and Long Qi were older, making their greater strength justifiable. But now, here I was—younger than her, yet significantly stronger, and my class was fundamentally that of a warrior, one of those discarded for insufficient magical aptitude. The proud and self-respecting Long Xin could not accept this reality. Of course, Long Qi conveyed all this to me subtly, his intention clearly being to prevent me from showing off too much and further provoking Long Xin. I readily accepted this caution.

Long Xin, sitting quietly in meditation, possessed a serene and tranquil countenance, like a water lily, making her seem utterly endearing. I supposed this must be the truer side of her inner self. In truth, I could sense that this girl usually appeared somewhat carefree and very assertive, always centering things around herself. But at the core, she was just a young woman. Her demeanor likely stemmed greatly from her noble background. After all, a member of the aristocracy must possess a certain assertiveness and decisive power to command subordinates effectively. Clearly, this ideology had been deeply instilled in her by her elders. Because of this, the usual Long Xin unconsciously projected an air of inherent aristocratic authority and dominance. Although her current display seemed rather childish and immature—like how she cleverly maneuvered me into the Wandering Dragon Gang with just a few words back in the Skeleton Cave—thinking back now, she only succeeded because she encountered me. Had she met someone else then, who would have paid her any mind? They would have dismissed it as mere children’s games. Yet, I was certain that with the accumulation of time, experience, and maturity, Long Xin would grow into an exceptionally capable female noble. She was unconsciously striving toward that very goal.

In the tent behind Long Xin, faint sounds of tossing and turning could be heard. It seemed the troubled young noblewoman was also unable to sleep. I guessed that Ziyun, in the tent behind me, was likely feeling the same as his sister. Their mother was gravely ill, her life hanging by a thread, yet they were separated by distance and unable to rush to her side immediately. Such a situation would be unbearable for anyone.

Lost in thought, I inevitably remembered my own mother, wondering how she was doing, and Chen Feng as well. Gradually, a wave of drowsiness washed over my mind. I could only stifle a yawn and slip into the tent. Outside, Long Xin remained seated, still as a wooden carving. For a mage, meditation and sleep were nearly indistinguishable, so I harbored no concern that insufficient rest would impair Long Xin’s spirit. Furthermore, Long Xin had a far more convincing reason to remain outside: standing guard for the group. Indeed, even in a meditative state, Long Xin could perceive changes in her surroundings, making her the optimal choice for a night watch. Admittedly, Long Qi could perform this function too, but having no intention of disobeying the leader's orders, he slept soundly.

The tent where ** Ziyun resided was still quiet, but though it was pitch black inside, I sensed it keenly. Ziyun also noticed my presence, moving slightly toward one side of the sleeping mat, implicitly reserving space for me. For safety, we always shared tents—two people per tent—so that in case of any emergency, we could mutually support each other. This arrangement was decided only after entering the Woma Forest, recognizing that unique environments require unique countermeasures. No one could guarantee what might happen in the Woma Forest. Even with Long Xin having cast the Sacred Word Barrier, set up magical warning traps, and personally taking the watch, we dared not relax. Initially, Ziyue and Ziyun adamantly refused to share a bed with anyone else, but they were ultimately overruled by Long Xin’s forceful demeanor. Her reasoning was simple: “Since you hired me, you must obey my terms. If you want to throw tantrums, you’ll need to be alive to return home first!” Ziyue naturally had nothing more to say after that.

Lying on the mat, I don't recall when I finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, a chorus of sweet birdsong pulled me from my slumber. Stepping out of the tent, I saw Long Xin busy packing things away. Long Qi and Long Zhan looked equally sluggish, yawning constantly, moving as if sleepwalking. To reach the Southern Ridge of Mengzhong as quickly as possible, we had to set out the moment the sky was just bright enough to vaguely make out the path. Breakfast consisted of bread, milk, and water, consumed while we walked. After finishing my bread, I consciously took over Long Zhan’s task of clearing the way ahead.

And so, we pressed on from dawn until the forest was barely visible. To conserve energy, we spoke little during the march. Long Zhan and I mechanically repeated the motions of sweeping and then counter-sweeping, batting aside severed weeds, bushes, and thorns. We only stopped to make camp when darkness fell, setting out again at the first light of the following morning. This routine continued for a full week. Naturally, unexpected incidents occurred. We were frequently ambushed by beasts like wolves or fierce tigers that failed to recognize the danger they were in. However, their greeting was usually Long Qi’s Soul Fire Talisman or Long Xin’s Lightning Strike; they rarely managed to show their heads before being instantly dispatched.

This week could be described as stifling, monotonous, and gloomy. Yet, during this time, I mastered a peculiar skill: my body began to unconsciously execute the mechanical movements of sweeping and counter-sweeping without any deliberate control from my mind. These actions were perfectly standardized and formalized, much like how a normal person doesn't consciously control their feet to walk—everything felt completely natural. While incredible, it was undeniably happening. My endurance also vastly increased; I could hack away continuously for an entire day without feeling fatigued. This astonished me. The notion from the Skeleton Cave—that the mind could turn action into instinct—had actually materialized. It reminded me of the auto-leveling bots used when I played Legend in my past life; my body was functioning like a continuous grinding program! Thus, I unceremoniously dubbed this unique ability the 'AFK Blade Technique.' However, the three members of the Long family stared at me for a good while, looking at me as if I were a freak, which made me quite uncomfortable.

“Um!” Long Zhan asked, curiosity lacing his voice, “Are you not tired?”

“Right!” Long Qi echoed with equal disbelief. “During this period, you’ve been hacking for ten straight hours!”

“And without stopping, without stopping!” Long Xin added, demonstrating an exaggerated chopping gesture.

“Perhaps I hacked too long and my brain’s gone soft,” Ziyue offered a rare joke.

“Maybe so,” I replied, awkwardly rubbing my head. “Long Zhan, your turn. I’m tired now!”

“Heh heh,” Long Zhan chuckled lightly before taking my place.

Two hours later.

“Have you noticed!” Long Xin asked, gazing at us with hesitant eyes. “The surrounding trees seem to be getting shorter, and their density is decreasing!”

“Yes,” Long Zhan nodded slightly. “It’s not as difficult for me to clear the path ahead as it was before!”

“It seems we are quickly leaving the dense thicket of the Woma Forest and entering its core region,” Long Qi stated grimly.

“En,” Ziyue and Ziyun instinctively agreed.

“From this point on! The Woma Forest will reveal its true terrors!” Long Xin said slowly. “Everyone, raise your alertness!”

In truth, based on what I knew from Legend, the central region of the Woma Forest housed the terrifying Woma Temple. The world’s Ranger's Handbook confirmed this, with one key difference: scattered around the Woma Temple were numerous Orc tribes. The Orcs were what we feared encountering most. Though we were confident in our strength, if the Orc forces were too numerous, we would be overwhelmed. Furthermore, the Ranger's Handbook mentioned Orc experts whose power matched that of high-level human Warriors—the Orc Warriors, a name that sent shivers down the spines of all Rangers. Legend held that Orc Warriors possessed astounding divine strength, clad in iron armor, wielding heavy axes; even an ordinary high-level Warrior struggled to contend with them. Yet, the Orc Warrior was not the strongest of the Orcs. Above them existed the even more formidable Orc Chief, whose strength far surpassed that of a regular Orc Warrior. By hierarchical division, the Orc Chief’s power was equivalent to a human Warrior’s in the Chiyue (Red Moon) tier. Even so, within the Orc ranks existed a presence more terrifying and powerful than the Chief: the Beast Emperor. In the world of the Orcs, the Beast Emperor was the incarnation of the God of War. Historically, no human Warrior was known to have defeated a Beast Emperor in a one-on-one fight. For centuries, both Ranger organizations and national armies had attempted to conquer the Woma Forest, but the forest’s nearly impassable wilderness had thwarted every conquest. Countless human elites had ventured into the Woma Forest over the ages, aiming to eradicate the entrenched Orc tribes and seize the treasures hidden within the Woma Temple. These individuals included exceedingly powerful high-level Rangers and elite squads dispatched by the Royal Family. But none ever returned to the human world after entering the Woma Forest. Thus, to this day, the Woma Forest was considered a forbidden ground by all Rangers.

Although we had no intention of seizing the treasures of the Woma Temple, nor even entertaining the idea of approaching the Orc tribes, our sole desire was to slip quietly across this land to its far side. But would reality truly grant us our wish? Honestly, none of us were certain; we could only pray for heaven’s protection.

“I am truly sorry,” Ziyue said, her face etched with guilt. Anxiety and apprehension were easily discernible in her eyes, mixed with a kind of resolute determination that was hard to articulate. Although it felt contradictory, I felt it genuinely.

“Sister!” Ziyun instinctively clutched Ziyue’s hand tightly, clearly trying to suppress the fear churning within him as well.

“Move!” Long Xin commanded decisively, then strode forward to lead the way. It had to be admitted that Long Xin possessed remarkable courage. It seemed Long Qi and Long Zhan obeyed her not just out of a master-servant relationship; Long Xin’s charisma was a significant factor. Sometimes, a leader did not need overwhelming strength, but they absolutely required extraordinary nerve and wisdom. Though Long Xin’s actions now appeared impulsive and immature, her behavior fundamentally shifted the morale of the squad members. At the very least, no one showed any sign of fear. By this standard, Long Xin was a natural-born leader.

Two hours later, Long Zhan had sheathed his Zhanmadao (Cleaving Horse Saber) and was now holding the Xiu Luo (Asura). The path no longer required him to hack through obstacles. Stretched before us was a vast, endless expanse of woodland. Unlike the previous forest, this area contained only delicate grasses, devoid of the thorny bushes and thickets we’d faced earlier. We could even spot herds of grazing animals—gazelles, wild horses, and wild cattle—wandering leisurely across the grassy clearings. Nearby, however, lurked predators like lions and leopards, watching with predatory intent. This scene reminded me of the African savanna from my previous life, only the environment here seemed even more richly blessed: lush grass, dense vegetation. While it lacked the openness, desolation, and rugged air of the African plains, it possessed a heavier, more somber, and lethal atmosphere because conflicts here erupted immediately upon confrontation; neither side would yield an inch. In this world, herbivores were not synonymous with weakness. Whether gazelles, wild horses, or cattle, when attacked by carnivores, their response was not flight, but furious, bloody retaliation. Their only difference was diet—one ate grass, the other meat—but the predator paid a devastating price to secure a kill. We personally witnessed a pride of lions attempting to hunt gazelles only to be gored through the belly by the sharp, thick horns of the crazed herd, their intestines dragged out. The side that ultimately retreated in defeat was the lions. This spectacle left me dumbfounded.

“Heavens, is that even a gazelle?” I muttered. “If the gazelles in Africa were this fierce, the lions there would probably go extinct!”

But the Long family trio and the Ziyue siblings looked on with calm expressions. It was understandable; this wasn't Earth. Perhaps, to them, this was perfectly normal.

Of course, I knew this was not the time for amazement or idle curiosity. I forced myself to stay alert, watching every rustle in the surroundings. Fortunately, we passed through this part of the Woma Forest’s interior without any further sudden incidents, surviving the first day unscathed.

Under the cloak of night, beside the campfire, the bright flames reflected crimson onto our faces. Everyone looked solemn. Not far off, Long Qi scanned the perimeter with vigilance.