Without a doubt, this stone slab was a vital mission object.

Upon acquiring this object, the trio immediately felt this trip wasn’t in vain. After further careful inspections and affirming they hadn’t overlooked anything, they decided to leave.

Afterwards, they realized the hired natives had each carved off the right thumb of those Ndipaya tribesmen, before crafting them into necklaces where they hung across their necks. They believed the enemy’s strength could be trapped in these accessories.

Before boarding the canoes, Mbenga suddenly sprinted over while hollering ‘wulawula’ loudly.

He then signaled Sheyan while hoisting up a wooden stake and racing back to that larger hut. Then, he smashed those ma.s.sive potteries within and waited momentarily.

Soon after, a sonorous buzzing sound filled the air as hordes of mosquitoes and flies flocked in. Originally when building these huts, the Ndipaya tribesmen had adopted herbal means to concoct herbs that could repel mosquitoes and insects. Yet unknown why, a large cl.u.s.ter of mosquitoes and flies had suddenly been beckoned over.

Observing the commotion, Sheyan abruptly uttered.

"Those ma.s.sive potteries must be storing power substances that can attract insects, smas.h.i.+ng it would naturally allow the smell to fumigate out. But strange, what is Mbenga trying to do?"

After hovering around for a brief while, the mosquitoes and flies didn’t attempt to draw blood from the humans. Instead, they gradually congregated into a queer shape that was a.n.a.logous to an arrowhead.

Mbenga immediately laughed and sprinted towards the direction pointed by that buzzing arrowhead.

After a series of ferocious probing, he managed to excavate a brilliantly s.h.i.+ning object, where he offered to Sheyan with both hands.

Sheyan received it and examined carefully. Instantly, he realized it was a meticulously sculpted beetle; roughly the size of a fist, it was imitated to perfection. It seemed as though each feeler was still faintly trembling, while its surface was coated with a moist corrugation of silver; looking exceedingly delicate.

After toying with it a little, Sheyan received a notification.

[ You acquired a special valuable object of this world: Silver Beetle ]

[ Silver Beetle ]

[ Special valuable object that will only appear in the hidden world: ‘Resident Evil, Origins’ ]

[ Description: This is an Archaeozoic beetle that only resided in a single region even in ancient times. It is long extinct. Buried underground for millions of years, it finally formed into an amber-like crystal. An item of exceptional value ]

[ Value: You can retain it as a souvenir, or exchange it for 20,000 utility points, or 1 achievement point ]

Brother Black and Reef both observed it while clicking their tongues in wonder. Sheyan also finally perceived the principle behind those mosquitoes and flies automatically forming into a direction icon.

Though those insects were enticed in, they would still inevitably be affected by the repellant herbs the Ndipaya tribesmen had installed. Feeling irritated while not bearing to ignore the fragrant allurement produced by the smashed potteries, they would definitely seek out an area with the mildest effect of those herb repellants. Akin to humans encountering a fire, where they would no doubt run towards places without fire.

When the Ndipaya tribesmen had smeared those repellant herbs, they had purposefully left out an arrowhead shape region. Naturally, those enticed bugs would swarm towards that region and form into an arrowhead.

Though this string of cause and effects sounded pretty simple, it was nevertheless a genius move in retrospect. Without knowing out to trigger the relevant mechanism, it would be arduous to uncover this.

Hence, Sheyan began feeling that this was indeed a case of getting what you paid for. The large sum squandered on Mbenga was not without logic. Not only was he an excellent guide, probably his other ability was to discover such purposefully hidden treasures. Henceforth, Sheyan vowed to shower him with more protection.

Without the trio urging, Mbenga himself started touring around the place. Only when he shook his head with disappointment did he hop back into his canoe.

After obtaining the mysterious stone slab, the ‘Pa.s.sage Seal (1/4)’, they planned to raid another village a.s.sembly while the iron was still hot. Because once news of a tiny village being butchered gets out, the opposing parties would heighten their vigilance; setting up traps and tasking sentinels. The difficulty of a.s.saulting would then be raised by 50%.

Brother Black and Reef obviously advocated this method as well. As for the hired natives, their morals were flouris.h.i.+ng immeasurably after not having to make a single move. Naturally, they clamorously yelled in agreement.

Hence, after ma.s.sacring this village but not burning it, they continued advancing towards the next mini village.

After slaying those eight Ndipaya barbarians, Mbenga became noticeably elated and started willingly conversing with the trio.

After a chat, they realized he actually harbored a deep hatred for the Ndipaya tribe. Yet upon asking why, his head spasm aggressively, the scar on his forehead swelled redly and ached terribly. Thus, they reckoned that back when he followed his old Chieftain in, he probably received a severe trauma and experienced selective memory loss to such matters.

At present, Sheyan could roughly figure out Mbenga’s condition. This guy probably belonged in the same category as goblins, being cow milkers that wouldn’t be influenced by charm or others. The only thing that affected his att.i.tude, was to carry out slaughters of these Ndipaya barbarians. The more Ndipaya tribesmen slaughtered, the greater his favourable impression towards them was and subsequently the effort he would put.

After leaving this village, Mbenga then pointed a specific direction to the trio. Yet after rowing for 200 metres, his earlier bloodrush caused him to experience a searing headache. Hugging his head in bitterness, his forehead scar swelled with redness once again. This time, it even dripped out blood, causing the onlookers to feel rather worried.

After drinking down gulps of rum from Sheyan, Mbenga finally regained some vigor as he panted heavily. Then, he instructed the canoes to detour towards the west.

*********************************

At present, the night was far spent. Though the place still enshrouded with dim mist, the most active croaking of toads in this marshland gradually extinguished.

The surroundings became additionally tranquil, and only the swoos.h.i.+ng sounds of rowing water by the carelessly crafted wooden paddlers could be heard.

After that victory, the natives under Sheyan were thriving with morale. They would occasionally brandish their pikes and weapons to celebrate.

All of a sudden, lines of embers surfaced from afar. Though weak, those embers continued burning within Sheyan’s retina, causing him to quiver. Sheyan immediately raised his hand, as everyone ceased paddling.

In the silence, Mogensha began scouting out the situation ahead with his ‘SN-9 Wasp’s' scope. Very quickly, he reported.

Those embers were lit torches that were inserted into railings. Nevertheless, he didn’t see a single night patrol. However, if the Ndipaya tribesmen had the habit of night hunting, then those torches were probably akin to the lighthouses of today – a convenient guide for their venturing tribesmen to return home.

Since that was so, Sheyan contemplated as he scanned the surrounding terrain. Afterwards, he ordered to detour towards the lateral sides of this Ndipaya village. Though this would be a long process, they could maximize the chance of avoiding discovery by the illumination of those torches.

At their current state, the trio had already attained a common understanding – These outer Ndipaya barbarians were still manageable.

However, because of the high chances of contracting diseases while engaging in close combat, it was best to a.s.sa.s.sinate a few while not being infected by diseases yet. With their optimal state now, they would try their utmost to lessen Mogensha’s burden later on! Minimally, they at least had to hit away those wielded s.h.i.+elds.

This Ndipaya village was constructed in the middle of a dry plot of land, that was slightly elevated from the waters of the marsh. This land was narrowly shaped and stretched far into the distance, and thus if the trio wished to detour towards the back of this village, it would be a long and far journey.

Nevertheless, Sheyan reckoned that this would be worth it. Even if he could enhance the success of this sudden raid by 1 percent, he would still do it.

However, after cruising down this sandbank for nearly 1 kilometre, Sheyan suddenly noticed a churning amidst the dark waters to the right of his canoe.

At first, he thought he was seeing things. Yet suddenly, a wave of unexplainable bone piercing danger came sweeping towards him from the right.

Waters splashed out from the right, as the nauseating muddy stench pierced in!

With calamity at his doorstep, Sheyan only managed to force himself to turn slightly.

Instantaneously, a pulse of unstoppable force struck his right arm, as he immediately lost control of his feeling and mobility. With a height of nearly 1.8 metres and a weight of 80 kilograms, Sheyan was like a tiny pebble being struck away!

This attack was excessively abrupt and rapid, as Sheyan soared through the mist for 7-8 metres, and landed on a gigantic Blackclay mushroom that only grew in this Kijuju marshland.

These fungi that grew on decaying matter and rot were immensely famous here. When Sheyan landed on the mushroom cap of this gigantic black fungus, he immediately flattened it into a smashed up pulp. His body was bundled in the mushy paste of mushroom and mucus. After a brief while, he finally regained his breath as he coughed violently.

Yet after utterly flattening the mushroom cap and receiving its cus.h.i.+oning, Sheyan rolled off as he struggled while rolling involuntarily for 6 metres within this swamp. One could notice unripened spores pattering down from the remnants of the mushroom cap of this Blackclay mushroom. In a flash, the ground beneath was covered with a thick layer of spores.

When Sheyan finally recovered his senses, his first reaction was to check his right arm, because though it had been initially numbed, it was now transmitting a searing pain!