ATPnovel Chapter 57 Small Waterfall Pool Camp
Chapter 57 Small Waterfall Pool Camp
Roger was utterly exhausted, with a deep soreness in his muscles.
From dawn to noon, he didn't eat a single thing, and he even took experience candies to fight, which greatly depleted his physical strength.
If it weren't for the fact that he had been constantly tempering his body during this period, and that his physical condition was far superior to when he first arrived, Roger would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.
Accompanying him were three burly hunters, all native inhabitants of Duanpo Village, who knew this mountainous region very well.
They followed Roger into the mountains in search of water, and by now they were all panting heavily.
The old hunter wiped the sweat from his brow and pointed to a gentle slope not far ahead, saying:
"Master Rogge, what do you think of that place?"
"The terrain is relatively flat, and the grass is not too tall, so it can be cleared out to build a shed!"
We used to occasionally go into the mountains, and that's where we would always rest!
Roger looked in the direction he was pointing, and it was indeed a nice place.
"Let's go! Let's go take a look!"
The group arrived at a gentle slope, and Rogge scanned them with his Eye of Insight before shaking his head.
"No...we can't choose this place!"
The old hunter paused, a look of confusion on his face. Before he could ask, Roger explained:
"It's so bright and airy here, with no obstructions on three sides. You can even see the smoke from cooking fires from down the mountain!"
"If the pirates catch up, they'll be able to spot us from two or three miles away!"
"Most importantly, there is no water here!"
The water source you mentioned is still quite far away!
The hunters exchanged glances and fell silent.
The old hunter scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled, and asked, "Master Roger, what should we do?"
"Go and check out that dried-up water source you mentioned!" Roger replied after a moment's thought.
"It's further in, the woods are denser, and the path is more difficult to traverse..."
"Let's go take a look!"
As he continued onward, Roger's expression gradually became joyful. Under his feet was a steep slope of more than thirty degrees, which was rugged and difficult to traverse.
The group gritted their teeth and continued upwards, climbing over the steep slope, until the view before them suddenly opened up.
Behind the steep slope is a mountain hollow, with a flat plateau in the middle.
The platform is covered with tall trees, their interlacing leaves forming a natural shade.
This flat area in the woods is enough for hundreds of people to temporarily set up camp!
The only way up the mountain pass was the steep slope they had just crossed; the rest of the path was a cliff several meters high, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack!
Even if the pirates do manage to sneak up, they can use the terrain advantage to defend for a while, or even calmly move to a deeper area from behind the mountain pass!
What surprised Rogge even more was...
Deep in the mountain valley, a blue stone cliff stands in front of you, and a stream of silvery-white water pours down from the cracks in the cliff!
The cliff drop is about seven or eight meters. The water flow is not very rapid. Below the waterfall is a shallow, semi-circular natural pool.
The water in the pool was crystal clear, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a soft glow on the surface.
"This pool hasn't dried up at all!" The old hunter exclaimed in surprise, slapping his thigh.
Roger arrived at the edge of the pool. There were almost no rotten branches or leaves around the pool, and no trace of fish or shrimp swimming.
He reached in and felt a chill spread through him; the water temperature was surprisingly low!
Roger hadn't had a drop of water all day, and his throat was parched. He didn't care about anything else; this pool was clearly a flowing pool!
Roger cupped a handful of clear mountain spring water in his hands and put it in his mouth. The cool water flowed down his throat and tongue, carrying a faint sweetness.
He felt as if the coolness had washed over him, leaving him refreshed and clear-headed!
Roger secretly guessed that the water was too dry to support small fish and shrimp...
Standing up, the huge weight that had been hanging over my heart finally lifted.
This place has terrain that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and if things go wrong, you can move deeper into the mountains and forests. It also has an inexhaustible supply of fresh water!
Aside from having too many trees in the open space, the area is too small for farming.
But this is actually an extremely suitable temporary campsite!
The abundance of trees is not a problem; they just need a lot of timber to build a temporary camp!
It can be considered as using what was available.
"It's settled here!" Roger said decisively.
The hunters exchanged glances and nodded, offering no objection.
……
At noon, when Roger and his companions returned to the clearing in the woods where the women and children had temporarily rested,
Hundreds of villagers crowded into this small open space, and as they walked along, the air was filled with an indescribable stench of sweat.
Roger thought to himself that many of these villagers probably hadn't taken a bath in more than half a year...
Even in an open space, you can smell his sweat!
The atmosphere in the venue was somber, with the shrill cries of children and the suppressed sobs of women rising and falling.
Many women had long since cried their eyes out, sitting on the ground with vacant eyes, as if they had lost all their vitality.
However, despair is not the only underlying theme in the open space.
Around some women, even children whose lips were dry and chapped,
But she sensibly raised her dirty little hand and used her tattered sleeve to wipe away the tears clinging to her mother's eyelids...
Some people have lost relatives, while others have their entire families still alive.
The quiet joy of surviving a disaster intertwines with the profound grief of losing loved ones, creating a vivid picture of human nature.
Many villagers quietly comforted their emotionally distraught neighbors;
Some people took out dry food from their pockets and shared a small amount with the villagers around them who had nothing.
Several toddlers, already able to hold their younger siblings steadily...
In a corner of the open space, more than a dozen wounded militiamen and villagers lay on the ground, groaning and moaning loudly.
Some of them had their arms slashed, others had their torsos struck by falling objects...
Rogge distributed all the remaining experience candies to them.
These candies can enhance physical fitness, but they also amplify the sensitivity of their senses. Under such excitement, pain becomes even more unbearable!
This area is not suitable for camping. It is surrounded by dense forests, with no cover or buffer zone, and no water source!
If pirates were to track them down, the consequences would be unimaginable!
……
Rogge had given the women and children enough time to grieve, but now, the most important thing for these villagers to do is to think about how to survive; survival is the fundamental nature of these villagers.
He walked to the center of the field, took a deep breath, and called out, "Listen up, everyone!"
The villagers all looked up at Roger, a young man they hadn't known much before.
"I know everyone is very sad right now; many people have lost loved ones and homes!"
"But now is not the time for sadness!"
The pirates could catch up at any moment!
This place cannot be defended!
"We have found a suitable campsite, only one kilometer away from here!"
There's clean spring water there, and the location is relatively safe!
"Everyone, hang in there, pack your belongings, we're moving now!"
As soon as Rogge finished speaking, Aunt Slin was the first to stand up and shout:
"Everyone listens to Roger! He saved all of our lives!"
"Yes, we'll listen to Master Rogge!" Old Kui, who was being embraced by his wife, weakly agreed.
Led by Aunt Silin and her group, the villagers, who were initially in low spirits, gradually cheered up and began to hurriedly pack their things.
A few women, who had completely lost their strength due to excessive grief, were helped up and walked by their neighbors.
The injured villagers helped each other up and slowly stood up.
The older children, being even more sensible, ran over and took the reins of their own cattle and sheep.
Some children struggled to carry large and small bags filled with clothes and food, their small bodies bent under the weight, but they gritted their teeth and refused to let go.
Roger stood aside watching all this, his gaze suddenly falling on a teenager who was walking past him.
The boy looked to be only eleven or twelve years old. He was short, with dark skin and a thin build.
He clutched five sheep ropes tightly in his hand, his head down as he walked past Rogge, the five old sheep following him obediently...
Those five old sheep were left behind by their blacksmith shop!
Roger raised an eyebrow in surprise, then shook his head in relief.
The group of several hundred people slowly set off, stretching out in a long line, making their way with difficulty along the rugged mountain path.
That steep slope was indeed difficult to walk on, and many women stumbled and fell. The men stopped to help them carry their luggage.
The cattle and sheep were forcibly dragged up the mountain, and the group finally reached the platform in the ravine.
Without taking a break, Roger immediately began to systematically arrange the work:
"Everyone, don't panic!"
"Aunt Slin, take twenty women to fetch water!" Roger pointed to the direction where they would fetch water.
"Gis, take five villagers to get some water and something to eat. After you've eaten, go to the hill over there to keep watch!"
Be aware of your surroundings. If you notice anything amiss, return immediately to report!
Under Rogge's clear instructions, the originally chaotic crowd became orderly.
The villagers each did their part: some stood guard, others cut down trees to build sheds...
Roger leaned against a pine tree, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
Feeling the cool mountain breeze on his cheeks and looking at the busy scene before him, Roger finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, he suddenly saw the dark-skinned boy leading five sheep up to him...
"Master blacksmith!"
……