A Core Ship From The Start

Chapter 314: Chapter 249 Prisoner_1

For Duanmu Huai and his companions, capturing this Beast Race Nest was minor, after annihilating the Beast Race soldiers here, they proceeded onward— considering the route, as long as they continued along the road ahead, it should lead to the Beast Race Nest.

The Beast Race clearly did not appreciate anyone nearing their nest. In hordes, they launched attacks against Duanmu Huai and his company. Aside from countless Beast Race soldiers, these beasts even made use of the underground creatures they had tamed. However, even those extraordinary sturdy and fierce-looking underground creatures were no match for Duanmu Huai and his party. They essentially cleaved their way through, almost anything blocking their path was razed to the ground.

The ferocious orcs were akin to pigs waiting for slaughter in front of Duanmu Huai, posing no threat whatsoever.

“Who…who exactly are you?”

At this point, Kate looked at Duanmu Huai, her eyes filled with confusion and unrest. In fact, they had become entities beyond Kate’s comprehension. She didn’t understand who exactly these people were and where they came from.

“As I said, you don’t need to know.”

Duanmu Huai suddenly swung his hammer, battering a spider-like underground creature to the ground, then started speaking.

“We’re just doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Either keep your mouth shut or leave. As for other matters, you needn’t know, nor should you know. Do you understand what I mean?”

“…………”

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s response, Kate opened her mouth but was at a loss for words, resulting in an awkward silence. Fortunately, at this moment, Ann’s lively voice sounded, breaking the uncomfortable quiet.

“Sir Knight, Miss Felin said she senses a lot of human presence not far ahead.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Huai raised his eyebrows a bit.

“Let’s go check it out.”

Soon, the party continued, passing through the caves to a relatively spacious cavern. It looked more like a prison with huge iron cages everywhere, and numerous steel-made coffins lurking about.

“Open these.”

As Duanmu Huai spoke, he walked up to a steel coffin, stretched out his hand, and forced it open. Immediately, a ragged man stumbled out, terrified he screamed at the sight of Duanmu Huai—then his eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

“…………”

Observing this scene, Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes and looked toward others.

“Your turn.”

Soon, the girls came forward to open the coffins, only to astoundingly find that there were people captive in the coffins. Male, female, old, and young were among them, even robust soldiers. Additionally, Kate recognized some familiar faces.

“Uncle Balke? You were captured here?”

“Ah, it’s you.”

Hearing someone calling his name, a middle-aged man paused, pulling his head around to glance at Kate. He was the leader of the nomad group that had initially employed Kate as a guard. When the nomad group was defeated by the Beast Race, Kate had assumed he was dead, but he was unexpectedly captured here instead.

Upon examination, most of the captives were from the nomad group. Though Kate didn’t know them well, there were also a few soldiers.

Counting the number of people they saved, it totaled over a hundred. But according to Balke, there initially were more caught, but they were taken away by the Beast Race. Only those who were lucky were left here.

“The rumors were that those beasts wanted to take prisoners for transformation… I cannot even begin to imagine what they plan to do…”

Remembering the scene then, Balke was overcome with fear. He glanced at Duanmu Huai standing not too far and whispered to Kate.

“Kate, who are these people?”

“I don’t know, but they’re here to wipe out the Beast Race.”

“Wipe out the Beast Race? Here? Just these few people??”

“Of course not, they brought thousands; all are formidable warriors…”

Before Kate could finish explaining to Balke, she saw him suddenly turn pale. With foreboding in her heart, Kate looked back, as expected, and saw Duanmu Huai walking towards her.

“Do you need something?”

Even if Kate was a carefree woman, she couldn’t help but get nervous in front of Duanmu Huai. He seemed to be enveloped by an aura that made her shudder. In truth, Kate was constantly trying to recover her composure, so as not to collapse in front of this fearsome black soldier.

However, Duanmu Huai only gave Kate a glance, and then began to speak indifferently.

“I’ve already notified the rear to send another group of people here. They’ll escort them up. In the meantime, these guys are your responsibility.”

“Huh? It’s just me alone?”

“Miss Lorena will also stay here to attend to the wounded….”

However, before Duanmu Huai could finish his sentence, a figure suddenly stumbled out of the crowd and fell in front of him.

“My child, my child, please save my child…!!”

It was a woman, who, at this moment, was weeping bitterly, crying out to Duanmu Huai for help. Duanmu Huai looked at her, frowning slightly.

“Was her child taken by the Beast Race too?”

“This…”

Kate was also unsure, so she directed her questioning gaze towards Uncle Balke, who shivered and hastily shook his head in denial.

“No, no, no, it’s not like that! Sir, please don’t mind her, she’s mentally ill…!”

“Mentally ill?”

“Yes, her child was killed by the Beast Race a long time ago, and then she went mad, looking for her child everywhere… She ran into our tribe on her own…”

“Let Lorena see her.”

Duanmu Huai nodded and spoke to Kate, who quickly understood. She then hurried over to the woman’s side, helping her up with soft words. After a few calming words from Kate, the woman seemed to gradually calm down and was then led over to the side by Kate.

After a brief pause, Duanmu Huai continued leading the others forward, leaving only Lorena’s Angel Team behind – after all, their primary duty was to manage logistics, and dealing with sudden situations like these was part of their responsibility.

The refugees then armed themselves with weapons found on the corpses of the Beast Race around them, grouping together in anticipation of the arrival of reinforcements.

Kate took the woman to Lorena and quietly explained her situation.

“I see…”

After listening to Kate’s explanation, Miss Lorena said faintly, with a hint of sadness.

“I can understand her grief over losing her child. Perhaps she is still immersed in her dreams, reluctant to wake up. At least this way, she can keep deceiving herself, telling herself that her child isn’t gone…”

“Uh… Miss Lorena, can you do anything?”

Honestly speaking, Kate was unsure about Lorena’s capabilities. On one hand, mental illnesses were inherently difficult to treat. Even professional doctors might not be able to cure them. On the other hand, although Lorena, in Kate’s eyes, certainly looked like a priestess dressed in sacred attire, Kate couldn’t forget the sight of her slapping the raging beastwoman’s face with the Holy Canon… It was just a little while ago, wasn’t it?

Kate was somewhat worried that Lorena might just raise the Holy Canon she held in her hands and give the woman a “physical treatment”… Human skulls were not as sturdy as those of the Beast Race! If Lorena were to give it a go, this woman’s head might just burst open on the spot… Uh, if that were the case, she might be able to meet her beloved daughter?

Miss Lorena wouldn’t actually do that, would she!?

Luckily, Lorena did not go for the “physical treatment” that Kate feared she might. Instead, she simply reached out, took the thin hands of the woman, looked into her eyes, and gently said,

“Please rest assured, the light of Deity is willing to shine on every good soul.”

As she spoke, Lorena turned to the Angel of Melody standing behind her.

“I count on you.”

“………”

The Angel of Melody’s a lovely girl with flaxen braided hair, donning a delicate dress. Upon hearing Lorena’s request, she nodded. Then Kate saw her pull out a harp from nowhere and embrace it. Then, as she gently plucked the strings, she began to sing.

“I implore the Gods to listen; I am not here to steal their power and life. All life in this world is special… Without being chosen by destiny, I beg the Gods to grant me hope once more… Even though I am aware that humans are not inherently good, I am willing to bring hope to those who seek redemption………”

The Angel of Melody’s voice was pleasant and clear, seeming to penetrate the soul. Even though she sang in a language Kate couldn’t understand, just hearing this song filled Kate with an inexplicable sense of awe.

Even the refugees, who were initially restless and terrified, gradually calmed down. They cradled their weapons and watched the singing girl, for a moment forgetting all the troubles of the world, immersing themselves in the peaceful and melodious atmosphere.

At this moment, they seemed to have found… the much-missed calm.