Chapter 37: Ash Garlic

They couldn't also leave the Healer here or take her to battle. The military valued the life of every Healer, but this wasn't something Liao Wencheng could say out loud.

"But my squad can track down the poison mage, Hua village is only a small distance from here" said Cao Guang.

"Are you an idiot, didn't the Lieutenant just say that, how are you guys going to cross the distance between the villages with your strength" rebutted a young Sergeant of the Lieutenant's squad.

Cao Guang recognised the person as he taken the exam alongside them.

"Xie Bao, let him finish speaking" the Lieutenant interjected.

"I have figured out a way these villagers use to avoid the Undead out here, my squad will use that and go to Hua Village and ambush the poison mage" said Cao Guang matter of factly.

"Great another quack who thinks he's solved a problem that has vexed Ancient Capital for years. The last idiot who thought same died alone in the midst of the Undead, even his squad refused to retrieve the idiot's corpse. The military had to sent another squad to prevent the guy from becoming an Undead" rebutted Xie Bao again.

"Explain your method to me" Lieutenant Liao gave an order "be quiet for a while Xie Bao".

"I noticed that these villagers don't do much agriculture in these dry lands except for medicinal herbs and Ash Garlic. They then exchange Ash Garlic in Ancient Capital for other food items.

I first thought this was because Ash Garlic was the easiest type of plant that they could grow here but I looked at the geological surveys done by the Magic Association and there are a plenty of vegetables and plants they can grow far easier than Ash Garlic

That's when I realised that Ash Garlic holds some other significance for these villages. I discreetly asked one of the villagers in Ancient Capital and he said to me that the smell of Ash Garlic covers the breath of the living and the Undead will consider you as one of their own as long you don't do anything contradictory"

"Lieutenant you cannot be considering sending this guy's squad out with him, if you order they might follow this guy to die but beleive me there's no way a squad will follow him out to die without an order" Xie Bao added again.

Cao Guang had enough of the guy and said "My squad will follow me if I give the order, shut up learn something you prick"

"What did you say?"

"That's enough, Cao Guang bring your squad if they are willing and take down the poison mage" Lieutenant Liao gave the order.

The Lieutenant clearly had heard about Cao Guang's invention last year and decided to believe him once again.

"Affirmative"

Cao Guang quickly relayed the Lieutenant's orders to his group.

"Ofcourse we will follow out boss, as long as you give us Fenrir so that we can run fast back to this village" smirked Gao Xuan.

"Then, everything eat this fully and stay a bit farther from each other, this stinks " said he handing them an Ash Garlic.

The group set out from the village under the provoking smile of Xie Bao, who all but wished that they didn't return.

The group went at a bit faster than walking and slower than running towards the Hua village. They couldn't use magic as it would attract the Undead.

They also needed to get to Hua village before the mage escaped into the Qinling mountains.

The group jogged for twenty minutes before a run down stone settlement came into sight.

"That's Hua village, Song Xia scout ahead as soon as we get into the perimeter of the village, the Undead won't enter the village but we can't cause too much damage so Gao Xuan and Fenrir will be on damage control. We also need to finish the battle fast".

Song Xia went ahead and scouted using Sound and shadow spells. Her Fleeing Shadow was so quick that any primary mage would struggle to even catch a glimpse of her at night.

Song Xia came back after ten minutes and reported her findings as the group stay hidden in the village perimeter.

" The sick ones are on the verge of death the guy hasn't retrieved the poison yet, I didn't see or hear anyone moving towards the village yet, the mage might be already in the village and won't show themselves until the patients are dead to retrieve the poison "

"That's troublesome"

Cao Guang struggled to make a decision. Do they heal the patients and risk the poison mage never surfacing or do they let the patients die and ambush the poison mage.