Ethereal Life, Chapter 32: Argar Caravan Meets Noodle Man

Foolish.

They had been ordered to be quiet, and here is an idiot asking a stranger with a rather loud voice.

What's more, he was stuttering. Wouldn't that give the other party the cue that they were afraid and low on morale?

They were already in a disadvantageous situation; now this fool added more things to the bowl. How could they bluff their way out?

Argar suddenly felt the funny feelings he had all along vanished. Replaced by anger surging out of his cold heart towards his pig teammate.

He really wants nothing more than to punch that fear-streaked face into pulp. Just where did this man come from?

Okay, you thought I'd given up? I showed you my shameful side. Yep, I acted like I'd given up, but no!

That was just an act! Fool! It was all but a faux pass to gather those told by lore out slowly. All of you are fools! You all deserve to die!

What you've done is nothing more than gather them all at once! Now they know you're afraid! They'll come in full force.

Since it came to this, then well, stop pretending the act.

Hahahah

I'm just joking. To tell all of you the truth.

I did lose it.

"Well, kill our way out! Continue the journey! Even if we had to live under the enemy's roof just to survive!" Argar shouted as he stood up and readied his spear.

The direction the figure came from was on their back. That means, they been following them long ago.

Bador followed as he shouted, not bothering to whisper anymore. "Don't let the bonfire get destroyed! It's our light in the darkness. "We lost it, and we'll be finished!"

"Yes!" "Yes!" "I'm on it!"

"Leave it to me!"

Amidst their fear, they stood tall. "No matter what happens from now on, Be prepared to kill or be killed!" Bador shouted at the top of his lungs.

These people didn't care anymore about the place they were in. Since they were already in danger, why bother anymore?

In the next moment, a tall man who looked like he was stretched like noodles walked out of the fog.

The bonfire's orange-yellow light shone on its creepy-looking, pale, smiling face. Don't mention the smile; just the fact that it reaches its ears is enough to creep anyone out.

Not to mention its crescent-upturned eyes that looked like it was observing its food.

"Ahhhhhhh—" Someone couldn't take the toll and screamed in fright. This caused the already nervous and tense nerves in everyone to trigger simultaneously.

Almost all of them have decided to run.

"Run! We can't beat it! Ahhhhhhh!" 

"Elder, I'm sorry, but I'm not fighting that thing!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—" Pah! Bador slapped the man, who had been screaming like a pig and was just now awake.

The crisp noise and pain he felt made the former regain a bit of his sanity. Then he asked as though he wasn't here. "It's real?" 

"It's real."  Bador nodded.

The man was silent, then he asked once again. "Can it be killed?"

"Can." Bador confirmed it, even if he hadn't tried. That is because all things aren't invincible. They would die at some point, and if one hole wasn't enough, he would just make more.

"Alright, let's go." As he thought, he found courage, or maybe he had already broken down to the point that he saw the happenings around him as mere dreams.

Argar silently walked forward. His decision was already known. "I'll take the front. Bador! Take the side; aim at its head."

"Alright." Bador started running to the side. Followed by the man with a broken mind wielding his stone spear.

Argar took a deep breath as he calmed his rapidly beating heart. Adrenaline pumped up between his veins, crashing his nerves numb with unprecedented strength.

"Although I'm not extraordinary, I'm still the elder of my village! Let's die together, you beast!" Two feet stepped hardly on the grassy land, pushing himself forward to gain momentum.

In this straight line, he knows that once he runs straight at it, There will be no going back.

"Trade blows with me! AH!" With a spear in hand. He made use of the weight of his body to hold the stone spear.

Five steps....

"Throw the spear!" Bador shouted not far to the side.

However, the Argar didn't even listen. Another stepped forward.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"  Bang!  Spurt— 

The mental man was the first to dive in; his spear broke to pieces. The bizarre noodle man used his long hand like a whip to send the mental man flying with broken bones.

Blood spurted out in midair as the man landed like a broken doll. His life is unknown.

Bador didn't miss the opportunity when the enemy's attention was on the other person, as he immediately ran with his upper body so low that he looked like a cheetah as he neared it.

Unfortunately, the moment when the spear he was holding was about to pierce through the noodle man's body The latter suddenly bent and avoided his spear like some kind of gymnast.

Seeing it turn over like a boneless man, creep crawled to Bador's whole body. Making his hair stand on end.

"It's over... I miscalculated the fact that it looked flexible." Bador muttered in his heart, his body still leaning forward from the momentum he had created.

Crack...

His vision turned dark as he was sent flying like a ragtag doll ten meters away. A pool of blood slowly spread out of him.

Puchi—

Argar breathed heavily.

He hit it. The spear he used to use his body as additional weight has pierced through the noodle man's flexible body.

Instead, there's no blood flowing. There's this sound of water gurgling inside. When he was about to take the stone spear out of its body.

An unexpected situation occurs. His vision blurred, and he lost sight of his surroundings.

He seems to see something black and rusty gleaming on the noodle man's mangled body.

Then he—

Then there's no then. Everything turned dark for him.

We failed, huh? Bador coughs up blood on his dying bed. Seeing his best friend get split into two by a swing of the noodle man's arms

Since the very beginning, they were doomed to die when they traversed the grassland due to the existence of the fog.

What they're doing is just an attempt to change their already-decided destiny.

"Farewel-l.....my f-friend." Numb, Bador closed his eyes as half of his face sank into his own pool of blood.

The noodle man looked down on its pierced, mangled skin. It was smiling, but not at the same time. Then it looked at the three dead men around it.

Suddenly, it walked forward happily, as though it had found a new costume.

...

The others who were running away towards the deep darkness and fog along the way weren't spared.

"Ahhhhhh no! Get away from me!"

"Let me go! I'll leave my things here! Please spare me! Ugh— Ahhhhhhh!"

Screams and pleading keep resonating inside the fog. The bonfire kept on flickering amidst the bloody scene it had witnessed at the end of its glow.

At the same time, two pairs of eyes opened up inside the two carts loaded with large jars and pots.

Fear was apparent in their eyes. They didn't dare move or breathe too heavily for fear of being found out.

When the noise outside finally quieted down, They know that they're the only ones remaining who remain alive.

Their hearts sank in despair. The powerless hand they could only wrap around their knees was shaking imperceptibly.

They wonder if they can even get out of this place alive. Is there anyone who has successfully run away from the fog?

Even if there is, with the night still there. The grassland is dangerous and has a low chance for them to survive.

Suddenly, the cart moved. It was as though it were being lifted and pulled on the grassland.

The two pairs of eyes didn't move or take a peek outside. They can only stay still to survive.

Because it's too quiet.

Not even a muttering of someone alive. They wonder if it's the water buffalo who is moving the cart once again.

But the cart was clearly unshackled. So who could use those vines on the log on the mount's neck to bind them back?

Is there really someone alive? Their hearts were shouting with hope.

However, for safety's sake, They didn't dare gamble on it.

They can only remain like that for a few hours. Until the day comes when the heat of the sun warms up the jars and pots,

The movement has long stopped.

They finally picked up the courage and opened the lid. Then they saw no one. Fog still lingers around. But it was much fainter now.

The two looked at each other before they silently took out their bags and took all the food and water with them in the jars.

By the time they'd gathered them all, they looked at each other calmly. Their gloomy eyes seem to say, "Survive to tell the tale."