Chapter 422 Just Try not to Drag Me Down
They said the animals on Shadow Peak were super spiritual, protected by some mountain god. Legend had it that anyone who hunted them would face some serious bad luck. A few skeptics ignored the warnings and hunted rabbits, but they got sick as soon as they got home. Since then, no one dared to mess with the mountain's warnings.
At the mountain's entrance, there were big notice boards telling visitors not to harm the animals or face severe punishment. Halfway up the trail, another board repeated the message.
Rebecca turned to Elizabeth, her voice a mix of curiosity and a bit of fear. "Elizabeth, do you think there's really a mountain god here?"
Elizabeth chuckled, trying to reassure her. "I don't feel anything weird, Rebecca. Just chill. As long as we follow the rules and don't harm any animals, we'll be fine." She figured the mountain god stories were probably just based on some natural stuff happening around here.
Rebecca and the others felt relieved and kept hiking. The air on Shadow Peak was crisp and fresh, and the scenery was stunning. Wildlife was everywhere, with rabbits and squirrels darting around, not scared of the humans at all.
By the afternoon, they found a good spot to camp. There were a few other hikers around, but since it was a weekday, it wasn't crowded. Elizabeth and her friends split up the tasks and quickly set up their tents in a secluded corner away from the other groups. They set up a small gas stove and started cooking with the ingredients they brought.
Elizabeth's cooking smelled amazing, and Raymond and the rest couldn't stop praising her as they dug in.
Meanwhile, Eugene and his five buddies, who had tagged along, weren't as prepared. They sat a bit away, munching on biscuits and feeling pretty envious.
Richard glared at Hubert and Eugene. "You two and your dumb ideas. We came along just to smell the food but can't eat it. Isn't this just torture?" He had suggested not coming, but Hubert and Eugene insisted, saying they were worried about Elizabeth and Rebecca's safety on the mountain.
Richard had argued that with Elizabeth's skills and her status as a master diviner, they'd be fine. But, despite his protests, they dragged him along. Now they were paying for it, hearing Raymond and his friends' happy comments with each delicious bite, while they chewed on dry biscuits.
Hubert laughed despite the situation. "You're too spoiled. You should've been exercising. Just help Elizabeth keep watch tonight, and maybe she'll appreciate it."
Richard rolled his eyes. "If she were moved by something like this, she wouldn't be Elizabeth." Still, he saw some sense in Hubert's suggestion. "Alright, but you two better pull your weight. Rebecca's in the tent, too."
Hubert and Eugene nodded. "Of course."
As night fell, Elizabeth, Nancy, and Rebecca watched the sunset, then entertained themselves with a card game in the tent. By ten o'clock, they called it a night. After her friends fell asleep, Elizabeth quietly slipped out of the tent, having placed a protection spell on it.
Nearby, Eugene and the Clark brothers were playing cards under a night light. Hubert had assured Rebecca they'd keep watch so she could sleep peacefully. Rebecca, skeptical, thought they might run back into the tent at the first sign of mosquitoes. Elizabeth, too, found their actions more silly than touching.
Seeing Elizabeth walking over, Eugene and the Clark brothers got a bit nervous, staring at her. Was she coming to check on them?
Elizabeth walked closer without saying a word. Arnold was the first to speak, "Elizabeth, you don't need to worry about us. Tonight, the five of us will take turns keeping watch, so you can sleep peacefully."
Kevin chimed in, "Yeah, we've got it covered. Don't worry."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, "Come on, with your skills, if you really encounter bad guys, who can you protect? Just try not to drag me down." If that evil wizard showed up, these guys would definitely be a burden.
Arnold and the others fell silent. Elizabeth was still as blunt as ever. Although she was telling the truth, they just wanted to show some effort.
Hubert coughed a few times and muttered, "We just want to help a bit."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him, "It's already good enough that you guys aren't making things worse." She glanced at them and sensed that they were all wearing protective amulets, so their safety was assured.
She said, "I'm going for a walk in the woods, you guys do as you please." She wasn't here to greet them, but they were sitting in the only way out.
Eugene stood up, looking worried. He offered, "It's so late, and you're going into the woods? I'll go with you." Although Elizabeth was strong, it wasn't safe for a girl to walk in the woods so late. He actually wanted to tell her not to go, but didn't dare, fearing she would think he was meddling.
The Clark brothers echoed his offer. "We'll come too."
Elizabeth scoffed, "You'd be more of a liability. I have things to do, don't bother me." Then she raised her fist as a warning, "And don't follow me, or I'll beat you up."
Eugene and the Clark brothers fell silent. Elizabeth was getting fiercer. But why did she look even cuter when she was fierce?
However, Richard had been beaten by Elizabeth before and didn't want to experience it again. He quickly replied, "Alright, we won't follow, but you must be careful."
He emphasized, "If anything happens, call us, and we'll come to you immediately."
Eugene noticed that Elizabeth was annoyed by them following. To avoid making her dislike him more, he had to compromise, "Alright, but be careful, if..."
Before he could finish, Elizabeth interrupted, "Take care of yourselves." Then she couldn't be bothered to talk to them anymore and walked away.
As she disappeared into the darkness, Eugene turned to the brothers and whispered, "Should we follow her secretly?"
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