Chapter 196 Cloud Hoof
The slopes were pretty steep, but for an Evolving person, it was no big deal. They could even carry William without a hitch.
The Courage Squad was down to five. Besides the Camilla siblings, the other three took turns carrying William and all the gear.
Outside the Land of Death, they might've been respected Evolving persons, but here, they were just trying to survive.
William's wooden staff unleashed a crazy powerful attack.
So powerful that the three one-star Evolving persons felt totally helpless. Just a glance from William filled them with fear.
It wasn't that they were cowards. When someone could kill an Evolving person like you in a snap or take down a stronger level-two monster instantly, you'd realize how small you were.
He could end you with a flick of his fingers. You couldn't resist someone like that.
They carried William, nervously waiting for whatever was next.
Resist? They thought about it, but dropped the idea fast when they found out he was already a two-star Evolving person.
"What's that down there?" Camilla asked.
Her mood improved after a few hours of being down.
She didn't have deep feelings for the Courage Squad members; they only looked after her because she was valuable.
Now that they were dead, Camilla felt a bit out of place. But she quickly found being with William was more comfortable.
As for killing, in the apocalypse, even a soft-hearted girl like Camilla didn't take it as seriously as she would in peaceful times. If Craig and the others had killed William, would Camilla have cut ties with them? No, she wouldn't. Even if Camilla was kind, it was based on certain conditions.
The condition was that she was alive.
William didn't think the gentle girl would stay kind at the cost of herself.
In the apocalypse, no one was noble.
"Cloud Hoof," William replied.
"What's that?" Camilla asked, confused.
William explained, "A type of monster. It looks like cows and horses on Earth, and its four hooves are white, so it's called Cloud Hoof."
As William explained, he looked at the Cloud Hoof herd below, planning his next move.
During his time in Rivercrest Deadland, he had seen Cloud Hoof tracks more than once. He had an idea then, but with limited strength and resources, it wasn't doable.
But Camilla's arrival gave him hope.
She was an Alchemist.
William had just found a material for an alchemy formula he remembered from his past life.
Plus, William was a Gardener.
With these combined, William decided to take a risk despite his injuries—a risk that wasn't too dangerous.
"What is this stuff? The color's pretty. Is it poison?" Camilla asked, holding several bottles of light red potions.
This formula wasn't from a parchment scroll. So, even though she could mix it following William's instructions, it didn't appear in her consciousness with specific info. She mastered a new formula, but it was outside her profession, so making this potion wouldn't boost her proficiency.
Camilla didn't know what it was for, but she knew it must be valuable since each bottle needed a level-two Magic Crystal as an energy source.
This was new territory for her. She was thrilled with success and bummed by failure.
William didn't say anything, knowing they'd find out soon enough.
"And what's this shiny gem in your hand?" Camilla asked again.
"Why do you have so many questions?" William finally snapped.
After being scolded, Camilla stuck out her tongue and stopped asking, but her eyes stayed glued to the Natural gemstones.
All day, William didn't need to hide them. He took out the Natural crystals to process and got two crystals. But luck wasn't as good as yesterday, and he only got two low-level crystals, one water-type and one ice-type.
The upcoming plan still needed the Staff of Nature. The more Natural crystals he had, the better.
The others weren't as calm as Camilla. They lay on the slope, looking at the Cloud Hoof below with pale faces.
Level-two monsters!
Hundreds of level-two monsters!
These fiery red creatures had horse bodies and dragon heads, with a bright white Magic Crystal on their foreheads, a round bony protrusion, bodies over three meters long, broad backs, thick legs, snow-white hooves, and roars like tigers.
The Courage Squad had been scared off by two level-two monsters yesterday. Now, seeing hundreds of monsters of the same level below, they couldn't stay calm.
Only Camilla seemed unfazed.
The former members of the Courage Squad all thought, 'Is William's target those hundreds of level-two Cloud Hoof below?'
'He's crazy; he must be crazy.'
William didn't care about the others. He focused on observing the Cloud Hoof herd and then patrolled other areas of the valley.
After a bit, his eyes locked onto a spot deep in the valley, slightly to the left.
Eggs!
Red eggs!
Even though Cloud Hoof looked like Earth's ungulates, they laid eggs.
William had two goals for targeting these Cloud Hoof. First, the Magic Crystals.
With the rapid evolution of mutated lifeforms, William felt the pressure. He needed to keep up with their evolution speed to stay ahead with his rebirth experience.
Plus, his team needed a significant strength boost after taking over Cloud Peak Base. Many would desire it, preventing them from keeping it.
Secondly, Cloud Hoof were one of the few monsters humans could tame, as William knew from his past life.
Cloud Hoof were omnivores. They ate people but preferred grass and tender leaves. Their combat power wasn't strong, but they were fast and had good endurance. Most of their innate skills were related to speed and burst power.
Later, survivors found out these monsters could be domesticated, so Cloud Hoof became one of the best large-scale mounts in the apocalypse.
William's discovery of Cloud Hoof in Rivercrest Deadland was a pleasant surprise. In his memory, there were no Cloud Hoof here in his past life. It was likely that if not for the butterfly effect of his rebirth changing some things, this place would have been overrun by monsters, killing all the Cloud Hoof.
William didn't dwell on it. He had someone carry him down the slope to a patch of newly sprouted grass near the valley.
"Spread the potion evenly. Cover this whole area," William instructed.
The three Courage Squad members didn't dare slack off. They carefully took the potion and started sprinkling it over the grassland, as meticulously as caressing the smooth skin of a first love.
William turned to Camilla's brother and ordered, "Tom, in a moment, you'll go and lure the Cloud Hoof herd out."
Tom was stunned, not expecting William to ask him to do that.
"It's too dangerous. My brother can't go," Camilla protested. Tom was her only family, and she couldn't let him take the risk.
"Everyone has to prove their worth. No one is obligated to support someone useless," William said coldly.
His words were harsh, but that was how the apocalypse was. Even in the Courage Squad, Tom handled the toughest, most exhausting, and dangerous tasks. Without other skills, that was the best fit for him.
Camilla wanted to argue, but Tom stopped her.
"I know you're not an ordinary person. I also know you want my sister to follow you. May I ask, what can you offer her?" Tom said, his concern clear.
William reassured him, "I do need Camilla for some tasks, but unlike your previous squad, working for me is much safer. Soon, you'll see Camilla become a two-star Evolving person, a three-star, or even higher. She'll become a mid-level Alchemist, a high-level Alchemist, or even higher."
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "She'll live longer and better than most in this damned world."
"How can I believe you?" Tom asked, skeptical.
"You don't need to believe me. Just stay alive and see for yourself," William replied nonchalantly.
Tom and Camilla were both stunned. Tom frowned and said, "You said I would stay alive?"
William calmly replied, "If it were a suicide mission, those three would be more suitable than you. Of course, there's danger. In the Land of Death, it's never truly safe."
The siblings said nothing, processing William's words.
William held their lives in his hands, so there was no need to lie. They didn't doubt his words but hesitated about their ability to accomplish the task.
"Alright, I'll go!" Tom gritted his teeth and agreed. "If anything happens to me, you must take good care of Camilla."
William nodded and handed Tom a potion, saying, "An advance reward."
The siblings were stunned to see it was a bottle of one-star Evolution Elixir.
This was something they had dreamed of. Craig had promised Tom a bottle of Evolution Elixir if they found the materials for the Paralytic Potion before entering the Land of Death.
But now...
Tom looked at William with a complex expression, realizing William had been testing him. If he had refused, he might still follow William, but his and his sister's status in William's eyes would be no different from the other three.
Giving Camilla a reassuring look, Tom drank the Evolution Elixir, feeling the surge of power through his body, and sneaked into the valley.
After the others finished spreading the potion, William walked to the center of the grassland, squatted down, and placed one hand on the ground.
Cultivation began!
