There were no more than six rats they had in a temporary knapsack Trino made with the ragged cloth. The same stained one in which Xahi was garbed last night.

The rats struggled to get out of it, and Xahi from the PTSD she got while watching those little things fight for life.

Five of them were caught by Trino, and the last one was by Merino. Xahi seemed agile due to her spindly frame, but she was a snail compared to Merino and Trino. She had similar stature to them but much lower agility. Another reason had been she was adamant about not killing any life form.

"Okay, we can leave now," Trino said to Merino and Xahi as he watched the Antels occupying their assigned seat on the royal carriage.

The thin reused lumber planks, from which the carriage was built, creaked when the envoys of wisdom embarked it. Dry fungus lumped at the edges of the flat wood, which definitely would've been a hatch or a door previously. Now it was a platform to sit, fixed horizontally upon the four wheels, the reason it had been used as a makeshift dinner table.

Trino hung the rats on a stick present there as the supporting fence for passengers in the bullock cart, which had donkeys for bulls.

After confirming the integrity of the carriage when everybody was aboard, Trino nodded and appraised the donkeys at last.

[Northern Pega] (Level 131)

Racial index: 71(Donkey)

Health: 101,448

Stamina: 441

Agility: 233

Strength: 212

Defense: 156

Intelligence: 91

Skills: (Madness Dash), (Sprinter)

It was clear now why Hugo resorted to these donkeys instead of any other horses. They were everything best within their level range without being enticing flesh for monsters.

The racial index, how influential it is to make such a difference? He couldn't help but wonder as his gaze shifted towards Antels, then to Xahi. And just him meeting her eyes made him forget why he was looking at her in the first place.

Merino sighed at the sight while Xahi waited for him to speak as he had paused in that expression which seemed to indicate he would say something.

"Trino, we need to leave," Merino interrupted, taking out the mesmerized Trino back to the world.

"Ah-yes. Before we leave, I need to instruct you on a few things." He shook his head and announced.

What was he going to say? Xahi thought back to the profound look he was giving her just a moment ago. The staring was nerve-wracking to endure. Anyways, Xahi focused on what he was currently saying.

"Although we have come up with a plan to avoid monsters, there is no certainty that we could avoid all of them. I have long-range detection, so we would be able to make out their position and steer clear of them." He grabbed the bridle and sat in front.

Then he continued, "In case one sniffs us out, I will throw rats, lumping them with mana to give them a stronger presence of prey than us."

He opened his mouth again but pursed them up in hesitation.

Merino waited for him to clear his head and tell them the bitter truth that it was gonna be impossible for them to leave the forest with all of them alive. Then her gaze shifted to Antels, making her feel bitter towards herself. Nevertheless, she would sacrifice them all the same for her daughter if need be.

Unlike the mature judgment of her mother. Xahi, on the other hand, "There are things we need to worry about other than monsters?"

"No! It's not that, I will tell you later."

Either way, we aren't gonna get in the combat as long as we are in the Alka region. He dismissed his urge to use appraisal on the party members.

“One more thing, it is imperative to not indulge in fighting with any monsters until we are in the Alka region. It would only spell our doom. No monsters in this region are below level 400. After we cross Alka, we would have no choice but to fight.” His gaze shifted towards the horizon with no peaks, only plateaus. It had a clear sky there, grasslands with scattered woods, and loads of low-level monsters...

“Rest as well as you can while we are on our way out of Alka. We have three days.” He Jerked the bridle leaving the front yard of the cave with the help of galloping donkeys.

***

“It's been hours since the Alarm went off. Shouldn’t we call Ms. Suzane to report it?” The nurse standing behind the doctor asked.

“It’s fine, now that he is stable. I have diagnosed his brain activity multiple times. The distress signal was due to in-game events. Not because of his physical condition. Since Ulteria’s system had already stabilized his mental health, it would be alright to let his sister know about the incident in person rather than stressing her for nothing.” The old doctor in his seventies checked monitor screens docked above the capsule and nodded in assurance.

There was no way for a person to peek or grasp the situation inside the game, just by sitting beside their capsule. The doctor had no info on what transpired in-game to trigger such hysteria in Trino, either, but the medical equipment at least could report it to him.

He then took the digital tablet lying on the table. It lit on his touch and signed in to the interface. The user logged in was Dr. Obrivil.

The tablet, which Suzane checked every day for Phill's vitals, reflected completely different data for the Doctor. The timestamp: 6 PM ± 2hrs 12th September 3521, flashed red in the corner with other details.

It is precisely the same as before. 10 months. Nodding assuredly, the Doctor put the tablet in its place.

“Cell decay rate has been stabilized again. Gratefully the turbulence that occurred hasn’t affected Phill's remaining time.”

If he were a doctor in the ancient era, he would be the worst, with a 100% mortality rate. Dr. Obrivil aimed to prolong his patients’ life and did not fight for it. Cure? There were none who entered the 6th stage and survived, not to talk about the likes of Phill. Everybody dies sooner or later, just painfully if they have Glumotoma or another nasty one.

“Keep him under surveillance. If anything happens, call me.” Dr. Obrivil left.