Chapter 74 - 074: Settlement

The three beastmen watched them until they disappeared among the trees.

Anaria walked beside Kenai and Kai, keeping the small object the beastman had given her hidden inside her palm. She glanced behind them once before turning her attention back to the path.

The baby stirred against her chest, making a small sound.

Anaria adjusted the cloth around the child and looked down.

"Are you hungry already?" she asked softly.

The baby moved again, pressing closer to her. Kenai glanced at them and smiled. "We should stop soon."

"We will," Anaria replied. "Just a little farther."

They continued walking until the settlement was far enough behind them that Anaria felt safe speaking to the system.

"System, what exactly did that beastman give me?"

A familiar chime sounded in her mind.

[Analyzing item.]

[Item identified: Beastman’s Trail Stone.]

[The Trail Stone is an old hunting tool used by beastmen to recognize safe routes through dangerous territories.]

[It can react to traces of corruption and guide its holder toward paths with a lower concentration of corrupted energy.]

Anaria looked down at the small, smooth stone in her hand.

"So it can help us avoid those corrupted areas?"

[Correct.]

[The Trail Stone cannot locate a specific person. However, it can help the host and her companions travel through dangerous regions while reducing the chance of encountering heavily corrupted areas.]

Anaria smiled slightly.

That’s actually useful. She closed her fingers around the stone and slipped it into her bag.

Kai noticed the movement. "What did he give you?"

"Something that can help us find safer paths," Anaria answered.

Kai nodded. "Then we should keep it safe."

Ananria nodded at him.

They continued until the trees began to thin.

By late afternoon, they finally saw signs of the settlement.

A few rough wooden structures stood between the trees, but the place looked strangely quiet. There were no children running around, no hunters returning with food, and barely any voices.

Kenai slowed down."This place looks abandoned and it doesn’t look safe "

Anaria looked around. "Not completely."

As they moved closer, several beastmen appeared from between the huts. They looked thin and exhausted, and some carried spears as they approached cautiously.

One of them raised his weapon.

"Stop there," he warned.

Kenai immediately stepped forward, but Anaria placed a hand against his arm.

"We aren’t here to fight," she said.

The beastman studied them before lowering his spear slightly.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"We met three of your people in the forest," Anaria explained. "They were affected by the strange berserk condition, but I was able to help them."

Several of the beastmen exchanged surprised looks.

"You met them?" another man asked.

"Yes. They are safe now."

The tension in their faces eased.

One older beastman stepped forward. "Then you are the one who saved them."

Anaria nodded.

The man looked relieved, but his expression quickly became sorrowful.

"We thought they were lost."

"What happened here?" Kai asked.

The older beastman looked toward the settlement.

"Too many people disappeared."

He swallowed before continuing.

"Some went into the forest and never returned. Others came back changed. They became violent and attacked anyone who came near them."

Anaria’s expression hardened.

"So this happened to many of your people?"

"Yes," the beastman replied. "We have been losing people for some time."

A sudden cry came from Anaria’s chest.

She looked down as the baby began squirming restlessly. "Oh, you’re hungry."

She shifted the child carefully.

Kenai looked at the settlement’s inhabitants. "Is there somewhere she can sit?"

The older beastman quickly pointed toward one of the huts.

"You can rest there, it’s neat and a little manageable."

Anaria thanked him and went inside with Kenai and Kai.

She had barely settled down when the system chimed.

[Warning.]

[Corrupt energy detected within the settlement.]

[Immunity activated.]

[Host and registered companions are now immune to the effects of the corrupted area.]

Anaria’s eyes widened.

Registered companions?

[Kenai and Kai are included.]

She breathed out in relief.

At least they would not suddenly become affected.

After feeding the baby, Anaria noticed movement outside. Several settlers were gathered around another beastman who was lying on the ground.

He was shaking violently.

Anaria stood immediately.

"What happened to him?"

"He became sick this morning," one of the women answered. "His body has been acting strangely since then."

Anaria carried the baby against her chest and stepped outside.

The system chimed again.

[Emergency Task Activated.]

[Task: Help the affected settlers.]

[Objective: Treat and soothe three affected beastmen.]

[Reward: 500 system coins and one random healing item.]

Anaria looked at the struggling beastman.

"Move back," she told the others.

The settlers obeyed.

She knelt beside him and placed her hand against his forehead.

"Easy," she murmured. "You’re safe."

The beastman snarled weakly, but Anaria continued soothing him.

The violent tension in his body slowly began to fade.

One of the settlers stared in disbelief.

"She calmed him."

Anaria kept working until his breathing became steady.

Then she moved to the next affected person.

By the time the sun began to lower, three settlers had been treated.

The settlement was still struggling, but for the first time in a while, several people were no longer afraid of losing another member of their community.

[Task completed.]

[500 system coins received.]

[Reward received: Minor Healing Elixir.]

Anaria smiled faintly.

Then she turned toward the older beastman.

"There is something I need to ask you."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Wolfrine. Do you know where it is?"

The older beastman exchanged a glance with the others.

"Wolfrine?" he repeated.

"Yes," Anaria said. "We need to get there."

The beastman pointed toward the northern side of the settlement.

"Wolfrine is far from here. You won’t find it by following the main forest path."

Anaria listened carefully.

"There is an old hunting trail behind the western ridge," he continued. "It leads toward the river. Follow the river north until you reach a wide stone valley. From there, you will find the path leading to Wolfrine."

Kai frowned.

"How long will it take?"

"If you travel without stopping, perhaps two days."

Anaria looked at Kenai.

Two days was not ideal, but at least they finally had a direction.

"Is the route safe?" she asked.

The beastman shook his head.

"No route through that region is completely safe anymore. But the old hunting trail is better than the main path."

Anaria remembered the Trail Stone inside her bag.

That made her feel slightly more confident.

Kenai glanced at the darkening sky.

"We should leave now."

The older beastman looked surprised.

"Now? It will soon be dark."

"We can’t stay here," Anaria replied. "We have somewhere we need to reach."

Kai nodded. "And the longer we wait, the farther the people we’re looking for could get."

The older beastman did not question them.

"Then at least take some food."

A few settlers quickly brought them dried meat, roots, and water.

Anaria accepted the supplies.

"Thank you."

The baby suddenly began crying against her chest.

Anaria looked down immediately.

"Alright, alright. I know."

She gently rocked the child.

Kenai smiled as he watched her. "The little one has been patient all day."

"She has been patient enough," Anaria replied.

Kai took the bag from her shoulder.

"Give me that. You already have the baby."

Anaria handed it to him.

After settling the child, she looked around the struggling settlement one last time.

The sight bothered her.

So many people were missing. Those who remained looked frightened and exhausted.

She wished she could stay longer, but Rylan was still out there.

And every moment mattered.

The older beastman approached her before they left.

"You saved our people today," he said. "We cannot repay you properly."

"You don’t need to," Anaria replied.

"You still helped us when you could have simply walked away."

Anaria smiled.

"Then stay together. Take care of the people who are still here."

The beastman nodded.

"We will."

Kenai stepped beside Anaria.

"We should go."

Anaria adjusted the baby against her chest and nodded.

"Let’s go."

They followed the path toward the western ridge.

The settlement slowly disappeared behind them as they entered the forest again.

After a short distance, Anaria pulled out the Trail Stone.

It remained cool in her palm.

A faint warmth appeared from one side of the stone, pointing toward a narrow path hidden between the trees.

Anaria smiled.

"This must be the hunting trail."

Kai looked at it with interest.

"Then we found our way."

Kenai looked ahead.

"Wolfrine is waiting."

Anaria tightened her hold on the baby and stepped forward.

They had finally found the direction they needed.

Now they only had to reach it.

Without looking back, Anaria, Kenai, Kai, and the baby disappeared deeper into the forest, heading toward Wolfrine.

The journey took longer than Anaria had hoped, but by the second day, the forest finally began to change.

The thick trees became less crowded, and the path beneath their feet grew wider. They started seeing signs that they were getting close to a large settlement. There were footprints everywhere, along with old carts, animal tracks, and marks left by travelers.