Book 1 Chapter 27 The Retreat and the Horned Problem
…
The Bull-Gorilla came to a skidding halt, its massive fists—each the size of a small cooking pot—scraping the dirt. It roared again, a sound of pure, unadulterated primal rage. The ground trembled beneath Rowan's feet.
Hostile Entities Detected. Engaging Automatic Battle System.
[Han Rowan (Level 2). HP: 3/3/3/3/3/3. Qi: 5. Status: Normal.]
[Opponent: Bull-Gorilla (Martial Body Level 4): HP 4/4/4/4/4/4. Status: Enraged.]
The battle system, true to its name, was instantly activated. Rowan felt a surge of energy—less a conscious thought, more an involuntary reaction—as the Wooden Sword and the Stone knife blinked on the spot as if they were saying that they were ready to strike. The Wooden Shield automatically snapped to his left forearm, its humble +25 defense value offering a cold reassurance.
"Right then, you oversized, horny ape," Rowan muttered, his phlegmatic demeanor slightly strained by the impending terror. "Let's see if your hide is tougher than my digital papercuts."
The gorilla seemed to have been provoked as it suddenly charged at Rowan. As soon as it entered the range of his weapons, the bags activated.
The system made the first move. The Wooden sword swung in a rapid, chopping arc, immediately followed by the shorter, sharper jab of the Stone knife. The Bull-Gorilla, though massive, was surprisingly fast, its body an engine of brutalized momentum.
System Log (Attack 1):
Wooden sword attacks Bull-Gorilla. Damage: 3. Bull-Gorilla (Body) HP: 4 → 1. Stone knife attacks Bull-Gorilla. Damage: 4. Bull-Gorilla (Right Arm) HP: 4 → 0. [Severed]
The result was astonishing, even to Rowan. The wooden blade landed on the Gorilla's thick torso, drawing a deep, smoking furrow and making the beast stagger. But the Stone knife, boosted by its small infusion of Qi (1.2 Qi from the weapon), struck the Bull-Gorilla's right forearm just as it was winding up a blow, severing it cleanly at the elbow.
The beast didn't register pain so much as shock. Its severed arm, still clutching a clump of dirt, tumbled to the ground.
The Bull-Gorilla shrieked, a sound of frustrated disbelief, and its remaining massive, club-like left hand swept toward Rowan in a furious retaliatory strike aimed at his head.
System Log (Retaliation 1):
Bull-Gorilla attacks Han Rowan. Base Damage: 12. Wooden Shield activates. Block 10 Damage. Damage taken: 2. Cooldown: 3 seconds.
Rowan did not expect that the Bull-Gorilla would have such power, even though it is only equal to a level 4 Martial Body cultivator. He now knew that beasts are truly stronger than humans. The damage was sent towards his head, which now rings, making him feel a bit dizzy.
The hit was catastrophic. The system's translation of "Stunned" for the head slot, in reality, was the equivalent of being hit by a small, moving wall. The blow glanced off the top edge of the Wooden Shield, which instantly shattered into splinters and disappeared back into the Sackcloth inventory (its defense value consumed, leaving Rowan with only his mysterious vest armor for passive protection). The force, however, was enough to send Rowan reeling backward, his vision swimming, before he slammed headfirst into the cluster of jagged rocks.
System Log (Damage & Effect):
Han Rowan (Head) HP: 3 → 1. Status: [Stunned, Crippled]. Thorn from Pouch activates. Damage: 1. Bull-Gorilla (Body) HP: 1 → 0. [Stunned]Thorn from Sackcloth activates. Damage: 1. Bull-Gorilla (Body) HP: 0 → -1. [Stunned]
The absurdity of the moment was not lost on Rowan, even through the roaring white noise in his skull. The Bull-Gorilla, which should have just instantly pulverized him, paused, clutching its newly-severed arm stump, before two ethereal spikes—the automatic damage reflection from the Thorns—pricked its torso. The beast, already reeling from the massive blow to its body (HP 4 to 0), dropped its hands and stumbled backward, its large, terrible head wobbling.
It was stunned by an invisible spike... and I'm technically decapitated but still standing. Rowan's internal monologue was a symphony of chaos.
…
Rowan was still technically standing, but his movements were uncoordinated, his legs rubbery. The Bull-Gorilla, however, was in a far worse state. It was a one-armed giant creature with a severed limb and a body HP of 0.
The Red Fruit kicked in, instantly beginning to counteract the damage.
System Log (Red Fruit Activation - 0 seconds):
Red Fruit activates. Heal 3 HP. Healing applied: Han Rowan (Head) HP: 1 → 3. Status: [Normal]
The stunning pain in Rowan's head vanished instantly, replaced by a warm, deeply satisfying wave of complete physical repair. Thank the system for non-consumable digital healing items, he thought, adjusting his stance. His head, which had momentarily been 'severed' in the system, was now fully operational. The body part with the lowest HP always received the healing first.
The Bull-Gorilla, its body HP zeroed out but not quite dead, started to recover from the stun. It let out a frustrated growl.
"Wait a minute… This guy is still not dead?!" Rowan shouted internally as he saw the Bull-Gorilla shake its massive head.
The automatic battle system, seeing the windows of opportunity, activated the weapons again. The Wooden Sword (Cooldown: 1.8s) and Stone Knife (Cooldown: 2.1s) were now ready to strike. The Wooden Sword was slightly faster.
System Log (Attack 2):
Wooden sword attacks Bull-Gorilla. Damage: 2. Bull-Gorilla (Left Leg) HP: 4 → 2. Bull-Gorilla attempts to retaliate. Due to [Crippled] status, the attack is delayed. Stone knife attacks Bull-Gorilla. Damage: 3. Bull-Gorilla (Left Leg) HP: 2 → -1. [Severed]
The Bull-Gorilla roared, a sound now tinged with panic, as its massive left leg buckled. The Stone knife had shredded the muscle and bone, leaving the monster unbalanced and listing heavily to one side. It was down to one functional arm and one functional leg.
The beast's massive one-armed swipe came in low, aimed at Rowan's torso. Rowan instinctively ducked, but the system had its own plans.
System Log (Retaliation 2):
Bull-Gorilla attacks Han Rowan. Base Damage: 8. Mysterious Vest Armor (+2 Defense) reduces damage. Total Damage: 6. Han Rowan (Left Leg) HP: 3 → 0. [Severed]
Rowan felt a crushing, agonizing impact on his left thigh. The pain was immediate and absolute, tearing the muscles and sending him to his knees. The system's immediate, brutal diagnosis of [Severed] meant that his left leg was now functionally useless, dangling numbly.
System Log (SpringWater Activation):
Springwater activates. Heal 5 HP. Healing applied: Han Rowan (Left Leg) HP: 0 → 3. Status: [Crippled] on the Left Leg persists due to severe initial injury, but functionality has been restored.
The healing was instantaneous, the pain retreating from an inferno to a manageable, deep ache. He could move the leg again, but it felt like raw meat wrapped around a bone—the system's way of saying don't push it. He struggled back to his feet, using the now-useless stump of the Bull-Gorilla's right arm lying nearby for leverage.
The monster, seeing Rowan momentarily down, attempted to stomp with its good right leg, a ground-shaking maneuver aimed at his vulnerable lower half.
System Log (Retaliation 3):
Bull-Gorilla attacks Han Rowan (Right Leg). Base Damage: 8. Mysterious Vest Armor (+2 Defense) reduces damage. Total Damage: 6. Travel Bag (10% chance to heal 5 HP every 20s) activates! Healing incoming.Han Rowan (Right Leg) HP: 3 → 0. [Severed]Thorn from Pouch activates. Damage: 1. Bull-Gorilla (Right Arm) HP: 4 → 3. [Normal]
Rowan's right leg met the Bull-Gorilla's foot. The result was the same as the last time—crushing pain, followed by the terrifying designation of [Severed]. He was falling.
But just as his vision started to dim from the pain, the Travel Bag, his humble four-coin accessory, chose that exact, statistically improbable moment to pay out.
System Log (Travel Bag Activation):
Travel Bag effect activates. Heal 5 HP. Healing applied: Han Rowan (Right Leg) HP: 0 → 3. Status: [Normal]
The healing flow was relentless, a digitized stream of medical intervention. Before the inertia of the impact could put him on the ground, his right leg was knit back together, functional, albeit still wobbly. He looked like a puppet whose strings were constantly being cut and retied by an invisible, highly efficient lunatic.
The Bull-Gorilla was enraged. It had cleaved two of the human's legs, only for him to spring back up like a particularly stubborn piece of toast. It abandoned attempts at crushing and opted for a wild, blind, downward strike with its massive, remaining left hand, aimed squarely at Rowan's face.
Rowan, momentarily in control, threw his body sideways, the system using the last of the weapon cooldowns to initiate a frantic, defensive counterattack.
System Log (Attack 3 - Defensive Blitz):
Wooden sword attacks Bull-Gorilla. Damage: 1. Bull-Gorilla (Head) HP: 4 → 3. Stone knife attacks Bull-Gorilla. Damage: 2. Bull-Gorilla (Head) HP: 3 → 1. [Stunned]Bull-Gorilla attacks Han Rowan (Body). Base Damage: 14. Mysterious Vest Armor (+2 Defense) reduces damage. Total Damage: 12. Wooden Shield activates. Block 10 Damage. Damage taken: 2. Cooldown: 3 seconds.Han Rowan (Body) HP: 3 → 1. [Stunned, Crippled]Thorn from Pouch activates. Damage: 1. Bull-Gorilla (Right Arm) HP: 3 → 2. [Normal]Thorn from Sackcloth activates. Damage: 1. Bull-Gorilla (Right Arm) HP: 2 → 1. [Stunned]
The combined attack was successful in targeting the beast's head, dropping its HP to 1 and initiating a deep stun. The Bull-Gorilla's powerful burst of strength attack still landed, hitting Rowan's torso, reducing his body HP to one and stunning him again. He collapsed, spitting dirt. The world spun.
System Log (Red Fruit Activation - 8 seconds):
Red Fruit activates. Heal 3 HP. Healing applied: Han Rowan (Body) HP: 1 → 3. Status: [Normal]
Rowan felt the familiar rush of warmth, and the agonizing ache in his torso dissipated. He could breathe normally again. He was fine. He looked up.
The Bull-Gorilla, one-armed, leg-severed, and critically stunned with only 1 HP remaining in its head, was swaying drunkenly. It was trying to pivot to face him, but its remaining leg couldn't find purchase, and it kept turning in a slow, pathetic circle.
The Wooden sword and Stone knife were moments away from being ready. This was the final exchange. Rowan forced himself to watch the system complete the process.
System Log (Attack 4 - Final Blow):
Wooden sword attacks Bull-Gorilla (Head). Damage: 3. Bull-Gorilla (Head) HP: 1 → -2. [Severed]
The final wooden-blade strike, backed by the sheer, stubborn focus of the automated system, sliced into the monster's neck. There was a sound like a wet towel snapping, and the Bull-Gorilla's massive body shuddered once, twice, and then crumpled to the ground, a heap of black fur and horn, completely lifeless.
Silence descended, broken only by Rowan's ragged breathing and the gentle chirping of crickets, seemingly unfazed by the titanic battle that had just concluded.
System Log:
Hostile Entity: Bull-Gorilla (Martial Body Level 4) Defeated!EXP Gained: 10. (Current EXP: 139/200)System Coin Gained: 5. (Current Coins: 6)Option Available: Sell Bull-Gorilla Corpse for 5 System Coins.Sackcloth Effect: Item Thorn (1x1) generated.System Status: Han Rowan (Level 2). HP: 3/3/3/3/3/3. Qi: 5. Status: Normal. All HP restored.
Rowan sighed, standing amidst the bloody ground and the rapidly disappearing limbs of the Bull-Gorilla. His clothes were torn, he was covered in dirt, but he was completely, physically sound. The system was a strange, terrifying miracle. He had just survived a fight with a creature many times his level above him by essentially letting a digital assistant play a life-or-death video game on his behalf, all thanks to the non-consumable nature of his gear and the relentless utility of the Red Fruit, Springwater, and Travel Bag's healing.
A very hard battle, he confirmed, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. That was less "fight" and more "wait for the automated medical system to out-heal the enemy's damage."
He looked at the Bull-Gorilla's massive, prone form.
"Corpse sale initiated," Rowan muttered, accepting the offer. The massive, 3-meter creature vanished in a flash of digital light, leaving only a flattened patch of dirt.
System Log:
Bull-Gorilla Corpse Sold!System Coin Gained: 5. (Current Coins: 11)
He now had 11 coins, a fresh Thorn in his inventory, and 10 more EXP towards Level 3. The danger had passed. He could now head back to Slow Turtle Town, report the findings, and casually omit the part where he nearly died by invisible thorns and digital self-repair.
But a thought struck him, a cold, tactical idea that was far more satisfying than simply reporting back. He now has more coins and could pick up the shop to buy weapons, armor, or other stuff. If he could equip himself fully, then he need not worry about those bandits.
The attack on the stronghold must be decisive. Captain Gong and the guards are mortals. If they engage those bandits directly, there will be heavy casualties. If I can destabilize the stronghold first...
His eyes drifted in the direction of the huge cave. The path of least resistance was often the most boring. The path of maximum strategic utility, however, lay back toward the enemy.
"No, no town yet," he decided, adjusting the collar of his tattered robe. "Time for some pre-emptive plumbing."
…
Rowan pivoted and began walking back up the mountain, towards the Stonefang Stronghold. He moved with a renewed, grim determination. The high-risk battle had cleared his head—literally, with the combination of the Springwater and the Red Fruit's help.
His target: the bandits' water supply, which he had observed earlier, disappeared directly into the cave entrance.
It took Rowan another hour of careful, silent movement to reach the scouting outcrop again. The moon was higher now, casting harsh, confusing shadows. He needed to find the exact point where the stream was drawn into the bandit complex.
He crept down the slope, moving like a phantom. His phlegmatic temperament, often mistaken for apathy, served him well here, lending his movements a detached, almost mechanical focus. He was not nervous; he was simply executing a high-difficulty task.
He found it: a small, rough-hewn wooden dam had been built across the mountain stream about thirty meters uphill from the main cave entrance, diverting a portion of the clean water through a wide, open trough that led directly into the stronghold. It was a crude, but effective, delivery system. Two extremely bored-looking bandits stood guard near the water intake, their heads nodding sleepily.
Rowan settled behind a cluster of dark, thorny bushes and began his internal planning. The goal is contamination, not destruction. Make the water unusable, not unavailable. The element of surprise is key.
He considered his options. The Stone knife and Wooden sword were only good for close combat. The Thorn accessory was for retaliation. He needed something, anything, that could act as a delayed-action agent.
Wait. The Springwater.
The Springwater was a consumable item in the system, but in the real world, it was a physical glass vial, currently containing what was essentially highly purified, healing water. He didn't need the water; he needed the vial.
A small, corked glass vial, filled with clear, shimmering liquid, materialized silently in his hand.
Rowan quickly opened it and took one sip of the little liquid inside the vial.
"Perfect. Now, what do I use to ruin this pristine water supply?"
He had no poison, no rancid meat, and no natural toxins that wouldn't require a dangerous detour. He needed something universally disgusting, something that would spread rapidly and be difficult to notice until it was too late.
He looked down at his worn robe, covered in dust, sweat, and a fine layer of pulverized Bull-Gorilla fur and blood. His hands were also caked in the same gruesome mixture.
The cheapest, most readily available contaminant.
Rowan gently uncorked the glass vial. He then proceeded, with a fastidious, almost surgical care, to scrape a generous portion of dried Bull-Gorilla tissue and pulverized dirt from his sleeve and mixed it with normal water. He stirred it with a splintered twig. The once-clear liquid turned into a thick, putrid, bio-hazardous sludge.
Rowan's eyes landed on a plant on the side, and something clicked in his mind. He knew how to brew concoctions thanks to the alchemy book, plus added to his pharmaceutical knowledge from Earth, brewing some disgusting biochemicals is easy.
That was the easy part; now comes the hard part…
He needed to get to the trough without alerting the two dozing guards.
…
The guards were positioned about ten meters from the dam, facing away from the water source and towards the trail. They were protected by a small campfire that cast flickering light and deep shadows.
Rowan took a deep breath. Stay low, move when the fire crackles, and pray the wind holds.
He moved in a low, agonizingly slow crawl, every inch a calculated risk. The rough ground scratched his knees, and the Bull-Gorilla fur on his robes occasionally tickled his nose, threatening a sneeze that would surely mean death.
This is truly degrading, he thought, inching forward. I survived a Martial Body Level 4 monstrosity, only to be killed by a dust allergy while spreading bio-waste.
He reached the back of the wooden dam. The water in the trough was moving slowly, a gentle current heading towards the dark mouth of the cave. He waited for one of the guards to cough, then quickly slipped behind the dam structure itself.
He was now directly over the main trough, with the two guards less than thirty feet away, their silhouettes dancing in the firelight.
Rowan lifted the vial of Bull-Gorilla sludge. He poured the thick, disgusting mixture into the running water just before it entered the main wooden channel.
The sludge mixed rapidly with the clean stream. The Bull-Gorilla matter, being a highly concentrated, bio-rich substance, dissolved instantly, spreading its toxic essence into the flow. The system, Rowan noticed, didn't give him an "Alchemy success" notification. It just recorded the fact of the introduction.
Mission complete.
The goal was not to kill them with poison, which would be too slow and traceable, but to introduce a biological agent—a highly concentrated microbial soup—that would rapidly make the entire population sick. Diarrhea, vomiting, cramps. A few days of that, and the militia's arrival would be a simple mop-up operation.
Rowan felt a cold satisfaction. It was a cruel, efficient, and thoroughly unheroic tactic.
He recorked the empty vial and tucked it back into his inventory. The escape was now the priority.
He reversed his path, moving even slower than before. Just as he reached the cover of the bushes, one of the guards stretched, yawning wide.
"Man, this place stinks tonight," the guard mumbled, scratching his arm. "Smells like… old socks and raw meat."
"Just the mountain, idiot," the other guard grumbled back. "Go back to sleep."
Rowan paused, frozen in place. The stench was him. The concentrated scent of Bull-Gorilla, death, and adrenaline. The slight, almost comedic, flaw in his grand plan. He held his breath, waiting for the system to engage, but the system, thankfully, only engaged in active combat. It offered no help for olfactory-based stealth checks.
Inhale, exhale, slowly. Be a bush.
After an agonizing minute, the guard settled back down. Rowan melted into the shadows of the night.
He didn't stop until he was a kilometer away from the stronghold, the oppressive presence of the massive cave finally behind him. He looked down at his torn clothes and the remaining coin in his pocket.
Level 2 Mortal, 139 EXP, 11 Coins, and a successful act of biological warfare.
He finally turned east, heading back towards the distant lights of Slow Turtle Town, a lone, filthy, and entirely too competent figure in the darkness. The bandits of Stonefang Stronghold were about to have a very, very bad few days.