The Place Where Everything Begins - Chapter 172: A Chance (1)

‘The watchful eyes have finally left this place, so it means those cupids have finally lost interest…’

Jeremy thought in relief to himself after feeling the gazes finally go away from this place.

After all, the two cupids were only interested in the battle between the number one of each camp fighting against one another. So, when the battle had finally ended, the two cupids should have felt bored, so they eventually left.

At this moment…

Upon seeing everyone looking at him, the older man with white hair, Kelvin, furrowed his eyebrows profoundly before his expressions morphed into a determined one.

“Let’s abort today’s mission and trace back the same route we have chased after the kenkus,” said Kelvin.

Having heard Kelvin’s decision, many people agreed with him, but people looked very reluctant, whereas one of them even showed dissatisfaction clearly on his face.

“Go back the same route, you mean…” said Dalton after hearing Kelvin’s verdict.

Nodding his head firmly at everyone’s watchful eyes, Kelvin replied,

“That’s right; we will go back to where the battle takes place and see if our teammates survi…”

“I disagree!”

Someone’s voice was suddenly heard within the group, interrupting Kelvin’s speech midway.

That certain someone was none other than the troublemaker, Gerard, as it looked like he felt extremely dissatisfied and promptly disagreed with Gerard’s decision.

Simultaneously, most people turned to look at Gerard after hearing his steadfast voice. They wondered within their mind what trouble the man wanted to bring upon them again.

Having been interrupted by Gerard, Kelvin furrowed his eyebrows noticeably before asking,

“Why did you interrupt me? Where is your manner, kid?”

Gerard’s face twitched slightly as he replied in a taunting tone,

“Kid? Bah! You, old bones, don’t think that if we traced back to where we came from, the enemy wouldn’t come back to ambush us again? If you want to die, do not drag everyone else with you.”

Unexpectedly, Gerard vented his pent-up anger on Kelvin, causing the latter to feel very enraged.

How could such a kid who was half his age dare disrespect him like this?

“I think you had heard Kate’s words clearly that I’m the team leader now; you should give me some respect, kid. Also, why are you acting so annoying by going against everyone? Don’t you know everyone here has long felt irritated with your behavior?”

Having been taunted back, Gerard looked around him for a bit and decided to keep quiet after seeing most people’s gazes directed towards him. Those stares were accompanied by frowns of dissatisfaction on their faces.

After all, Gerard’s only backup had long been killed by the first salvo of the poisonous arrows. He was now all alone within the team, so he must be patient with such a treatment.

Two thugs might be a bit fearful, but when only one thug was remaining, he would be nothing but a bigger dog in the street.

Shaking his head to cool his head down after seeing Gerard’s silence, Kelvin continued his piece without caring about the latter anymore,

“We would rescue any surviving team members along the way if they survived. After that, we will thus proceed back to our camp. This is my thought. Does anyone disagree with the notion?”

“…”

“…”

Many people appeared reluctant to follow the order, but it couldn’t be helped as they didn’t want to create any more trouble for the team.

Nonetheless, one person suddenly broke the status quo…

“Can I express my opinion?” asked Dalton after seeing everyone keep their silence.

Having seen Kelvin nodding his head in approval, Dalton continued,

“I think Gerard has a point; we cannot risk all ten people’s lives with such a slim chance of anyone surviving like that. So, I suggest we split into two small teams; one goes to the rescue, whereas another returns back to the camp. What do you guys think?”

When everyone had heard Dalton’s opinion, their eyes lit up.

Dalton was pretty cunning as he asked, ‘what do you guys think?’ instead of ‘what do you think?’. The former would be aimed at everyone, whereas the latter would be aimed at only one person, Kelvin, the team leader.

At this time, even the grumbling Gerard felt satisfied with such a suggestion. In the end, Gerard, as a selfish person, valued his own life the most.

Furthermore, those who felt reluctant to heed Kelvin’s order earlier had their eyes brightened up like they had just found an oasis in the middle of a desert.

Whether one could contain and suppress their own selfishness or not, it was another matter entirely as human nature was all the same, based on selfishness and egotism.

Even more than that, most people would obviously value their own lives the most. Facing such a life-threatening situation, they didn’t want to risk their lives for strangers whom they had met only some days ago.

So, no one disagreed with the opinion this time…

“Your opinion looks feasible as we have two people here who can act as lookouts leading to the post-battlefield and the camp,” said Kelvin, turning his head to look at Rachel for a brief moment after hearing Dalton’s opinion.

Pausing briefly, Kelvin continued,

“Then, let us divide ourselves into two teams right away. Does anyone disagree?”

Most people nodded their heads as a response to Kelvin’s words to express their consent, whereas some kept silent with unknown thoughts within their minds.

Having seen those people’s reactions, Kelvin continued,

“Who wants to be in the rescue team; please raise your hand…”

After Kelvin’s words fell, many people hesitated about which team to choose, while some already had a choice within their minds but felt too hesitant to raise their hands.

If they chose to join the rescue team, they would have to risk their own lives.

At the end of the day, if their teammates somehow survived but couldn’t walk properly, they had to support those people back all the way to the camp, thus would be slowed down significantly.

They also had to beware of the ambusher that might come back to take revenge for its dead companion. Everyone knew that if another battle broke out, the outcome would be pretty bloody as the opponent was too good of an archer.

In contrast, if they chose to join the return team, it was akin to heartlessly leaving their potentially-surviving teammates to become carnivores’ sumptuous meal in this forest.

Thus, most people fell into a stalemated dilemma. That was, except for three people, the nonchalant Jeremy, the frowning Rachel, the determined Dalton, and the happy Gerard.

After some seconds of silence had passed…

“I will be in the rescue team,” said Trevor with a resolute expression.

“Me too…”

Kate also joined in right after Trevor stated his willingness to join the rescue team, albeit she still felt a bit reluctant.

Upon seeing two of the ten currently-surviving people of team 5 express their wish to join the rescue team, Jeremy also said up with a resigning expression plastered on his face,

“I will join the rescue team, too. However, may I ask who will be our team lookout?”

After Jeremy’s words fell, Kelvin and Rachel turned to look each other in the eyes for a few seconds before the latter nodded her head first, signifying that she would be the one who went.

“I will be the rescue team’s lookout,” said Rachel with a straight face.

In fact, Rachel felt deep in her mind that she couldn’t just go back to the camp right now.

As the strongest fighter within the human camp, how could she go back empty-handed without killing even one kenku?

Moreover, if she couldn’t kill a single kenku today, at the very least, she had to rescue some teammates back to the camp alive. She felt like it was her responsibility…

“That means I will be in the other team then,” said Kelvin with a relieved expression.

Even though Kelvin was the one who had suggested the plan of them going to rescue the potential survivors, he still felt that going with only four people was a bit dangerous.

After all, when Kelvin proposed the plan, he included all ten of them into the equation. However, right now, there were only four people in the rescue team, so the dangerousness had increased several folds.

Thus, it was normal for Kelvin to feel somewhat relieved that he didn’t have to go with the rescue team.

“Anyone else wants to join the rescue team?” Kelvin promptly asked after seeing no one expressing their desire to join the rescue team anymore.

Simultaneously, Kelvin turned to look at the other six people who hadn’t said anything from start to end. Those six were Dalton, Gerard, and the other three people, whom Jeremy hadn’t known their names.

After being looked at, Dalton appeared a bit hesitant, yet he didn’t say anything in the end, which simply meant he decided to save his own life rather than his teammates’ ones. In the end, Dalton was still the one who had proposed the plan of splitting up into two teams.

All the while, ever since the plan was proposed by Dalton, Gerard had a satisfied look plastered on his face as he felt very pleased with the status quo, for he could finally go back to the camp.

Gerard didn’t want to risk his life again after only half of the team members were left alive. So, he thought that it was better to go back to the camp to take a rest.

As for the other three, they avoided looking anyone in the eyes as they also valued their lives more than their teammates’ lives.

“It’s been decided then… The rescue team comprises Trevor, Kate, Rachel, and Tommy. As for the other team, including me, there will be a total of six people. Alright, let’s not delay anymore…”

Having finished his words, Kelvin turned to look at Rachel before both of them nodded their heads at each other.

“Follow me,” said Kelvin as he led the other five people away from the scene, leaving the other four people behind.

Upon seeing the return team gradually went away into the deep forest, Rachel turned to look everyone in the eyes, one by one, before speaking with a cold voice,

“From now on, listen to my order as if your lives are on the line. I will accept no objection from anyone, am I clear?”

Rachel’s voice and demeanor appeared like that of a veteran soldier.

Looking at her age and the skillfulness in handling a bow, Trevor and Kate started to wonder if Rachel was a soldier before coming to this place or not, or maybe, her father was someone from the military.

Still, nobody dared to ask Rachel about her personal information as the latter was too frightening to even look at right now.

Unbeknownst to them, the reason why Rachel acted so cold all of a sudden was because she didn’t want anything to go awry under her nose anymore.

One time of being ambushed and played with was enough for her…

‘A cold and prideful queen?’

Jeremy thought amusingly to himself.

He was no new to such personality as it usually appeared in those people who thought everything that happened around them was their own responsibility. As a result, those people would have to look stern all the time, trying to control everything around them with their authoritative power and cool-headed attitude.

However, such behavior was a double-edged sword as it would come back to bite them in the ass whenever they faced failure or the people stronger and better than them.

At this time, the other two people, Trevor and Kate, shuddered slightly at the Killing Machine, Rachel’s cold voice, as they nodded their heads in understanding.

“Let’s go,” said Rachel as she led the way, tracing back the same route towards the post-battlefield.

Just like that, the six people of the return team went in one direction, whereas the four people of the rescue team went in another direction.