Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

39: Chapter 39: Three strikes and you’re out.

39: Chapter 39: Three strikes and you’re out.

Having been the leader of Rogel Camp for fifteen years, Luo Ming naturally had the acumen to maintain it as the most distinguished around Redwood Ridge.

Half a month ago, when Yang and Li proposed that he and everyone from the other five camps cooperate and follow their orders, Luo Ming likely had some suspicions.

The way Yang and Li described the Deceitful Monster as terrifying, Luo Ming didn’t doubt it.

After all, having witnessed it firsthand, the monster indeed found joy in killing, and the more it killed, the stronger it became.

But to say that the two stayed to help them because they were asked or out of goodwill for being of the same human race,

Luo Ming absolutely didn’t believe that.

He wasn’t that naive.

From several encounters, it was clear that engaging with the Wood Puppet Monster posed certain risks for Yang and Li, yet they still took those risks to kill the monster.

Thinking it over and over, it’s nothing more than for the sake of profit.

Luo Ming speculated that there should be some significant benefit to hunting down that Wood Puppet Monster; otherwise, they wouldn’t be working so hard.

Half a month ago, Luo Ming gathered the leaders of the four other camps and, after explaining the pros and cons, the four leaders agreed to cooperate with him.

The four leaders were willing to cooperate not just out of respect for Luo Ming.

The camps of Shenju and Iron Peak, and also the Great Xia Camp that Luo Ming mentioned, three camps around Redwood Ridge had already been ravaged by the monster.

Even though the camps didn’t interact much regularly, everyone understood that when the lips die, the teeth become cold.

While Yang and Li were there, being able to kill the monster was certainly for the best, as they couldn’t deal with it on their own.

Luo Ming had also fought the monster and considered his own strength insufficient to be of help, yet Yang and Li still wanted him to notify people from other camps to assist.

Luo Ming roughly knew what this help entailed.

That Wood Puppet Monster found joy in killing people and strengthened itself through killing, while these people had little strength; what Yang and Li needed them for was just to serve as bait, to lure the Wood Puppet Monster out.

And the reality was just as he had thought.

After gathering the Logging Realm forces from the other five camps at Rogel Camp, Yang and Li were candid about their plan.

Initially, Luo Ming was hesitant, but considering the monster’s strength, he was the first to agree, likely because he’d encountered the monster before.

Shi Qing was the second to agree.

The remaining four camps hesitated, but under persuasion, they agreed.

The six camps agreed to each send out three Logging Realm fighters to Redwood Ridge at night to act as bait to attract the appearance of the monster.

Luo Ming did not doubt the strength of Yang and Li.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have persuaded the other five camps to cooperate so earnestly.

But the strength of that monster far exceeded Luo Ming’s expectations.

In the past ten days, they successfully lured the Wood Puppet Monster out three times.

But each time, it managed to escape.

If that were all, it would still be manageable, but the problem was that each time, the bait was killed.

The Wood Puppet Monster was elusive, sometimes killing someone inexplicably, and the most terrifying part was that after a short time, it could control the body of the one it killed, pretending to be alive, approach you, then launch a surprise attack, utterly indefensible.

Many of the deceased had expressions of disbelief on their faces in their final moments.

The first time, seven died; the second, nine; the third, seven.

This fourth time, six died, making it the time with the fewest casualties.

Twenty-nine Logging Realm fighters were lost, practically equivalent to the entire stock of two small camps.

Rogel Camp had only forty-seven Logging Realm fighters in total.

Luo Ming counted the twenty-nine lost Logging Realm fighters.

His camp accounted for the most, with seven; Huang Zhao Camp four; Chen Ye Camp five; Lu Shang Camp four; Da Chuan Camp six.

The worst hit was Da Shi Camp.

That day on Great Xia Territory, Da Shi Camp had only five survivors.

In these days, acting as bait, they lost another three.

Now, Da Shi Camp was left with only the brothers Shi Qing and Shi Dong.

Even if they killed the Wood Puppet Monster, Da Shi Camp would certainly not recover, and relying only on the brothers Shi Qing, probably meant survival was an issue for the whole camp.

The key was that even after so many died, they hadn’t killed the Wood Puppet Monster.

Let alone the five leaders; even Luo Ming himself began to doubt the strength of Yang and Li and wavered in their method of luring the monster.

“I know everyone has their concerns.

My Rogel Camp has also lost many people, but please bear with it a little longer.

You’ve seen the monster’s strength; once these two leave, none of our camps will have a way to survive!”

Luo Ming, with no other option, ultimately chose to appease everyone.

Shi Qing was about to speak when Hong Gang, the leader of Da Chuan Camp, began first.

“Leader Luo, let’s not beat around the bush.

I admire the strength of these two, but you see the reality.

The monster is stronger; we failed to kill it three times.

I think this time won’t be any different.

Instead of sending brothers to their deaths, it would be better to live a few days in peace.

If we continue like this, the monster won’t die; we might die out first!”

Hong Gang, with a voice as rugged as his name, spoke straightforwardly, filled with a bit of anger due to losing six of his people.

“Leader Luo, we’re not blaming you or the two of them; we don’t dare.

But the fact is plain to see; if we can’t succeed this time, we must leave.

We’ve been out for half a month, and the provisions left at the camp are running out.

If we don’t go back, I’m afraid the people at the camp will starve.”

Huang Yong, the leader of Huang Zhao Camp, also spoke up.

The other two camp leaders, though silent, clearly shared the same sentiment as the previous two.

Shi Qing then stood out, took a deep breath, and said, “Leader Luo, I won’t say much more.

No matter what you say, your foundation is still there, but Da Shi Camp really can’t hold on anymore.

If my brother and I lose even one more person, over three hundred people in the camp might not survive.

Whether we succeed this time or not, I must leave.”

Luo Ming anxiously wanted to continue persuading everyone.

Yet just then, Yang Ning and Li Hu came over.

“That beast escaped again, but we chopped off an arm this time, so next time, we’ll definitely kill it.”

“Don’t let your guard down.

Haven’t you noticed how its strength keeps growing!”

Hearing the two talk, the six leaders, including Luo Ming, and everyone else, once again showed disappointment on their faces.

When the monster first escaped, although some brothers died, instead of feeling disappointed like now, the group felt thrilled by the monster’s retreat, feeling they were just a step away from killing it.

After the second escape, there was some nervousness as more people were dying, and the bait was all brothers who shared life and death daily — it was impossible not to feel heartache.

Until the third escape, real doubts began to arise.

There was suspicion that even though Yang and Li were strong, they were still quite a bit away from killing the monster; otherwise, it wouldn’t have escaped three times.

Things should not happen in threes; now it was the fourth time, so everyone no longer disguised the disappointment on their faces, but even so, they dared not show a bad attitude toward Yang and Li.

Luo Ming was pondering how to speak to Yang Ning, hoping he would offer some assurance to soothe everyone’s emotions.

Shi Qing and the other four camp leaders were contemplating how to tell the two of them that they wanted to leave with their people.

Meanwhile, as Yang Ning and Li Hu approached, they noticed the unusual atmosphere and, seeing the lingering disappointment on everyone’s faces, immediately understood what they were thinking.

Li Hu’s face showed a flash of anger, and he immediately stepped forward.