บท 11: Arriving at the Outpost
They arrived at the corpse of the Cyclops, and the first thing Vincent noticed was the overpowering stench that made him recoil instinctively. The smell of blood, mingled with the musky odor of the creature's body, was almost unbearable.
"That's... intense," Vincent muttered, covering his nose with his hand. He glanced back at the convoy, noticing the other special forces grimacing and shielding their noses as well.
"Now how do we get the proof that we killed that thing?" One of the special forces asked. "Should we take a picture of it?"
"This is a world where automobiles don't exist. It's safe to assume that modern devices don't exist here as well. We don't want to garner unwanted attention from the denizens of this world so we will not do that. Instead, we are going to ask Luminova about it."
"Okay sir," the special force who raised the question conceded and watched as Vincent opened the door and approached the truck where Luminova and the others were waiting, also suffering from the smell.
"Luminova," Vincent called out, trying not to breathe through his nose. "Do you know what kind of proof we should take back to the Kingdom of Eldoria to show we killed the Cyclops?"
Luminova, her eyes watering from the smell, nodded. "Yes, Sir Vincent. You can cut off its skin."
"Ohh…that's easy," Vincent muttered. "Thank you. Please bear with me for a while, we will make this quick as possible."
After saying that, Vincent approached the corpse of the Cyclops. It's blood were green and seeping into the ground.
Vincent pulled out a large combat knife and began to cut into the thick skin of the Cyclops. The knife struggled at first, but with some effort, he managed to slice through the tough hide.
"Man, this thing is like leather," Vincent muttered to himself as he worked. The special forces soldiers stood around him, keeping watch for any potential threats while he focused on the task at hand.
He cut out a large section of the Cyclops' skin, careful to make it as neat as possible. The skin was heavy and thick, making it difficult to handle, but Vincent managed to fold it and carry it back to the truck.
"Here it is," he said, showing the piece of Cyclops skin to Luminova. "Will this be enough?"
Luminova inspected the skin and nodded. "Yes, this will do. The kingdom will recognize this as proof."
Vincent sighed in relief. "Good. Let's get this stored and get moving."
They secured the Cyclops skin in the truck, making sure it was properly contained. The smell was still strong, but they managed to minimize it as much as possible.
With everything ready, Vincent gave the signal to continue their journey. The engines roared back to life, and the convoy moved steadily through the forest, leaving the Cyclops' corpse behind.
***
There were only two kilometers left until they reached the Kingdom of Eldoria. According to the map Vincent was looking at, there was an outpost not far from their location. He contemplated whether they should continue with their vehicles or leave them in the forest. Most likely, the denizens of this world would surely be shocked to see a vehicle that wasn't drawn by a horse or an ox.
"We're close," Vincent announced, glancing back at his team. "But we need to decide how to approach the kingdom. These vehicles might draw too much attention."
One of the special forces soldiers nodded. "Agreed, sir. We should probably leave the vehicles here and proceed on foot. We can use the forest for cover and avoid attracting unwanted attention."
"What do you think, boys?" Vincent asked for other opinions from the special forces, and they all nodded in agreement.
"Alright, it's settled then. We'll leave the vehicles here and proceed on foot," Vincent decided. "Let's gather our gear and make sure the Cyclops skin is secure."
The special forces quickly disembarked and began gathering their equipment. Vincent walked over to the back of the truck and informed them of their decision.
"We're going to proceed on foot," Vincent announced to the ladies. "We'll leave the vehicles hidden here and move towards the outpost."
"Why?" Elinalese asked. "Can't we just proceed with your vehicles?"
"The problem is that you don't know these vehicles. So if you don't know these vehicles then the people there don't know about them. Leading to a creation of an attention that we don't like," Vincent explained.
"I see…you want to look inconspicuous," Elinalese nodded in understanding. "That makes sense.
Vincent smiled, appreciating her quick grasp of the situation. "Exactly. Now, let's move."
"But Sir Vincent," Luminova chimed in, "I am afraid that Lady Elinalese isn't accustomed to walking long distances. She might not be able to keep up."
"Really?" Vincent glanced at Elinalese, who bashfully looked down, her cheeks reddening.
Vincent understood the predicament. After all, the lady was a princess, and she was usually transported in a carriage with all the comforts that came with her status. He pondered the situation for a moment and then came up with an idea.
"How about I carry you on my back?" Vincent suggested. "Would that be acceptable for you, princess?"
Elinalese looked up to Vincent, her cheeks reddening further, but she nodded shyly. "If it's not too much trouble, Sir Vincent."
"Not at all," Vincent replied with a reassuring smile.
He turned around and crouched down, allowing Elinalese to climb onto his back. Once she was securely in place, Vincent stood up, adjusting his grip to make sure she was comfortable.
"Alright, let's move out," Vincent instructed his team.
The special forces formed a protective formation around Vincent and Elinalese as they began their journey through the forest.
As they approached the outpost, Vincent could see the guards stationed ahead. One of the guards noticed them.
"Who are you! Stop where you are!"
The moment that guard shouted, the rest of the guards sprang into action. They brought their weapons along with them and rushed to their position. The Special Forces on the other hand responded by aiming their weapons at them.
"How are we going to play this sir?" One of the special forces asked.
"Calmly," Vincent replied.
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