The atmosphere in the canyon instantly tightened.
Tatiana, Vera, and Iul almost simultaneously locked their gazes on the veteran who had suddenly appeared.
The veteran, however, was completely unconcerned.
He didn’t even spare a glance for the three of them.
Instead, he lowered his head and carefully examined the severely injured and unconscious Aqina.
His gaze swept over those gruesome wounds, pausing slightly at the two bloody holes in her abdomen.
“Penetration, blood loss, hypothermia, multiple wounds, and even her head has been struck with force.” He muttered to himself, as if evaluating a Fish he had just reeled in, “To still be alive after all this…
the rumors are true.” He looked up at Tatiana, who was acting as if facing a formidable enemy, the smile on his lips widening slightly.
“Rest assured, I’m not here to scavenge; otherwise, I would have made my move long ago.” His tone was flat, yet carried a sense of confidence.
“Put down the blade, Firegirl, your elemental energy is running on empty, and forcing it will hurt your body.” Tatiana’s breathing hitched.
The flames on her hands flickered a few times, but ultimately did not go out.
However, the hostility in her eyes diminished slightly.
The other party was right; in her current state, she probably couldn’t do anything to him anyway.
“Who are you?” Iul asked, forcing himself to stand while holding his military crossbow.
“Like you, here to participate in the trial.” The veteran smiled faintly.
His gaze swept over Iul’s limping leg and the bloodstain on Vera’s neck.
“Though our purposes are a bit different; I’m here to ‘clean up the trash’.” He paused, then added, “Fishing along the way.” Cleaning up the trash…
As expected, Aqina’s guess was correct.
This veteran was sent by the Fatui to deal with the Scavengers.
Tatiana, Vera, and Iul instantly realized what was going on.
“You’ve been following us the whole time?” Vera asked in a low voice.
She hadn’t even noticed…
“I noticed you from the moment you started operating near Unfrozen Creek.” The veteran admitted it candidly.
“You made quite a commotion, especially this Undying Cockroach…” He hefted Aqina in his arms, seemingly realizing it wasn’t good to keep carrying her like that, so he cradled her instead.
His movements carried a strange sense of familiarity.
It was as if Aqina really were a big Fish he had reeled in.
“To cause such a scene on the last day, six Scavengers, all falling into the hands of you four recruits…” “Once the evaluation report is submitted, it will be hard for you not to be assigned ‘good positions’.” The veteran had a hidden meaning in his words, his gaze sweeping once again over the bulging nameplate bag at Aqina’s waist.
He then looked at the dying Scavengers.
“I will handle these ‘trash’.” “Their ID tags and equipment will count as your spoils of war, which will significantly raise your evaluation score.” As he spoke, the veteran finally carried Aqina toward a relatively sheltered spot within the canyon.
“If you don’t want her to actually die, come over and help.” “Vera, right?” “You’re of the element, you should know how to handle this, right?
At least stop the bleeding.” Vera was stunned; how did this person know her name?
But seeing Aqina’s increasingly weak breath, she couldn’t dwell on it and hurried over.
Tatiana and Iul exchanged a glance.
They also walked over, but remained vigilant.
The veteran handed Aqina into Tatiana’s arms.
He sat cross-legged to the side and pulled out a small wine flask from somewhere.
Uncorking it, a rich aroma of alcohol mixed with the scent of herbs wafted out.
“Strong liquor for disinfection,” he said concisely, handing the flask to Vera.
Vera took the flask and looked at the horrific wounds on Aqina’s body.
Her hands trembled, and she even felt like crying looking at Aqina’s injuries.
But she gritted her teeth and poured the liquor.
As the liquor washed over the wounds, Vera covered them with her element to slow the bleeding.
The veteran untied a small leather pouch from his waist and poured out a few items: A small roll of clean bandages, a jar of ointment, and even several different curved silver needles and thread.
“You…
your equipment is really complete,” Iul couldn’t help but say.
It was almost like he was a medic in the Fatui.
“Running in the wild year-round, it’s inevitable to get hurt; I’m used to it.” The veteran didn’t even look up; he cleaned his hands with the liquor, picked up a silver needle, and threaded it with movements so practiced they were outrageous.
“Hold her down; she might wake up from the pain.” Tatiana carefully held Aqina’s shoulders.
The veteran’s movements could only be described in three words: fast, accurate, steady.
The sharp needle tip pierced the flesh, pulling the thread through and quickly suturing those large, unhealable wounds.
His technique could hardly be called gentle; it was even a bit rough.
After finishing one stitch, he immediately applied ointment and bandaged it.
The entire process was almost cold-blooded.
Aqina suddenly opened her eyes in agony, a whimper like a small animal escaping her throat.
Her body convulsed violently from the pain, but she was held down firmly by Tatiana.
Her unfocused pupils took a while to focus before she could see the veteran suturing her wounds in front of her.
She actually managed to pull off an ugly smile, “The Fish, did you catch it?” The veteran didn’t stop his work and glanced at her: “Caught it, and it’s quite a struggling big Fish.” “I’m not a Fish,” Aqina mumbled.
“No one said you were; shut up and save your energy.” Aqina obediently shut up.
But her eyes remained open, watching the veteran treat her wounds.
She looked at the nervous Tatiana and the others, and finally her gaze landed on the Scavengers.
“Worth it…” she said softly, closed her eyes, and passed out again.
The veteran efficiently finished treating all the major wounds and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“The rest is up to her.” He put away his tools and wiped the blood from his hands.
He walked to the side and pulled out a fishing rod from another pouch.
And a small iron box filled with Bait.
Tatiana and the others watched, dumbfounded.
“You…
you’re going to Fish here?” Iul felt his brain suddenly failing to keep up.
“Otherwise what?” The veteran was already sitting on a rock.
He skillfully attached the Bait, cast the line, and the hook fell into the ice hole Aqina had crawled out of earlier.
“The business is done; aren’t you hungry?” As if in response to his words, Vera’s stomach gave a rebellious “grumble.” Her little face turned red.
The veteran laughed, his smile more apparent this time: “Wait, it won’t take long.” Sure enough, not long after, the fishing rod dipped.
The veteran flicked his wrist, and a fat Fish was lifted out of the water.
He cleaned it with nimble hands, skewered it on a sharpened branch, and skillfully lit a small fire to start grilling the Fish.
Vera’s eyes went wide, and she almost drooled.
Tatiana and Iul also couldn’t help but swallow their saliva.
After a fierce battle, they were already starving.
“Last time…
over by Unfrozen Creek, was it also this smell?” Vera asked in a low voice, watching the grilled Fish gradually turn golden.
The veteran turned the grilled Fish and glanced at her: “So the little girl hiding in the bushes drooling was you; you have a keen nose and are quite good at hiding.” Vera’s face turned even redder, this time from embarrassment.
Soon, the grilled Fish was ready.
The veteran divided the Fish into four portions.
He kept one for himself and handed the other three to Tatiana and the others.
“Eat up, replenish your energy.” “Although the trash has been cleared, there are bound to be some that slipped through the net.” “Besides, the trial isn’t completely over yet; there might be surprises at the exit.” The veteran took a bite of the Fish and said unhurriedly.
Tatiana didn’t stand on ceremony, took the grilled Fish, and shared it with Iul and Vera.
The Fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and most importantly, it was hot.
Especially for them, having only gnawed on hard rations for days.
The three of them devoured it, nearly chewing and swallowing the bones too.
“What are your plans for after this?” the veteran asked while eating, as if making casual conversation.
“With your battle record and the Scavengers’ ID tags, your evaluation scores will definitely be high; you can apply for your own units.” Tatiana wiped her mouth: “I want to go to the front lines to fight, preferably where I can utilize my strengths.” Iul thought for a moment: “I might need to go to logistics or the staff department for an internship first; my leg, and my combat effectiveness…” He looked a bit dejected.
Vera blinked: “I heard the medical department is often short-staffed, so I want to try that; plus, I like tinkering with herbs.” The veteran nodded, noncommittal, and turned his gaze to the unconscious Aqina: “What about her?
Where does this Undying Cockroach want to go?” Tatiana and Iul exchanged a look.
They really hadn’t discussed this question in detail.
Just then, Aqina’s eyelashes fluttered, and she woke up again.
Her complexion was still pale, but her eyes were much clearer.
Evidently, the recovery power of the skill card was starting to take effect.
“The Eighth Harbinger…
under Rosalyne’s command,” she said, her voice weak but clear.
The veteran’s grilling motion paused slightly.
“The Eighth Harbinger, [The Eighth Harbinger]?” He repeated it, looking at Aqina as if somewhat puzzled.
“Following her gives me the chance to access more intelligence and resources,” Aqina said in a low voice.
She didn’t mention that she actually wanted to go to Mondstadt.
And her real thought of leeching off the Traveler’s popularity.
“Besides, Lady The Eighth Harbinger is a famous diplomat and warrior; I should be able to learn quite a lot.” The veteran ate a few bites of the Fish before slowly saying: “Lady The Eighth Harbinger is indeed quite good, and she isn’t too harsh on her subordinates.” “And as for diplomacy…
the environments in other nations are much friendlier than in Snezhnaya.” He changed the subject: “However, there is a situation you might not be aware of.” “Lady The Eighth Harbinger’s Chief Adjutant, the old man who followed her for decades, just retired last month.” Aqina’s heart skipped a beat.