The Witcher: Grinding Proficiency Starting with the Witcher

"who? 』

Li Wei looked warily at the stone wall behind him, which was empty except for cold, damp rocks and glowing moss.

"Oh... Goddess Marina, I'm not so easily killed."

A voice came from the other side of the stone wall, and one could clearly hear the trembling and excitement of someone who had survived a disaster.

"It's Brand."

Li Wei immediately recognized the voice, but he did not act rashly. Instead, he picked up a pebble from the ground and gently scratched the wall three times.

The other side fell silent instantly.

A moment later, two dull knocks responded.

This is a secret code agreed upon among Witcher apprentices, used to confirm identity in complex environments.

"Is...is it Li Wei?"

Brand lowered his voice and asked, pressing his body close to the wall.

Hearing this response, Li Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It's definitely Brand.

"it's me."

"Oh, gods above! It's wonderful that you're still alive!"

Brand's volume noticeably increased.

Li Wei smiled and asked, "How are you now?"

"Not bad. If it weren't for this thick fog, I probably would have been dragged into the lake by those damned water ghosts and made into a snack."

"Thanks to our sparring session a few days ago, my swordsmanship has improved a lot. I killed two of them and took advantage of the fog to hide in this cave, haha!"

Brand said excitedly.

"I see we're just separated by a wall. Should I come over to you?"

Li Wei thought for a moment and then decisively refused.

"No, the cave passages here are extremely narrow and complex. With just one wall, we have no way of knowing where each other's cave entrances are."

"More importantly, there's a thick fog outside. If you go out now, you'll only lose your way and might even encounter something more terrifying."

"Something terrible?" Brand asked in confusion.

Li Wei's gaze swept over the skeleton beside him.

"I also found a body here, left behind by the previous batch of apprentices."

"Judging from the wound, it seems the little mist demon ate his head."

"A little mist fairy?!" Brand exclaimed.

The Fog Demon is a carnivorous creature that often appears in dense fog. It can use the fog to create illusions and mimic the voices of its victims before they die to lure its prey.

Even for professional witchers, it is an extremely troublesome monster.

"So what should we do now?"

"Do you have any firewood?" Li Wei asked.

"Yes, I've already lit it."

"Very good, the little mist demons won't rashly venture into places with light sources, as that would disrupt their mist."

"Eat some dry rations to recover your strength, and prepare the ghoul sword oil as well. Keep a close eye on the cave entrance. Be careful if any fog comes in."

"Also," Li Wei emphasized, "keep absolutely quiet. Whatever sound you hear, assume it's just the little mist demon's trick. Do not go out to investigate until the sun comes out at noon and dissipates the fog."

Brand was silent for a moment, then said, "I understand. You've thought it through, Levi. May the goddess Marina bless you."

"The same to you."

After a brief exchange, Li Wei sat back down by the fire.

He twisted his soaked shirt into a rope shape, squeezed out the water, and then carefully placed it by the fire to dry.

He then took out the bottle of ghoul sword oil that belonged to Paul from his backpack, poured it onto a rag, and carefully applied it to the sword.

The blade was covered with tiny nicks from the clashes with the water demon's claws, a horrifying sight.

Half an hour passed, and the firewood began to crackle and pop.

After Li Wei finished eating the dry rations, the chill in his body had completely dissipated.

The [Stamina] stat on the panel has also recovered to 1.6, and stamina has basically been restored.

"Li Wei?"

Suddenly, Brand's tentative whisper came from next to the stone wall.

Li Wei frowned but did not respond.

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Immediately afterwards, the volume from next door suddenly increased.

"Bravo, Marina! Lauvin, it's so good to see you!"

"Lao Wen?"

Li Wei's brows furrowed even more.

……

On the other side of the stone wall, Lauwen entered the cave, covered in blood, carrying a sword, his sharp gaze sweeping over Brand by the campfire.

He forced an awkward smile.

"Brand, you're so lucky."

Brand looked at the still-wet blood on his face and asked in surprise, "You're injured?"

Lao Wen hurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, a barely perceptible hint of panic flashing in his cat-like eyes.

"No, it's the blood of a water ghost."

"Is there any food left?"

Brand hesitated for a moment, then tossed over the half-eaten dry rations beside him.

Lao Wen took it, took a big bite, and looked around.

Are you all alone here?

"Of course," Brand nodded and replied with a smile.

Lauwen looked directly at him with a scrutinizing gaze, but quickly shrugged and didn't ask any more questions.

Brand secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that Lauvin and Levi were at odds, especially now, which was not the time to stir up trouble.

"what!"

"Turka! Lauvin! Where are you?"

"Help me! There's a monster! Help me!"

A piercing scream suddenly came from the thick fog outside the cave, making the two people inside the cave tense up.

"It's Lant's voice!" Lauvin looked towards the cave entrance, gripping his knight's sword tightly. "He's in danger, we have to go save him!"

Brand swallowed hard, remembering Levi's warning.

"Lao Wen, that sound... could it be the little mist demon? It's safer for us to stay in the cave."

"Little Mist Fairy? Who told you that?" Lauwen frowned and asked.

Brand looked away.

"You've forgotten, Master Turka taught us before."

Lauvin glanced at the stone wall that Brand had unconsciously glanced at, and sneered.

"That's a lie from Turka. There are only water ghosts outside, not any little mist demons."

"If you won't go, I will. You'd better pray that Master Turka won't punish you for not helping someone in distress!"

"Lovin..." Brand still wanted to persuade him to stay.

But Lauwen had already strode towards the cave entrance, leaving him with only a resolute back view.

Across the stone wall, Li Wei listened to the conversation between the two, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Did Lauvin go to rescue Lant?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Before long, Lant's cries for help outside the cave grew closer and closer.

At the same time, the red crystal pendant on Li Wei's chest began to emit a scorching warning!

He suddenly stood up, gripped his knight's sword tightly with both hands, and stared intently at the entrance to his cave.

"Da, da, da..."

The rapid thud of boots approached from afar.

A pair of gray cat eyes slowly emerged from the narrow opening.

Lauwen's tall figure walked in, his disheveled blond hair concealing a pair of cat-like eyes filled with mockery and cruelty.

"Li Wei, it really is you."

Li Wei gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands, and without uttering a word, stepped forward.

Lauwen casually tossed a brown, round object over to him.

He raised his sword and struck him away, splattering murky blood everywhere.

The thing rolled smoothly to the ground.

Li Wei glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.

Beneath the brown hair was a terrified face with its eyes wide open in death.

Rand!

Wisps of white mist began to seep in through the narrow opening.

At Lant's feet, the gray cat eyes on his head began to twitch violently, as if they had come to life.

His lips parted, emitting a shrill and distorted cry of pleas.

"Lovin, save me... No! Don't abandon me!"

At the same time, a thick fog entered the cave.

A thin, gray, wrinkled foot pattered on the ground.

Countless wisps of mist spread out from beneath his feet.

Within the fog, two eerie lights flickered on and off, and a faint hissing sound echoed in the air, creating an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.

Lao Wen pressed himself against the wall of the cave entrance, holding a golden object hanging around his neck. He opened his mouth towards Li Wei, but no sound came out.

But Li Wei clearly understood his lip reading.

"Go to hell, Livy."