That protagonist is trash; I could do better!

This is a trait that other races cannot imitate, and it is impossible to answer without a deep understanding of the human race.

Hall answered fluently, gaining the trust of the three men even more; at least none of them treated Hall as an outsider.

The four-person team set off again, and after a long journey of most of the day, they returned to the temporary human settlement.

Rick took two days to arrive, and the shorter return journey was thanks to the improved Spirit Needle and Hall's help.

Deep in the forest, at the foot of a steep rocky mountain, lies a hidden cave. At first glance, it appears unremarkable, but once inside, one can see human-made structures, with several oil lamps hanging from the upright log pillars.

Rick picked up one of the lamps, lit it with a flint, and led the group forward in the darkness. The journey was rather long, making one worry that they might be suffocated if they went too deep—a nightmare for anyone with claustrophobia.

“Be careful, don’t stray from the center of the road, there are many traps set for wild animals here,” Rick warned.

Hall nodded, and by the light, he could see various traps set up on both sides of the road. The Magic Eye analyzed their principles and power, and concluded that they could only be used to capture wild animals.

After all, even the weakest monster Hall knew of was unlikely to be harmed by such a rudimentary trap.

The group arrived at a thick wooden door, and Rick knocked rhythmically.

A middle-aged man opened the small door of the gate and was overjoyed to see Rick: "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Are you all alright?"

"what?"

Upon seeing Hall, the middle-aged man asked in surprise, "Is there an extra person?"

“No problem, he’s the human traveler who saved us, I can guarantee his safety,” Rick explained calmly. This was his absolutely rational approach, and one of the reasons why he was trusted.

Despite its lack of humanity, Rick's decision is the best course of action anytime, anywhere.

"Ok."

The middle-aged man scrutinized Hall, hesitated, then nodded and opened the door to let the group through.

Rick is the leader of this human settlement, and he has earned everyone's respect through his actions. Those he approves of naturally gain everyone's trust.

Chapter 240 The One God (Two Chapters Combined)

Rick, welcome back!

"Oh, you're back already? Much earlier than expected. Did you find anything?"

"Thank you for your hard work! Would you like some water?"

"Arei, I'm so glad you're all alright!"

"Daddy~ Welcome back! Look! Look! Nonna can write so many words now! She just got praised by Chloe!"

The adventure team received a warm welcome from the residents upon their return, and each member was surrounded by a crowd.

Rick remained calm and indifferent.

Arey is embracing a young girl happily; she appears to be his spouse.

Ivan then stroked his daughter's hair, rewarding and comforting her.

Compared to them, Hall, dressed out of place and all alone, stood out conspicuously.

Before long, a beautiful young woman parted the crowd and came to Rick, one hand on her hip, smiling as she said, "Rick, you finally managed to come back within the allotted time this time."

Rick nodded: "Klonie, what happened at home while I was away?"

“Nothing special happened, and you still need to call me ‘sister.’ How many times do I have to tell you before you understand?” Chronie scolded, her clear, azure eyes shifting to Hall with a hint of curiosity and surprise: “Rick, you brought guests back?”

Many people's eyes were also on Hall, curious about this rare visitor.

Rick introduced him, "Ah, his name is Hall, and he's our savior."

Klonie's expression suddenly turned serious, and she raised her voice to reprimand, "My savior!? Didn't I tell you to avoid taking risks?"

"I gained a lot this time as well."

"No amount of gain can compare to a human life. Don't make me worry too much, my foolish brother!"

Rick ignored Chronie's reprimand and instructed, "By the way, Chronie, please arrange temporary accommodation for Hall, and also prepare a sumptuous meal."

“Since he’s Rick’s savior, no problem.” Chronie walked up to Hall and bowed deeply. “I’m so sorry, my silly little brother has caused you trouble.”

The girl was cheerful and lively, yet her every move was steady and gentle, making it easy for people to like her. The dark cave seemed less gloomy because of her presence.

Hall smiled and nodded: "You're welcome."

"I'll arrange accommodations for you right away. If you don't mind, how about you take a shower first? I'll prepare some food for you in the meantime."

"can."

Klonie turned and glared at Rick fiercely: "You guys too, you stink like peas, how long has it been since you took a shower!"

After saying that, Kloni left with Hall.

In the crowd, someone couldn't help but ask, "Rick, who is that guy? Is he really human? I've never seen anyone like that before."

"That's right~ that's right, especially that face. I've never seen such a beautiful human before. Could it be a forest elf in disguise?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Other races have no need to impersonate humans, let alone people brought back by Rick. There's no need to worry too much."

"However, the settlement's food reserves are also running low. Due to the recent war, the coast was hit by stray bullets, and now it is rare to catch fish in the seawater flowing into the settlement."

"There's always a way if we just need to add one more person."

Can we really trust outsiders?

"That's right, humans need to help each other to survive in this world."

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, as this situation was extremely rare. Since the start of the war and the destruction of human cities, settlements had essentially lost contact with other humans.

Ivan stepped forward, holding his daughter, and gestured for everyone to quiet down. He said in a deep voice, "If it weren't for Mr. Hall, Rick and I might not have made it back. Especially me, because I accidentally inhaled the black ash and my internal organs were corroded. It was Mr. Hall who saved me!"

"Ivan, you mean he can heal the damage caused by the black ash?"

"impossible!"

"Ivan, has black ash gotten into your brain too? We're human, after all."

Arei quickly stepped forward and stated, "I can also testify to this, because Rick and I witnessed it with our own eyes."

Mentioning Rick's name immediately silenced everyone. They might doubt Ivan and Arey's words, but they had unwavering trust in Rick.

Rick nodded calmly and said, "I can vouch for it."

The crowd erupted in uproar.

······

"Honestly, what are they arguing about? Although Rick and the others are back safely, I can understand their excitement." Chronie glanced back at the crowd and muttered to herself helplessly. She led Hall through the dimly lit cave to a pool in the cave.

The pool water is clear, so it must be clean groundwater.

"This is where you shower and do laundry. Please make yourself at home. I'll go prepare some clean clothes for you." Kloni smiled kindly, said goodbye, and then turned to leave.

"Thank you." Hall nodded in acknowledgment. After taking a bath and changing into the village's clothes, he was led to a simple wooden room. Inside, there was only a log bed covered with two layers of unknown animal hides.

A moment later, Chloe pushed open the door and entered, bringing Hall some fruit, meat, and hot broth. She said warmly, "Please enjoy. If it's not enough, you can ask me to add more."

The meat is all air-dried and cured, so it's very tough and salty. After all, it's near the sea, so there's no shortage of fish and salt.

Hall picked up the jerky, took a bite, and then drank some soup.

By modern standards, it would probably be considered unpalatable, but for Hall, who had experienced a different kind of wilderness survival, it was an indescribable delicacy.

“Hey, I hope the food in the settlement suits your taste.” Rick greeted Hall from the doorway and introduced the settlement to him: “For the residents here, outsiders are very rare. Even before the war, the city rarely saw outsiders.”

"More than two thousand people live here now, barely managing to survive."

"Recently, the fighting in the surrounding area has become so intense that this settlement has become unsafe. The mountain's defenses can only withstand a minimal amount of stray bullets. We must find another suitable place for human habitation before the fighting becomes even more intense."

"Hall, I have some specific intelligence in my room, and there should be something in it that you're interested in. In exchange, I hope you can do me a favor."

Hall finished his food in a few bites, stood up, picked up a bright red fruit and tossed it to him, saying with a smile, "No problem, just let me know if there's anything you need me to do."

"Come with me. There are a few people in the settlement who accidentally got covered in soot while foraging for food. Let's go check on them first."

Rick led Hall into a cave where several people lay, mostly women. Some had arms, others legs, and still others had faces with an abnormal bluish-purple tinge. Their eyes had lost their light and their hope for survival; they were simply waiting for death to come.

Rick calmly asked, "Can it be cured?"

"No major problems."

Rick's usually stern face relaxed slightly, and he said sincerely, "Then I'll leave it to you."

Hall crouched down and deployed the transmutation circle, the appearance of "magic" causing a commotion.

"magic?"

"Rick? Who is he?"

What does he want to do?

"what?"

"My body feels..."

When they saw the black ash on their hands and feet fade away, their bewilderment turned to tears of joy, and they embraced each other.

On the other side, a group of people who had been waiting there could no longer resist rushing over when they saw this.

They were all relatives of the humans affected by the Black Ash. They had been waiting here ever since they heard that Hall had the ability to heal injuries caused by the Black Ash. They thanked Hall with great emotion, almost to the point of throwing Hall's body into the air to celebrate.

"He's really cured!"

"incredible!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much for saving my wife!"

"Ina, are you alright? Does it still hurt?"

"Thank you, traveler from afar! I will never forget your kindness."

Hall smiled and greeted him.

Afterward, Rick led Hall to his room, which was far from the other rooms and deep inside the cave, where even shouting would go unnoticed.

This is a place Rick specifically chose, where he can unleash his impotent rage and wail when he has an emotional breakdown or when he unlocks the mental locks that control his emotions.

The room was a mess, with only books and some surveying tools, and a map that had just been revised by comparing it with the goblin strategy map on the shelf.

Rick fiddled with the books on the bookshelf: "There were many books before the city was destroyed, but now only these are left. Most of them are intelligence that I have investigated and compiled. You can look at them freely, and you can ask me if there is anything you don't understand."