"Evie! That area is full of Wisps! They might attack you!" Rox forgot about her sister at the appearance of Evie, and he immediately came after the latter.

"Rox!" Roxy couldn't believe at what she saw. Her very own flesh and blood just abandoned her for some girl he had just met.

Roxy was about to open her mouth and shout for Rox to come back when she was left speechless when even Ragnar pulled from his line and went after Evie.

"What the efing–!" Roxy cursed under her breath.

Every male was a simp faced with a pretty face!

With only her left, Roxy could do nothing but sprint over to where the others were.

Ragnar had other thoughts, though. Evie could have run like Michael's group, but she returned after a while. She must have found something, and there was nothing wrong in following her. They were just waiting to die anyway before she suddenly showed up.

Hot on their backs, the Windigos went after them. They seemed slow, but their long thin legs allowed them to cross distance in just a few steps. And when the monsters almost reached the others, everyone was surprised that they suddenly stopped and howled. Like it was angry and scared at the same time.

Evie was surprised too. It was not like she was a hundred percent sure that it would work . . . but it did.

Rox, Roxy, and Ragnar were stunned at the turn of events, even more so that they were given a second chance amidst that helpless situation.

"Y-you . . ." Rox looked at Evie, eyes shining in reverie. "How did you do that? How did you stop the Windigos from attacking?"

The Windigos were like statues in front of Evie and the others, growling and shrieking like they wanted to attack, but they couldn't. Their menacing pair of blood-red eyes piercing them even more.

"I didn't do anything. It's something that I learned," said Evie but didn't disclose the secret just yet.

Ragnar raised his non-existent brow. "Learned?"

Evie nodded. "Before I told you. I want you to promise me something first."

"What is it?" Roxy's anger dissolved, and her discontent disappeared the moment that the Windigos had stopped attacking and they were given a second chance in life.

Evie looked at the others seriously in the eyes before she proceeded with a solemn but soothing voice. "I know how to proceed forward without being attacked by the Windigos . . . but in exchange for the information, I want first pick if we defeat the Boss."

There was no other Boss in the Forrest except Rakusha. That's what Evie liked to believe. She have to get Meriyaah's item at all cost. It might be a link to the [Epic Quest] she have.

Roxy and Rox looked at each other while Ragnar only said.

"Done."

"That's fast," Roxy said, frowning.

Ragnar crossed his hands. "There's nothing to think about. We're at a dead end with our numbers. We can't fight the Windigo forever, and we can't advance without fighting them. Unless you want to be eaten by the Windigo, then be my guess."

Roxy caught her tongue while Rox readily agreed too.

"And you won't kick me out of the group," Evie added. Roxy and Rox were siblings, so that was two votes gone already while she didn't know Ragnar. If the three of them decided to kick her out, then that would be the end of it.

"I won't do that," Rox immediately said.

Ragnar shrugged. "I won't, too, and you have my word."

Evie, Ragnar, and Rox looked over at Roxy. The latter sighed and flung her head over the horizon.

"Fine. You can trust my word for it," she said.

"Thank you." Though they could lie, as of now, Evie didn't have any choice but to hold on to their promise. They seemed like they weren't the type of people to go back on their words.

And they had the option to kick her out a while ago when she suddenly left them without warning, but they didn't.

That at least put her mind at ease.

"Alright," Evie said, "the Windigos couldn't be defeated because they'll just keep on coming. But they wouldn't attack us if we're within five meters from the Wisps."

"The Wisps?"

Everyone looked over at the flying balls of fire. They weren't going to believe what Evie said if they didn't experience it firsthand. Just standing near the Wisps made the Windigo back away.

"The Wisps wouldn't attack us as long as we leave it alone," Evie continued.

"How do you know about this?" asked Roxy with a frown.

"That blue eyes I saw before came from an NPC, and she told me how to go over the forest," Evie said. Good thing that her face was emotionless. She could tell a half-lie without giving anything away . . . she hoped.

Evie didn't want to disclose about the [Epic Quest]. She felt that it was dangerous at this point in time. She had to make sure that whoever she told the info was among the people she could trust.

"I see." Roxy didn't suspect a thing since there were really NPCs that help players.

While Rox and Ragnar didn't care as long as they could get out of the forest alive.

"What should we do next?" Rox questioned.

"What can we do?" Roxy sighed. "There's nothing for us except death or forward."

"What happened to the others?" Evie asked suddenly.

Roxy, Rox, and Ragnar looked at each other before their faces dimmed.

"Those ass*** left us," Rox said, voice thick with contempt. His face was bursting red and his teeth were grinding hard. "Because our group mostly held the Windigos' aggro, they decided to bail out on us and saved themselves."

Roxy sighed while shaking her head. "I couldn't blame them. I would have done the same if I was them. We're about to be wiped out if not for Evie, who arrived in time."

Rox frowned and growled, "They're still ass*** for leaving us."

"At least they said sorry before they left."

Rox looked at his sister and frowned. "Why are you defending them? Don't tell me that you like that skinny white ass man?" He was, of course, pertaining to Michael.

Roxy's face went red before she caught between her fist. "Of course not." You're the one who like a girl who had a deadpan expression and skin like a ghost.

"Anyway, let's go. Let's not waste any more time here on idle chatter," Roxy changed the topic, and with her lead, she went forward.

Roxy was about to make her second step when Evie stopped her.

"Wait."

"W-what?" Roxy looked over at Evie, who was staring at the ground.

Evie pointed at the thin line of aqua that was freely streaming along in a single line. "We should follow this stream of water."

"Huh?"

Roxy, Ragnar, and Rox all looked at the ground. There they found a narrow path of water that was running in a single line. Now that they notice it, it was kinda weird that it only ran in a single line and never really branched out like normal water did.

"Did this NPC also tell you about this?" Roxy asked Evie.

The latter just nodded before she stared at the stream as much as her eyes could see. The water line runs deeper into the fogy part of the forest. The good news was, the wisps were also flying in those parts.

"Let's go."

Roxy took the front while Ragnar proceeded to the back, protecting Evie and Rox at the center.

When they moved, the Windigos moved with them, and Rox stayed closer to the Wisps, shrinking as he did so.

"They're even scarier if they didn't do anything and just watch us while following us around.

"Don't mind them, and pressed on," said Roxy. As long as there were wisps around, the Windigos posed no threat.

Still, they weren't complacent because it was not only the Windigos they should be looking out for.

A/N (Doesn't consume coins)

I know I said two more chapters but it looked like it needs more 🤣

I know that you all want to go back to Ren but I don't want to rush the story. I tried, it didn't work so . . . patience is key �