My Last Hunt

Back to Middletown (4)

Preparations and the journey back;

Qiao fixed his appearance and walked outside the tent. It was near evening and the teams were returning after hunt. He was amazed that he slept so long however he was feeling lot better after long rest. He was again refreshed to hunt the monsters and this time every hunt would worth experience points unlike before. He was caught in the barrier and it limited his approach for hunting. After coming to this Snow Island until now; there had been over ten days. When he came here with the stronger team; he was only level four. 

Level Four usually did not get permission but for Qiao; first it was the backing of a senior and second he passed the test for recruitment in the team. Now he was already level five and can return back to the Middletown to get the permission for Hightown. So he planned to buy few important equipment and then return. At the eatery; the thing which he strongly felt that when a team or a hunter wanted to travel alone; there were few tools vital for the survival and first one was the food. Though he did not feel much hungry after level five however he felt that when his stomach started to grumble; it was actually hurting. 

So it turned out that each level of strength has a limit to it. Wuza also got ready according to the instructions of the brother hunter. The huntress was able to stand properly but she cannot walk without support. The small injuries were healed and the deeper one: were in the process. Qiao has to wait a day or two before leaving Snow Island because of her injuries. She cannot walk on her own and he was not ready to support her all the way. 

"I will return back this favor one day." Lowa noticed his reluctance and spoke. It was already a lot that this young hunter did not abandon her else she cannot predict her situation and the circumstances. "We will separate when I returned back to Middletown and till then you can take it as what you want to name…" he kept looking at the various tables in the eatery to properly sit and then eat while giving her a support for walk. Lowa tried her best to not let her eyes wander at his beautiful and handsome face features. She was shocked at her own behavior and the flickering heart. 

It would have been best to not confront this young man but what can be done now. She had to leave him else he would get irritated. They sat on an empty table and the attendant came to get the order. Qiao ordered two servings as the blood hunter had mentioned before that his race was meat sick from the birth. Here in this special eatery; a better form of meat was served with seasoning though it differ from the advanced world but people liked to cherish such feast whenever they have chance to satisfy their stomachs. 

First Qiao was amazed that the level six meat can be provided if ordered however the customer had to pay extravagant sum for such feast. The attendant came and placed the serving in front. A single serving seemed enough for five normal people. The big iron platter only consisted three big pieces of meat; Qiao looked for fork or chopstick but it seemed he had to just pick it up and munch. On the name of seasoning some wild flowers were put together on the platter while the half cooked meat was steaming smoke. 

He picked his old shapeless weapon and cut the meat portion in small pieces. He expertly made the proportioned quadrangular pieces then borrowed small dagger from the huntress and started using it as the fork. The hunters sitting the nearing table saw this strange thing and shook their shoulders. It was first ever that they witnessed such a garbed hunter living on the face of the world. Qiao was unbothered and eating as if there was no one around him. Lowa was also sneaking but dared not to ask anything. She focused her own serving; it was good that she came along to eat something; it would increase the rate of healing. 

Qiao took one piece and munched. The appearance of the meat was not much appetizing however when it touched the taste buds; he got a pleasant surprise. The taste of the meat was exceptionally exotic for the taste buds. Later he completely forgot the surrounding and enjoyed the serving. Wuza was sitting silently. He was curious to see the expressions of the brother hunter as to how nicely it tasted for the brother hunter to engross in eating completely. Lowa was also busy in eating her fill. 

Qiao was eating slowly while Lowa was eating with the normal pace a hunter would eat after many days. Right after finishing two pieces of meat; Qiao stopped, his stomach was filled. One piece was left and the attendant came to collect the bill. "I want this third piece you to pack for me." Qiao ordered and forked out the spoils for payment. He looked at the empty platter of the huntress and got surprised. She ate her all? He was amazed. Perhaps it was normal for a hunter to eat that much; thinking this he kept his words back. 

Apparently she looked so fragile and timid. "If it helps in increasing the healing then you should eat more than once." Qiao suggested. "If you are ready to pay then I might be able to eat next day and till half day; the wound would be healed fully." Lowa bite her lower lip after speaking. It was equal to asking another favor. "Sure; I can pay another bill." Qiao stood up and they walked out of the eatery. The remaining piece of meat was packed; this would help him understand how long he can live without taking food.

They walked between the pathways. Lowa extended her hand; she never witnessed such weather and the snowflakes. Outside the encampment the snowflakes did not accumulate on the ground while here the snow was piling up on the ground. The evening fell and those teams who were given responsibility to clear the snow came to do this job. Almost all the tents were lit and the pathways were glistening with the illumination stones hanging on the poles. "We will leave this place tomorrow after midday." Qiao reminded. He did not stop her from cherishing the beauty of this place. 

Lowa heard and nodded. Qiao thought to meet the previous team leader or the giant buddy who became his brother but he chose to let it go; if he was fortunate then in the future they will surely cross paths. Though he wanted to live few more days here but it would only delay his journey. Who knows how long the Middletown needed to give permission. If he stayed and hunted here then he would be so much engrossed to return back to Middletown. There was another reason as to why he changed his decision. During journey; there were high chances that the monsters would come by so he could hunt and accumulate experience points meanwhile closing the distance. 

"Oh I forgot; Wuza we will go toward the market and see if it has the storage bags for your food." When he reached near the tent he remembered that the journey would take one and half day and pretty sure he would get hungry sooner. He thought to leave the huntress inside the tent and then go to take a look if he could buy a storage bag. After some time they were standing in the market and the crowd was consisted on mostly those hunters who were buying fleeces or weapons. 

The hunters did not need any storage bag; they usually use their inner sleeves to keep the spoils. "What do you need young man?" a shopkeeper saw new customers and asked. "Well I need a storage bag; a secured one preferably." Qiao explained. There were many types of storage bags and most of them were used as to keep solid or concrete things for example extra clothes, spoils or food. But Qiao was looking for a secure storage bag which could store blood and he cannot explain this to the shopkeeper. 

The shopkeeper gestured toward another shop at the back of this lane saying; "There you can find something similar." Qiao and Wuza walked toward the back lane and saw the stall with miscellaneous things. The shopkeeper showed some of the storage bags; Qiao critically surveyed the finishing of the bag and rejected. These were not perfect for storing something liquid. Wuza was not supposed hanging a storage bag and the blood dripping for the hunters to get suspicious. "It seemed we have to search in the Middletown market for the right storage bag." Qiao walked away and only bought a normal storage bag for his food.