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Chapter 200 - Chapter 201: Return of the Missing

For those who stumbled into this place by accident, the Rangers clearly had contingency plans. If it hadn't been Levi who fell down but Haradrim or other enemies, they would have been backstabbed and had their throats slit the instant they landed by strike team members hidden in the shadows on watch duty.

Most likely they wouldn't even have a chance to cry out.

As enemies go, these frontline strike team members from Ithilien were indeed quite dangerous. As friends... they were also quite frightening.

"Why has the legendary great lord from the North come to us alone?"

The Ranger lying in ambush above had startled Levi, but at the same time Levi's arrival had also startled the Rangers.

A legendary lord with enormous influence throughout Middle-earth. Though he called himself a lord, his territorial extent and influence were no less than those of a true king.

Why would such an important figure come alone to the dangerous southern front lines, so far from his own domain?

"I had some important business to attend to in Harad."

Levi responded with complete earnestness: "The fruit they cultivate there is exceptionally delicious."

"So you went to...?"

"I went to stock up."

"Just you alone?"

"Yes, just me."

The Rangers fell silent for a moment. Because the enemy stronghold's specialty fruits were delicious, he had ventured alone into enemy territory to make purchases. All for a couple bites of fruit.

Imagine if one's own chancellor did such a thing... it would be unseemly to watch. This was truly like Melkor singing off-key in the Great Music, completely outrageous.

Do the people in your domain know you're doing this?

"Don't worry, I left a note before departing. They should be able to see it."

Levi answered their unspoken question.

"Uh, they should be able to see it, right?"

Even more worrying now. But since it was someone else's business, they couldn't really comment or probe further.

Moments later.

In a more spacious area deeper in the cave, the captain spoke privately with Levi.

"I think I should introduce myself properly now."

"Captain of the Third Division of Ithilien Rangers, Cain."

"As our unit's name suggests, all of us come from Ithilien. That place is no longer suitable for habitation. The east is overrun with Uruk-hai from Mordor, while the south frequently suffers Haradrim incursions."

"Though we lack the strength to resist the great armies of both sides, we have our own role to play. When they set foot on Ithilien's soil, letting down their guard is tantamount to exposing their necks to the blade."

"But this isn't Ithilien." Levi reminded him.

This was Harondor. You'd have to go north past the River Poros to reach Ithilien. That river was effectively Gondor's southern border.

"Indeed."

Facing Levi, Cain held back nothing about their intelligence, revealing: "Because the Haradrim have strangely ceased their harassment recently, and even their frontmost forces have actively withdrawn from Ithilien's borders back to their strongholds, the Steward believes this may conceal some greater conspiracy, so he sent us across the ford to conduct reconnaissance here."

"That is indeed very abnormal." Levi nodded in agreement.

"But we've never been able to investigate anything. It's been quite peaceful this whole time."

Peaceful...

Levi wasn't sure what to say. You call it peaceful when your captain was captured by the enemy, multiple team members were wounded, and one teammate was taken prisoner?

What must it have been like before?

"Gondor will remember your assistance."

Business concluded, Cain spoke in a more casual tone:

"What do you plan to do next? If you're returning, we can send some men to accompany you north until you reach safety."

Hearing this, Levi couldn't help but chuckle. Escort me?

"Don't worry. Nothing in this region can threaten me. Better to send your warriors where they're more needed."

"Speaking of which."

Levi walked around other parts of the cave, seeing over twenty wounded men sitting or lying on the ground, silently tending their wounds without a sound.

This stronghold had only seventy or eighty people total, with nearly half being wounded. Not a good situation.

"I happen to know how to brew some potions that can heal wounds, and I recently found the main ingredient I was lacking."

"Perhaps your men could help me test their effectiveness."

Alchemy.

Cain thought for a moment, then recalled that the rumors about the legendary lord before him did include "he can brew miraculous potions."

Worth trusting.

Clack.

An ender chest was placed. Levi took out a brewing stand and nether wart, dug a two-meter-wide water pit nearby to create infinite water, then placed some dirt blocks beside the pit, tilled them into farmland, and planted watermelon seeds with bone meal to accelerate growth.

Just like that, a simple brewing and raw material production environment was set up.

All that remained was waiting. Waiting for watermelons to grow. This was somewhat random; with good luck they might grow the next second, and with bad luck it could take a day or two.

Pop.

Just as he was thinking this, a perfectly square large watermelon suddenly sprouted, falling onto the soil beside the melon stem.

"Looks like we're in luck."

Levi patted the watermelon, the crisp sound echoing in the cave.

Cain looked over at the sound, his gaze somewhat dazed.

"How did this thing grow?"

He couldn't help crouching down to tap the watermelon twice with his hand. The watermelon immediately showed cracks, and when he stopped, the cracks stopped spreading too.

Levi continued his motion, and with a crack, the watermelon split into several pieces that fell to the ground.

Cain couldn't help asking: "Can they keep growing like this indefinitely?"

"Of course they can."

Doesn't that mean this stronghold will never lack watermelons?

Clap.

A crafting table was placed. Levi took out gold ingots, broke them down into gold nuggets, and combined them with watermelon slices to craft glistening melons, placing them in the brewing stand to combine with "awkward potions" brewed from nether wart.

Just like that, three bottles of fresh "healing potion" were ready.

"Give these to the wounded men, one bottle each."

Levi instructed Captain Cain, who took them without question. He himself was the best proof of the potions' effectiveness.

Gulp.

Healing potions were produced bottle by bottle and consumed by the wounded.

"It really works."

One team member unwrapped his bandages and stood up on the spot, even jogging a few steps left and right.

"Remarkable results."

"Even bone injuries are healed."

"My chest wound has closed too."

Everything improved.

"You didn't just save me. You saved the lives of many team members."

Confirming that his subordinates had indeed fully recovered, Cain approached with unstoppable smiles at the corners of his mouth.

"It's nothing major."

Levi packed up the brewing stand and materials, putting them back in the ender chest before breaking it down.

"Captain!"

Just as he was cleaning up, voices came from above the cave entrance. Two team members pushed aside leaves and climbed down the rope one after another.

"Captain, I've returned!"

A team member with a haggard face and somewhat thin build walked over. Cain immediately went to meet him, gripping his shoulders.

"You..."

"I escaped when those Haradrim weren't paying attention. Captain, you don't know what they did to me."

The 'Traitor' immediately began recounting his ordeal.

"They subjected me to brutal interrogation, lashed me repeatedly, and left me to starve. Multiple times I believed death was imminent."

"Yet through sheer will I endured." He exhaled deeply: "Had I surrendered to despair, how could I have lived to see this moment of escape?"

"Welcome back."

A thousand emotions condensed into these words as Cain embraced this team member. This action truly made the team member freeze for a moment.

"Yes, I'm back."

He quickly reacted and returned the embrace. At the same time, his eyes swept across the entire stronghold, looking at the large group of former colleagues active here, the corners of his mouth involuntarily rising.

So many people...

"Yes, yes... I'm back."

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