Chapter 329 - 288: Wa Er San Wu Qi Yi

Chapter 329: Chapter 288: Wa Er San Wu Qi Yi

Shire had always figured he might encounter all sorts of strange Races in the forest—little goblins, Centaurs, maybe even a Naga. At least those Races resembled intelligent beings to some degree. Even Pazani, who could be strange at times, still looked somewhat like a powerful, majestic "person" from the waist up. The fin on his back was more of an emotional signal, retracting in fear and standing erect in shock.

But the creature knocked unconscious before him was strange no matter how he looked at it. It had gray skin with green vertical stripes, while its abdomen and the inside of its arms were white. A large mouth hung half-open, its tongue lolling out like a lump of pink flesh. Two eyes, covered by a fleshy membrane, were set on either side of the top of its head. They must have been closed.

Shire frowned, sizing up the captive. The creature had a strange garland of leaves tied around its waist, and its two gray, bow-legs were spread limply on the ground.

’Looks like an oversized frog?’ Shire squatted down to get a closer look and saw that the thing was only about a meter tall, shorter than himself. Its weapon had been tossed aside. It looked exceptionally crude—just a crooked wooden stick with a spear-shaped rock tied to it.

’Interesting. Wake him up.’ Shire gave the order. A goblin quickly walked over and splashed some water on the creature’s face.

The "Frogman" stirred and slowly opened its eyes. When it took in its surroundings, it immediately cried out in alarm with a series of frantic squawks and croaks.

Shire glanced at the panicked "Frogman" and had a subordinate kick the crude long spear further away. He then waved his hand. "Can you understand me?"

The Frogman squawked incomprehensibly as it tried to scramble backward a few steps. Its webbed fingers brushed against a small rock, which it immediately snatched up and threw at Shire.

’Good thing I brought Fulu.’ Shire nimbly dodged the small stone, then beckoned Fulu over.

With Fulu’s help, a platform for Mind Communication was soon established.

"Who are you? Croak."

"I’m a visitor, you might say. And the master of this land. Who are you?" Shire asked with a smile, revealing several sharp teeth.

"Master?" The Frogman saw the strange smile on the goblin before it, and its expression grew taut. It recoiled. "Are you going to eat me? Croak."

"Eat you?" Shire sized the creature up again. Seeing the terror in its eyes, he chuckled. "We don’t eat frogs."

’Of course, we might have in the past.’

"You don’t eat Wa Er San Wu Qi Yi? Croak."

"Wa Er San Wu Qi Yi? What’s that?" Shire was confused.

"I... I am Wa Er San Wu Qi Yi," the Frogman said, pointing to itself. Then, as if remembering something, it asked, "Where is this? And who are you? Croak."

"Er San Wu Qi Yi," Shire mused over the name, a smile touching his lips. "This is the outside. Outside the caverns. Above ground."

"Outside?" The Frogman paused, stunned. He immediately began looking around nervously again. They were in a forest clearing, and the late afternoon sun was no longer so harsh. He shivered as he felt the cool air, and his voice trembled with excitement. "You... you appeared from the Egg-Birth Gate? The prophecy is true? Croak."

"Egg-Birth Gate? A prophecy?" Shire tilted his head. ’This is getting interesting.’ He looked up at Fulu, who shook its two eyestalks, indicating that the Frogman before them held no malicious intent.

"What’s the prophecy?" He quickly put the pieces together. The passage he had walked through must be this so-called "Egg-Birth Gate." That shriveled fish on the smooth stone must have been a sacrificial offering from these Frogmen.

"The prophecy says that one day, a strong savior will emerge from the Egg-Birth Gate. He will lead us away from the Lake of Darkness and to a wonderful new home in the water. Croak." The Frogman shivered a few times as he spoke.

Shire looked at Wa Er San Wu Qi Yi, who wore only a loincloth that looked like it was made of dried waterweeds. "It’s a little cold and windy out here. Would you like some clothes?"

"Clothes? What are those? Croak." The Frogman hugged its arms. It was indeed a little cold. "It’s fine. This is tolerable, compared to the temperatures in the Lake of Darkness."

Seeing that the creature held no evil intentions, Shire decided this Race might be worth contacting. It wouldn’t hurt to show some goodwill, so he moved to offer it some clothes to block the wind. However, as he touched the creature’s arm, he realized something felt wrong. His hand had come into contact with a wet, slippery liquid.

He then took another, closer look at the nervous Frogman and discovered that its entire body was covered in a thin layer of fluid.

"Your body is covered in..." Shire trailed off, unsure how to describe the fluid. He didn’t know whether to call it sweat or slime. He could only gesture, pointing it out to the creature.

"Our slime?" The Frogman glanced at its own arm. "We’re born with it. We’ve had it ever since we hatched. Croak."

"Well, that settles it. You can’t wear clothes with that layer of slime," Shire said with a helpless shrug of his hands.

"It’s okay. Did you really come through the Egg-Birth Gate? Croak." The Frogman paid no mind to the clothes. It blinked the two large eyes on top of its head and asked excitedly, "Our tribe has been waiting for I don’t know how long. Today is finally the day the prophecy comes true! Croak."