Chapter 176

"Hey, you're still up?"

A sudden voice broke the silence.

I was sitting on the steps outside the cabin when I heard it. I turned towards the source and saw Emily standing in the doorway. The firelight softened her features, and the usual coldness around her seemed to have dissipated.

"Yeah, you're still up too?" I echoed.

Leaning back against the steps, my movements betrayed a weariness I couldn't quite describe.

Emily didn't respond immediately. Instead, she slowly approached and sat down beside me. Neither of us spoke; we just sat there in silence.

After a long while, Emily finally asked, "Don't you have anything you want to ask me?"

I smiled faintly and shook my head. "Everyone's got their secrets. Why should I pry? We all make our own choices. I respect yours."

Emily's eyes reddened slightly at my words.

"I didn't mean to keep things from you," she said softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

I looked at her quietly for a moment before speaking gently. "Everyone's got their own path and pursuits. You don't need to change yourself for others."

Emily understood what I meant. She knew I was saying that whether or not I was The Verdant Guardian, she shouldn't lose herself because of it. She shouldn't feel guilty for not protecting me or for keeping her secrets.

Seeing my calm expression, Emily felt a pang of discomfort.

I gazed at the starry sky above. I truly didn't care what Emily had hidden from me. It didn't matter; it had nothing to do with me. While I had ambitions, I also understood the importance of contentment.

After a long time, I noticed Emily still frowning, seemingly unable to let go of her thoughts.

I sighed and said, "Don't burden yourself too much. Many responsibilities aren't yours to bear, but you take them on anyway. It'll only exhaust you."

Emily shook her head slightly, her eyes showing determination. "It's my responsibility. I can't slack off."

She didn't explain further.

Then she looked at me and said, "Aren't you the same?"

Her words stirred a complex mix of emotions within me. She was right. I had also unknowingly taken on many responsibilities. If it were just me, even on this deserted island, I could live quite easily. But as our group grew, so did the number of things I had to consider.

This time, challenging the chieftain alone was seen by others as a suicide mission. But I didn't mind. At that moment, I knew many people were awake, silently worrying about me. It made everything I did feel worthwhile.

When I stepped out, I noticed several people breathing heavily, clearly awake but choosing not to disturb me. Just as I suspected, everyone inside the cabin had their eyes open, even Gary, who usually slept soundly, looked worried.

They all refrained from eavesdropping on my conversation with Emily.

After sitting for a while longer, the cool breeze made me shiver.

"Why do you all have different last names if you're from the Johnson family? It's so confusing," I suddenly remembered and asked.

A complicated look flashed in Emily's eyes. She answered softly, "It's a long story. I can't explain it now."

Her voice carried a hint of apology, indicating there were still things she couldn't share with me.

I nodded. "I'm just curious. It doesn't matter if I know or not. Just tell me when you're ready."

I stood up, ready to head back inside. After a moment's thought, I added, "And remember, don't put too much pressure on yourself when making decisions. Take care of yourself first before worrying about others."

Emily nodded. It had been a long time since anyone had told her to take care of herself. The last time was hundreds of years ago, from her mother. She had always been strong-willed, and after the family fell apart, she took on even more pressure.

"Let's go back," I said, turning to Emily.

For some reason, when our eyes met, I thought I saw a tear glisten in her eye. But it disappeared so quickly that I wondered if I had imagined it.

Unlike Helen, I didn't know how to comfort Emily if she cried. If it were Helen, I would have held her and comforted her immediately.

After a moment of thought, I decided to speak.

"I'll stay here a bit longer. You go ahead."

Emily interrupted me. "I need some time alone."

I hesitated but knew she needed her space, so I nodded and went inside.

In the room, I noticed Helen's shoulders twitch slightly. She was still awake.

I lay down and pulled her into my arms. Her shoulders were cold, probably from worrying and checking on me.

I kissed the back of her neck gently. "Sleep."

Helen's eyes snapped open. She thought she had hidden her worry well, but I had seen through it.

She blinked, unsure of what to say. Soon, she heard my steady breathing and knew I had fallen asleep. She stayed still and closed her eyes, drifting into sleep.

The next day, I began training. I knew defeating the chieftain wouldn't be easy; it required real effort.

Emily was already waiting outside.

"Morning! You're up early," I greeted her, surprised.

Emily didn't respond, only saying, "Let's start."

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" I asked as she spoke.

Emily was impressed by my logical thinking. "I don't need sleep," she said coldly.

Since Emily had been waiting, I didn't waste any more time. We headed to the clearing to start training.

I knew little about Emily's strength. My intuition told me she was powerful, but I had never seen her in action.

Today, I finally had the chance.

Kurt was also up early. Seeing us ready to train, he hurried over, eager to learn from this rare opportunity.

Watching us, Kurt was excited and unsure who would win. Normally, he thought I would win, but against Emily, he wasn't so sure.

His eyes were fixed on us, his body leaning forward in anticipation.

The girls woke up one by one. Helen looked worried.

"Let's start," Emily said, not wanting to waste time.

I nodded and launched the first attack, testing Emily's strength.

As I swung my fist, Emily lightly tapped her toes and floated forward like a feather, easily dodging my attack.

Compared to her, my movements were swift and direct, but Emily countered them effortlessly.

I wasn't discouraged. I knew Emily wouldn't be easy to defeat. If Emily could be taken down by a simple punch, I'd start doubting if this was the real Emily and not some imposter. There was no way she was that weak.

I charged forward, throwing another punch. Emily extended her right hand, caught my fist, then slid her hand to my wrist, giving a gentle push. It seemed simple, but it sent me stumbling back several steps.

My expression grew serious. Missing the first punch was understandable, but this time I had used 50% of my strength, and Emily had effortlessly neutralized it with a casual move and a light push that carried surprising force.

"Again!" Emily frowned, clearly dissatisfied with my punch.

I nodded and charged again, flipping my palm forward. Emily raised both hands to block, and I quickly turned my right hand into a fist, unleashing another burst of power. But it felt like hitting a pillow.

Emily pushed forward, then extended her hand to my chest, her fingers curling into a fist, and I was sent flying backward. Her movements seemed slow, but each step was calculated.

After several failed attempts, I was in awe.

"Again!" Emily's voice was cold.

We repeated this process for over a dozen moves, and by the time the morning was over, I hadn't even touched the hem of Emily's clothes. I sat on the ground, panting heavily.

Seeing it was time for a break, Emily approached to help me up, but I refused her hand, standing up and dusting myself off.

Emily's cold demeanor showed a hint of tension. She thought my pride was hurt by the training.

But that wasn't the case. I walked over to Helen and playfully clung to her, whining dramatically, "I'm so weak!"

My voice had a playful tone, but I put on a sad face.

Helen smiled and comforted me, "Keep going. I believe in you."

Her gentle and encouraging words lifted my spirits a bit. But I continued to act spoiled, seeking her embrace.

"Alright, alright, everyone's watching," Helen said helplessly.

"I just want a hug," I insisted.

Helen blushed, her ears turning pink with embarrassment.

"Kevin, are you a child? How can you be so childish?" Mary said, exasperated.

She had never seen this side of me before.

I scratched my head and said, "I just can't beat Emily."

"Why not let Emily fight The Chief Elder?" Gary suggested.

He had woken up late but had seen our sparring and was impressed by Emily's strength. He was anxious to rescue Laura and would have rushed in if I hadn't explained the situation yesterday.

Emily, however, replied softly, "I won't. Bullying kids isn't fun."

Her eyes sparkled with a hint of playfulness.

We were all taken aback by Emily's joke, unsure how to respond.

But I quickly said, "If the chieftain is a kid, then what am I?"

"A newborn baby," Emily replied after a moment's thought.

Her answer left me speechless, and I sighed. It was clear that joking with someone who rarely joked could backfire.

After a short rest, I resumed training with renewed seriousness. Each failure taught me something, and I improved rapidly, earning a glimmer of admiration in Emily's eyes.

A week later, outside the cabin, I managed to get close and grab Emily's shoulder, pulling her back. Emily flipped over and landed on my shoulder. She tapped her toes, but I grabbed her feet and pushed up, rolling to the side. Emily landed, creating cracks in the dry ground, showing her strength.

Despite being at a disadvantage, I wasn't discouraged and immediately attacked again, aiming a kick at Emily. She blocked with her arm, but I hooked my foot, flipped my body, and pressed down on her shoulders.

"You're improving fast," Emily said, her voice tinged with surprise and approval.

After landing, I humbly replied, "It's because you're a good teacher."

But my expression betrayed a hint of pride. Winning a round made me very happy.

Kurt approached with a wooden bucket of water. I took a drink and sighed heavily.

Kurt had also benefited from observing our training, learning many practical techniques. He realized the gap between us but was determined to work harder to catch up.

I had devoted all my energy to training. Late at night, I practiced under the moonlight, leaving sweat marks on the ground. I allowed myself only four hours of rest before resuming at dawn.

Facing the upcoming challenge, I knew I had to give it my all. Against The Chief Elder, I couldn't afford any slack.

Meanwhile, Hubert was plotting in the shadows. After our last confrontation, he felt humiliated and sensed strange looks from others in the camp. He realized that I and Kurt had returned later, tricked by Helen.

Feeling he had missed an opportunity, Hubert was determined to strike. He had been monitoring our every move and noticed my absence. He soon discovered that Emily and I were training behind the cabin, a secluded and quiet spot.

After days of observation and preparation, Hubert decided to attack our camp. Under the cover of night, he led his men, confident of success.

Within minutes, Hubert's group surrounded our cabin, forming an impenetrable barrier.

"Helen, come out!" Hubert's voice echoed in the night, breaking the silence.

I opened my eyes and stepped out, with Helen following closely. Soon, everyone else emerged.

I was about to step forward, but Helen stopped me, signaling me to stay put. She and Mary went out to confront Hubert.

"Hubert, what are you doing here again?" Helen asked, her eyes narrowing in displeasure.

"Helen, I've missed you so much. I couldn't resist coming to see you after a week," Hubert said mockingly, his tone full of arrogance.

His followers laughed at his words.

"Shameless! Get lost, you trash!" Helen snapped, her fists clenched in anger.

Helen's fury was palpable. She knew that showing any weakness to someone like Hubert would only encourage him. Seeing Hubert reminded her of Susan, fueling her anger even more.

Hubert smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction he was getting. "Oh, come on, Helen. No need to be so hostile. We just want to have a little chat."

"There's nothing to talk about," Mary interjected, her voice steady and firm. "Leave now, or you'll regret it."

Hubert's smirk faded slightly, but he didn't back down. "You think you can scare me? I've got my men here, and we're not leaving without what we came for."

"And what exactly is that?" I asked, stepping forward despite Helen's earlier signal.

Hubert's eyes flicked to me, a sneer forming on his lips. "You, Kevin. We want you to come with us. You've been a thorn in my side for too long."

I glanced at Helen and Mary, then back at Hubert. "If you think I'm going anywhere with you, you're delusional."

Hubert's face twisted with anger. "Fine. Have it your way. Men, take him!"

His followers moved forward, but before they could reach me, Emily stepped out from the shadows, her presence commanding immediate attention.

"Back off," she said, her voice cold and authoritative.

Hubert's men hesitated, clearly intimidated by Emily's demeanor.

Hubert's eyes widened in surprise. "Who the hell are you?"

Emily didn't bother to answer. Instead, she took a step forward, her gaze locked on Hubert. "Leave now, or you'll regret it."

Hubert's bravado faltered, but he tried to save face. "You think you can take all of us on?"

Emily's eyes narrowed. "Try me."

The tension in the air was palpable. Hubert's men looked uncertain, glancing at each other and then at Hubert.

Realizing he was outmatched, Hubert finally relented. "Fine. We'll leave. But this isn't over."

As Hubert and his men retreated, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I turned to Emily, gratitude evident in my eyes. "Thanks."

Emily nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Just doing my part."

Helen and Mary joined us, their relief evident as well. "That was close," Helen said, her voice shaky.

"Yeah," I agreed. "But we handled it."

Mary looked at Emily, her eyes filled with respect. "Thank you, Emily. We couldn't have done it without you."

Emily shrugged, but I could see the hint of a smile on her lips. "We're a team. We look out for each other."

As we headed back inside, I couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of determination. The upcoming challenge with The Chief Elder was daunting, but with friends like these by my side, I knew we could face anything.