The trail wasn't a road in the true sense of the word. It was more like an old scar on the earth, faint and invaded by vegetation, but still clear enough for someone with a purpose to follow. For An, it was the only thread connecting the wilderness he was slowly getting used to and a civilized world he longed to find again.
He moved cautiously, not walking straight down the middle of the trail but sticking to the edge of the forest, using the trees for cover. Every step was a calculation. The Basic Analysis skill became his third eye, constantly scanning everything, consuming a small amount of mental energy but providing priceless safety in return.
[Boar Tracks] - Passed by about two hours ago.
[Poisonous Mushroom] - Avoid.
[Strong Vine] - Can be used as rope.
Knowledge was power, and for the first time, An felt he wasn't completely helpless. He was no longer just reacting to the world; he was reading it.
After walking for a few miles, a strange smell drifted through the air. It wasn't the scent of damp earth or decaying leaves. It was the smell of smoke, and something else... the thick, cloying smell of blood, much stronger than the wolf's from the day before.
Survival instincts kicked in. He immediately ducked behind a large rock, the iron dagger held tightly in his hand. He waited for a long time, but only silence enveloped him. Curious and cautious, he slowly moved forward.
The scene before him made him hold his breath.
In the middle of the trail was an overturned carriage, one wheel broken off. Splintered wood was scattered everywhere. Two animals, similar to horses but larger and shaggier, lay dead in a pool of blood, their bodies riddled with terrible wounds. Next to the carriage were two human corpses. One was a man dressed like a merchant, and the other wore simple leather armor, likely a guard. This was a massacre.
An didn't feel the same revulsion as his first kill. Instead, a cold, rational logic enveloped him. This was data. An important dataset.
He activated Basic Analysis on an arrow stuck in the side of the carriage.
[Roughly-Made Iron Arrow]
[Quality: Poor]
[Analytical Note: Uneven fletching, poorly balanced head. Likely made by bandits or in a village with limited smithing skills.]
Next, he analyzed the intact wheel.
[Material: Oak Wood, Iron Rim]
[Analytical Note: Shows signs of specialized tools. Crafted in a sizable workshop, not self-made. Suggests the existence of an organized town or settlement nearby.]
A town. He was on the right track.
He cautiously approached the two corpses. Everything of value had been stripped clean. But as An checked the guard's body, he discovered something the robbers had missed. Stuck under the body, pressed deep into the mud, was a metal object. He used his fang dagger to pry it out. It was an iron dagger with a simple leather-wrapped hilt, covered in blood and mud.
[Iron Dagger (Worn)]
[Quality: Common]
[Sharpness: 35/100]
[Durability: 85/100]
An gripped the iron dagger in his hand. The heavy, solid feel of the metal brought a strange sense of security. This was a real tool, a product of civilization.
Suddenly, he heard savage voices and laughter from further down the road. They were coming back.
Without a second's hesitation, An dove into the nearest thicket, holding his breath and pressing himself flat against the ground. A few seconds later, a group of about six men appeared. They were human, but their appearance was no different from wild beasts. Shaggy beards and hair, tattered clothes, their hands gripping crude axes and swords still stained with blood.
"Nothin' left," one of them growled, kicking one of the dead animals. "Let's go. Get back to camp before dark."
They gave the area a cursory search one more time and then left, their laughter and voices fading away. An lay still for several more minutes before daring to breathe again. He slowly stood up, still gripping the iron dagger. He looked in the direction the bandits had gone, then back in the opposite direction, toward a town he had never seen.
This world didn't just have monsters in the deep forest. It also had monsters that could talk, laugh, and wield weapons. The danger hadn't diminished when he found the trail. It had only changed its form.
And An knew that to survive in this world, he would have to face them both.