I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl

Chapter 494: Chapter 491 – The Long Journey and Bandit Attack

The next morning, the soft, warm light of the rising sun gently greeted the small caravan consisting of two horse-drawn carriages. Dew still clung to the blades of grass along the edge of the rest stop, sparkling like tiny gems under the newly risen sunlight. The morning air felt fresh and invigorating, mixed with the scent of damp soil after last night’s light rain, the faint smell of a dying campfire, and the subtle fragrance of green forest leaves.

Sylvia woke up first as usual. Her undead body was already refreshed and full of energy without needing long rest. She glanced toward the Eternal Party’s carriage not far away. Elara and her team members were also starting to stir, stretching their bodies, checking their equipment, and preparing themselves to continue the long and uncertain journey ahead.

After a quick but nutritious breakfast of toasted dry bread over the remaining campfire embers, savory smoked meat, boiled eggs, and sweet fresh fruit, the group resumed their journey. This time at a slightly faster pace to make the most of their time. The Elf Kingdom was quite far from the capital of the Helios Empire. Under normal travel with ordinary horses, the journey could take more than a full month, passing through dense forests full of danger, large rushing rivers, and steep rocky mountains prone to landslides. However, with Sylvia’s two zombie horses, the group’s speed was far superior and more efficient.

The zombie horses never tired. Their stamina seemed limitless, their undead muscles remained strong and steady even after running for hours without stopping. Their eyes glowed with faint, eternal loyalty, never complaining or slowing down. Meanwhile, the ordinary horses of the Eternal Party began showing signs of fatigue after several hours. Their breathing grew labored, their coats wet with sweat, and their steps became heavier. They had to rest more frequently by the river or in grassy meadows, giving the horses a chance to graze on fresh grass, drink clear water, and recover their strength.

"Thank you for adjusting your speed for us," Elara said one afternoon as they stopped by a small, clear, gently flowing river. Her voice was sincere, her beautiful eyes showing deep gratitude. "Without you, we would definitely be much slower and more vulnerable to the dangers on the road."

Sylvia only smiled faintly from her coachman’s seat, the wind brushing her black hair which was still disguised as that of an elf. "It’s no problem. We’re helping each other on this journey. Your strength and your team’s are also very valuable to us."

Two weeks passed quickly, though filled with daily minor challenges. The scenery along the way changed dramatically from vast, fertile green plains with gentle breezes, to thick primeval forests with towering giant trees, to challenging rocky hills with steep narrow paths. They passed through several quiet small villages, bustling trading posts at crossroads, and once stayed overnight in a small town to buy food supplies, medicine, and spare arrows.

During that long journey, the bond between Unhuman and Eternal grew tighter and filled with trust. Elara often shared stories about life in the Elf Kingdom, ancient traditions, the sacred Tree of Life, and a culture in harmony with nature. Meanwhile, Sylvia shared a little about Nocture without revealing too many of her undead secrets just enough to build familiarity.

On the fourteenth day, the group had reached nearly halfway. The afternoon sun began to tilt westward, painting the sky in a beautiful and dramatic golden-orange gradient. The air felt cooler and more humid as they entered the region closer to the ancient elf forest. Sylvia sat calmly on the coachman’s seat, Sol curled comfortably in her lap, its tail wagging slowly. The evening breeze swept through her black hair, which shimmered due to the camouflage magic, carrying the scent of damp leaves and wildflowers.

Suddenly, the sound of rough, irregular horse hooves came from ahead, breaking the calm of the evening. Several figures dressed in ragged clothes, carrying rusted weapons and faces full of scars, emerged from behind the dense trees, blocking the road with threatening postures. There were about twenty of them, all looking rough, bloodthirsty, and desperate.

"Stop!" shouted their leader, a large man with a deep scar across his face and a thick beard. "Hand over all your valuables, or we’ll kill every last one of you without mercy!"

Elara quickly drew her bow from inside the carriage with fast, practiced movements. "Bandits again. The border regions are always full of these parasites targeting travelers," she said coldly.

Sylvia sighed softly, her dark red eyes narrowing sharply. "Looks like we need to clean this up first before continuing."

The battle broke out quickly and brutally. The bandits charged from two directions in a coordinated manner. Some shot arrows from a distance, while others attacked with rusted swords and heavy axes. The Eternal Party’s horses panicked and neighed in fear, but Sylvia’s zombie horses remained calm and stable, even ready to charge if needed.

Stacia immediately opened her thick grimoire, her fingers moving rapidly. "Wind Barrier!" she shouted loudly. Strong winds swirled around both carriages like an invisible wall, deflecting incoming arrows and creating an effective protective vortex. Alicia raised her elegant magic staff and cast a series of debuffs at the enemies with high precision. "Weakness Chain! Slow Curse!" The bandits’ bodies immediately felt heavy, their movements slowed drastically, their muscles weakened, and their vision began to blur.

Sylvia leaped down from the carriage lightly and gracefully like a shadow. Her Chains of Abyss emerged from the shadows on the ground, moving like living bloodthirsty snakes full of darkness. The pitch-black chains shot forward, wrapping around two bandits at once with tremendous force and slamming them hard into a large tree trunk. The sound of breaking bones and screams of pain rang clearly amid the chaos of battle.

"Attack the ones in front! Don’t let them get near the carriages!" Elara ordered her party members in a firm voice. The elves fought with the agility and grace typical of their race, their arrows flew accurately through the bandits’ necks and chests, while their short swords slashed with deadly precision.

A large bandit approached Sylvia’s carriage, swinging a massive axe wildly. "Pretty lady, just surrender yourself! We’ll treat you ’well’!" he shouted with a crude, lewd laugh.

Sylvia only stared at him coldly, expressionless. With one elegant hand movement, an abyss chain pierced through the man’s chest from behind like a spear of darkness. Blood gushed out heavily, and his body collapsed helplessly to the ground, eyes still wide open in shock.

The battle was intense but very one-sided. Although the bandits had greater numbers, the quality and coordination of Sylvia’s team and Eternal were far superior. Alicia continued stacking debuffs slow, weaken, confusion, and fatigue making the bandits collide with each other, miss their targets, and move like drunkards. Stacia used wind magic to create small vortices that disrupted the enemies’ balance, causing them to stumble and fall.

Sol transformed into an impressive medium size, charging several bandits with its sharp golden claws and leaving deep gashes. Qilin also helped by releasing small lightning bolts that paralyzed enemies, making them convulse before collapsing.

In less than ten minutes, all the bandits were lying on the blood-soaked ground. Those who were still alive were taken captive for further interrogation. Elara approached the severely wounded bandit leader and questioned him in a threatening tone.

"We... were just looking for money... someone paid us to ambush an elf caravan passing through..." the man answered with labored breathing, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

Sylvia narrowed her sharp red eyes. "Who paid you? Speak, or you’ll die slower."

The man only laughed weakly and bitterly before finally losing consciousness. They decided not to kill all the prisoners, instead leaving them tightly bound to trees to be found by local guards or wild beasts.

After clearing the battlefield of corpses and looted goods, the group continued their journey with heightened caution. The sun was almost setting when they found a safe place to camp that night, a small clearing sheltered by trees. A campfire was lit again with dry wood, tents were quickly set up, and dinner was prepared from their supplies.

"Thank you for your help today," Elara said as she sat near the warm campfire, her face illuminated by the orange glow. "Without you, we might have had a hard time dealing with their numbers."

Sylvia nodded slowly from across the fire. "We’re a team now. Tomorrow we will continue. The Elf Kingdom is getting closer, but so are the dangers."

That night, under the faint moonlight and twinkling stars, Sylvia sat alone at the edge of the camp, staring into the deep darkness of the forest. The small battle earlier was only the beginning of a series of trials. The journey to the Elf Kingdom would surely become more dangerous with deeper intrigues. But she was ready. Together with her sisters and these new friends, she would face anything that stood in their way with the power of darkness and her iron will.