Chapter 235: Hauled out
Luke once came across a book of poems in his past life.
One illustration in particular had stayed with him.
It depicted a young man carrying his elderly, disabled mother on his back as he journeyed across the world, determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of seeing it with her own eyes.
Strangely enough, Luke was experiencing a similar feeling right now.
With a thick rope in hand, he secured the large container onto his back. The ropes were so sturdy that they looked capable of hauling an elephant out of a pit.
Fortunately, he had some experience with this sort of work.
Working methodically, he fastened the tank at three separate points: the top, the middle, and the bottom. Once everything was firmly in place, he gathered the loose ends together and twisted them into a thick knot before tying it securely around his waist.
Only then did he give the container a testing tug, making sure it wouldn’t shift during the journey.
"How does it feel in there?" Luke asked, glancing over his shoulder.
A faint splash echoed from within the container before Synthia poked her head out.
"It’s cramped, but I can manage." She looked at his posture and added, "Though... can you really move like this for long?"
Luke’s back was slightly hunched to keep the bottom of the container from scraping against the ground. Even so, he shrugged.
"It’s not that difficult for me. Though a few breaks along the way wouldn’t hurt."
Synthia’s expression turned worried.
"Don’t overdo it, okay?"
Luke grimaced inwardly.
If he didn’t overdo it, she would be the one left stranded in the wilderness beneath a blazing sun.
Naturally, he hadn’t told her that.
For now, there was no reason to.
Still, if things went wrong at some point, he already knew what he would do to ensure she survived until he could return.
He just hoped it never came to that.
"Then," Luke said, adjusting the ropes around his waist, "shall we get going?"
Synthia quietly exhaled and turned her gaze toward the cavern.
The dark, silent place where she had spent countless nights.
She didn’t hate it.
If not for this refuge, she would have likely died long ago, whether from hunger, thirst, or the unforgiving heat.
After a moment of silence, she bowed her head slightly.
"I thank the deity who created this place and allowed me to live here. Now, I bid it farewell."
A faint smile appeared on Luke’s face.
The girl was surprisingly sentimental.
Though, in all likelihood, she would never return here again.
As for him, he had no intention of removing the location marker from his map.
The herbs growing around the area, the unusual plants, and even the pond itself had piqued his interest.
Sooner or later, he would probably find himself returning to this place once more.
Soon, they set off.
Climbing the wall would not have been easy under normal circumstances, but Luke had prepared for it beforehand.
"You kept it close, right?" he asked while grabbing the rope tied to the handle of his hammer.
The weapon was still lodged firmly into the cave wall, exactly where he had left it on the first day he arrived.
"Yeah."
A muffled voice came from inside the container.
The tank had been sealed with a tight cap that prevented water from spilling out even if it tilted during the climb.
It wasn’t completely airtight, but it would retain enough air for Synthia to breathe for a short while.
He had made sure of that.
Without wasting any more time, Luke began scaling the wall.
Smoothly and slowly
Six hundred kilograms strapped to his back would have been an impossible burden for his normal self.
But in his Lunar Warden form, it was manageable.
’Man... what would’ve I done without this physique?’
Luke let out a quiet sigh as he continued climbing.
Several minutes later, he finally reached the top.
Pulling himself onto solid ground, he quickly untied the knot around his waist.
The tank immediately tipped backward under its own weight.
Fortunately, Luke was already prepared.
He caught it before it could fall and began hauling it up onto the ledge beside him.
It wasn’t an easy task.
The space near the edge was limited, making it difficult to get proper leverage. On top of that, very little moonlight reached this section of the cave, leaving him to work in dim darkness and partial blessing.
Sweat rolled down Luke’s forehead.
His muscles strained with every pull, yet he refused to stop.
If he let go of the rope, even for a moment, the tank would plunge several feet below.
That outcome was simply unacceptable.
So he continued hauling it upward, allowing himself only brief moments of rest before pulling again.
Slowly.
Steadily.
At last, the familiar curtain of leaves came into view.
Luke released a long breath.
"Just a second more... then you can open the lid."
"Okay..."
Synthia’s muffled reply reached his ears.
Thankfully, she sounded fine.
Luke didn’t rush the final stretch.
Maintaining a steady pace, he carefully pulled the tank the rest of the way out.
Then, the moment moonlight touched his skin, a wave of relief washed over him.
It felt as though every exhausted muscle in his body had been refreshed at once.
He could feel the difference almost immediately.
His breathing steadied.
The strain in his muscles faded away, replaced by a soothing coolness. Even his body felt lighter, as though a portion of the burden had simply vanished.
’Man... this is so unfair.’
Luke muttered under his breath while gazing up at the moon hanging peacefully in the night sky.
Never in his life had he imagined that one day he would develop such an appreciation for the moon.
Turning his attention back to the container, he lightly tapped the lid.
"It’s alright. You can come out now."
A soft click followed.
Then the lid slowly shifted from the inside.
Synthia cautiously poked her head out and looked around.
"So... this is the outside world?"
Her eyes wandered from one direction to another, filled with curiosity.
At that moment, she looked less like a fish and more like a curious cat seeing the world for the very first time.
Luke couldn’t resist.
He reached out and gently patted her head.
Synthia blinked in surprise.
"Luke?"
"It’s nothing."
Luke withdrew his hand before adding,
"Now stay quiet and only speak if it’s an emergency, alright? You can adjust yourself well enough to breathe in there, can’t you?"
She nodded.
Without another word, she slipped back into the water.
Luke leaned over and peeked inside.
Somehow, Synthia had folded her body into a position that allowed her entire form to remain submerged. The pressure caused the sides of the container to bulge outward slightly, but nothing looked close to breaking.
Satisfied, Luke exhaled and secured the ropes around the tank once more.
Then he lifted his gaze toward the forest ahead.
A long journey awaited them.
Countless obstacles could lie hidden along the way, and there was no telling what dangers lurked between here and their destination.
It certainly wouldn’t be easy.
Fortunately, Luke had prepared himself for exactly that.
