Chapter 43

Carl's team encounters the cannibal ginger settlement while driving through the jungle. They battle waves of pale humanoid creatures attacking their vehicles, defeat the southern tribe's chieftain Great Rusty (a level 99 boss), but inadvertently trigger a mandatory quest to kill Maurice, the northern tribe's chieftain, to prevent him from consolidating power and marching on Upano.

As the convoy approaches cannibal territory, pale creatures begin dropping from trees and attacking the magical shield protecting Carl's truck. Donut uses her Astral Paw spell to clear the path, sweeping dozens of cannibals away and destroying a bone-decorated natural bridge, though the effort doesn't grant her a level and leaves her with an eight-hour cooldown. A large, enchanted cannibal appears on the road ahead—Great Rusty, a level 99 neighborhood boss and chieftain of the southern ginger cannibal settlement. He attempts a soul-sucking attack on Carl, which is negated by Carl's Mind Balance skill. Donut kills Great Rusty with a magic missile. However, the chieftain had already hit Olga with the "Gingered" debuff, leaving her in a fugue state with rapidly draining health. With Olga incapacitated, Finley takes the wheel while the team crashes through the village. A mandatory quest appears: "Pasty Inferno." Since Great Rusty is dead, the rival northern chieftain Maurice will consolidate power and march on Upano unless killed. Carl must now hunt Maurice to complete the race. Cannibals continue attacking as the team flees the village.