Chapter 109: looted a huge amount of supplies.

“This is a Bluefeather Drake, a unique magical beast bred by our family.”

As if noticing Phield’s confusion, Regin offered an explanation.

The moment Phield heard it, he lost interest.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Regin began investigating the cause of Felix’s death.

Contrary to expectations, there was no aggressive interrogation. Regin didn’t even question Phield. He simply assigned Milani to handle the inquiry while he returned to command the legion.

“It seems I was overly cautious again.” Phield shook his head. Even in a world of magic, their investigative methods were surely nothing compared to those of the future.

More importantly, a living Felix held value to them. A dead one was merely a disgusting inconvenience.

If Regin hadn’t needed to give Felix’s father an explanation, he probably wouldn’t have come at all.

Over the next few days, Phield idled away his time in Mountain Spring Village, living leisurely, occasionally teasing the dragon-blooded girl and Rosalia.

But the atmosphere across the Wind Orchid territory grew increasingly tense and fearful. This land, once peaceful and prosperous, was being ravaged by terrifying devils. Rumors of the Three-Eyed Black Crow and demonic massacres spread everywhere, plunging the populace into panic.

⸻

“Smack!”

“Move faster for me, you useless slaves!” A man with a flattened nose cracked his whip sharply. “We must reach Alfalfa Town tonight. Otherwise, no food!”

“So tired…”

Lumi’s vision blurred. The world before her spun wildly.

She stopped walking. Because the rope around her ankles was tied to the others of her kind, her halt instantly tripped them, sending the slaves tumbling into a tangled heap.

“You damned thing, how dare you slow me down!”

The man with the whip showed no mercy, lashing Lumi across the back.

It felt like a steel blade scraping bone. Lumi was struck to the ground at once, her face twisting in agony. She collapsed, curling into herself, bloody saliva seeping uncontrollably from the corner of her mouth.

“Playing dead with me, huh?”

He raised his hand to strike again.

“Enough. Don’t beat her to death. How many slaves have you killed on this trip already?”

“Every slave is money.”

“Do you know how hard it is to catch a cat-eared Demei-human running wild?”

One of his companions spat on the ground, looking irritated.

“You don’t understand my good intentions. Things haven’t been peaceful around here lately. They say demons from hell are raiding and slaughtering everywhere. Even several knights have died. Supposedly they march under a bloodstained black crow banner, appearing when night falls and returning to hell by day. We’re safer if we reach town as soon as possible.”

“Come on. Killing knights? That’s just a bedtime story to scare children.” The others scoffed. “Though cat-eared Demei-humans being dangerous is true. I heard the baron of Maple Leaf territory was assassinated by one.”

“Rubbish. He was bitten while giving them an ’oral inspection’!”

“Hahahahaha!”

The slave hunters burst into crude laughter.

“Boom—!”

Thunder roared, and the sky darkened visibly.

“Damn it, a downpour’s coming. We won’t make it to Alfalfa Town today.”

“Let’s go to the mansion of the wealthy Agim. It’s nearby. I’ve got some history with him. We were mercenaries together once. Later he made a fortune trafficking addictive substances and returned to Morning Breeze Province to live as a local tycoon.”

Having just offended the group, he seized the chance to curry favor.

“That’d be perfect, brother. I don’t want to stay out in the wild during a storm. The evil miasma will seep into the body.”

In truth, it was just a cold. But to commoners of this era, a cold and ’evil miasma entering the body’ were about the same—both could mean death.

“This cat-eared Demei-human looks like she’s about to die.”

Flat-Nose nudged Lumi’s head with his boot. Seeing her barely move, more breath leaving than entering, he kicked her hard in the stomach twice. “Damn it, she’s really dying. Cat-eared Demei-humans are useless. I don’t know what the nobles want them for.”

Lumi weakly twitched her fingers. Tears slid uncontrollably from the corner of her eyes. “Don’t… don’t leave me behind.”

“Let’s go, Flat-Nose.”

They still needed him to lead them to shelter from the rain, so no one said more.

“Caw—”

The cry of a crow echoed overhead.

Phield controlled the black crow, following the wagon tracks to trace the merchants’ route.

During the days assisting Milani’s investigation, Phield had been thoroughly enjoying his “alt account.”

In total, he had taken down three knightly estates, five wealthy mansions, and two merchant caravans.

The upper combat forces of the Wind Orchid territory had been completely redeployed for suppression efforts. With Ashina’s strength, he could move freely in and out of the territory. The only thing limiting Phield’s pace of plunder was manpower—they simply didn’t have enough hands to transport all the goods.

“I need more people. The lower the chance of betrayal, the better.”

Recruiting villagers wouldn’t work. Those forced into service would have the lowest loyalty.

In truth, Phield already had candidates in mind—demi-human slaves.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Flat-Nose shrank back, staring at the black crow lingering in the sky. The terrifying rumors resurfaced in his mind. “We’re not… being watched by demons, are we?”

“Stop talking nonsense. I just want a mug of barley ale right now,” another member of the slave-catching party said. Then he paused, listening. Thunder continued rumbling in the distance. “Why does the thunder not stop?”

The leader of the slave hunters turned pale. “Idiot! That’s cavalry. Cavalry approaching!”

The deputy spurred his horse forward, waving the caravan’s flag frantically. “We’re a merchant caravan heading to Wind Orchid City! Friendly! Friendly!”

Before his words finished, a brilliant silver line slashed across the darkened sky. An arrow killed him instantly, the force blasting him backward off his horse.

“Shit! Not Wind Orchid City cavalry—enemy attack!”

They hadn’t even seen where the enemy was. The entire caravan erupted into chaos.

Lumi thought she heard a wolf’s howl carried on the wind. The trembling resonance of that cry filled her with instinctive terror. She lay motionless on the ground, yet a strange excitement stirred within her. On the horizon, she could see a banner slowly rising.

A chilling killing intent swept across the entire caravan.

The Nightfall Domain cavalry descended like a giant eagle, formation tight and disciplined, crashing toward the caravan’s position.

Kai and the others had been tempered in Nightfall Domain through countless battles. Since the day they mounted warhorses, they had either been killing or on their way to kill. Once they launched an attack, their killing intent was almost tangible.

The leader of the slave hunters was ruthless as well. “Hold the line! Drive them back and every man gets ten gold coins!”

At the promise of gold, their brutality flared. All were desperadoes who lived by the blade. They spurred their horses and launched a counter-charge.

The two cavalry forces collided. The moment of impact lasted only an instant.

“Courting death!”

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