Chapter 121: Chapter 121: The Enemy is Captured

Lila POV

I snapped my eyes open. The Moon Mark erupted with an unprecedented, dazzling silver light, instantly enveloping the entire altar and the Ancient Wolfman Ghost locked in battle with Jasper.

“ROAR—!!”

The Ancient Wolfman Ghost let out a pained roar. It struggled to break free from the restraints of the silver light, but the glow was like an unbreakable chain, dragging it back to the altar inch by inch.

“No! This is my power! My army!” Derek shrieked, about to rush over and disrupt my casting.

“Beat it.”

Jasper had somehow already dealt with the ghost and appeared in a flash to block Derek’s path. Without any wasted motion, he drove his fist straight into Derek’s face.

With a sickening CRACK, the sound of his nose breaking was clearly audible.

Derek went flying like a rag doll, and the Tear of the Moon God tumbled out from his clothes. He crashed against the rock wall and slid to the ground, completely unconscious.

On the altar, the Ancient Wolfman Ghost, purified by the silver light, finally stopped struggling. Its body began to turn transparent, the hatred in its eyes gradually faded, and it finally disintegrated into motes of dust that vanished into the air.

As the ghost vanished, the purple light on the altar swiftly dimmed, and the area returned to a dead silence.

I let out a long breath, my body going weak as I nearly collapsed.

A pair of strong arms caught me around the waist just in time.

“Well done, my Priest.” Jasper’s voice sounded in my ear. It carried a hint of exhaustion, but was full of adoration.

I leaned against his chest, looking at the unconscious Derek on the ground and the now-peaceful altar. A weak smile touched my lips.

“It’s over.”

“Yeah, it’s over.”

Jasper wiped the sweat from my forehead, his gaze so tender it seemed to overflow.

Just then, Kael and his men walked over. Looking at the unconscious Derek on the ground and the peaceful altar, everyone wore the expression of someone who had just survived a disaster.

“Goddess, Mr. Hale…” Kael’s voice was choked with emotion. “Thank you… Thank you both.”

“Take him away,” I said, pointing at Derek. “Bring him back to the tribe, so he can answer to the Wolf King.”

“Yes!” Kael nodded firmly, his eyes filled with the thrill of vengeance.

We walked out of Death Canyon.

The shadow of Death Canyon was finally behind us. When the first rays of sunlight spilled unreservedly onto the golden dunes, I looked back. The dark chasm that had devoured countless lives was gradually blurring in the morning mist, like a nightmare locked away forever.

The party moved much faster than on the way in, but the atmosphere was completely different. The journey here had been one of tension, uncertainty, and a life-or-death struggle. Now, we returned with a heavy victory, tinged with the scent of blood.

A thick rope was looped around Derek’s neck, and he was dragged along at the rear of the party like a dead dog. The once sinister, crazed traitor who thought he controlled everything was now caked in sand and blood, his hands and feet shackled in iron chains. He stumbled with every step. His eyes were hollow, his lips were cracked, and he let out muffled whimpers. Those pale gray eyes, once full of ambition, now held nothing but the fear of death.

Kael and his men took turns guarding him, the hatred in their eyes almost enough to burn him to a crisp. They were no longer silent escorts. Along the way, they muttered to each other, their voices filled with a barely suppressed excitement. They couldn’t wait to get back to the tribe and show everyone the fate that had befallen the man who had murdered their Wolf King.

I walked in the middle of our party, with Jasper holding my hand tightly. His palm was warm and dry, a constant source of support.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, turning his head and lowering his voice. His voice was raspy with fatigue, but his eyes were exceptionally clear.

I shook my head, my gaze sweeping over Derek’s pathetic figure up ahead. “It’s just… it all feels so unreal. Like waking up suddenly from a long nightmare.”

“As long as you’re awake, that’s all that matters.” Jasper squeezed my hand, his tone firm. “The nightmare is over. There are better days ahead.”

We crested the last tall sand dune, and the silhouette of the Sand Sea Tribe finally appeared on the horizon. The oasis shimmered with vibrant life under the sun, a stark contrast to the dead desert behind us.

The moment we came into view, a deafening cheer erupted from the tribe.

It turned out that the messenger Kael had sent out had returned to the tribe just ahead of us, bringing the exhilarating news: the killer had been captured and would be brought to justice!

The crowd surged forward like a tide. If Kael and his elite guard hadn’t formed a human wall, Derek likely would have been torn to pieces by the enraged tribe members on the spot.

The Elder walked at the very front, his body trembling violently. His Bone Staff, a symbol of his authority, tapped loudly on the ground. He walked right up to Derek and stopped short.

Derek lifted his head, forcing a smile uglier than a sob onto his filthy face. He seemed to want to say something, to try and bewitch the people with his theories on “evolution.”

But the Elder gave him no such chance.

“It was you…” the Elder’s voice was terrifyingly low, each word seemingly forced through his teeth. “You, you demon, you killed our King!”

Derek’s mouth opened, as if he wanted to argue.

“Throw him in a cage!” the Elder shouted, swinging his arm, his eyes blazing with fury. “I want him to repent for his crimes like an animal, under the watchful eyes of the entire tribe!”

Several strong warriors immediately came forward and dragged Derek away like a dead dog. His screams and pleas for mercy echoed through the camp, but no one paid him any mind.

Watching Derek get dragged away, the Elder turned to face us. He slowly and solemnly knelt on one knee in the sand, placing his palm over his heart.

“Goddess… Wolf King Hale…” His voice was choked with endless gratitude. “Thank you for avenging this deep-seated blood debt for our tribe. The Sand Sea Tribe will never forget your kindness for all of eternity!”

The tribespeople behind him also knelt, and a thunderous wave of thanks echoed to the heavens.

Jasper glanced coolly at the kneeling crowd before turning to look at me, his eyes gentle. He knew this was all for me—for my persistence and my sense of justice.

That night, the tribe held a bonfire celebration of unprecedented scale.

Ostensibly, it was to celebrate the newborn Wolf King’s first month, but in reality, everyone knew it was to celebrate the beginning of their revenge.

A massive bonfire burned in the center of the camp, its flames soaring high and illuminating the night sky like it was day. The men slaughtered their finest camels and sheep, the women performed traditional ritual dances, and the children darted playfully through the crowd. Everyone’s face was filled with smiles that had been absent for far too long.

And on the very outskirts of the bonfire celebration, a huge cage had been placed.

I sat on an animal-hide cushion in the seat of honor, holding a cup of date wine that Kael himself had brought me. My gaze swept calmly over the reveling crowd before finally landing on the cage.

Derek was curled up in a corner of the cage, hugging his knees and trembling. The firelight flickered across his pale face, making him look like a lost soul. He stared at the laughing, singing crowd in the distance, the fear in his eyes growing ever deeper.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep