“If my guess is correct, if we hadn't revealed our identity as high-tier adventurers... or the aura emanating from our Saint weapons... they might have already attacked us,” Po Kong said slowly after finishing his history lesson.
“What? They really intended to attack just now?! And simply because Moen and the others are elves?” Starlight, who was focused on grilling ribs, snapped his head up in shock.
Moen looked puzzled, but Xia Duo nodded silently. “It seems my intuition wasn't wrong. I did sense a faint trace of killing intent from them. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have dismissed it as a hallucination.”
“So you're saying their original target wasn't some bird, but something else unsavory? And as witnesses, we might have been silenced?” Xia Duo paused, then gritted her teeth and voiced her thoughts.
Starlight hesitated at her extreme hypothesis. “Even so, aren't elves and humans supposed to be allies? It shouldn't come to that...”
However, Po Kong cut him off with a sneer before he could finish. “Hmph, Little Star, you're still too naive. I don't believe for a second those guys would show mercy out here in the middle of nowhere. If they weren't wary of the aura from the Sacred Wood Phantom, they probably would have charged in already... though, for the record, I don't think we would've lost anyway...”
“Then those people were hiding it far too well. Indiscriminate hatred for other races just because of things that happened thousands of years ago?” Even the gentle Moen found it hard to stomach. She never expected pure malice to sprout so easily.
“So, Po Kong, you never intended to let Moen and Xia Duo join this mission from the start, did you?” Starlight set aside his task and squinted at Po Kong's solemn face.
“Yes. My original plan was for you all to wait for me in Violet or some other safe place while I infiltrated the Crimson City-State alone to gather intel. After all, my family status could actually be useful to some extent.” Po Kong nodded slowly, the firelight dancing across his face, making him look somewhat somber.
Xia Duo's expression soured. While she understood he wanted to protect them, being excluded didn't sit well with her. She also felt like she was still missing something, but couldn't put her finger on it.
“If things are as complicated as Po Kong says, what should we do next? Can my sister and I even enter the city smoothly?” Moen's voice was laced with worry.
“Forget it. We've already come this far; worrying about it now is redundant. Besides, the info Ivan gave didn't say the Crimson City-State completely bans other races. We just need to be careful. If all else fails, we'll find another way...”
Starlight comforted them while flipping the ribs, sprinkling a handful of spices from the Star-Song Forest. Under the heat of the flames, an exotic aroma instantly filled the air.
“We've been talking for so long, you must be hungry. Let's eat and chat. The ribs are almost done. How many do you want?”
At the sight of the fragrant ribs, Po Kong's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up, seemingly starving.
Xia Duo was about to say something, but as she opened her mouth to call Po Kong, a tiny sound reached her ears.
Snap.
It was the sound of a small twig breaking. In the vast wilderness, such a noise might go unnoticed by most.
But Xia Duo knew—that was part of the traps she had meticulously set, and it was the alarm closest to them!
“Who's there! Come out!” Xia Duo's heart tightened, and her hair stood on end. She practically sprang from her seat, drawing her longbow to full draw in an instant. Her arrow pointed straight at the swaying bushes behind Starlight as she barked the command.
She was filled with confusion and vigilance. She couldn't understand who could approach so silently at such a close range without her noticing. If it were an enemy, it would be terrifying.
Seeing her tension, Starlight and Po Kong reacted immediately. The two of them lunged forward in sync, skillfully avoiding the potential path of the arrow before spinning around to glare at the rear.
Behind the thick bushes, a dark figure seemed to be trembling. However, under the cover of night, even the sharp-eyed Xia Duo couldn't see its true form.
“If you don't come out, don't blame me for what happens next!” Seeing no response, Xia Duo didn't hesitate and released the arrow infused with battle qi.
The arrow ignited the dry autumn bushes upon impact. Crimson flames surged upward, reaching several meters high.
“Ah!!! Hot! Hot hot hot! I'm burning!~” A sharp scream rang out. Then, a small figure jumped out of the burning bushes, covered in flames and looking incredibly disheveled.
The group stared, shocked to find that the person leaping from the fire wasn't anyone they recognized, but a small child wearing a long robe.
“Huh?! What... what is going on here?!” The group, who had been on high alert, was now completely bewildered.
Starlight was the first to snap out of it. With a flick of his wrist, he condensed a large water ball in his palm and threw it at the burning figure without hesitation.
With a loud splash, the water ball burst in mid-air, turning into a downpour that swallowed the rising flames. The figure stopped moving as the fire went out.
“You guys! What are you doing! I was just curious and came to look. You didn't have to set me on fire!”
As the flames died down, a youthful but resentful voice pierced through the mist, questioning the four of them. By the light of the campfire, Starlight finally saw the person's appearance.
It was a young boy who looked to be about ten years old. He had fair skin, handsome features, and long golden hair tied in a bunch at the back. His gold and red robe was soaked, clinging to his body and making him look quite miserable.
Through the flickering firelight, Starlight noticed the boy's eyes—they were as emerald green as jade. Though the color was very similar to Po Kong's, they held a strange radiance, shining like two fireflies as he glared at them.
“Eh? Where did this brat come from? And how did he get here?” Po Kong pointed at the small figure and turned to his companions, looking speechless.
“You're asking us? We should be asking you. This kid looks just like you!”
Starlight and Moen looked back at Po Kong with strange expressions, the same question echoing in their minds.
Rate on N.U.
