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Chapter 293: Rhett Faces Suspicion?
🕑 Added 2024-10-05 05:19:46 +0000 UTCAfterward, Rhett made a visit to the alchemy workshop to collect his alchemical supplies. He received a range of items, including healing potions, antidotes, and even the special venom from the Kingdom of Gilun known as "Viper's Kiss."
Initially, he had planned to take this opportunity to visit Master Esad because he remembered from a previous simulation that Esad had been ambushed by the Third Legion's commander. Rhett wanted to inquire if Esad had noticed anything unusual at the alchemy workshop recently. However, upon arrival, he discovered that Esad was not present, likely engaged in some secret mission. With that, Rhett left, resolving to return another time.
The weather had already turned to early winter, and in just a few days, it had grown much colder than when Rhett first arrived at the Cold Stream front. The streets were now stripped of leaves, with only a few evergreens still clinging to their foliage, which occasionally fell, blown away by the cold wind.
Rhett made his way to the prison, where the layout was similar to that of the Gorge Front, with an execution ground situated on the outskirts. The ground there, once covered with pristine white stone, was now stained a faint red from the blood that had seeped into it over many years, a testament to the long history of executions at this site.
The cold wind blowing from the east carried a faint scent of blood. Rhett sniffed lightly, detecting the strong odor of Draconian blood, mingled with the subtler scent of Shadow Tiger blood, which was naturally more restrained and harder to discern.
What struck Rhett as odd was that, although ordinary beastmen had died in greater numbers, their blood, perhaps due to their inferior lineage compared to royal bloodlines, had a less intense smell, as if suppressed by the scent of the royal blood.
The execution ground was lined with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of guillotines, all arranged in neat rows. At that moment, about a dozen executions were taking place simultaneously—knights swinging heavy axes and mages casting spells to end the lives of the beastmen.
As Rhett scanned the scene, his eyes quickly found his younger son, Tyles, positioned toward the back of the execution ground. Tyles was flanked by a row of beastmen prisoners who had been crippled, their strength far surpassing Tyles, who was only a Second-Level Mage.
Perhaps due to concerns for Tyles' safety, the executioners stationed near him were all Earth Knights, ready to provide assistance in case of an emergency.
Initially, these executioners hadn’t understood why a mere Second-Level Mage was acting as an executioner. But after learning that Tyles was the son of a Grand Mage, they quickly fell silent. At the warden’s request, they even took on the responsibility of ensuring Tyles' safety.
“Today’s prisoner is a Fifth-Level Nightcat, already tortured to the brink of death and tightly bound as you requested,” a broad-shouldered, muscular knight, bare-chested despite the cold, said to Tyles.
“Ah, thank you, Inquisitor Shelly,” Tyles responded with a bright smile, his eyes lighting up as he glanced at the long line of beastmen prisoners, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.
The muscular knight, Shelly, shook his head and replied, “No need to thank me. Since Anbyl entrusted me with your care, this is just a small favor.”
Then, looking at Tyles with a curious expression, he asked, “But I’ve noticed you seem particularly eager to execute these prisoners, especially the stronger ones. Is there some special reason?”
Tyles scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Of course not. I just like a bit of excitement. Since I can’t be on the battlefield, the next best thing is to execute high-level beastmen prisoners.”
“Fair enough,” Shelly replied, raising an eyebrow. “There’s no shortage of beastmen here on the Cold Stream front. I hope you can keep that enthusiasm…”
At that moment, a piercing cry echoed across the execution ground. The Fifth-Level Nightcat, bound to the execution platform, suddenly began to convulse violently.
From a distance, Rhett observed this scene and saw Tyles swiftly turn around and cast a Shadow Arrow at the struggling Nightcat. The dark arrow flew through the air, piercing the Nightcat’s skull.
The next moment, Rhett saw a notification flash before his eyes:
[Family Member Slays Enemy Three Levels Above, Destiny Points +3]
Seeing this, Rhett felt his heart settle. After a moment of contemplation, he decided not to enter the execution ground. It was clear now that there was no need to instruct others to give Tyles more prisoners—his son already had more than he could handle.
Satisfied, Rhett opened his system panel and checked the [Destiny Points: 4829]. Reflecting on the short time since he arrived at the Cold Stream front and the hundreds of Destiny Points he had gained, he felt very content.
At this rate, he estimated that it would take only a few months to reach ten thousand points…
In the execution ground, Shelly watched Tyles swiftly and efficiently execute the Fifth-Level Nightcat and praised him, “Not bad. I can tell you’ve had solid spellcasting training. That puts my mind at ease.”
Tyles smiled silently, listening as Shelly gave a few more words of advice before leaving. As Shelly walked away, Tyles sighed inwardly, thinking, When will these days end? I hope that when I return, Father will give me another good book to read.
I’ve worked so hard; surely Father will grant me this small request?
With that thought, Tyles glanced around idly, catching sight of a familiar figure walking away on the street outside the execution ground, disappearing around a corner.
“Huh? Was that Father? Did he just visit?” Tyles blinked, his thoughts beginning to wander, but he was quickly brought back to reality as another beastman was pushed forward to the guillotine. Sighing, he put his thoughts aside and focused on his work. Yet, with each beastman he executed, he couldn’t help but glance outside, hoping to catch another glimpse of his father.
Meanwhile, after leaving the execution ground, Rhett wandered around the camp to familiarize himself with its layout. He had a simple meal and didn’t return to Frost Fortress until nightfall, primarily to inquire about the progress of the reinforcements he had requested from the other legions.
Vice Commander Bomir greeted Rhett with a smile, saying, “I’ve already spoken with the Fourth Legion’s commander. They’re eager to collaborate with your forces because, based on the information you provided, it’s likely that the fallen soldiers were part of the Fourth Legion. They had painstakingly trained an elite scout unit, and learning of its loss has left them furious. That’s why they readily agreed to your request.”
“That’s excellent news!” Rhett exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. “Where are they now? I’ll go meet up with them immediately. We can’t afford to waste any time—the beastmen might still be out there causing havoc.”
“Ah, about that… Since they couldn’t reach you right away, they’ve already set out for the Sixth Legion’s outpost. Before they left, they asked me to tell you to join them as soon as possible,” Bomir said, looking a bit embarrassed.
“Alright, that’s my fault for wandering around the camp,” Rhett said with a wry smile.
“It’s no big deal. The Fourth Legion’s commander heard about your mastery of Mysticism, and after learning about your recent victory, he’s full of admiration for you. If it weren’t for Ledros’ strong personality, I think he might have tried to poach you,” Bomir chuckled. “Who knew you had such hidden talents? If I had known you had mastered two types of Mysticism, I might not have placed you in a legion. I would’ve given you a different role.”
“Oh? A different role? Like what?” Rhett asked, intrigued.
“That’s something I can’t tell you. In fact, just mentioning this much is already bending the rules,” Bomir said with a smile, shaking his head.
“You’re right—secrecy is crucial,” Rhett agreed, raising an eyebrow. “Well, I should be heading back. Until next time, Commander Bomir.”
“Until next time. I hope to hear of another victory soon.”
“I’ll do my best…” Rhett replied, turning and waving as he left Frost Fortress.
Bomir watched Rhett’s retreating figure, his expression gradually becoming more serious.
He stood there, unmoving, as a strange silence settled over the hall.
A few seconds later, the silence was broken by an unexpected voice.
“I’ve been monitoring him since he first arrived at the Cold Stream front, and I’ve found no trace of this so-called ‘mysterious informant’…”
Bomir’s expression became solemn as he respectfully greeted the air in front of him, “Commander Ankus, you’ve arrived!”
“Hmm.”
The air began to distort, and a gust of wind swept through the hall as a dignified middle-aged man in light armor appeared, nodding to Bomir before turning his gaze toward the staircase.
The next moment, Prince Hogus appeared, descending the stairs. Behind him followed another middle-aged man with a noble bearing—the King of Milan.
The King of Milan walked slowly to the center of the hall, facing the armored middle-aged man, and spoke in a measured tone:
“Ankus, are you certain you haven’t detected any unusual clues?”
As the overall commander of the Cold Stream front, Ankus had a shallow scar on his face that gave him a slightly weathered appearance. He replied, “I’m certain. Unless the person has mastered the Invisibility Mysticism to perfection, it’s impossible for them to pass information to Rhett under my watch. Moreover, I never saw Rhett take out any sort of note…”
Prince Hogus, who had been listening quietly, couldn’t help but interject, “If that’s the case, it suggests that this person might indeed be someone who has perfected the ‘Invisibility’ Mysticism. Or… could it be that Rhett himself is a Saint-level warrior? His rapid rise in power might actually be a gradual revelation of his true abilities.”
The King of Milan frowned slightly at his son’s speculation, pondering it for a moment before shaking his head and saying, “That sounds far-fetched, almost as unlikely as him being able to predict the future.”
Ankus also fell silent, but he never considered the possibility of Rhett having precognitive abilities. His years of military experience had made him a rational thinker, and as a Saint-level warrior, he prided himself on his deep understanding of the world, believing he held more knowledge than most. Therefore, he preferred to analyze the situation within the framework of his own experience.
“Should we trust this latest piece of intel?” Hogus asked. “Could Rhett be a spy for the beastmen? I think we need to consider this possibility. Although the information he’s provided in the past has been accurate, the potential impact of this latest intel far outweighs the previous outcomes.”
“We must trust it,” Ankus said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
“Oh? What’s your reasoning?” The King of Milan asked calmly.
“I’ve been watching Rhett closely these past few days. Although I haven’t seen the mysterious informant appear or hand over any information, I’ve observed Rhett’s behavior closely. His actions against the beastmen are undoubtedly sincere. The details make it clear he’s not colluding with them,” Ankus said with conviction. “I’m certain I’m not mistaken—his source of intel must be something else.”
The King of Milan fell silent, contemplating for a moment before saying, “Since you hold him in such high regard, we’ll proceed with the plans based on the information he provided…”
“And, Ankus, you will be responsible for contacting other Saint-level warriors. In the meantime, I will personally monitor Rhett.”
Ankus nodded, expressing no objection, and asked, “How many Saint-level warriors should we enlist for assistance?”
“…Ten, and try to recruit kings and other highly trusted individuals. We can’t rule out the possibility of a second Saint-level traitor.”
“Understood. I’ll start by contacting King Rem.”
With that, Ankus vanished, his body dissipating into the air and flowing out through a window as a breeze.
The hall once again fell into a quiet atmosphere. Bomir, facing the King and Prince, didn’t dare speak out of turn. Finally, he found an excuse to inspect the training grounds and left the hall.
A few minutes later, Hogus asked, “Has Commander Ankus left?”
The King of Milan nodded, not saying a word.
After a moment of contemplation, Hogus asked, “Father, do you have any suspicions about Rhett?”
“None, really.”
“Huh? Why not? You seemed to question him just now…”
“That was because nothing is ever certain. It’s essential to conduct a thorough investigation,” the King of Milan replied calmly. “In fact, after hearing the intel you relayed, I gave it some thought. That Light-based Saint, Sheman, became famous for his ability to track beastman movements. But if the beastmen were willing to sacrifice a few of their own to enhance his reputation, that would be all too easy.”
“Moreover, in recent years, Sheman has been showing up less and less frequently in the Grayridge Kingdom, often disappearing for months at a time. Given the intel, his actions do seem highly suspicious.”
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