Chapter 30 Discovering the Secret

Wolf quickly ran to the edge of a field and questioned a Werewolf farmer. Suddenly, while they were speaking, the farmer let out a piercing howl, and all the nearby Werewolves surrounded him. They glared at Wolf while holding hoes, sickles, and other farm tools.

From the crowd, a Werewolf yelled, “Kill this traitor of the Werewolves!”

His voice rang across the valley. Even from this distance, we could hear it clearly.

Observing the situation, I hurriedly called out, “Wolf, don’t harm them! Hurry back now!”

I turned to Mink and spoke softly, “Hurry. Go down there and take Black Dragon with you. He’s too conspicuous. No matter what happens later, you must not come out unless I give the order. If I leave this area with them, stay here in Sasi. I will definitely come back for you.”

Mink nodded. “Young Master, please don’t make me wait too long.”

After speaking, he pulled Black Dragon with him and left.

Black Dragon was simply too conspicuous. Nobody in the Beastman Race could ride a horse. If the people of Yuna saw Black Dragon, they would instantly become suspicious. So I left Black Dragon with Mink.

But neither of us expected that our separation would last for several months.

Wolf was unarmed. After hearing my order, he enveloped his body with Qi and forced his way out of the crowd of Werewolves. When he finally returned, he was truly in a sorry state. His clothes were torn, and blue and green bruises covered his face.

Before I could ask what had happened, the crowd of farmers had already approached dangerously close, brandishing their sickles and pitchforks high in the air.

I bellowed coldly, “No one is to make a move unless I say so!”

Then I turned toward the angry farmers and greeted them with a smile.

“Everyone… uncles, please let us talk this through. There’s no need to resort to violence.”

Someone once said that nobody slaps a smiling face. And just as expected, the Werewolves stopped after seeing my smile, though they remained wary.

I turned to Wolf and scolded him angrily. “Wolf, how dare you offend these uncles! Hurry and apologize to them.”

An elderly farmer shouted, “We don’t need your apologies! Why have you come here? We don’t welcome outsiders. If you’re sensible, leave this place and never come back.”

I let out a long sigh and spoke earnestly.

“Uncle, I’m sorry. I didn’t know about your rule regarding outsiders. When I saw how fertile your farmland was, I was greatly envious, so I asked my friend to inquire about your success. To be honest, we all come from different territories. We are starving, but we don’t want to become bandits. We only seek a place to settle down. Please look—we are all young and strong. We can endure hardship and work. Could you consider letting us stay here?”

The elderly farmer looked at us with disdain.

“Don’t try to fool me. If you want to pull tricks, you’ve come to the wrong place. We don’t welcome outsiders. Hurry and leave. Don’t step into our territory again. Take a detour if you must. I warn you—if you reveal anything about what you saw today, our Wolf God will judge your souls!”

How has this fertile land escaped the Beast Emperor’s attention for so long? Such a large farming territory lies in the middle of an almost arctic tundra. Secrets this large should be impossible to hide…

But no matter what, I must enter Yuna to deal with the mysterious “Wolf God” of the Werewolf tribe. Judging by the current situation, forcing my way in would be a terrible choice…

The elderly Werewolf suddenly roared, “Why are you still here? Do you have a death wish? If the patrol arrives, you won’t be able to leave even if you want to!”

Thump.

I knelt on the ground and forced two tears from my eyes.

“Uncle, please take us in. We truly have no other way to survive. If you allow us to work here, we will naturally never reveal what we saw today.”

Since I had knelt, the escorts beside me could only kneel as well.

The elderly Werewolf was rather kind-hearted. Seeing our miserable appearance, his expression softened.

“We can’t let you stay. However, we can still give you something to eat.”

I pleaded, “Uncle, giving us food can only solve the immediate problem. What will we do afterward? We can’t come here every time we starve. Please do a good deed and take us in. Let us have a place where we can eat in the long term. Our requirements are not high—we only need enough to fill our stomachs.”

A middle-aged Werewolf beside the elderly farmer said, “Uncle Kama, you can’t promise them that. If the patrol finds out, we’ll be finished.”

Uncle Kama spoke in a deep voice.

“Sike, look at them. They really are refugees from other territories. We’re all Beastmen—let’s help them if we can. I’ll discuss it with the patrol team. They can be reasonable.”

Sike thought for a moment, glanced at us again, and sighed.

“There’s nowhere besides Yuna where people can eat well. Those feudal lords are useless trash. The only wise one is our Lord Wolf God. Fine—but you shouldn’t meet the patrol. You’re too old. I’ll go instead.”

After saying this, he ran toward Yuna.

Uncle Kama turned back to me.

“Brats, whether you stay or not isn’t my decision. That man went to find the patrol team. If they say you can stay, you may follow us back to the village. Until then, wait here.”

I almost felt as if I had returned to the Dragon Empire while speaking with these Werewolves. I hadn’t expected that among the Beastman Race there would be people I could communicate with so easily.

I thanked Uncle Kama repeatedly, though he seemed somewhat annoyed.

He turned toward the other farmers and shouted, “Everyone, get back to work! We must eliminate all the pests today. I’ll handle things here.”

Following his command, the farmers dispersed into the surrounding fields and continued their work.

When I saw that they had all left, I cautiously asked, “Uncle, why do your crops grow so well?”

The elderly farmer looked extremely pleased.

“That’s thanks to the holiness of our Wolf God and the good governance of the feudal lord. Actually, crops can grow in your territories too—it’s just that your feudal lords are too incompetent. I heard that a few days ago the Beast Emperor issued a decree requiring every territory to implement cultivation. But what’s the point of issuing a decree? The other territories are completely different from Yuna. Their feudal lords only care about entertainment. Do you think any of them would work for the sake of their tribe?”

I asked doubtfully, “Did people here only start farming after receiving the decree? These fields are growing incredibly well. I’ve never seen such a beautiful plain in my life. Uncle, you have my utmost respect.”

The elderly farmer laughed proudly.

“Farming here started ten years ago. It began when—”

Suddenly he stopped speaking and coughed awkwardly.

He looked at me with annoyance.

“Why are you asking so many questions? You’re not even a member of the Yuna tribe. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

I had already heard almost everything I needed.

“Sorry, Uncle. I was just curious.”

The elderly farmer ignored us afterward. He sat in a corner of the field and began smoking his pipe.

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, Sike returned with a small troop of Werewolf soldiers.

These soldiers were completely different from the Werewolves I had seen on the battlefield. Although they were the same race, these ones looked spirited and healthy. Each wore light leather armor and carried sharp spears that emitted a faint glow.

They marched forward with steady steps, chests out and heads held high.

Are these really Beastmen? Their bearing is even better than that of soldiers from the Dragon Empire.

This makes me even more curious about the mysterious organization controlling Yuna. If my guess is correct, the prosperity of Yuna is closely connected to them.

The small troop reached the slope. Sike pointed to the tall Werewolf at the front.

“This is the patrol leader of this area—Captain Xiao En. You can speak with him directly.”

I quickly stepped forward and spoke respectfully.

“Captain Xiao En, it is an honor to meet you. We homeless people hope to be taken in by Yuna. We can carry loads and perform hard labor. We will do anything as long as we can have steady meals each day.”

Xiao En looked me up and down.

Suddenly he stepped forward and threw a punch.

To me, his speed was no faster than a crawling ant.

I immediately realized he was testing me. I withdrew my protective Qi and allowed his fist to strike my shoulder. Taking the opportunity, I groaned and fell backward.

Wolf rushed forward to support me.

“If you didn’t want to take us in, that’s fine. But why hit him?”

Good. He reacted quickly.

Xiao En stepped forward apologetically.

“Sorry. I was only testing whether you were spies. Since you’re refugees and capable of working, I will temporarily accept all of you into Yuna on behalf of the patrol. However…”

I rubbed my shoulder and frowned. “However?”

Xiao En’s expression turned stern.

“You must obey every rule here. If you violate them, no one can protect you. If you are spies, our great Wolf God will crush you to pieces. Also, do not leave this territory without permission. Do you understand?”

Pretending to tremble in fear, I fell to the ground.

“We are just lowly commoners. We will absolutely follow the rules of this noble territory and work diligently. This place is so wonderful—I wouldn’t leave even if you drove me away.”

Xiao En nodded with satisfaction.

“For now, you will stay in Kama’s village. This uncle will arrange your work. If your performance is good after some time, we may consider promoting you to official citizens of Yuna. Don’t try any tricks. Understood?”

He thrust the butt of his spear into a rock, embedding it deeply.

“We understand,” I replied nervously. “We will work honestly and strive to become citizens of Yuna as soon as possible.”

Xiao En turned to the elderly farmer.

“Uncle Kama, they’ll be under your supervision. If anything happens, report directly to me.”

Kama laughed. “Don’t worry, Captain Xiao En. If they cause trouble, I’ll report it immediately.”

After speaking a few more words with Kama, Xiao En turned and left with his soldiers.

Kama puffed out his chest proudly.

“From now on, all of you will follow my arrangements. Come—I’ll take you to the village and arrange a place for you to stay.”

“Thank you, Uncle Kama,” I said gratefully. “We’ll definitely work hard.”

Our group of twenty followed Kama to the village.

This village was much better than the ones we had seen along the way. All the houses were built of brick, and the wide streets were paved with brick as well. The entire village was lively. The villagers had set up all kinds of vendor stalls along the road, and it was obvious that they lived well-fed and comfortable lives.

Kama assigned us to a martial training building beside his house. The place was big enough for our twenty people to settle down in, with six people sleeping in each room.

Actually, there was another reason I did not let Mink follow. His weapons were too conspicuous. Ours could be explained as self-defense weapons in case we encountered bandits, but his weapons were two huge axes. Who would bring two huge axes for self-defense?

I ordered Wolf to tell the others that they must not make the slightest suspicious movement. Everyone was to await my orders. Like this, we lived a farmer’s life. At first, people often came to monitor us, but after five or six days, probably because we were hardworking and honest, the villagers’ alertness toward us gradually disappeared.

It is time for us to act. Time does not wait. I cannot waste any more of it.

The night was as cold as water. I stealthily rose from my bed and gave Wolf a few orders. I took out Black Sable from beneath my pillow, which I had not touched for many days, changed into night clothes, and removed my wig, returning to my original appearance.

After hearing no sound of activity outside, I carefully exited the house. With a light leap, I was like a drifting leaf, silently landing on the high wall of the martial training ground.

It was already late at night. The moonlight was bright, allowing me to see very far into the distance. The whole village lay under clear silver light. Occasionally, the cry of nocturnal birds streaked across the silent night.

The villagers had long since fallen asleep. I cautiously examined all directions. After confirming there were no people nearby, I lightly flipped over the wall and arrived at the courtyard of Uncle Kama’s house.

Kama had a family of four: Kama, his wife, and two children. Because he married quite late, the two children were only a little over twenty years old. They slept in the room on the left, while Kama and his wife slept on the right side of the main house.

Tonight, my goal was to obtain the information I wanted from Kama.

The courtyard was very quiet. Kama and his family, like the rest of the villagers, had already entered deep sleep.

I softly leaped to the side of the main house and pressed my ear against the window. The steady rhythm of breathing came from inside. I tried pushing the window, but it did not budge at all.

The fastener was below. I shaped my chi into a knife and released Mad God chi beneath it, lightly slashing across.

A soft sound followed.

Ka.

Success.

Afraid of waking the couple inside, I did not dare act recklessly. I quietly crouched beneath the window.

After waiting for a while and hearing no reaction from the house, I glanced around once more and finally reached out to push open the window. Curling my body tightly, I rolled inside like a leopard cat and landed silently on the floor.

I chanted in a low voice.

“Darkness condense in thy soul. To have fallen is to be freed. Awaken, myriad magical powers that slumber in my blood.”

I noiselessly transformed into a Fallen Angel. Dense black mist poured continuously from my body, shrouding the entire room in darkness. I added a soundproofing spell to the mist. Without my permission, not only could sound not pass through it, even light could not escape outside.

This allowed me to carry out my plan in complete secrecy.

I raised my hand and flicked my fingers a few times. Several strands of black energy shot out, causing Kama’s wife to fall into a deep coma. Even if I killed her now, she would not wake up.

A cold murderous aura poured from my body and pressed toward Kama. He shuddered. Awakening from his sleep, he rubbed his drowsy eyes. When he noticed my presence, he cried out in terror and shrank back beneath the blanket.

“You… you… you are a Fallen Angel. Am I dreaming?”

With a cold grin, a sinister light glowed in my eyes.

“Kama, the Demon God has sent me to ask you a few questions. If you answer well, I will spare your life. If not, I will slaughter your entire family.”

When Kama realized that I truly was a Fallen Angel, he understood he could not resist.

“No! Sweetheart, wake up! Honey, wake up!”

He shook his wife desperately.

I sneered.

“She is already under my control. Only if I permit it will she wake up. Otherwise, she will never wake up again.”

Kama clearly loved his wife deeply. He stood firmly in front of her, shielding her with his body. Though his voice still trembled, he had already calmed somewhat.

“You… you may ask. Please do not harm my family.”

I studied him carefully.

“If you cooperate, I will kill no one. What I want to know is this: why is Yuna Territory so prosperous? And what is the truth behind that powerful bandit organization?”

At my questions, Kama’s entire body began to shake, and his face turned even paler.

“No. I cannot say. Kill me if you must, but please spare my family.”

He rolled off the bed and began kowtowing to me repeatedly.

Already expecting this response, I said coldly,

“Kama, look into my eyes.”

Kama raised his head blankly and saw a pair of icy, sinister black eyes.

While holding his gaze, I chanted,

“Oh great God of Darkness, with my soul as the sacrifice and my life as the bridge, grant me the supreme power of magic to control the mind.”

This was a Level-3 dark magic spell called Dark Night Soul Erosion. It was not very powerful and only worked on those much weaker than the caster. It placed the target into a brief trance, forcing them to obey the caster’s commands.

Of course, the caster had to successfully control the opponent. If the strength of the two individuals was similar, the spell could rebound upon the caster. It was extremely dangerous.

Normally, even demons would not use this magic lightly, even when possessing the power of a Fallen Angel.

Kama’s mind was soon completely under my control. The light in his eyes dimmed gradually until they became lifeless.

I spoke gently.

“Kama…”

Kama asked blankly,

“Who is Kama?”

“Kama is you. And you are Kama. And I am your eternal master.”

“I am Kama… and you are my master.”

“That’s right. Absolutely right. Remember this well. I am your master. Now I will ask you some questions, and you must answer with absolute truth.”

Kama nodded.

“Master, please ask.”

So this is Dark Night Soul Erosion…

My first time using it, and it succeeded perfectly.

“Good. Tell me. Why is Yuna Territory so prosperous?”

Kama muttered slowly.

“It all began ten years ago. Originally, we people of Yuna were very poor, just like the people in other territories. Bandits rampaged everywhere, and the people had no way to make a living. But one day, our god descended.”

“He guided us. He exterminated the bandits, expelled people of other races, and led us to clear wild lands for cultivation. Farming and metal smelting developed under his guidance, and that continues even today. Because of this, Yuna Territory became wealthy and strong. In the past five years, poverty has nearly disappeared. Every family has enough food and warm clothing.”

Hearing this surprised me greatly.

A god? The god of the werewolves… a two-headed wolf?

Sasi produced a Lernaean Hydra, and here in Yuna Territory a two-headed wolf has appeared.

If every territory had such a guardian, how long would it take to pacify the Beastmen tribes?

I continued.

“Where is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your god now?”

Kama’s face shone with reverence.

“Our god currently resides on Wole Mountain in Yuna Territory.”

I nodded.

“I heard there is a bandit organization in Yuna Territory. Where are they, and who is their leader?”

A trace of struggle appeared on Kama’s face. He clutched his head painfully, clearly resisting the question.

I was startled.

The Wolf God clearly held immense authority in the hearts of the wolf clan. His influence was strong enough to cause such resistance that my spell nearly lost control.

I increased the strength of my dark magic. Under its continuous pressure, Kama gradually calmed down. His eyes grew even emptier.

“Kama, my servant, answer my question.”

Kama replied dully.

“Yuna Territory has no bandit organization. The so-called bandit gang is merely a disguise for outsiders. It hides our military forces.”

“If they are not bandits, why are they gathered?”

“They are the honored and glorious guardians. Their mission is to protect our greatest god. In Yuna Territory, we call them the Wolf God Guard. Their combat strength is not inferior to the Behemoth Legion.”

Just as I suspected.

The so-called bandit gang and Yuna’s prosperity are closely connected.

But the last part I did not believe at all. Kama was merely speaking out of blind worship. A werewolf was still a werewolf. Unless every one of them possessed strength like Wolf, they could never match the four-meter-tall, nearly invulnerable Behemoths.

I asked,

“Does your werewolf tribe leader also obey him?”

“Of course. Our god is our highest ruler. As long as one is a werewolf, they must respect him.”

“So they are all on Wole Mountain. Tell me the exact location.”

“Wole Mountain lies about thirty miles west. It is a forbidden area. Without permission, no one may enter it. Not even werewolves.”

“Have you ever seen the Wolf God?”

Kama shook his head.

“I am only a commoner. How could I see his holiness? I only know that his holiness possesses two divine heads.”

Divine heads?

Nothing more than two damned wolf heads.

I had obtained all the information I needed.

“Kama, you are tired. Very tired.”

Kama’s eyelids drooped.

“Yes, Master. I am tired… very tired…”

“If you are tired, then sleep. When you wake tomorrow morning, you will forget everything that happened tonight.”

Kama murmured repeatedly,

“Forget everything about tonight… forget everything about tonight…”

His voice gradually faded, and soon thunderous snores filled the room.

After confirming he was fully asleep, I withdrew the dark magic from his body. When he woke the next morning, he would remember nothing.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, released Kama’s wife from my control, removed the barrier, and repaired the window before leaving the room.

Then I spread my wings and flew back to the training grounds.

After retracting my dark magic and returning to my original form, I pushed open the door and entered. The guards had not slept yet. They were sitting in my room, waiting for my return.

“Young Master, was the journey successful?” Wolf asked quietly.

“More or less. We will observe for one more day. If nothing changes, we will act tomorrow night.”

Wolf hesitated.

“Young Master… should we really not report this to the Beastmen King and request mobilization of the army?”

I sighed.

“We must finish this ourselves. You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all saw the situation here. The people live well. And the so-called bandit group merely protects the Wolf God and does not harm anyone. If we suddenly send troops to attack Yuna Territory, the entire territory will unite against us.”

“Yuna has elite forces and enough food to sustain them. The Beastmen army also just lost a war at Stru Fortress. Even if we mobilize ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠both the Behemoth Legion and the Wild Lion forces, we would pay a terrible price.”

“How can the Beastmen Kingdom grow strong if we keep suffering such losses? We cannot conquer Yuna Territory by force. We must outwit them.”

The centaur asked,

“Outwit them? How?”

I shook my head.

“That is the problem troubling me. Yuna ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Territory is under strict and efficient control. How can we recover it without spilling blood? I have thought about it for several days, but I still have no suitable plan.”

“We cannot simply walk up and request negotiations.”

“You may all go rest. Let me think a little longer.”

The guards returned to their rooms, and the ones in mine crawled back under their blankets.

Sitting on my bed, I began cultivating the Heavenly Demon Art, hoping the icy clarity it brought would help me find a solution.

If we try to meet them directly, we might be captured before even reaching Wole Mountain. We only have twenty men, and this is their territory.

What if I assassinate the Wolf God alone?

Even locating him would be difficult.

None of these plans will work…

Sigh. Perhaps I must take a risk.

Early the next morning, I led the escorts to begin farm work.

Uncle Kama also came, though his eyes were dull and his face pale. It seemed he had not yet recovered from the effects of my dark magic.

I walked over and asked,

“Uncle, is something wrong? You don’t look well.”

Kama sighed.

“Perhaps it is my old age. I didn’t sleep well last night. My wife also feels unwell, so I let her stay home.”

“Oh. How about this? You rest today, and I will handle your work.”

“How could I trouble you?”

I smiled.

“It is nothing. I am young and strong. Taking care of elders is my duty. Besides, if you had not helped me before, I would still be wandering somewhere without direction. Please allow me to repay that kindness.”

Kama laughed.

“Very well then. Sorry to trouble you. You are a good young man. Staying here is a waste of your talent. If I get the chance, I will recommend you to the patrol.”

While working in the fields, I thought quietly,

It seems he truly remembers nothing about last night.

Even better. Now I don’t need to silence him.