As the commanders continued their heated discussion, the hostages waited in tense silence. The air was thick with fear and anticipation.
"What do you suggest, Crimson Shadow?" Iron Fang asked, his voice filled with impatience.
Crimson Shadow's eyes locked onto Liam's for a brief moment before he spoke. "We need to find the real killer, and to do that, we need to be smarter than them. We watch, we wait, and we strike when the time is right."
Crimson Shadow stepped forward and announced, "The gathering is over. Now that the killer has been dealt with, you are free to go back to your cages."
A collective sigh of relief washed over the hostages. They believed the man Thunder Palm had fried was the real killer. But among them, only Liam and Rin knew the actual truth.
As the hostages began to disperse, Iron Fang's voice boomed across the training ground. "Remember, you have one more day to reach the first stage. If you don't, that will be your last day."
The reminder sent a shiver down the spines of the hostages, but they quickly shuffled away, eager to return to their cages. The training ground slowly emptied, leaving behind a tense atmosphere.
Rin glanced at Liam, seemingly wanting to leave with him, but Liam was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand and dragged her into the crowd. Rin was shocked, but she sighed in relief after realizing it was Liam.
A few seconds ago, before the crowd began to disperse. Liam stood still, his mind racing with a plan.
'This isn't good. Now all the guards will be on high alert! I just need one more kill!'
One more kill and Liam would have completed his quest. He couldn't afford to miss his last chance. He noticed guards mingling in the crowd and saw an opportunity.
Liam's heart pounded with excitement and determination. He took a deep breath and moved closer to the nearest guard, blending into the dispersing crowd. His eyes scanned the area, ensuring no one was watching him too closely.
As he approached the guard from behind, Liam summoned the dagger from his inventory. The cold metal felt reassuring in his grip. He timed his movements perfectly, waiting for the guard to be momentarily distracted by the bustling crowd.
With a swift and precise motion, Liam kneed the guard from behind, causing him to lose his footing. In that split second, Liam struck. He plunged the dagger into the guard's neck, feeling the resistance as the blade cut through flesh and tendons. The guard let out a muffled gasp as his eyes widened in shock and pain.
Liam's adrenaline surged as he stabbed the dagger in a couple more times, ensuring the guard wouldn't survive. Blood spurted from the wounds, staining the ground beneath them. The guard's body went limp, and Liam quickly withdrew the dagger, putting it back into his inventory before anyone could notice.
[+100 XP]
[Remaining XP- 1600]
The thrill of the kill sent a rush of excitement through Liam's veins. His heart raced, and his senses were heightened. He felt alive, invincible, as he seamlessly blended back into the crowd.
[Quest completed- Kill 15 guards. Reward granted- 1RP]
[Total RP- 7]
He then quickly grabbed Rin's hand and left the training ground.
Liam and Rin ran into Soo Min and the Joon brothers on their way back so they joined them.
Joon Ho looked at them curiously and asked, "Lee, where did you and Rin go so late at night?"
Rin's face flushed, and she quickly replied, "We didn't go anywhere. We came to the training ground because we were called. Just like you guys."
Soo Min chimed in, "But when I woke up in the middle of the night, you both weren't there."
Rin's face flushed even more, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.
This time, Liam stepped in and tried to smooth things over. "We were training. It's important to stay sharp, especially with everything that's been happening."
As they walked back to their cage, Soo Min noticed that Liam and Rin were holding hands. Liam had basically dragged Rin away from the crowd, and even though there was no need to hold hands anymore, they still were.
Soo Min puffed her cheeks and pouted. She quickly moved between them, separating Rin and Liam. Then, she took each of their hands in hers, walking between them. "There, that's better," she said with a satisfied smile.
They reached their cage and settled down to sleep. The night had been eventful, and everyone was exhausted. Liam lay down, his mind replaying the events of the night. He had finally completed his quest.
'Three more and I am outta here.'
[As I have said, you will return—]
'Shut it. Let me be at peace for a while.'
However, he was not at peace. He was worried about Rin, who was far behind to reach the first stage within a day.
A few minutes passed, and everyone had fallen asleep, except Liam. Suddenly, he muttered, "I know you're there. Come out before I kill you."
A few seconds later, a figure emerged from behind the walls. It was the leader of the group Liam had fought in the valley. The leader stepped into the faint moonlight and locked his eyes onto Liam.
"Are you going to kill me like you killed those guards?" the leader commented, his voice laced with a mix of amusement and threat.
Liam was shocked to hear that, but he didn't react. He stayed composed and kept his expression neutral. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, playing dumb.
The leader chuckled. "Don't play dumb with me. I saw you kill that guard a while ago in the training ground. You were pretty smooth, I'll give you that."
Liam had made sure no one was watching, but it was humanly impossible to keep an eye on hundreds of people in the crowd. Out of anyone who could have seen him, it had to be this guy.
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Hello dear readers, I hope you are doing well. I have now begun to publish two chapters a day, while maintaining the release of chapters of my other novels. We now have 25 chapters, and the next few chapters are going to be the turning point of the novel.
I need feedbacks and any type of support, let it be through comments, reviews, golden tickets, power stones, or a recommendation to your fellow readers, is greatly appreciated. That way, I can know you guys are enjoying reading the novel as much as I am writing it.
I wish you luck, and see you in the next chapter!