Chapter 112


    They suspected Adirich and his ilk might have yed a part in vin''s demise, but no one was


    foolish enough to speak up. A mere servant was of no concern to them, at best, a topic of idle


    gossip.


    "March!" The Elders ordered once more, and the procession set off, a grand departure.


    The Protégés excitedly shared their adventures on the way, some relieved to havepleted the


    hunt, others ted by their gains, and some exchanged tales of their trials, promising to return.


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    Mari looked back several times on the journey, never spotting vin.


    The other Protégés gradually forgot about vin; his death, if confirmed, was not worth their


    sorrow. Instead, they wondered how Cobalt Strike would deal with Azure Mountain''s two hundred


    thousand ves. Those people had obediently served as ves partly because a young lord was


    held captive, preventing rebellion. Now, with the young lord gone, would those two hundred


    thousand remain subdued?


    "If vin is truly dead, a lot of lives are at stake," an Elder whispered softly. While vin lived, no


    one cared, but his death would be difficult to exin to the Commander, Hamund, and others.


    Two eveningster, intense fighting broke out in the forest ahead, with the roars of beasts


    thundering through the air.


    Protégés craned their necks in curiosity. Could it be mercenary bands hunting beasts? During the


    hunt, they were reluctant to encounter mercenaries, but now, emboldened, they looked on eagerly.


    Leading the way, the Elder waved his hand signaling the group to halt. He eyed the path ahead with


    a indifferent gaze, wishing to avoid any trouble.


    Before long, apanied by a thunderous roar, a mighty Ironhide Bull came crashing through,


    hurtling toward the group. Its massive form struck against the sturdy trees, causing a continuous


    rumble. Trees shook, branches and leaves flew about in disarray—it was a thrilling sight. Many of


    the female Protégées gasped.


    A figure followed swiftly, lunging forward and striking at the bull with a powerful punch. The Ironhide


    Bull staggered up, letting out a terrified bellow, and fled in panic.


    The person flipped through the air, punching fiercely, with a powerful presence. His rotating fists cut


    through the air with a whooshing sound. However, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the


    vast crowd beside him. Momentarily distracted, his momentum weakened, and he missed the


    Ironhide Bull, his fist instead shattering a nearby boulder.


    The man looked at the group in surprise, and they stared back in equal astonishment.


    "Why have you only just arrived?" the man asked in wonder.


    "vin?" Many in thepany gazed at him in shock.


    The Ironhide Bull, having narrowly escaped death beneath vin''s iron fist, let out a few defiant


    snorts and vanished into the dense forest.


    "Stop it. That''s our supper!" vin shouted.


    A longsword soared into the sky, its de cutting through the air with chilling sharpness, aiming for


    the Ironhide Bull.


    "Splurch!"


    Blood sttered as the longsword effortlessly cleaved through the bull''s tough hide. The bull cried


    out in pain and fell to the ground, unable to rise again.


    One strike, and it was in! The chaos ceased, but the atmosphere turned somewhat strange.


    Cedrick stepped forward from the group, sheathing his greatsword. "I im a part of this supper."


    vin dusted off the stone and dirt from his clothes, looking at the now silent crowd. "You all...


    shouldn''t you have gone back by now?"


    "How are you here?" someone asked, still surprised to see vin.


    "Just the other day, I was deep within Griffin''s Roost and couldn''t make it to the rendezvous. I


    figured you wouldn''t wait for me, so I didn''t go to the meeting point and instead headed back to


    Cobalt Strike on my own. How are you all even slower than me?"


    He hadn''t nned on joining the group, preferring to make his own way back, and taking the


    opportunity to spend a few more days in the wilderness. Another reason was his slight fear of facing


    Mari; he was unsure how to confront her.


    Someone in thepany chuckled softly. “Thed’s got nine lives, he just won’t die, heh.”


    “Fall in!” an Elder called sternly.


    “Yes!” vin noticed the odd looks on many of the Protégés’ faces but thought nothing of it,


    muttering to himself, “I just won''t die, to the annoyance of you all.”