The gray wolf growled, a low rumble vibrating from its chest, as it slowly advanced towards the three hunting dogs. The dogs, refusing to retreat, bristled and snarled, clearly ready to attack.
The hunting dogs rushed forward. The first dog launched itself at the gray wolf head-on, while the other two attempted to flank it from the left and right. However, given the immense size of the gray wolf, the three smaller dogs found it impossible to knock it down.
One of Kexin's subordinates, his eyes wide, exclaimed, "My lady, I have never seen such a big wolf!"
Kexin, her jaw tight, retorted, "Although that wolf is big, it's one against three. We will surely win."
Michio, who had developed a fondness for the gray wolf – after all, it had carried him across Skeleton Desert, brought him down from the mountaintop, and helped his friends in Skull Forest – instinctively grabbed his spear and started forward. But Hajime swiftly stopped him.
"What are you doing?" Michio protested, pulling against Hajime's grip. "I'm not going to let those dog tag teams attack my favorite ride!"
Hajime reached into his pouch, pulled out the black panther wooden figure, and threw it to the ground. The panther figure instantly transformed, growing to full size. It moved with startling speed, lunging forward to clamp its powerful jaws around one of the dogs' necks. The black panther's long fangs bit down tightly. Within a minute, it tossed the dying dog to the ground, its dark eyes fixed on the horrified group a few feet away, as the motionless carcass lay at its feet.
Kexin and her remaining men quickly drew their weapons, slowly backing away from the menacing black panther that stood a few meters from them. The two surviving dogs, whimpering, quickly retreated towards her and her group, cowering.
The gray wolf and the massive black panther snarled in unison at Kexin and her men. Kexin's entire body went rigid, her face turning ghastly pale. Her hands trembled so violently that she struggled to prevent her sword from clattering to the ground.
When Hajime had decided to take over the mage's body, he had sworn to himself that he would never again fall prey to trivial entertainment or let others dictate his life. He gritted his teeth, his voice strained with suppressed rage, "Tear up those dogs!"
Yul could see the intense, almost terrifying hatred burning in Hajime's eyes as the two magical beasts began to slowly advance towards the group of people. He knew that those magical beasts could inflict serious injuries, and if they were harmed, Hajime would suffer too. Yul quickly took Hajime's hand, his touch grounding. "Hajime, that's enough…" he urged gently.
Hajime clenched his teeth. "You don't know… I hate these kinds of people the most. Just because they were born with a golden spoon in their mouth, they think they have the right to do whatever they want without having to bear any consequences."
Yul gently held Hajime's face in both hands, forcing Hajime to meet his gaze. "Look at me, not them. Look at me… No matter what happens, how many difficulties we face, you have to remember: me and the people behind you, we will not abandon you. We will stand by your side and would sacrifice our lives to protect you if we had to."
Hajime tried his best to hold back his tears, but in this raw, painful moment, he felt like a boiling pot with a lid tightly sealed, on the verge of overflowing. He looked into Yul's eyes, seeing a profound warmth and unwavering assurance. As his own reflection stared back from Yul's gaze, the anger he had accumulated over the years transformed into tears, slowly streaming down his pale cheeks.
Yul understood that, at this moment, what Hajime needed most was comfort and a firm reassurance that they would truly never abandon him. Yul offered a gentle smile. "We're a family now… so, we won't leave each other behind…" Yul kissed Hajime's forehead tenderly and then pulled him into a tight embrace. "In other words, you can't abandon us either." He gently wiped away Hajime's tears with his thumb.
The two magical beasts, as if on cue, suddenly shrank, transforming back into their thumb-sized wooden figures on the ground. Michio walked over and carefully picked up the two wooden figures, his eyes still firmly fixed on Kexin and the others, a hint of challenge in his gaze.
Abrafo stepped forward, a defiant smirk on his face. "Don't bully our little mage. He looks weak, but he can tear you to pieces if he wants."
"What are you men?" Kexin demanded, her voice laced with thinly veiled fear.
Michio looked at Kexin with a disarming smile. "Oh… I forgot to introduce ourselves. We are from Tanzang Kingdom."
"I've never heard of it," Kexin stated dismissively, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Michio's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "You haven't heard of Tanzang?"
Kexin shook her head. "No… According to the site map, the city farther from the Golden Desert is Greead."
U-ri burst into laughter, a surprised sound. "Hah… so Skeleton Desert actually has a name!" he exclaimed, looking at Abrafo. "The giant crab…" He then walked up to Kexin, his curiosity overriding his usual apprehension. "Why is that city called Greead? What a strange name."
"Greead, the Great City of the Dead," Kexin explained, a weary sigh escaping her. "If you walk past it, you will understand why this city got its name."
Approaching them were ten men on horseback. The men stopped in front of the group, and Lixin dismounted, stepping to stand beside Kexin.
Lixin surveyed the five Tanzang people, then glanced pointedly at Kexin. "Are you causing trouble again?" he asked, his voice tinged with exasperation.
"It's not my fault, it's their fault," Kexin immediately retorted, pointing an accusing finger. "Our white deer was lost."
Lixin turned his attention to the five Tanzang individuals. "Gentlemen, we have been tracking that white deer for four days… we have waited a whole year for that white deer to show up. You have wasted our time and efforts."
"You can't blame us," Abrafo calmly interjected, pointing at Kexin. "It was caused by her and her men. She's so bad at archery that even if Yul hadn't cut the arrow in half, the arrow would still miss the target. And the deer was standing right in front of them, and she still couldn't catch it. So, it's not our fault, because we never stopped her from chasing it."
"Brother, they said they are from Tanzang Kingdom," Kexin murmured, a subtle hint of warning in her tone.
"I've never heard of it," Lixin stated, a dismissive wave of his hand. He then walked closer to the men. "In that case, you don't mind if we stay here and wait for the white deer." He looked directly at Yul, as if expecting the group's leader to give him an answer.
"Why do you need that white deer so much?" Yul asked, his gaze piercing.
Lixin offered a polite, yet secretive, smile. "We have our reasons." He stepped forward, extending a hand. "If we don't fight, we may not know each other. I'm Lixin, and this is sister, Kexin. My sister said, "You are all from Tanzang Kingdom, correct?"
"Yes…" Yul replied, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"I'm sorry, brother," Lixin said, a condescending smirk on his face. "We have never heard of such a kingdom. There is no kingdom here. The land under your feet is a vast land that anyone can claim for himself. Every city has its own ruler. If you come in peace, we will welcome you with open arms, but if not, we will not hesitate to end the lives of our enemies."
"We're just travelers who happened to get lost and somehow found our way here by mistake," U-ri interjected, his voice surprisingly calm. "So, what's the name of this place?"
Lixin looked at U-ri, a skeptical smile playing on his lips. "Really? Ordinary travelers?"
U-ri nodded innocently.
"Then, which way did you come from?" Lixin asked, his eyes sharp.
U-ri pointed confidently in the direction of the Skull Forest.
Lixin burst out laughing, a loud, booming sound that echoed through the hills. "You mean, you really crossed the Forbidden Forest of the Skull Forest?"
Lixin and his men roared with laughter at the five Tanzang people, while Kexin and her subordinates remained unusually silent. They already knew that Hajime possessed the ability to summon his puppets into real, formidable beasts.
Lixin finally managed to compose himself, turning to Kexin. "You and your subordinates aren't laughing anymore, why?" he asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"Because I saw the ability of the white-haired man," Kexin replied, her voice flat.
Yul looked at the arrogant brother and sister, a deep weariness settling over him. He no longer wished to deal with them. "Stay if you want, but don't disturb us," Yul said, taking Hajime's hand and walking towards the cabin with the others, his resolve clear.
Through the thick undergrowth, those familiar blue eyes watched Hajime and Yul, who were walking just a yard away towards the cabin.
"It's so funny that these mortals actually climbed this mountain without me noticing," Baishui said with a soft giggle, his gaze fixed on Hajime and Yul. "Should I introduce myself?"
"Your Highness shouldn't," Jiāo said, her voice firm.
"I'm kind of wondering how these people could come to my cabin without me noticing," Baishui mused, a playful pout on his lips.
Jiāo looked at Baishui, her expression serious. "My lord, do you still remember the last time you stepped out of the realm?" Her gaze flashed past Baishui, a hint of concern.
"Little missy, if it wasn't for you, I would have escaped long ago," Baishui grumbled, turning his face away childishly. "Look at him." Baishui pointed at Hajime. "He looks just like me."
"But our unknown intruders are not like you, with two white horns on your head," Jiāo retorted playfully. She held up two fingers on each hand, then placed her hands on each side of her temples, mimicking horns.
Baishui tapped her on the head twice, a light, affectionate gesture. "You silly fish," he said, looking back at Hajime and Yul with renewed interest.
Jiāo rubbed her forehead, a mock wince on her face. "It hurts… it hurts." She grabbed Baishui's arms, her tone urgent. "Let's go back before His Majesty finds out that you stepped out of your chamber."
"Jiāo, I haven't come out for many years… I need to breathe fresh air," Baishui protested, his voice a whine.
"No… go back to your chamber," Jiāo insisted, continuing to drag Baishui towards the mountain lake, her grip firm.
Baishui struggled to break free. "Jiāo… wait a few more minutes."
"No, last time you were punished, I was punished together with you!" Jiāo declared, her voice resolute as she continued to pull Baishui away from the unknown intruders.
Dark clouds swiftly covered the evening sun, and the originally clear sky suddenly became gloomy. Thunder began to rumble ominously on the mountaintop. Jiāo said worriedly, her eyes wide with apprehension, "Ninth Prince, go back quickly! His Majesty is here to see us."
Light rain began to shed on the misty hills. Baishui looked at Jiāo and frowned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I'm going to be in trouble again, am I?" Seeing Jiāo's resigned, disappointed expression, he simply smiled.