Chapter 6: Nine Saints of the Blue Tower

A few ordinary cakes, some dried meat, and a few cups of plain goat’s milk—these might not seem like much to ordinary people, but Mels and the others could clearly see from the children’s satisfied expressions that these were undoubtedly delicacies and fine drinks.

“Boss, shall I slaughter the horses?” Rek suggested to Mels, realizing these provisions were utterly insufficient for this group of outcasts abandoned by the world.

“No—keep the horses for now. I have other uses for them,” Mels replied, turning to Rek. Though he didn’t understand Mels’ intent, the trust forged since childhood made Rek nod calmly without pressing further.

“Elder, please take your time eating here. We’ll step out for a moment,” Mels said to the elder after Rek agreed.

“Benefactor, where are you going?” the elder asked, confusion clouding his gaze.

“Hehe—we’re going to check whether there’s somewhere nearby we can buy food and clothing. Since we still need to travel, supplies are essential. I think those magical beasts, having suffered heavy losses today, won’t return here for a while. You all should rest here tonight,” Mels explained with a smile.

“Very well—we’ll wait here for you,” the elder nodded.

Seeing the elder harbored no suspicion about his departure, Mels smiled faintly and turned to call his companions, leading them out of the dense forest. In the dark woods, the sounds of hooves and footsteps crunching leaves formed a beautiful symphony; the occasional chirping of insects and birds immersed them fully in nature’s embrace. Mels and the other three walked silently through the forest. Though none understood why Mels was leaving the woods so late at night, none questioned it.

“Ha… I really want to sleep,” Akafir said, rubbing his eyes.

“Hold on just a bit longer. Once we finish our task, you can sleep as much as you like,” Mels said, holding the reins with one hand and placing the other on Akafir’s shoulder.

“Okay!” Akafir nodded obediently.

“Boss, what exactly are we going to do?” Sol finally blurted out. Seeing they were now far from the pitiful group, he turned to Mels.

“Hehe—we’re going to be thieves again!” Mels winked at Sol.

From his expression, Sol and Rek instantly understood…

The urgent drumming of hooves echoed through the night as three sturdy horses carried four youths swiftly toward Five-Mile Town. Most townsfolk were already asleep; only a few homeless wanderers and loudly singing drunks lingered in the darkness.

“Rek, go prepare a cargo wagon. Sol, gather all the food from the bakery and bring it to me!” Mels ordered his brothers. With their acknowledgment, the two wheeled their horses around and sped off.

“Akafir, come with me,” Mels said, turning to Akafir after Sol and Rek departed. He then dismounted and strode toward a clothing store.

*Bang, bang, bang!* Mels stood outside the shop door, pounding it with his fist.

“Who is it?” came a drowsy voice from inside after a pause.

“I’m here to buy something!” Mels shouted back.

“Are you insane? What hour is it? Come back tomorrow if you want to buy anything!” the shopkeeper, roused from deep slumber, bellowed angrily.

“I want to buy *now*—open the door!” Mels demanded sharply. But no reply came from within. The shop’s occupants seemed determined to ignore him.

After several more moments of knocking, Mels finally lost patience. He stepped back and said to Akafir, “Smash that damn door!” Before the words left his mouth, Akafir lunged forward. With a dragon-like roar, the sword on his back flashed with a cross-shaped silver light. The wooden door couldn’t withstand such force—there was a loud crash, and it collapsed.

The shopkeeper rushed to the entrance, trembling as he saw the shattered door and Akafir standing there like a demon in the darkness, gripping a gleaming sword. “B-bandits!” he stammered in terror.

“Hehe—I’m this Young Master, and I *am* a bandit! Be smart—I only want your goods. Make another sound, and I’ll slaughter your entire family, down to the last chicken and dog!” Mels knew threats worked better than reassurance with petty townsfolk like this. Drawing his long blade, he strode menacingly into the shop, his expression one of cold-blooded murder and arson.

As Mels had predicted, the shopkeeper dared not utter another word, only trembling as he stepped aside. Ignoring him, Mels marched inside, glanced around, and asked, “How many ready-made clothes do you have? How much fabric?”

“G-grand sir, my shop is small and weak—I only have about a hundred sets of clothes and over two hundred bolts of fabric. Take whatever you wish—just spare my family!” the shopkeeper replied, still shaking.

“Good—I’ll take it all! Go calculate how much it costs!” Mels nodded, satisfied.

“N-no need! Grand sir, take whatever you want—how could I possibly ask for your money?” the shopkeeper stammered, still quaking. Clearly, Mels’ earlier intimidation had completely cowed him.

“Enough nonsense—calculate it, or you’ll taste my blade!” Mels glared and roared.

“Y-yes, sir!” The shopkeeper hurried to the counter and began furiously tapping an abacus. During this time, Rek arrived outside the clothing store with a cargo wagon he’d somehow procured.

“Boss, I’ve got the wagon—I’ll leave it here and go help Sol!” Rek called into the shop. After Mels nodded, the sturdy youth dashed off to assist his brother. With all the commotion, most townspeople had already woken up. Those who’d initially wanted to investigate quickly retreated indoors upon recognizing Mels and his group—the ones who’d slaughtered countless people at the inn earlier that day. The town grew even quieter than before Mels and the others had arrived.

“Grand sir, the total is seventy-six gold coins, forty-three silver coins, and seventeen copper coins,” the shopkeeper said, trembling as he brought the abacus to Mels after calculating.

“Good—I’ll give you eighty gold coins. Help me load all the clothes and fabric onto the wagon—understood?” Mels didn’t even glance at the abacus. He casually pulled a pouch of gold coins from his pocket, counted out eighty, and placed them on the counter.

“Ah!” Seeing Mels actually produce dozens of gold coins, the shopkeeper couldn’t believe his eyes. Only after Mels shouted again did he hastily reply, “Thank you, grand sir! Thank you! I’ll load the goods right away!” The shopkeeper rushed to the inner room, called out a boy of about sixteen or seventeen, and the two of them, beaming with joy, began loading the goods onto the wagon Rek had brought.

Just as the loading on Mels’ side proceeded smoothly, Rek and Sol approached Mels, carrying large and small bundles. Rek bore a huge wooden barrel on his shoulder—whether it held wine or something else remained unclear—and on his back hung a goatskin water bag, clearly filled with goat’s milk or similar. In his remaining hand, he carried a large bag of fruit. Though it looked strenuous, Rek’s expression betrayed quiet satisfaction. Sol, meanwhile, was even more extravagant: perhaps because his own strength couldn’t match Rek’s, he’d summoned his Summoned Beast—the Steel Ape! The heavily armored, fierce-looking gorilla now cradled piles of bread, fruit, butter, sausages, and several skinned cows and sheep in its arms.

“Boss, I’m exhausted—but I finally found everything you wanted!” Rek said, tossing all the items onto the wagon and wiping sweat from his forehead with a broad smile.

“Excellent! Well done! Did you pay them?” Mels asked Rek with a grin.

“Of course! We may be thieves—but we’re not unreasonable scoundrels. We can’t just seize things from these petty townsfolk,” Rek replied casually.

“Boss, one wagon can’t hold all this stuff!” Sol told Mels after directing the Steel Ape to place the items it held onto the wagon.

“Hmm—let’s free up two more horses. Later, two of us can ride in the wagon, and the other two can ride horses,” Mels suggested, seeing the sheer volume of goods.

Once the hectic work concluded, the four prepared to leave the town, leading three horses and a wagon. Akafir, who couldn’t ride, and Rek, responsible for driving, boarded the wagon. Mels and Sol shared a horse and led the other two horses laden with supplies.

“Let’s go!” Mels cheerfully gave the order, and everyone cracked their whips, leaving the town once more and heading back toward the dense forest.

“They’re actually good people—just a bit fierce in their shopping methods!” murmured the clothing store owner, standing at his doorway watching Mels and the others vanish into the distance. Yet how could he know that without such drastic methods, Mels wouldn’t even have been able to enter his shop—let alone buy anything?

Of course, Mels and the others didn’t hear the shopkeeper’s reflection. The four traveled in relaxed spirits. “Boss, with all the things we’re bringing back, those kids are going to be overjoyed!” Sol said to Mels.

“Yeah! Hehe, Boss—you’ll have to teach them how to eat apples and bananas again!” Rek chimed in from the driver’s seat.

“Actually, I’m truly happy too! Even though we can’t change everyone’s views, at least we can help them live better—for now. Just thinking about those children’s laughter makes me happy!” Mels said sincerely. Though Akafir didn’t fully grasp the conversation between Mels, Sol, and Rek, he sensed their ease and joy from their words and expressions. Akafir hummed an unfamiliar tune along the way, sitting leisurely on the wagon and gazing around.

The short ten-kilometer stretch passed quickly amid the rhythm of hoofbeats and Akafir’s humming. When they reached the earlier dense forest, after tethering the horses to trees, everyone except Rek—who guided the wagon deeper into the woods—shouldered the supplies from the horses and cheerfully walked toward their previous resting spot.

“Shh—we’re giving them a surprise! Everyone, tread lightly,” Mels whispered to his companions as they neared the campsite. Seeing Mels’ smile, everyone nodded in agreement.

As they drew closer and the flickering firelight came into view, Mels suddenly leapt onto the grass and shouted, “Look what we have… What happened?!” As the large bag of fruit in his hands tumbled to the ground and scattered, the smile froze on his face. The fire still flickered; the evening breeze still brushed gently past—but the people were already…

“There’s more here! Everyone, come quick…” Sol, who’d followed closely behind Mels, said just as cheerfully—but his cheerfulness, like Mels’, remained frozen on his stiff, handsome face.

Blood—blood flowing from human bodies, from the small bodies of children who’d been lively and savoring delicacies they’d never tasted before just hours earlier! Blood covered the ground—the blood of over thirty lives! Among them were the elderly man, the warrior who’d narrowly escaped death at the claws of magical beasts, the young woman clutching an infant, and the children who hadn’t even learned how to eat candy!

Staring blankly at the scene—corpses strewn across the ground, blood pooling like hell itself—Mels’ mind went utterly blank. He suddenly whirled around, gathered all his strength into his right fist, and began wildly punching the tree behind him. With a crash, the tree collapsed; blood dripped from his hand.

“Why did this happen?!” Mels raised his head and screamed wildly at the sky, tears silently streaming down his cheeks.

“Boss—this wasn’t done by magical beasts—it was humans!” Rek, the only one who retained composure, said after examining the nearest corpse, turning to Mels.

“Humans?” Mels asked, halting his tears in shock.

“Yes—come look! There are no bite marks on this body, no magical-beast mucus secreted, and most importantly—the fatal wound at the throat was clearly inflicted by a sharp blade or sword. So I’m certain this was done by humans!” Rek clenched his fists tightly in fury.

Guided by Rek, Mels quickly confirmed everything matched Rek’s assessment. Flames of rage instantly contorted his face. Though Mels spoke no word, Rek could unmistakably feel the depth of his fury!

“Ah… b-big brother…” A faint cry suddenly came from the distance. Though soft, Mels and the others—trained warriors—immediately pinpointed its general direction. As Mels rose and scanned the area, he spotted a small “corpse” on the ground not far away, beginning to crawl slowly.

Leaping through the air, Mels landed beside the child and pulled him into his arms. “How are you? Tell me—who came here to kill?” Mels asked the child.

"Evil... demons, nine... green..." The child clutched Mels's arm, struggling to utter a few words. Before he could finish that brief sentence, his small hand went limp and fell away.

The blood flowing from the child's gaping chest stained Mels's clothes red, yet his heart turned pitch black.

"Even if they are outcasts, even if everyone despises them, why are they denied even the right to live? Heaven, they are so resilient, surviving against all odds. Why can't you grant them the right to live?" Mels asked himself over and over in his heart, but who could give him an answer?

Rek and the other two in the distance did not approach Mels. They knew he needed to think and feel for himself at this moment. They simply watched quietly, feeling the weight of the situation. Suddenly, Akafir whispered, "Killing intent!" Before Sol and Rek could react, he shot forward like a leopard, sprinting toward Mels! At the same time, several throwing knives, smaller than daggers, shot out from the woods directly in front of Mels's position, their target being Mels, who was lost in grief.

Completely unprepared, Mels was on the verge of being killed by the flying knives. At this critical moment, Akafir's figure had already reached Mels's back. No words, only action! Akafir lunged, using his body to shove Mels aside; his own right arm was struck by a knife.

"Akafir!" Having escaped danger, Mels saw the gleaming short blade embedded in Akafir's right arm and cried out with concern. Simultaneously, realizing enemies were nearby, Rek and Sol summoned their summoned beasts!

"Melisde, fly up high and scout the enemy's whereabouts!" Rek shouted to his summoned beast, the Soul Mage. The black mist immediately ascended into the sky at his command.

"Kerdos, charge into the woods and drag out that coward who shot from the shadows!" Sol commanded his Steel Ape at the same time. Following its master's order, the Steel Ape quickly strode past Mels and charged into the dense forest.

"Akafir, how are you?" Mels, skilled in medicine, asked after briefly bandaging Akafir's arm.

"It's... it's fine. Just hurts a lot!" Akafir said, clutching his arm with a pained expression. Hearing Akafir's cries of pain, Mels felt somewhat relieved—at least he no longer had to worry about the blade being poisoned.

"Rest for a bit. I'll go see who ambushed us!" As soon as Mels finished speaking, a roar from the Steel Ape suddenly echoed from the dense forest. The Steel Ape's two-meter-tall, several-hundred-pound body was then flung out of the woods like a broken kite, accompanied by its own roar.

"Kerdos, are you okay?" Seeing his summoned beast severely injured, Sol ran to the Steel Ape's side with concern.

*Whimper, whimper...* The Steel Ape let out a few pitiful cries but quickly stood up, showing it wasn't seriously hurt. However, the Steel Ape's defeat gave Mels an ominous premonition.

Sure enough, moments later, a beastly roar louder than the Steel Ape's echoed from the forest. Accompanied by the collapse of several towering trees, a massive bear nearly three meters tall, covered in black scale-like armor, with deep red fur on its limbs and head, lumbered out of the dense forest.

"Thunderfire War Bear!" Mels exclaimed in shock, naming this mid-to-high-tier summoned beast from the magical beast category. If the Steel Ape had been fighting this Thunderfire War Bear earlier, no wonder it was so thoroughly defeated. Just as Mels and the others were stunned by the massive Thunderfire War Bear, the Soul Mage Melisde in the sky suddenly plummeted to the ground like a meteor.

Looking up, they saw a mid-to-high-tier magic-type summoned beast, the "Blue-Winged Roc"; a mid-to-high-tier magic-type summoned beast with green eyes and red feathers, the "Jade-Eyed Crimson-Feathered Eagle"; a mid-to-high-tier demon-type summoned beast with black bat wings, completely naked, wielding a silver trident, the "Blue-Blooded Demon"; and a "Soul Mage" of the same tier as Rek's summoned beast, all floating in the black night sky!

Faced with such a formidable array of enemies, Mels and the others couldn't help but gasp. Judging by the abilities of these summoned beasts, any one of them was stronger than Rek's or Sol's summoned beasts, let alone so many appearing at once! Slowly, Mels carried Akafir on his back and retreated to Rek and Sol's side.

"Boss, what do we do? There are too many enemies, and they're too strong. We're no match at all!" The cold sweat on Sol's forehead clearly told Mels he wasn't joking.

"Blue-Winged Roc, Jade-Eyed Crimson-Feathered Eagle, Blue-Blooded Demon, Soul Mage, Thunderfire War Bear—just these five summoned beasts are more than we can handle. Boss, I think we should run!" Even the usually brave Rek couldn't help but suggest fleeing to Mels.

Of course, Mels understood the danger they were in, but he still didn't give the order to flee. He knew that since the enemy had come with such a show of force, they wouldn't let them escape the encirclement easily. Watching the five powerful summoned beasts slowly close in, with the humans hiding behind them still not appearing, cold sweat poured down Mels's forehead.

"Boss, do we run or fight?" Seeing Mels still hadn't given an order, Rek couldn't help but ask loudly, showing his anxiety had reached its peak.

"Sol, order Kerdos to charge the Thunderfire War Bear and recall him the moment they engage. Rek, have Melisde support Kerdos and recall him at the same moment. Our goal is to attract the enemy's summoned beasts, making them think we're breaking through from the Thunderfire War Bear's side. When their summoned beasts move, follow me and run. Got it?" Mels raised his hand to cover his mouth and whispered to his two companions behind him.

After Rek and Sol nodded in agreement, Mels shouted, "Fight to the death, everyone attack!" With that, he used his left hand to support Akafir on his back, drew the long sword from his waist with his right hand, and assumed a stance ready to fight the numerous summoned beasts to the death. Understanding Mels's intent, Rek and Sol also commanded their summoned beasts to attack the Thunderfire War Bear!

From a one-on-one perspective, the Thunderfire War Bear was stronger than the Steel Ape or the Soul Mage, but under a pincer attack from two summoned beasts, the situation would change completely. Mels and the others understood this, and the enemy summon warriors certainly did too! Therefore, the moment the Steel Ape Kerdos and the Soul Mage Melisde moved, the Blue-Blooded Demon and the Jade-Eyed Crimson-Feathered Eagle in the sky immediately descended rapidly, preparing to attack Rek and Sol's summoned beasts from above.

This created a gap in the summoned beast encirclement around Mels and the others, exactly the opportunity Mels was waiting for. Mels shouted, "Go!" and immediately turned and shot like lightning toward the edge of the forest. At the same time, Rek and Sol followed Mels's command and recalled the charging Steel Ape and Soul Mage. Rek even grabbed the slower-moving Sol and followed closely behind Mels as they broke out. The Blue-Blooded Demon and Jade-Eyed Crimson-Feathered Eagle, which had split off to protect the Thunderfire War Bear, were now too far from Mels and the others to give chase. The two magic-type summoned beasts still hovering in the air, with weaker physical defenses, were also positioned higher up. As they tried to use magic to stop Mels's group from breaking out, Sol, who was being carried by Rek, took advantage of his free hands to shoot several fireballs at them. Though just a few fireballs, they forced the two summoned beasts to dodge, buying the group precious escape time.

Running wildly, weaving between tree trunks, constantly jumping and landing, Mels knew his only option now was to run! The power of those five summoned beasts far exceeded his imagination. He understood that against such enemies, he could only run! At this moment, Mels once again deeply realized how important the power of summoned beasts was.

Though the immediate danger had passed, Mels felt deeply unwilling. "Why, when the murderers who killed those people are right in front of me, can I only run like a scared dog? If I had greater power; if I were stronger, this wouldn't happen, it just wouldn't!" For the first time, Mels genuinely craved power from the bottom of his heart, but for now, this craving couldn't bring him anything substantial.

In the dense forest, as Mels and the other three fled in disarray, a tall, burly man with a fierce face suddenly emerged from the edge of the woods. The man roared angrily, "Damn it! The five of us couldn't even stop those little brats. We've lost face big time!"

"Fifth Brother, what are you shouting about? We were just playing around, no need to be so serious. The place those kids ran to—Third Sister, Fourth Brother, Seventh Brother, and Ninth Brother are all waiting there. Are you afraid they'll fly away? But I have to admit, I didn't expect that kid to be so decisive. Despite us killing all those useless outcasts, he controlled his emotions and ran immediately when outmatched. He'll likely become a remarkable figure in the future." After the "muscle man" spoke, a middle-aged man in his forties with a carefree demeanor, perched on a nearby treetop, said with a smile.

"Second Brother, I think you're overestimating that kid! In my opinion, he's just a cowardly rat afraid of death." A living person suddenly emerged from the flat grassland—a short, mouse-like man who spoke disdainfully to the middle-aged man in the tree.

"Ha... maybe you're right!" the man in the tree laughed heartily.

Amid his laughter, a man around fifty years old, accompanied by a young woman, walked out of the forest and said loudly to everyone, "Don't waste time here. Since those brats injured our Young Master, we absolutely cannot let them leave here alive! Otherwise, not only will the Blue Tower's reputation be ruined, but we, the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower, will become a laughingstock among our peers!" After hearing the elder's words, whether it was the middle-aged man in the tree, the muscle man, or the mouse man, everyone immediately replied respectfully, "The boss speaks wisely. We will surely eliminate the enemy!"

So, these five were the First, Second, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Saints of the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower. Previously, when Mels and the others helped Liyana, they injured the Blue Tower's Young Master and two Hall Masters. Now, as one of the continent's top assassin organizations, the Blue Tower immediately dispatched these nine to hunt down Mels and his group. After the mouse man discovered Mels's whereabouts earlier, the sinister First Saint devised a plan to kill all the outcasts as a show of force against Mels, launching their brutal pursuit!

Mels and the others still didn't know about the appearance and purpose of the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower. At this moment, they were simply relieved to have escaped such powerful enemies. However, they had no idea that an even greater trap was waiting for them to walk right into it!

Akafir's injury was severe. Though only struck in the arm by the short blade, the depth was extraordinary. The intense pain and massive blood loss caused the mountain youth to gradually lose consciousness. Mels's arm, carrying Akafir, was already soaked in blood. The sticky sensation constantly reminded Mels that he needed to find a place to rest and treat Akafir as soon as possible.

After more than ten minutes of running, the forest exit appeared before them. "Akafir, hold on a little longer. We'll be out of here soon!" Mels said while running, speaking to Akafir who was slumped on his back.

Mels's words stirred Akafir's consciousness. With difficulty, Akafir said, "Big... big brother, there... there's killing intent there!" Akafir's warning immediately made Mels stop in his tracks. Though Mels and the other two hadn't known Akafir for long, his keen perception had already impressed them. Now, in their panicked state, Akafir's warning made Mels adopt a "better safe than sorry" approach.

"Rek." Mels softly called to his companion behind him. Hearing Mels's call, Rek understood his meaning. The sturdy Rek set down the Sol he was carrying, drew his long sword with one hand, and cautiously moved forward. Under normal circumstances, Rek would have summoned the Soul Mage to scout, but here and now, he had to go himself.

In the darkness, the light emitted when summoning a beast was too conspicuous. Using it carelessly could easily reveal their hiding spot to pursuing enemies, so going alone was the best option.

Mels and the other two crouched in the grass, their eyes fixed on Rek's figure cautiously advancing in the darkness. Rek vigilantly observed his surroundings while carefully moving forward. After about three hundred meters, Rek looked around and, finding no trace of enemies, straightened up and called back to Mels and the others, "Boss, it's clear here!"

Before his words fully faded, a large silver-white net suddenly dropped from above Rek's head. Seeing Rek in imminent danger, Mels shouted, "Rek, watch out above!" Even before Mels's warning, the already-prepared Sol had launched several wind blades, slicing toward the net.

Though young, Rek had exceptionally rich combat experience. Hearing Mels's warning and seeing the incoming wind blades, Rek didn't look up but immediately rolled sideways to the ground. This reaction saved him from the misfortune of being captured without even seeing the enemy.

Seeing Rek dodge the mysterious silver net, Mels had no time to feel relieved before realizing the net was far from simple. The wind blades Sol had gathered strength to release, upon contact with the net, failed to tear it. Instead, they sparked against the net's threads as if striking iron.

"Impressive, truly impressive! It's been a long time since I've seen someone escape Third Sister's 'Silver Silk Spider Queen'!" Suddenly, just as Mels was about to assist Rek, a steady male voice came from Rek's right. Following the voice, a man in his thirties, wearing a green robe with a wolf's head baring its fangs embroidered on the chest, with short golden hair and a relaxed, elegant demeanor, slowly stepped out.

Behind this man, two more men and a woman emerged. The woman appeared to be around forty, with brown long hair. Though no longer young, one could tell she must have been a beauty in her youth. Unfortunately, her face was now pale with anger. The two men were both around thirty-five, with black hair and eyes like Mels, though one was robust and the other thinner.

All four wore identical green robes. Looking at their attire, Mels suddenly realized something. When he remembered the name of this organization, he couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"Blue Tower Wolves!" Mels exclaimed softly.

"Oh? It seems you have some knowledge, kid!" the young man who spoke first said again.

"Heh, thanks for the compliment! Why would the continent's most notorious assassin organization set its sights on small fries like us?" Now that he knew the enemy's identity, Mels abandoned his fear, stood up, and addressed the man. "A few days ago, did your group attack our Young Master on the official road?" The man seemed confident about capturing Mels and the others. Instead of rushing to attack, he wanted to clarify matters with Mels.

"Official road? Oh, you mean that little bastard who looked like a lecher? So the heir of the Blue Tower Wolves is that kind of trash. That really broadens my horizons!" Mels said coldly.

These words left the young man speechless, showing they were well aware of what their Young Master was really like.

"Silence! Since you've injured our Young Master, you should surrender and let the Tower Master decide your fate!" The only female among the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower, seeing the young man speechless, immediately took over and shouted angrily.

"Haha..." Instead of backing down upon hearing the woman's threat, Mels burst into laughter. After a moment, he stopped laughing and said, "Let your Tower Master decide our fate? What gives you the right? Heh, that so-called Young Master doesn't look like much, yet an old woman like you still fawns over him. Now my horizons are truly broadened!"

Mels's words made the woman's face alternate between green and red with rage. Even in the deep night, Mels could clearly feel her murderous glare.

*Get angrier, get angrier!* Mels silently urged in his heart. The reason he kept provoking them with words was to wait for them to act rashly under the influence of anger. Skete had once taught Mels that anyone who loses their rationality in anger, no matter how powerful, will reveal flaws—and those flaws are opportunities to turn defeat into victory! Mels was waiting for that opportunity now!

"Haha... Well said, truly a young hero! What our Young Master is like is none of your business! Even if the Young Master inherits the Tower Master position in the future and acts against the Blue Tower, the elders of the Punishment Hall will deal with it. You don't need to worry about that! Heh, if you have any more tricks to provoke us, why not use them all now? I'd like to see how you plan to break through our encirclement with your injured companion!" The young man who hadn't spoken earlier suddenly laughed and replied after Mels finished speaking. His words not only reminded his "Third Sister" not to be swayed by Mels's provocation but also pointed out that Mels's plan was utterly useless.

"Hmph! Ninth Brother, how could I be swayed by that kid's provocation? I'm just angry at his vicious mouth!" The woman, now realizing she had almost fallen for Mels's scheme, refused to back down in front of the enemy due to her strong personality.

Listening to their conversation, Mels inwardly cursed the young man thoroughly, but he also became increasingly aware of their worsening predicament. The strength of the Blue Tower Wolves was unlike ordinary organizations; even their youngest members possessed combat abilities surpassing ordinary people. Now, with pursuers behind them and four exceptionally skilled individuals blocking their path ahead, how could they possibly break through? Should they fight to the death or gamble everything on a breakout? The choice of plan tormented Mels, presenting the young man with his first true test!