Ripples 2

"Lin Sheng!?"

At Ma Long's words, not only Wang Sanyang but everyone around them was taken aback, seemingly unable to understand why he had asked that.

Still, someone searched through the crowd and quickly found Lin Sheng, huddled in a corner.

After all, although the Ninth Squad had suffered devastating losses, some had survived. Naturally, they knew Lin Sheng and had heard that he had returned safely.

Feeling every gaze fall upon him, Lin Sheng frowned.

Ever since Ma Long had called his name, he had sensed that something was wrong. But in this situation, there was nothing he could do. Turning and leaving would only make him stand out more.

Besides, after dealing with Ma Qiang, he had anticipated this sort of situation and had long been mentally prepared.

Having lived two lives, if nothing else, his mental fortitude was beyond reproach.

He understood that at a time like this, he could not show even the slightest trace of panic.

Ma Long naturally noticed the crowd's gazes as well. He turned, his eyes fixed on Lin Sheng.

The next instant, he stepped forward. In the blink of an eye, he crossed several yards and arrived before Lin Sheng.

"So many people from the Ninth Squad died. Even Liu Jie, a Body Tempering martial artist, never came back. Why did you?"

Ma Long narrowed his eyes, his gaze like blades as he stared at Lin Sheng and slowly asked.

Lin Sheng raised his head and met Ma Long's gaze directly, neither servile nor overbearing as he replied.

"Captain Ma, I was merely luckier than the others. I did not become a target of the Tusk Mountain Boar, so I was fortunate enough to escape."

"Luck? Why was your luck so good? Why wasn't everyone else's luck this good..." Ma Long spoke blandly, his eyes locked tightly on Lin Sheng as the aura around him grew increasingly chilling.

"Ma Long, what are you doing? This is the Ninth Squad, not your Third Squad. I know your brother died and you're in a bad mood, but are you cursing the survivors of our Ninth Squad?"

At that moment, Wang Sanyang suddenly barked out.

Clutching his injured arm, he had already walked over.

"Is it not a good thing that more people survived? Do you want everyone in my Ninth Squad dead, buried alongside your brother, before you can rest easy?"

Wang Sanyang's expression was ugly. He was clearly truly enraged. The Ninth Squad had suffered grievous casualties in this mission, and he had already been in a foul mood. Now that Ma Long had come to his door aggressively demanding answers, he naturally had no intention of enduring it any longer.

"Hm?"

At those words, a flicker of coldness passed through Ma Long's eyes. His gaze left Lin Sheng and shifted to Wang Sanyang.

"Enough! Stop talking."

At that moment, a robust voice rang out from outside the courtyard.

An exceptionally sturdy man walked in from outside. It was Tian Hu.

Tian Hu swept his gaze over the several badly injured hunters before finally looking toward Wang Sanyang and Ma Long, between whom the atmosphere had grown tense.

"You are all from the Beast Hunter Hall. There is no need to make things so hostile. Chen Wei, leave a few people from your Second Squad behind and take the wounded back to the hall for treatment."

"Yes."

At once, a dark-skinned man stepped out from the crowd and led the wounded from the courtyard away.

Tian Hu spoke again.

"Ma Long, you cannot blame others for your brother's death. You can only say his time was unlucky. If there is nothing else, leave."

"Understood, Deputy Hall Master Tian."

Seeing Tian Hu arrive, the coldness finally faded from Ma Long's face. Only after a moment did a faint smile reappear, and he answered readily.

"In that case, I will not disturb you any longer. Brother Wang, take good care of your injuries. Otherwise, that arm of yours may very well be crippled."

With that, Ma Long did not linger. He turned and led his people away, though his gaze swept over Lin Sheng as he departed.

Once Ma Long had left, Wang Sanyang did not delay any further. After handing the four tusks on his back to Tian Hu, he hurried off for treatment. His injuries were no light matter; if he delayed any longer, he might truly be left with a permanent ailment, and that would be more loss than gain.

Lin Sheng and the remaining hunters of the Ninth Squad were tasked with cleaning up the station. Once everything had been put in order, they were dismissed as well.

Only after leaving the gathering point and returning to his courtyard did Lin Sheng finally let out a breath.

Although he had appeared quite composed back at the Ninth Squad's station, his heart had been pounding. He had truly worried that Ma Long would disregard everything and suddenly attack him. If that happened, he would have no choice but to stop hiding and fight back.

That would undoubtedly expose his true strength, and by then, he would find it difficult to explain himself.

No, I need to find a way to get rid of Ma Long. Leaving him alive will always be a hidden danger.

Lin Sheng pondered inwardly.

As the captain of the Third Squad, Ma Long was even somewhat stronger than Wang Sanyang. Rumor had it that he was already close to breaking through to late Muscle Forging.

Moreover, they were both in the Beast Hunter Hall. If Ma Long wished to target him, Lin Sheng's current status and position would make it truly difficult for him to deal with it.

I must think of something. Even if I cannot get rid of him, I need to raise my standing in the Beast Hunter Hall as quickly as possible. Then, even if he wants to do something to me, he will have to think twice.

Yangping Town, Third Squad station.

Ma Long sat in the courtyard, rolling a pair of stone balls in his hand. Before him lay a round pond, where carp swam back and forth, occasionally leaping from the water and splashing droplets everywhere.

"Wang Sanyang."

He slowly chewed over Wang Sanyang's name, then suddenly sneered.

"He wants to use the Tusk Mountain Boar's tusks, along with his own savings, to exchange for a precious pill. Does he think that will let him break through to major Muscle Forging? What simple-minded wishful thinking."

"Someone."

He suddenly called out, and someone immediately ran in.

"Have Old Ma and the others search along the Ninth Squad's route from this mission and see if they can find any clues. If they can find Ma Qiang or Liu Jie—or their corpses—I will reward them handsomely."

"Yes, Captain."

The man immediately jogged out to summon the hunters.

Watching his subordinate's back disappear, Ma Long closed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

In truth, he had already given up hope for Ma Qiang.

He did not believe Wang Sanyang would have attacked his younger brother. After all, there was absolutely no need for him to make an enemy of Ma Long over it.

As for the others in the Ninth Squad, they would have been even less likely to dare. And with Liu Jie accompanying him, unless Wang Sanyang himself had acted, no one else could have killed them.

Thus, deep down, he had already accepted what Wang Sanyang said: Ma Qiang and Liu Jie had died at the hands of the Tusk Mountain Boar.

As for Lin Sheng, he had merely recalled the name on a whim. He did not believe that brat had the strength to do anything to Liu Jie and Ma Qiang.

If it had only been Ma Qiang, it might have been possible. But Liu Jie was an experienced old hunter. Whether against ferocious beasts or people, he possessed extremely rich experience in life-and-death combat. Ordinary Body Tempering martial artists would never be his match.

Even when striking with calculation against one who had none, a martial artist at minor Muscle Forging might very well fall into his hands.

Therefore, even if that brat had hidden some of his abilities, there was no way he could have brought down an old hunter like Liu Jie.

Yet even so, he had no intention of letting Lin Sheng go. His gaze settled on the carp fighting over fish food in the pond as he muttered.

"Xiao Qiang, since you once said you wanted to get rid of this brat, and you can no longer do it, then as your elder brother, I'll help you one more time."

Of course, he did not plan to act now. If that brat died immediately, it would draw far too much attention.

"In a few days. In a few days, I'll find an opportunity to get rid of him."

Having made up his mind, he clenched his hand with a crack, crushing the two stone balls into powder.