Aunt

"Are we too late?"

"Where did [Ghost Shadow] Qilos go? Is he dead?"

"He probably escaped; after all, he's that person."

"."

On the sand dunes, the members of the Chamber of Commerce rushed over, but there were only eight or nine survivors.

Then, they saw Lei cleaning and treating his wounds in the sand.

Rein didn't want to perform surgery on himself in public, but he had too many wounds on his body. The dagger, enhanced with wind-elemental battle aura, was as sharp as a light arc cutter; even a slight touch could sever his skin, leaving a gaping wound.

And those toxins, although not fatal, still need to be dealt with promptly to prevent infection or other serious complications.

As for Qilos's body, Rein naturally wanted to take it away, not only to use it as material for dissection practice, but more importantly, to retrieve those "Fine Needle".

Although she didn't see any bodies, Catherine knew from the chaotic scene of the sand that a major battle had taken place there.

However, upon seeing that it was Rein alive, the president of the Redwood Merchant Guild breathed a sigh of relief.

There were no assassins around, so it seemed they had really escaped.

Tonight, everyone finally survived.

With the sense of urgency over their lives gone, everyone's thinking began to function normally again.

Then, their minds gradually began to process what they were seeing.

Although we didn't see the body of [Ghost Shadow] Qilos, whether that great thief escaped or died, it proved one thing: the man in front of us wearing the raven gas mask was very strong.

Because of its overwhelming power, it feels somewhat unfamiliar and inspires a sense of awe, as if one were witnessing a "big shot."

After all, everyone still vividly remembered the bloody scene of Rein chasing after Qilos and punching a Second Tier assassin to death.

Now, looking at this guy covered in blood, his expression numb as he stitched up his wounds, everyone felt a little fear.

Even after the fierce battle, their momentum hadn't subsided; there seemed to be an invisible aura that kept people at bay.

This was no longer the ordinary hunter "Nicholas" they knew.

Catherine had naturally thought of these things as well, and even more.

Because Rein is just too strong, so strong that one can't help but suspect his motives.

Clearly, a master of this caliber wouldn't be hunting for the meager commission.

But the truth is, these experts are hidden within the team.

If he hadn't been exposed after this attack, he probably would have continued to hide.

So what was his purpose?

However, she knew in any case that the man in the Crow Mask was probably a friend, not an enemy.

Otherwise, if they really wanted to harm her, or if it were their "Redwood Merchant Guild," they would never have risked helping her in the first place.

Moreover, Catherine could see that although "Nicholas" had won, it was a narrow victory. His numerous wounds testified to the ferocity of the previous battle.

Even if he's incredibly powerful, his battle aura robe indicates that he's only a Second Tier Transcendent. There's a fundamental difference in the Transcendent power comprehended Second Tier and Third Tier Transcendent, a difference that equipment and martial arts techniques can't compensate for.

Although Catherine didn't understand how he defeated his enemy, that punch alone might be enough to take down an ordinary Third Tier Extraordinary, but it was far from enough for [Ghost Shadow] Qilos.

This is somewhat puzzling. Why would this man risk his life to save them?

But it was because of him that their group of hunters from the merchant guild were able to survive.

Catherine believes that no matter what the other party's purpose is, gratitude must be expressed.

Especially as the president of the chamber of commerce.

Catherine noticed the hint of apprehension on the faces of those around her and said calmly, "You all wait here, I'll be right there."

"Nicholas" is seriously injured, and sending so many people at this time might cause misunderstandings. It might also make people think that she, as the president, is too guarded, thus losing any chance of building a good relationship.

Others thought it made sense that Catherine said this, since they had all heard that the man in the distance was the Chamber of Commerce's "reinforcements".

But her son, Gannix, knew the truth perfectly well; he didn't recognize the man in the Crow Mask at all. He watched his mother try to go alone, a hint of worry in his voice. "But..."

The Third Tier mage Amaris, standing nearby, asked with a slightly worried expression, "Guild Master, should I go with you?"

"Need not."

Catherine shook her head and calmly walked down the sand dune.

There are definitely risks involved, and her condition has been very poor since the start of the battle. Facing a fighter who could defeat [Ghost Shadow] Qilos, she has no confidence in protecting herself if danger arises.

But she trusted her intuition more.

Rein remained silent, tending to his wounds while glancing at the people on the dunes out of the corner of his eye.

After all, it's normal for people to feel some self-doubt in this situation.

But seeing President Catherine walking down alone, Rein was slightly surprised and gave the lady a second look at her courage.

But I also breathed a sigh of relief.

At least, he didn't want too many people to know his true identity.

Catherine got down and stopped about five or six meters in front of Rein.

This is a safe distance between people who are not very familiar with each other.

She humbled herself greatly, bowed deeply to Rein in gratitude, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Nicholas. It was your heroic help tonight that saved our Scavenger Gang from being robbed and killed by the Phantom Thieves. On behalf of the Redwood Merchant Guild, I express my sincerest gratitude to you, our savior."

With tonight's events escalating to such an extent, Rein knew that unless he left now, his identity couldn't be kept secret any longer. He didn't intend to continue hiding it, after all, the president of the Redwood Merchant Guild wasn't exactly an outsider.

He also knew that Lady Catherine was probably very curious about his identity, so he probably shouldn't ask directly.

With great interest, Rein asked directly, "May I ask, what is your relationship with 'Canossa J. Claufer'?"

When Catherine heard this question, her eyes lit up.

The intelligent woman had a vague idea in her mind that the person in front of her might be someone important.

Although few people knew about her relationship with Canossa, it wasn't exactly a secret among the upper echelons of the two empires.

She glanced at Rein and said directly, "I am Canossa's aunt. Her mother is my older sister."

They really are relatives.

Upon hearing this, Rein raised an eyebrow slightly, no wonder they looked somewhat alike.

Since she's Canossa's aunt, she's hardly an outsider.

Then, without beating around the bush, he took out the token that Canossa had given him and said, "I know Mrs. Canossa, and this is the token she gave me."

"Lady?"

Catherine found the title a bit strange, but when she saw the "black gold coin," her eyes lit up.

Seemingly confirming her earlier suspicions, she exclaimed softly, "Are you Mr. Rein?"

Rein was slightly surprised to have his name called out directly and asked, "You know me?"

As soon as he said it, he knew that Canossa must have mentioned his name.

"Certainly."

Catherine's slightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed, and she nodded.

Upon hearing Rein admit it, the look in her eyes suddenly changed.

Just a moment ago, there was a sense of respect for the unfamiliar powerful figure, though polite, it was also quite distant.

But at this moment, it transformed into the look of an elder scrutinizing someone.

It's that kind of look you get when you go back to the village for Chinese New Year and all the aunts and uncles look at their new son-in-law.

Rein felt there was something odd about her gaze and asked, "Did Mrs. Canossa mention me to you?"

"Yes. She told me a lot about you."

Catherine seemed to have thought of something, her expression turning slightly strange. Her tone suddenly lost its formality, and she smiled faintly, saying, "Although I'm not much older Canossa, in terms of seniority, I am indeed her aunt. Mr. Rein, you can call me that too."

"."

This change in attitude struck Rein as rather abrupt, making him feel that there might be something he didn't know. He murmured to himself, "A lot about me?"

Catherine smiled and casually uttered a bombshell, "She told me that a young man wanted to sleep with her. And then, she agreed."

"."

Upon hearing this, Rein's forehead twitched, unable to hide his embarrassment.

Canossa actually said those kinds of things to her family elders?

After experiencing firsthand the world's unrestrained views on gender relations, he finally understood why President Catherine had given him that strange look after learning who he was.

Although Catherine was an elder, she looked to be only around thirty years old, and it felt a little strange coming from her.

Catherine glanced at Rein, noticing the slight unease in his eyes, and explained with a hint of helplessness, "Although Canossa is old enough to be called a lady, she's never married. Our family has worried about this a lot. After all, as you can see, I'm not much older than her, but my son is already so grown up. She's always obsessed with running the business and Transcendent martial arts, saying she hasn't found anyone she likes, whether it's royalty or wealthy merchants."

Upon hearing this, Rein realized that the pressure to get married in this world was no different from that in his previous life.

In this cruel world, it's perfectly normal for fifteen or sixteen-year-olds to get married. As an older single woman, Canossa is naturally the focus of her whole family's attention.

At this point, Catherine looked at Rein again and said, "So... she used you as a shield. Then, our whole family knew about your existence, Mr. Rein. Of course, some little secrets were only known to me."

This half-true, half-false explanation instantly dissolved the slight awkwardness in the conversation.

Looking at the cunning in President Catherine's eyes, Rein understood that her relationship with Canossa was probably more than just ordinary.

If it were anyone else, even someone sent by Canossa, Catherine would feel somewhat distant.

But this Rein, she had gotten so many details out of her niece that she was already interested in finding out more.

Rein was right; she knew almost everything that had happened between him and Canossa.

Upon seeing it today, it is indeed quite stunning.

She blinked and asked curiously, "Mr. Rein, what made you decide to come to the Chamber of Commerce to hunt in the wilderness? To be honest, I was quite surprised before I knew your identity."

Rein said, "I came out here to train and find an opportunity to advance to the Third Tier of the Transcendent Realm. Then I happened to hear that there were ruins in 'Black Wind Territory', and I also happened to see your merchant guild's recruitment information at the Wilderness Hunter Guild. So I came here."

He briefly explained what had happened, and Catherine then showed a look of realization, saying, "Oh."

At this point, the beautiful president glanced at Rein again, who was still stitching up his wounds as he spoke, and said, "Canossa also said that you are a very good doctor, which I initially found a bit unbelievable. But now, I think you are even better than she said."

"."

Upon hearing this, Rein finally realized that Lady Catherine had probably heard about the details of how he treated Canossa's injuries in the sinkhole temple.

This "powerful" refers not only to medical capabilities, but also to combat effectiveness.

At this point, Catherine suddenly remembered something, her expression tightening as she asked, "By the way, where did that great thief, 'Ghost Shadow' Qilos, go?"

"I killed him."

Rein said casually, without going into details, "Because the corpse was highly poisonous, I needed to process it, so I put it into my Storage Ring."

"Oh, you really killed him?"

Upon hearing this, Catherine, though she had already guessed, was still so shocked that she covered her mouth slightly.

She could tell that Rein didn't want to talk about the process, and although she was curious, she didn't press him for details.

"Um."

Rein nodded without explaining further.

Call.

Hearing that their formidable enemy was dead, Catherine's chest twitched noticeably, finally allowing her to relax after a night of tension. She glanced at Rein again, muttering to herself in a barely audible voice, "That girl Canossa really has excellent taste."

She said this, clearly not intending to completely hide it from the man standing right in front of her.

Rein naturally heard it too, but didn't find it strange.

After all, he said "I want to sleep" himself, and now that others know, there's nothing wrong with admitting it.

But then, Rein that there were still some hired hunters in the group, and not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble, he said, "Lady Catherine, I don't want anyone to know my identity right now, so..."

Catherine: "No problem. I'll tell them later that you're the secret expert I placed in the team."

She had used this rhetoric to boost morale before, and unexpectedly, it actually worked. This Rein really is a powerful ally for their "Black Gold Merchant Guild"!

After chatting for a while, Rein learned that Canossa had already guessed that they would encounter unexpected dangers during this hunting trip.

She suspected an inside job after several problems arose within the chamber of commerce. Later, some clues also pointed to Thomas as a suspect. However, because he was so well-hidden, he didn't reveal much.

The most important reason for this hasty trip was the discovery of the ruins, which forced her to come.

Secondly, Catherine wanted to confirm whether Thomas was indeed the mole.

That's why they secretly arranged for a Third Tier mage to accompany them. In fact, the Third Tier assassin they recruited was also a high-level combatant secretly trained by the "Black Gold Merchant Guild".

This lineup is more than enough to handle common attacks by phantom thieves.

Unexpectedly, the "Black Skull Phantom Thieves" sent a master thief of captain rank.

Rein knew what happened next.

Then, as she spoke, Catherine seemed to remember something and asked, "Mr. Rein, how are your injuries?"

Rein: "It's nothing serious."

Catherine wasn't too surprised to hear this. After all, she had long heard of Rein's amazing medical skills.

At this moment, she asked with a hint of anticipation, "So, do you still plan to continue exploring this ruin?"

Before Rein could answer, she explained why she had asked the question, "The team suffered heavy losses this time; the specially hired doctor was unfortunately killed in the battle just now. But I heard from Canossa that you are a very skilled doctor. So, if you are willing to continue exploring, I still plan to delve deeper into the core area of this 'Ancient Monkel Kingdom.' After all, I have some very important information about this ruin."

Rein's combat strength is indeed comparable to that of a Third Tier Extraordinary. Although the team lost most of its manpower in this battle, its combat strength does not seem to have decreased too much. On the contrary, it has eliminated many uncertain troubles.

Rein was naturally very interested in the ruins and asked curiously, "Madam, do you know anything about these ruins?"

"Yes. Didn't I say before that there might be a 'royal city' in this desert?"

Catherine didn't hide anything, nodding and saying, "Actually, it's not a possibility, but I'm certain that there really is a 'royal city' here. Moreover, it was once the capital of the kingdom built by the [Thunder Nightmare] Arurete family, one of the 'Seventy-Two Divine Generals'!"

Two updates totaling 11,000 words, which is about the same as three updates a day.