"I'll accept the challenge."
Bai Xiaowen spoke calmly. "Kilgaz is a warmonger who hates outsiders. Having someone like him in power in the Orc Kingdom is dangerous for the entire alliance. We need to do something to damage his reputation and that of the Shadowblade Clan behind him."
Rul's eyes widened. "I see. So you had a deeper reason for this, Lord Prophet. No wonder you treated Kilgaz so differently from everyone else."
When they had first met at the Redstone Throne, and again today at Redcrest Mountain Camp, Bai Xiaowen had shown Rul a gentle side. But he had been much harsher toward Kilgaz, a striking departure from the image of the Continental Prophet.
Now Rul finally understood.
Of course, Bai Xiaowen's plan was partly intended to strike at Kilgaz. But his top priority was using the opportunity to complete his and Li Shuyi's Awakening Skill quests.
"Awooo..."
A long howl rang out, and Bai Xiaowen and the others turned to look.
Rageclaw had finally risen from Harekin.
The immense power Symbiosis had granted him had already faded, but his fierce "performance" over the past few minutes had won over the she-wolf. Gone were the disdain and indifference she had shown Rageclaw at first sight. Now she attentively licked his wounds.
Harekin was not being fickle. In the wild, the weak gave way to the strong; that was natural selection. If a male giant wolf defeated an old wolf king, he gained mating rights over every female in the pack. The she-wolves that had once attended the old king would take to him without a second thought.
Human society was much the same at its core. People just did not act quite so openly as animals and usually covered it with a fig leaf... But there was no need