Revenge

After returning to Fenlai City, Lin Yun did not hurry back to Ernst Academy.

He found an inconspicuous inn in the city and rented a room. After changing into an equally inconspicuous gray robe, he concealed his face in the shadow of his hood. The Spiritual Energy of a Level 9 Mage enveloped the entire room, ensuring no one could spy on him.

Duke Paterson.

The younger brother of the king of the Fenlai Kingdom, he was one of the most powerful men in Fenlai City. His manor stood in the city's most prosperous eastern district. It covered dozens of acres, with high walls and deep courtyards, and was heavily guarded. The manor housed a large number of guards, and rumor had it that Level 6 and Level 7 Warriors were stationed there as well.

But none of that was a problem for Lin Yun.

Night fell. Lin Yun changed into a black outfit for moving through the night and covered his face.

Stealth, a Level 7 Dark Element spell. He had learned it a long time ago from Morton's magic books, but had never had a chance to use it. Dark Element magic excelled at concealment, stealth, and masking one's presence, making it the perfect companion in the dark. Combined with the secret technique Shadow Stealth, which he had obtained from the Swallowed Star universe, it suited him perfectly.

Dark Element magic enveloped his body, masking his presence, his temperature, and even his heartbeat completely. In the night, he was like a real shadow—silent and impossible to pin down.

He did not enter through the front gate.

The wall around Duke Paterson's manor stood three meters high, and sharp iron spikes had been embedded along the top. But to Lin Yun, those obstacles were nothing. He leaped lightly, floated over the wall like a feather, and landed without a sound. The Wind Element spell Wind Shadow Art made his body as light as a feather, while his Spiritual Energy sensed the entire manor. He could clearly perceive every guard's position and the patterns of every patrol route.

The duke's manor was enormous. It took Lin Yun about fifteen minutes to find Paterson.

He was in the study at the deepest part of the manor, sitting behind a wide desk and looking through some documents. Two guards stood outside the study door, both Level 5 Warriors. Several more patrols moved through the corridor, passing by every ten minutes.

Lin Yun did not alert anyone.

Two spells of Wind Binding silently wrapped around the guards' throats. They passed out before they could make a sound. Lin Yun pushed open the door and walked into the study.

Duke Paterson looked to be in his thirties. He was broad-shouldered, with a handsome mane of golden hair and bright eyes like those of a blue-eyed Thunder Eagle. His back was straight, and he carried himself with the bearing of a nobleman. When he heard the door, he looked up and saw someone in black night clothes entering. His expression changed at once.

"Who are you?" His hand had already moved to a hidden compartment beneath the desk, where a short sword was concealed. "Do you know where you are? All I have to do is shout, and the guards outside will rush in and chop you into mincemeat!"

"You can try." Lin Yun's voice came from behind his mask, calm and cold.

A green Wind Blade formed at his fingertips and hovered before Paterson's eyes. It spun rapidly, emitting a faint whine and gleaming with a chilly light in the candlelight. Paterson could clearly sense the terrifying power contained in the blade. This was no ordinary mage's spell. The caster was at least Level 8, perhaps even Level 9.

"You... What do you want? Money? I have money! I'll give you as much as you want!" Paterson's voice trembled.

"Come with me," Lin Yun said. "Don't resist. Don't make a sound. Otherwise—"

The Wind Blade moved forward half an inch, cutting off several of the hairs on Paterson's face.

Paterson gave up resisting completely. He was a Level 7 Warrior, but faced with this man, he did not even have the courage to strike. The Wind Blade had formed too quickly for his eyes to follow. He had no doubt that if he made even the slightest move, it would immediately slice open his throat.

Lin Yun used the Earth Element spell Earth Binding to seal Paterson's hands and feet, then used a Wind Element spell to seal his mouth. He picked him up like a chick, leaped out of the study window, and vanished into the night.

Lin Yun needed less than an hour to travel from Fenlai City to Wushan Town.

He was so fast now that carrying Paterson, who weighed over a hundred pounds, made no difference at all. The night wind brushed his face, cool with the early autumn chill. Held in Lin Yun's grasp, Paterson watched the scenery rushing past below in terror, unable even to cry out.

Baruch Manor slept quietly beneath the night sky.

Lin Yun did not use the front gate. He vaulted over the wall and landed in front of the small stone house in the back courtyard. He tossed Paterson to the ground and released the seal on his mouth.

"Where is this?" Paterson looked around in terror. "Why did you bring me here?"

Lin Yun did not answer. He pushed open the stone house door and dragged Paterson inside. It was dark within, and only the portrait on the wall was faintly visible in the moonlight.

Then he went to the main house and knocked on Hogg's door.

"Father, please come with me."

Hogg came out wearing a robe. Seeing Lin Yun dressed in black, he guessed what had happened. He followed Lin Yun to the little stone house in the back courtyard.

When Hogg saw Paterson slumped on the ground, he froze.

"He is..." Hogg's voice trembled.

"Duke Paterson," Lin Yun said. "The man who sent people to take Mother away twelve years ago."

Hogg's face instantly turned deathly pale. His hands and lips trembled, and he stood motionless as though struck by lightning.

Paterson looked at Hogg. First he was startled, then a confused expression crossed his face. He did not recognize the man. On that night twelve years ago, he had not acted personally; he had merely sent his men to do the job. To him, Hogg was just some vague, insignificant nobody.

"You... Who are you? Why have you captured me?" Paterson's voice was full of fear and confusion. "I'm the king of the Fenlai Kingdom's younger brother! Do you know what will happen if you kidnap me?"

Lin Yun ignored his shouting. He walked over to the portrait and stepped aside, giving Paterson a clear view of the woman in it.

"Twelve years ago, near the Radiant Temple in Fenlai City, you sent men to seize this woman from an inn," Lin Yun said, his voice calm and cold. "Don't deny it. If I found you, it means I already have enough evidence."

When Paterson saw the portrait, he suddenly froze.

He knew the woman in it.

She was the woman he and his elder brother, Clayde, had seen at the Radiant Temple twelve years ago. At the time, his elder brother had pointed at her and said, "Bring her back." He had done as he was told. He had his men follow the couple, seize the woman at the inn, and present her to his elder brother.

"You... You..." Paterson's face turned deathly pale, and his lips trembled. At last, he understood why he had been brought here.

Lin Yun removed his mask.

Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the stone house and fell across the boy's cool, composed face. His eyes were terrifyingly calm. There was no anger or hatred in them, only a cold killing intent that sent a chill down the spine.

Paterson stared at the young face, frantically searching his memory. He did not recognize the boy. To him, the Baruch Clan was nothing more than a fallen, insignificant noble family. He had never paid it any attention.

"Who are you people?" Paterson's voice trembled. "I... I don't know you..."

"You don't need to know us," Lin Yun said evenly. "You only need to answer my questions."

He raised his hand, and a Wind Blade formed at his fingertips.

"Twelve years ago, was it you who sent men to seize this woman from an inn in Fenlai City?"

Paterson's mind raced. If he admitted it, death might be all that awaited him. But if he denied it... He glanced at the Wind Blade hovering before his eyes and swallowed.

"I... I really don't know what you're talking about..." Paterson's voice trembled.

Lin Yun said nothing. The Wind Blade shot forward, skimming past Paterson's ear and cleaving the chair behind him in two. Wood chips flew everywhere, and Paterson collapsed to the floor in terror.

"I don't want to waste time," Lin Yun said. "You know who I mean. The woman in the portrait—my mother, Lina. Twelve years ago, you seized her from an inn in Fenlai City. Tell me, where is she now? Who ordered you to do it?"

Paterson's face was as white as paper. He opened his mouth to keep denying it, but under Lin Yun's icy gaze, the lies stuck in his throat. He could not force them out.

"If I tell you... will you spare my life?" Paterson finally asked, his voice hoarse.

"That depends on whether your answer satisfies me." Lin Yun made no promises.

Paterson gritted his teeth and finally spoke.

"It was... it was Clayde," he said quietly. "My elder brother, the king of the Fenlai Kingdom—Clayde."

A glint of cold light flashed in Lin Yun's eyes. He had known the answer. In the original story, King Clayde had been the one behind it. But hearing it with his own ears felt entirely different.

"That day at the Radiant Temple, my elder brother saw your mother," Paterson continued. "He told me to send men to bring her back. I didn't know why he wanted her. He only said... that she was important and we had to get her, no matter what. After I handed her over to my elder brother, I never saw her again. I don't know where she is now, or whether she's alive or dead. I really don't know!"

His voice grew more and more frantic, breaking into a sob. "Please, spare me! I was only following orders. My elder brother was the one behind it! If you want revenge, go after him!"

Hogg stood to one side, trembling as he listened. His hands clenched into fists, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.

"Clayde..." Hogg's voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible. "The king of the Fenlai Kingdom..."

Lin Yun turned to look at his father. Seeing the pain and hatred in his eyes, he felt a pang in his heart.

"Father, is there anything else you want to ask?"

Hogg stepped forward, crouched down, and stared into Paterson's eyes.

"Is Lina... still alive?" Hogg's voice trembled.

"I... I don't know..." Paterson shook his head frantically. "After I handed her over to my elder brother, I never saw her again. I really don't know if she's alive or dead..."

Hogg was silent for a long time. Then he stood up and turned away. His shoulders shook violently, but he made no sound.

Lin Yun looked at Paterson and asked another question. "Why did your elder brother have my mother taken? Who did he give her to?"

"I don't know!" Paterson practically shouted. "My elder brother never told me about those things! I was only responsible for bringing people to him. He never told me what happened afterward! I swear, I really don't know!"

Lin Yun stared at him for a long while. He could sense that the man wasn't lying. He really didn't know anything more.

"Good." Lin Yun stood and drew a short sword from his waist, then handed it to Hogg.

"Father, he's yours."

Hogg took the short sword, his hand trembling. He looked at Paterson, his eyes full of pain and hatred. For twelve years, he had imagined this moment every night—finding the man who had taken Lina and hacking him to pieces. But now that the moment had arrived, his hand would not obey him.

"Father," Lin Yun said softly, "Mother may not be dead. She might still be alive somewhere, waiting for us to rescue her."

Hogg turned sharply and looked at Lin Yun.

"Clayde must have had a reason for taking Mother," Lin Yun said. "As king of a country, he could have any woman he wanted. He must have taken her for some other reason. Father, you have to stay alive. You have to live to see the day I bring Mother home."

Tears welled in Hogg's eyes. His hand stopped trembling around the short sword—not because his pain had eased, but because he had found a new purpose.

He walked up to Paterson.

"Please... spare me..." Paterson knelt on the ground, bowing repeatedly. "I was only following orders... It was Clayde... Clayde made me do it..."

Hogg said nothing. He looked at the man who had ruined his life, his eyes cold and without pity.

The short sword came down.

Paterson's scream echoed through the stone house, then abruptly stopped.

Hogg stood beside Paterson's corpse, the short sword dripping with blood in his hand. His body trembled, but his eyes were clearer than ever.

Twelve years.

At last, a piece of the weight on his heart had been lifted.

Lin Yun stepped forward, took the short sword from his father, and helped him out of the stone house.

Moonlight fell on father and son, stretching their shadows long behind them.

"Father, get some rest tonight," Lin Yun said. "I'll take care of Paterson. No one will find out how he died."

Hogg nodded without a word. He patted Lin Yun on the shoulder, then turned and went into the main house.

Lin Yun stood in the courtyard, watching his father disappear behind the door. A jumble of emotions welled up inside him.

Paterson was dead. But the real masterminds were still out there—King Clayde, the Radiant Church, and the Lord of Light behind it all!

They were far more powerful foes, too powerful for him to challenge with his current strength. But he wasn't in a hurry. He still had time, the resources of two worlds, and a path to growth that no one else could replicate.

One day, he would grow strong enough to bring his mother home.

Lin Yun returned to the stone house and used a Fire Element spell to burn the corpse to ashes, leaving no trace behind.

Then he stood at the entrance of the stone house and took one last look at the portrait on the wall.

Lina smiled quietly in the portrait, holding two babies in her arms, with a young Hogg standing behind her.

"Mother, wait for me," Lin Yun whispered.

He closed the door to the stone house and vanished into the night.