Nak Catches a Cheater

Nak heard that it was Sonata's intention, so he stopped speaking. He waved his hand to signal Andy to follow, and the two set off.

Speaking of which, Nak's patrol route was quite simple. Emerging from the Steel-Bristle Quilboar settlement in Razorfen, they walked a few kilometers west to a fork in the road, then headed south for five kilometers before stopping. Nak said that going any further south would leave the territory of the Steel-Bristle Quilboar, and venturing there blindly would be life-threatening. From that point, they would head west, then north until they reached a large boulder, and finally head south back to Razorfen. This encompassed the entire outer sphere of influence of the Steel-Bristle Quilboar.

By the time Andy and Nak reached the fork in the road, it was already dark. They held torches, identified their direction, and headed south. Andy glanced at the surroundings of the fork, and suddenly, a voice from the Monster Spirit surprised him: "Welcome to the Crossroads!"

"The Crossroads!" Andy couldn't help but shout.

"That's right, this is the Crossroads, it's just missing a signpost," the Monster Spirit said.

"What Crossroads?" Nak looked at Andy, puzzled.

"N-nothing, I just meant that this place looks like a crossroads," Andy quickly covered up.

Nak looked around, then at his feet, and suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh, why didn't I think of that! Now that you mention it, it really does look like a crossroads. When I come back next time, I'll place a signpost so I won't waste so much time trying to figure out the direction." After saying this, Nak sighed repeatedly.

Andy was sweating profusely; his unintentional shout had actually established a famous location.

After passing the crossroads, the two continued south. Andy didn't know how Nak gauged the distance, but he only knew they had walked five kilometers when Nak told him to stop. Andy followed Nak westward, walking across the desolate wilderness. Aside from the cold night wind and the sand kicked up by the breeze, there was nothing. The stars in the sky, however, were numerous, large, and bright.

Following Nak, Andy had unknowingly made a turn. It was only through Nak's words that Andy learned the reason for these night patrols. Originally, the Quilboar did not patrol at night, nor was there any need to. In such a small tribe, no one paid them any mind, and they were far from the core area of the war, Razorfen, so there was nothing to worry about.

That was until one morning when a Quilboar auntie ran to Sonata to complain that someone had stolen the hen she kept at night. At the time, Sonata simply felt that a thief had emerged within his tribe, which wasn't particularly strange; they were all ordinary people, and it was normal for some to do bad things. Furthermore, Sonata had locked onto a few suspicious characters, and Nak, unfortunately, became one of them. The reason was simple: at the time, Nak was indeed idling about the tribe, truly bored enough to be jumping around.

Beyond giving warnings, Sonata secretly dispatched guards to monitor the area at night, but the thief never returned. With no other options, Sonata had to let the honest Nak take the fall, though he didn't explicitly state that Nak was the thief. He ordered Nak to patrol, stating that if similar incidents occurred, Nak would be held fully responsible. Although Nak had no objections to patrolling at night, he cared deeply about his reputation.

Just like that, Nak had been the one performing the night patrols, and no one else had ever replaced him.

Andy listened as he walked, and before he knew it, they arrived at the large boulder where he had first met Nak. Nak signaled for them to sit and rest. Andy plopped down on it and suddenly said, "Nak, don't you think there's something wrong with your wife?"

"What did you say?" Nak nearly jumped off the boulder, looking at Andy in shock. "How could you have such a thought? What could possibly be wrong with her?"

"Have you never suspected that there might be something between your wife and Sonata?" Andy tried his best to control his words.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Nak said. "My wife is very good; it's just that I've neglected her a lot by coming out to patrol every night."

"Perhaps your coming out to patrol was their doing as well," Andy smiled. He knew Nak wouldn't believe him.

"How could you think that? If you say that again, I'm going to get angry!" Nak was clearly already incensed.

"Think about it. Today, when your foot was injured, Sonata brought out that potion to treat you?" Andy looked at Nak. "As far as I know, that potion is extremely expensive and rare. Why would Sonata take such a good thing out for someone else to use?"

"He's my uncle; it's not like I'm an outsider!" Nak grunted. "My uncle is a very good person!"

"Is that so? Then is it also 'good' that he snatched the position that should have belonged to you?" Andy chuckled.

"I'm not interested in that Elder position; it's much more comfortable this way," Nak said dismissively.

"Do you remember when I first arrived?" Andy said. Seeing Nak nod, he continued, "I was in Sonata's inner room at the time and discovered there was someone else there. Then, when I went to your house, I realized that person and your wife were the same individual."

"That's impossible!" Nak jumped up, finally unable to hold back. "Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"I didn't see it, but I have an ability that allows me to see things behind obstacles," Andy said.

"Impossible, impossible!" Nak shook his massive pig head, muttering.

"Possible or not, if you go back a little early today, won't you know everything?" Andy winked at Nak.

Nak froze for a moment, then saw that Andy had already started moving, heading back. Nak shook his head and hurriedly chased after Andy, grumbling in a muffled voice, "If this isn't true, I want you to apologize to me!"

Andy didn't answer, only smiled. He knew he hadn't seen wrong. Even if he had, the Monster Spirit wouldn't be wrong—it was a system with cheat-like functions!

However, everything was just that mysterious.

That evening, in Sonata's cave.

"Sonata, I'll head back tonight," Nak's wife said.

"Why, Ina? Are you afraid of Nak, or that kid who doesn't seem to be anything special?" Sonata said, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Nak isn't much, but I really am afraid of that kid. Every time I see his eyes, it makes my heart race. I always feel like he knows something!" Ina said.

Sonata laughed heartily. "What is there to be afraid of? What's there to fear about that kid? You are mine. Even if that idiot Nak finds out, what can he do? I snatched his position, and he doesn't even dare to let out a fart!"

"I still feel it's not right," Ina insisted.

"Fine, fine! I'll listen to you. Go back today," Sonata felt an inexplicable wave of irritation and waved his hand to let Ina leave. He really didn't know what she was afraid of when she had him backing her up!

Andy's operation today was destined to fail. He had underestimated Sonata and the other Quilboar. Nak might be stupid and dense, but the other Quilboar were neither!

When Andy watched Nak's wife sleeping in her own room, he felt he might have made a serious mistake. Facing Nak's angry gaze and his wife's confused expression, he quickly offered a sheepish smile and dragged Nak outside.

"That's not right. Could they have sensed something and prepared for it?" Andy muttered.

"Andy, I want you to apologize!" Nak said angrily.

"Nak, you have to believe me. What I said is the absolute truth. If you don't believe me, watch for one more night and see!" Andy said with absolute certainty.