Kindred

Adam had previously believed that making contact with other Otherkind too early was not a good thing, because he was actually at a disadvantage in such encounters.

After all, he had not yet come of age, while those Otherkind, if nothing else, certainly had far more experience in fighting and killing than he did.

But now that Adam had confirmed that some Otherkind had lost their means of concealing their abnormalities, he could take the initiative when dealing with them.

"Of course, there's no rush right now." Adam blended into the crowd that had gradually settled down again, selling meat pies from his basket as he thought.

"The witch doctor's arrest will definitely expose the identities of some Otherkind who often bought medicine. The Church will take action over the next few days. Contacting them now might just drag me in as well."

"Besides, for those Otherkind who are deeply hidden, cautious as they are, they'll surely have spare potions. They'll be able to hold out longer. I just need to find them before they can't endure any longer."

After selling a meat pie to a customer, Adam smiled like everyone else. Their reasons for smiling differed, but their joy was the same.

By the time the bonfire on the platform had dimmed, Maggie had found Adam. The meat pies had sold well today. Though some remained, they could take them home to eat.

Lina followed behind Yalis as well. She happily called out, "Big Brother Adam," then ran over on her short little legs and threw her arms around Adam's thigh. It seemed she had enjoyed herself tonight.

Before long, they found Yalis again and chatted about the execution by fire that had taken place today as they headed home.

Adam stood in the attic, quietly completed his transformation, then silently listened to the movements around him.

Tonight was not suitable for going out. The Church had likely prepared all kinds of traps, waiting for those Otherkind who could not restrain themselves after the witch doctor's arrest to reveal themselves.

But this lockdown would probably only last a few days. For one thing, the Church's people needed rest too; they could not keep watch and set traps every night. For another, while some Otherkind might be irrational, once the irrational ones had thrown away their lives, those left would be clever people—or at least cautious enough.

Catching such clever people was not something that could be solved merely by lying in wait.

"My bloodline is growing more restless." After listening for a while, Adam returned to human form and lay down on the bed. In his Werewolf form, he did not think much, so all the information he gathered had to be carefully considered in his human state.

"In around half a month to a month, my bloodline will reach maturity." Adam was full of anticipation. "Next comes the preparation for contacting other Otherkind."

He raised a hand and gently stroked the < shaped scar beneath his eye. Some distant memories surfaced in his mind. They were not pleasant, but neither were they terrible.

Over the next few days, the nights remained far from quiet, and Adam could feel his bloodline growing increasingly restless.

Yet from what he observed during the day, everything seemed to have settled down.

"Should I keep waiting?" Going out now was definitely not safe, but Adam touched the scar on his face and waited two more nights before choosing to head out once more.

The night was so quiet it inspired a faint sense of panic. Adam looked into the distance. Apart from a few scattered lights, the entire city lay in darkness.

In his Werewolf form, Adam did not hesitate in the slightest. He swiftly made his way toward Baron Mansla's residence, then expertly climbed up the wall covered in ivy.

He intended to gather information on Baron Mansla first, then search elsewhere for traces of other Otherkind.

But at that moment, Adam's beastly instincts suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

"It's like I've entered another beast's territory!" Through his beastly instincts, Adam vaguely sensed a frenzied, unknown fluctuation crashing against him, as if some invisible collision were taking place. His bloodline grew restless once again, and a force was stirred awake.

It came from his bloodline, surging from every part of his body straight into his mind. Then everything seemed to explode, and in his daze, he saw an unknown place that was both real and unreal.

A Werewolf formed of black smoke dragged two scarlet streaks of light toward him and pounced. Its body grew larger and larger, as though it were about to completely fill Adam's vision.

Adam gritted his teeth and lunged forward as well. If you dared to pounce on me, then I dared to pounce right back!

In his Werewolf form, Adam did not think things through so much. Following his instincts, he had only one word in mind: charge!

Adam collided with the black-smoke Werewolf in a grapple. The giant wolf formed from black smoke scattered, then gathered again. Spinning around, it raised its massive claw and slashed down at Adam's back.

Its smoke-like body also wrapped around him, as though it intended to cover every part of Adam completely.

All kinds of chaotic things began assailing Adam from every direction: fragmented whispers, twisted images, and howls that could only be called noise.

At that moment, Adam's figure suddenly faded and vanished within the black-smoke Werewolf's embrace.

Adam felt a sharp pain between his brows and withdrew from that unknown place that was both real and unreal. He was still clinging to the wall beside the window.

The door at the end of the corridor opened. A burly man emerged, with long brown wavy hair falling over his shoulders, a face covered in stubble, and a loose robe. His brown eyes swept around, as if he were staring through the wall directly at Adam.

With a push of his foot, his whole body transformed into a brown-furred Werewolf. Like a cannonball, he barreled over with savage force.

Kindred! And an exceptionally powerful one.

After sensing this, Adam followed the choice in his heart. He jumped directly from the wall, sprang forward, and cleared the courtyard wall in a single bound.

The brown-furred Werewolf reached the window, leaped up, and landed in a crouch on the sill. Bracing his hands on either side of the window, he swept his gaze through the shadows and saw only a fading silhouette.

"That guy?" The Werewolf rapidly shifted back into human form, jumped into the room, and tugged at the belt of his robe to tie his clothes tight again.

"Who was it?" Baron Mansla emerged calmly in noble attire, his hair already thinning somewhat at the front. But on closer inspection, one could see a rather intricate emblem mark had appeared on the back of his hand.

The mark was a combination of a semicircle and a triangle, filled with various symbols.

"A little fellow." The burly man had no desire to give chase. That little fellow had considerable potential. Before his bloodline had even awakened, he had forcibly entered the sensory domain during their clash of perception. He had even grasped the right moment to withdraw his own senses and retreat successfully. Such control over one's senses was rare among Werewolves. Those sorcerers would probably like him very much.

"Now that Hoda is dead, just about anyone is coming out of the woodwork." Baron Mansla said unhappily. Looking at the crushed floorboards in the corridor and the claw marks on the window, the emblem mark in his hand did not fade. He looked down at the burly man and said, "And don't make a move in my home!"

"Got it!" The burly man scratched his cheek, glanced at the emblem, and nodded, seemingly unconcerned by Baron Mansla's arrogant words.

Nobles differed from Otherkind like them. They also drew power from their bloodlines, but a noble's power did not belong to him alone, making it all the more terrifying.

After circling around a few more times and making sure no one was following him, Adam no longer had any desire to search for other Otherkind and returned straight to the attic.

"Baron Mansla is playing a dangerous game!" Adam rubbed his aching head. Baron Mansla not only kept a group of bandits outside the city, but also had ties to Werewolves within Roya City.

Unlike other nations, the Holy Sound Kingdom, as a theocracy, imposed strict limits on nobles through the Church. For a baron to dare maintain close ties with Werewolves, he had quite some nerve.

"Did I overestimate myself after all? If so, the plan will have to change." Adam began, bit by bit, to consider the various connections in Roya City's South District and sort out his own plan of action.

In the end, he could no longer hold on and drifted off to sleep in a haze, curled up in the corner of the bed.