The blade flashed, blood sprayed, and the Great Fall prince fell at once.
Ni Lue sheathed his blade and stood tall, watching the prince roll about on the ground without saying a word.
This action greatly surprised everyone around them. Though these people looked to Ni Lue as their leader, the Great Fall prince's status was there for all to see. Even if they did not hold him in high regard, they still could not openly offend him, lest they be ostracized upon returning to Great Fall. Yet who could have expected Ni Lue to strike directly?
Still, shocking as this outcome was, upon reflection, it was not impossible to understand.
Their flight these past days had been fraught with peril at every turn.
For instance, when they had reached the river that day, Ni Lue had not crossed southward. Instead, he had turned west, leaving everyone baffled. Only several days later did news arrive: a barbarian force that had clashed with the government troops in Great Fall, then suffered losses and turned north to seek refuge with the Barbarian Wolf King, had been right across the river at the time. Had Ni Lue's group crossed then, they would have run straight into that force.
Once they met, there would be nothing to discuss—the disaster would descend at once.
The Great Fall prince's appearance was known to every tribal chief in the Northern Wasteland with even a little standing. That was due to his having overseen the Northern Wasteland for many years. Once they crossed the river and someone spotted the Great Fall prince, the outcome needed no asking. In such a situation, the person with the least self-awareness was precisely this Great Fall prince.
Because of his identity, the others had no choice but to protect him. Yet the