Cui Ciyou's mental perception was like the most precise radar.
Amid the chaos of the blaze, he swiftly filtered out all irrelevant information.
Soon, he picked up on the true threat lurking behind the scenes.
It was at the edge of the village, in an area where the flames were less intense but the smoke was just as thick.
Several unfamiliar energy fluctuations, brimming with savage hostility,
appeared clearly on Cui Ciyou's mental map.
One was particularly powerful and concentrated, far beyond the petty human traffickers around it.
This power... it's Saint-level.
And it's a swordsman's battle aura.
Could it really be that North Saint from the original story?
But at this point in time... has my presence changed the plot again?
There was no time to dwell on it. Cui Ciyou immediately made his decision.
"Alice, Rujierd, come with me."
Cui Ciyou called to them in a low, sharp voice.
"Sylphy, keep helping the chief and the others contain the fire."
"With your magic reserves, you'll be more useful here than we would. Stay safe."
"Ciyou, please be careful."
Sylphy urged them worriedly, but still nodded.
She continued chanting, summoning more streams of water to suppress the spreading flames.
Cui Ciyou, Alice, and Rujierd shot away like three arrows loosed from their bowstrings.
They raced toward the strongest energy fluctuation.
They passed through the chaotic crowds and burning, collapsing trees, soon approaching their destination.
In a forest clearing, fires had been deliberately set to form a natural barrier.
A dozen or so armed human smugglers were grinning viciously.
They were roughly shoving several crying, struggling Beastfolk girls and young women into prison wagons with iron bars that had already been prepared.
Behind them stood a tall man dressed quite differently from the other smugglers.
He wore dark, close-fitting combat