A few miles from the outskirts where Annan and Olmedo were, Luoxi and his men had cleared their way to a low hill. He stood atop it, listening to his adjutant Sirdan's report.
"We found a frozen Ratfolk corpse. Its chest had been cut open, and there were footprints nearby, along with this abandoned arrow..."
Sirdan produced an ordinary birch arrow with chicken-feather fletching. Someone had tried hard to shave the shaft straight, but the wood could only be worked so far.
"There are humans nearby?"
As Luoxi stared in surprise, a soldier hurried over from up ahead to report that they had found a "hunter."
"Let's have a look."
Could there still be a human settlement in this region swarming with Ratfolk and demons?
Even from a distance, Luoxi saw a man standing with several soldiers. He wore Ratfolk pelts like some giant rat and carried a bow and arrows.
The moment Luoxi saw his face, he froze. He studied the bearded hunter. "Are you... Krian?"
Nostalgia filled Krian's eyes. "Luoxi..."
Luoxi could hardly believe he had run into Krian, who had chosen to leave Sanctuary Town—and here, on the outskirts of Breeze City.
Sirdan looked just as astonished beside him.
"How did you come back...?"
"Because this is home."
Once the soldiers learned Krian was an old acquaintance of their Legion Commander, they moved off to continue clearing the area.
"I mean... what are you doing here?"
"The Ratfolk took our home. I came back to kill them one by one and rebuild it."
Krian's gaze lingered on the soldiers. Luoxi went on, "You're lucky you ran into me. If you'd met Femi, he might have arrested you."
"You make me sound heartless, Luoxi."
Crunch—
Footsteps sounded in the snow. A figure appeared in dark red Plate Armor,