Chapter Thirteen: Beginning with a Lie

Leaving the North Bayleaf Forest, the view suddenly opened up—a clear blue sky with a few porcelain-white clouds, and pristine snow covering everything, presenting a vast, clean world. There was no biting cold wind from the Storm Sea; the entire landscape seemed to have taken on a new face, even the snow no longer seeming harsh.

The Wolf Rider galloped toward Tulip Town, but Nio’s heart was far from as carefree as his mount’s. Instead, he felt hesitant and reluctant to move forward. As for the snowy scenery on this winter morning, he had not the slightest interest in appreciating it.

A warrior—fearless and unyielding!

Such poetic descriptions only fit in books.

Nio believed more in “brave courage”—boldness, passion, and fervor. Put more crudely, it meant acting recklessly when stimulated.

How can one be fearless if the heart is too delicate, thoughts too chaotic, filled with distractions, and full of fears about death?

Especially after experiencing life-and-death moments time and again, when, after victory and as one catches their breath, the tense nerves relax, and one sees warm blood flowing down the trembling hand onto the sand, forming shocking little blooms…

Fear! Dread! Without even trying to recall, the scenes of battle would emerge before one’s eyes, reminding them of how much uncertainty and luck were involved in those moments of combat. It made them realize their lives were barely saved, and it filled them with worry about how they might survive another similar battle. Thus, they often woke up in the middle of the night in fright!

Sometimes Nio thought that perhaps those simple-minded fools were the true “warrior breed”…

He raised his head, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and felt the cold wind caused by the airflow. He sensed his own hesitation, doubt, and cowardice. He silently prayed, “If I die in battle, I will return to Your embrace early. If I live, I will understand Your way and follow Your laws, unwaveringly!” Over and over again!

Faith, a force from the soul, becomes the source of fearlessness—this was Nio’s core strength against weakness and fear. This strength accumulated bit by bit. It didn’t act as quickly as alcohol to numb consciousness, nor was it as direct as indulgence to bring emotional balance. But it grew, it didn’t undermine the vitality of life. It was both a spiritual anchor and an eternal goal beyond life itself.

“Hah!” With a low roar, Nio felt heat surge through his body, his distractions vanish, and all fear and hesitation disappeared. This was the self-enhanced version of a warrior’s skill—the “Battle Roar,” called the “Faith Battle Roar.” A battle roar could make one’s blood surge with power, while the Faith Battle Roar refined one’s thoughts, making them calm and resolute.

This roar, born from the heart, had an inexplicable influence on life. Even the Wolf Rider beneath Nio was affected—its mane bristled, it let out a howl, and suddenly sped up.

Tulip Town gradually became clearer in the distance.

There, strong enemies awaited, along with dangers that made one shudder at the thought. On such a sunny snowy day, any sentinel could see that this was exactly why Nio had feared before. But now, there was only one bold voice in his mind: Just fight!

Ding! Ding-dong! The clear sound of bells rang out.
This sound was not unfamiliar toNeo—it was an alarm bell, similar to the one in Cropp Village Hall, mainly used to issue warnings. It was also employed for assemblies requiring the presence of all citizens, though the rhythm of ringing was different; the latter was slower and more prolonged.
Neo was somewhat surprised. He was sure someone in the town had discovered him. “But the Dark Hands also use this system, and the rhythm is exactly the same as what was agreed upon in the town before?”
As he moved closer,Neo could see more clearly. Behind the town walls, it seemed not to be Dark Cultists but townspeople, militia members.
“Stop! If you go any further, we’ll shoot!” someone shouted from behind the walls.Neo recognized it as Butcher York—the loudest voice in the town, with a deep, grating voice that was easy to remember.
He pulled on the reins, and the wolf let out a low howl, slowing down quickly and stopping about 160 meters away from the town walls. That was the effective killing range of longbows. The town did have crossbows with a range of over 250 meters, as well as even more terrifying bed bows. But at this distance, as long as they didn’t fire in succession,Neo was confident he could dodge.
From this distance, faces couldn’t be seen clearly.Neo could only make a rough guess based on his past memories. It seemed to be Blacksmith Macken, Leatherworker Edison…
“York, Macken, Edison, come out of the town! I bring news from the Lord.”Neo kept pulling on the reins with one hand while controlling the panting wolf, ensuring he could start moving quickly at any moment to leave.
“You’re lying! The Lord has already died in battle!” York continued to shout in his grating voice.Neo was worried it might be a trick—after all, wasn’t it possible here too?
“Shut up! York, have you seen the Lord’s body?”
“I think it’sNeo’s voice… and it looks like him too!”…
Neo had good hearing and heard the conversation behind the walls. Judging from the voices, it seemed Tulip Town had been reclaimed by its townspeople.
“Is itNeo?” someone behind the walls asked eagerly. It was Blacksmith Macken’s accent.
Neo didn’t answer. He did a backflip off his mount, drew his twin swords from behind, twirled them in the air, crossed them in front of his chest, then spread them to the sides. At the same time, he bowed his head, straightened his right leg forward, and bent his left leg slightly backward in a half-circle. This was the salute of a swordsman.Neo’s performance of this salute wasgenerally recognized to be neat and elegant, vigorous and striking.
“The swordsman’s salute! It’sNeo!” Macken exclaimed excitedly.
A moment later, the town gates opened, and Macken, York, Edison, and a few others rushed over at a jog.
Neo removed his hood and stepped forward confidently.
They met, hugged each other, and walked together toward the town. More people came out.
“Neo, where have you been these days?”
“I heard you were working for the Lord. Why did it take you so long?”
“How is the Lord? Where is he?”
“Neo, I heard the barbarians have captured Westwind Camp. What should we do? Should we flee east?”…
A crowd gathered around them, talking all at once, without any restraint.

In all of Tures, the most famous was Lord Manmores, followed by Neo. Gladiators were the stars of that era, and Neo was a top-tier gladiator who had fought for Tures many times without ever losing. Unlike Xavier, who held himself aloof, Neo, as a servant, handled numerous chores on a daily basis. He was often seen around, and many people in the town were familiar with him.

Among the crowd, someone strode forward—broad-featured with large eyes, looking serious, yet friendly due to a constant smile on his lips.

“Hello, I’m Zhan Ga·Pierous. I’ve heard many people talk about you before. I never expected to meet you so soon. You’re even more handsome and younger than the rumors said!”

Neo had noticed this man earlier, as he was the only unfamiliar face among them. His armor was finely crafted and expensive, and his presence was outstanding. He moved among the crowd with calm confidence, standing out sharply.

“Who is this?” Neo didn’t shake Zhan Ga’s outstretched hand right away but turned to ask Macken instead.

“See, I was so happy to see you that I forgot my manners. Let me introduce you—Mr. Pierous is our savior. If not for him, who happened to arrive just as he discovered that the Dark Claws were weak on the inside, we would still be enslaved by those Dark Cultists!”

“Hello, Mr. Pierous. I was just too cautious. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Their hands met. Zhan Ga wasn’t bothered at all; he smiled warmly and repeatedly apologized.

Neo felt that this man’s palms were broad and strong, with no attempts to test strength. However, the location and texture of his calluses suggested he wasn’t a frequent swordsman, nor had he practiced for long. His calluses were rough and uneven, unlike those of an experienced fighter, whose palms would be smooth yet still carry a sense of solidity.

On the contrary, judging from his demeanor, posture, and elegant attire, he seemed like an experienced swordsman, as evidenced by his finely crafted armor.

As an excellent blacksmith and a competent warrior, Neo could tell at a glance whether the marks on the armor were from cutting, shaving, slashing, or stabbing, and he could even identify the weapon used. From the location of the marks, he could deduce the general situation at the time.

Undoubtedly, the owner of this armor was either a seasoned warrior or someone who had experienced many battles—something that matched Zhan Ga’s composed and dignified demeanor. He wasn’t flashy, but one could sense the aura of strength in his every move. Even small habits, like the way he carried his sword or how he fastened it to his belt, showed he wasn’t a novice.

“Maybe it’s just a different training method,” Neo reasoned for Zhan Ga, thinking his suspicion stemmed from a bit of jealousy. He had worked hard these past few days, killing so many Dark Claws alone, and felt somewhat proud. Though he hadn’t intended to show it, the sudden appearance of a savior who stole all the glory from the heroes made him feel a little unbalanced.

But then,Neo’s heart trembled again as he detected a foul stench of darkness emanating from Zhan Ga, not very strong nor pure—somewhat similar to the smell of residual darkness expelled from his own body earlier. What concernedNeo even more was the strong scent of soapnut on Zhan Ga. Although many clean-minded people were accustomed to using soapnuts for bathing and laundry, such a strong concentration suggested an attempt to cover up some other smell.

“Stay vigilant; there must be something wrong,”Neo told himself. To be honest, he also had a tendency to “believe what he wanted to believe.” If such a righteous figure was actually a pawn of darkness, then he really doubted the credibility of any teachings on judging people by their words, actions, and expressions.

There’s a saying that one must have confidence in both life and work. Zhan Ga was a man full of confidence—even a bit too much, as he had indeed managed to deceive many people and accomplish many things through his superb acting skills. He had an innate love for acting, to the point of obsession, all of which laid a solid foundation for his success.

While these thoughts swirled inNeo’s mind, Zhan Ga didn’t expect that just by shaking hands,Neo would spot so many red flags. His greatest feeling now was regret—deep, agonizing regret. All the effort he’d put in was to capture this man, yet who would have thought that in less than 8 hours, the prey would come running into his hands on its own? Now, thanks to Black Knight Fad’s brilliant long-game strategy, he and his entire force had escaped, leaving him to miss this opportunity and continue acting.

Surrounded by people,Neo walked toward the town. More people had gathered there. Upon seeingNeo, they greeted him while asking about Lord Manmores’ condition.

In this incident, the townspeople had suffered heavy losses—many died, and those who were attractive were almost all abused by the dark forces. Yet at this moment, no one complained or even wanted to mention these things. The reason was simple: everyone knew exactly how the town had been taken, and they knew what choices and reactions they had made when Lord Manmores, along with his few guards, raised his arms and fought to defend their home. Many had even seen Lord Manmores severely wounded and knocked off his horse. That’s why when the dark forces declared that Lord Manmores was dead, so many believed it, and even their last vestiges of resistance vanished.

The outcome of surrendering was a life worse than death. The depravity and cruelty of the Dark Hands far exceeded the townspeople’s imagination. Relatives were slaughtered or abused like livestock in public, and anyone showing the slightest resistance was killed on the spot… The Dark Hands used bloody methods to instill fear and helplessness deep in everyone’s hearts. When such torment became a part of daily life, the surviving townspeople inevitably thought back to the past—those somewhat hard times and small joys that now seemed incredibly fortunate. There was also Lord Manmores, stern but just… Guilt and remorse gnawed at their fragile hearts like insects. Many began to cry even while working, not from the pain of whips or physical exhaustion, but from the emotional wounds.

Nio could somewhat understand the townspeople’s feelings. He chose not to touch upon that wound. As he had advised Dave, he should be more tolerant. What was needed now was not whips; the unextinguished humanity and self-reflection within the townspeople were far more effective than whips.

Surrounded by the crowd, Nio walked to the edge of the small square and climbed onto a higher mound. He glanced at the crowd of over 500 townspeople, feeling sighful. Tulip Town had nearly 200 households with a population of over a thousand, but now this was almost all that remained. Nearly half of the townspeople had died in this disaster. It could be said that every family had lost someone, and the lesson was painfully harsh. Yet, the suffering had not ended. On this cold winter day, people had to leave their homes and head east in search of a chance to survive. How many more would perish along the way?

“Fellow townspeople!” Nio put aside his emotions and spoke loudly, “The demons have brought us unprecedented suffering. My heart is as heavy as yours. But now is not the time for grief. A greater danger is approaching, so I’ll be brief. What I want to tell you is that Lord Manmores is still alive. Though severely injured, he has always been concerned about this land and all of you, and he has been working hard to save us from this crisis.”

Nio knew well that empty promises were meaningless, so he turned to Macken in the crowd. “Brother Macken, we used some of the weapons hidden in your cellar and stayed there for a while. This purple-robed bow was taken from there—don’t be offended!” He patted the bow on his back and continued, “That night, we killed four demon brats first. We stripped two of them and hung them as a warning. Then we sneaked into the tunnels and killed that bastard Yaheng!”

“It was really you guys the night before last!” Macken’s eyes shone with excitement and relief. Clenching his fist, he said, “That scoundrel leader was furious, and several demon brats were whipped. We heard what was happening outside. Yaheng died well—he was responsible for dozens of deaths in the town!”

Nio nodded and then looked at Malfoy’s wife, Liz, in the crowd. “Sister-in-law, please don’t take offense if I say something wrong. I didn’t see Brother Malfoy; he might already be gone. Please accept this with grace. The day before last in the early morning, we sneaked into the town for the first time and slaughtered all those drunk scum staying in the inn. They died horribly—somehow, that was revenge for Brother Malfoy! I heard noises in the wine cellar, but I didn’t dare break the door open. It would have only gotten you all killed instead of saving you.”

Liz’s eyes turned red. “That day, we were indeed in the wine cellar. Those beasts wanted to rape me. My family rushed in, but then…” She couldn’t continue and burst into tears. An older woman beside her sighed and tried to comfort her, saying that with Liz’s beauty, it was impossible for her to escape their clutches…

Nio continued, “Those evil guys didn’t even spare the dead, turning them into wandering spirits. I took advantage of the early morning when they returned to their graves to steal the entire graveyard. I also killed a necromancer and lured a group of dark minions into the South Sage Leaf Forest. With Young Master Dave in command, we surrounded and wiped out those demon brats! One of them was especially fierce, with a gaunt face and a perpetually grim expression…”

“It’s Dathai! I heard the demon brats call him that,” said one of the townspeople.

Another exclaimed, “So it was you who wiped out over forty demon dogs and transformed creatures! I was delivering food when I happened to hear their leader go berserk—that half-dead mage with few hairs on his head, Eirlys, almost smashed his beloved crystal cup!”

The townspeople whispered among themselves, discussing the situation. After hearing Nio’s account and exchanging ideas, they realized it was indeed true as he said—Lord Manmoris hadn’t given up on them and had been trying every means to rescue them. This filled the townspeople with both shame and encouragement.

Nio raised his hands to silence everyone and said, “On the day the disaster struck, I happened to be in Thors handling some matters and knew what had happened there. Moreover, just yesterday, a group of bandits ravaged Cropp. They’ve now been captured or killed. They know the latest situation in Thors. I have to deliver this grim news to you all: We can’t rely on the West Wind Battle Corps or the Eagle Knights. The barbarian tribes have already invaded the Erdrite lands. This winter is extremely harsh, and even to survive, they’ll spare no effort to attack us. Thors City might not be able to hold out, let alone this place. Our only option is to head east to Asia, where there’s enough supplies to help us get through the winter.”

“I came from the North Laurel Forest. Though I haven’t seen those alien creatures yet, they have four legs. Once we do, it will be hard to leave. Young Master Dev is already planning a comprehensive route eastward, and the people of Croop are packing their belongings to head east as well. To be honest, I came here to investigate the situation and see if I could do something more. Thankfully, Mr. Piroth saved everyone from this disaster—what great news! I believe that as long as we stay united, we can surely overcome this crisis. That’s all I have to say. Please consider it, and we’ll set off no later than today.”

“What’s there to think about? Let’s pack now and follow Lord and Young Master Dev,” some impatient people shouted.

Of course, there were also those reluctant to leave their homes—their fields and properties were here. How could they survive in a new place? And then there were those stubborn and hopeful, thinking about hiding in the South Laurel Forest for a while until the barbarian aliens left, then returning home… People had different opinions, especially when it came to matters of personal interest that required decisive action, revealing their individual calculations.

At that moment, Zhuanja stepped forward, appealing earnestly, explaining the pros and cons, and urging everyone to unite to get through the difficulty together.

It must be said, Zhuanja’s arguments were far more skillful than Nio’s. Nio simply used facts to win everyone’s trust and resonance, while Zhuanja used grand principles, emotional appeals, along with his tone and body language. With such skills, he could easily become a regional bishop of a sect.

The townspeople were already inclined, and now seeing an outsider speak so earnestly, they thought, What does he gain from this? He risked his life to save us and then worked hard to persuade us to flee east—what benefit does he get? With his knowledge and these arguments, those who still hoped to stay were simply crazy!

“If anything matters more than family, who has a bigger family here than Lord? Last time we didn’t follow Lord, but thanks to his kindness, he’s willing to lead us east. I’ve made up my mind—this time I won’t fall behind under any circumstances. I’d rather freeze or starve than be captured by those barbarian aliens and turned into jerky!” Butcher York shouted loudly, using vulgar language, yet everyone in the chaotic crowd heard him clearly.

“Let’s go! What are we waiting for? Let’s pack and leave!” Cobbler Edison yelled, pulling his wife to go home and pack.

With one person doing it, others followed. Then, driven by the herd mentality, the townspeople hurried home to pack their things.

Nio secretly breathed a sigh of relief—another major matter had finally been settled. Both for public and personal reasons, he hoped the townspeople would all head east together. Staying here was simply not an option; that was obvious without much thought. Some still relied on the duchy or the alliance to send rescues, air knights, or airships. But didn’t they realize that with the devils making such a big move, they surely would have considered those options? And those money-driven folks—would they really spend so much on the “free people” just for a good reputation? Ridiculous! The Frey Alliance wasn’t short of people like it was when it broke away from the Kingdom of Ode. Now, it had the largest population among the three major factions in Aemera. Otherwise, how could a remote region like the Erdrite Lands see its population multiply fivefold in just a few years?

“Thank you, Mr. Piroth! I truly admire your integrity. Thank you!” Nio expressed his gratitude sincerely to Zhanza.

“It’s nothing. I believe that if we were in the same situation, anyone who loves this land would make the same choice as me. I’ve witnessed the invasion by those barbaric aliens firsthand—their cruelty and brutality are beyond description. I wish I could fight them to the death, even at the cost of my own life, but…”

Zhanza wasn’t a picky person. Even if there was only one audience member and the stage was rudimentary, he remained a passionate individual. When he devoted himself wholeheartedly to his acting, he was so full of passion that it moved him even himself.

“…Mr. Piroth, what you said is truly wonderful!” Nio, filled with emotion, applauded Zhanza sincerely. A thought crossed his mind: The Dark Claws had received strong reinforcements. What made them leave mysteriously, leaving only a few weaklings behind? Was it simply passing the baton of evil to those barbaric aliens? Or was it because of the relics in the tunnels? Leaving mysteriously doesn’t mean they can’t suddenly reappear. It’s best to find out the exact reason when I have time…