Chapter 42: Rod’s Decision

Staring blankly at the Nightingale before him, Rod was stunned by her words. He gazed at her in silence, his lips twitching slightly. The impact of her words on him was truly unparalleled.

Watching the Nightingale, who was looking straight at him without avoiding his gaze, her face slightly flushed, Rod sighed. The words had already been spoken—how could he not understand their implications? He hadn’t expected her to be such a straightforward person, brave enough to love and ask boldly, truly fitting for someone born as a killer, unafraid to speak plainly. Hearing her words moved Rod deeply; his heart trembled slightly as a warm current spread through him, bringing a sense of comfort and relief.

“Do you really intend to do this? If I truly choose the dark path, will you follow me without regret? This is a road with no turning back. Once you step forward, there’s no way to go back—only to go to the end, until the day you die!” Taking a deep breath, Rod stared intently at the Nightingale and asked softly.

“Without regret! What’s there to regret about a choice I’ve made? As long as I can follow you, that’s enough!” At this moment, the Nightingale appeared especially gentle. She stepped forward, gently stroking the tips of Rod’s hair, her eyes filled with tenderness. After looking at him affectionately for a while, she spoke resolutely, then sat down beside him. The two sat side by side in silence, neither saying another word.

Each lost in their own thoughts. Rod frowned deeply. To be honest, the Nightingale’s words had deeply moved him, making him suddenly realize many things he had previously overlooked or deliberately avoided.

“With such a wonderful woman by my side, what more could I ask for in life? I’ll consider this. At least for now, I can’t do it. I certainly won’t disappoint you!” After a long pause, taking a deep breath, Rod turned to look at the Nightingale and spoke solemnly.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to make a clear decision right away, but he couldn’t. Many things couldn’t be done just by saying so. For example, he still had many matters unresolved and much he didn’t understand yet. He needed to finish these things first. Only then could he decide whether to stay or leave. For now, all he could do was give the Nightingale a promise—a promise not to let her down!

“Well, think it over carefully. I’m leaving first; I still have some things to deal with over there! Be careful if you encounter the demons—don’t reveal your identity. Since you haven’t made up your mind, avoid facing them for now; it won’t be good for you!” With a sigh, realizing that making a decision wasn’t so easy, Nightingale gave these instructions to Rod before getting up and heading outside.

Receiving Rod’s approval and his promise was enough for her. A happy smile appeared on her lips—so long as she could fight alongside him, what did it matter if it meant going against the whole world? Even if it meant being in hell? She had no other concerns; her only focus now was Rod. She didn’t realize how deeply he had taken root in her heart! This was something Nightingale hadn’t expected either. Speaking of it now made her feel much better. With Rod’s approval, she had no regrets. She now saw herself as belonging to Rod, dedicating her whole heart and soul to him. If Rod decided to leave the continent at this moment, she would follow him without hesitation, without saying a word! Even if it meant going to hell, so what?

Watching Nightingale walk away slowly, Rod couldn’t help but sigh. What more could a man ask for with such a woman? It was time to seriously consider his own situation and decide whether to stay or go.

The reason he hadn’t made a choice yet was that there were still some matters unresolved. First was the matter of the masked man in black—his knowledge of the demons, vampires, and werewolves seemed to exceed everyone’s imagination. Perhaps there was some connection between them. On another hand, subconsciously, Rod told himself that since this man knew his identity yet still took him in and trained him, he must have some ulterior motives—maybe even related to the demons! In any case, he couldn’t easily decide to stay or leave until these matters were clarified.

With these thoughts, his mind became chaotic. After pondering for a while, he suddenly stood up and headed outside. He transformed into a streak of green and red, rushing swiftly toward the distant mansion.

Along the way, he encountered few people. It seemed the intense battles over the past few days had left everyone exhausted, with many people concentrated on the city walls fighting.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at the mansion. Having not been here for some time, returning brought a strange sense of familiarity, with a gentle warmth spreading throughout his body.

There were no guards at the entrance anymore, making it seem empty, but there were clearly signs of cleaning, suggesting that someone was still stationed here. This reminded Rod of the words left by the man in black when he left! Once he completed the task assigned to him, someone would surely be waiting for his return.

Counting carefully, although he hadn’t slain fifty imperial-level magical beasts, the number of sacred and divine-level magical beasts, along with werewolves and vampires, added up to roughly the same figure. More importantly, since that mysterious man in black had said so, he must have left someone to keep an eye on Rod’s movements and situation. Returning now might have already drawn that person’s attention.

With a sudden burst of strength, Rod leaped into the air and then landed softly in the small courtyard like a leaf. The night covered everything, and the courtyard was silent, giving off a desolate atmosphere. Silver moonlight illuminated the ground, and a gentle breeze brought the sound of rustling leaves.

“You’re finally back!” a deep voice came through. Rod quickly looked up and saw a figure appear in the hall ahead. As he had expected, although the old man had left, someone had stayed behind to guard this place—or rather, to keep an eye on him.

“The task is complete!” Rod said calmly as he looked at the man.

“Not bad. In 35 days, you killed 42 imperial-level magical beasts, 7 imperial-level werewolves and vampires, 2 quasi-sacred-level magical beasts, and 1 sacred-level werewolf! Plus the dragon from yesterday! This is an excellent result—you’ve lived up to the lord’s expectations and high hopes!” A series of numbers came from the shadowy figure, who then continued walking forward and soon reached the open area. At this point, Rod could clearly see the person’s face.

“Brother Hori, it’s you! How did you end up here?” Rod exclaimed upon recognizing him. Indeed, it was Hori—hadn’t he left with the old man? Why was he here now? How did he know everything about Rod’s actions so well, even better than Rod himself remembered?

“Hehe, I’ve been back for a while. Don’t be surprised. Even though we’re not here, we’re well aware of every move you make. The lord is also highly impressed with your performance. As for the matter of the dragon, you should know by now. I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear this news! I thought you’d arrive a few days ago, not today!” With a slight smile, he approached Rod. Looking at the boy standing in front of him, Hori also felt emotional. The series of numbers he heard were truly astonishing—what a terrifying guy! The tasks completed in such a short time were incredible. He was indeed a natural genius. No wonder the lord appreciated him so much.

“What brings you here?” As expected, the other party didn’t hide anything. Rod inwardly sighed and continued to ask. Had he finished handling matters over there? Hori must hold a high position in this organization, being one of that person’s confidants. What did his presence here mean? Rod still wasn’t sure.

“I’m here to pick you up! The lord said that since you’ve completed your mission, you can go to that place. There are some things you need to know. You have one day to finish your affairs here, then come with me!” After pondering for a moment and taking a deep breath, Hori said to Rod.

“Where to? What matters? Can I wait a few more days?”

“No, there’s no time. There won’t be any danger here. Don’t worry. At most, a few more people will lose their lives. Tielan Town won’t be destroyed, nor can it be! The Church has already intervened, and reinforcements are on their way. Nothing will happen to Tielan Town. You don’t need to worry so much. If you want, you can take that girl with you. She’s good to you. The lord agrees to it!

This place is no longer suitable for you. You have other things to do. Tielan Town… huh, seven days, maybe even six. By then, the entire continent should be in upheaval! Tielan Town won’t be the focus anymore!” Hori flatly rejected Rod’s request, but his words had a profound impact on Rod, as if there were many hidden meanings behind them.

For example, why was he so certain that Tielan Town wouldn’t fall? Why so sure that the continent would face new challenges in seven days? Why would Tielan Town fade from the spotlight? It seemed there was a shocking secret hidden behind this.

“What happened?” Rod couldn’t help but ask.

“You’ll know when you get there. The lord will tell you everything! There’s no need to ask more now.”

“What about the Scythe of Death Squad?” Rod asked with a frown. The Scythe of Death Squad, the team he had created himself, he really felt reluctant to give up on at once.
“Hehe, the Scythe of Death Squad is a pretty good team, with strong capabilities—truly formidable! But you can’t take them with you. They only came together because of interests and the situation; once the battles end, they’ll disband again! After all, they don’t belong to you!
Of course, a few of the members are decent! We’ll see depending on the circumstances! Time is running out—handle things quickly!” Horri interrupted Rod, speaking with a half-smile, seemingly quite familiar with the Scythe of Death Squad.