Chapter 46: Nightly Conversations

Hearing Hori’s words, Rod lowered his head in thought. It was indeed the case—otherwise, how could just a few of them hope to break out of the Black Tooth Legion’s camp? It was nothing but delusion; it was simply impossible.
However, there was one thing Rod wasn’t clear about. After much deliberation, he came to the conclusion that his identity must have been exposed last night. Why then hadn’t Emio and the others acted immediately to capture and kill him? Instead, they let him lead his group back to the city walls for another battle?
If this was a premeditated plan, then their intention was clearly to exhaust his group so they could carry out their own actions more effectively. If that were the case, they surely wouldn’t have let him escape later. He really couldn’t figure out what Emio was up to—was there some hidden reason?
At that moment, Rod’s mind was in chaos. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t come up with any explanation.
In fact, Rod didn’t know that it was precisely the battle last night that saved his life! Without that battle, the consequences might have been far worse.
“Alright, you all go down and rest. Leave this matter to me. We’ll set off at night!” Seeing Rod deep in thought, Hori smiled lightly, unfazed. He glanced at the group following Rod, all looking disheveled, and said indifferently. Yet, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. This outcome was completely beyond his expectations. He had thought no more than ten people would follow Rod, but now there were nearly thirty. This truly surprised him, and he secretly admired Rod’s ability. Almost none of these people were weak. Aside from a few of Rod’s childhood friends who were Silver Warriors, each of the rest was a strong individual. It was fortunate for Rod to have their support—they would surely be a great help to him in the future. Right now, these people who followed him were the most loyal to him! As for the group selected for him by the elders, although trustworthy, they would undoubtedly be less useful in the long run.
With a sigh, Rod bid farewell to Hori and led the group through the familiar courtyard, soon arriving at their residence. Turning back to look at the silent group behind him, he asked, “Do you have any questions?”
These people hadn’t said a word from the beginning until now, always following closely behind him. Rod couldn’t help but be a bit surprised.

“You are our leader; wherever you are, we will be there. What so-called demons? Bullshit! I don’t acknowledge that. We can tell who’s good and who’s bad on our own—we’re not three-year-olds, nor ignorant fools who act on every rumor!” Under Rod’s questioning, Curly was still the first to speak.
“Leader, nothing else needs to be said. Now that our brothers have chosen to follow you, none of us will regret it!” Skora added, though his voice carried a hint of heaviness at that moment.
After all, they all knew the consequences of making this decision—becoming enemies of the entire continent!
“I, Rod, have no regrets having such brothers. As long as I’m alive, I’ll never fail you all. If I do, may thunder strike me!” Taking a deep breath, Rod looked at everyone with a resolute expression before speaking slowly and firmly. Their unwavering support moved him once again, filling his heart with warmth. He realized he wasn’t alone—there were brothers behind him, cheering for him and offering selfless support.
“Great! We’ll follow the leader for life, with no regrets! If we fail, may thunder strike us!” Hearing Rod’s words, everyone showed excitement, shouting loudly as they clasped their hands together, sealing their promise.
“Everyone, settle down for now. I’ll take care of this properly. You don’t need to worry!” Rod said to them before releasing their hands and returning to his room.
Sitting on the bed, Rod fell deep into thought again. He wasn’t alone anymore—he had brothers behind him. Since they followed him, he couldn’t disappoint them; he had to take good care of them. He couldn’t live as before anymore; he needed clear goals and strive to progress.
He had to investigate that mysterious organization to find out their intentions and why they were helping him. There were also other matters that required action.
Since he had started and made a choice, he might as well go all out. One day, he would lead his brothers back to this continent—honorably and openly—and earn the respect of everyone. He wanted to abolish the so-called racial system and class hierarchy, so that everyone could live in peace.
“Come in!” With a sigh, Rod returned from his thoughts and spoke calmly.

He had already noticed the footsteps outside the door earlier; it seemed the person approaching was hesitating, so Rod didn’t say anything. The person still stood at the door, so he simply spoke to them. A sigh came from outside, followed by the opening of the door as several figures entered the room. There were five of them in total, which surprised Rod. They were Jim, Sambik, Kambi, Wiski, and surprisingly, Sel as well. Rod wasn’t surprised by Jim and the others’ arrival, nor even by Wiski’s presence. But Sel really took him by surprise—Rod had been somewhat puzzled since the moment Sel chose to follow him. Sel always gave off a mysterious vibe. Rod couldn’t figure out why he had chosen him! Yet there was a feeling, an intuition, telling Rod that Sel following him wasn’t such a simple matter. “Brother!” Jim and the others called out softly as they approached Rod. Looking at Rod before him, with the human mask removed to reveal his familiar face, Rod realized that despite years apart, he hadn’t changed at all—still looking just as kind. “Leader!” Wiski also spoke in a deep voice. After months apart, seeing Rod again, he had already reached the imperial rank, while he himself was still stuck at the level of a golden warrior, which filled him with complexity. “Sit down, everyone!” Rod glanced at them all, his gaze finally settling on Sel. After staring at him intently, he spoke. “Boss, it really is you! I never expected we’d meet again. Over the past few years, Jim, Brother Kambi, and I have searched high and low for you. When we heard some news that you were in the capital, suddenly there was shocking news that you were a demon and being hunted, with no one knowing your whereabouts. Our only lead also disappeared. It’s great to see you here!” Sambik spoke first, his face showing excitement as he looked at Rod. “Brother, whether you’re a demon or a human, it doesn’t matter. You’ll always be our brother. We’ve said this before, and it won’t change now! From now on, we’ll follow you wherever you go—we’ll never be separated again!” Kambi added in a deep voice. The atmosphere became slightly somber, but it also grew warmer and more touching. “Never separated! Together from now on!” Taking a deep breath, Rod spoke in a deep voice before stepping forward and patting each of their shoulders. Men don’t cry easily, but at that moment, tears glistened in the eyes of these men.

“Viski, you…” His gaze turned to Viski, and Rod hesitated before failing to speak.
“It’s okay. You’re my boss, and that won’t change. Wherever you go, I’ll go too—nothing will change! No matter what others say, I won’t leave you! If we fight, we fight together; if we die, we die together. What if the world rebels? What if it turns upside down? I don’t care. As long as I live a remarkable life, that’s enough! Following you, I have no regrets!” Viski paused briefly, but his simple words revealed his thoughts—no regrets, those four words were evident in his words.
“Don’t look at me. It’s the same for me! Although we’re not very familiar, and I don’t particularly like you, following you allows me to live the life I want. That’s enough to make this life remarkable! Don’t doubt my motives—I definitely don’t have any, and if I did, they wouldn’t be to harm you. You can rest assured! Eventually, you’ll understand! Many things aren’t as you think!” The man, slightly older than Rod by a year or two, spoke in a mature, steady tone, cutting off Rod’s words.
“Alright, then let’s strive together. Let’s defy the world together, turn it upside down together!” Rod didn’t notice his voice trembling slightly as he firmly shook the hands of the others. The six of them came together again! No one could have imagined that just six people would later stir up a tremendous storm! Turning the world upside down—this wasn’t just talk.
Next, they chatted about recent events, and then the group asked about their future plans. Rod generously shared his ideas, filling everyone with enthusiasm.
By the time they left, it was already late at night. Before Rod could rest, Skora and Keroth arrived one after another, clearly having waited for a long time! Another round of conversation ensued, and another night passed! When they stepped out of Rod’s room, both of them wore expressions of unwavering determination. At this moment, they each had their own goal.
As for Rod inside the room, he was full of energy. At this point, he had a complete plan and a goal to strive for!
……
“Kid, I hope we never meet again. Next time, I won’t be able to protect you! Consider this repayment for your achievements so far. From now on, we’re even!” In the headquarters of the Black Teeth Legion, Emio, who had just returned from the battlefield, gazed at the distant sky and the beautiful dawn, speaking in a deep voice.