Chapter 238: The Strange Man

Watching from behind the flames the massive army of magical beasts roaring helplessly at the edge of Collins Forest, trapped by the fire and too afraid to approach, cheers began to rise from the city as the danger was completely gone.
Everyone wore smiles of victory, though temporary. This time they had succeeded. Though they suffered heavy losses, they had held the city and prevented those creatures from breaking in—enough to fill them with pride.
After all, every previous beast invasion had been a nightmare of corpses everywhere, fierce battles, and extreme danger. There had never been dragons involved, the climax never came so quickly, nor had they ever had a chance to catch their breath.
Fire attacks—this tactic was known to everyone and had been used before, but never had it been so timely, effective, and perfectly timed.
Watching the logistics teams bustling back and forth, the medics treating the wounded, and the injured being carried away, Rod did not share in the smiles and cheers. Standing still, he listened to the cheers around him with a furrowed brow.
A temporary victory wasn’t worth such celebration. What would happen after the fire died down? He couldn’t imagine. After being scorched by the flames, the city’s defenses would be severely damaged. If cooled abruptly by water magic in such high temperatures, even this top-tier protective barrier might collapse entirely.
There was also the matter of him holding the commander hostage. Previously, the intense battle had prevented anyone from pursuing it, but now? Human nature meant conflicts would surface at such times! Moreover, Rod knew he had indeed failed to handle it properly due to the circumstances. He wasn’t sure what consequences awaited him, but they surely wouldn’t be good. According to imperial laws, defying a superior’s orders carried the death penalty, and holding a commander hostage on the battlefield was undoubtedly a capital offense.
“Kid, pretty good plan. What’s wrong? No sense of achievement?” A rough voice came from behind him, followed by a hand resting on his shoulder. Rod felt someone approach.
Turning around, he saw the officer from before. Though puzzled by his identity, Rod didn’t ask. With a slight smile, he stared at the sea of fire ahead and took a deep breath. “It’s somewhat relieved. You’re still standing with me. Have you forgotten what I did before? Aren’t you afraid of being implicated?”

He glanced around. After the battle ended, almost all the soldiers had stayed far away from him. Even the reinforcements and mercenaries knew better than to get too close—at most, they would nod in greeting when they noticed him. After all, it was better to stay safe in such times; getting too close could bring unnecessary trouble.

Although Rod understood their behavior, he still felt a sense of disappointment and sighed, offering a bitter smile as he looked at the officer beside him. With only him and that officer left here, the officer stood out sharply. Rod wondered silently—was this guy not afraid of getting involved with him?

“It’s under control. You handled it well. Nagran couldn’t have done this. Getting involved? I’m not afraid, but you might be in trouble!” The man smiled slightly, sighed, and patted Rod’s shoulder thoughtfully.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll just run away! As long as you don’t decide to chase me for a thousand miles, I won’t get caught. If all else fails, I’ll jump into Collins Forest and join those monsters!” Rod was stunned by his words and felt a warmth in his heart. Not many people in this society could do such a thing, so he joked in return.

“There’s no time to chase you, so if you run, you won’t get caught. There’s no need to join those monsters—they have evil intentions and will treat you as food. If you’re still alive, come to me. Look for Domio at the Black Tooth Legion!” The man took a deep breath, patted Rod’s shoulder again, then slowly turned and left.

He walked away with his guards and officers toward the city, soon disappearing from Rod’s sight. Rod stood there alone, puzzled. The name seemed familiar, but he couldn’t recall who it was for the moment. That sense of familiarity made him feel a bit concerned.

Sighing, he tried hard to remember but gave up and turned to leave. The battle had just paused, and as officers, they probably had many things to deal with. At least for now, the problem was how to face the battle in a few days and how to withstand another attack from those monsters. The next attack might be dozens of times more fierce than today’s—it was far from a simple matter. How to respond and defend remained a huge challenge.

Walking on the noisy road, watching the soldiers and reinforcements passing by, Rod felt a deep sense of loneliness, even though he was surrounded by people.

It’s not because of being alone in the environment, but because his heart is lonely—without friends or family, he feels deserted. When he thinks of friends, his gaze darkens, and he sighs. Maybe Aida and the others are still there, but what about now? How will they treat him after learning his identity? Will they still consider him a friend? Kiro and the others’ behavior has chilled his heart, giving him a sense of what might happen. As for Sambik and the others? Rod can’t believe it, fearing the outcome might make him even lonelier. Perhaps keeping some suspense and hope for himself is the best option.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You look unhappy all by yourself. You were the hero today—savingentire Iron Bar Town, saving the entire continent. Why this expression now?” As he walked lost on the streets, hurried footsteps approached, and soon a figure rushed up to him. Just as Rod became alert, he heard these words.

“It’s you. How did you get here?” Turning around, he breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was someone sent to capture him. Instead, it was the imperial-level powerhouse he met on the city wall—the one who figured out his identity.

“Hehe, I searched everywhere after the battle but couldn’t find you. I heard you came down, so I followed!” Matching Rod’s pace, the man moved swiftly alongside him, smiling faintly. “I’m really curious about what your face looks like beneath this mask. You must be around my age—young, but looking no worse than anyone else. I’m getting curious! If I get the chance, I really want to see your face!” Before Rod could respond, the man continued.

“You’d better not! What do you want from me?” Rod replied indifferently before asking in confusion. He couldn’t figure out why this guy came looking for him. As for the other’s interest in his appearance, Rod could only smile bitterly, not knowing what to say. What would his expression be if he saw Rod’s true face and discovered his true identity as a demon race member being hunted across the continent? It was hard to imagine.

“Never mind, I’m not one to meddle. It’s fine if I don’t look. But remember my words—masks can’t hide everything. Those who know how to appreciate value can see through them at a glance. Be careful not to rely too much on them. I didn’t come for any specific reason; I just wanted to congratulate you on your excellent performance. You’re now a celebrity, having made such a great contribution to the entire continent. Hey, gold always shines!” With an indifferent shrug, the man continued.

“Shine? As long as nothing happens, that’s good enough. What more could I ask for? The Black Tooth Legion won’t let me off. What I did was a capital offense—thankfully, they’re not pursuing me!” With a sigh, Rod said helplessly.

“It’s fine. I know those guys all too well. If not for your decisiveness, who knows what would have happened. Everyone saw it. If you hadn’t realized something was wrong, those three dragons wouldn’t have been able to stop them. That guy from Nagrand isn’t smart enough to make such judgments and arrangements. Don’t worry—they won’t pursue this. I guarantee it. The reinforcements certainly won’t let you get into trouble. After all, we’re on the same side. They’ve seen your contributions and performance; they’ll protect you. As for General Nagrand, I saw him just now—he didn’t mention this matter, so I guess it’s over. It’s like he’s atoning for his mistakes! They won’t make a big deal out of it. The Black Tooth Legion isn’t afraid of being laughed at, nor of being reprimanded by the empire or the other seven legions. If they did, they’d just spread the word. Do you think they’re that stupid? They’ll downplay it, and this matter will definitely be forgotten. Don’t worry!” Patting Rod on the shoulder, the man said thoughtfully.

“I hope so!”

“Where are you going?” Following Rod down the street, watching the soldiers with solemn expressions walking back and forth, the man asked further.

“To rest! The Magical Beast Legion can’t attack us for now. Even if they did, it would be just a few scattered individuals—nothing to fear. Do you plan to follow me the whole time?” Rod replied bluntly, looking at the man with a half-smile.

“Well, my companions are waiting for me. I’ll be leaving then. I’m at Camp 13 in District C. My name is Skora. You can find my tent there. Come visit if you have time. If you don’t mind, you can stay with me too. It seems like you don’t have a place to stay!” After following Rod for such a long distance and seeing him wandering aimlessly, Skora said with a smile.

“Skora? A nice name. I’ll go if needed, but I want to walk alone for now!” For some reason, Rod always felt that this man was a bit strange. It was one thing that he could see through Rod’s mask at a glance, but it was even more surprising that he could analyze things so thoroughly, instantly figuring out the Black Teeth Legion’s plans and knowing they wouldn’t pursue them. His analysis was so accurate that Rod couldn’t help but believe it.

“Well, I’m leaving then.” Rod headed toward Area C. Camp 13 in Area C? That seemed to be the camp of the reinforcements. Watching Skora walk away gradually, Rod murmured to himself. The entire military base outside Iron Bar Town was divided into five large areas: A, B, C, D, and E. Areas C and D were currently occupied by reinforcements. It seemed this guy was also part of the reinforcements, but which faction had sent him? Or was he an individual who had participated in two beast invasions? Such achievements were no small thing—being able to join the reinforcements meant status and strength, as well as recognition. Having achieved such things twenty years ago, his status must have risen even further after the beast invasions. Then there was the second time, and now the third. His identity definitely wasn’t simple! It was highly likely that he was a high-ranking official sent by a major faction, which made Rod start to wonder.