The golden radiance, you are sacred...
However, the words that the remaining guards wanted to say were forever stuck in his throat, as the hastily raised longsword was utterly defenseless against the brutal assault of the wooden stake.
With a crisp sound, his head was forcefully pushed into his chest, and a fresh pile of minced meat appeared on the ground.
"If you dare to run, I'll dismantle this old man!" Lord Ling, having dealt with the guards, grabbed the old man beside him and shouted menacingly.
However, five minutes passed, and no one paid him any attention.
"Hey, doesn't he care whether you live or die?" Lord Ling glanced at the old man, whose expression remained calm throughout.
Then the old man nodded.
"I... can't use profanity, can't use profanity!"
Lord Ling took a deep breath a few times, and finally, with one last sigh, he released the old man.
"Fine, no matter what, you've helped me stage a good play. You can go now."
"Oh, by the way, hurry up and leave your terrifying master. He won't care about your life or death."
Lord Ling added, then heard a series of familiar clanging sounds.
Looking up, it was the person he despised—Night Three More!
Night Three More, holding bundles of arrow quivers and a hoe, looked at Lord Ling from a distance. However, his hunched and sneaky posture resembled a rabbit ready to flee at the slightest hint of danger.
"You finally dared to show up? Coward!" Lord Ling rolled his eyes.
"I came back to claim my spoils," Night Three More pointed at the four corpses.
Compared to the swords they carried, goblin cleavers were like small iron pieces.
Cold-blooded! Coward! Miserly! All about money, no regard for life!
Lord Ling harshly evaluated in her mind, but Night Three More's expression remained unchanged. This slightly eased her tension, as she had been carefully observing.
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" Night Three More, skinning the corpses, shook his head.
"I was afraid at first, not anymore."
"Why?" Lord Ling asked curiously.
Night Three More pointed to the old man.
"Because you possess the traditional virtues of respecting the elderly and loving the young," he thought for a moment and added, "A good person like you probably wouldn't harm someone as kind as me."
You're kind? Running away and leaving your companions behind, do you have a misunderstanding of kindness?
Lord Ling's eyebrows twitched, but she ultimately held back.
Watching Night Three More dismantle several bows and arrows skillfully from the surrounding trees, she couldn't help but be somewhat impressed.
"I didn't expect your little trick to actually work."
No one knew what method this man had used, but he managed to set up five so-called arrow traps in the trees. The arrows were repeatedly stabbed into the goblin corpses.
"But your poison is too vicious. In the future, you might want to avoid using it; otherwise, you'll be mistaken for a demon and burnt at the stake!"
Night Three More remained silent.
After dusting off the soil from his body, he put on a leather armor.
To avoid being inspected, he fully utilized his undead ability to not breathe.
Dig a hole early, then bury yourself at the bottom.
Even if those soldiers racked their brains, they wouldn't think of someone hiding in such a way.
And the night, the best cover,
A puddle of fresh soil?
Maybe it's goblin-buried excrement?
But Lord Ling didn't notice this and suddenly slapped her head, seemingly realizing something strange.
"Oh, right! How did you know those arrows could eliminate all the soldiers? What if you missed? And what if I didn't intervene with that remaining guy, how were you planning to handle him?"
"Are you skilled in combat?"
Hearing Lord Ling's eager tone, Night Three More, who was still skinning corpses, suddenly paused, turned his head with a sincere look.
"No, I just trust you. They are just small fries; you can handle them."
Having said that, Night Three More even gave her a thumbs-up.
Lord Ling nodded in satisfaction, but then she thought, wait, he doesn't know how capable I am. Could it be...
"Hey, you're not planning to shoot and run, ignoring my life and death, right?"
Lord Ling clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking, creating a sound reminiscent of synovitis, though she didn't have it.
"How could I!" Night Three More, still skinning corpses, glanced at the large tree stump, shaking his head resolutely.
"I'm not leaving you alone; besides, with my support in the shadows, you won't be in danger."
How could he tell her the truth?
Anyway, he only needed 1 soul energy point for each shot. If he couldn't kill them...
Just swap out one old skeleton for another, it would still work.
"Oh, that's right..."
Whether convinced or not, Lord Ling saw Night Three More stripping the corpses without touching the guards and asked, somewhat puzzled.
"His equipment is the most valuable, and there's also a large bag of gold. Why aren't you taking it?"
Night Three More looked at the pile of belongings on the ground, contemplating how to carry them. Without turning his head, he replied,
"Oh, that was killed by you, not me, so I don't want it."
Lord Ling glanced at him, silent for a few seconds.
"Take it, you've heard that I'm a lord now. I don't lack these few coins. But I need to take his body back."
"Sure thing!"
Night Three More agilely ran to the guards' bodies, starting to expertly search them.
Lord Ling:...
You said you don't want what's not yours, where's your integrity?
Also, at least leave him a pair of underwear?
You've stripped him so clean. As a female lord carrying a male corpse back to the city, what if rumors spread?
"Oh, right, you haven't told me your name yet," Lord Ling "reminded" Night Three More after realizing there was still a lady here.
"Where are you from? Why did you appear in this abandoned forest? You..."
"Night Three More,"
"I don't know the rest."
Upon hearing Night Three More's response, Lord Ling suddenly remembered the first time she saw this guy—a beggar-like appearance with almost nothing but a piece of cloth covering his modesty. Her nose inexplicably felt a bit sour.
Ah, this guy must have a pitiful background. Perhaps he is a lost and destitute minor noble. But even so, his old butler can stay by his side. Plus, considering his recent performance, he shouldn't be a bad person.
"Hey, that... Night Three More, right?"
After a few seconds of silence, Lord Ling, sniffing her nose, suddenly spoke, "Seeing that you're quite capable, how about following this lady? Don't look at Loran Territory as just a tiny piece of land with few people. I promise that within three years, it will become the most prosperous and safest territory. By then, you can enjoy all the luxuries you want, and your old butler can have a better life too. What do you say? If you're a man, give me a straightforward answer!"
"Oh, no, thanks
."
Lord Ling:...
Isn't this too straightforward?
Are you trying to be a centaur groom?
Both straightforward and painful?!
Ahem! I am a lady, I am a lady...
"Well... what do you want? As long as it's not too excessive, I can satisfy you."
Although she didn't actually need Night Three More's help, Lord Ling felt that she should do something. For some reason, ever since she first saw this man, there was a deep, instinctive fear in her heart...
"Anything can satisfy me?" Night Three More suddenly stood up and looked at Lord Ling.
"Note the premise."
Hugging her chest, Lord Ling kicked the large tree stump, gurgling, like playing with a toy.
"Oh, didn't you say this is an abandoned forest? Well..."
"Can you give me this place to live?"