As expected, moving forward, they discovered more devastation.
Scattered corpses lay sprawled across the area, including fallen tiger tribespeople and felled draft horses, their throats pierced by claws.
Carefully avoiding the corpses, they observed the various gruesome ways the victims had been killed—most had their throats and chests impaled, others had their necks twisted, and many were mutilated beyond recognition.
The horrific scene seemed to replay itself in Kent's mind: rebel tiger tribes had ambushed from the flanks, startling the horses, which caused the wagons to topple. The Scarlet Tiger clan's guards scrambled to defend themselves, but the tiger rebels went on a killing spree. The mingled bodies painted a vivid picture of the ambush. The question remained—was this a calculated hunt or an accidental encounter?
As they proceeded, they emerged from the woods to find an open riverside beach before them. This clearing must have been the site where the battle had started. Severed limbs and dismembered bodies littered the ground, marked by scorch marks resembling the aftermath of violent explosions. Several wagons lay in ruins, with scattered cargo strewn across the beach.
Two long wooden rafts were still docked by the riverbank, suggesting that the Scarlet Tiger clan had only recently disembarked before tragedy struck.
This riverside beach, only two or three kilometers from the site of the previous night's ambush, was located in the western edge of the Wild Ox Meadow. Its flat terrain made it an ideal spot for loading and unloading goods. A proper dock here could serve as a crucial connection point for trade routes across the northwestern Scarlet Continent.
Beside him, Water Stream suddenly froze in place and grabbed Kent's arm.
"What's wrong?" Kent reacted quickly, following Water Stream's gaze toward the nearby woods.
"Who's there?!" Dry Leaf, the closest to the forest, nocked an arrow to his bow and shouted in the direction of the trees.
The escort team responded instantly. Almost as soon as Dry Leaf spoke, they spread out into a defensive formation.
"Kent?" A deep, aged voice called out from within the woods.
A dozen tiger tribespeople emerged from the shadows of the trees. They were towering in stature, moving slowly. Each step exuded a palpable sense of oppression and a dense aura of combat readiness.
They were all high-level warriors, each at least Level 10.
Kent raised a hand, signaling the escort team to relax. The guards slowly eased out of combat stances, though their positions allowed for rapid reformation into a variety of defensive setups.
The last time Kent had seen this old tiger tribesman, the latter had been a prisoner. Now, he stood before Kent again—not as a captive, but as a potential ally.
This second meeting was with Inhu, the elder of the Scarlet Tiger family, a branch of the tiger tribe's royal line within the Forest Alliance. Standing at the edge of the woods, Inhu locked eyes with Kent, who had previously left him in awe.
The riverside beach bore the scars of battle, a stark reminder of the ambush on the Scarlet Tiger clan's first caravan.
To be precise, the caravan had been bait.
Their suspicion had proven correct—the rebel tiger tribes had ambushed the decoy caravan. This meant there was a traitor within the clan. Just like the other ruins scattered throughout the forest, the tiger rebels were systematically eradicating all tribes that defied their will. Time was running out for the Scarlet Tiger clan.
Inhu vividly recalled that not long before all this chaos, the war between the Forest Alliance and the Highland Alliance had only just ended. Standing before him was a human—once their enemy. Now, with the Scarlet Tiger clan driven to the Cold Ridge Mountains downstream of the Red River by the tiger rebels, he had no choice. For the sake of the royal bloodline, for the future of the tiger tribe, no—for the glory of the Forest Alliance itself—this step toward cooperation with the humans was inevitable.
For this journey, he had deliberately donned his cherished battle armor. The heavy, dark leather armor had long been displayed in his room, supported by a rack crafted from beast bones and covered with soft straw grass. Beneath the armor was a lining of carefully tanned deerskin, interspersed with cold iron plates forged by skilled blacksmiths.
Before departing, he had put on the armor and checked his reflection in the water. His gray-white hair made his face appear older and more fatigued, and his once-strong frame had developed a slight hunch. Yet his strength remained. The armor fit him perfectly, as if he could once again charge into battle as he had in his youth.
Yes, for the future of the royal lineage, he was ready to charge into battle again at any time. The countless holes and sword marks etched into the armor were the scars of his many past battles—a testament to both his glory and his luck.
Now, he hoped that his luck would continue.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself, Lord Kent," Inhu said, lowering his voice to project an air of calm confidence. "I am Inhu, elder of the Scarlet Tiger family, a branch of the tiger tribe's royal line in the Forest Alliance."
His voice was deep and gravelly, like sand being ground together.
"This time, we've come with a sincere offer of cooperation, as per our agreement. Unfortunately, the tiger rebels ambushed our caravan yesterday." He gestured toward the carnage on the riverside. "Still, we've managed to meet."
"Those… tiger rebels? We encountered them last night," Kent replied, studying the aged yet prideful figure before him. He smiled faintly and said, "They're all dead. Not a single one survived."
"Ah… it must have been a fierce battle," Inhu responded, his voice tinged with respect. "May the spirits of the fallen warriors find peace in their homeland."
"Fallen warriors?" Kent tilted his head slightly, then chuckled as he understood. "None of my guards fell."
"None… fell?" Inhu looked at him in disbelief, his voice trembling.
"Of course not. Do you think humans, when faced with tiger rebels who only know brute force, are merely weaklings?" Kent replied, grinning. "Don't forget the purpose of our meeting."
"Magic armor?!" Inhu exclaimed.
Yes, it had to be magic armor. This powerful equipment, capable of significantly enhancing combat prowess without requiring magical affinity, was his true objective for this visit. Compared to the expensive enchanted plate armor imported from other continents, the magic armor he had seen at the Bloodhammer camp was far more practical.
"Indeed, magic armor, Elder Inhu," Kent confirmed. "After last night's battle, I am convinced your world is facing a grave crisis. Therefore, I agree to the trade—but only if absolute safety can be ensured."
"What does Lord Kent suggest?" Inhu was visibly moved by Kent's straightforward decision to cooperate, though he knew that safe trade was the most pressing issue.
Magic armor was of immense value. If the rebels managed to intercept even a portion of it during a trade, the consequences would be disastrous.
"First, tell me—was the caravan only safe while on the Red River?" Kent asked, his gaze falling back on the devastated riverside.