Chapter 14.1

The tree had toppled, scattering dozens of individuals, most of whom were reduced to mere empty husks. The few who remained were sparsely scattered throughout the Mankao area.

To prevent deceit, the troops of the Iron Cavalry launched another barrage of arrows at the opposing bank. Upon verifying that there was no more movement, Dan and his comrades transformed into animals, soared in the sky for a while, and selected a suitable place to alight.

"Damn it! It's all sand, there's no place to stand!" The towering Dan grunted, expressing his dissatisfaction as he stood on tiptoe and pinched his nose. He murmured in frustration, "Mankao, where can this wretched creature's body be hiding...?"

"Hiss——" Dan raised his foot inquisitively, crouched down, and keenly examined the surroundings. After a brief while, he picked up an arrow, screwing up his face in disgust. "Hey——it's too repulsive! The little beast merely dropped onto the sand, where its head and shoulders disappeared, but it left its rest. I can't understand why it's so tough to locate! Who...? Ah, found it: I've spotted the arrow you fired."

Having said that, his form transformed into a giant eagle, proceeding to soar across the river and landing in front of Kevin.

"Something white is stuck to it," Dan proclaimed, bowing his head and offering the arrow to Kevin, pointing to the object stuck onto the arrowhead.

Akin to a revolting sight, the arrowhead contained a white, slightly transparent entity in addition to flesh and blood residue. The entity was the size of a fingernail and quivered in the wind.

Kevin sniffed it a few times before finally removing it from the arrowhead and briefly examining it between his fingers.

A few steps away, Oswald was occupied with addressing the surviving Wujin cavalry when he noticed Kevin's contemplative behavior. Slowly, he approached him and curiously inquired, "What is it?"

Kevin hesitated before divulging, "It was obtained from the arrow that was aimed at Mankao. If I'm not mistaken, it appears to be worm skin."

"..." Oswald scratched his head, confused. "What exactly is a worm?"

Kevin gave him a sidelong look while holding up his fingertips and elaborated, "It's a type of buggy skin. Have you ever heard of mollusks? It's like the ones that are plump and move up and down, with a thin layer of skin and a large filling. Observe closely, and you'll see the lumps on its surface."

Oswald: "..."

For a moment, he couldn't help but entertain the thought of smacking Kevin in the face with a heavy shield.

"This could be the female worm left in the vial. It's plausible that the released flying bugs can be controlled by it," Kevin said, flicking the worm skin off his hand and glancing at Oswald. "Your Majesty, why do you look so pale?"

Oswald grimaced and took a step back, coldly retorting, "Keep your filthy hands away!"

"Right, I almost forgot that you're frightened of these squishy bugs," Kevin chucklingly responded.

Oswald: "..." Do I look scared to you?

Of course, he wasn't scared of a mere meat worm. The sight of it just made him mildly nauseous...

However, he couldn't offer an excuse without appearing delicate, particularly in front of Kevin.

Despite occupying the throne and ruling over the Golden Lion Kingdom, he always felt as though Kevin, the notorious bastard Fassbender, patronized him as though he were still a child.

Despite his imposing stature, strong physique, and formidable prowess in combat, riding, and shooting, as well as his high status, Oswald could never shake off the lingering feeling of his past when in the presence of Kevin. It was a vexing sentiment that had plagued him for over a decade.

In an attempt to appear more mature, Oswald held back his sarcastic retorts and merely quipped, "You talk nonsense!"

Though he couldn't see it, Kevin quietly rubbed his still-sticky fingers before patting Oswald's shoulder and advising him, "Don't be so hot-headed in your youth." He took the opportunity to wipe his hands clean before turning and departing.

Oswald stood stunned for a moment before erupting, "Fassbender, do you have a death wish?!"

Unheeding Oswald's outrage, Kevin strode through the ranks of The Wujin Iron Cavalry and approached a group of tall, giant orcs who were solemnly filling up soil around a mound of wheat. The giant orcs were notoriously xenophobic, and it was rare for individuals outside their race to participate in their important occasions, such as funerals.

From a distance, Kevin observed the group of giant orcs patting the wet soil over the wheat pile and avoiding sand grains. These simple, crude funerals were reflective of their personalities, yet the sight of these iron-blooded men clumsily performing this ritual stirred up an indescribable sense of gravity and sorrow.

Kevin approached after the ceremony ended and the giant orcs stood up.

Shaw lowered his head and was comforting Ben, "You can go back with me to the valley." He didn't rush him, but just patted his shoulder lightly, comforting him silently.

Ben bowed his head, his eyes were blocked by his shaggy hair. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his dirty hand and raised his head. Despite choking up from grief, Ben ultimately declined, "Thank you, I...I've made up my mind, I won't go back to the valley."

Stating that he had made up his mind not to return to the valley Shaw asked, "Then where are you going if you don't go back to the valley? Although the rainy season is coming, it's still dangerous outside."

With a cough, Kevin motioned towards them and walked over, patting his bird's nest hair and proposing, "Do you want to hang out with me for a couple of years?"

Shaw looked up at him skeptically, but Kevin assured him, "I don't mean anything else by it. It's simply a suggestion and an option."

He pointed to the young Ben and advised, "You're still young, with little meat on your bones. Consider practicing some aptitude and strength-based skills before growing stronger."