Primary Insights

Deep in the forest, beside the corpses, Leon and Beard stood facing each other.

One was thin, the other fat. They locked eyes, their expressions flickering as their thoughts ran wild.

Leon's thoughts: "This fat guy seems timid and cowardly, but when things go south, he's decisive and ruthless. He's not as simple as he looks…"

Beard's thoughts: "This guy is sharp and calm in the face of danger, yet he doesn't kill indiscriminately. Maybe he's someone worth befriending… Wait, why is he looking at me like that?"

As the silence dragged on, Beard noticed that Leon's gaze began to change. What was originally a contemplative look now carried a hint of glee—maybe even a touch of… delight?

"Does he… have a thing for me?"

Beard's body instinctively tensed up, his fat trembling as he took two steps back.

"Is he sparing me because he's smitten by my charm? Damn it! Even at my size, he's into me? Where's the justice in this world?"

But just as Beard was about to lose it, Leon's expression suddenly returned to normal. The peculiar glint in his eyes vanished so quickly that Beard started doubting whether it was just his imagination.

"Once a promise is made!" Leon said, breaking the silence.

"It must never be broken!" Beard replied firmly.

Beard gave Leon a once-over, ensuring there were no ulterior motives. Then, with a resolute slap on Leon's shoulder, he declared, "Leon, you can count on me! From this day forward, we're brothers bound by honor. I, Beard, will never betray you—not even in death!"

Leon watched Beard, his face expressionless. "I almost believed that…"

It was clear Beard wasn't taking any chances. He was throwing himself into their alliance headfirst, swearing oaths to ensure Leon wouldn't change his mind and kill him on the spot.

"I won't betray you either," Leon replied simply.

Beard's fat jiggled as he nodded vigorously. Without wasting any time, he turned and marched briskly toward the forest's edge, his surprising speed a testament to his fear of Leon having second thoughts.

Leon followed silently, his sharp gaze fixed on Beard's retreating back.

To clarify, Leon had no unusual preferences.

He wasn't staring at Beard out of personal interest—he was focused on the game interface before him.

[Game System Prompt]

You have survived a life-or-death crisis. Reward: +5 free attribute points. Achievement unlocked: "Extreme Counterattack." Reward: +10 free skill points and skill "Basic Insight (Lv.1)." You used "Basic Insight (Lv.1)" on a target. Based on your attributes, the following information is revealed:

[Target Information - Beard]

Name: Beard Race: Human Class: Beast master Physical Strength: 6 Power: 8 Agility: 8 Spirit: 7 Charisma: 7 Notes: An ordinary fat man.

Leon walked behind Beard, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

The ability to see others' stats was a significant advantage. In the early stages of development, when his skillset was still limited, just knowing someone's attributes could give him a general idea of their strength.

However, Leon also wondered about the limits of "Basic Insight (Lv.1)." Would it fail to detect the stats of someone vastly more powerful than him?

Looking at the 25 skill points he had just earned, Leon decided to hold off on using them for now.

Though this detection skill was useful, it had limited value in combat. If he encountered a truly formidable enemy, knowing their strength wouldn't help him escape. It made more sense to save those points for upgrading his main class skills and accelerating Titan's development.

When Titan's upgrades were complete and it became a true mecha, he'd finally have the power to protect himself.

"If Titan grows stronger, I grow stronger too," Leon thought, amused by how well the saying fit his situation.

After making their way through the forest, the two returned to Tower Stone Village.

Morse and his men greeted them. Seeing that the two had retrieved the demon bears' cores, Morse's face fell, clearly shaken by their success.

But upon hearing that Petty had been killed by the demon bears, his expression shifted to one of sorrow, and he even offered some words of comfort to Leon and Beard.

Leon and Beard exchanged a glance, their thoughts hidden behind knowing smiles.

Later that night, Leon lay in the room the village had arranged for him.

Unable to sleep, he tossed and turned, replaying the day's events in his mind.

"Why did Gosse want me dead? And why didn't he kill me himself?"

Originally, Leon's plan had been straightforward: with Titan by his side, he'd focus on quietly farming resources and leveling up. When Titan was fully upgraded into a super mecha, he'd emerge and make his mark.

But Petty's sudden appearance had derailed everything.

"Petty was already a fugitive, so our mission was risky from the start. No one will question her death too much, and in the wilderness, her body's likely been devoured by beasts by now."

"Gosse must've realized this when he sent Petty after me. But why does he want me dead? Did the original Leon offend him somehow?"

Leon searched through his inherited memories but found no such instance.

The only time he'd seen Gosse was when the soldiers raided the Lin family estate. Among the Household Department officers, Gosse and his men in armor had stood out like a sore thumb.

"Was it something my father did?" Leon wondered.

That seemed unlikely.

Leon's father had been stationed at the border for years, rarely returning to the capital. Even when he did, he spent his time at home rather than making enemies.

As for military conflicts, their responsibilities didn't overlap. Leon's father was a Beast master stationed at the border, while Gosse was a martial artist based in the capital.

"Where did things go wrong?"

Sitting up in bed, Leon forced himself to think rationally. His life was on the line, and he needed answers.

Gosse's behavior during the estate raid struck him as suspicious. Why was someone from the City Guard involved in a Household Department operation?

And why go through the trouble of hiring Petty to kill him instead of doing it himself?

There was only one explanation: Gosse was afraid of being implicated.

"So, Gosse wants me dead but doesn't want my death to raise suspicion. That means he has something to hide."

But why?

Leon was just a disgraced noble's son with no money or power. Why would someone as prominent as Gosse feel threatened?

Suddenly, Leon's eyes lit up as the pieces fell into place.

"It's all because of the raid on the Lin estate!"