Heart Shadow

Mo Seris knew that he was engaging in wishful thinking, but he could not help himself. Until it was disproven, he could still delude himself into thinking it was possible.

As the idea of a reward entered his mind, his lecherous side quickly revealed itself. Over the years, there had been dozens, if not hundreds of beautiful women that Mo Seris had lusted over, but one face rushed to the forefront. 

Rao Isana. It was unsurprising that she was the one he thought of, considering it had been less than an hour since he had seen her.

Her delicate features emerged in his mind, giving him a rush of excitement. The shape of her body, with perfect proportions. She was waiting to be touched. Her soft skin, quivering at his fingertips.

His body suddenly became warm. Certain parts tingled with the anticipation of pleasure, and he shifted restlessly in the carriage.

Before he knew it, Mo Seris was fantasizing about capturing and dominating her. His hands wrapped around her wrists. She was powerless to stop him, her eyes filled with both fear and admiration.

The hem of her dress was pressed up against the ground. He reached down.

Suddenly, a man's face bursted into his fantasy, turning his pleasure into fear. Mo Seris's body immediately shrunk back and the anticipation disappeared.

The man was Song Horo. His handsome features were twisted into an insane smile. Contrasting with the smile was a gentle look in his eyes. It was clear that he did not even mind Mo Seris's actions. His response was perfunctory.

'Play with my wife, go on,' the look seemed to say. 'But just understand that I will be forced to do a few things in response.'

Song Horo's hands were wrapped around a sword, his martial aura flaring.

"So, you fancy yourself a man?" the image of the Third Manager said with a chuckle.

A deep-seated feeling of dread rose up from Mo Seris's stomach. He remembered the promise that had been made.

'I will make Baruda the Manslayer look like a little child playing with dolls.

'Now, run along.'

A shiver ran down his spine. He had thought that the fear had been overcome and the moment put behind him, but he was paralyzed once again.

It was clear that the Third Manager had left a shadow on Mo Seris's heart.

What did he mean, 'make Baruda the Manslayer look like a child?'

On the surface, it was obvious.

Baruda was a famous bandit who terrorized the merchant caravans of Brightsteel Town. From the perspective of ordinary people, there was an ongoing war between Goldmoon Hall and Baruda's band of outlaws. Some even thought it was a life-and-death grudge.

However, anyone with connections to the five major powers knew that this was not the case. There was actually a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties. 

The nature of the relationship wasn't clear.

Most likely, one acted as the force in the light, and the other was the force in the dark that handled unsavory matters. But, even if this was not the case, the bandit group was certainly considered untouchable.

Otherwise, it would have long been destroyed by the major powers, who did not countenance any action that interfered with their bottom line. 

The fact that Baruda was alive and remained a menace meant that he was vouched for by someone powerful.

In the forty years that Baruda had been active, tales of his heartlessness and ferocious acts were passed down from mothers to their children, often as cautionary tales.

So, what had Song Horo meant when he invoked Baruda's name?

The more Mo Seris thought about it, the more uncertainty he felt. One could never know what would happen when dealing with a madman.

The words repeated in Mo Seris's mind over and over again.

'Baruda the Manslayer…a little child playing with dolls…'

Who would say such a thing?