Chapter 29 – Attacked from Both Sides

Storage pouches were something Cheng Mo had seen Lin Binbin use before, so he naturally understood how mysterious and useful they were.

Seeing Lin Binbin hand one over, Cheng Mo swallowed hard, and after a long pause, finally found his voice again.

"Sanzi, are you really giving this to me?"

"Of course. Now that we've got money, every member of our guild should have one," Lin Binbin replied casually.

Before he even finished speaking, Cheng Mo jumped to his feet in excitement. "Sanzi, you're my god now!"

His outburst instantly drew the attention of the guests inside the restaurant. But when they saw it was just two children, their brows furrowed in annoyance.

Coincidentally, that loud shout made several disheveled figures out on the street freeze in their tracks.

One of the team members took a deep whiff of the food's aroma, his stomach growling even louder. "Captain, why don't we go grab a bite first? The mission's failed anyway, and returning the deposit a little earlier or later won't make a difference."

Xie Ru also chimed in, "Yeah, we're all starving. Brother Zhang Heng, how about we…"

Zhang Heng stood several meters away, his gaze fixed on the second floor of the restaurant, his eyes dark and cold.

Following his line of sight, Xie Ru noticed the iron-black mech standing guard.

"Hey, Brother Zhang Heng, look! That's the beastmaster's spirit beast!"

Unexpectedly, they had run into him again.

But unlike the complex feelings of the others, Zhang Heng this time clearly saw the person behind the mech.

He hadn't been mistaken before—it really was just a child.

Remembering how he had been played by a kid, Zhang Heng's expression turned unsightly. Biting his lip tightly, his rage only grew when he noticed the admiration in Xie Ru's eyes. With a sudden jerk, he yanked her back.

"What are you so excited about? Don't tell me you want to go up and curry favor with him?"

"Ow! Let go—Zhang Heng, are you crazy? You're breaking my arm!" Xie Ru cried out in pain, sweat pouring down her face.

Zhang Heng let out a cold laugh, finally loosening his grip.

"I remember seeing a bounty posted earlier. The Teng family is looking for the one who wiped out the demon wolf pack, right?"

Everyone around him sucked in a sharp breath.

"Captain, we agreed to pretend we didn't know anything! And besides, that beastmaster saved us. Reporting him now is…"

The team members looked at one another, none daring to move.

Rubbing her sore arm, Xie Ru's face turned red with anger. "Zhang Heng, I didn't think you were this kind of person. If you dare claim that reward, I'll go upstairs right now and tell the beastmaster myself—ah!"

Before she could finish, Zhang Heng struck her neck with a knife-hand, knocking her unconscious.

Cradling her limp body, he swept a cold gaze over the others. "A hundred thousand spirit stones. That's enough to keep our corps afloat during these tough times. Besides, he was the one who played dirty first."

"Of course, I'm not forcing anyone. If you don't want to be involved, you can quit the corps right now. I won't stop you."

Immediately, everyone's expression shifted—this meant they had no other choice.

"Alright. We'll follow the captain."

Zhang Heng finally let out a hearty laugh. "Now that's brotherhood! Don't worry, once we get the reward, everyone gets their share."

Lin Binbin suddenly felt an intense heat behind his back, as if someone's gaze could pierce through him.

But when he turned around to look, there was nothing there.

"…Strange."

Was he hallucinating now? Looked like he really had been overworking lately.

With a slight sigh at his recent exhaustion, Lin Binbin stood up.

"Boss, the check please!"

He grandly dropped a pile of spirit stones on the table and even ordered two roasted chickens to go—one for the old man back home, and one for Cheng Mo's family.

While he waited for the food to be packed, the restaurant owner was suddenly called away. Upon seeing the newcomer, his face went pale.

"Have you seen this person?"

On the bounty poster was none other than Lin Binbin's image.

"Isn't that the young master who just ordered two roasted chickens?" Though the poster didn't state the reason, anyone who crossed the Teng family rarely met a good end.

The owner glanced cautiously at the guards outside, sweat forming on his forehead.

In the next moment, a long sword was drawn and pressed against his throat.

"Don't move… I'll ask, and you'll answer truthfully. If I find out you're lying, this whole restaurant will die with you."

The owner immediately straightened his spine, trembling with fear.

"Spare me, sir! I'm just a humble merchant—I wouldn't dare deceive you!"

The man's eyes darkened. "When did that kid come in? Was he alone? What did they do? Say? Tell me everything, word for word."

The blade pushed a little deeper, nearly making the owner collapse.

"Hurry. Don't waste time."

"They came in about an hour ago. Two kids in total, both dressed in rags, looked like little beggars, but they were loaded—pulled out several storage pouches and tossed down a pile of spirit stones."

The owner rambled on quickly, and then suddenly remembered something. "They must've stolen something from you! I knew it—where else would beggars get that kind of money? Sir, I'll have someone detain them right now, save you the trouble."

He felt the pressure at his neck ease slightly.

"Did they say anything?"

"Uh…"

The surroundings grew silent. The man behind him clearly was losing patience.

"Think carefully before you speak. Harboring a criminal is a serious offense."

The owner's beady eyes darted around. He hadn't actually overheard much, but seeing the man's murderous look, he braced himself and began to lie.

"Sir, I heard the kid say something about killing someone… blood… corpses… something about stealing… Oh! And something about never letting the Teng family find out!"

The patchwork of lies sounded convincing to the man's ears—everything matched the report they'd received. And the mention of a metal-type spirit beast aligned perfectly.

"Very good. You've done well."

The owner grinned obsequiously, about to offer more praise—but the sword stabbed through his throat.

"You…" the owner's face twisted in terror.

The man just sneered coldly, pulling the blade out once the man collapsed, and flicked the blood off its edge. Then he turned and walked toward Lin Binbin's location.

He was curious—just how powerful was the rumored beastmaster who had singlehandedly annihilated an entire demon wolf pack?