Chapter 178: Confusion

Chapter 178: Confusion

Ruoti gripped the dagger in her sleeve, Baixian also held her knife handle. Shajia placed her hands on the table and looked calmly at the two. The three stood in silent standoff, filled with pressure, tension, unease, and some other indescribable things.

During the standoff, the pale blue in Ruoti’s eyes slowly faded, and a glimmer of clarity appeared from within.

She remembered! Kkel’s final look of contempt.

He had not invited her. She had heard the news and gone there herself. Just to join the fun, just for a moment of excitement.

Kkel told them to stop, but nobody listened. Everyone was having a good time. Kkel started it, but when it ended was never really his decision.

It had always been like this. They were used to pushing all the blame onto Kkel, used to watching him boast afterwards. They never learned any lessons, because all the lessons fell on Kkel. But Kkel, he never learned his lesson either.

Kkel walked past her indifferently. Had he finally learned his lesson?

“Was it satisfying? Too bad, you can never have your revenge.”

“No, I can!” Ruoti whispered to herself. The dagger pierced through her sleeve, slowly and firmly stabbing into her body. It was like slowly cutting Kkel’s neck, letting him feel her pain in his final moments.

Tears flowed from her eyes, slowly trailing down her face, rolling off her chin, dampening her clothes, then being swallowed by the seeping blood…

…

After Bran left, Ancient Tree, to prove himself a reliable partner who could share life and death, seriously took over watching the entire city. In his hope that something would happen or someone would come, he was met with Ruoti and Baixian.

Then he became confused. Someone had stabbed a dagger into her own body.

He told the story to Danny, hoping for an answer, but Danny only sighed and said nothing.

If only Bran were here. He would tell a bunch of stories, trying to make him understand the reason. But now, he could only rely on himself.

…

Shajia still sat silently, listening to the dripping sound of blood hitting the ground, watching that tear-streaked face.

Baixian, however, dared not move at all, because the tips of Shajia’s hair, sharp like steel needles, were pressing against her throat.

“You don’t belong here. If not for you, maybe it would have been a different ending.” Shajia seemed to be talking to herself, her gaze not even resting on Baixian.

“I only wanted to help.”

“Yes, help.” Shajia’s tone was low and sorrowful. “To have Northland City pay a ransom?”

Baixian remained silent.

“It was already over then. Everyone’s tricks were mostly used up. Then you suggested ‘ransom!’ I don’t blame you. At least for that idea, I shouldn’t blame you, because everyone agreed. Except for Kkel.”

These words made Baixian relax a little. She followed the conversation, saying, “I didn’t expect either…”

Before she could finish, Shajia’s hair tips slightly pierced her skin. “But it was agreed that you would keep watch. You also promised to notify everyone immediately if anything happened.”

“I waited, but you never came. So, can you tell me, where did you go?”

Shajia’s voice became sharp. “You ran off alone. I still don’t blame you for that! But you shouldn’t have killed Kkel.”

Baixian argued, “It wasn’t me. It was Ruoti.”

Shajia snorted, her hair tips digging deeper. “All by herself?”

Under Shajia’s pressing questions, Baixian’s hand gripping the knife handle also tightened its hold. Yes, if only she had been able to notify everyone, maybe Ruoti’s family wouldn’t have died, and then Kkel wouldn’t have had to die either.

But it was too late to say anything now. Shajia wouldn’t let her go. Kkel was dead, Ruoti was almost dead, and she was the closest target for Shajia’s anger.

After an internal struggle, Baixian loosened her grip on the knife handle, then slowly took off the Single Blade and placed it on the table. Kkel had always been good to her. Taking his knife wasn’t out of greed, just a wish to remember him, this person who had once helped her.

In the end, she hadn’t taken good care of herself. If not for this knife, Shajia might not have discovered everything. She let out a breath and tried to speak in a calm tone. “I… am ready…”

…

Shajia didn’t understand why she was doing this. First, she coldly watched one friend die before her eyes, then she moved to kill another.

She didn’t like Bran, but she couldn’t hate him either. Even though many people from the Knight Camp had died by Bran’s hand, including her father.

When she first arrived here, she refused Earl’s invitation and prepared to be harassed or face revenge. But nothing happened. A house was built, and she finally settled down.

Bran had a permissive attitude toward everyone. Having been here so long, she hadn’t seen him do anything to the people in the city. There was no torture, no punishment. He had only one requirement: follow the order here. And he himself followed it too.

Life here was easy. Nobody dared to casually harm others.

Many people in Sandstone City remembered her, and many tried to cause trouble for her, but they all met bad ends. There was no torture here, no real punishment methods, but killing was always swift and clean.

First a warning, then another warning, then a final warning. When people still paid no heed, a blade would fall.

She gradually grew to like this place and hoped to live here forever, because it gave her peace.

And she had to protect that peace.

…

Ancient Tree was still confused. Having observed until now, he still didn’t understand. Another person had died, but the one who killed was crying. He had seen Bran kill people. That was just a means, and it ended once the goal was achieved.

But this person was different. She regretted it!

Ancient Tree had planned to send someone to bring her over. He really wanted to hear the story between them, but Danny stopped him.

Northland City wouldn’t stop functioning because of one person’s sadness or confusion. Many things happened every moment, sad ones, happy ones. Ancient Tree soon shifted his attention.

He didn’t care about the life or death of two outsiders. Bran’s only instruction to him was to ensure the safety of this city.