Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Chapter 94

However, it was the woman’s response that made her focus on the argument again.

"No!" she shouted, gripping the edge of the counter. "As long as the Hunter’s Guild still stands, this place is my home! You have no right to send me away or take anything that belongs to me! Not now, not ever!"

Her voice trembled with anger, but she didn’t stop talking. "Berthanon and the rest of those council members are nothing but greedy snakes! All they know how to do is take what doesn’t belong to them. One day, their karma will catch up with them, and they’ll pay for everything they’ve done. They’ll die just as my father died! And you all will be the same! You’re all thieving bastards!"

The atmosphere inside the store changed immediately. One of the men stepped forward, his face twisting with rage.

"You filthy slut! How dare you speak about the council like that?" He raised his weapon which was something that looked like a ruler, preparing to hit her.

"Lysander!" Ingrid didn’t need to say anything else. Lysander moved instantly, crossing the distance between them before either man could react. He grabbed the two men and shoved them against the wall with enough force to make one of the shelves collapse. Several remaining items fell to the floor, scattering across the room as the men struggled to free themselves.

"What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!" one of them yelled, glaring at Lysander. "Who the hell are you? Do you want to die?"

Lysander released them and stepped forward. His expression was cold, and the threat in his eyes was enough to make both men hesitate.

"Are you asking because you want to be the one to die instead?"

Neither man answered immediately. Ingrid stepped into the store fully, followed by Freya and Maya’s companions. She looked at the two men with clear displeasure.

"Ganging up on a woman and threatening to beat her simply because she refuses to give up something that belongs to her? Don’t you think that’s rather shameful?"

One of the men looked at Ingrid, then suddenly turned towards Lysander. His expression changed as recognition dawned on his face.

"Wait... Isn’t that the one from the infirmary?"

The other man followed his gaze. The moment he recognised Lysander, his face lost its colour.

"We have to go, he’s that guy who almost killed Jowe!"

They didn’t bother arguing any further. The two men hurried out of the store, practically stumbling over each other as they disappeared down the corridor.

The moment they were gone, the woman behind the counter seemed to lose the strength holding her up. Her knees gave way, and she sank to the floor, covering her face as sobs escaped her mouth. Her entire body trembled, and she struggled to catch her breath.

Maya immediately rushed towards her. "What’s wrong? Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

The woman shook her head, but she couldn’t seem to stop crying. She raised one trembling hand and pointed towards the empty shelves.

"They want to send me away," she managed to say. "They want to take away my licence and destroy the store. They’re saying they need this space to build another training facility, but that’s a lie! They just want me out of the Guild. They’re afraid of me and what would happen if I continue staying here!"

Ingrid raised an eyebrow. "Afraid of you?"

The woman nodded, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. However, when she noticed Ingrid and Lysander approaching, she immediately shifted behind Maya. Her eyes moved cautiously between them, filled with both curiosity and wariness.

Maya noticed her reaction and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don’t be afraid. They’re not bad people. The young woman is Ingrid, and the man beside her is Lysander. They’re the ones I told you about."

Ingrid gave the woman a small smile. "It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ingrid, and this is Lysander."

The woman hesitated before slowly lowering her hand. "My name is Lanxiang. Lan, as in Orchid, and Xiang, as in to soar. I’m from China."

"Lanxiang," Ingrid repeated, giving her a friendly nod. "That’s a lovely name."

"Thank you."

Ingrid glanced around the store, then looked back at her. "Earlier, you mentioned Berthanon and the other council members. I’d actually be interested in hearing what you know about them."

Lanxiang’s expression changed. She looked down, her fingers nervously twisting together. It was obvious that she wanted to say something, but she seemed uncertain about whether she could trust the people standing in front of her.

Ingrid understood her hesitation. "Don’t worry. We dislike Berthanon too. He almost killed me."

Maya nodded in agreement. "It’s alright, Lanxiang. You can speak freely around them."

She then turned towards Ingrid, and her expression became unexpectedly serious. "Actually, Ingrid, I brought you here on purpose. The clothes were just an excuse."

Ingrid looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Maya reached for Ingrid’s hands, holding them firmly as she spoke. "I want you to help us."

"Help you with what?"

Maya glanced at Lanxiang, silently giving her permission to explain. The young woman took a shaky breath, but this time, when she spoke, there was no trace of the timidity she had shown moments earlier.

"I’m the daughter of the First Hunter of this Hunter’s Guild. My father’s name was Xu Wangxi. He was the one who built this Guild and turned it into what it is today."

Ingrid’s brows furrowed slightly. The First Hunter of this guild? She glanced at Lanxiang, then towards Maya, but neither woman seemed to be joking.

"When you say he’s the one who built the guild to how it is now, do you mean, regarding fame or...?"

Lanxiang’s hands tightened into fists. The sadness in her eyes slowly gave way to an intense hatred, and when she spoke again, her voice was filled with resentment.

"No. My father, Xu Wangxi was the one who created the Hunter’s Guild in this province." Lanxiang’s voice got colder as she spoke, "He brought Berthanon and the others here to help them. But... Those bastards killed my father and took away his position!"