Chapter 80: Ill Intentions, Deterrence
Brute remembered the purple-haired little girl vividly. He had encountered her before the massacre at the execution ground. Her emotional fluctuations alone, ignoring any difference in strength, could affect all the beastkin present. She was terrifying.
She had been looking for “Bai,” and then, during the massacre, she had vanished. Now, it seemed, she had found her.
He looked at the black and red-haired girl beside Ara, frowning. “You’re Miss Bai?”
She looked similar to the black-clad girl he had confronted at the city gates, but he couldn’t quite place it.
But if she was the one Ara was clinging to, she must be the “Bai” she had been looking for.
“Yes,” Bai nodded. “I used a disguise before, to avoid trouble.”
Brute nodded, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “You look… better this way,” he said, a rare compliment.
“Thank you,” Bai replied, her tone polite yet distant.
“Oh? Commander Bai, you’ve met before?” General Kweil asked.
Bai shook her head. “Only once.”
She didn’t know that Ara, before finding her, had terrified the beastkin. She assumed Brute had simply recognized her through his beastkin senses.
Each beastkin tribe possessed unique bloodlines and talents.
For example, Volker, the Plague Rat beastkin, had blood and saliva that were highly toxic, and his keen hearing allowed him to eavesdrop from a distance, making him an excellent intelligence gatherer.
Brute also had his own bloodline and talents, but Bai didn’t know the specifics.
And he, in turn, was more wary of Ara than of Bai.
Diana, however, was clearly more interested in Bai, her gaze lingering on her, a seductive smile on her lips.
Prince Kruse, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents, stood up. “Miss Bai, your timing is perfect. We were just about to summon you. Regarding the investigation into His Majesty’s attack.”
“I see,” Bai nodded, then looked at Diana and Brute. “And these two…?”
“I’m Brute, of the Lion-headed Beastkin,” Brute said, extending a furry paw to shake Bai’s hand. But before she could respond, Ara tightened her grip on her arm.
“…My apologies,” Bai said, not trying to pull away, simply ruffling Ara’s hair.
Brute awkwardly withdrew his hand. He wasn’t particularly eager to get too close to Bai anyway. Ara was dangerous; it was best to keep his distance.
“Diana, of the Hellblood Spiders,” Diana said, her eyes fixed on Bai, her voice a low purr.
To her, Bai was a prime specimen, exuding a unique, tantalizing scent.
The Hellblood Spiders and the Vampires of the Abyssal Demon Realm were similar in some ways, both drawing power from blood, their abilities and spells revolving around it.
However, Vampires drank blood, while Hellblood Spiders… devoured it, flesh and all.
Diana had indulged in this practice many times, and she had a habit of… playing with her food before eating it.
Even her beastkin companions were wary of her.
Now, in the capital, she had restrained herself.
But seeing Bai, a walking, talking, premium-grade meal, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of temptation.
“Diana and Brute are here from the Savage Lands to assist us in the investigation,” General Kweil said. “Kemlin, of the Serpentkin, and Volker, of the Plague Rat beastkin, are also here, but they’re currently out on assignment.”
Bai nodded, then, looking at the two beastkin, said softly, “Thank you for your assistance.”
“You’re welcome, little sister…” Diana purred, her gaze making Bai uncomfortable, but she said nothing, considering Diana’s status.
Just then, Ara, as if sensing something, woke up, her purple eyes fixed on Diana, a silent warning in her gaze.
Diana, caught off guard, quickly looked away, her chest heaving slightly.
For a moment, she had felt as if a primal beast was staring at her.
“Alright, now that we’re all acquainted, let’s get down to business,” Prince Kruse said, pulling out a crystal ball. “Regarding last night’s events, I’m sure you’re all aware of the situation. His Majesty is in critical condition. I won’t go into details. Please, have a look.”
Their gazes fell on the crystal ball, its clear surface now streaked with white and blue.
“This is the energy we extracted from His Majesty’s body. It’s currently… corrupting him.”
“Ice Demons?” Bai blurted out before Kruse could finish.
All eyes turned to her. “Commander Bai, you recognize it?” Kweil asked, his voice low.
“I… have encountered it before,” Bai said vaguely. Encountered it? She had once possessed the Ice Demon bloodline herself, though she had never used it.
The energy within the crystal ball was familiar to her.
Kweil and Kruse, having witnessed Bai’s ability to identify demonic energies before, weren’t surprised. But Brute and Diana were shocked.
Not that she could identify it, but that she could do so without even touching the crystal ball.
Such an ability… was typically only possessed by demons from the Abyssal Demon Realm.
And with her appearance, and the recent lesson learned from Rolof, Brute’s wariness towards Bai intensified, and Diana’s lustful gaze turned cautious.
