Chapter 30 - Actually, I Have a Cheat Too

Translator's Note:

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Daniel

 

 

In the end, despite his defiance, Ge Yan did sleep on the floor. When Rex lifted his hand, Ge Yan knew it was wiser to yield to the strong than to court trouble.

 

The two mercenaries who leaked the information were ultimately dealt with; their pleading turned into screams that soon faded into the night. Soon, the silence returned, as if nothing had happened.

 

Lying on the floor, Ge Yan found himself unable to sleep.

 

Rex shifted on the bed. Just as Ge Yan thought he might ask why he couldn't sleep, the sound of a lone insect chirped outside, piercing the silence. Looking up, he saw that Rex was already asleep. Muttering curses under his breath, Ge Yan finally drifted off as well.

 

At dawn, a loud knock banged on the door.

 

Awakened by the noise, Ge Yan kept his eyes closed and rolled over, intent on ignoring it.

 

Rex walked over to open the door.

 

A mercenary stood outside, glancing quickly into the room. From this angle, he could see Ge Yan lying on the floor. "The Captain wants you up; we're leaving in an hour," he said, referring to Marvin.

 

"Understood," Rex replied, closing the door.

 

"So soon? Isn't that a bit rushed?" Ge Yan, now fully awake, sat up.

 

"With all that's happened, what do you think?" Rex poured a glass of water to rinse his mouth, then strapped his sword to his waist. Despite just waking up, he seemed as poised and alert as if it were his best hour of the day. In the morning light, his deep blue eyes looked boundless and intense.

 

Ge Yan thought he had a point but then worried aloud, "But I don't know much about Jimmy. What if someone asks something, and I can't answer? I'll give us away."

 

"I know a few things."

 

"How do you know?" Ge Yan looked at him, skeptical.

 

Rex didn't answer; perhaps, to him, the question was pointless.

 

An hour later, after breakfast, Ge Yan joined the Black Wolf mercenaries, who were prepared to depart. A heavy, somber atmosphere hung over the group—normally lively voices replaced by silence. As they left the town of Triss, they passed some onlookers whispering, though their words were inaudible. It wasn't until they reached the main road that the group seemed to relax slightly.

 

Ge Yan walked behind Rex, listening as he shared bits about Jimmy's background within the mercenary corps.

 

Suddenly, a young mercenary approached from the front, glancing around as if not wanting to be seen. His eyes brightened when he saw Ge Yan, and he hurried over, casting a wary look at Rex before leaning close to Ge Yan and saying in a familiar tone, "Jimmy, come with me for a moment. I need to talk to you."

 

Thanks to Rex's briefing, Ge Yan recognized the man's name and his general relationship with Jimmy. Calmly, he followed him to the front.

 

"Jimmy, didn't you used to hate Rex? Why are you sticking with him now?" Colin asked in a hushed voice, glancing back toward Rex with a hint of disdain.

 

Ge Yan looked at him with an odd expression. "I did dislike Rex before, but that was in the past. He saved my life, after all. Without him, I would've died in Tasha Forest. You can't repay kindness with hostility, right? And spending time with him these past few days, I realized he's actually a good guy. I was just too narrow-minded before, only seeing the surface."

 

"You've got a point," Colin replied awkwardly, embarrassed by his own tendency to judge by appearances. Trying to change the subject, he asked, "So, is it true Carlos and the others died?"

 

"I saw it with my own eyes. I still can't shake the memory. Whenever I see blood, it all comes flooding back," Ge Yan said, his face paling as if he was recalling the scene.

 

Colin scrutinized Ge Yan's expression; it didn't seem fake. He continued cautiously, "What exactly happened? Can you tell me?"

 

"I remember there were four or five Gale Demon Wolves."

 

"Gale Demon Wolves? Aren't they supposed to stay up on Moonlight Ridge? How could they show up at the edge of Tasha Forest—and that many of them, no less?" Colin swallowed hard, envisioning the scene. My god, those are high-grade beasts. No wonder even a talent like Lord Carlos couldn't make it.

 

Ge Yan shook his head. "I don't know."

 

Colin asked a few more questions but got no useful answers. Eventually, he left, looking disappointed.

 

After his rebirth, Jimmy was even harder to get along with. He trusted only himself, so it was unlikely he'd befriend Colin. Ge Yan suspected he was fishing for information, so he kept his guard up.

 

The main road was wide and smooth, much faster to travel than the forest trails. Still, the Azelra continent was vast. After traveling for a day and night, the Black Wolf Mercenary Corps finally reached Manan City—a bustling mid-sized city with ample resources. Many merchant caravans passed through here, often staying a day or two to rest or replenish their supplies.

 

It was Ge Yan's first time in a city after coming to this world, and everything felt new and exciting, though he restrained himself from showing it. The original Jimmy had been much more reserved; his reborn self was colder, distant from everyone—even Carlos and his close companions, whom he saw only as means to an end.

 

Captain Locke decided they'd spend the night in Manan and leave in the morning. He sent Marvin to buy supplies with a few others while he and the rest looked for an inn.

 

Just as Marvin left, a sudden influx of people poured in through the city gates, each one exuding a menacing air, swiftly encircling the Black Wolf mercenaries.

 

Onlookers nearby quickly stepped back, as if they were used to scenes like this, yet curious to observe from a distance. The Black Wolf Corps was notorious for its bold insignia, and it wasn't long before someone recognized them.

 

"This is the first time I've seen anyone willing to take on the Black Wolf Mercenary Corps."

 

Someone scoffed at that. "You wouldn't say that if you knew who these people are."

 

"Oh? And who might they be?"

 

"You've heard of the infamous Alice Mercenary Corps, right?"

 

"My god, what could Black Wolf have done to offend those lunatics?"

 

"Guess we're about to find out."

 

The crowd waited eagerly for the show to unfold. Recognizing the Alice Mercenaries, Captain Locke's expression darkened. His gaze hardened as he noticed the man approaching him, muscles tensing with a wary gleam in his eyes.

 

"Captain Locke, it's been a while." Daniel stopped in front of him, smiling with a gentlemanly charm. His looks were as striking as a deity; his smile, like sunlight, drew the adoration of countless women, who shrieked from the crowd. Cries of "Daniel, marry me!" echoed, though this man was already married and had a happy family—or rather, had one until a few days ago.

 

"So you're Alice's Daniel. What's the meaning of this?" Captain Locke wasn't about to let his guard down. The crowd might be fooled by his looks, but Locke knew the truth—this handsome man harboring a warm smile was a far greater menace than the infamous madman, Tangler. The rumors claimed that the more dazzling Daniel's smile, the more dangerous he became.

 

Daniel's smile remained pleasant. "What do you think, Captain Locke? Are you saying you have no idea?"

 

Captain Locke's face tensed, sensing that this wouldn't end well. "If this is about your son, Alvar, I'm very sorry. The Beast Forest is a perilous place; no one wanted that to happen."

 

"So you're saying my beloved son Alvar's death had nothing to do with you?" Daniel's smile grew even more radiant, though those who knew him would recognize that he was nearing the point of explosion.

 

"I don't see any connection." Inwardly, Captain Locke sneered. The Alice Corps was powerful, but it didn't mean he, a seasoned swordsman, feared a younger man of lesser strength. The Black Wolf Mercenary Corps might be relatively new, but with the support of nobles from the Arslanka Empire, they weren't easily bullied.

 

"If that's the case, you all can join Alvar in the afterlife." Daniel's gentle smile twisted, his tone chilling, sending a shiver through anyone within earshot.

 

The conflict erupted in a heartbeat. When blood was first spilled, the onlookers realized this was no simple grudge. The weaker bystanders scattered shrieking in panic. However handsome a man's looks were, it wasn't worth risking their lives over.

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