Chapter 109: The Tiger in the Blood

The Shadow Soldier remained hidden behind the tree, watching the BloodFang leader stand before the enormous tiger.

The man kept his head lowered, his posture stiff with tension. Even after several seconds of silence, he made no attempt to speak again.

He’s waiting for the creature’s permission.

The thought struck the Shadow Soldier as strange. During their journey, he had encountered several mercenary groups, and their leaders had generally carried themselves with confidence. Yet BloodFang’s leader seemed afraid to make even the smallest mistake.

He wasn’t behaving like a man meeting a potential ally. He looked like someone standing before a master whose displeasure could cost him his life.

The tiger, meanwhile, seemed entirely unconcerned with his presence.

It lowered its head and tore another piece of flesh from the human body beneath its claws. The sound of breaking bones carried through the clearing, followed by the quiet rustling of leaves stirred by the breeze.

The BloodFang leader said nothing.

He simply waited.

From his hiding place, the Shadow Soldier studied their interaction. The man’s submissive attitude was unusual, but the hundreds of corpses scattered around the clearing made the situation far more disturbing.

Whatever had happened here, it wasn’t an ordinary hunting incident.

Why would BloodFang’s leader come here alone to meet this creature?

The soldier couldn’t answer that question yet. He could only watch and listen, hoping the conversation would reveal the truth.

A few moments later, the tiger finally stopped eating.

It raised its massive head, revealing blood smeared around its mouth. Its narrow eyes shifted toward the man standing nearby.

The BloodFang leader immediately straightened.

“My Lord,” he said, his voice respectful and cautious. “Have you considered our proposal?”

The Shadow Soldier’s attention sharpened.

Their proposal?

The choice of words suggested that this wasn’t a spontaneous meeting. BloodFang’s leader had apparently approached the Monster Beast with an offer, and he had returned to learn whether it had been accepted.

The tiger stared at him for several seconds.

Then it swallowed the food in its mouth and spoke in a deep, rumbling voice.

“Your proposal?”

The man nodded quickly. “Yes, My Lord.”

The tiger’s tail moved slowly across the bloodstained ground.

“You promised me something valuable. Tell me again what you intend to offer in exchange.”

The BloodFang leader hesitated briefly. His fingers tightened against his sides, but he forced himself to maintain a respectful posture.

“In exchange for your support, we are prepared to hand over the entire Silverwood City.”

The Shadow Soldier’s expression changed.

For a moment, he wondered whether he had misunderstood the man’s words.

Silverwood City?

He knew the city well. It was home to countless civilians, mercenaries, and military personnel. Its walls and defensive forces existed to protect those people from the dangers of the wilderness.

And now, the leader of an established mercenary group was offering the entire city to a Monster Beast.

That bastard is willing to sell everyone out?

Anger rose within the soldier, though his face remained still. He understood that revealing himself would accomplish nothing. The creature before him was clearly dangerous, and he had yet to learn the full extent of the conspiracy.

He forced himself to remain silent.

The tiger regarded the BloodFang leader with renewed interest.

“An entire city,” it repeated, its voice carrying a hint of amusement. “You make a generous offer.”

The leader lowered his head further.

“Everything will be arranged as promised, My Lord.”

“Will it?”

The tiger’s tone changed.

Its previous amusement vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. It leaned forward slightly, bringing its enormous face closer to the mercenary leader.

“Tell me something. What happens when the other cities discover that Silverwood has come under attack?”

The BloodFang leader’s expression tightened.

The tiger continued, its voice growing heavier with each word.

“Do you think they will simply sit back and watch? Silverwood may be a small city, but it belongs to the human territory. If it falls, the neighboring cities could send their forces to intervene.”

The Shadow Soldier’s heart sank.

The creature wasn’t merely considering whether it could defeat Silverwood City. It was already thinking about the possibility of outside reinforcements.

That made the situation much worse.

If the surrounding cities sent their military forces, the attack might be stopped before the tiger could achieve its goal. The fact that the creature had raised this concern meant that the proposal involved more than simply launching an assault.

They needed to prevent Silverwood from receiving help.

The soldier carefully adjusted his position behind the tree, ensuring that no branch shifted beneath him. He couldn’t afford to miss the mercenary leader’s answer.

The BloodFang leader took a slow breath.

For the first time, a trace of confidence returned to his face. He seemed to have anticipated this question.

“Please rest assured, My Lord. We have already considered that possibility.”

The tiger’s eyes narrowed.

“Then explain.”

The man lifted his head just enough to meet the creature’s gaze. His voice remained respectful, but his words came more quickly now that he had reached the part of the conversation he had prepared for.

“We have a way to prevent the other cities from sending reinforcements.”

The Shadow Soldier’s expression grew grim.

A way to isolate Silverwood City.

That was what the tiger wanted to hear, and apparently, BloodFang’s leader believed he could provide it.

The tiger watched him in silence, waiting for the details.

The BloodFang leader drew another breath.

“Once our arrangements are complete, Silverwood City will have no one to turn to.”

The words hung over the clearing.

Behind the tree, the Shadow Soldier felt a chill settle through him. He had arrived expecting to investigate a suspicious concentration of Monster Beasts. Instead, he had uncovered what appeared to be a deliberate plan to sacrifice an entire city.

He needed to get this information back to Aldric.

But first, he had to hear how BloodFang intended to carry out its promise.

The tiger’s lips curled slightly, revealing its bloodstained teeth.

“Then tell me,” it growled. “How exactly do you intend to keep the other cities away?”

The BloodFang leader opened his mouth to answer.

The Shadow Soldier held his breath.

The next words could reveal whether Silverwood City still had a chance to survive.

— CHAPTER END —

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