Chapter 116: I’m actually a necromancer! (2/2)
Along the way, Han Shuo learned from Trunks that this group of people seemed to be the personal guards of the McGrady Guild. Trunks had kept chasing them and killed many until he saw that they’d joined up with more guards. He detected that the other side’s strength wasn’t something that he could withstand alone, and doubled back because he was concerned about Han Shuo’s condition.
Han Shuo had once heard of the McGrady Guild as well. It was a merchant guild that had a similar level of power to the Boozt Merchant Guild. Phoebe had fretted a bit over this guild previously. It was said that this guild specialized in the business of smuggling and sold all sorts of contraband between various countries. It had tight relations with the nobles of all countries.
The McGrady Guild didn’t belong to the Lancelot Empire, but rather belonged to the Brut Merchant Alliance that had been founded by mercenaries and merchants. The reputation of the Brut Merchant Alliance wasn’t much and they had only recently started operations within the Lancelot Empire. They’d caused a slight bit of loss to Phoebe’s Boozt Merchant Guild.
The injuries on Han Shuo’s body were so severe that they could be deemed too ghastly to look at. If such heavy injuries were on any other person and they were subjected to the hardships of making fast time on the road, they would’ve surely cried out, but after half an hour of being jolted on the bumpy road, Han Shuo lay on the stretcher with simply dressed wounds and never made a sound. This made everyone greatly admire Han Shuo’s astounding ability to endure pain.
Not only was this the case, Han Shuo actually had the strength to continuously talk to Trunks and ask him for more information regarding the McGrady Guild. It was as if the grave injuries on his body, which caused the others’ scalp to tingle with numbness whenever they looked at him, weren’t something that he was enduring at all.
When everyone jointly dug out a cave and moved aside the boulders blocking the entrance, Gordon walked out with a wide, lopsided grin. Gordon finally couldn’t hold it in and looked at Han Shuo with a look of insatiable curiosity and asked the question that was on everyone’s minds, “Han, what kind of monster are you?”
Laughing involuntarily, Han Shuo’s tolerance of pain and agony had already reached monstrous levels. He truly didn’t know how to respond to Gordon’s question. He could only laugh ruefully and shake his head, saying, “I’m just a bit more thick-skulled than you guys.”
When Odysseus came out and Nia recounted all that had happened, the greatly recovered Odysseus listened with a pounding heart and was incredibly astonished by everyone’s encounters.
“Nia, I think I should go back now. My grandpa must be getting worried.” Angelica realized that no one was paying attention to her here, tilted her head, and thought for a moment, then spoke up in her boredom.
Nia smacked her forehead in sudden realization when she heard Angelica’s words, “I almost forgot about you. Let’s go, I’ll take you to your grandpa’s. It’s too dangerous in the Dark Forest, so don’t randomly run around next time.”
Nodding, Angelica smiled sweetly and bid everyone farewell. When she got to Han Shuo, she waved her hand and said, “Goodbye bad guy!”
“Nia, will you be alright just by yourself? Gordon, you accompany her.” Odysseus frowned and said to Nia.
Shaking her head, Nia smiled, “No need, captain. Her grandpa is just nearby. I’ll yell if there’s a situation.”
She left swiftly with Angelica after speaking and vanished out of sight within a blink of an eye.
“I think my promise to you has been fulfilled, and that it’s time for me to leave.” Trunks looked at Han Shuo and opened his mouth to speak to him.
After spending a certain amount of time together, Han Shou had discovered that Trunks wasn’t as bad as outside rumors made him out to be. At least, his actions during this struggle didn’t make Han Shuo feel uncomfortable. Han Shuo had even unconsciously started viewing Trunks as one of his companions, and was a bit unused to the situation now that he heard that Trunks was going to leave immediately.
“Be a good Samaritan to the end. Look at how heavily injured I am now! You should stay and take care of me for a little bit at least. It won’t be too late for you to leave once we’re clear of this dangerous territory!” Han Shuo looked at Trunks as he joked.
“This wasn’t what I promised you before. To be honest, our agreement should’ve terminated ever since you had the Fruit in hand. Helping you against enemies afterwards was already extra service. Don’t be too greedy!”
“Look at me being injured now and Odysseus not being able to move. It’ll be quite difficult for the rest of the group to walk safe and sound out of this dangerous area. I don’t think you’d be so cruel hearted as to just leave us, right?”
Trunks was silent for a while after these words and finally opened his mouth to say, “How about this Han, promise me one thing and I’ll protect you guys and help to get you to a relatively safer area.”
“What thing?” Han Shuo was startled as he asked Trunks.
“I won’t say what it is for now, but just remember that you promised me.”
“Aren’t you afraid that I’ll renege on my word? Heh heh, I’m not a person of my word!”
“I believe you!” Trunks looks deeply into Han Shuo’s eyes as he carefully pronounced each word.
Han Shuo suddenly quieted down and exchanged a look with Trunks. Although he was still grinning cheekily, he nodded and responded, “Alright, I promise you!”
Odysseus looked at the two with a look of gratification, suddenly feeling in this moment that these two people were similar in many ways. They both had mysterious origins and were both strong. Their personalities were similar in that they were calm and composed when the unexpected happened, and they showed no hesitation when they should make a move.
Just as Odysseus was staring at Han Shuo, Han Shuo too was looking at Odysseus. He thought for a moment and said to Odysseus, “You ventured into the Dark Forest this time for the Fruit of Dagmar. I know that you had no high hopes originally and didn’t seem to value the Fruit as much as I did. As friends, I’d like to ask you Odysseus, do you really need the Fruit of Dagmar?”
“Not really. Our main goal in entering the Dark Forest was to increase our strength. Of course, if we were lucky, we would also gain some items of value. I think by now, we’ve completely attained our wishes. The Fruit of Dagmar was just a vague goal, we didn’t think that we’d really be able to acquire it. Normal people go mad if they eat this fruit so we have no use for it. We’ve only lightly promised someone that we would come and try our luck.” Odysseus also explained seriously when he saw Han Shuo’s face full of gravity. He then looked at Han Shuo with befuddlement, “Han, what are you asking this for?”
Breathing out in relief, Han Shuo smiled and nodded his head, saying, “Because I want to claim the Fruit of Dagmar for myself. The martial arts technique I’m training in confuses the mind like I mentioned. I can improve this condition with the Fruit of Dagmar, so if you don’t really need them, I’d like to keep all three for myself, but I can compensate you with gold coins!”
“Then take it all for yourself, heh heh. We’ve already received too much. You’ve given us the twin headed dragon and Medusa core. These will be enough to trade for gold coins. If you need the Fruit of Dagmar, then take all of them. There will be less meaning in all of this if you talk any more about reimbursement.” Odysseus smiled dashingly and said sincerely to Han Shuo.
Aphrodite, Gordon, and the others all indicated for Han Shuo not to stand on ceremony and said that they didn’t really need the Fruit of Dagmar.
“Then alright, I won’t hold back then.” Han Shuo really did need the Fruit of Dagmar in the demonic realm of “molded spirit” and thus he didn’t make any more hypocritical protestations. He accepted decisively and happily.
In the next couple of days, the group traveled back on their original path, with Han Shuo’s original demons scouting the way and under Trunks’ protection. They planned on leaving the depths of the Dark Forest as soon as possible.
Han Shuo had originally been so weak, that he had to rely on others carrying him around. He could actually get down from the litter after a few days. A pair of slender arms and pristine as jade cheeks were revealed after the old skin had scabbed over and shed from his originally severely burned arms and cheeks. There wasn’t the slightest traces of burns to be found.
The burned parts of his body and charred bits of his hair also returned to normal after a few days. The miraculousness of this made Odysseus and the others once again wonder, “What kind of monster are you?”
His magical yuan also recovering swiftly, Han Shuo carefully put away the Fruit of Dagmar during this process. He planned on consuming them when he was quietly alone after returning to the cemetery of death. The injuries within his body also recovered speedily with the circulation of the magical yuan. Han Shuo’s injuries quickly healed with the passage of each day.
On this day, Han Shuo’s original demons detected the passage of a large group of people in the distance traveling with earth dragons. He discovered the adept mage Leon within this group and suddenly discovered that these people were part of the McGrady Guild.
Counting the days and the distance they’d traveled, Han Shuo discovered that they were nearing the area where the forest trolls resided. He suddenly remembered those renowned robbers and villains were still waiting for instructions from their great Datara. Connecting the dots to those McGrady Guild guards and the despicable acts they’d committed against him, a slightly chilly and cruel smile grew involuntarily on Han Shuo’s lips.