Chapter 156: The Small Bag

"Who... are you!?"

The masked man slightly backed away as the silhouette gets nearer and nearer to him.

But as if not hearing his question, the silhouette continued to walk forward.

"D-don't come any closer, or I swear I will gut this woman right here and now!", the masked man shouted as he rushed towards Jiff.

But before he could do so, the forest was struck by lightning, or at least that is what it looked like as it was bathed with a blinding light.

"Guekh…", after the sudden flash of light, the masked man found himself unable to breathe, his feet swinging in the air.

As soon as his eyes recovered, the masked man looked down, only to see a golden-haired girl lifting him by the neck.

"Who… are you…", the masked man struggled to form his words as he stared at the golden-haired girl's half-opened eyes.

These were the eyes of a killer, he thought. It was as if she wasn't even interested in him and he was just some insect that was, unfortunately, blocking her path.

And slowly, the girl's mouth opened. The masked man could not help but force a gulp, what was she going to say to him!? Was he going to threaten him!?

But contrary to his expectations, the only thing that came out from the girl's mouth… was a yawn.

"Seriously, who calls someone dead at night?", the girl said as she clicked her tongue a couple of times.

"S-sir Viel!", even with a spear lodged in his leg, Jiff immediately kneeled as soon as he recognized who the golden-haired individual was.

"Hmm… makes sense, I would probably scream too", Viel said as he looked stared at the spear in Jiff's leg. "You are��� Fareed?"

"N-no, I am Jiff!", Jiff closed his eyes as he looked to the side, "Fareed… and Ibrahim are dead, they killed them!"

"I see. The... three of you look-alike", Viel nonchalantly said as his grip on the masked man's neck tightened.

"W-wait! Please keep him alive!��, Jiff shouted.

"What for?", Viel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "I thought they killed your brothers?"

"Y-yes!", Jiff stuttered, "But they might know the location of where my sister and the rest of our people are being held!"

Viel got even more confused, "That again?", these weird foreigners have been mentioning their sister ever since Viel met them about 3 days ago.

"Viel!?"

As Viel was deliberating on what to do, a voice came from the distance, "Viel, where did you suddenly run off to!?"

It was Xing Cai, who was still wearing her night robes. Sofia was also behind her, her hair disheveled and her eyes half-closed. She was dragged here by Xing Cai.

"W-what's going on?", Sofia said as she rubbed her eye. She then opened her palm, casting a spell to illuminate the surroundings.

"This…"

With the forest being bathed in light, Xing Cai could finally clearly see what happened.

Viel was currently lifting a masked man in the air, strangling him by the neck.

There was also another masked man… gruesomely folding on the ground, his stomach nowhere to be seen.

And there was also a set of legs on the ground, but the upper body was nowhere to be found... What exactly happened here?

She then placed her attention towards the white-haired foreigner kneeling on the ground. She immediately recognized her as one of the applicants during the test the Viel participated in.

"What… is going on?"

***

"Abducting people?"

Xing Cai placed her hand on her chin as her expression turned serious. They were now back in Viel's house with the previously masked man tied and groveling on the floor.

Jiff was sitting on one of the chairs, his leg, which was previously pierced by a huge spear, was now healed.

Viel was currently lying on the sofa, his head on top of Sofia's lap… who also seemed to be sleeping.

"Y-yes", Jiff stuttered, "They took my sister and other people. And just earlier they killed… they killed my brothers!", Jiff broke down in tears as he remembered how his brothers died. His low and deep cries echoed throughout Viel's small house.

"Ancient titties!", Viel quickly jumped up in surprise as he was awakened by Jiff's loud cries. Sofia, too, woke up from the sudden movement.

Truthfully, Xing Cai did not expect Jiff's voice to be so deep and low as well. It caught her off guard that she almost burst out in laughter. But of course, she quickly calmed herself down, laughing at someone grieving was highly inappropriate.

But when Viel suddenly woke up and cursed like an old man, a silent laugh almost escaped from her.

And so, Xing Cai cleared her throat in the hopes that no one noticed it, "So… this man belongs to this group of kidnappers you were mentioning?", she said in a very serious tone.

"Yes", Jiff nodded, his eyes full of sincerity and fire.

Xing Cai then looked at the man that was wriggling on the floor. This was the first time she heard of a group abducting people from another world.

And if what Jiff said was true, that would mean that they have been doing this for quite a while now.

Was she too busy searching for Viel that she had failed to notice that something like this was already happening in their country?

Xing Cai then slowly approached the masked man, "Don't bother to struggle, you won't be able to break those chains", she said as she lifted the man in the air and took off his mask.

"And don't bother to bite your tongue or swallow any poison pills", Xing Cai said in a cold tone, "We have numerous ways to heal you"

Hearing this, the man could only grit his teeth as he stared at Xing Cai straight in the eye. His eyes, still full of courage even in his current predicament.

"What is the name of your group?", Xing Cai asked as she tightened the grip on the man's neck.

The man, however, only released a scoff as he smirked at Xing Cai.

Seeing this, Xing Cai could only sigh. These masked men, it was obvious that they were highly trained and not just a bunch of bandits looking for a score.

"This is no use, we will not get anything out of this man", Xing Cai said as she casually dropped the man on the ground, "Let's just let the authorities handle this for now"

"Why not let me try?"

"Hm?"

Sofia, who has been quiet the whole time, spoke sluggishly.

"I am already awake, anyway", Sofia elegantly yawned as she covered her mouth, "I bet I can make him talk", she said as she slowly stood up from the sofa and walked towards her room.

Seeing this, Xing Cai was confused, why… was she going to the room? But her question was instantly answered as Sofia quickly exited the room, carrying what seemed like a small bag on her.

There was a loud clanging noise coming from the bag as Sofia placed it on the table.

"Oh…", seeing the bag, Viel immediately reacted. He then looked at the man, his eyes full of pity.

"...You should probably talk"