Chapter 1 Charles Bennett

Eastern Domain of the Wild Continent, Guyuan Tribe, Council Hall.

"Charles Bennett, don’t be so shameless! If you keep being so stubborn, heh heh! Then don’t blame this young chief for turning hostile." Following the voice, a shady young man in the hall, dressed in luxurious animal pelts and wearing a lecherous expression, exaggeratedly mocked the young man seated at the head of the hall.

"Heh heh! Your old man has been missing for over a year now—he’s probably already become some fierce beast’s dung. Without a Blood Refining expert to protect you, the Guyuan Tribe is nothing but a juicy piece of meat in the eyes of the other races. I wonder how much longer you can hold out, hmph! So let me give you a word of advice: a wise man submits to circumstances. Becoming a vassal of my Heishan Tribe is your only way out."

"Insolence! Our Guyuan Tribe has stood for eight hundred years, slaughtered countless enemies, and our people have shed blood on the battlefield, their souls returning to the earth. We have made great contributions to the human race—how could we let you run wild here!"

Seeing the young man’s arrogance, a member of the Guyuan Tribe in the hall could no longer hold back and shouted angrily.

"What? Not convinced? Want to kill me? Oh, I’m so scared! Hahaha, even your chief has turned into a cowardly turtle—what can you possibly do to me?"

"This chief really looks down on you bunch of weaklings! Hahaha..."

The young man’s arrogant and dismissive attitude finally ignited the fury of the Guyuan Tribe members gathered outside the hall doors. Their emotions ran high, anger blazing, fists cracking—they wished they could cut him down on the spot.

"Our young chief speaks without restraint. Please forgive him, Chief Charles Bennett. Though his words are harsh, his intentions are not bad. After all, what he says is true. Our two tribes have relied on each other for centuries, resisting the other races together. He simply can’t bear to see the Guyuan Tribe slaughtered by outsiders."

The situation in the hall was getting out of control. Seeing this, an old man with a shriveled face, seated below the young man, hurried to smooth things over, afraid the youth would suffer a loss. He put on a look of deep compassion and spoke earnestly.

But his shriveled face gave the impression of a forced smile, with no warmth behind it.

To the Guyuan Tribe members, this man’s identity was no mystery. He was a wolf in human skin—ruthless not only to outsiders but to his own people as well. Within a ten-thousand-mile radius, the infamous Poison Hand Henry Sutton was a name that could stop children from crying at night.

"Elder Sutton, my father went hunting in the wilds and has not returned. I am only temporarily acting as chief. But I am still young, and there are some major matters I cannot decide. Perhaps my father will return any day now—don’t you think?"

An old and a young from the Heishan Tribe had come to press their advantage, their aggressive posture filling Charles Bennett with rage.

"Endure, I must endure! Now is not the time for revenge."

Beneath the blue leather armor, unseen by others, Charles Bennett's long nails had already pierced deeply into his palm. The pain from his nerve endings constantly reminded him to stay calm, while his pale face was flushed with anger.

His father, the previous chief, had been gone for over a year, most likely meeting with misfortune. With the tribe’s top expert missing, they not only had to guard against the ever-watchful other races, but also beware of treachery from within the human race. The tribe’s safety was hanging by a thread.

Especially in the past six months, the tribe had suffered dozens of attacks, with heavy losses and panic among the people. The monsters and demons that once hid in the shadows now bared their fangs, eager to bite a chunk out of the weakened Guyuan Tribe. Thus, every move Charles Bennett made affected the whole tribe, forcing him to act with extreme caution.

Even so, facing the threat from the Heishan Tribe, Charles Bennett's dark eyes swept resolutely over the two clowns below, his words soft yet firm as he pushed back against Henry Sutton.

Bang!

Seeing that Charles Bennett refused to take the bait, Edward Strong slammed the table and said smugly, "Since they don’t know what’s good for them, let the Guyuan Tribe fend for themselves! Elder Sutton, let’s go—they’ll come begging us soon enough."

"Chief, just give the word—I guarantee these two madmen won’t leave our Guyuan Tribe alive."

"Yeah! Kill these two madmen and let the Heishan Tribe know we’re not to be trifled with!"

Seeing the Guyuan Tribe’s people so riled up, clearly ready to kill them on the spot, the cunning Henry Sutton understood that pushing too hard would backfire. Now was not the time to force the Guyuan Tribe into a corner.

Although the Guyuan Tribe’s strongest was absent, the rest of the tribe was still intact. Even if they could forcibly annex them, the Heishan Tribe would suffer heavy losses. If the other races or tribes took advantage, it wouldn’t be worth it. So they couldn’t push the Guyuan Tribe too far, lest they fight back in desperation.

"Ahem, what, does Chief Bennett want to keep us here as guests? The old Chief Bennett was a hero, but alas, with his departure, each generation is weaker than the last. Sigh!"