Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the beginning, Leaf and all the rat soldiers in the Blood Skull Arena were unwilling to believe this piece of news.
Yet, for some reason, the news spread throughout Black-corner City overnight like a wildfire burning a mountain…
Just like how the news of the Big-horned Rat God’s imminent arrival spread throughout the city.
Many people spoke about it vividly.
“The Gold Clan was too proud in the past prosperous era. They slept on their past achievements and didn’t raise many brave warriors like their ancestors.”
“The spies of the Gold Clan sneaked into Black-corner City and were scared out of their wits when they saw the bravery of the Blood Hoof warriors. When news reached Red Thorn Village, the fat lion men and tigermen didn’t dare to compete with the warriors of the Blood Hoof Clan on an actual battlefield. They could only send more spies and try to use despicable and shameless tricks to disrupt the Blood Hoof Army’s assemblies and expeditions.”
After the Blood Hoof Clan’s joint operation with the Ironhide Clan, they captured a few spies from the Gold Clan and made them admit their crimes. The evidence of the entire conspiracy was now irrefutable, and the truth had been revealed!
Although it was impossible for the rats to see the evidence…
Many rat people had seen the Minotaur warriors of the Blood Hoof Clan and the wild boar warriors of the Ironhide Clan sitting on the most prosperous crossroad at the center of Black-corner City. It used to be the liveliest Iron Horn Tavern that had been smashed into ruins. They were drinking wine among its ruins.
Looking at the way they had put their arms around each other’s shoulders, called each other brothers, and danced together, it did not seem like they were competitors who had just fought to the death.
If they had not really caught the spy, how could they be so happy and drink to their heart’s content?
The incident gave the rat youth a severe blow.
One should know that it was not easy for Leaf to find “faith.”
That’s right, he felt that the Big-horned Rat God gave him faith.
Leaf felt that people should have some kind of faith, and he could not possibly believe in the ancestral spirits of the Minotaurs who destroyed his home, right?
He did not expect that his faith, which he longed to devote his entire life to fighting for, was only a cruel joke and a clumsy conspiracy.
It dealt a heavy blow to the young man who did not know anything about the world. He did not know what else he could still believe.
With a head full of sorrow and confusion, Leaf went to find Meng Chao.
He wanted to get answers from the mysterious black-haired rat. Was there a Big-horned Rat God in the world, and would the Big-horned Rat God come to save them?
“Well, I’ve told you before that there’s no need to be too fanatical about your belief in the Rat God. After all, any belief that is established in a minute can be destroyed by someone in a second.”
Meng Chao spread his hands.
Seeing Leaf pout and look like he was about to cry, he quickly changed his way of speaking. “Let’s put it this way. If the Rat God really exists and is really willing to save all the rat people, then what? Are you going to do nothing but lie here obediently and wait for him to save you?”
“That’s… Of course not.”
Leaf scratched his head and said, “Although I don’t know what I can do, I can’t lie here and do nothing. No matter what, I can’t just wait for the Rat God to save me!”
“Very good. Now you’re like a real warrior. It wasn’t a waste to spend all those resources and time on you. Let’s assume…”
Meng Chao guided him patiently. “Don’t look so sad. Remember, I’m just assuming. I’m assuming that the Big-horned Rat God really doesn’t exist. It’s just the work of some forces with ulterior motives. They’ve relied on the legends that have been passed down among the rat people for thousands of years and have meticulously weaved all kinds of jokes as well as conspiracies. So, what? Are you going to be in complete despair and lie flat on your back, leaving yourself at the mercy of fate. Are you going to stop avenging your mother, brother, and village, or stop looking for Anjia, your childhood friend?”
“Of course not!”
At the mention of his mother, brother, Half Mountain Village, and Anjia…
Leaf’s eyes lit up with anger.
Then, his anger turned into a ray of light.
“Regardless of whether the Rat God exists or not, whether it will descend, or whether it wants to save us, I will avenge my mother, brother, and everyone in the village. Then, I will save Anjia!”
The rat teenager clenched his fists. His canine teeth were deeply embedded in his lips, causing scalding blood to spurt out.
“Then it’s settled.”
Meng Chao slapped his thigh. “Since you have your own path to take no matter what, why would it matter if the Big-horned Rat God exists or not? Is he a true savior or a cruel joke?”
Leaf pondered for a long time with his mouth agape.
The Reaper’s theory seemed impeccable.
However, Leaf always had a feeling that his worldview had been greatly impacted and shattered.
All of this concerned the Rat God, the sacred ancestral spirit that belonged to the rat people!
Could it be that even the existence of the supreme and incomparably sacred ancestral spirit was not an important matter?
“Wait a second, you almost avoided the subject. Reaper, you’re really sneaky!”
With Meng Chao’s guidance, the rat youth had grown very quickly. He was not bewitched by Meng Chao’s word games. Instead, he asked straightforwardly, “Reaper, you haven’t answered my question. Do you think that the Rat God really exists?”
“Well…”
Before the rat teenager’s aggressive gaze, Meng Chao became serious.
He contemplated for a long time and shook his head slowly. Then, he nodded and said, “I don’t know whether or not the entity known as the Rat God really exists. If it really does exist, what will it be?
“However, the wrath that has been gathering and reacting violently for thousands of years as a result of being bullied and oppressed, is a real powerful thing.
“If you ask me, this wrath is the real power that you can rely on. As long as it is used properly, it might be able to change the fate of all the rat people, or even… the entire world!”
Leaf never got the answer that he wanted from Meng Chao.
Yet, Meng Chao’s expression had been indifferent as if the matter was just something trivial that had affected the young rat youth. It did not cause him to completely collapse like some of the rat people who treated the Rat God as their spiritual pillar. They became walking corpses who were at the mercy of the clan warriors.
Besides, the news of Ice Storm getting injured and the entire squad’s soldiers being divided up by the other clan warriors were, in a sense, more serious than the “Rat God just being a conspiracy.”
After all, the latter would not take their lives for a while.
The former could turn them into corpses filled with arrows tomorrow, and they would be stuffed into bottomless trenches.
…
Leaf hurried to find Meng Chao.
He wanted to know what his next step should be.
Was there a way to let all the rat soldiers in Ice Storm’s battle team—at least the thirty rat militia that he had handpicked in the first place—live?
Thankfully, Ice Storm was just recovering from her injuries.
At least that was what Casanova said.
So, he could not make a big fuss about sealing off and searching Ice Storm’s residence.
Although Leaf found a few of Casanova’s henchmen nearby, he did make it all the way to the Reaper’s residence, which was next to the aces’ quarters.
However, after knocking on the door for a long time, there was still no response.
Logically speaking, that should not be the case because the Game of the Brave was going on in Black-corner City. Almost no rat person would run out into that chaos to die.
Plus, the Reaper rarely went to the training camp or the bathhouse.
According to him, he stayed in the hut every day to meditate, as well as heal, and he rarely left.
Could the Reaper have met with misfortune like Ice Storm?
Leaf tried to break in with a sharp bull horn.
He took a few steps back and was about to ram through the door when a familiar voice came from behind. “Leaf, what are you doing?”
“Reaper?” The rat youth was overjoyed.
When he turned around, he saw Meng Chao wearing a hood that was too wide.
There was a bulge under the hood.
It was as if the Reaper had gained a few pounds in a few days, or he was hiding something under the hood.
Upon closer inspection, he looked very haggard. His messy hair was wet with sweat and stuck to his forehead, like he had just completed a series of complicated and soul-stirring missions.
“Reaper, where did you go?” Leaf asked in surprise.
“Uh, to the toilet,” Meng Chao said.
“The toilet?
“You went to the toilet dressed like that?” Leaf asked suspiciously.
“That’s right, because I was afraid of being naked,” Meng Chao explained.
“Naked?”
Leaf said, “But why do I sense that you’re very tired, like you’re sweating all over and panting?”
“Well, I’ve been eating too much meat recently, so I’ve been on fire slightly. As such, I overexerted myself a little,” Meng Chao said.
“Is that so?”
Leaf scratched his head and said, “Are you carrying something very heavy under your cloak? Do you need me to help you move it in?”
“No need, thank you!”
Meng Chao said, “To make a long story short, what exactly happened? Why are you here at my place instead of cultivating properly?”
“Oh, it’s like this. Have you heard? Lady Ice Storm seemingly lost control of her totem power during Lord Casanova’s banquet and was seriously injured. Now, Lord Casanova has sent her to recuperate, so she can’t command us anymore.”
Leaf anxiously said, “So, the entire Ice Storm Battle Team is going to be split up and distributed to the other gladiators!”
“I just heard.”
Meng Chao calmly said, “Moreover, I also heard that the thirty servants who were the first to follow Lady Ice Storm will be transferred to Lord Brute Hammer’s command.”
“It’s actually Brute Hammer?”
Leaf jumped up.
He did not think about how the Reaper had only gone to the toilet. How did he know such confidential information?
The rat teenager said with a sad face, “Then we are doomed!”
“Why?
“Lord Brute Hammer is also one of the Blood Skull Arena’s four trump cards. After forming the Blood Skull Battle Group, he has gained Lord Casanova’s trust. Is he any different from Lady Ice Storm?” Meng Chao said indifferently..