Chapter 100: The Slaughter Order


    The veiled woman was left speechless by Han Ming’s audacious demand.


    Han Ming, however, sat calmly on the ground, continuing to heal his wounds without bothering to negotiate. He had no intention of haggling.


    The woman watched him for a moment, then suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Fine. Wait here."


    Han Ming raised an eyebrow. *She agreed just like that?* He found it hard to believe. The woman didn’t strike him as the type to give in so easily. *Is there some kind of trap?*


    The woman whispered something to one of her clansmen, who nodded repeatedly and hurried off to an intact building nearby. Before long, the clansman returned, carefully carrying a small wooden box.


    The woman took the box and walked toward Han Ming, a cold smile on her face.


    "Wait! Don’t come any closer!" Han Ming called out, wary of her approach.


    The woman stopped. "If I don’t come closer, how am I supposed to give you the box?"


    "Throw it," Han Ming said.


    The woman nodded and tossed the box toward him.


    "Open it," Han Ming commanded the red larva.


    He was worried the woman might have tampered with the box, perhaps hiding something poisonous inside. But the larva, being immune to such tricks, was the perfect tool for the job.


    The larva scurried over to the box, smashing it open with a quick motion. A small, fiery red sphere rolled out.


    Han Ming’s eyes lit up. It was indeed a fire-attribute magical beast core, and from the looks of it, a fourth-stage one at that.


    The larva nudged the core toward Han Ming, who picked it up with a grin and stored it in his pouch.


    "Well, I guess I’ll be on my way now. But just to be safe, I’ll leave the red larva here. I’ll recall it once I’m far enough away," Han Ming said, wobbling to his feet and brushing himself off.


    The woman’s expression darkened. "I’ve given you what you asked for. What more do you want? What if you order the larva to kill my people once you’re gone?"


    Han Ming chuckled. "Do you think I’m stupid? If I leave now, you might send your elites after me. I’m already badly injured—I can’t afford another fight. But don’t worry, I won’t let the larva cause trouble. Once I’m gone, there’s no point in provoking you further. I don’t want you chasing me down in a rage. That’s the last thing I need."


    The woman thought for a moment, then nodded reluctantly.


    Han Ming took a few shaky steps, coughing violently and spitting out a mouthful of blood. His vision blurred, and his limbs felt like jelly. He quickly pulled out two small crystals, absorbing their magical energy to heal his wounds.


    For three days, Han Ming traveled westward, finally catching sight of the shadowy outline of the Wild Ancient Forest.


    Once he was out of the Wild Desert, Han Ming felt a sense of relief. He guessed that each dangerous region had its own guardian, and the veiled woman likely wouldn’t dare cross the border into the Wild Ancient Forest to pursue him.


    Feeling somewhat secure, Han Ming summoned the red larva back. He staggered for another half-day, crossing the desert and officially entering the Wild Ancient Forest.


    As night fell, Han Ming found a black, withered tree and sat down against its trunk, closing his eyes to meditate and heal while waiting for the larva to return.


    He wasn’t worried about the larva. The snake clansmen were powerless against it.


    As expected, the larva had been having the time of its life over the past three days, scurrying around the snake clan’s territory and scaring the clansmen witless. It didn’t attack them, seemingly enjoying the thrill of terrifying them.


    The woman, watching the larva’s antics, was seething with anger but could do nothing.


    Han Ming, sensing the larva’s mischief from afar, chuckled to himself. "This little red larva is quite the troublemaker. I should name it Little Rascal."


    Finally, the larva stopped its mischief and left the snake clan’s territory. The clansmen breathed a collective sigh of relief.


    The veiled woman, however, smirked coldly. "You think escaping to the Wild Ancient Forest means you’re safe?"


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    She pulled out a small wooden barrel, unscrewed its lid, and muttered something under her breath. A blood-red light shot out of the barrel, streaking across the sky like a meteor.


    Han Ming, meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly felt a disturbance. He opened his eyes just in time to see the red light hurtling toward him.


    Panicking, Han Ming scrambled to his feet and tried to run, but the light was far faster. In an instant, it struck him.


    Han Ming let out a startled cry, but after a moment, he realized he wasn’t injured. He looked down at himself and noticed a large, blood-red character floating above his head.


    It was the character for "Slaughter."


    Confused, Han Ming took a few steps, but the character followed him, hovering above him no matter where he moved.


    "What the hell is this?" Han Ming muttered, trying everything he could to shake it off, but the character remained stubbornly in place.


    Realizing it was futile, Han Ming gave up and sat back down to continue healing.


    Two days later, Han Ming’s injuries had mostly healed, and the red larva finally appeared in his line of sight.


    "You’re back," Han Ming said, watching the larva bounce around excitedly at his feet. It rolled, spun in circles, and even did a little handstand, clearly in high spirits.


    "By the way, I’ve decided to name you. From now on, you’re Little Rascal," Han Ming said, unsure if the larva could understand him but naming it anyway.


    The larva seemed to respond by moving even more energetically.


    "Looks like it understands," Han Ming said with a laugh. "Though, honestly, it’s a bit weird. Most people have cute or fierce pets, but I’ve got a bug. A gross one at that. What a life."


    "Come on, get in," Han Ming said, scooping the larva back into its cloth pouch and sealing it shut. He let out a long sigh and headed deeper into the Wild Ancient Forest.


    The larva, having absorbed the life force of over a hundred snake clansmen, had grown noticeably larger and more lively. Han Ming wondered when it would finally cocoon and transform into the legendary Devouring Rainbow Butterfly.


    With only three and a half months left until the two-year deadline, Han Ming felt the pressure mounting. He now had one third-stage fire-attribute core, two fourth-stage fire-attribute cores, and two Flamegrass plants. He only needed two more cores and one more Flamegrass to complete his collection.


    But the memory of the Profound Ice Silkworm he had encountered earlier weighed heavily on his mind. It had already begun to cocoon, and Han Ming had no idea what kind of monster it would become. Even the three-colored Devouring Rainbow Butterfly had struggled against it, resulting in a stalemate.


    If the Profound Ice Silkworm evolved, Han Ming stood no chance. Right now, all he had was the red larva—not even a single-colored butterfly. What was he supposed to do?


    Adding to his worries was the large "Slaughter" character still floating above his head. This journey had been anything but smooth. Everyone who had traveled with him was dead, and now he had to cross the Wild Ancient Forest and the Wild Storm to reach the Wild Fire Prison for the remaining cores and Flamegrass. After that, he’d have to return to the Wild Ice Plains to deal with the Profound Ice Silkworm, whatever it had become.


    The task ahead was daunting.


    As night fell, Han Ming made his way through the eerie, twisted trees of the Wild Ancient Forest. The trees were grotesque, some resembling demons, others beasts, and a few even had human-like features.


    One particularly sinister tree had what looked like a human face etched into its bark.


    "At least the Tree of Destruction is gone. Crossing the Wild Ancient Forest should be easier now," Han Ming muttered to himself, trying to stay optimistic. He decided to move in a straight line, avoiding any unnecessary confrontations with magical beasts. Time was running out, and he couldn’t afford any more delays.


    The forest was unnervingly silent. After a full day and night of walking, Han Ming hadn’t heard a single bird or beast. The only sound was the crunch of dry leaves beneath his feet, making it feel like he was walking through a lifeless world. The increasingly grotesque trees only added to his unease.


    As dawn approached, Han Ming cleared a patch of dry ground and sat down to eat. He took a sip of clear water and chewed on a piece of dried meat.


    "How long are you planning to follow me?" Han Ming asked suddenly, his mouth full.


    "Huh? When did you notice me? I didn’t make a sound. That’s strange," a voice replied.


    A boy, slightly younger than Han Ming, stepped out from the trees. He had handsome features—thick eyebrows, bright eyes, a straight nose, and a small mouth. He was dressed in luxurious clothing made from the silk of third-stage wood-attribute magical beasts, and a jeweled sword hung at his waist. His every movement exuded confidence and grace.


    The boy, unfazed by being discovered, walked over and sat down across from Han Ming, ignoring the dirt on the ground. He reached over, tore off a piece of Han Ming’s meat, and popped it into his mouth, only to spit it out immediately.


    "Ugh, this is disgusting! How can you eat this? Here, try mine."


    The boy pulled out a small pouch made of the same luxurious silk and handed Han Ming a square piece of green pastry.


    Han Ming eyed the boy warily, not taking the pastry.


    The boy slapped his forehead. "Oh, right! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Charles, from the Monte Empire. I’m here with my sister and our steward to hunt for some high-quality magical beast cores. Oh, and did I mention? I’m a second-stage, fifth-tier wood-attribute mage. Pretty impressive, right? But my sister Vivian is even better—she’s a second-stage, sixth-tier mage. But you, you’re the real deal. I’m a wood mage in a forest, and you still noticed me. That’s amazing! So, anyway, we’re here to—"


    Han Ming cut him off. "Why are you following me?"


    The boy, unfazed by the interruption, grinned. "You don’t know? You’ve got the Desert Snake Clan’s Slaughter Order above your head. It’s so eye-catching! A man like you, with your brooding eyes, your stubble, your agile steps, and your cool demeanor—you’re impossible to miss. I spotted you from miles away..."


    Han Ming held up a hand to stop the boy’s rambling. "The Desert Snake Clan’s Slaughter Order? You know what this thing is?"


    "Of course! The famous Slaughter Order. With that above your head, anyone who kills you and brings your head to the Desert Snake Clan can ask them for a favor. And let me tell you, the Desert Snake Clan rules the Wild Desert. Rumor has it their hidden elder is one of the few fifth-stage powerhouses in the Northern Alliance. Even our steward treads carefully around him. But don’t worry, if someone kills you, that old snake will definitely show up and grant them a favor—anything from killing to revenge to wealth..."


    As the boy prattled on, Han Ming’s heart sank.


    *So that’s what this is. I’m in deep trouble now.* He knew how tempting it would be for someone to have a fifth-stage powerhouse owe them a favor. And with this glaring "Slaughter" mark above his head, he was a walking target.


    *So the Desert Snake Clan has a hidden elder after all.* Han Ming felt a mix of dread and relief. At least he knew what he was up against.