Bear School Astartes

Chapter 67: 67. Processing

In fact, there was no need for Philip’s cavalry to lend a hand; White ran over by himself.

This is the headquarters of the slavers; every cavalryman knows this.

Here, adults may be a threat, but children are merely goods.

So when White was anxiously searching for Lann in the camp, the soldiers who were busy beheading didn’t do anything to him.

This group of people were veteran soldiers, cunning, sly, fierce, ruthless, but at least they were an official force with official status.

Human trafficking, killing children—such heinous acts, they would not engage in.

So even as White stumbled over the corpses on the ground and almost vomited, he still managed to reach the port in the darkness.

Philip’s torches marked the position of the two, and the little boy quickly ran over.

”Hey! Lann!”

He shouted excitedly, having previously hoped for Lann to flee quickly.

He couldn’t imagine anyone defeating all the enemies in the camp single-handedly.

But now, he had witnessed it all firsthand.

The child’s excitement was pure, overshadowing the fear from captivity and walking through corpses.

At this moment, Lann was glad White was a boy who would not rush forward to hug him like a girl might, merely standing excitedly in front of him and bouncing.

Because...

”Sss-”

A drop of nosebleed fell, landing on the sand with a slight corrosive sizzle.

Now, even a single drop of blood from him was lethal to an ordinary strong man.

White hurriedly dashed to Lann, jumping with astonishment.

”You did it, Lann! You really defeated all the bad guys in the camp! I bet there were at least a hundred in that camp! No, two hundred!”

Lann smiled at this; his legs began to weaken. After the fierce battle, the temporary body enhancements provided by [Thunder] could no longer keep up with the toxins destroying his body.

The heavily armored body plopped onto the sand.

Startling both Philip and White.

The boy’s continuous astonishment came to a sudden halt, and he and Philip rushed forward, wanting to help Lann up.

But the Demon Hunter raised his hand to stop them.

He really couldn’t come into contact with ordinary people right now.

Wiping his nose, his spiked leather gauntlet, already stained with blood, gained an additional inky bloodstain.

Under the corrosion of the toxin, every bone was in pain, every muscle straining to the point of snapping...

Yet Lann looked at White’s big head and still gave a hearty laugh.

He saved them.

For Madam Donald’s instructions, for his guilt towards himself, he beautifully accomplished all of it.

He saved a family, a family whose matriarch bravely and optimistically faces life, a family whose young son wanted to ensure the escape of others even in the final moments.

He truly was... amazing.

”No need to come over; I just... let out a breath of relief.”

Philip and White were at a loss, watching Lann’s sitting-on-the-ground smile.

The Demon Hunter conversed with his mind.

”I’m only certain now, Mentos.”

”About what?”

”That I have the ability to live in this world, according to my own wishes.”

The young Demon Hunter’s tone carried a resolute confidence and optimism.

In this bloody dark night, it was like a bright sun.

”This world... it can’t stop me!”

Mentos remained silent for a moment.

Just like Lann’s tone, the emotional curve had, for once, started stabilizing.

”You are very happy, sir. This is good, but if I may...”

The tone of the intelligent voice became emotionless.

”If you don’t drink that bottle of basic [White Honey] from the Alchemy Pouch soon, the world won’t have to stop a corpse.”

”...”

Lann buried his head in the Alchemy Pouch, rummaging and finally found a bottle of milky potion.

[White Honey], a self-detoxifying agent the Demon Hunter prepared to counteract the magic potion’s poisons.

Hurriedly gulping it down, the blackness on Lann’s face and eyes started to fade.

But even after the full effect of [White Honey], the black did not completely disappear.

Compared to the strengthened levels of [Thunder] and [Blizzard], the basic [White Honey] seemed quite insufficient.

White was watching Lann intently; seeing him drink the potion and his complexion improve dramatically, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Philip’s expression wasn’t much different. As he exhaled, his massive body trembled slightly.

”Buddy, your face looks like a dead man’s...are you really okay?”

Lann sat on the ground, helplessly tapping his forehead with his hand.

”Seems like there’s a bit of a problem. If I have to detoxify myself, it’ll take half a month, to nurse back a body ravaged by toxins, at least a month... Recuperation alone would take nearly two months!”

”Apparently, the life of a Demon Hunter is truly not an easy one.”

Philip scratched his head at Lann’s words, echoing the sentiment.

But Lann’s gaze swept over the wooden cages on the beach, and an idea formed in his mind.

”Sergeant, how are you going to deal with these victims?”

”Just call me Philip,” Philip replied carelessly.

”We’ll take them back to Raven’s Nest, and the knight will probably give a speech, post notices—you know he won’t miss a chance to elevate his prestige. Then they’ll be sent home.”

”Well, that itinerary seems reasonable.”

Lann turned to White with a smile.

”You should follow that itinerary, White. Madam Donald is at home waiting for you, and I have to deal with my troubles.”

Lann pointed to the remaining black toxins on his face.

White initially hesitated, but once mentioning Madam Donald, the little boy obediently complied.

”Philip, would you mind sending me a letter once the child is home safe? Just deliver it to the blacksmith’s in Gos Velen. I made two friends there.”

”No problem, buddy. It’s simple.”

”Also, you might not know. There’s a significant person in that cage; before you report to Viserad, you’ll need to send her away. Her injuries aren’t looking good.”

”Hey, significant? How significant?”

Philip never intended to refuse Lann’s suggestion; even if she were a commoner, as long as Lann asked, he would send her away first. But still, he habitually joked.

Lann looked at him with a knowing smile.

”Head of Airetusa Academy.”

”Cough, cough!”

Philip clutched his chest with the hand not holding the torch, taking a while to recover.

”York! Where’d you disappear to! Prepare the horses! Quickly prepare the horses! Can’t you see there’s an injured person! Make a makeshift stretcher, and do it sturdy and soft, got it!”

After having a friendly chat with the nearby Long Halberd Soldiers, Philip hurried to support Lann.

”Alright, buddy. I get what’s happening now. You spearheaded the assault on the whole camp, so you’ve got a major favor owed to you. Those minor issues you’ve got—at Airetusa, a Female Warlock could deal with them in one breath.”

”Thanks for the encouragement,” Lann said weakly, standing up.

What he sought to trade for was definitely more than just detoxifying these minor issues.

And just as the two were about to reach the prison where Margaret was held, White, lagging behind at the port, shouted joyfully.

”Alia! You weren’t taken away!”

In the dim moonlight, a small, exhausted child crawled out of the water onto the shore.

Laying on the sand, unwilling to move for now.

Lann guessed this was likely a little friend White had met while being imprisoned.