C26 Making a Comeback

After Lin Yaoyang dispatched the mercenary, he paused and stood silently a short distance from Kou Quan, his expression icy as he fixed his gaze on him.

The small camp had finally snapped out of their stupor. As the brief spell of dizziness wore off, the people inside the tents came to their senses.

Lights flickered on in each tent as the mercenaries lit lamps, and some, clutching torches, burst from their shelters.

They yelled, "What's going on!? What happened? Is it another Demonic Beast attack?!"

Confusion etched on their faces, everyone poured out of their tents, except for the woman in the black robe who sat calmly in her own, a faint smile playing on her lips.

At last, someone took notice of Lin Yaoyang and called out, puzzled.

"Hey, Captain, what are you doing standing over there?" A mercenary noticed Lin Yaoyang and Kou Quan in close proximity but didn't realize they were locked in a standoff.

A quick glance revealed the other mercenary, sent flying by Lin Yaoyang's kick, with a sunken chest. The observer's face went pale, and he regarded Lin Yaoyang with suspicion.

He bellowed, "What have you done?! Why did you kill our comrade?!"

At the sound of the accusation, the other mercenaries converged on the scene. Seeing the body on the ground, their expressions shifted; none among them had the strength to cave in a chest with a kick.

The only one capable, they knew, was Lin Yaoyang—the formidable man who could single-handedly take down a Ghost Faced Demonic Spider.

A cacophony of voices rose, all demanding to know why Lin Yaoyang had acted as he did.

Lin Yaoyang's face grew even more frosty at the clamor, a cold smirk on his lips as he continued to bore into Kou Quan with his stare.

Feeling the weight of Lin Yaoyang's intense gaze, Kou Quan's unease grew. Seeing the mercenaries' unanimous condemnation of Lin Yaoyang, he found his resolve.

Clutching onto a sliver of hope, Kou Quan raised his voice, "Exactly! Lin Yaoyang, why would you do this? Why kill two of our brothers without cause?"

Kou Quan's voice boomed as he pointed to the pile of bones picked clean by Lin Yaoyang. "Brothers, take a look! These remains are Lin Yaoyang's handiwork—killed without leaving a whole body behind!"

His voice was laden with sorrow, as if the events had unfolded exactly as he described.

The mercenaries, trusting their captain more than the outsider Yaoyang, grew increasingly vocal in their skepticism.

Lin Yaoyang watched Kou Quan with a mix of surprise and disbelief. He hadn't expected Kou Quan to stoop so low as to slander him so blatantly—and with such a lack of finesse.

Kou Quan, catching Yaoyang's guarded gaze, felt a surge of panic and doubled down, inciting the crowd further. "This Lin Yaoyang, we didn't even ask him to split the Demonic Core with us. Yet he saw the treasures our brothers carried and mercilessly struck them down in the dead of night! It's just... reprehensible."

"Hmph!" Lin Yaoyang couldn't contain his scoff. "Captain Kou Quan, your talent for slinging mud and framing others is truly remarkable. You almost had me believing your tall tales."

Kou Quan's face twitched with discomfort. He had been the one lured by greed, and after his failed ambush, he was now trying to deflect blame. Even with his thick skin, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of shame.

But Kou Quan stood his ground, defiantly addressing Lin Yaoyang. "Enough with your excuses, Lin Yaoyang! You may be powerful, but you're nothing but a greedy lowlife, and it's a bitter pill to swallow. You're even worse than the haughty Yin Zhiping!"

The restlessness among the mercenaries erupted into shouts. "Captain, enough talk! Brothers, let's take him down together. I refuse to believe that he can stand against over a dozen of us, twenty Level 9 Warriors, plus our captain, a First Grade Martial Master. No more hesitation! Let's finish him off and split the Demonic Core! We're talking about the Ghost Faced Demonic Spider's Core here! Once it's sold, we'll never have to risk our necks in the Demonic Beast Forest again!"

Inside the Mercenary Team, a man was loudly rallying the troops, fervently whipping up their emotions. Lin Yaoyang pinpointed the instigator by his voice. The man, who had been keeping a watchful eye on Lin Yaoyang, was taken aback to see Lin Yaoyang had caught on so quickly. His expression shifted instantly.

Feeling like he was under the intense gaze of a Demonic Beast, the man was struck by a chilling sense of dread.

With a cold chuckle, Lin Yaoyang acted before anyone else could grasp what was happening. Dark energy gathered in his right hand, and with a swift flick, he sent a Light Sphere hurtling toward the loudmouthed mercenary.

The sphere struck its target, causing the mercenary's body to shudder violently. He didn't even have time to scream before being engulfed in the dark glow. When the light dissipated, he lay on the ground, reduced to a pile of bones, much like the mercenary before him.

A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Kou Quan, witnessing the scene, bellowed, "Lin Yaoyang, you've got some nerve! To attack and harm in such a vile way, you monster!"

He then turned to the mercenaries and commanded, "Come on! Brothers, charge! Take down this fiend and deliver heavenly justice!"

As they prepared to advance on Lin Yaoyang, Kou Quan seemed to revel in anticipation. Lin Yaoyang, however, remained composed, a silent thought passing through his mind.

With a thunderous roar, amplified by the Lion's Roar technique, he challenged, "I dare anyone to step closer!"

Lin Yaoyang's bellow halted everyone in their tracks, shattering their forward momentum.

Kou Quan, less affected, paled at the turn of events. Fearing an upset, he urgently rallied his men, "Brothers, no hesitation! Charge!"