「Two days later.」

「The fields surrounding Ashton City, morning.」

It was a pleasant, sunny day. For a rare change, only wisps of grayish-white clouds floated in the sky, not enough to block the sun. The wind was also quite gentle, putting one in a rare, relaxed mood.

The terrain around the Ashton Territory, aside from farmland, also included mountains and forests. The woods were fairly dense, and one could often see animals like squirrels and foxes flashing past, giving the area a vibrant feel.

Where the forests and farmlands met, there was a stretch of open field. For some unknown reason, it had never been cultivated, offering an unobstructed view. To the north of the field was a small mountain, about six or seven hundred meters high. It wasn’t tall but was somewhat steep, and from its peak, one could look down upon the fields below with an unobstructed view.

At that moment, on a cliff on this mountain, Fang Zhen lay prone on a camouflage blanket, patiently and calmly scanning the area below with a pair of binoculars.

Beside him on the blanket, an AWP sniper rifle fitted with a suppressor and bipod was ready to be fired at a moment’s notice.

Fang Zhen watched the area below through his binoculars. Before long, seven or eight Knights on horseback, leading more than twenty foot soldiers, came into view, heading toward the fields.

Two of the Knights had ropes tied to their saddles. Trailing behind the ropes were four or five men and women in commoners’ clothes, their hands bound. They were tied together in a line, forced to jog along as the horses pulled them forward.

Leading these Knights was a nobleman in a tan hunting outfit—Count Henry, whom Fang Zhen had seen a few days prior.

Fang Zhen held the binoculars, observing the situation below. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Two days ago, he had decided that he had to kill Henry, but he hadn’t acted rashly. Instead, he had spent a day gathering necessary information.

He learned from soldiers in the Ashton Territory that even while committing such a despicable act, Henry hadn’t forgotten his own pleasures. Every few days, he would go hunting to alleviate the boredom and frustration of military life.

And the place Henry chose for his hunts was in the very fields below the cliff where Fang Zhen now lay.

When Fang Zhen saw the civilians being led behind Henry and his men, he lifted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly.

’Is this Henry planning to hunt these civilians like prey?’

He lowered his head, and what he saw next through his binoculars confirmed his suspicion.

As if performing a well-rehearsed task, Henry’s men dragged the civilians forward and untied the ropes on their hands, only to shackle their feet with iron rings that allowed them to run but restricted their speed.

A coldness crept over Fang Zhen’s face.

He could accept cruel treatment between Warriors of opposing sides. After all, once you took on the identity of a Warrior and entered the battlefield, you were the enemy. He could understand the life-and-death struggles and the hatred that came with them. He could even accept it. Even being harsh to prisoners of war could only be called cruel; while he wouldn’t advocate it or do it himself, it was still within the realm of comprehension.

’But to attack civilians? What kind of man does that?’

He knew that in war, attacking enemy civilians was sometimes a means to acquire supplies, cut off enemy provisions, and create fear to pressure public opinion and morale on the enemy side.

But even knowing that, he still couldn’t stand the sight of armed soldiers bullying civilians.

Henry’s side consisted entirely of armed soldiers. Capturing civilians just to hunt them for sport?

This was what Fang Zhen despised most, and his expression grew even colder.

He put down the binoculars, adjusted his position, and gripped the AWP sniper rifle before him.

’Henry has to die. I just need to adjust my method.’

Charging into the camp to kill the man would be satisfying, but for one, it was unnecessary, and for another, it would lead to many troublesome consequences.

Fang Zhen had a sniper rifle. Assassinating Henry was the better choice.

And now was the perfect opportunity.

Fang Zhen adjusted his scope and began to track and lock onto Henry below.

...

「In the fields.」

Henry sat on his horse, feeling the gentle breeze. He looked at the five civilians—three men and two women—and a smile he found immensely satisfying spread across his face.

To anyone else, however, the smile looked somewhat deranged.

Henry had not been in a good mood for the past two days. Being intimidated into retreating by Fang Zhen in front of so many people hadn’t bothered him much at first. But at night, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

When the Count couldn’t sleep, it was a major affair. He had to find something to vent his frustration.

That night, there was a commotion outside the camp. Annoyed, Henry went to take a look. It turned out that some civilians had come, demanding the return of a daughter who had been abducted by his soldiers.

Henry asked his subordinates and learned that his soldiers had indeed abducted a civilian girl. The people who had come looking for her were her husband, parents, and brother.

Henry naturally knew what would happen to a woman dragged into his military camp, and he had no intention of intervening. But because he was in a bad mood, he casually used the excuse that they were spies trespassing in a military camp and had his men arrest the entire family.

These were the people now tied together in a line by the rope.

At this moment, Henry sat on his horse and pointed at the ill-fated family with his riding crop.

"Untie the ropes on their hands and let them run for ten minutes. If they can get away, it’s their good fortune. If not, they will be my prey," Henry said.

His soldiers immediately moved to do as he commanded.

As Henry watched the family, his mind was already savoring what was to come: the satisfying feel of a spear or sword piercing human flesh and the screams that followed. It was a spiritual feast that would bring him such exquisite pleasure.