He was starting to panic.

According to Carmen, she was following him to use a Dragon Knight’s powerful Destiny to obscure her own.

The moment they separated, Silver Mage Fei would sense her presence and hunt her down.

’The Witch isn’t planning on bailing on her debt, is she? All my money would have been for nothing.’

His gaze swept across the area before finally settling on Andre.

Andre arched a brow and pulled a prepared Canaan Tree Spike from his breast pocket. Just as he was about to step forward and plunge it into Faraday’s body, Demon Hunter L lunged forward. Before Andre could react, L smacked his hand with the flat of his sword.

His arm went numb, and the Tree Spike slipped from his grasp. He reflexively started to curse, wondering what the hell he was doing.

But L instead struck the falling Tree Spike with his blade.

WHOOSH!

The immense force sent the Tree Spike hurtling behind Andre.

Immediately after, he heard the sound of the Tree Spike colliding with something.

Before he could even turn around, Demon Hunter L shoved him aside, drew his blade, and leaped forward.

From behind him came the sound of a blade sinking into flesh. This was followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground and a hysterical shriek of excruciating pain.

Andre spun around, his face a mask of shock. He saw L pinning a man’s head to the ground with his boot.

A young man, still clutching a crossbow, lay there. His body was covered in gashes, but no blood seeped from the wounds.

Without a doubt, he was also one of the Undead.

What was more shocking was that he recognized this Undead.

It was Savi, son of the Iron Thorn Gang’s leader—the one who was supposed to have died at the hands of Sister Teresa, the Lamb Nun.

’He’s one of the Undead, too?’

Savi caught sight of the Tree Spike in Baron’s hand out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps sensing its deathly aura, he began to whimper, begging for his life.

"I can spare you."

Baron held the Tree Spike an inch from Savi’s head. "Ferdinand," he said. "Where is your lunatic of a father?"

Savi sold out his father without a moment’s hesitation. "Thirteen li north of the altar! He and Faraday were decoys—he sent us to lure you away!"

’Selling out his dad just like that? Talk about filial piety.’

Baron took the crossbow from Savi’s hand, noting it was loaded with six Iron Thorn bolts. He stowed it and asked another question.

"When did the Iron Thorn Gang start colluding with the Immortal Church? And which other high officials and nobles in Fude City are Undead Cultists?"

"Eight years ago! It was eight years ago! To reach the Silver Tier, my father started working with a high-ranking member of the Immortal Church..."

"Who was it?"

Savi stared in terror at the Canaan Tree Spike, just inches away, and shook his head frantically.

"I don’t know! I really don’t know! That’s when my father turned Faraday into an Undead as a show of good faith...

My own transformation to Undying was only just completed...

Everything I’m telling you is the truth! Don’t kill—"

He never finished the sentence. A Tree Spike was now embedded in his skull.

Demon Hunter L yanked the Tree Spike free. Savi’s corpse slumped to the ground. Andre, acting in concert, used one of his Command Spells—a Blue Fire meant for burning the bodies of Demon Fiends—to incinerate Savi’s remains.

Of course, this fire couldn’t completely incinerate Savi’s body, nor the Immortal Blessing within it.

It wasn’t the raging Dragon Flame, which could instantly annihilate anything and counter the Blessing, nor was it the Eternal Fire, which burned until nothing remained.

Andre was simply burning the body to leave a marker for any reinforcements that might follow.

When it was all over, Andre hesitated, wanting to thank Baron.

After all, judging by what had just happened, Savi must have been hiding behind him, ready to ambush him with the crossbow. Baron had spotted him, which explained his earlier actions.

But his pride wouldn’t let him speak the words.

Demon Hunter L glanced in a certain direction. Ignoring the conflicted Andre, he said bluntly, "We’re going after Ferdinand—"

He was cut short as his expression suddenly grew grim. Andre didn’t understand why, but he trusted L’s judgment. He raised the twin blades he had drawn earlier but hadn’t yet used.

FWOOSH...

The rustling of the wind was the only sound, creating an unnatural quiet.

With his Hunter’s Eye active, Andre’s pupils constricted. He saw it—a figure flashing through the surrounding woods, carrying with it a familiar aura.

It was Ferdinand. Baron, his senses superhuman, had Andre ring the Copper Bell used for communication even as he fired into the thicket. A specialized Alchemy Bullet flew from the chamber.

PING! PING! PING!

Dazzling sparks flew from where the bullet struck.

A shower of leaves and broken branches exploded outwards as Ferdinand, bare-chested, emerged from the dense woods swinging his Double Bone Blades.

The sparks were from his Bone Blades slicing the bullets out of the air.

A powerful aura surged around him.

A cold smirk played on his lips. His gaze fell first on the bodies of Faraday and Savi lying on the ground, then shifted to Baron and Andre, who stood ready for a fight.

The mere touch of his icy gaze made them both shudder, a wave of goosebumps rising on their skin.

’So this is the pressure of someone approaching the Silver Tier...’ Baron’s heart went cold.

Andre, seeing the situation, loyally drew his blades and started forward, but Baron shouted him down. "Stay put if you don’t want to die!"

Andre froze. He saw the Demon Hunter grip his twin pistols, deftly reload them, and pull the triggers. The Alchemy Bullets flew along trajectories too fast to follow, speeding straight toward Ferdinand.

If the first few shots were a test, then this next volley was a perfect demonstration of Ferdinand’s power.

In the instant before the Alchemy Bullets could pierce his skin and burrow into his flesh, he raised his blades. His body remained still, but his hands moved, slashing repeatedly like a puppet defying the laws of motion.