Kind-hearted Grim Reaper

Ah Dai nodded, "I, I will study hard. I..." The thought of not being able to be with Goris for a long time overwhelmed him, and he burst into tearful sobs.

Owen didn't try to comfort him, but let Ah Dai vent his feelings on the floor. After some undetermined amount of time, Ah Dai seemed to have run out of tears. He leaned against the wall and fell asleep, tear-streaked cheeks glistening. Owen sighed lightly and moved Ah Dai to the bed, smiling a self-deprecating smile. He thought to himself, "I, Owen, has fallen so far as to intimidate a child... My lord, all this is because of you! You must be ready, for when my apprentice Ah Dai steps into society, your end is near. Lily, rest easy, your big brother will avenge you."

The next morning, when Ah Dai woke up from his sleep, he didn't cry anymore. In front of Owen's gaze, he silently packed the clothes Goris had bought for him when he first arrived here. He put the remaining eleven silver balls he had forged yesterday and a basket of fruits he picked into a bundle. Then he sat quietly and ate.

Owen broke the silence, "Is it difficult for you to leave with me?"

Ah Dai glanced at Owen, shook his head slightly, and said quietly, "When do we leave, sir?"

Owen took a deep breath, shouldered his broad sword and said, "Let's go now. I know you hate me for disrupting your life, but for me, it was necessary."

Ah Dai looked at Owen. In his young mind, the positive image Owen had established was gone. Like with Uncle Li, he also felt only dislike for Owen. "Could I leave a letter for my teacher?" Ah Dai asked.

Owen nodded, "Certainly, I will also leave a letter. Please bring me some paper and a pen."

Although Ah Dai was a little confused, he quickly brought Owen paper and a pen, while starting to write a letter to Goris himself.

Owen pondered for a moment, wrote a short letter, then picked up a rock from outside and placed it on the head of the bed, "Ah Dai, are you done with your letter? It's time for us to go. Your teacher will know you are safe when he reads this letter, and perhaps in a few years, you will be able to return and reunite with him."

Ah Dai bowed his head and didn't respond, he put the letter he had written under the rock. A few tears fell, landing on the letter and soaking the paper. He carried his bundle and left the room. Owen followed him out and saw Ah Dai standing in front of the wooden hut, silently watching. Owen felt a pang in his heart, but years of training had hardened his resolve. He would never allow himself to make a mistake out of sentimentality. "Alright, Ah Dai, we need to hit the road now while it's early."

Ah Dai responded with a noise, touched the talismanic steamed bun in his pocket and said to the wooden hut, "Teacher, I'm leaving. Please take good care of yourself! I will come back to see you as soon as I can." He then knelt on the ground, and respectfully knocked his head three times on the ground towards the wooden hut before standing up.

"Sir, I... I don't know the way out of the woods. Since coming here, I've never left."

Owen smiled a little, "As long as you take me to the place where you saved me, I will be able to lead you out."

Ah Dai's last hope dissolved. Part of him wished for Goris to return quickly and save him, but he also feared that if Goris returned, Owen would kill him. Ah Dai led Owen into the dense fog with a complicated mood. Little did he know, from that point forward, he would never see his teacher - Flame Wizard Goris, ever again.

Once he had exited the fog, Ah Dai keenly realized how much he missed his life here. Here, he didn't have to fish. He could eat delicious fruits every day and be under the "care" of Teacher Goris. All of these memories were deeply imprinted in his mind.

Owen, as he claimed, quickly recognized the direction once Ah Dai took him to the place where their fight with the men in black had occurred. They journeyed out of the Illusive Forest after half a day of hiking. Once out of the forest, Ah Dai saw the sunlight again. The strong light made it hard for him to adjust. Even though the strong sunlight made his body feel warm, his heart was incredibly cold.

Five days after Owen and Ah Dai left.

This was a dark, large room, so dimly lit it was difficult to see more than a meter ahead. Nine people were standing in the room, the nine who had pursued "Nether King" Owen and survived. They stood silently in the center of the room, heads bowed, silence filling the room, creating an eerie atmosphere.

An insubstantial voice seemed to come from all directions, "Mie Shiyi, have you accomplished your mission? Are Mie Liu, Mie Shi, and Mie Shiyi dead?"

Mie Shiyi answered, "We failed to accomplish the mission, my lord. Even though the 'Nether King' has been poisoned by the deadly No Second Holy Water, he could still wield the Sword of Hades. We were no match for him."

"Oh? If you were no match for him, then how did you survive? There has never been a survivor when the Sword of Hades is unsheathed."

Even though the voice was still flat and distant, Mie Shiyi was soaked in cold sweat. He tried to keep his voice steady as he explained, "My lord, the 'Nether King' was once our leader. He said in consideration of our past battles together, he would spare us. That's how we were able to survive."

"Is that so? Tell me everything that happened."

"Yes, my lord, initially, we had been able to pursue the "Nether King" all the way to a vast forest in Varangian Province, and had the upper hand..." Mie Shiyi detailed the events of that day. "That's what happened. The bodies of Mie Liu, Mie Shi and Mie Shiyi are outside now."

"Ah, Mie Shiyi, you've been with us for quite some time. This doesn't seem like you. As an assassin, it's vital to analyze situations calmly. I understand the thoughts in your heart. Needless sacrifices are meaningless. But, have you thought about this? Given the 'Nether King's' nature, why would he let you return and deliver the message? If he had the ability to kill you then, wouldn't you also have become corpses? The saying 'when the Sword of Hades is unsheathed, not even a chicken or dog can survive' isn't an empty one. Don't you understand the effect of the No Second Holy Water? Even though 'Nether King' is skilled, could he still deal with you so leisurely after being poisoned by the deadliest toxin on the continent? Remember, you, the Extermination Group, are the elites of the organization. Perhaps, after you left, the 'Nether King' succumbed to the poison in his body and passed out. If you had been patient a while longer, you might have been able to bring him back. Mie Shiyi, your mistake this time was too big."

Sweat was dripping down his forehead. After a long silence, Mie Shiyi finally said, "My lord, I... I understand my mistake, please give us a chance to atone for our mistake. We'll go back to the forest and bring the 'Nether King' back to you." They had seen master's means of punishment. Even they, who had never feared death, were full of deep fear.