CHAPTER 34: OH... SO YOU’VE BEEN BETRAYED TOO?

"Clark? What happened? Where’s John and Durgan?" Robert asked when he saw a panting man appear in front of him.

He had left the cabin alongside Eve as soon as the screams started, and was waiting for the rest of the group next to her.

"Dead, that Ethan’s a bloody monster, he didn’t die with the rune of sacrifices and he’s out for revenge." Clark replied in a breathless voice as he leaned on a tree.

"Damn..." Eve, who was sitting on a log not far away, cursed and stood up. "What about the crystal? Did you get that at least?"

"Yes, it’s here with me, but I think we have to go now, he could still be following us." Clark said shortly after controlling his breathing and putting a slight smile on his bitter face, pulled out a golden crystal.

"Good! This is going to make us very rich hahaha, even more so now that we don’t have to share." Robert took the crystal from Clark’s hands and examined it carefully before smiling and focusing his gaze on it once more, a mysterious feeling emanating from his eyes.

"Mr. Robert, is everything all right?" Clark asked as he walked back, his steps slow and cautious.

He had been with Robert for more than five years and knew his leader well.

That last sentence and the mysterious look he cast Clark’s way made it clear that his leader’s intentions were not good.

"Nothing personal, sweetheart." A sexy female voice came from behind Clark’s back and two bloody slashing sounds were heard as Eve cut his Achilles tendons.

"Arghaaaah!" A painful scream rang out and Clark’s body collapsed under its own weight, his gaze desperate as he questioned. "W-why?"

Unfortunately, he never got an answer and soon after immobilizing him, Robert and Eve left without looking back.

Clark stayed there, lost in the darkness and agonizing on the ground as he tried to drag himself across the damp and treacherous forest floor.

"Oh... so you’ve been betrayed too?"

After long minutes of agonizing, a male voice filled with contempt sounded behind Clark’s.

His desperate eyes fluttered as he mustered the courage to turn and face Ethan.

"Ethan, please! I really didn’t mean to hurt you, I swear-" Clark begged after finally gathering enough courage to turn around.

But his words were interrupted by Ethan’s powerful hand grabbing his jaw and sealing his mouth shut.

"Don’t waste your time begging, it won’t help you much."

Ethan spoke coldly before turning away from Clark, his lips twisted into an arrogant smile.

"Well... why don’t we talk for a while?" Ethan sat down on a log and watched Clark coldly.

"Please... I didn’t mean to-" Clark’s words were interrupted once again, this time by the soles of Ethan’s boots hitting his face.

"Don’t waste time begging... I’ve already told you that once and I won’t repeat it again." Ethan’s once arrogant voice turned harsh as he grabbed Clark’s neck and lifted him into the air as if he were holding a rag doll.

"Now... you’re going to answer me some-" Ethan spoke once more, but his voice halted in mid-sentence and his eyes widened.

He felt his connection with Victoria shudder, his heart filling with fury as his grip on Clark’s neck tightened.

"System, what the fuck is going on?" Ethan gritted his teeth, his blood burning hot.

[You’ve been given a new mission!

{Partner in danger

Description: One of your partners "Victoria Whitemane" is at risk, do what you can to protect her!

Difficulty: D

Reward: 1500 points from the corruption store]

The moment that screen appeared in front of Ethan’s face, a loud crack resounded.

Clark’s head tilted to the side and his choking stopped as his lifeless body collapsed onto the floor.

Ethan didn’t even recognize it, his enraged eyes turned towards Stormerga and his body exploded in speed as he headed towards the city.

***

"Fuck you!" A shrill female voice exploded, her mouth bloodied as she spat out a piece of meat.

That woman was Victoria and next to her, a man was kneeling and whimpering while holding his own hand, which now had only four fingers.

In front of her, a short, distorted-looking man smiled lividly.

"Well... I like the stubborn and wild ones hahaha! But don’t worry, you’ll soon see what the great Gobini will become and then you’ll accept me hehehehe"

Gobini laughed as he turned away from the woman, his gaze soon focusing on the only door leading into the room, from which two figures emerged, one female and one male.

"Ah! Robert, Eve, you’ve arrived at just the right moment hehehe..." Gobini paused, his gaze strange as he seemed to search for someone.

"Where are the others? And the crystal?" The man’s expression fell and even a little anger crept into his voice as he thought about the mere idea of those people having failed him.

"The crystal is here, as for the others... They’re all dead." Robert stepped forward as he raised his hand, revealing a beautiful golden crystal.

"Great! Great! Hahahaha!" Gobini grabbed the crystal, completely ignoring the fact that all of Robert’s companions were dead.

His concern disappeared immediately, replaced by a smile full of greed.

"Cough... Cough..." Robert coughed to get Gobini’s attention.

"I don’t want to interrupt your happiness, Mr. Gobini..., but what about our deal?" He asked and Eve, who was standing silently behind him, smiled contemptuously.

"’Deal’? What deal? I don’t remember making any deal with you..." Gobini turned around, not even paying attention to Robert’s words.

"No deal? You promised that you would undo the contract and appoint me as captain of the Stormerga guard after you used the formation!" Robert lost his temper and roared, but all he got was Gobini’s dirty, contemptuous smile.

"And you believed me? Hahahahaha! Poor bastard... That contract was created by an awakened in the refinement stage, I’d never be able to undo something like that, maybe after using the formation, but I highly doubt you’ll survive that long hehehehehe."