“Don’t worry. Even if Thunderhawk gets wind of this, he won’t dare to take action within Jipsdale. As long as we stay within these bounds, we’ll be safe.” Jared flashed a faint smile. “I’ll find a way to restore your strength and cure you of the poison in your body here.”
“If I manage to regain my strength, I’m sure we stand a chance to defend ourselves against Thunderhawk,” Yuven said.
“All right, let’s get some rest. Things will work out on their own, so let’s not overthink,” Jared reassured the group, encouraging them to rest. Jared and the others remained indoors for the rest of the day, and eventually, the crowd that had gathered outside dispersed.
At night, Viola, once again, approached Jared. Knowing her desires, Jared turned around and pinned her down. Just as they were tangled up in the bed, with Viola in seventh heaven, Jared suddenly stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Viola asked. “Someone’s outside,” Jared said, his sharp senses allowing him to notice a presence lurking in the courtyard. Viola’s face flushed a deep shade of crimson. She was embarrassed by the possibility that if someone were outside, they might have overheard the sounds. Jared got up, put on his clothes, and headed directly toward the door.
Viola wanted to follow, but Jared stopped her. Since he had no idea who might be outside, he did not want her to rush out and potentially put them in a vulnerable position. After leaving the room, Jared quickly scanned the courtyard before heading out and into a nearby alley.
“Step forward. Sneaking into someone else’s house at this hour isn’t the behavior of a gentleman,” Jared uttered as he stepped into the alley, quickly turning to face the seemingly empty space.
Suddenly, a burst of laughter shattered the silence. “I originally came for the heavenly thunder fruits, but I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon such an intriguing spectacle.”
A figure gradually materialized out of thin air. Dressed in black attire, the man seemed to be in his fifties. He emitted an aura that enveloped his surroundings. It was not difficult to tell that he was at Fifth Level Body Fusion Realm. His actions seemed to indicate that he aimed to seal off the alley, effectively obstructing any potential escape routes for Jared.
“So what if you heard it? You can’t even see it. I bet it must have annoyed you,” Jared sneered. The man snorted. “Why would I be annoyed? I’ve had my share of women.” “At first, I wasn’t sure how to get my hands on you, but now you’ve conveniently appeared in this remote place. I guess you’re giving me an opportunity to take you down, huh?” The man stared at Jared. “You want to steal my heavenly thunder fruits?” Jared asked.
“That’s right. However, I can spare your life if you’re willing to surrender them. We can accomplish this without resorting to violence. Otherwise, don’t accuse me of adopting a more ruthless approach. I’ll end your life and dissolve your body with Erosion Powder. I’ll erase your existence entirely from the face of the Earth.”
Jared paid little heed to the man’s threats. Instead, he cast a scrutinizing glance at him. You’re an alchemist?” Jared’s question clearly caught the man off guard, and he responded with a perplexed expression, “You know me?”
“I don’t know you. I was just speculating. So you’re indeed an alchemist.” Jared was surprised by the man’s unexpected reaction to his speculative statement.
The man’s face contorted into a grimace when he realized Jared had outwitted him. “Cut the witty remarks, young man. Now hand over the heavenly thunder fruits!”
“And if I don’t? Would you dare lay a finger on me? Bear in mind we’re in Jipsdale, where physical confrontations are prohibited within the city. You wouldn’t risk breaking the city’s regulations, would you?” Jared spoke without a hint of fear.
“You’re too naive, young man. Do you think the regulations of Jipsdale can shield you and no one will dare to cause you harm? I can end your life here and destroy your body to erase all evidence of my involvement. No one will be aware of what happened,” the man sneered.
