“Let’s rest for a bit, Tom…” Hamish said as he broke free of Rostom’s grip and sat down on the side
“We’re almost there, Mr. Chevalier. The exit is straight ahead! Moreover, it’s not safe to rest in this spot. We can find a secure location to rest once we’ve reached our destination,” Rostom advised.
He then tried to help Hamish up, but the older man waved his hands and refused to get up no matter what.
Consequently, Rostom turned toward Kiara and said, “Please tell Mr. Chevalier to get up, Kiara. It’s too dangerous for us to rest here.”
“How about we find a spot to rest up front, Dad?” Kiara suggested. Hamish shook his head. “I’m afraid we might not be able to rest if we head over there.”
“Why not?” Kiara asked in confusion.
“I’ve traversed Mount Crimson countless times, and the path ahead does not lead us out of this mountain,” Hamish responded. He then fixed Rostom with an icy-cold glare, pressing further, “Tom, why don’t you enlighten me on why you brought us here?”
Rostom shuddered as he attempted to explain, “Are you serious, Mr. Chevalier? I heard about this path from a friend! Could it be that I picked the wrong route?”
He even tried glancing about frantically to help sell his act. Kiara was starting to panic. “Did we take a wrong turn, Dad? What should we do?”
“Calm down, you two. I’ll go check the path up ahead and see if we’re on the right track,” Rostom said, stepping forward to investigate.
After Rostom had left, Hamish told Kiara, “Go follow him and find out what’s going on, but be careful not to let him catch you!”
Kiara nodded and went off to tail the man. It wasn’t long before she saw Rostom walk up to a group of people. She couldn’t hear what they were saying because she was too far away, but it was obvious that Rostom knew those people.
Kiara then hurried back and reported her findings to Hamish.
“Looks like he really is up to no good. Let’s go!”
Hamish then stood up and got ready to leave with Kiara, only to see Rostom coming back before he could even take a step.
Unaware that Kiara had been following him, Rostom fabricated, “I’ve discovered a suitable spot for us to rest, Mr. Chevalier. It’s just up ahead. Additionally, we’re on the correct path and are close to making our way out of this mountain.”
Hamish was all the more certain about his theory when he heard Rostom lying to them. Getting straight to the point, he demanded, “Stop lying to me, Tom. Who did you go see up ahead?”
“No one! I didn’t see anyone!” Rostom adamantly refused to admit the truth.
“You’re lying! I saw everything!” Kiara shouted, glaring angrily at Rostom.
Realizing that they had seen through his deception, Rostom began to retreat.
“Don’t even think about running!” Hamish yelled, reaching out to grab Rostom. In a panic, Rostom sprinted away as fast as his legs could carry him. Although Hamish missed his grasp, the sheer force of his movement shattered dozens of trees into dust.
Right as Hamish prepared to launch a second attack, he suddenly started coughing up blood. The abrupt movement he made earlier had aggravated his wound.
Feeling relieved when he saw Hamish in distress, Rostom stopped running and turned around.
“Since you’ve seen through my lies, I’ll tell you the truth. Mr. Goeckner is waiting for you just up ahead. We won’t hurt you if you work with us and disclose the location of the treasures,” he declared with a smug grin.
“Mr. Goeckner? Are you referring to the Demonic Cultivator that resides in this mountain?” Hamish inquired.
