“Heeeyyyy, Loner’nennn~!” Milli shouted with exaggerated cheer as she spotted Richard and Regina walking toward them. Her voice echoed through the street, drawing a few curious glances.

Richard barely glanced up, his expression as neutral as ever. “Noisy,” he replied curtly.

Milli ignored his tone and grinned. “So, did you get everything you needed?” she asked.

Richard gave a small nod. “Yeah. Did you manage to buy food for the journey?”

Milli hesitated, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. “Uuhhh, nope. Didn’t feel like buying from this place,” she admitted, glancing at Zafir.

Zafir’s ears lowered slightly, and he looked down. “Sorry, it’s my fault,” he murmured, guilt clear in his tone.

Richard’s eyes rested on Zafir for a moment before he said, “Don’t worry about it.” His tone was firm, almost commanding, as though to brush the matter aside.

“How far is it to Luo Yang from here?” Richard asked, his voice steady as he shifted the focus away from the earlier tension.

Milli tilted her head, glancing at the road ahead. “Hmmm, maybe a day or two? We’re really close now,” she said with a small smile.

“Great,” Richard replied, adjusting the strap of his pouch. “Let’s head out now. We can hunt or gather food along the way.”

“As expected of Richard!” Milli exclaimed, giving him a hearty pat on the shoulder, her tone playfully teasing.

Richard, unfazed by her antics, ignored the gesture and began walking toward the village’s north gate with Regina by his side. Milli and Zafir fell in step behind him.

As they walked, Milli leaned slightly toward Zafir, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Told you it’s fine. He’s got a soft heart under all that gruffness.”

Zafir’s ears twitched, and he glanced at Richard’s back. “U-uhh, y-yeah…you’re right…” he stammered, his mood noticeably lighter.

Milli grinned and gave Zafir a quick nudge, her confidence infectious as the group pressed onward toward Luo Yang.

As the group approached the north gate, they found a throng of villagers gathered there, their excited chatter filling the air. The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation, a stark contrast to the tension they’d felt earlier.

“What’s going on here?” Milli asked a nearby villager, who seemed eager to share the news.

The man turned to her, his face alight with excitement. “It’s the Grand Commandant! He’s coming to our village!”

Milli’s eyebrows shot up. “The Grand Commandant? The one who slayed a dragon and fought off the Nian?”

“Yes, that’s him!” the villager said, nodding vigorously.

Milli glanced back at Richard and the others, her curiosity clearly piqued. “This should be worth seeing.”

Richard remained silent, his expression as stoic as ever. Regina, holding his hand, leaned closer, her eyes wide with wonder. Zafir adjusted his hood nervously, his gaze flickering between the villagers and the gate, trying to avoid drawing attention.

The murmur of the crowd grew louder as the sound of distant hoofbeats echoed through the gate. All eyes turned toward the entrance, the air thick with anticipation.

The rhythmic pounding of hooves against the earth grew louder, each thud resonating like a heartbeat that quickened with anticipation. The crowd at the gate fell silent, craning their necks to peer into the distance.

Faint shadows appeared on the horizon, gradually sharpening into distinct figures. At the forefront was a man clad in striking red armor, its lacquered surface gleaming ominously in the midday sun. Every movement of his steed sent ripples of light across the intricate designs etched into the plate, an unmistakable testament to his rank and prowess.

This was the Grand Commandant, a living legend, leading his troops with an air of unshakable authority. Behind him rode a unit of soldiers, their polished gear catching the sunlight in perfect harmony. The dust kicked up by the thundering hooves trailed behind them like a storm, adding to the imposing spectacle.

The villagers watched with wide eyes, a mix of awe and relief spreading through the crowd. Whispered words of admiration rippled among them, as they beheld the arrival of their protector.

“Welcome back, General!” the villagers cheered, their voices echoing with relief and admiration.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Xiao Jie, the Grand Commandant, surveyed the crowd from atop his armored steed. His sharp gaze swept across the gathered villagers. “Have you seen any suspicious individuals?” he asked, his voice calm but authoritative.

“No, General, we haven’t,” a villager quickly replied, shaking his head.

Xiao Jie’s eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the crowd again. “I see there are more people here now,” he remarked, his attention drawn to several individuals in tattered clothing. “What happened?”

“Refugees, General,” another villager answered. “They’ve been arriving from the south.”

Xiao Jie’s brows furrowed as he processed the information. “So, the reports were true… Refugees from the south confirm the severity of the situation. This is more troubling than I anticipated.”

As his gaze roamed over the new arrivals, it stopped on a group of four hooded figures standing slightly apart. One was noticeably small, likely a child, and another bore the distinct features of a beastman, his hood doing little to disguise his animalistic silhouette. The group’s unusual composition and their concealed faces made them stand out like a sore thumb.

“Hoods pulled low, concealing their identities… Yet they remain in the open instead of fleeing. Suspicious. Just what are they hiding?” Xiao Jie mused, his instincts sharpening.

He nudged his horse forward, the sound of hooves drawing the attention of the villagers and the hooded group. As he stopped before them, the Grand Commandant’s imposing figure loomed over the travelers.

“You four,” Xiao Jie commanded, his tone firm and uncompromising. “Remove your hoods and show your faces.”

“Aahh~ What should we do?” Milli whispered to Richard, her voice tinged with nervousness.

Without a hint of hesitation, Richard casually removed his hood, revealing his face with an air of indifference. His calm demeanor seemed to dismiss any potential tension in the situation.

Seeing Richard’s unbothered response, the others exchanged brief glances before following his lead. Milli sighed and pulled her hood back, revealing her bright, confident expression. Zafir hesitated for a moment, his hand lingering on his hood before finally removing it, exposing his beastman features. Regina, as always, stayed close to Richard, tugging her hood down cautiously as she peeked out from beneath it.

Upon seeing Regina’s face, Xiao Jie’s eyes widened momentarily, but he quickly masked his shock with a stoic expression.

"What is with this girl?" he thought. "She bears a resemblance to Queen Wu, though not as striking—only thinner and more fragile."

Xiao Jie’s gaze sharpened as he addressed the group. “Who are you people?”

“We are adventurers from Acacia Town, located in the south,” Milli said confidently, stepping forward. She reached into her pocket and held up her golden adventurer’s plate as proof of their status.

Xiao Jie’s piercing glare swept over the group, his commanding aura radiating an almost suffocating intensity. “And what is your business here?” he demanded, his voice low but firm.

“We’re heading to Luo Yang for a mission,” Milli replied, unfazed by his intimidating demeanor. “This village was just a stop along the way.”

As the tension hung thick in the air, a few of the refugees stepped forward hesitantly. They knelt before Xiao Jie, their heads bowed low.

“General,” one of them spoke, his voice trembling with gratitude, “these adventurers saved us from monsters in the south. Without them, we would have perished!”

The murmurs of agreement from the other refugees only added weight to their testimony, their eyes reflecting the desperation and relief of those who had survived against all odds.

After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Jie weighed the villagers' words, assuming their claims were true. He raised his hand, signaling for the others to stop speaking.

"You four, follow me to the village assembly hall. We'll continue our discussion there!" Xiao Jie commanded.

Regina, feeling the weight of his piercing glare, instinctively hid behind Richard. Zafir, too, was unsettled, not fully understanding how humans could emanate such an intense aura.

With Xiao Jie leading the way, the four of them followed closely behind, flanked by his troops.

When they reached the assembly hall, Xiao Jie took a seat at the back-center, the seat typically reserved for the village leader. Richard’s group stood in the middle of the hall, surrounded by soldiers, the heavy atmosphere making it feel as though they were being held there against their will, unable to leave.

“What happened in the south?” Xiao Jie asked, his voice stern and commanding.

Richard glanced around at the soldiers holding spears and replied, “Is this how officials from Luo Yang ask for a favor?” His tone was laced with irony, clearly unfazed by the tense atmosphere.

“Oi, oi~ Loner’nen~ Are you trying to piss them off?” Milli whispered urgently, but Richard didn’t respond, his focus fixed on the situation at hand.

Regina, still hidden behind Richard, was too intimidated to meet Xiao Jie’s gaze, her fear palpable. Meanwhile, Zafir stood close by, doing his best to remain calm, but his nerves were fraying. He couldn’t shake the feeling that things could spiral out of control at any moment.

“Hmmm…” Xiao Jie mused internally. “This man seems to be the leader of the group, judging by how he was the one who answered, and how the others didn’t reprimand him for speaking so rudely to me.”

He locked eyes with Richard, studying him intently. To his surprise, he sensed no fear in Richard—no hesitation, no signs of weakness. “Either he’s capable of turning this situation around, or he believes he can,” Xiao Jie thought, his mind working swiftly. “And since they came from the direction where the colossal monster was spotted, and have apparently defeated other monsters on their journey here… it’s likely the former.”

“How dare you speak to our Grand Commandant in such a manner!” one of the soldiers, who appeared to be their captain, reprimanded Richard sharply.

Xiao Jie raised his hand, signaling for silence. “It’s fine,” he said calmly. “Bring them seats.”

At his command, the soldiers quickly set four chairs in the center of the hall for Richard and his group to sit on.

“Now, are you satisfied?” Xiao Jie asked, his tone not truly questioning, but more of a clear message—do not overstep your boundaries.

“It’s better. Could be worse,” Richard replied, sitting down immediately without waiting for permission. The others followed suit and took their seats as well.

“Now, do not make me repeat myself. What happened in the south?” Xiao Jie asked, his voice steady and authoritative.

Richard crossed his legs, sitting back in his chair with an air of casualness, as if he didn’t see this as an interrogation—or feel any threat at all. He replied, “You might have an inkling of what really happened, don’t you?”

The soldiers around them glared at Richard with visible anger, their hands tightening on their spears. They clearly wanted to arrest him for speaking so disrespectfully to their Grand Commandant, but refrained, since Xiao Jie had already permitted Richard’s behavior. Richard, in turn, couldn’t help but sneer, relishing in their frustration.

“Oi oi~ Are you trying to make enemies of them?” Milli whispered, her voice tinged with concern.

“I treat them how they treat me. Simple as that,” Richard replied, his tone unfazed.

"Judging from their behavior, they are most likely the summoners of that colossal beast," Xiao Jie thought, his mind racing. "If a fight breaks out, this entire village could be destroyed. I need to tread carefully. If things escalate, I'll have to eliminate them before they can summon the creature."

He paused, his gaze narrowing as he considered the situation. "But can just four of them summon such a beast? Or do they have other allies hidden somewhere in the village?"

Richard reveled in the discomfort of the soldiers, enjoying their frustration, before speaking up again, “There’s a rumor that you killed a dragon singlehandedly. Is that true?”

Xiao Jie’s expression didn’t waver. “I did kill an Earth Dragon called Terrathorn not long ago.”

Richard's smile turned devilish, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Great. Because more of them will be coming in the near future… dragons, I mean.”