With a melodious chiming voice, the thing resembling a girl bowed and said, "Thank you for the meal, I will forever be grateful."
She bowed once, looked up and saw there was no change in the couple in front of her.
She bowed again and looked up, expecting her thanks to being accepted. Yet nothing.
She bowed a third time with annoyance. Thinking that the people in front of her were too arrogant.
She had always been taught to be polite. Yet requiring so many bows for a simple meal was too much. Then she heard something that made her mouth twitch, "What is she doing, do ghosts require exercise, Aile? Let's leave before she comes after us."
She shouted, "I am not a ghost, you uncivilized duo, can you not just accept my bows."
Yet she did not see them have any reaction. Feeling annoyed, she remembered that she has to be the bigger person and not start fights willfully. Yes, they are annoying, but they gave her food so she can not be rude.
But why did they not respond to her, as she was pouting and having a thinking face, she hit her self in the forehead. She remembered they can not hear her, they are people of the other side, only her Uncle Blacky, can talk and listen to her.
Her cute behaviour surprised Aile and Hazel.
Humph, she thought, 'language has never been a barrier to her, she had conversed with people of different nations before. Once her father made her accompany a princess of a different nation, and she communicated with her without talking for 1 whole month.' It was a similar situation, this only being easier as she can hear them and knows if she miscommunicates.
She pointed at the two people's little remains, made an eating gesture and smiled and did a quick bow.
Look, Aile, she is trying to say something. Aile said, "I think she is saying she wants to eat something and then she pointed at the corpses. Maybe she wants to absorb more people."
Aile looked at Hazel, she nodded, agreeing that he might be right.
"We are without our disguise, whoever we meet from this point onwards will be our enemy leading to some inevitable deaths. If their deaths can bring us the help of a spirit in the tomb all the better. She can probably help us find what we want." Aile's suggestion of feeding her more people was not denied by Hazel.
Hazel thought about his suggestion and had to agree, as fights would break out eventually. If the enemy could help this cute but dangerous girl, who in turn could help them find a cure for Sara, then perhaps it would be ok.
The little girl rolled her eyes at their lack of understanding, but she did not refuse their offer, getting more meals was something that she did not want to reject.
After which, she tried to communicate with them but ended up failing to convey her thoughts. But she did figure out what they wanted as she could hear them. The things they wanted she did not know where to find, but maybe Uncle Blacky could help. So she promptly gestured them to follow as she led them into the tomb.
Seeing no hostility from the cheerful girl, they decided to follow her. The little girl had been shaking her tiny hand in annoyance, and rolling her eyes at them, as they tried to converse so far. She seemed very harmless.
Seeing her behaviour which was completely opposite to how she dealt with the two people she absorbed, made them question her goal, and their guard was up all the time. Yet nonetheless, they followed her in hopes of finding what they were looking for.
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Trusting someone so dangerous was not easy, but if she did not act hostile toward them, there was no reason to make her into an enemy. After all, her action showed no malice and her eyes were clear and void of evil. They have already established some sort of communication. If she can solve their problem, Aile would gladly knock out more people so she can feed.
After all, one predicament had to do with Hazel and Sara's life, and the other was his unusual behaviour around ladies. He was also in search of knowledge about the second level of ruins. If these difficulties or at least Hazel and Sara's problem is solved, then the trip would be worth it.
"Stop,"
Aile and Hazel looked and saw that they had just passed from a smaller cave and to a larger one and they have met the first group of enemies.
The group consisted of 3 fifth stage cultivators. This surprised Aile, each group should have consisted of 4, so what happened to the last one of them.
Observing them and noticing the new wet blood that has not coagulated in one of their armours, it made him realize that he was probably gone. Nonetheless, he kept his senses heightened worried about a possible ambush.
As Aile observed them, he was disappointed to find out that they were not from the royal side. As he can simply pretend to get closer because of his armour and sneak attack at least one if that was the case. However, the two lanky men and one muscular man were part of the White Clan's group. So fighting them was inevitable.
Aile was holding Hazel's hand and transmitted to her not to interfere, as he wanted to keep her strength hidden. After all, an unknown spirit was there keeping tabs on them. Hazel's concealed strength could be the extra ace needed to escape if they are trapped or face a dangerous situation later.
"Oh, Hello, friends."
"Friends?"
Tsk
Aile heard a low volume muttering, "delusional brat."
The three of them took out their weapons preparing to fight. However, they changed their mind after their eyes landed on Hazel, and they observed her lustfully.
"It seems that there are indeed treasures at the end of the road."
One of the thin-tall ones looked at Aile briefly as his eyes shifted back to Hazel and said, "Say what, you are lucky, let that little cutie stay, and you can go. We feel generous, the damned traps have already made us frustrated, and we do not want to waste more time; Your little friend will help us wind down, and you can go." They then gestured Aile who seemed like a weak kid that joined the army with their hands to disappear. Another one of them interjected him as he was the leading person and possibly the scout. "Boss, why not let him stay, and he can also use her later. The little man can turn to a real man today... He brought the little gift to us, and then he can even take the leading position. We have a common enemy of those bastard common-cultivator vermin scum, and so no need to leave him to die by their hand, we should offer a helping hand."
The other two looked at the scout and gave him a creepy nod, understanding his plan.
Aile realized that these people not only want to use Hazel's body but also plan to use him as the scout, and more correctly, as a guinea-pig to avoid traps. The little apprehension of starting another bloody mess was gone. Seeing the disgusted face of Hazel, he realized that she too would not blame him reducing the population by three. She has always prioritized the weak and unprotected cultivators and held little empathy for the arrogant people with large clan's backing them.
"Since you are the most junior, you will get your turn last," said the last member to Aile, as they did not bother with him anymore and decided to walk towards Hazel.
Aile raised his hands just a little as he walked towards them. Showing that he was unarmed. Seeing his action, they smirked knowing taking it as him betraying her and joining them.
Aile, on the other hand, was thinking about a specific move that he had been training. It involved a quick unsheathing of the blade followed by a speedy trust to the enemy, retracting and sheathing it back. The whole thing should be a continues action, taking a fraction of a second when mastered. Aile had been practising but has been unsure of how effective it will be in a real fight.
As he walked directly towards them, the leader who had been power walking to get to Hazel quickly had an odd feeling of the young one coming straight at him.
Aile jogged and ran the final distance followed by the quick unsheathing of the blade that reflected the light as it drew a crescent arc and disappeared after being jabbed into the leader's heart.
Ching
Swish
Plop
Ah-Ahhh
The move did not succeed fully as the hands of the leader was holding on to the blade preventing Aile from retracting it. Knowing that it would be hard to take it out before the other two gets their bearing. He let go of the blade and used the palm of his hand to hit him on the head, making him stagger back and fall which would push the blade out of him once he hits the floor.