When we both returned to the resting quarters, Luo Wei and the others seemed as if they just returned from somewhere.

Greeting them, I noticed Luo Tian's expression was as sour as a prune. Even worse than when we first met. There was also some splatter of dried blood on his black robe.

Since we're not that close, it didn't seem right to ask them if anything was wrong. They also had no desire to explain. Turning to MC, I asked, "When are we heading out to East Coast City?"

Yang Shu seemed surprised, "We are heading to East Coast City, too. If you don't mind we can go together."

Although Han Bin called them fools, I quite liked them. However, the decision was not up to me. The only information I gathered so far was the group was searching for something and the MC seemed to know.

Han Bin turned to them and politely rejected, "We have to take a detour before heading there. We'll see you in East Coast City."

Luo Wei waved his hand and laughed, "You can find us at Bay Merchants. It's one of our establishments."

After that, we parted and this time we walked down the temple steps instead of having MC carry me. Perhaps my weight was finally kicking in as a side-effect.

Once we were far from the temple, I could now freely ask, "Why didn't we go with them?"

Casting a sideglance at me, as if an idiot just asked a question, he asked instead of replying, "Were they nice to you?"

I pondered. Liu Wei gave us the restoration pill. Tian Xin fed me, and they treated us politely and even offered to go on the road together.

"Yeah, they are nice! Very good people!"

MC scoffed and seemed to have added idiotic as a label on my face. On top of being useless.

He knelt and cued me. I slowly placed my arms on his shoulder and sighed.

He jumped between the trees and asked, “I didn’t even sigh yet.”

“You’re always carrying me around —like a turtle. If you have turtles here.”

“So you have realized you’re baggage.”

I want to smack him but I still have to carry out my plan as a tanker, “No... what I mean is, turtle shells are useful! It’s a protective barrier! Even turtles know to find a shield, so I think that is what you’re missing, a protective charm!”

"You...want to be a meat-shield?"

"No! I mean, yes? If you put it that way, I guess that’s what it is? A tanker is a meat shield."

"..."

"Ow!! Why did you bite my arm? If you’re hungry just wait until later."

"That was a graze... You're not a good prospect. I have to reject your offer."

Now this pain was a great wakeup call. It WAS a bad idea. My pain tolerance was also that of a baby's. To Plan B.

"You know a turtle shell has many uses, not just to be undervalued and used as a shield."

"..."

"It’s also the turtle’s home! Imagine that. Home is wherever you go! You—"

Han Bin suddenly stopped and did some mid-air writing with his forefinger. He drew his finger back and a white light was cast on me.

He then continued onto his way. I was confused and when I opened my mouth to ask, no sound came out.

So mean. This was the equivalent of saying shut up.

If he would not apologize, I would refuse to speak to him until I could speak again. After all, I am someone with a temper.

Twenty or so minutes later, we reached a cave. He strolled inside and I quickly followed. Damp and dark, just like when I first arrived in this world.

As we went deeper, a sudden putrid smell struck my nostrils. A flow of dried blood stained the ground.

I had a bad feeling.

Reaching the end of the cave, three mutilated corpses laid devoid of peace even at death.

My legs immediately weakened. Holding onto the cave walls, all the contents of my stomach reversed back out and added to the nauseating stench in this bleak cave.

MC didn't even bat an eye and forcefully grabbed my arm, dragging me towards a female corpse.

I turned my head away. The closer I got, the more the stench corrupted my head. Everything was a mess.

Han Bin gripped my jaw and forced me to look at the corpse. He said, "Your so-called nice acquaintances were the ones who did this. Look closely at this face. Every cut on the disfigured face was made by a sword."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Luo Tian. He was the only one with a sword.

Han Bin turned my head to him. His grip turned into a gentle one and wiped the tears off of my face.

For the first time, I felt like I caught a glimpse of him. His eyes dilated from excitement; he was high from my reaction.

At this moment, instead of being the MC, he seemed to be an antagonist!

He calmly said, "I found this cave yesterday. Two dead and the woman still alive, though at the brink of death. She told me these two men were her brothers."

The story was the woman was being hunted for a cultivation manual that was found when they explored the ruins together with the group from the temple. Moreover, she was being hunted by her partner.

Luo Wei and Yang Shu. Luo Zheng and Tian Xin. So that meant Luo Tian... and this woman.

If she found the cultivation manual, she would gladly hand it over to her partner, but the ones who found the cultivation manual were her brothers.

Following the "finders, keepers" rule, the two brothers declined. Ensuing, they got into an argument, but she thought that was the end.

As they continued to hunt in the mountains, her brothers both had a breakthrough. Once again, she got into an argument with Luo Tian. She explained they were both close to having a breakthrough- that it had little to do with the cultivation manual.

Luo Tian insisted that if the cultivation manual was so insignificant in their cultivation, why not share it with the group?

The two brothers felt cold in their blood that these people who were supposed to be their ”relatives” through the bonding of his sister and Luo Tian had exposed their greed.

They didn't want to make it hard on their sister so decided to leave the group and hunt by themselves.

Luo Tian, being hot-tempered, did not allow them to leave and injured one of the brothers.

At this point, their relationship was broken. At the cost of her brothers’ lives, they escaped.

Through Han Bin’s recap, one thing hit my mind.

He had set this up. He didn't kill nor save the woman but left her here. He picked the temple to stay, and even though he called them fools and was not fond of the group, he was still a gentleman in their presence as if purposely getting close to them.

He was waiting for this to happen.

I asked, "Did you take the cultivation manual?"

He asked back, "What do you think?"

"You did. So they would kill her in anger!"

Han Bin seemingly smiled and said, "Now you are accusing me. I didn't."

It was really hard to relate the him of now to the person who could joke around with me.

Either way, I couldn't understand him, but for sure I understood more about Luo Wei and the others.

Yes, they were nice to me. The precondition was that I was not a threat. That we had no conflict of interests.

Luo Tian could even kill his partner for a stupid cultivation manual. In this world, anything related to cultivation had heavier importance than I thought.

I stared at Han Bin, and he curiously back at me. His future path of cultivation was also filled with the corpses of others.

"I wonder what future you see in those eyes of yours."

His words shocked me. Trying not to tremble, I pulled some distance away from him. "...W-what?"

He closed the distance again and touch the corner of my eye, "Your eyes... Didn't you know? They belong to those who can see the future."

This load of information was really messing with my mind. Then I remembered. Yela and Miao were fighting for the Holy disciple position. They were prophetic.

But their ability had nothing to do with me. I calmed down and said, "I don't remember, but I can't see the future."

I know a bit about the future from reading the novel. But that was all. It could completely change because Yela was not here.

Han Bin didn't dwell on this, or now I knew better - he had his considerations and didn't need my input.

He seemed to be bored already and walked out of this cave. I quickly followed. My body was feeling all kinds of disgust and discomfort.

When I saw Han Bin knelt again and signaled, I couldn't climb on with the same carefreeness I had just a bit prior.

This back was not as trustworthy anymore.

It took time to truly discover a person. Even the MC who I knew for a thousand chapters turned out to be more complicated than the words of the novel. Perhaps the novel had some truth, but not all-encompassing.

Han Bin was tired of waiting for me. Grabbing my arm over his shoulder, in one swift motion, I was being carried again.

I didn't know how he could act as if nothing happened.

Throughout the whole trip, we traveled in silence. This incident was more effective as a silence spell than whatever he had cast earlier.

He might have guessed I didn't have an appetite so we didn't stop for lunch. In the evening, a small town appeared before us. Heading straight to the inn, we were able to book two neighboring rooms. When we went to our respective rooms, I didn't even speak to him and swiftly closed the door behind me.

Deep in the night, the nightmares repeatedly tortured me. I dreamt of Luo Tian, mercilessly slicing at the female corpse to release his anger. Then turning to me who had witnessed it and also raising his sword.

I dreamt of Han Bin - all the nice parts of him were overshadowed by the incident.

Raising my body, I sat on the bed without sleeping. I thought about a lot of things that I didn't have time to think about ever since I reached this world.

My family... they wouldn't have noticed I was gone. Probably thought I was traveling somewhere again. A few months later, once they couldn't reach me, they would realize their daughter had disappeared. Would they cry? Yes. Would they forget me? I don't believe so, but all pain lessens with time.

It was my first time witnessing death, but perhaps a few more times, I would also be apathetic. Humans were like cockroaches after all. Resilient and fragile at the same time.

At some point, I nodded off and was dragged into the nightmare again.

Suddenly, I heard the wooden window being creaked open. Han Bin jumped in and walked towards the bed. He opened his mouth, "Stop screaming and crying. You're disturbing others."

I finally spoke to him, "It's all your fault."

He laughed and sat by the bed, asking, "Did I kill the woman?"

I replied, "No, but you didn't save her either."

He continued to smile, "Unfortunately, my generosity is not free."

"Then, why did you save me?"

He didn't answer that question but said, "I could kill you if you want."

I quickly shook my head, "By killing me, you'll stain your royal hands."

Quirking an eyebrow, Han Bin grasped the sarcasm. He said, "You are still angry at me."

I was misdirecting my anger and emotion, but it was hard to not be angry at the person who revealed all this dirtiness.

He put on his fake gentle face and lifted my hand, "I am offering you an apology. Will you accept it?" Void of all sincerity in the world.

I asked, "Will you do something like this again?"

He didn't even hesitate, "Maybe."

That was a 'yes.'

More than being angry at him, I was angry at this cruel world and why I was brought here. So I said, "...I’m sleepy."

"Then you can sleep."

"..." I laid down and closed my eyes.

When daylight embraced this room, I woke up naturally. Going down to the lobby, I saw Han Bin eating at a table already.

Joining him, I grabbed a bun and bit into it. Although the images of yesterday were still in the back of my mind, it didn't seem that hard to eat anymore.

Maybe something was also wrong with me. I was fit for this world after all.