novelnext Chapter 113 Coincidence
Chapter 113 Coincidence
Chapter 113 Coincidence
Xia Lin sat on a rock opposite her, poking at the fire to make it burn more steadily.
The silence lasted for a long time.
Xia Lin broke the silence first: "What exactly is her relationship with the person Melissa is looking for?"
There was a long silence on the other end, so long that Xia Lin thought Kyle wouldn't say a word at all, when she suddenly spoke up: "More than just ordinary importance." Kyle's tone was calm, revealing little emotion, "It's the kind of importance that comes from growing up together. Later, that man became a paladin in the church, and he was Melissa's lover."
Xia Lin paused, remembering his old teammate from Tagen.
"What's his name?"
Kyle glanced at him, seemingly surprised that Charlin would ask this, his golden eyes reflecting the flickering firelight: "Lance. You know him?"
Xia Lin fell silent. It was too much of a coincidence.
Lance.
He had certainly heard of that name before. Targen had mentioned it more than once; it was his old friend who had fought alongside him for many years, a loyal and righteous man who had acted with composure and integrity. He had later joined the church's guard and then disappeared in this forest.
It turns out that Lance was not only Targen's old friend, but also the pastor Melissa's childhood sweetheart.
"Honestly," Kyle rarely used colloquial language, "I didn't want to take this job. The situation in the forest is unknown, and the missing person is most likely already—" She didn't finish, but the meaning was clear, "but when she found me, those eyes—"
She paused, as if choosing her words carefully: "It's like a drowning person clutching at a straw. You know that look, right?"
Even knowing the hope is slim, they still refuse to give up.
Xia Lin nodded. He had seen that look before; he had seen it on too many faces.
Kyle stopped talking.
The campfire continued to burn.
The night wind swept through the forest, carrying the low growls of unknown wild beasts in the distance.
Xia Lin, wrapped in a blanket, leaned against the campfire, her eyes half-closed.
Kyle leaned against the tree, seemingly resting, but no one could be sure whether his golden vertical pupils were truly completely closed.
The night in the woods was eerily quiet.
It wasn't until a strange noise came from the bushes in the woods that everyone was suddenly awakened from their light sleep!
Xia Lin almost instinctively rolled over and stood up, grabbing his shield with his left hand and drawing his longsword with his right!
In the glow of the campfire, a dark red figure darted out from the shadows of the dense forest!
A Crimson Knight!
"Enemy attack—!"
His tattered armor gleamed darkly in the firelight, and he raised his straight sword high, slashing straight at Xia Lin ahead. "Clang—!"
The orc's giant axe barely blocked the sword, and amidst the flying sparks, his massive orc body was forced back by the opponent!
The orc's expression changed drastically; the force far exceeded that of the beastmen he had dealt with before!
Kyle, the wanderer next to them, has already made his move!
Her figure was like a bronze lightning bolt, slicing in from the side, her rapier aimed straight for the exposed gap in the blood-red knight's ribs!
The Crimson Knight sidestepped the sword, simultaneously sweeping his straight sword to force Kyle back!
Xia Lin had already rushed forward in that instant!
The veteran swung his longsword upwards, aiming for the opponent's wrist holding the sword!
The Crimson Knight suddenly raised his deformed arm, covered in dark red scales, and actually blocked Xia Lin's sword with his bare body!
"Clang!"
The sword blade clashed with the scales, sending sparks flying! Xia Lin's arm jolted—what kind of superhuman strength was this?!
But he didn't retreat. He thrust his left-hand shield forward, slamming it into the opponent's chest and abdomen!
The Crimson Knight retreated to avoid the shield bash, while simultaneously sweeping his right-hand straight sword in a deadly arc!
Xia Lin and Kyle simultaneously retreated with a "whoosh!"
But a strange, silvery-white flame suddenly exploded from the blade of the blood-red knight's sword!
The flame was not the usual orange-red, but a cold and holy silver light!
Xia Lin staggered backward, and the armor that was splashed with flames began to char and curl!
Kyle wasn't faring any better. She nimbly dodged the flames head-on, but the moment the silver light grazed the scales on her arm, tiny cracks appeared on them!
"What is this thing?!" Garu roared and charged forward again, his giant axe slashing down!
Blood Knight parries with his sword.
"boom!"
The silvery-white flames exploded again!
"Watch out!" Melissa exclaimed.
But she did not panic. She raised her staff, her lips moved, and a prayer poured out like flowing water. Milky white light instantly enveloped Xia Lin, Kyle, and the fighting Garu.
Blessing spell!
It was as if an invisible hand was simultaneously lifting up the shoulders of the three of them.
Xia Lin felt that most of her discomfort had subsided!
He charged forward again!
This time, he, Kyle, and Garu formed a well-coordinated triangular formation. Garu held the line, Kyle roamed the flanks, and Xia Lin waited for the perfect finishing blow.
The Crimson Knight's sword remained sharp, and the silvery-white flames were still deadly.
However, with the four members of the team working together, they were no longer the one-sided, passive attackers they had been before.
"laugh--!"
Sparks and silver flames mingled, and the sharp clang of metal clashing echoed through the forest.
Finally, Kyle seized a tiny opening! The instant the Crimson Knight forced Garu back with a single sword strike, her rapier shot out like a venomous snake, aiming straight for the inside of his right elbow!
"Pfft—!"
The sword pierced flesh!
The Crimson Knight's right arm suddenly stopped moving!
"Clang!"
Xia Lin seized this critical moment and thrust his longsword forward!
The sword tip is about to touch the flesh—
"stop--!!"
A sharp, almost throat-ripping female voice suddenly exploded in everyone's ears!
Xia Lin's sword tip stopped abruptly just before it pierced through.
Everyone was stunned.
They turned to the source of the sound, Melissa.
She had somehow rushed to the edge of the battle, her face as pale as paper, her eyes red-rimmed, and tears silently streaming down her face.
She stared intently at the blood-soaked knight, her lips trembling as she managed to squeeze out a few broken syllables: "Lans—"
Everyone froze. Was this beast-like monster Lance?
The Crimson Knight's body trembled violently the moment he heard that name.
In those chaotic eyes filled with murderous intent, something, like a thin crack appearing on a frozen ice surface, seemed to have been revealed.
"Lance—" Melissa called again, her voice so soft it was as if she were afraid of waking something, "It's you—isn't it—I know it's you—"
Her gaze fell on his neck, where a small pendant slipped out from beneath a thin chain soaked in blood.
The pendant reflected a faint silver light in the moonlight. It was a simplified emblem symbolizing some kind of sacred flame.
The church's silver flame.
Everyone finally understood where the strange flames came from.
The Crimson Knight, or rather, the beastman named Lance, lowered his head. His lips were moving as if he were trying to piece together a long-broken name.
"————Ruth————"
The voice was so hoarse it didn't sound human; it was like a gear that had been rusted for years turning for the first time.
Melissa burst into tears.
That was the name Lance had chosen for their child.