The morning sun rose, and golden rays spilled across the cobblestone road, yet they could hardly dispel the early morning mist.
Tii rode upon a horse, followed by several attendants clad in iron armor. The sound of hooves was particularly crisp on the silent street.
They passed through the town’s north gate, and the view suddenly opened up, though they were instantly struck by the desolate scene before them.
In the distance, the rolling hills were a withered yellow. As the cold wind swept past, the dry grass shivered. A few bare trees were scattered across the barren land.
In the sky, a flock of crows circled, letting out piercing cries that added a sense of gloom to the wilderness.
“Miss Tii, this road doesn’t look very easy to travel,” Karl, one of the attendants, said as he spurred his horse closer, looking toward the hills with a trace of worry.
Tii nodded slightly without saying much. Her mind was already on the upcoming meeting with the Holy White River Alliance.
After leaving Escon City, the group crossed the wasteland and finally arrived at a bustling market where the headquarters of the Holy White River Alliance stood.
It was a magnificent stone building with a towering spire piercing the clouds. Ivy crawled up the walls, giving it an ancient and solemn appearance.
Two guards in bright silver armor stood at the entrance, holding spears with swords at their waists, their gazes sharp.
“Halt! Who are you? What is your business here?” one guard shouted sternly.
Tii pulled on the reins and bowed slightly. “I am a member of the Alliance headquarters. I am here for a meeting.”
The guard looked her over, then glanced at the attendants behind her before nodding. “Please, follow me.”
—
Inside the council chamber, the atmosphere was solemn.
Tii sat at a dark oak table covered with a green cloth embroidered with gold thread.
The fire roared in the fireplace, making the entire room warm and bright.
Most of the Alliance representatives were wealthy human merchants and nobles. They wore ornate robes, and some wore feathered hats while holding scepters encrusted with gems.
The negotiations went very smoothly.
They unanimously expressed their support for Sista and promised to provide a large amount of resources, such as grain, weapons, and mounts.
At the same time, they were willing to provide intelligence and logistical support through their chamber of commerce network.
—
After the meeting ended, Tii rode away from the headquarters.
She had not gone far when a manservant caught up to her. “Miss Tii, please wait. There is another lord who wishes to see you privately.”
Tii was momentarily stunned, but she soon nodded. “Very well.”
She followed the manservant through a dark corridor, finally arriving before a heavy iron door.
The servant knocked three times and pushed the door open. “Please.”
The light inside the room was dim, and it smelled of damp mold.
A masked man of short stature sat at a worn wooden table, eyeing Tii warily.
“This is Lord Owl, a member of one of the underground organizations that cooperates with the Alliance,” the servant introduced.
Tii smiled slightly and gave an elegant bow before sitting down.
The door closed, leaving only the two of them in the room.
“What do you wish to discuss?” she asked calmly.
Owl’s voice was low and raspy. “I heard that you are currently by Sista’s side. What is your relationship?”
A hint of a smile flashed in Tii’s eyes. “It is merely a cooperative relationship where we each take what we need.”
Owl continued to press her. “But why do you trust the Blood Clan? You were once an assassin for the Human Kingdom. Have you forgotten the hatred between humans and the Blood Clan?”
Tii chuckled. “You seem quite interested in my past.”
“However, it is precisely because of that past that I chose my current position.”
“I no longer belong to the Black Feather Organization. As for my birthplace, it has long since lost all meaning to me.”
Owl fell silent for a moment. “Even so, do you really believe the Blood Clan will cooperate sincerely?”
Tii shook her head. “Are you still obsessed with hatred?”
“In this world, the most important thing is interest.”
“The Blood Clan, humans, beastfolk — who among them is not fighting for survival?”
“We are currently facing a common threat. We cannot survive without uniting.”
Owl was momentarily at a loss for words.
His gaze stared intently at Tii through the mask, yet he could find no flaw in her.
Finally, he spoke slowly. “You are right… but there are still many within the Alliance who cannot accept cooperating with the Blood Clan.”
“Therefore, I hope you can obtain more intelligence from the Blood Clan’s side.”
Tii rested her chin on one hand and said indifferently, “Are you worried that the Blood Clan will betray us, or are you worried that the Alliance’s interests will be damaged?”
“I…”
She laughed softly, her tone suddenly turning cold. “Actually, you don’t need to worry about any of that.”
“Because — you aren’t actually part of the Holy White River Alliance at all.”
The air instantly froze.
The expression of the man beneath the mask changed drastically.
“You… when did you find out?!”
Tii stood up and slowly walked toward the door, her tone calm. “There were too many flaws.”
“The real Owl disappeared three months ago during a mission.”
“And you know nothing of the Alliance’s internal situation.”
Her gaze turned sharp. “Your obsession with the hatred between humans and the Blood Clan shows that you come from the human camp.”
“But you also lack experience in underground work.”
“Therefore, you are merely a member of some civilian organization.”
The man fell completely silent.
His body trembled slightly.
“You… why didn’t you expose me?”
Tii gripped the doorknob and glanced back at him with a smile on her lips. “Because what happened today is meaningless to me.”
“But for you, once exposed, the consequences would not be very pleasant.”
She paused, her tone softening. “Leave this place.”
“The Guild Master will discover your identity sooner or later.”
After saying that, she gently pushed open the door.
“Wait!”
The man couldn’t help but shout, “Why did you let me go?”
Tii stopped and said softly, her back to him, “Probably because —”
“The time I spent working with you in the past was very important to me.”
With that, she left the room.
Inside the room, the figure took off the mask and removed the voice changer.
The face revealed was none other than — Phil.
Her back was already soaked in cold sweat.