Carson Flores stood on the road, waiting quietly.
Josie Howell flashed out of a house with blue tiles and rushed over. Seeing that Carson Flores was the only one at the rendezvous point, her gaze swept over his backpack, "What have you found?"
Carson Flores replied calmly, "Nothing."
The miraculous scene he had witnessed earlier was clearly etched in his mind, and he instinctively wanted to keep it hidden.
Though he had only picked up an ordinary-looking ring, he always felt that the man’s identity was probably not simple. Plus, the man had vanished into thin air, so Carson Flores subconsciously concealed the incident.
Josie Howell sneered, "Three hours and you have nothing to show for it?"
Carson Flores said indifferently, "The rich homes with blue bricks and tiles have all been taken by you. The places I checked were just thatched cottages. What gain do you think I could have there? Or would you like me to bring over some hoes and harrows for you?"
Josie Howell disbelieved, "Give me your backpack to check."
Carson Flores said lightly, "You can come and get it yourself."
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Josie Howell said coldly, "Fine, I’ll take it!"
Just as Josie Howell moved toward Carson Flores, Jeffrey Howell and Garrett Howell came over side by side. Garrett Howell shouted, "Josie!"
Josie Howell turned her head and, playing the victim, said, "I suspect that Carson Flores is hiding his findings. He claims he has nothing, and when I asked to see his backpack, he refused..."
Garrett Howell stepped forward, glanced at Josie Howell, hesitated, then turned to look at Carson Flores and said, "According to our agreement, we have a right to know about any items you’ve obtained..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Carson Flores had already taken off his backpack and thrown it over.
Garrett Howell’s remaining words were stuck in his throat. Seeing Josie Howell approach, he ultimately opened Carson Flores’s backpack.
Inside the backpack, there were some processed medicinal herbs neatly packed in boxes, along with a silver needle case and other items. There were quite a few things, but it was obvious at a glance that they were his personal belongings brought with him.
Garrett Howell looked up, but before he could speak, Carson Flores had already turned his pockets inside out in a clean and efficient manner.
Garrett Howell sighed, knowing that his behavior had offended Carson Flores and only deepened the animosity between Carson Flores and the four members of the Howell Family.
After all, the act of forcibly searching someone’s backpack carried an insulting nature.
Carson Flores had even turned his pockets inside out. This wasn’t cooperation; it was mockery, a deliberate slap in the face to the Howell Family.
Josie Howell said coldly, "Who knows if he found something valuable and hid it, not wanting us to find out?"
Garrett Howell exclaimed, walking up to Carson Flores and handing back the backpack, "There’s no other meaning to this; don’t overthink it."
Carson Flores’s face twitched slightly, revealing a smile that was neither genuine nor kind.
Garrett Howell immediately felt quite awkward, as if he’d been caught doing something wrong.
Fortunately, Ruben Howell returned, and Garrett Howell quickly changed the subject, "Everyone’s here. Let’s move on. We need to reach the central town as soon as possible, otherwise, all the good items will end up in someone else’s hands."
The group set off again, engaging in animated discussions about their recent finds. Carson Flores, however, remained silent, following a few steps behind them, isolated and alone.
Garrett Howell noticed it and seemed to want to say something, but after hesitating for a long while, he never did speak.
He was an outsider after all.
There was no need to hurt one of their own over an outsider.
As Carson Flores walked, he suddenly stopped and looked around.
Garrett Howell looked back and asked, "Carson Flores, what’s wrong?"
Carson Flores snapped back to reality, hesitated, and then said, "I just have this feeling that something is watching us. Do you feel it too?"
Garrett Howell was taken aback and looked at the others.
Jeffrey Howell and Ruben Howell both shook their heads; they didn’t feel anything like that.
Josie Howell scoffed, "Kid, stop making up such nonsense. If someone is really spying on us in secret, then you, who’ve just entered the Grandmaster Realm, have noticed, and we haven’t?"
Garrett Howell held back Josie Howell with his hand and smiled at Carson Flores, "Could it be because it’s so dark around us that you’re nervous and it’s creating illusions?"
Carson Flores himself was unsure and just wanted to confirm if they felt the same. Knowing the answer, he didn’t argue and laughed, "Maybe I got it wrong."
Hearing Carson Flores say that, Josie Howell’s face showed an even greater sense of ridicule. In her opinion, Carson Flores was merely acting out because he had been humiliated by her and was now trying to scare everyone as payback.
Garrett Howell looked at the map in his hand, and said firmly, "Let’s pick up the pace. We can’t fall behind, or else all the good stuff will be gone."
The five of them accelerated their pace, advancing rapidly towards the town.
Shortly after they left, a gust of wind arose in the dark sky, and a shadow as large as a bat suddenly rose from the forest, gliding silently through the sky towards the direction of the town. In the blink of an eye, countless shadows rose up, following closely behind the first one—a dense, dark mass.