Chapter 196: Night Owl

Without the slightest hesitation, Zoetter lowered his lance and charged. The galloping warhorse thundered across the ground, each step echoing with a deafening rumble.

Fast as lightning, Zoetter caught up to the fleeing boy in an instant. The long shaft was tucked under his arm, the spear tip radiating a bone-chilling cold.

The boy, still running for his life, had no idea what was happening.

A fierce wind roared past his ears. The sharp lance had already arrived. He had no chance to dodge—only a sudden chill spread across his back.

"Pshhk!"

The lance pierced straight through him without resistance. The boy was flung into the air like a kite with its string cut, sent flying far away before crashing heavily onto the ground.

"Excellent! Mighty as always, my lord!" the soldiers immediately cheered.

"..."

The woman in the white dress trembled all over. Rage surged within her as she clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

But Zoetter was not satisfied. He casually turned his horse around and charged toward another child.

This time, he didn’t even use his lance. The powerful, charging body of the warhorse alone was enough—just a slight collision sent the child tumbling beneath its hooves.

The chest collapsed instantly, and the life in the child’s eyes vanished at once.

"Fine horse!" Zoetter roared excitedly. "Back in my youth, this is how I slaughtered those damned Franverians!"

Then came the third, the fourth—one after another, the children were used to test his warhorse.

By the end, Zoetter was panting heavily, yet still insisted on killing the last child.

"Waaah..."

The little boy cried uncontrollably, still fantasizing about bread.

"Hyah! For glory!"

Zoetter raised his lance and drove it forward viciously.

"Boom!"

A silver figure suddenly descended, blocking the powerful strike.

As the dust settled, a slender woman in a white cloak stood there, gripping the lance tip between two fingers. Killing intent radiated from her like something tangible. Her golden eyes were filled with disgust, and she bared her fangs slightly as she sneered, "Had your fun yet?"

"Who are you?" Zoetter’s right hand had gone numb from the recoil of the lance. Fear surged through him, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. But when he regained his composure and saw that the figure before him was a stunning blonde woman, he burst into laughter. "You scared me to death—so it’s a Divine Chosen lady."

"My name is Brinda Lioness."

Brinda released the lance tip and casually tossed aside her cloak. The distinctive winged emblem on it gleamed brilliantly.

"Ah, hello, hello—I’m Zoetter." Wiping the sweat from his brow, Zoetter’s heart was still racing. That moment had truly frightened him.

With a foolish grin, he said, "By the War Goddess, I knew it—last night I dreamed of an angel, so something good was bound to happen. And here you are, a beautiful Divine Chosen lady. You’re most welcome."

He looked her up and down. Her entire body was like a finely sculpted masterpiece. Her revealing, form-fitting battle attire—a short skirt and tight clothing—barely covered the essentials.

A golden necklace adorned her flawless chest like an exotic desert flower. Her full, soft bosom was strikingly prominent.

Her long nails swayed slightly with her fingers, drawing the eye.

Brinda waved a finger. "Enough nonsense. Let’s get to the point."

"Oh? My dear Divine Chosen, can’t wait already?" Zoetter’s face lit up with delight. "Perfect timing—I’ve never contracted a Divine Chosen before. I swear, you can have everything in my territory. Anything you want—including boys like the one behind you."

"Hahaha, you’re about to die and still don’t realize it. Who would ever contract with trash like you?"

Brinda laughed as if she’d heard the funniest joke in the world. "Sorry—I’m an assassin from Night Owl. I specialize in killing scum like you nobles."

With that, right in front of Zoetter—

"Third-tier divine skill: Rampage of the Blood Lion."

In the next moment, the phantom of a blood-winged lion emerged behind Brinda.

"W-what?! An assassin?!" Zoetter’s pupils shrank in terror. The moment he heard the name of the recently active assassin organization, he nearly lost control. "Guards! Take her down!"

Before he could finish, Brinda casually threw a punch. The phantom lion mirrored her movement, striking with a massive paw.

"Pshhk."

There was no chance to dodge, no dramatic clash—Zoetter was instantly crushed into a mangled heap.

"Ah?!"

"Help!"

"Run!"

Seeing their lord dead, the soldiers who had been advancing froze, then turned and fled without hesitation. The servants collapsed in panic, scrambling away in terror.

"You’re accomplices too. You deserve to die."

Brinda rolled her shoulders, preparing to wipe them all out.

At that moment, the woman in the white dress—who had spoken with Zoetter earlier—sighed helplessly. With a flick of her fingers, a cluster of throwing knives appeared in her hand. She glanced casually at the fleeing crowd and released them.

A series of soft impacts followed as the blades struck their targets. The fleeing figures collapsed one after another.

"Our dear Miriam, you finally decided to act. I thought you were planning to let that fat baron pin you to the ground." Brinda walked up familiarly, wrapping an arm around the white-dressed girl’s neck and pulling her into her chest. "Long time no see—you’re still as beautiful as ever."

"Mmph—!"

Miriam struggled hard before finally breaking free from Brinda’s embrace. Gasping for breath, she said coldly, "Enough, you lioness. Do you have any idea how much effort it took for me to gain Zoetter’s trust? And you just ruined all of it."

"Sorry... I just couldn’t take it anymore. That bastard was abusing children! I hate myself for not stepping in sooner."

Brinda pouted like an oversized child, sneaking glances at Miriam’s expression before bending slightly in a pleading gesture. Her chest swayed heavily, strikingly eye-catching.

"Still mad? Meow~"

"Alright, alright, stop acting cute." Miriam waved her hand helplessly. "I forgive you. Honestly, I wanted him dead too."

"Hehe, can you tell me your plan?" Brinda punched the air excitedly. "I’ve been itching for action—if I don’t fight, I can’t live!"

"The captain assigned me a new mission—to investigate the underground ball in Maple Leaf Territory. If the Empire is a rotten tree, then Maple Leaf Territory is one of its filthiest fruits. I originally planned to use Zoetter’s identity to attend the ball."

"We could have gathered more valuable intelligence—or saved more people."

At this point, Miriam shot Brinda a sharp glare.

"I see... I’m sorry."

Brinda dropped her playful demeanor, her face turning gloomy.

"Fine, don’t look so down. I still have a backup plan." Miriam sighed and, as if performing a trick, produced a sheet of parchment. "The Baron of Nightfall Domain, Phield, has also attended underground balls—and he’s an utter scoundrel. He enjoys feeding slaves to corrupted corpses for amusement."