As soon as the Iron-masked Man left, everyone present immediately glanced around warily, gripping their various weapons tightly, each slowly withdrawing into the forest. No one wanted to leave their back exposed to others, and no one wanted to be the first to fall.
At that moment, A Hao walked up to Li Qi and lowered his voice, "A Jun, let's go too."
Li Qi tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand, took a deep breath, and left the scene with A Hao.
Soon, the two reached an uninhabited area.
The dried leaves underfoot crunched and shattered, filling the air with a damp, decaying smell. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled spots of light on the faces of the two boys, sometimes bright, sometimes dark, much like their current fate—half in the light, half in the shadow.
"A Jun, what is your trial task?" A Hao asked first, his tone casual, like inquiring about what to eat today.
Li Qi was silent for a moment and then said, "Kill three people."
