A Merchant Charles!

"Wait a second... am I forgetting something? Or someone?" James paused mid-thought, the image of a chattering little girl suddenly flashing in his mind. A wave of guilt washed over him. 'That girl... again.' He couldn't help but feel like he'd left something unresolved.

"Ah well, it's time to get going," he muttered to himself. "We've already wasted enough time. That guy's probably losing his patience by now."

With a casual flick of his wrist, James stretched out his right hand, and in a flash, a silver-black sickle, nearly two meters long, materialized in his grasp. The blade shimmered, cold and lethal, with an uneven surface that added to its menacing appearance.

"Wow..." He grinned, admiring the weapon. "This is seriously badass."

The weight of the sickle felt so natural in his hand, as though it was simply an extension of his arm. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation. He spun it once in the air, the blade slicing through the space with a deadly hum, before lightly tapping the edge against the cocoon that surrounded him. With the slightest effort, the sickle tore a large opening, and James stepped out, carrying the weapon as if it were part of him.

His eyes adjusted to the dim light outside, and there, not far from him, sat a slender figure. It was Laura, slumped on the ground, exhausted. Around her lay the broken, bloodied bodies of a dozen creatures; each one a different species, all dead.

"You've done quite a number here," James remarked as he approached, his voice calm but filled with appreciation. He could see the weariness etched on Laura's face. Despite the carnage, she looked utterly drained. "Thank you."

Laura looked up slowly, her eyes bloodshot from battle and fatigue. She stared at him for a long time, her expression one of disbelief. "Are... are you Qin Huo?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You look so different... I can barely recognize you. But that voice... that's the only thing that's the same. If it had changed too, I swear, I would've cut you down on the spot."

James laughed, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "What do you think, uncle? Pretty handsome, huh?"

Laura's face twitched, barely suppressing a sarcastic grin. She gestured weakly at the alien corpses strewn around them. "Handsome? Where do you get that confidence from? If I had known you'd turn into 'this', I wouldn't have stuck around for three days waiting. I would've let those things eat you."

James's expression turned momentarily serious, though a small smirk lingered on his lips. "Come on, I think it's pretty cool."

Laura rolled her eyes but quickly shifted back to a darker tone. "We need to get my storage bag back... I won't let that guy off easily. I swear... I'll... ah!"

The memory of what happened in the cave flashed through her mind, reigniting her fury. She tried to stand but stumbled, her body betraying her. Without thinking, James lunged forward and caught her before she hit the ground. Her body felt limp in his arms, soft and boneless as if all her strength had been drained.

"I'm... starving... and thirsty," Laura whispered, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "The food... it's in my bag... but I'm so sleepy. Can you... please get it back for me?"

James's eyes softened. For a moment, he forgot that Laura, no matter how strong she appeared, was still human; unlike him. She needed food, water, and rest, while he could go on without those things, a strange, unnatural creature.

"Don't worry," he said gently, lifting her small frame onto his shoulder with ease. "When you wake up, I'll make sure your storage bag is back in your hands."

As he hoisted her up, Laura stirred slightly, her face brushing against the cold metal of his sickle. In her half-dazed state, she touched it with her fingers and let out a half-hearted complaint. "Your sickle's really cool... but I'm still a girl, you know! And you just throw me over your shoulder... with a blade right next to my face! What if you cut me?!"

James froze mid-step, stunned. "Uh..." He hadn't considered that. "Yeah, that's... actually a good point. My bad."

With an apologetic smile, he made the sickle vanish as quickly as it had appeared, carefully adjusting Laura on his back so she was more comfortable.

Laura gave him a weary, exasperated look but said nothing, too tired to argue. As they made their way forward, a small, incoherent muttering escaped her lips, followed by a soft snore.

James shook his head with a sigh. 'This girl... even when she's half-dead, she's got a lot to say.'

He carried her carefully as they moved forward, each step taking them further from the chaos and closer to the unknown path that awaited them.

James's mind surged with determination as he focused on the lifeforce escaping from the corpse nearby. With a subtle gesture, he began to draw the energy toward himself.

[Host devours vitality, purification activated: growth value increases by 34 points]

[Host devours vitality, purification activated: growth value increases by 36 points]

The notifications echoed in his mind, each chime signaling a surge of power. In a matter of moments, his growth value skyrocketed by over 200 points.

"Impressive growth rate," he murmured, a mix of relief and awe in his voice. Just then a voice sounded in the distance.

A girl nearby misstepped, her sword slipping from her grasp, and she tumbled to the ground.

"Watch out!" the plump merchant shouted, swinging his own sword just in time to deflect a vicious swipe from an alien creature. He countered with a powerful blow, sending another creature sprawling.

"Mr. Charles!" the girl gasped, scrambling to pull him from beneath the threat of sharp claws. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he puffed, waving her off despite the sweat beading on his forehead. Yet his eyes narrowed at the approaching menace. "Who would've thought I, Charles, would meet my end at the hands of these beasts?"

Before they could dwell on their dire situation, a glimmer of cold silver light sliced through the air, knocking the two aliens to the ground. James stepped forward, his presence commanding attention. "Do you know Harvey and Hailey? They're mercenaries, around 1.7 meters tall, in their twenties..."

The two turned to see him, a figure cloaked in black, his robe fluttering eerily despite the stillness around them. A massive, blood-dripping scythe rested on his shoulder, and the shadows obscured his face, giving him an otherworldly appearance, like a harbinger of doom. A girl was bound on his back, adding to the ominous atmosphere.

"Ahhh! A ghost!" Charles shrieked, instinctively clutching the girl next to him. His legs kicked frantically against the ground, while she stood frozen, her face as pale as the moon.

[Host devours fear: growth value +6]

James scowled, frustrated at the unintended effect of his appearance. Was he truly that terrifying? Besides Laura, it seemed everyone else reacted as if they'd seen a specter.

"Calm down! I'm not a ghost; I'm human," he said, trying to sound reassuring despite his dark demeanor.

The merchant quickly regained his composure, sensing the F-level aura emanating from James. A grin spread across his face as he dusted himself off. "Oh! You're an F-level master! My apologies! Here, take this as a token of gratitude for saving my life." He rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a herb adorned with vibrant floral patterns and a blood crystal the size of a baby's fist.

James hesitated at first, but the mention of the blood crystal piqued his interest. He snatched it from Charles's hand and tucked it away. The merchant beamed with delight at the unexpected generosity, his eyes sparkling with gratitude.

"It was just a small favor. Keep the elixir for yourself," James replied, patting the merchant's shoulder. "But about those two I mentioned... do you know where they are?"

The merchant slapped his thigh enthusiastically. "Ah, you must mean the hyena brother and sister! They're the most notorious in our circle!"

James's interest sharpened. "So you know them?"

"Absolutely! Not only do I know them, but I also know exactly where they are. Let me fill you in..." Charles's eagerness was palpable as he launched into a detailed account, completely oblivious to the lurking dangers around them.