Chapter 22

As the canyon camp's lights gradually dimmed, Ethan and two guards rose to their feet. He nodded to Milia, and with utmost agility and silence, the trio descended beneath the canyon. As agreed, they would stealthily approach the campsite, eliminate a few guards discreetly, then inspect the carriages. Once they confirmed the boxes contained standard gold bars from different cities, Ethan would signal, and the main force would descend, seizing control of the camp.

By the campfire in front of the tents, Kenny and Burke sat side by side, savoring wine and jerky. Both wore impassive expressions, lost in contemplation without exchanging words. The crackling flames consumed the wood, emitting a faint warmth in the canyon's chilly night.

"Are you sure about the people you arranged?" Kenny asked in a hushed tone.

Burke glanced at him. "Are you sure about the gold you acquired?"

Kenny was rendered speechless by Burke's retort, silently continuing to eat and drink.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the night sky, indicating imminent danger. Burke and Kenny leaped up, grabbing their swords and armor. Firelight illuminated the canyon as explosions echoed from a distance, indicating the use of explosives. Unidentified enemies launched attacks from both sides. Milia signaled her team to hold their ground.

A chaotic battle erupted. Dozens of warriors clad in black and masked approached from the west, wielding torches and spears. Horses, agitated by the flames, fled in all directions. From the other end of the canyon, warriors on black horses clad in black cloaks charged forth, with white cloth strips tied around their arms. They wielded longbows, shooting arrows indiscriminately. Kenny, Burke, and the mule guards were thrown into disarray, each fleeing and dodging under the onslaught.

On the battlefield, black-robed warriors on horseback charged and struck each other, unable to discern friend from foe. Shouts and cries of pain resounded, along with arrows flying haphazardly and torches waving. Several tents and wagons were set ablaze, their flames licking the black sky.

In the chaos, Kenny rolled under a carriage, while Burke sought refuge up the hillside. Kenny surreptitiously tied a white cloth band on his black robe sleeve, pulled up his mask, and rolled out from under the carriage. Every move of his was quietly observed by one person. Ethan emerged from behind a tent, deflecting arrows from the darkness, while keeping a close watch on Kenny's fleeing direction, running after him.

Kenny seized a galloping horse, pulling the reins tightly and dislodging the dead soldier on its back. He mounted the horse, bent over, and urged it towards the western valley. Warriors wielding spears charged towards him. Kenny slid to one side, hanging off the horse's back, his arm holding the reins and the horse's neck. He urged the horse forward, breaking through the encirclement of warriors and galloping towards the deeper, darker parts of the canyon.

Ethan forcefully kicked away an approaching figure in a black robe before turning towards a mounted warrior. Seizing the moment, he leaped with exceptional strength, charging at a sword-wielding warrior on horseback and landing a powerful punch to his face. With a loud crack, the warrior cried out in pain, falling from the horse on the opposite side. Ethan steadied himself on the saddle with one hand, quickly turned the horse's head, and galloped towards the western exit of the canyon, disappearing into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Milia, positioned on a hill, used the faint glimmer of the campfire and her elven far-sight ability to observe the unfolding scene clearly. She understood that apprehending Kenny would confirm his involvement in the theft of gold. Acting decisively, Milia signaled her arrest squad to swiftly advance along the ridge, heading west.

The darkness impaired the horses' vision, causing them to slow down. Kenny, hearing the approaching hooves, let out a whistle, released the reins, and leaped off the horse. After rolling on the ground twice, he stood up with his muscles audibly cracking. His clothes burst open, revealing his transformation into a werewolf. His black fur shimmered in the moonlight, free from all constraints, as he dashed forward, leaving behind all bindings.

Behind him, Ethan rode up on a horse, executing his movements with fluidity and speed. He also quickly discarded the reins, leaped off, and rolled into a werewolf. This wolf, too, was covered in black fur, with a slightly broader forehead and a noticeable injury on its right ear. In the moonlight, its muscular body emitted a faint glow as it leaped forward with tremendous force, its large paw making a dull thud on the rocks, running faster and more fiercely.

After a chase, the pursuing wolf caught up with the fleeing one. Its threatening roar made the leading wolf try to evade into the bushes on the hillside. The injured wolf followed suit, and the two wolves finally faced each other, glaring with fierce eyes, attacking with claws and teeth. The air was filled with the intense smell of animals, a mixture of blood and sweat. When Milia and her squad caught up, they witnessed this scene. This time, she could distinguish between Ethan and Kenny. She commanded her guards to surround them, "Stop fighting, Kenny, there's no escape. Surrender."

The two wolves separated, circled each other, and transformed back into human forms. Two naked men stood tall and strong in the night. Milia approached, "Where else do you plan to run? Surrender!"

Kenny snorted, "Hey, I came to help. I heard Annina was planning to steal a lot of treasures. For the sake of our tribe, I came to defend it."

"You," Milia laughed angrily, "still lying at this point? This batch of gold was your and Annina's doing."

"Haha, do you have any evidence? Have you caught Annina? How can you prove that this batch of gold was from me?" Kenny denied it to the end.

Ethan rushed up to hit him but was restrained by others. "Bring him back first," Milia ordered. Two guards approached Kenny, covering him with a coarse cloth and binding his wrists with iron chains, then led him back.

Milia handed Ethan a cloak from another guard, telling him to wrap himself up. She asked, "Are you injured?" Ethan shook his head, wiping away the blood from his face, then anxiously asked Milia, "Have we caught Annina?"

"Don't worry, Liam's men have surrounded her villa. She can't escape," Milia replied. She then hurried over to the guards, conversed with them, and arranged the return journey. Ethan watched her calm and meticulous command, showing an approving smile.

The group traveled through the night, returning to the city of Lawrence on the second evening. Without resting, they took Kenny to the leader's office in the council chamber, where Liam was waiting for them. He silently looked at Kenny, then ordered the soldiers to take him to the dungeon for imprisonment. Kenny loudly protested, "I am a righteous citizen, I came to defend our wealth, I took the initiative to arrest Annina, this is a huge misunderstanding!" He had been protesting like this all the way, but everyone simply ignored him.

Furrowing his brow, Liam waved his hand, "Mr. Kenny, just stay put. If we can't prove your guilt, we'll release you." The guards took him away, closing the door behind them.

"Dismissed, go back and rest well, boys," Liam smiled at the guards who had participated in the pursuit, patting their shoulders. The guards saluted him and then turned and walked out. Liam turned to look at Milia and Ethan, his expression turning grim. "Annina has been caught, she's also in the dungeon. The gold was transported from her villa. She can't run now."

"However," Liam paused, "the gold is too suspicious." Milia worriedly said, "Is the gold still there? We saw two groups fighting for it."

"It was because of their melee, with many casualties on both sides. The remaining forces probably couldn't move such a large amount of gold. When we arrived, we managed to retrieve it. There were over fifty thousand standard gold bars," Liam sighed. "These lunatics. They cleaned up the battlefield very thoroughly, leaving no trace behind. To this day, we still don't know which factions they belong to."

Ethan interjected, "One group was Kenny's people. When he fled, he disguised himself as one of them, and their swords and knives avoided him. He arranged for someone to try to grab the gold for himself."

Liam opened his mouth, then closed it again, seemingly incredulous. Milia said coldly, "It's not impossible. The other side might even be Annina's people. These two are really interesting."

"The problem now is, we may indeed be unable to convict Kenny because we didn't catch him at the scene of transporting the gold. Of course, he will deny any involvement," Liam pondered. "The elders still heavily favor him, after all, he is the only son of the former leader, Dade."

Ethan angrily slammed his fist on the table, "Can someone who committed such a serious crime still be let go just because he is the leader's son? If it were us wandering werewolves, we would have our hands broken for stealing a loaf of bread." Milia reached out and gently held Ethan's arm, saying softly, "Trust Liam, believe that he will get to the bottom of this."

Liam stood up, looking solemnly into Ethan's eyes, "The amount of gold involved is huge, which means tribes from several continents are implicated. I believe even the godly beings will be alarmed. No matter what force is manipulating Kenny and Annina, the truth will come to light in the end."