Chapter 78 – Distribution (End)

It couldn’t be blamed on the people left behind being astonished. The appearance of Howard and the others at this time was honestly too sorry of a figure. Not only were their hair messy and their complexion pale, even their clothes were muddled with earth and blood. Their appearance looked like their whole body had received injuries.

Of course, this was also a matter of fact.

In the wake of this group crawling up from below, a blood reeking stench was also brought up. The entire stone chamber was suffused with a dense smell of blood.

Everyone from the group all carried a small pouch, the insides was very stiff with who knows what. After placing it on the ground, they all had an appearance of not wishing to speak much. This kind of situation even made everyone that was left behind in the stone chamber, and those didn’t understand the situation, to not make any head or tails of it.

“There’s still a bit of gold down there. You, you, you, all come with me down and bring it back here. Men of Lancas’ squad, you guys also go down with them.” once Commander Howard came up he had a gloomy face. He first pointed a few of his own squadron members that already recovered their stamina, thinking it over, he also instructed the members of Lancas’ squad; allowing them to go down together to bring up the spoils of battle.

“Rumont, what exactly is going on? What did you come across?” Fafnir discovered something wasn’t right with the complexion of the people that came up. He tugged on Rumont and softly asked. “In addition, I remember when you guys went there were 9 of you, how come there’s only 7 when you came up? Where’s the other 2?”

Rumont shook his head. “You’ll know in a bit.”

Those remaining members of Lancas’ squad, seeing that their own Commander and Scarlet Mary did not come up, were also anxious and doubtful. However, they all had the appearance of not wanting to willingly mention it to the few own members that had come up from below. They could only wait until Howard and the others to came up again before asking clearly.

When the generous amount of spoils were brought up into the stone chamber, Howard and the others then all sat in a circle. Howard was the first to talk: “everybody, as you can all see this gold. This is from this time’s investigation in the underground chambers; the spoils of battle that we unexpectedly obtained. Before that, we’ve also eliminated the bugbear’s lair. We can consider our fallen comrades to have been avenged. This bit of gold, we’ll also share it out and send it to the families of the fallen members. Afterall, if it weren’t for them, we also wouldn’t have gone underground to investigate, we wouldn’t even have obtained these spoils of battle. About this, you don’t have any complaints right.”

“None.”

“We don’t have complaints.”

“Yeah. We’ll do as you said, Commander.”

Not only did the members from Howard’s squadron express their approval to Howard’s decision, even the members from Lancas’ squad agreed.

One, because the gold brought up was great enough. Even if there was a few more shares, everyone would still obtain a good amount. Secondly, what Howard said was also reasonable. Besides, if the people that went down the secret passage did not at all object, the others wouldn’t even say anything.

However, at such a time, there was still the query that was put forth from the hearts of the members of Lancas’ squad.

“Commander Howard, can I ask something? Our Commander went down together with you right, then why is it only you guys that came back presently? Where’s Scarlet Mary and him eh? Did something happen to them? If you don’t clear it up, even if there is gold to take, our hearts won’t be at ease.”

Having someone raise it, the other members of Lancas’ squadron would naturally not be silent anymore. You speak a bit, I speak a bit. There were even those that gave Howard and the others a bad look. So long as they don’t obtain any information about Commander Lancas, these people would then prepare to use force.

On one side sighed dejectedly about the matter of Lancas’ deceptive nature in normal times, on the other side, Rumont being the implicated one also didn’t feel right to speak first. Rumont maintained his silence, by Howard’s side.

Temporarily maintaining their silence similar to him, the few people of Lancas’ squad that had personally witnessed Lancas crazily killing people, when they then heard the aggressive inquiry of Lancas and Scarlet Mary that followed, they even had a type of impulse of wishing to find a crack to hide in.

“You wish to know of Lancas’ situation right?” Howard’s complexion was gloom as he spoke: “no need to worry. This is precisely and immediately what I wish to speak of secondly. It’s also a matter that ever since I started being an Adventurer, that I’ve encountered that has made me the most indignant about.”

Continuing on, Commander Howard feeling indignant at the injustice, proclaimed the behaviour of Lancas below. After finished speaking, he again looked at everyone. There were some that accepted and even more that didn’t.

“Commander Lancas would do such a thing?” a non-believing member of Lancas’ squad stood up and questioned. “I don’t believe it. Unless, you’re able to bring out the proof.”

“Alright alright. I understand you’re of the same squadron as Lancas, thus granted that if the truth was placed in front of you, you guys still wouldn’t believe it. However, I can make a vow here, that all that Commander Howard said here is true! Lancas truly used a merciless method of killing Scarlet Mary. Even more was that he announced his personal feud midst of executing this mission. All of this is true. If you don’t believe it, you can go enquiry about Lancas’ identity. Go have a look at whether he truly is Barcas’ son. You could also go down and look at their corpses, look at whether it’s like how Commander said it was.” a member of Lancas’ squadron that had just come up had also indignantly stood up and spoke.

“You……” that member of Lancas’ squadron still felt a bit unresigned and wished to say something, but was halted by Hero’s shout. “Alright, what he’s said is all true! Lancas that guy, truly is a scoundrel! Don’t speak of it anymore!”

Since Hero, who always had an amiable relationship with Lancas, whose abilities was even second of Lancas’ squad, had spoken like this, then Howard’s words were validated; no longer installing doubt. The members of Lancas squad that had all along remained behind above the ground, and wanted to rebuke, had immediately been shocked. Afterwards, they were taken aback in silence.

And once Howard and the others explained in details to Fafnir and the others of what occurred down below, the members on Lancas’ squad all had a blank expression, lacking light in their eyes, all without a peep.

After the matter was then thoroughly explained and understood, Commander Howard stood up and again announced the 3rd item: “currently, I need to announce the third matter.” Everyone all listened in seriously.

“I currently announce, that the collaboration between Lancas’ squadron and ours to hereon end. Because Lancas had conducted such a conspiracy from the beginning, we’ve had 4 good brothers of ours die in this place, unable to ever return home. This enmity no longer allows me to ever use a normal mindset in regards to Lancas’ squad. Thus, carry the gold that belongs to you and leave from this place. Whether you continue to finish your squadron mission, is no longer a concern of ours. However, I will report all that has happened here to the Adventurers Guild, to let them come and adjudicate all that has happened here.”

Once this decision was spoken out by Howard, it once against gave rise to a tempest. The members of Lancas’ squad all lifted their heads and regarded each other’s mutually astonished expressions, wanting to say something yet still feeling a lack of face to say anything.

On each person’s record at the Adventurers Guild, if it had even the slightest of dirtying, then, then each member of Lancas’ squadron would forever bear this bit of dirt. Later on, if they desired to continue get along in the Adventurers world, and furthermore obtain the trust of others, this was sure to be a matter that couldn’t be accomplished.

Only, in the light of what Howard and the others spoke of, their venture this time from the very start was a plot by Lancas; even the alliance between the two squads was part of the conspiracy. Presently, their leader was dead. And although none of them knew anything, as members of Lancas’ squad, even though the said blame wasn’t theirs, but it wasn’t like there wasn’t any.

Just like how Howard declared, an indirect conspiracy had lead to the death a good few people. The evil doer was also Commander Lancas in which the members of Lancas’ squad had always had more than a good feel of. Even if they all first spoke beforehand of not knowing the facts, how would the others believe them like that?

“Commander Howard, I want to say a few words, may I?” at this moment, Rumont had suddenly voiced out.

“Yeah, go ahead.” the impression Howard had of Rumont at this moment had already reached a superb state, the resentment between Lancas had also started from Rumont as well, thus he had naturally nodded and agreed.

Rumont then stood up and faced Commander Howard with a serious face before saying: “Commander Howard, what I wished to speak of, is that I agree with what you just decided. Temporarily concluding the two squad’s alliance……however, my thinking is that the termination of the alliance isn’t because of the hatred between the two squad……honestly thinking it over, everyone would all be aware, that the hatred is honestly originating from the two of us, Lancas and me. Using this kind of method for revenge, for this kind of private grudge between us, is sure to have not been lightly divulged to others. In the end, the members of Lancas’ squad are also victims. Not only were they cheated of their feelings by Lancas, there were even those that lost their lives. Thus, the one that wanted to cause harm, is entirely Lancas, the sole harmer. The people of Lancas’ squad can’t be considered to be accomplices, after all, during the time below ground, Lancas wanted to kill everyone completely. In addition, we currently have an even more important matter to deal with, thus, we by all means cannot have internal discord, else others would watch with vigour.”

Rumont at such a stage, substituted the Lancas’ squadron members in absolving their accusations, causing this squad of Adventurers to all use a grateful gaze to look at him. Afterall, if they carried the accusational burden of a betrayal from a teammate, then these people wouldn’t have any way in continuing on as Adventurers.

Commander Howard was silent for a period, after listening to Rumont speak, honestly, it’s not like he never thought over this matter. However, in regards to the disgust of Lancas, it directly lead to him to treat Lancas’ squad negatively. After a long period from hearing these words of Rumont, he then spoke: “alright then, we’ll do as you said. What else should we currently do?”

“Commander Howard, do you still remember the words Lancas spoke out before dying? He had said that the conspiracy was given to him by Priest Dennis in town. As a clergy member, to go so far as to conduct such a malicious matter, furthermore indirectly causing deaths of how many others, and also nearly causing the members of Howard’s squadron and Lancas’ squadron to become enemies with each other. This behind the scenes instigator is even more abominable than Lancas!” Rumont intensely narrated.

“Yeah! Rumont’s said it!”

“I agree!”

“That person is truly despicable!”

Rumont’s voice had barely receded, when not only the people of Howard’s squad express their agreement for his point of view, even the people from Lancas’ squad hated Priest Dennis to the extreme. If it wasn’t for this Priest, how would they have been deceived, if it wasn’t for that Priest, how would they have almost beared the criminal charge of a teammate’s betrayal?

With this current pretext, everyone shortly agreed. Furthermore, the people from Lancas’ squad were even more indignant than Howard’s squad by ten times.

Adventurers were a group of people that were quick to respond to gratitude or enmity. Thus, the more it was this kind of person, then they would be all the more be disgusted with people like Lancas, that used a conspiracy; the more they would detest the people like Priest Dennis that gave others malicious ideas.

Consequently, the entire squadron of people decided to halt their venture, return to self-cultivation back in town and in addition, subdue the Priest.

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