Chapter 394
“Father, how did it go? Did you find out anything?” Mino asked Ming.
“For the past few days, they’ve been transporting beastmen corpses out of the north gate every night, and the numbers are steadily increasing,” Ming replied.
“It’s the same over by the east gate,” Taru added.
“The south gate is no different,” Aron chimed in.
“I found out that multiple beastmen are being targeted simultaneously in different locations, so there’s definitely more than one culprit at work,” Ridan stated.
“Is there anything unusual about the victims?” Nina asked.
“On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be any noticeable difference,” Ridan replied.
“What about foreign beastmen arriving in Serpent City over the last couple of days? Are there many?” Nina pressed.
“Not many. In fact, it’s a lot fewer than before. Word about what’s happening here must have leaked, and a lot of beastmen are too afraid to come now,” Ming explained.
“With the death toll rising, they probably aren’t even trying to hide it anymore,” Aron noted.
Nina frowned. “Have any of you run into the killers face-to-face? Are there any clues about them p>
“Not yet. The city is too large and they’re scattered, so we haven’t crossed paths with them,” Taru sighed.
Ming and the others nodded, indicating they hadn’t run into them either.
“What about the victimized beastmen? Have you looked into them? Do they share any common traits or specific characteristics?” Nina asked.
“Based on what I’ve observed, the majority are young, highly talented, and relatively strong. Most are at the fifth or sixth rank, with a few even higher. I heard that a ninth-rank and a tenth-rank beastman were also killed recently,” Aron said.
“It’s pretty much the same on our end,” Ming and the others agreed.
Nina fell into thought for a moment. “Most of the killers probably aren’t exceptionally powerful, but there must be at least one incredibly strong beastman among them. Otherwise, it would be impossible to kill a tenth-rank beastman so easily p>
“Agreed. A tenth-rank beastman might lose a fight, but they’d have a very good chance of escaping. To kill one outright, the opponent’s strength would have to far surpass theirs,” Odian noted.
Once a beastman reaches that level, they usually have a few trick up their sleeves to save their own skin.
“Were those two high-ranking beastmen locals of Serpent City, or were they from other cities?” Aviel asked.
“Word is they were from other cities, but their exact identities are unknown. Supposedly, this bit of information was accidentally leaked by a Serpent City guard,” Aron said.
“It’s not just deaths, either. I also discovered that some beastmen have gone missing without a trace. The missing ones are all relatively high-ranking, mostly sixth rank and above. Initially, it was just foreign beastmen, but recently, local beastmen have started disappearing too,” Taru added.
Nina narrowed her eyes. “Those beastmen probably haven’t just gone missing—they’ve likely been drained dry in some hidden corner p>
“My thoughts exactly,” Taru said.
Nina stroked her chin. “I suspect the beastmen corpses we’re seeing now are the work of the culprits relying on those black crystals. As for the higher-ranking beastmen, they were most likely targeted by the beastman with the special ability p>
“I agree with Nina’s theory,” Ming nodded.
“I do too,” Aron nodded.
“We agree as well. But we need to figure out a way to flush out that beastman with the evil ability. Not just because they might be our enemy, but because of the massive threat they pose to the entire Beast World p>
Odian’s expression darkened. “Today it’s Serpent City; tomorrow, it could be any other city p>
“Yes. If we leave them to their own devices, the other cities will fall victim sooner or later,” Nina agreed.
The males all nodded in agreement.
“But they’re in the shadows while we’re out in the open. How are we supposed to flush them out?” Ridan asked.
Everyone fell into deep thought.
After a moment, Nina spoke up. “Let’s head into the city first and find some high-probability targets they might strike next. We can see if we can catch them in a stakeout. If all else fails, we can take a risk and draw the snake out of its hole by using ourselves as bait p>
“Yeah, I agree with Nina’s approach,” Taru said.
He had been thinking along the same lines. The other males voiced their agreement as well.
“Did you notice anything else out of the ordinary?” Nina asked.
“Well, a lot of females and cubs in the city have fallen ill recently. Their symptoms are all pretty much the same—mostly abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and lethargy,” Ridan said.
Nina instantly recalled the conversation between those beastmen who had been burying the corpses. She turned to Ridan. “How long has this been going on p>
“It started about six or seven days ago,” Ridan replied.
“Is it only affecting females and cubs? Are the males perfectly fine?” Nina pressed.
“So far, it seems only females and cubs are coming down with it. I haven’t heard of any males getting sick,” Ridan said. “Then again, we males don’t usually bother going to a witch doctor for minor aches and pains. We tend to just grin and bear it p>
“True. Unless it’s something severe, we males usually don’t seek out a witch doctor. A minor issue like a stomachache is easily ignored, unless it lasts a long time or starts interfering with daily life,” Viann agreed.
This was especially true for the Dragon Tribe, who were notoriously thick-skinned and resilient. Viann himself had barely ever seen a witch doctor growing up. The Black Snake Tribe males were similarly tough.
“So it’s possible that some males have caught it too, but they just didn’t think much of it, or their symptoms were milder, so they didn’t see a witch doctor?” Nina suggested.
It wasn’t out of the question. A male’s immunity and self-healing capabilities were far stronger than those of females and cubs, meaning their symptoms could be milder, or they might have already fought it off on their own.
Nina looked at Ming and the others. “When you went into the city to gather information, did you drink any of their water or eat any of their food p>
Ming and the others shook their heads. “No, we all stuck to the rations we brought with us p>
“Nina, do you suspect there’s something wrong with their water or food supply?” Kith asked.
“If a large number of beastmen are showing identical symptoms, it’s highly probable. But we’ll need to find an opportunity to observe and confirm it,” Nina said.
“Understood p>
The males nodded.
“Any other news?” Nina asked.
“That’s about all for now,” Ming and the others replied.
“Alright, everyone get some good rest tonight. We’ll prepare to head into the city tomorrow,” Nina said. “However, traveling all together makes us too big of a target. To avoid drawing unwanted attention, we should split into groups and enter through different gates at different times p>
“Sounds good p>
None of the males had any objections.
The previous night, Little Bun had finally finished making the protective shields. After discussing their plans and assigning the teams, times, and entry points, Nina distributed the shields and some self-defense items to everyone.
The next day, they began entering the city in separate groups.