As dusk approached and the sky began to darken, the trio trekking through the mountains knew they had to prepare for the nightfall.

Suddenly, Tina pointed excitedly ahead. “Look, there seems to be a village over there!”

Kellman and Howard looked in the direction she indicated.

Indeed, there was a village, and they were all relieved at the prospect of finally having a proper meal and a good night’s sleep.

Generally, the presence of people indicated relative safety, which was the source of Kellman and Howard’s relief.

However, recalling the previous town’s fate, their expressions turned solemn again.

Should they risk entering the village?

“We should check it out,” Howard suggested.

Kellman nodded in agreement.

They approached the village, which was not small but eerily quiet.

The muddy ground was almost devoid of people – a bad sign, indicating the area might also be subject to frequent attacks.

With last night’s experience in mind, despite potential dangers, Howard believed they needed to find a safe place within the village.

They couldn’t afford to wander at night.

Tina went ahead to speak with the villagers and returned happily, informing Kellman and Howard that a kind family was willing to shelter them for the night, for a fee.

Kellman immediately agreed, declaring that money was inconsequential in such times.

Staying alive was what mattered most.

His stomach growled with hunger; they needed to eat something soon, or starvation would become a real threat.

With the appearance of Night Demons, even finding wild game in the mountains had become as difficult as scaling the heavens, as all living creatures were potential targets for the Night Demons.

The trio followed Tina to a house that looked exceptionally sturdy, its doors and windows nailed shut with wooden planks.

“Such a large house, it must belong to either the village head or a wealthy landlord,” Howard remarked, while internally questioning the true nature of the compensation sought by the seemingly affluent household.

“Let’s go in,” Tina said, approaching to knock on the door.

An elderly woman greeted them with a smile and led them inside.

In the living room, an old man with graying hair sat on a sofa, greeting the trio warmly.

He invited them to sit down and then said, “Dear guests, I’m sure you’ve seen the state of our village. If you wish to stay here, we’d like to take your weapons as compensation. We can offer you delicious bread, meat, and a warm, comfortable bed. All we ask is that you leave your weapons with us to fend off the night demons.”

Kellman hesitated…

In such perilous times, their weapons were their lifeline.

Yet, they desperately needed food and water.

As Kellman mulled over the decision, Howard spoke up, “I can give you my two spears, would that be acceptable?”

The previous night, Kellman had brought back the guard’s spear as a spare.

Weapons, after all, were consumables, prone to blunting or damage with use.

The spear the squad leader had given Howard had proved quite effective, especially after killing a Night Demon.

Hence, Kellman had entrusted the spear to Howard for safekeeping.

Seeing Howard willing to surrender his weapons, Kellman’s expression immediately grew grave.

“It’s still early; maybe we can think of another solution,” he suggested.

However, Howard stopped him.

“Captain Kellman, as long as we have your sword, we are safe. These two spears don’t mean much.”

He had witnessed Kellman’s prowess the previous night and knew they could rely on him for now.

Tina, understanding Howard’s point, concurred, “That’s right, Captain.”

Kellman sighed, reluctantly agreeing. 𝘦.𝘤𝘰𝑚

Fortunately, the old man’s appetite wasn’t too large; he didn’t demand Kellman’s knightly greatsword.

It was a smart move, as demanding too much might have left him with nothing.

For a well-off family like this, providing a meal wasn’t much, but iron weapons were of significant importance.

After surrendering their spears, the three were granted the right to stay for the night.

They could take a hot bath, enjoy a meaty dinner, and finally get a good night’s sleep – a luxury under these circumstances.

After her bath, Tina came to help Howard with his wounds.

Howard was unsure why Tina was so kind to him; it was almost disconcerting.

Later, Kellman called everyone to dine.

The dinner was as lavish as the old man had promised, featuring two wild rabbits and half a sheep.

The trio was overjoyed, though Howard remained cautious.

He caught a rat outside and used it to test each dish, ensuring the family hadn’t harbored any sinister intentions.

If the food was poisoned, they would be completely vulnerable.

This caution was only natural, considering their desire for weapons.

If they coveted the spears, Kellman’s sword would undoubtedly tempt them even more.

Kellman and Tina were surprised by Howard’s cautious approach.

The elderly couple seemed kind, but they didn’t object to Howard’s poison test, understanding that caution was prudent under such circumstances.

The results were reassuring – the rat that had sampled every dish remained sprightly and unharmed.

There was no poison, much to their relief.

Subsequently, the trio indulged heartily in their meal.

After dinner, Kellman, patting his full belly and looking contentedly at Tina, said, “Don’t waste anything. Let’s pack up the leftovers as reserve food, and keep Howard’s rat too.”

Seeing Kellman’s intention to even utilize the rat, Howard suggested, “Let’s keep the rat. It could be useful for testing food again in the future.”

Kellman found the idea sensible and agreed.

That night, they had a good sleep.

Initially, the old woman had arranged three separate rooms for them, but at Howard’s insistence, they all stayed in one room for safety, taking turns to keep watch.

Even though the food hadn’t been poisoned, they couldn’t rule out any malicious intent during the night.

The possibility of someone using Howard’s gifted spears to harm them as they slept was real.

Despite the arrangement, everyone managed to get a decent rest.

Late into the night, after finishing his turn on guard, Howard glanced at Tina sleeping on the bed.

He then woke Kellman, who was sleeping on the floor, for his turn on watch.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, the elderly woman knocked on their door.

She glanced strangely at the three people sleeping in the same room and then informed them that they could have breakfast before leaving.

Kellman and Tina were immensely grateful; this family had been exceptionally kind.

There was no obligation for the hosts to extend their hospitality beyond the night, yet they had prepared a lavish breakfast with a pot of meaty soup and more soft bread than they could possibly eat.

As Kellman was about to dig in, Howard stopped him, taking out the rat to test the food for poison again.

Kellman’s brow furrowed in disapproval, “Howard, they have been so generous and hospitable. We shouldn’t suspect good intentions. If they see this, they will be deeply hurt.”

Tina also chimed in, “Yes, Howard, we can’t do this.”

Ignoring their protests, Howard continued with the poison test, methodically feeding the rat with the soup and bread.

“The more unlikely it seems, the more we need to be cautious. It’s often in moments of complacency that danger is most likely to strike.”

He knew that those with cunning minds would choose the least expected moment to act.

Kellman and Tina immediately became serious, understanding Howard’s rationale.

They were seasoned warriors and knew the importance of caution.

They wondered if Howard was being overly cautious, but as they entertained this thought, the rat that had been lively and had consumed the soup suddenly convulsed and died, foam oozing from its mouth.

“It’s poisoned!” Kellman exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table.

Tina was stunned, grateful that Howard had intervened before they ate.

The consequences could have been dire.

Both Kellman and Tina were now thoroughly convinced of Howard’s wisdom, with Tina developing a special kind of admiration for him.

Howard seemed to always have a knack for survival.

After a moment of thought, he said, “Let’s dump some of the soup and bread, pretending we’ve eaten it, and turn their plan against them.”

The two nodded in agreement, once again surprised by Howard’s cunning.

Tina let out a dramatic scream, “Ah! I’m dying!” and collapsed to the ground.

At her cue, a group of men armed with clubs burst into the room.

They surrounded Howard and the others, who were feigning unconsciousness from poisoning.

The white-haired old man entered last, glancing over the three people on the ground with a hint of confusion in his eyes. “Why aren’t these three foaming at the mouth?”

Just as he was pondering this, Kellman suddenly sprang up, catching several men off guard with a powerful punch.

The villagers were shocked. With Howard’s earlier warning, Kellman immediately targeted the old man, knowing that to capture the leader is to capture the gang.

“Village chief!” a villager shouted, rushing to protect the old man.

But it was too late. Kellman, as the leader of the Frostwolf Mercenaries, was a renowned figure.

The villagers couldn’t stop him; had he intended to kill, few of them would have survived.

𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮