# Chapter 16: Cruelty (Part 2)
"Linley, it's actually you. How wonderful!" A delighted voice rang out as a lean young man quickly jogged over. This young man was someone Linley had met during his journey to the Warcraft Mountains. The other two from that time—his classmate 'Desert' and the burly man 'Kava'—had both died.
Back then, when facing the wind-type archer, Linley had cast the earth-type magic 'Earth Spike Array,' and the agile fifth-stage warrior 'Matt' had taken the opportunity to flee. However, Linley didn't really care that the other had escaped first. After all, Matt and he had no real connection.
To be honest, among those three, Linley only had some trust in his classmate 'Desert.' The burly man 'Kava' had left a decent impression on him too. Only this 'Matt' had left the most ordinary impression in Linley's mind.
"So it's Matt. I didn't expect that after a month apart, we'd meet in the Warcraft Mountains." Linley remained very calm.
Matt, however, appeared extremely excited. "This is really great! In this past month in the Warcraft Mountains, I've nearly become a warcraft's snack several times. Lucky to be alive. Hey, a Bloodlust War Pig? Linley, you killed a Bloodlust War Pig? That's amazing!"
Linley smiled.
"I'm hungry. I've heard that the meat of the Bloodlust War Pig and the Bloodlust Iron Bull is very chewy and satisfying to bite into. I haven't had lunch yet. You wouldn't mind sharing a bit of that Bloodlust War Pig meat with me, would you?" Matt joked.
The Bloodlust War Pig was enormous, with several hundred jin of meat on its body. Even ten people would have more than enough.
"Of course not." Linley flipped his hand, produced a short blade, and prepared to butcher the Bloodlust War Pig.
"Linley, you don't need to bother. This Bloodlust War Pig is your trophy—how could I let you do the work? Let me handle it. My barbecue skills are quite impressive." Saying this, Matt walked toward the Bloodlust War Pig and pulled out a short knife from his waist.
Matt skillfully twirled the short knife and began dismembering the Bloodlust War Pig with ease. He separated the four legs, tongue, and tail, then washed them clean in the nearby stream.
"Boss, his technique is pretty smooth. Doesn't seem worse than yours." The little shadowmouse 'Bebe' jumped onto Linley's shoulder and transmitted telepathically.
Linley turned his head to glance at the cute little shadowmouse 'Bebe' on his shoulder and sighed inwardly. An outsider seeing such a small black shadowmouse would probably think it was just an ordinary black shadowmouse, not much of a threat. But in reality—
Linley still remembered the terrifying scene when little shadowmouse 'Bebe,' in a fit of rage, had killed that black-clad assassin and that hypocritical little girl.
"You can't judge by appearances, and you can't judge warcraft by their looks either." Linley sighed to himself.
Meanwhile, Matt had quickly set up a roasting rack and taken out some coarse salt and seasonings from his pack. "Linley, the thigh meat of the Bloodlust War Pig definitely has a good chew. And the pig's tongue is tender and fragrant. The pig tail has a pretty good flavor too."
As he spoke, Matt expertly sliced the pig's tongue and tail into several portions. Watching Matt use a flint to light the wood, Linley—even though he could use fire-type magic—didn't interfere and simply watched as Matt rapidly and continuously roasted the meat.
After a long while.
"Almost done. Give it a try." Matt enthusiastically handed a pig leg to Linley.
Linley, however, passed the pig leg to Bebe beside him. Bebe immediately took it joyfully and began devouring it in big mouthfuls. This pig leg was three or four times Bebe's size, yet Bebe managed to eat it all clean in a short time.
This scene left Matt dumbfounded.
"As expected of a warcraft. Even a black shadowmouse can eat this much." Matt sighed in amazement, then handed a piece of roasted pig tongue to Linley. "Linley, come on, try my cooking."
Linley smiled and refused, "No need. I'm not used to eating that. The leg meat is enough." Linley grabbed a pig leg and began eating it without restraint. Matt laughed and said, "Then I won't force you. If you won't eat it, I will. Haha."
Matt savored the pig tongue and tail as if enjoying a delicacy.
By the time Linley had finished the entire pig leg, Matt hadn't even touched the roasted pig leg beside him.
"You've finished it all? Haha, good. I'm half-full now. I'll save this pig leg for when I get hungry later." Matt took an oilcloth from his pack, wrapped the pig leg, and put it away.
Linley glanced at Matt.
It seemed this Matt wanted to travel together with him.
"Matt, I only need myself for training in the Warcraft Mountains. Let's part ways here." Linley said directly.
Matt immediately frowned and replied, "Linley, the Warcraft Mountains are very dangerous. If we're together, it'll be much safer. To be honest, this past month, I've been on edge the whole time. I can't even sleep soundly at night."
"Then do as you please."
Linley didn't waste any more words. He headed alone into the deep forest at great speed. Matt smiled and quickly caught up from behind, though his gaze occasionally flickered toward the leather pack on Linley's back, a strange glint in his eyes.
"This pack is different from the one Linley was carrying a month ago. And it's much fuller." Matt sneered inwardly, but his smile grew even more friendly. Matt wasn't like Linley—before entering the Warcraft Mountains, he had trained in many other places.
Matt quickened his pace to keep up, chattering cheerfully, "Linley, you're really great. Following you puts my mind at ease. Two people are definitely stronger than one. At night, we can take turns sleeping instead of staying alert the whole night."
Linley remained silent, occasionally glancing around, carefully watching for warcraft in the mountains.
...
Slowly advancing northward through the Warcraft Mountains, Linley didn't dare continue east. Going further east would likely take him into the dangerous zones of the Warcraft Mountains. The area Linley was in now generally had fifth-stage and sixth-stage warcraft.
Matt followed alongside the whole way, looking quite cheerful.
Two days later.
At dusk, the surroundings were dim. Linley and Matt walked one behind the other, continuing forward.
"Linley, don't you think we should head back? Honestly, we've been in the Warcraft Mountains long enough." Matt suggested quietly as they walked.
Linley simply shook his head faintly without speaking.
Matt felt some resentment inwardly. "This Linley is very alert every night when he rests. No opportunity at all." Matt wasn't sure if he could kill Linley either—after all, surviving this long in the Warcraft Mountains was proof of strength.
"Hm?" Linley, as if sensing something, abruptly turned his head toward a distant thorn bush. A blurry black shadow was hiding within it.
Seeing Linley turn his back to him, Matt's eyes revealed greed and excitement. His short knife moved with practiced ease, stabbing without hesitation toward Linley's back—
Linley spun around instantly, grabbing Matt's right wrist as he thrust the knife forward. His gaze was cold and icy as he said, "What are you doing?"
"You—" Matt was startled. He couldn't believe that attacking from behind, the other had somehow sensed it and blocked him.
Matt then grinned viciously at Linley. "What am I doing? Great mage genius, I'll tell you—I'm going to kill you." Matt was full of confidence. In close quarters, how could a fifth-stage warrior fail to kill a fifth-stage mage?
Matt's right arm suddenly exerted force, battle qi swirling around it. With a violent shake, he broke free from Linley's grip.
"Die!" Matt glared ferociously at Linley, his short knife slashing swiftly toward him.
"Roar~~~"
A terrifying sound rang out. "What?" Matt's heart trembled at the sound. Then he saw a small black shadow appear before his eyes in an instant.
"What... what is this?" By the time Matt recognized the black shadow as the little shadowmouse 'Bebe' that always played around Linley, the little shadowmouse had already opened its mouth, filled with densely packed, interlocking sharp teeth, and lunged at Matt's face.
"No—"
Matt immediately retreated at top speed, turning his head to dodge.
"Pfft!"
The little shadowmouse's speed far exceeded Matt's imagination. How could Matt possibly evade it? The little shadowmouse's right front claw swung out like a sharp sickle, slicing off most of Matt's neck. Blood sprayed wildly.
"Ah... ahhh..." Clutching his throat, Matt's eyes bulged like an ox's. He stared at the little shadowmouse in disbelief and terror, his heart filled with horror. "Black shadowmouse... is it a black shadowmouse?"
At the moment of death, as consciousness faded, Matt's mind was filled with confusion and terror. He had prepared for this attack for a long time, but he had never paid any attention to that little black shadowmouse.
Black shadowmouse—the weakest level among shadowmice.
But in his dying moment, Matt realized that this seemingly cute little shadowmouse was the most terrifying monster of all.
"Thud!"
Matt's hands, clutching his throat, finally fell limp. His body collapsed powerlessly, blood staining his clothes and soaking the ground.