After that, Evangeline naturally didn’t ask any more questions.

The rest of the journey was exceptionally silent. No one mentioned Rhea or the Young Clan Leader again.

Evangeline sat astride Lachlan’s back, her fingertips sinking into his fur. She lowered her lashes, not saying a word. Lachlan’s long tail silently wrapped around her waist, its tip gently brushing the back of her hand.

"It’s all right. We’ll find him." Lachlan’s voice was ethereal and clear. Perhaps because he was in his beast form, his words carried the characteristic purr-like vibration of a feline Beastman, which she felt through her back pressed against his.

Evangeline leaned all the way down, burying her face in the fur on Lachlan’s back as if sinking into a snowdrift.

Nix turned his head to glance at her, a flicker in his purple eyes.

Of course, he understood they were talking about Danton, the Mer Clan Beastman with the severed tail.

Fearing she might fall, Lachlan tightened his tail around her, holding her securely in place.

He lightened his steps, his paw pads making almost no sound as they trod upon the muddy path. He moved with exceptional steadiness, as if he carried the weight of the entire world on his back.

After two bumpy days on the road, they finally arrived at the site of the Grand Tribal Market.

Evangeline took a bite of a wild fruit, gazing at the sprawling settlement of grass huts that stretched almost beyond sight. Banners bearing the totems of various tribes snapped in the wind, accompanied by a cacophony of noise.

She raised an eyebrow. "It really looks like every tribe in Norfell is here. Quite the gathering."

Nix’s long lashes veiled his deep purple eyes, casting dark shadows beneath them. His voice was a low rasp, as if ground out from his chest. "All this... for one Fallen Beastman with an Eight-Star Pattern?"

The last of his words vanished into the clamor of the crowd, laced with an unspoken mockery.

The tips of Lachlan’s ears twitched. He turned his gray-brown Beast Eyes toward Nix, his voice calm. "In the eyes of other Beastmen, Fallen Beastmen are filth. When it comes to matters like this, they will stop at nothing."

"What are you two talking about?" Coral Cetus suddenly appeared, tilting her head as she looked at them in confusion.

Evangeline turned to her, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Is something wrong?"

Coral Cetus stared, a bit mesmerized by the gentle smile spreading across Evangeline’s bewitching face.

A breeze swept by, sending ripples across her Merweave Silk. She suddenly remembered Stellan’s words and, biting her lip, waved her hand dismissively. "N-no, it’s nothing. It’s just... we’re at the Grand Tribal Market, and we have things to trade with other tribes, so we have to go. Flora, see you next time."

With that, Coral Cetus led her companion away, disappearing into the crowd without a backward glance.

Evangeline watched quietly as Coral Cetus departed, her eyes following until the figures of the mergirl and Stellan were completely swallowed by the throng.

Lachlan’s ethereal voice was low. "You’re not going to ask her?"

She lowered her lashes, her fingertips gently stroking the fur at Lachlan’s neck. "No need," she said lightly. "Right now, what’s important is finding Drake. As for Danton... she’ll tell me."

A wisp of red silk coiled around Evangeline’s fingertip, invisible to others.

A nearly inaudible purr rumbled in Lachlan’s throat in response.

Just then, a dull drumbeat sounded from a ceremonial platform in the distance. The sound waves caused the grass huts to tremble and shake.

Evangeline leaped nimbly from the Snow Leopard’s back, landing beside Nix.

A halo of light enveloped Lachlan, and in an instant, he shifted into his human form, taking his place to guard her other side.

The three of them gazed toward the platform, where several distinctively dressed tribal leaders stood in the distance.

Evangeline narrowed her eyes, her gaze sweeping carefully over each face. They were all leaders of major tribes. She had expected to see Elias Moretti among them, but to her surprise, he was absent.

After annihilating the Oasis Tribe and annexing the Midridge Tribe, the Grymdale Tribe should have secured its position as the hegemon of Norfell. Yet he hadn’t come. This meant he had no intention of participating in the hunt for Caden Albright.

Just then, the leader of the group began to speak.

He was a burly, boorish man with a long beard. Strings of Bone Ornaments hung across his bare, bronze chest, clacking dully against each other. His voice was incredibly loud and resonant.

"For all the tribes to gather on the Plains of Wildgrass and hold this Grand Tribal Market together... it does me, this Old Bear, a great honor." The burly man cupped one fist in his other hand and surveyed the crowd, the bone beads on his chest CLATTERING.

He grinned, revealing yellowed fangs. "Today, we’re going to start with a special piece of business."

With that, he planted his hands on his hips and boomed, "Bring them up—"

To the sound of stumbling footsteps, the platform suddenly began to shake. A long line of Beastmen, their necks bound with rough vines, were dragged onto the high stage one after another like swine.

These Beastmen were filthy from head to toe, their bodies whipped until their flesh was raw and split open. Dark red wounds were still oozing blood.

Evangeline’s brow furrowed slightly as she watched the bloody spectacle.

The thick, metallic smell of blood rushed into her nostrils. Her stomach churned, and she bent over slightly, suppressing a nearly inaudible gag. Lachlan immediately stepped in front of her to block the wind, his warm hand steadily supporting her.

Nix raised a hand. His long fingers threaded through Evangeline’s loose dark hair as he pulled her into his arms.

The rich, dark fragrance that clung to him enveloped her like an invisible shield, masking the stench of blood.

The tribal Beastmen gathered around the platform murmured in disgust at the sight. They took a few steps back, as if disgusted by how filthy the Beastmen on the stage were.

If Fallen Beastmen were feared by all, then these wandering Beastmen were loathed by all.

The Old Bear Chief grinned, his voice like rolling thunder. "Take a good look! These wandering Beastmen are our merchandise for this auction! You bid with Beast Cores, and the highest bidder gets to take one home as a slave!"

As he spoke, he sneered and lifted his leg, kicking one of the wandering Beastmen. As the man screamed and collapsed, the chief viciously ground his foot down on him. With the sickening sound of tearing flesh, the Old Bear Chief’s foot was instantly stained with blood.

The Beastman’s whole body trembled violently, but he bit his lip so hard he didn’t make a sound. His Beast Eyes smoldered like dying embers.

Instantly, the crowd below the platform erupted.

Several merchants from the Fox Clan had already pushed their way to the front of the stage, pulling out bulging sacks of Beast Cores.

One of the fox merchants narrowed his eyes and tilted up a wandering Beastman’s chin.

The Beastman who was touched suddenly lunged. Just as he was about to bite the merchant’s hand, the vine around his neck was yanked tight. The Beastman’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared furiously at the merchant, but a roar of laughter erupted from the crowd below.

The merchant laughed with glee and turned to his companion. "This batch of Beastmen is pretty good. They’re strong. The brats they sire are sure to be hardy. Let’s buy them all. We’ll breed them with the females in the Females’ Den. In two or three rainy seasons, our caravan will have a few more litters of good workers. Who knows, we might even get some females out of the deal!"

These words made the faces of the wandering Beastmen on the platform twist into ferocious snarls, but then their defiance seemed to drain away, bit by bit.

Leaning against Nix’s chest, Evangeline’s gaze cut through the raucous crowd, fixing on the Beastmen on the high platform.

Her eyes traced over each of their faces, one by one, before finally landing on a young Beastman.

His back was ramrod straight, like a spear. Even though he was covered in blood, it couldn’t hide his iron will.

Beneath blood-caked lashes was a pair of Beast Eyes, a mixture of gold and red. The moment his gaze met Evangeline’s, they flared with a startlingly cold light—a clarity that bordered on ruthless.