Howard erupted in an instant, rushing over in big strides. Meanwhile, Camren also became anxious. He quickly released his hand and stammered to explain, “Howard, listen to me. I didn’t intend to kill her…”
It was all her own fault!
Before Camren could finish his sentence, he felt a dull pain on his face. “You damn well are seeking death!”
“Dare to touch my woman, who do you think you are?”
In his anger, Howard had lost his rationality. All he could think about was Nora lying in the flower bed barely breathing, her clothes torn rudely by Camren, and the vivid slap mark on her face.
The woman he cherished so dearly was bullied by someone else.
Just thinking about it made Howard want to kill Camren on the spot, and he did just that.
The village chief had taken him in as his own son because he saw the determination and capability in him. Since Camren and Howard grew up together, Howard had turned a blind eye to many things, including Camren’s affair with Kiara.
“You absolutely should not have touched my woman.”
As Howard threatened, he picked up a thick wooden stick from the ground and viciously aimed at Camren’s legs.
The stick swung like a rain of blows, each one landing on Camren, causing him to cry out in pain, begging for mercy.
“Howard, I really know I was wrong, please spare me this time.”
Crack…
Accompanied by his screams was the sound of his leg bone breaking.
Next, Howard threw away the stick and grabbed Camren’s collar, smashing his head against a nearby tree trunk.
His actions were brutal and fierce, causing even someone as wicked as Camren to feel fear deep in his bones.
“Howard, please spare me this time, I really won’t dare again.”
“You don’t have a chance!”
With determination, Howard grabbed a rock from the ground and smashed it against Camren’s head.
The second blow caused blood to gush even more violently from his head, soon covering Camren’s entire body, making him look like he was dredged up from a pool of blood.
Both of his legs and arms were violently broken by Howard. Even if they were reattached later, he would be destined to become a cripple.
In the village, cripples were often drained of their blood to feed the snakes in the stone caves. That’s why Kelvin and his group hadn’t come across a single grave on their journey.
Camren didn’t want to end up like that.
In a desperate attempt to survive, he was about to confess the truth.
“Don’t, don’t hit me. The truth is…”
“It was Kiara who made me do it.” Before he could utter those words, a clear and cold voice rang out behind them.
It was Kiara.
She glanced at Camren, who was beaten beyond recognition, and frowned with some disdain.
“Howard, you’ve gone too far. She’s just an outsider, why would you be so ruthless to your own fellow?”
“Outsider? Ruthless?”
Howard sneered coldly, his eyes filled with determination like a wild and untamed wolf.
“To you, Nora might just be a poor and foolish girl. But to me, she’s the first person in my life whom I want to protect with my life.”
“She’s my wife, the one who will accompany me through this lifetime. In my heart, she’s more important than anything else!”
“As for Camren, he deserves to die!”
With that, Camren cowered even further behind the tree, consumed by fear.
Kiara was angered by these words.
“Have the guts to say that in front of my father. Camren is at fault but doesn’t deserve to die. I’ll take him away first.”
After saying that, she even kicked Camren, asking emotionlessly. “Can you walk by yourself?”
Both his legs and arms were broken, causing him pain even with the slightest movement, let alone standing up.
He shook his head.
“What a waste! Wait here for me, I’ll go find someone to carry you back.”
Seeing Kiara about to leave, Camren, fearing Howard would attempt to kill him again after she left, grabbed the sleeve of her dress.
“Don’t go, don’t leave me alone.”
On the other side, Howard had calmed down by now.
He had beaten Camren enough to vent his anger.
Now, he was more worried about Nora’s safety and had no time to waste staying there.
“Nora, don’t be afraid, I’m taking you home.”
“Answer me, please, I beg you… you must be alright.”
With a splitting headache, Nora heard someone calling her name by her ear and wanted to respond.
Unfortunately, she didn’t even have the strength to open her mouth.
She could only shout his name in her mind.
[Howard.]
At the easternmost part of the village was a rubber forest, under the dense canopy of which was the coolest place in the whole village.
A quaint and delicate bamboo house stood among it, surrounded not only by rubber trees but also several huge banana trees.
Under the trees, an elderly man dressed in ethnic clothing was comfortably lying in a chair, enjoying the coolness.
In his hand was not a fan but a casually picked banana leaf.
With a gourd of wine fastened to his waist, he occasionally took a sip, enjoying the cold wind in the forest, his life couldn’t be more comfortable.
“This is the life, what’s the point of fighting all the time?”
“When you get old, you should seek peace, let the young worry about those things.”
After whispering these words, the white-haired elder even started humming a tune with delight.
Just then, two young men in indigo robes barged in.
“Uncle Ronin, the village chief has invited you to make a trip there.”
From the way the two men addressed the elder, it was apparent they held great respect for him.
Uncle Ronin, however, turned over, closed his eyes, and took a nap.
“No, no, if the village chief is calling for me, it surely is not for anything good. Just say I’m not at home.”
Hearing this, one of the young men hurriedly said, “Uncle Ronin, it’s a matter of life and death this time, Camren is about to die.”
“What did you say?”
He knew the kid Camren, having watched him grow up.
As a child, he liked to steal things, bully the weak but fear the strong.
As he grew up, it got even worse.
Fraud, gambling, drugs… he did it all.
That lad was nothing good.
But after all, he was a villager, and he couldn’t bear to see the young man pass away so young.
“Alright, then I’ll make the trip with you, wait… I’ll go get my medicine box.”
“You need to hurry, Uncle Ronin, I’m afraid Camren won’t last much longer.”
“Really, is it that serious?”