Everyone in this village knows each other well. Who in this village could beat Camren in a fight? Or rather… they simply wouldn’t dare to lay a hand on him. However, Uncle Ronin was shocked when he saw the “bloody man” lying on the bed with his own eyes.
“Oh my god, is this… is this Camren? It’s a miracle that he can hold on until now.”
The village chief’s face looked terrible. Because the person who beat up Camren was none other than his foster son, Howard. According to his daughter Kiara, they had a conflict over a woman.
“How pathetic, to do such a shameful thing for a woman. Go call Howard to me.”
“Yes.”
It was the two young men who had just come to fetch Uncle Ronin who were now going to Howard’s house. But as soon as they reached the door, they saw Howard carrying an unconscious woman walking towards them.
“Village Chief, Howard is here.”
So they didn’t need to make this trip.
The village chief glanced outside with a tilted head. He thought Howard had come to apologize. He snorted coldly.
“He knows his place, bringing that woman here to apologize.”
However, the next moment, what Howard said had nothing to do with an apology. He was actually looking for Uncle Ronin, the doctor.
Earlier, Howard had taken Nora to Uncle Ronin’s place first. But his house was closed, and he was not there. Howard had to ask around before learning that he had been summoned by the village chief. To save time, he had no choice but to bring Nora along.
“Uncle Ronin, your medical skills are the best here. Please help me see Nora. She passed out and hasn’t woken up.”
It turned out that Howard did not come here to apologize, but to get medical help for the woman in his arms.
Now the village chief couldn’t help but smile. With a bright, brass pipe in his mouth, he exhaled white smoke continuously from his nostrils.
“Okay, okay, Howard, you’ve really grown wings.”
“If I forbid you to treat her and ask you to kill her, what would you choose?”
Although Howard was his foster son, in fact, he just saw Howard as a lackey who disobeyed its owner.
Unfortunately, Howard’s recent behavior in his eyes had constituted “defiance.”
Howard carefully held Nora, kneeling down on both knees.
“Godfather, I know you have taken care of me all these years, but Nora is the woman I love the most. Please don’t make it difficult for me.”
Does this mean he chooses the woman?
The village chief took a deep drag on his pipe. This time, the white smoke covered the killing intent in his eyes. No one saw it clearly, but Uncle Ronin saw it very clearly.
He and the village chief were the same age, and they grew up together. He knew the other’s character very well. That was a man who could even kill his own wife.
If Howard continued to be so stubborn, he might lose his life because of this woman.
The whole village had over a hundred households, which wasn’t considered few. However, only Howard was the most promising in his eyes.
If he really lost his life because of this, Uncle Ronin would feel sorry for him.
After hesitating for a moment, he decided to plead for Howard.
“Whitehead, why don’t you let me take a look at the girl? You know Howard’s character, he is definitely not someone who causes trouble for no reason.”
It was probably because Camren took advantage of Howard’s wife, and Howard just sought justice.
For the village chief, how things started didn’t matter; what mattered was the outcome. He only knew that Howard had become rebellious, harming his buddy because of an outside.
“Ronin, you don’t need to say anymore. No one is allowed to save that woman!”
“And Howard, for injuring Camren, I’ll punish you by sending you to the punishment chamber.”
The punishment chamber…
From the literal meaning, one could tell it was a place filled with violence. Yes, it was a punishment invented by the village chief. It involved locking someone in a small dark room, with no light and no one around. Yet, this room was enough to make all the villagers turn pale. Anyone who went in wouldn’t survive more than two hours. It was generally used to punish enemies or traitors. Ordering Howard to the punishment chamber meant treating him as a traitor.
Though Kiara disliked Howard for turning against her over a woman, it was now a matter of using whoever was available, especially since Camren was incapacitated. Howard was the only capable young person left in the village.
“Wait, Dad, I have something to say.”
Seeing it was his daughter Kiara, the village chief’s expression softened slightly.
“Go ahead.”
“Dad, while Howard was wrong to injure Camren, punishing him in the punishment chamber won’t solve anything. It’s better to let him redeem himself. As for that woman… she’s the real troublemaker and shouldn’t stay in the village.”
Here, only one kind of person could openly leave the village: a dead one! The village chief found this reasoning sound.
“Howard, my daughter is willing to spare you due to old affection. If you kill this woman now, you’ll be forgiven. Are you willing?”
Everyone urged Howard to agree. However, the young man stood tall, answering calmly, “Godfather, I refuse! Nora is my wife. I’d rather die than kill her.”
Ronin sucked in a breath of cold air. How could this boy suddenly act so stubborn? He wasn’t this devoted before. “Kid, don’t be foolish. You’ve only been together for a little over a month.”
Howard looked at the unconscious woman in his arms, a rare tender smile appearing on his rugged face. “Nora is naive; she doesn’t know anything. I can end myself, just spare her life, godfather.”
At that moment, the village chief knew that the pawn he had nurtured for nearly ten years was now worthless. “Alright, I’ll grant your wish. Someone, lock this bastard in the punishment chamber! No one is to release him without my order.”
Kiara opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing. Her heart was in turmoil. Howard truly fell for that fool, willing to give up everything for her. He was such a foolish man! Ronin was about to burst with frustration, but unfortunately, his words had no effect on the village chief. What should be done now?