The Witcher: Grinding Experience Starting as a Wolf School Witcher

Chapter 70 Undercurrents

Dark clouds obscured the moon.

A pair of cavalrymen galloped along a country road, their hooves kicking up dust.

They were masked, carrying torches, with curved knives at their waists, shouting loudly. At the end of the path was a newly established village.

……

"when!"

The scimitar struck the wooden fence, and a bronze bell fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.

A man dressed in brocade sat imposingly on a wooden stool, holding a small pair of silver scissors in his hand, trimming his nails.

Beside him stood a masked woman, her triangular eyes revealing a fierce look.

Ahead, a man dressed in tattered cotton clothes was being dragged out of a wooden house, where screams from women and children could still be heard.

The man in the tattered cotton coat screamed hoarsely, "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Shut up, stop yelling!"

The bandit dragged him away and punched him hard in the mouth. His shout turned into a painful groan, and he was thrown like a dead dog in front of the man in brocade.

"It's him."

The bandit leader looked down at the man on the ground with a cold gaze and a mocking tone.

"Are you the village chief here?"

Ian covered his swollen face, blood streaming from his nose, and pleaded, "My lord, my name is Ian, and I am the village chief here."

"Our village is dirt poor. Please, sirs, spare us! Spare us!"

The bandit who had dragged him out earlier rubbed his hands together and chuckled.

"Who said that? There's a woman in the house. We've traveled for so many days, it's time to have some fun."

Upon hearing this, Ian's face turned deathly pale.

"No, we are here to establish a village on the orders of the Marquis of Xingbiao, and we are protected by the laws of the kingdom. You cannot do this..."

"The laws of the kingdom?" The bandit leader scoffed, spreading his hands. "Heh, do you think we'd be afraid of that?"

"Ha ha!"

Laughter erupted from the surrounding crowd.

The bandit leader bent down and reached out his left hand to grab Ian's sleeve.

"It's not impossible for me to spare your life."

"I need intelligence, in exchange for something of equal value, understand?"

Ian's body trembled uncontrollably. "I understand, I understand. Please ask me anything, as long as you don't hurt my wife and children, I will tell you everything."

The bandit leader said coldly, "Very well, I'll start questioning you now. If you hesitate for even a second, I'll chop off your head, and your wife's and children's too."

Ian nodded repeatedly.

"Has a witcher been here in the last few days?"

"Yes, a witcher came here, killed a ghoul, and took 192 ducats from us."

"Very good, you cooperated very well."

The bandit leader's eyes lit up.

Where is he now? Where did he go?

Village Chief Ian raised his hand and pointed to the south of the village, "The downstream marker, he went to the downstream marker, sir."

The bandit leader's gaze darkened. He first loosened Ian's collar, then quickly raised his right hand, the silver scissors in his hand gleaming coldly, and plunged them into the latter's throat.

"what!"

The woman hiding behind the door screamed when she saw this.

Blood flowed down the hilt of the knife. Ian's face was contorted with extreme pain, his eyes filled with resentment, and he muttered in bewilderment.

"Why...why...I've already told you..."

The bandit leader pulled out a pair of scissors and pushed him to the ground with a look of disgust.

"You answered too quickly; you're lying to me."

"thump!"

Ian fell to the ground, and the masked bandits who had been dragging him earlier burst into laughter, rushed into the house, grabbed the woman, and screams and the sound of clothes being torn rang out at the same time.

The bandit leader crouched down, searched Ian's body, and took an empty glass bottle from the latter's arms.

The bottle is exquisitely crafted and definitely not something a villager could afford.

The bandit leader sniffed the bottle and smelled the refreshing scent of mint.

……

At dawn, the raven flew to Alwin's shoulder and flapped its wings.

Alwin opened his cat eyes and moved his right leg slightly.

Last night, while Mia was asleep, he cast a healing spell on himself, and the wound has healed considerably. However, the wound will still reopen if he engages in strenuous exercise.

"Um……"

Mia murmured, opened her eyes, and revealed her dreamy eyes.

She looked at Alwin's profile; his features were striking, and if it weren't for his almost sickly skin, he would definitely be considered handsome, making it hard to associate him with the ruthless methods he had displayed yesterday.

"You're awake."

Mia's cheeks flushed slightly as she sat up straight.

Arwen cast the Igni sign and extinguished the campfire.

"Let's pack up and head back to the Temple of Meriteli."

"it is good."

His gaze swept over the corpse on the ground, and a look of anticipation appeared in his eyes.

With Mia's help, the two searched through the items one by one.

However, later on, Alwin's resentment grew rather strong.

Aside from their weapons, this group of "Squirrel Gang" members had practically no money on them.

Only the three members of the mercenary guild were worth keeping.

Knight Draco's shield, armor, and 200 Ducats he always carries.

Archer Vaughn's rhinoceros horn bow, the six arrows remaining in his quiver, and the poison he used to deal with the royal pterosaurs were all used up.

The fattest one was definitely the dwarf Grunt, with his leather armor, 31 crowns, and the elven rune two-handed axe that even Arwen secretly feared.

With his right hand gripping the axe handle, a heavy force came from the axe itself.

As he ran his left hand across the axe, he sensed the unique cold metallic aura of the meteorite iron. However, his [Blade Perception] had no effect on the axe; he would have to consult a blacksmith for specific details.

Oh, and besides all that, there was another special bonus.

Two sets of Gwent cards.

Alwin smiled and said that this was a way to pass the time in his spare time.

Finally, his gaze fell upon the carcass of the Royal Pterodactyl.

Its size is like that of an adult packhorse, and its weight is nearly three tons.

The biggest problem now is how to transport it back to the Temple of Meritelli.

"Rustling..."

As if sensing something, the raven flew into the sky.

Alwin stiffened and turned around abruptly.

Mia was startled by the former's actions.

"What's wrong?"

Arwen put down his two-handed axe, put on his hood, made the Quen sign with his left hand, and reached for the hilt of his greatsword with his right.

Something is approaching.

The rustling sounds grew closer, accompanied by the cracking sound of a dead tree breaking.

"Come out! I see you!"

Alwin took a sip.

A man wearing a rabbit fur coat emerged from the pine forest, carrying a redwood bow and arrow on his back.

Upon seeing Arwen's movements and the greatsword, he immediately raised his hands.

"Wow, wait, wait, let's talk this out."

"Sir, I am Zachary, a hunter from Franktal Town."

"I came here because I smelled blood, hoping to find some prey. If I have offended you, I will leave immediately."

"Zaklee?"

Mia's eyes showed surprise, and she said with delight.