Chapter 50: The Cruel Reality

First came a piercing scream, followed by a cacophony of various noises emanating from a house on the left side of the alley. In no time at all, Claude, dazed and disheveled, was forcibly dragged out by Bichir and his companions.
Irene, her face flushed with rage, glared at Claude and lashed out with biting words, saying bitterly, "Claude, you disgust me. I never want to see you again. Katie, let's go."
By now, Han Shuo knew he had achieved his goal and saw no reason to linger. When he saw Irene and Katie rushing toward him, he quickly concealed himself and made his way back to the inn at a leisurely pace.
Upon arriving at the inn, Han Shuo washed up and sat cross-legged on the bed to begin cultivating his demonic arts. The demonic energy painstakingly expanded his meridians, and Han Shuo gritted his teeth against the excruciating pain, repeatedly circulating his magic to "expand the veins."
The cultivation of this demonic art often brought unbearable torment, which had gradually transformed Han Shuo's temperament from casual indifference to unwavering tenacity. Both his willpower and resilience in the face of pain had grown tremendously.
Unbeknownst to him, Han Shuo's entire character and mindset were constantly changing as he cultivated. As his strength increased, the once timid and hesitant Han Shuo was undergoing a profound transformation; his understanding and perception of the world now differed greatly from his earlier views.
A muffled "thud, thud" suddenly echoed in Han Shuo's heart, causing him to abruptly halt his cultivation, hold his breath, and focus. His physical functions instantly entered a state of complete stillness.
The "thud, thud" sounded from afar, coming from the junction between Doro Town and the southern edge of the Dark Forest. From the heavy, rhythmic footsteps, Han Shuo deduced that it must be a fast-moving magical beast—heavier than a warhorse, and likely numerous.
Frowning, Han Shuo pondered for a moment, then stepped out of the inn and slowly made his way toward the source of the beast’s sound, intending to see what was happening.
As Han Shuo had just left the inn and reached the southern street of Doro Town, two figures hurried over in a panic—a frail, elderly mage and a green-haired, sharp-eared female elf archer. Both cast surprised glances at Han Shuo, as if they hadn't expected to see him there.
"Young man, what brings you here?" The frail mage looked Han Shuo up and down, smiling as he asked.
From their cautious demeanor, Han Shuo realized they must have noticed the disturbance to the south as well. After a moment's thought, Han Shuo bowed slightly and replied, "Honorable mage, I've been separated from my companions. They said they would return in a few days, so I am waiting here for them."
The old mage nodded, furrowing his brow in thought, then said to the elf archer beside him, "Blanche, go and investigate. See if it's the wolf cavalry of the beastmen. Every year, as winter approaches, they send out their wolf riders to raid villages along the empire’s border.
But Doro Town is special—full of adventurers and mercenaries. The beastmen have never sent wolf cavalry to attack here. Why is it so strange this time, and winter is still a long way off!"

"Yes, Mr. Felix." The elf archer, Blanche, responded promptly and headed south, moving like a gust of wind past Han Shuo.
"Young man, Doro Town is far from peaceful. It’s late now—go back and rest early. Your companions should look for you when they return. There’s no need to wait out here," Felix said gently, smiling at Han Shuo.
"Alright, I’ll go back now," Han Shuo replied calmly, then walked toward the inn.
After Han Shuo left, Felix stared curiously at his retreating figure for a long while, murmuring to himself, "I must be overthinking it. There’s no way this kid’s sensory abilities surpass those of a wind magic master like me!"
On his way back to the inn, Han Shuo saw several people coming out of nearby taverns and inns, faces filled with the same astonishment, hurrying toward the southern street. They must have noticed the commotion and wanted to see for themselves.
"Brian, I have something to discuss with you. Come with me!" On his way back, Han Shuo encountered Claude in the street leading to the inn. Claude’s face was dark and gloomy—his mood evidently foul.
A shiver ran through Han Shuo, and he sensed a foreboding. He could feel the suppressed fury in Claude; though his gaze seemed calm, the slight grinding of his teeth betrayed intense emotional turmoil.
Staring blankly at Claude, Han Shuo quickly weighed his options. By now, he realized that his actions in the tavern had been far too reckless and impulsive. When Claude regained his senses, he would certainly notice something amiss and suspect the purple liquor he drank at the inn. Claude was no fool; only Irene and he had sat at the table, and Irene would never do such a thing. Considering the sudden fall of the waiter, Claude must have pieced it all together.
"Very well," Han Shuo thought carefully, knowing he was in for trouble and bracing himself for Claude’s wrath. He followed Claude, gradually leaving Doro Town and entering a dense forest to the southwest.
Moonlight filtered through the woods, and only the faint chirping of insects could be heard. But Han Shuo, whose ears were keen, could discern Claude’s heavy, angry breathing.
A beating was inevitable, Han Shuo thought with a bitter smile, though he wasn’t particularly afraid. After all, he’d grown used to being beaten lately, and he knew his body could withstand ordinary blows, so he remained calm.
Slap!
Lost in thought, Han Shuo was caught off guard as a slap sent him staggering to the left. Fortunately, his body was now far stronger than most, so he regained his balance, clutching his cheek with a wry smile as he looked at Claude.
"Damned servant, swine, who do you think you are to set me up?" Claude’s suppressed fury finally erupted, his face twisted with malice as he glared at Han Shuo. The usual sunshine in his demeanor was nowhere to be found.

A flurry of blows rained down like a storm, all landing on Han Shuo's body. Han Shuo covered his head with his hands, making no attempt to resist, and endured Claude’s thunderous rage until he finally curled up and collapsed to the ground, seemingly unable to withstand the beating.
"How does it feel? Hurts, doesn’t it? But I won’t let you die so easily. Do you know who I am? I am Claude Aski, son of Bobby Aski, commander of the Imperial Gryphon Legion. You wretched servant, how dare you sabotage me and Irene? I’ll make you suffer and die slowly—ahahaha!" Claude, cold and vicious, drew his longsword and stepped toward Han Shuo.
Only now did Han Shuo truly understand his mistake. Whether it was Fei Qi or Buck, his actions had always carried enormous risk. As a lowly servant, anyone could kill him without facing much consequence; even if Buck killed him, at most the Babylon Magic and Martial Academy would reprimand him and demand some gold as compensation.
Han Shuo had assumed that such tricks would only earn him a beating from Claude, but the reality was far more brutal—Claude wanted not only to kill him but to make him suffer before dying. This was the harsh truth.
It was at this moment that Han Shuo finally grasped the nature of this world. Status and class were deeply entrenched; the vast difference in their identities meant Claude could kill him without a second thought and bear little responsibility. Claude had lured him to this deserted forest simply to avoid tarnishing his noble reputation; even if he killed him in the busy market of Doro Town, no one would find it odd.
Growth always comes at a price. Curled on the ground, Han Shuo cried out for mercy, his heart—once merely tinged with dark thoughts—slowly turning cold and hard.
"I’ll cut you to pieces, make you scream and bleed, and savor agony before you die. In your next life, remember your place—you’re nothing but a lowly servant, a swine. Never dare challenge those above you," Claude sneered, his sword poised to stab Han Shuo in the chest as he lay curled on the ground, seemingly powerless to resist.
At that instant, Han Shuo’s cries abruptly ceased. His body moved with sudden speed, rolling toward Claude’s feet so quickly that Claude was caught off guard.
As Claude tried to evade, he let out a shrill scream—several steel needles had pierced through his feet, pinning them firmly to the ground. An agonizing pain radiated from his abdomen; looking down, Claude saw a dagger embedded there. Han Shuo gazed at him coldly and impassively, his eyes unfamiliar and chilling.
"I am the son of the commander of the Gryphon Legion! You damned servant, how dare you harm me?" Claude’s voice was weak with pain as he roared in anger.
"Thank you for teaching me the cruelty of reality. Because your status is so lofty, I will not only harm you, but kill you!"
With these words, Han Shuo, indifferent, took another steel needle and pierced Claude’s throat, ending his cries of terror.