Thirteen

How intriguing," Du Chen mused, a peculiar mix of amusement and exasperation brewing within him. The beastmen's Auerbach Battle God Assembly was slated for the Auerbach Grand Canyon, Jamis’s designated field trip location was also the Auerbach Grand Canyon, and now, the clues left by Phil’s mother likewise pointed there. Could it truly be such an immense coincidence?

Unbeknownst to Du Chen, on another path currently leading to that very Auerbach Grand Canyon…

Across the vast, desolate prairie, a monstrous beast with fur of pristine white and an air of aloof arrogance exuded the unique, transcendent pressure of a Dragon-Wolf. Its passage sent countless birds and rabbits scattering in frenzied flight. Any creature too slow, or unfortunate enough to meet its disdainful gaze, would instantly keel over, drawing its last breath.

The beast was robust and formidable. Though a solitary wolf, its presence, even from a distance, was awe-inspiring: cold, gleaming, dark-golden eyes that seemed to look down upon all creation; a back ridged with sword-like bones, proudly elevated like a cloud-swept peak; and fur, silver-white, as sacred and untainted as snow, yet piercingly sharp, as if to steal one’s very soul. It moved with a peerless, untamed might, as if a pride of roaring lions or a horde of tigers had descended upon the world.

"I, the favored child of the Moon Goddess, Chris Andy, shall permit no such lowly creature to obstruct my path! Begone, or perish!"

Andy cast a cold glance at the prairie lion cub he had just frightened to death, then proudly lifted his head, letting out an arrogant howl. A moment later, he lamented, "If only… if only Mr. Brockman would be merciful enough to unlock this collar, allowing poor Andy a taste of that little fellow! Please, I beg you!"

Brockman, holding an iron chain as if strolling with a pet across the immense prairie, heard this and delivered a sharp kick to Andy. "Damn it, shut your filthy maw! Right now, I'm more inclined to eat *you*."

"But I haven't eaten for such a long, long time, Andy is truly famished…" The white-furred Dragon-Wolf gazed pitifully at Brockman. Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his back. Andy spun around with lightning speed, a maneuver the "formerly plump wolf" could never have accomplished.

"A ghost!" Andy shrieked in terror at the sight of the figure behind him.

"Indeed, I am The Undead! You may address me as Lord Philip!" Philip’s mutated right arm had regained roughly two-thirds of its former formidable size. He seized Andy, observing him through the emerald eye embedded in his right shoulder. "Esteemed Brockman, you have toiled diligently! Regarding Andy's situation, I was already apprised by the advance reports. Fret not. As long as Number One remains stable, the loss of Number Five and Number Six devolving into uselessness poses no significant issue!"

"I am delighted to hear this news!" Brockman offered a slight, deferential smile.

"Now then, the Auerbach Battle God Assembly is imminent. We must hasten! After my personal inspection, Andy shall be sent to the furnace!"

"The furnace? Hey!? Are you planning to roast me?! No, Andy has successfully slimmed down; there isn't much fat left…" The erstwhile plump wolf, now a sleek and regal Dragon-Wolf, fell silent under Philip's chilling gaze. One Undead and one wolf, they simply stared at each other.

Elsewhere, Du Chen also found himself in a staring contest.

However, Du Chen was utterly perplexed, for before him stood a woman – a truly brazen woman. In the parlance of Du Chen’s previous life, the combined fabric on her body wouldn’t be enough to fashion a pair of socks for a grown man…

To make matters worse, this woman was a stunning fox-tribe beastmen. She appeared even more uninhibited than Battle God Academy’s Professor Mina – indeed, Professor Mina would seem like a demure schoolgirl by comparison. Yet, no one could deny her beauty was potent enough to entice men to their very doom, utterly without consequence!

Most vexing of all, this fox-tribe beauty was incessantly batting her eyelashes at Du Chen, clearly intent on seducing the handsome blonde young man before her!

And her very first words were, "Handsome lad, big sister has taken a liking to you!"

***

The situation had unfolded thus: Du Chen had instructed Harry to follow The Clues provided by old Bibby. Initially, Du Chen’s plan was to cautiously approach the culprits, then assess the situation. If conditions were favorable, and the enemy's strength wasn’t overwhelming, then Deboning and the hundred-plus Grand Matriarchs would be more than happy to punish these inhumane butchers on behalf of the innocent Daobet people!

Should the enemy prove formidable, requiring a significant cost to engage, Du Chen would instead utilize his Lotus Sacred Artifact to infiltrate, rescue the deceived Daobet young adults, and then devise a means to eliminate the ruthless culprits!

However, the actual circumstances diverged wildly from Du Chen’s expectations. After a day and a half of travel, a vast ranch unfolded before Du Chen’s eyes. Cattle and sheep grazed everywhere, and the distinctive wooden tents of the great prairie stretched row upon row. Had Harry not seriously confirmed this was the culprits’ stronghold, Du Chen might well have mistaken it for a Macallan Empire noble's opulent holiday retreat!

A direct assault was clearly out of the question! Du Chen asked the two Grand Matriarchs, both adept in military strategy, to make observations. Lucy spoke gravely: "Judging by the ranch’s expanse, the number of tents, and the cooking smoke, this ranch must harbor at least three thousand armed personnel. If we account for maximum capacity, seven or even eight thousand are possible! Moreover, the equipment of the guards near the fences indicates they are at least an entire elite regiment of the Macallan Empire! And this doesn't even include the High-level Battle Gods. Following the beastmen tradition of powerful warriors leading strong armies, there must be a substantial number of Battle Gods within this ranch, likely exceeding three hundred!"

Lily nodded in agreement. "The situation is indeed troublesome. There's a profound difference between engaging an army and confronting thousands of Battle-Warriors. While a well-trained beastmen army, proficient in coordinated battle formations, could ultimately be defeated by Mr. Brook and us combined, it would undoubtedly come at a steep price!"

Du Chen frowned. "Very well, then we’ll implement the second plan. You all wait here. I shall use the Lotus Sacred Artifact to scout the situation firsthand!"

After infiltrating and investigating with the Lotus, Du Chen discovered that his plan to "extract the people" was largely unfeasible. The Daobet young adults were scattered across more than a dozen locations, gleefully excavating tunnels. A quick count revealed only two hundred and three scattered Daobet individuals. From their conversations, it was clear that the remaining seventy had already delved deep underground, toiling in a labyrinthine network of tunnels that only Daobet people could navigate.

With Du Chen’s current abilities, simultaneously rescuing all the dispersed Daobet people was simply impossible!

"Damn it, this truly *is* tricky!" Du Chen rubbed his nose as he circled the ranch on his Lotus. Suddenly, in one corner, he spotted a carriage draped with a black tarp. It stood out conspicuously amidst the endless golden and white tents, and the guards surrounding it were far too numerous!

Intrigued, Du Chen urged his Lotus to flit into the carriage like a tiny mosquito. Inside, a towering bear-tribe Battle God was holding a peculiar tool, constantly gesturing with it.

"A Luoshovel!?" Du Chen's heart gave a jolt! A nascent understanding began to form. "Damn it, if they truly are... then I finally comprehend why they deceived and massacred the Daobet people!"

To confirm his suspicions, Du Chen investigated several more tents near the carriage. After he discovered over twenty humans and a dozen other diverse species within the beastmen ranch, and confirmed the purpose of the tools in their hands… Du Chen rubbed his nose and smiled.

He now knew the butchers' purpose, but what was their *ultimate* goal? According to the unwritten rules of their 'trade,' the objective shouldn't be too distant, yet not overly close either!

Du Chen ascended high on his Lotus, surveying his surroundings. When his gaze fell upon a grand canyon a hundred miles away, his smile widened even further.

Returning to Deboning and the others, Du Chen waved off their impending questions, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Ladies, please enter the Lotus Sacred Artifact and be prepared to act at a moment's notice, alright? Harry, you too! Brook and I will proceed!"

"Is there going to be a big battle?" Alex's eyes sparkled. He patted his small chest, piping up in a childish voice, "Hmph, it's my turn again, Master Alex, to make a move!"

Du Chen smiled at Alex, then suddenly declared, "Son!" *Poof!* The little boy transformed into Belmonde. The young girl giggled, "Brother is silly, Beibei is smart. Beibei will help Daddy find bad guys!"

"Indeed, my little Beibei is always so thoughtful!" Du Chen kissed his daughter, who rested in his arms, then strode boldly with Deboning toward the ranch's main gate!

Soon, they were spotted. The rumbling hoofbeats of mounts approached from afar, led by the fox-tribe beauty!

She was in her early twenties, and her level of humanization was remarkably high – a direct testament to a beastman’s strength! Apart from the gracefully swaying tail behind her, only her alluring eyes betrayed hints of her fox-tribe heritage. As for her attire, it was scandalously sparse! Two palm-sized scraps of cloth barely covered the crest of her breasts, and a thin veil was wrapped around her low waist; that was all. She didn't even wear shoes!

Oh, and a golden hairband adorned her fiery red hair!

A fox spirit! A quintessential fox spirit! Du Chen muttered under his breath.

Little Beibei in his arms didn't quite grasp the meaning of "fox spirit," but after a quick glance at the fox-tribe beauty, she closed her eyes, thinking, "Ptooey! Beibei hates her! She's not a good person!!"

At that moment, the fox-tribe beauty approached Du Chen, dismounted her beast, and uttered her first words, "Handsome lad, big sister has taken a liking to you…"

Du Chen paused, taken aback. He hadn't anticipated his opponent to be such a brazen individual. "Oh, the allure of the great prairie is truly unique. Is this how you greet strangers here?"

The fox-tribe beauty glided to Du Chen’s side. Unlike others, she completely ignored the adorable little Beibei, her gaze fixed solely on Du Chen, her seductive eyes constantly winking. "I know nothing of others' ways, but *this* big sister’s greeting is precisely these words. So, handsome lad, a banquet and… a bed have already been prepared in the Golden Grand Tent!"

Her language was overtly provocative, hinting at promises.

Du Chen offered a dry chuckle. "Heh, I’ve long heard that the prairie folk are bold and forthright, speaking their minds without pretense. Today, I've finally experienced it firsthand!"

"This handsome lad is a bit shy, isn't he! Heh! You'll know once you get familiar with big sister. Big sister isn't like you humans, who have to analyze several layers of meaning in a single sentence! With big sister, just say what you want directly!" The fox-tribe beauty gave Du Chen a playful push, casually nudging Beibei aside, and seizing the opportunity to fondle his chest.

"Big sister's name is Susanna. Come on, come home with big sister! Big sister will make you happy!" Seeing Du Chen remained motionless, Susanna eyed him with feigned dissatisfaction, her charmingly mournful expression capable of making any heart throb.

But Du Chen knew full well that no matter how uninhibited or foxy the fox spirit Susanna before him appeared, it didn't change the undeniable fact: she was a cold-blooded butcher, capable of effortlessly slaughtering hundreds of the old, the weak, women, and children!

"Handsome lad, what are you waiting for? Aren't you coming inside with big sister?"

Susanna pouted in a wronged manner, but immediately after, Du Chen extended his hand towards her. Susanna instantly recoiled in alarm. "You…"

She reached up, touching her fiery red hair, only to find the hairband gone. Yet, from her own hair, she retrieved a playing card!

Could he have made his move the instant she pushed him? If so, this individual's *Sleight of Hand*… was unparalleled in the world! And his identity must surely be… someone from her own *circles*.

Realizing this, Susanna’s expression sobered. She lowered her voice. "Your Excellency is…"

Du Chen offered a subtle smile, retrieving his playing card from Susanna’s hand. "A trivial name, hardly worth mentioning! If Miss Susanna insists on an appellation, you may call me 'Thirteen'!"

The beastmen warriors accompanying Susanna showed no reaction, but among them, several humans and a few individuals of exotic appearance exchanged glances. They observed the playing card in Du Chen’s hand, then recalled recent rumors circulating within their clandestine *circles*, and suddenly took a subtle step back, a gesture of respect. A person could be impersonated, but skill could not. They had already divined Du Chen's true identity!

Susanna was momentarily stunned, then suddenly let out a peal of delightful laughter. "Oh my, what a fortunate day this is, to be graced by such an esteemed guest! Someone, perform the Auerbach war dance to welcome him!"

A bear-tribe warrior, positioned just behind Susanna, hesitated, about to speak, but Susanna waved him off. "Since a friend from our circles has graced us with his presence, we shall abide by our customs! He is worthy of our beastmen's most solemn welcoming war dance!"

With that, Susanna leaned slightly forward, gesturing for Du Chen to enter the ranch, and smiled. "Please, Thirteenth Master of York Town!"