Chapter 7: Crackton Thief

The journey to Red Moon Camp was smooth, and there were no dangers along the way. Raelyn and her companions collected a carriage for transporting valuables at Red Moon Camp, then headed back the way they came. “What exactly is in this box?” Isaac curiously glanced at the fine iron box on the carriage, covered in seals. “It doesn’t matter what’s inside. Even if we knew, would you dare to take it? This is a precious item escorted by our sect. If we open it, we’ll be pursued by the sect. What’s important now is that we complete the mission quickly and earn those twenty thousand contribution points,” Raelyn said. Isaac sheepishly rubbed his head, his curiosity merely innocent. With only thirty percent of his Sea of Qi remaining and injuries not fully healed, Titus looked pale and even gasped for breath after the long journey. “Xenos, are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?” Raelyn approached and asked. “No need, we have forty miles to go. Let’s keep moving,” Titus shook his head. “I told you, this guy is useless. Carrying him along is just a burden. Look at him, he’s not only unhelpful but also requires us to look after him,” Gunner said in a mocking tone. Raelyn was about to retort when suddenly, a loud rumbling sounded ahead. Huge rolling stones and logs tumbled down from the hillside, blocking the road. The horses were spooked and bolted. Then, more than ten masked men wielding weapons appeared on the hillside, looking down fiercely at Raelyn and the others. “Bad news, they’re Crackton Thieves...” Gunner shouted urgently. Hearing this name, the faces of Raelyn and the others changed. Anyone who had spent a year and a half in Skynet Sect would have heard of the Crackton Thieves. They were a gang of thieves active in the Skynet Sect area, composed of martial cultivators who were notorious for their ruthless and brutal methods. “There are fourteen of them, outnumbering us, and they have a martial cultivator at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining Stage. We can’t do anything but abandon this mission. If we lose the items, it’s just a failed mission, but if we stay here, we’re certain to die,” Gunner said, casting a meaningful glance at Titus, suggesting, “You! Distract them to buy us time to escape.” Titus ignored Gunner. "Worthless! I asked you to distract a few people, and you didn't even make a move. What use are you?" Gunner exclaimed in anger. “Senior Huo, don’t go too far. They are Crackton Thieves, and you’re asking Xenos to hold them off. Isn’t that sending him to his death?” Isaac couldn’t stand it anymore. “We can just give up the mission. Xenos, forget about those things, let’s retreat,” Raelyn said through clenched teeth. Life was naturally more important than the mission. A failed mission could be taken up again, but lost lives meant nothing left. “We don’t need to retreat. Let’s just deal with them,” Titus said, looking towards the fourteen Crackton Thieves on the hillside. “You’re not just useless but also hopelessly stupid. Do you really think with your Qi Refining Stage Level Seven cultivation, you can take on the Crackton Thieves? If you don’t leave, then just wait here for death,” Gunner said coldly. “I may not be smart, but I’m still smarter than you,” Titus looked at Gunner and said, "The Crackton Thief is ruthless and brutal, leaving no survivors in their wake. For so many years, even my Skynet Sect hasn't been able to completely eradicate the Crackton Thief, which shows how formidable they are. If those guys are indeed the Crackton Thief, do we even have a chance to survive?” Gunner's gaze flickered, and he avoided eye contact with Titus, unwilling to respond. “Forget it, I don’t want to waste time with you. Surround them,” Gunner suddenly ordered, and the ‘Crackton Thieves’ on the hillside rushed down, encircling Titus and the others. The expressions of Raelyn and the others changed again. Even a fool could see that these ‘Crackton Thieves’ were in cahoots with Gunner. “Why?” Raelyn glared at Gunner, teeth clenched. “Why? For the twenty thousand contribution points, of course. Originally, splitting it among four people, I already felt it was too little. And you brought another useless person, wanting a five-way split? I don’t want to share. I want all the contribution points!” Gunner sneered, his eyes unabashedly roaming over Raelyn’s attractive figure. Raelyn was a great beauty among the female disciples, outstanding even though she usually didn’t dress up, but her natural beauty was remarkable. Gunner had long coveted her, but never had the opportunity. Today seemed like a chance to capture her and have his way. At this point, Gunner couldn't help but lick his slightly dry lips. “So, you had people ambush here, pretending to be Crackton Thieves, to scare us off, and now that we’re not scared off, you have to take a hard approach?” Raelyn stared at Gunner. “You’re not only physically incapacitated, but your brain isn’t, is it?” Gunner smirked. “Gunner, by collaborating with outsiders to seize the items of our Heavenly Ultimate Hall, if the Hall finds out, you and these outsiders will be pursued. It’s better to let them go, and we can pretend this never happened,” Zoey said sternly. “Will the Heavenly Ultimate Hall find out? No, because dead people don’t speak,” Gunner laughed. The faces of Raelyn and the others changed drastically, realizing Gunner intended to kill them. “Raelyn, don’t worry. I’ll give you a chance to live. As long as you please me well, I’ll let you go. As for the two of you, I’ll give you a chance. Whoever kills this useless man first, I’ll let live,” Gunner pointed at Titus. Isaac clenched his teeth, and Zoey’s expression was taut, both of their faces paling. “I’ll kill you!” Raelyn drew her sword towards Gunner. Her Eighth Level of Qi Refining Stage cultivation burst forth, her green sword slashing down like a falling leaf - seemingly slow but actually swift. Gunner sneered and reached out to grab the sword with a set of sharp iron claws that appeared on his fingers. The sword was caught, leaving Raelyn unable to escape and forced to hold her ground. Isaac and Zoey quickly attacked Gunner from two different directions. They knew they had to defeat Gunner together before using him to threaten the ‘Crackton Thieves’ in order to survive. “Get back!” Gunner shouted, repelling Raelyn and kicking Isaac and Zoey in their shoulders. They were sent reeling back, injured on the spot. Raelyn looked bitter, astonished that even their combined efforts were not enough to defeat Gunner. “You think you can stand against me?” Gunner scoffed. “I’ll take him on!” Titus leapt into action without waiting for a response, drawing his blade and striking at Gunner from behind. “You overestimate yourself, useless one. You’re no match for them, let alone me. Watch as I crush your skull,” Gunner sneered, lunging at Titus with a swift claw strike aimed at his head. At the moment when Gunner's fingers touched Titus's head, he smiled. However, as he was about to apply pressure to crush Titus's skull, he suddenly felt an emptiness in his fingertips. Missed? Gunner's smile froze as he looked around, but Titus had already disappeared from his original position. What met his eyes was a terrifying blade qi. What... Gunner felt the threat to his life and desperately tried to evade, but Titus's speed was too fast. He could only manage to slightly shift his body to avoid a fatal blow. However, half of his shoulder, along with his left arm and left leg, were severed by the blade qi. With a piercing and agonized scream, Gunner fell to the ground. Blade Cultivation... Raelyn and the others were stunned, watching Titus enveloped in blade aura. Only a Blade Cultivator could unleash such a blade aura. The individuals who had pretended to be Crackton Thieves were now pale-faced with fear. They scattered in all directions in panic. While their highest cultivation level was at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining Stage, they were not disciples of any sect but rather independent cultivators that Gunner had paid to play this role. Independent cultivators at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining Stage were typically much weaker than sect disciples, and they might not even be able to defeat Gunner. They had merely been hired to create a scene. "Take me with you... I'll pay you double, no, triple the price..." Gunner yelled through the excruciating pain, but the independent cultivators had no intention of listening to him. They had already vanished without a trace. As Titus approached, Gunner’s face turned pale. “I am a descendant of the Hawkins Family. If you kill me, my family in the Inner Sect won’t let you off,” he gritted. Inner Sect disciples... Raelyn and the others turned pale. There was a significant distinction between Outer Sect disciples and Inner Sect disciples. The former were only considered half-members of the Skynet Sect, while the latter were the true disciples. If Gunner had connections within the Inner Sect, killing him could lead to serious trouble. Sensing the fear in Raelyn and the others, Gunner gritted his teeth and said, "Scared, huh? If you're afraid, help me up quickly. Also, this useless one has severed both arms. Once I notify my senior sister to come, she'll deal with you. And the two thousand contribution points must be handed over..." Suddenly, Titus stomped on Gunner's right arm, accompanied by the sound of bones cracking, causing Gunner to scream in agony. Seeing the murderous intent in Titus's eyes, Gunner hurriedly pleaded, "Don't kill me! I don't want anything, not even the contribution points..." "It's too late," Titus said as he swung his blade made of refined iron at Gunner's neck. Killing Gunner didn't weigh on Titus's conscience because individuals like him deserved to die. If he didn't kill him, Gunner would undoubtedly seek revenge later. And it wouldn't just be Titus but also Raelyn and the others who would suffer.