Chapter 80: Pearl Necklace
The flames were lit, scorching the stone walls as thick smoke poured inward.
Hode and the three Temple Warriors held shields in one hand and short spears in the other, watching the cave entrance with vigilance.
Their faces were covered with a layer of burlap; even they could hardly bear the spreading smoke.
Marl kept running, bringing in dry wood from outside and stuffing it into the cave.
As the thick smoke poured in, the temperature in the passage rose, and wretched howls echoed from within, causing Hode and the others to grow even more tense.
Yet even after the howls ceased, no werewolves emerged.
Hode sensed that something was wrong.
He told Marl to stop adding wood.
"I need to go in and take a look," Hode said.
"You all stay alert at all times. If anything goes wrong, escape immediately and return to the church to inform the bishop."
The three Temple Warriors nodded.
They were trained warriors and acted decisively.
Marl was somewhat surprised by Hode’s decision.
Having grown up in the village, he had never seen any adult take the initiative to explore dangerous places.
Even the guards would push a weak person forward just to test the depth of the river.
And if someone from the Hayes family led the team, they would bring some slaves to use as fodder.
This was the first time he saw an adult volunteer like this, and the other three also appeared unfazed.
He couldn't help but say, "Sir, I'm weaker. It should be easier for me to move inside."
"Besides, even if I die, it won’t affect the subsequent battle."
Moreover, he wanted to search inside. Perhaps the thing he had always been sneaking into the Hayes family fortress to find was hidden down here.
"Ha, I praise your courage," Hode laughed.
"But this is my mission as a Temple Warrior. At least while we are still alive, we won't let civilians do such dangerous things."
The three Temple Warriors also laughed, their laughter filled with approval of Hode and pride in being Temple Warriors.
Marl was left speechless.
"Alright, kid, stay back. If things look bad, run to the church and inform the bishop. That would be the greatest help to us."
Marl was driven to the entrance of the hall. After some of the thick smoke dispersed, he watched as Hode poured water over himself and walked into the cave.
...
The chiseled tunnel was very narrow, and Hode's large frame felt constrained as he moved through it.
After passing through the tunnel, he could finally stretch out a bit.
But what greeted his eyes were two corpses lying on the ground, and their appearance changed Hode’s expression.
They generally retained a humanoid form, but their hair had fallen out, jaws protruded, spines arched, and the joints in their arms and legs were thickened and raised. Beneath the burlap, their bodies were so emaciated that their breastbones and spines were visible.
These were humans in the process of transforming into werewolves.
After capturing that werewolf, Nyx had given them a rough explanation of the werewolf social structure.
At the top were clan chiefs, like lords.
Below them were upper werewolves, similar to knights.
And beneath those were lower werewolves, akin to elite human warriors.
This was the basic hierarchy of werewolf clans.
Outside of this structure, there were also werewolves transformed from captured humans.
They were also called lower werewolves.
Their strength was comparable to that of clan-born lower werewolves, but their minds were already chaotic.
They acted only on instinct and followed the commands of upper werewolves.
Only their offspring—the second-generation werewolves—formed the foundation of the clan and possessed stable intelligence.
What made Hode's expression change was the fact that only upper werewolves could transform humans into werewolves.
In other words, at least one upper werewolf had invaded.
Upper werewolves were like knights in human society, but even more terrifying.
They could capture humans after battles, transform them into lower werewolves, and thus sustain combat through continual warfare, eventually forming a pack.
Moreover, the act of extracting over two hundred human hearts in one night required a level of precision that temporary werewolves could not achieve.
And there were also over a hundred people who had vanished.
Hode felt the situation might already be out of control.
He searched through four narrow rooms and a large storage chamber. Altogether, there were seven suffocated werewolves in the process of transformation.
He did not see the corpse of an actual werewolf.
After emerging, Hode relayed the situation grimly.
Realizing the potential consequences, the three Temple Warriors began to breathe heavily.
"Hack, take Marl back to the church and inform the bishop," Hode instructed one of them.
"Alright," Hack nodded.
"What about you all?" Marl asked.
"We're going to the other villages. If it truly is an upper werewolf, his next step will definitely be to expand the werewolf numbers," Hode said.
"Just a mere disturbance wouldn't bring such a rare upper werewolf."
"So they must be planning to keep attacking villages."
"But with just you three, you won’t be able to stop the werewolves' assault," Marl said.
"Someone has to go. Besides, the villages still have guards," Hode replied.
"Alright, kid, you should follow Hack back to the church. After that, live well." Hode patted Marl on the shoulder, then left with the other two.
"If you're worried about Hode, then you should return to the church with me now and deliver the news to the bishop," Hack stepped closer and said.
"This is no longer an invasion; it’s war."
"For matters of war, it’s up to the lord and the knights. They will summon the army."
"You’re right," Marl nodded, though he cast a hesitant glance toward the passage behind him.
"Do you still have something on your mind?" Hack asked.
"I want to go in for a moment," Marl said.
"Are you worried your father might be inside?"
"Yes," Marl nodded.
"Alright, I won’t stop a child from looking for his father," Hack said.
"But Hode said those down there died terribly."
"It’s alright. I’m not afraid of a few corpses," Marl forced a smile.
"Then be quick. We should get back to the church before Morning Star sets. It’s not safe at night with werewolves around."
Marl nodded and slipped into the passage.
He soon returned.
"Well? Did you find your father?" Hack asked.
"I didn’t find him, but I saw someone I know," Marl shook his head.
"Alright, try not to dwell on it. Maybe your father escaped and is in town right now. Once you get there, you’ll see him," Hack consoled.
Marl did not respond. He only gripped tightly the now smoke-blackened bead in his hand.
It was the pearl his father had given his mother when they married.
A single pearl.
His mother treasured it deeply and made it into a necklace that she wore around her neck.
She had worn it until the day she disappeared.