My Last Hunt

Level Three (part 29)

It was nearly evening and the Middletown seemed almost empty of people. Most of the chasers left this place for a day and those who had nowhere to go chose to hide early. Only a man was running around in a hope to find a free shelter but he could not find anywhere even after desperately pleading. It was the same chaser who, after getting kicked by many cottage owners was sitting helplessly, ready to cry at any moment. 

He had collected complete information about what was going to happen in the Middletown and he didn't want to see it happening with his own eyes. He was sitting in front of the last cottage which was locked and from the looks it was empty. Thinking that perhaps the owner or the one who rented has not returned, he chose to sit and wait. 

He had decided to fall in the feet and beg for shelter from whoever that was going to come here, just for one day. The ominous signs were appearing and he had yet to beg someone unknown. There was almost a zero chance that he would succeed but he had no choice other than to try his luck one last. Qiao on the other hand was unaware of the situation and came in front of his cottage to open the lock. 

It was almost evening and the light of the day was almost dying and at its ends. Someone suddenly fell in his feet and started begging with all their heart. 

"Please, merciful owner of this cottage, I beg for a shelter for one day. I promise to provide the rent as soon as I hunt a monster." 

Qiao was speechless as he recognised the voice he heard. As he remembered and stepped back. 

"You came following me again?" He admonished the chaser. Almost the whole day this chaser was tagging like a bug and whenever he thought that he would not see him again, he appeared out of nowhere. 

"Ah, buddy my buddy...you are the only one buddy in this entire world for me." The chaser also recognized Qiao and started buttering desperately. 

Qiao held his head. After reaching to this world this was the first time he was feeling a headache and just because of this chaser. 

"Go somewhere else and don't bother me." He waved his hand. He could no more tolerate him. 

"Buddy, wherever I have gone and searched, there was a notice board telling that today was a destruction night and plight would fell on one of the trader and all his shops in the Middletown so I cannot dare to stay outside in the town." he explained. 

This picked his interest, "Wait, did you say that you read a notice board?" Qiao asked with surprise. If so then he could think to let this chaser use this cottage as a shelter. He needed someone who could read the language of this world. 

"Indeed buddy, I know how to read notice boards or any book." The chaser stood up and patted his chest. This was the only thing he could proudly claim as his quality. Out of thousands of chasers only one was probably literate so it was something to be proud of. 

"What kind of plight is going to fall?" Qiao asked since he was living in Middletown hub he should be aware of any expected disturbance or unexpected plights. 

"Buddy, it is too dangerous to stay out and come in sight of the plight. I would suggest to get inside the cottage then I will be able to better explain what I heard from others in the Middletown today." He sheepishly asked. 

"Oh, then get in. But never forget that if you trouble me or try to steal something then I would not kick you out but kill you right on the spot." Qiao glared him seriously. 

"Buddy I have no such intentions." the chaser blinked his eyes innocently to make him believe his innocence. Qiao simply ignored that and entered the cottage. 

"So, tell me about this plight?" Qiao sat on the wooden plank and asked. 

"Buddy, the famous Zura Traders have offended a high-level hunter by giving him only one pearl which was part of a three yet they took the full price in return from him. The hunter believed that they were trying to scam him and now he has sent a sign of destruction to the Zura Traders. He sent red-blooded soil which is considered as a sign of the death of the offender." He spoke in one breath. 

"Why would they do it intentionally? What was that pearl by the way, which was actually split in three parts?" 

This didn't make any sense in his mind. If the trader was aware of the power of the hunter, he would never have scammed him. From the name Zura, he remembered the sharp hunter named Zura whom he met during a hunt and later he had snatched one of the pearls he got after hunt. Qiao has resolved to take revenge for this snatching but to know that they were already caught by a stronger hunter, he wanted to know the circumstances. 

"You don't know about the rumoured water dragon? The young master of this traders group hunted it few days ago and sold to the level high hunter on a fair price but it turned out that the water dragon broke its treasure into three pieces before death. Now the single piece of pearl is useless without other two parts." The chaser humped after completely explaining situation. He didn't care about those greedy traders but pity who will be affected by this plight. 

Qiao heard this and stood up with worry. This was bad no it was worst. If this was true then both his team members were in trouble sooner or later. They were traveling to reach home towns what if the hunter somehow found about them? It would be more disasstrous.