The idea was profoundly basic. In Liam's mind, reaching richer areas of the Dragon Kingdom would increase his chances of finding information about the Sects, so he headed in their general direction, not actually knowing whether towns or dangers awaited ahead.
That wasn't how paths or traveling through the wilderness worked, but Liam lacked better options. He could only hope that he would eventually stumble upon traces of civilization.
Still, the seemingly aimless travel wasn't without positive aspects. As the days went by, Liam acquired a more conscious awareness of the body the Divine Cult had forced him to develop, which went beyond mere strength.
Liam now possessed a resilience he could only describe as inhuman.
Liam had always been a good hunter, able to spend multiple days and nights trailing prey without batting an eye. He also knew fully developed men could do better than him, but he felt beyond that now.
Mere travel seemed unable to tire Liam. His muscles didn't ache even after crossing unfathomable distances without taking a single break, and things didn't stop there.
Thirst and hunger rarely occurred. Even then, Liam didn't need to drink or eat much to feel satisfied.
That went against everything Liam knew. Usually, the stronger and bigger the animal and the harsher the effort, the more it needed to eat. Yet, he seemed to exist beyond that natural rule now.
And that couldn't come from mere muscles or training. It was simply unnatural, forcing Liam to link it to his awake core and mysterious fulfillment that filled him.
The conclusion almost made Liam wonder if he was already a cultivator, but his ignorance of the topic pushed those questions to the back of his mind.
Still, the main positive aspect was with the wilderness itself. Liam had felt no satisfaction or happiness in killing the jailer, but the travel in that natural environment did improve his mood.
Liam couldn't help but see those wild environments as his real home. He enjoyed navigating them. They were simpler and less cruel than the convoluted world of humans, delivering the cathartic experience that burning the talking scroll couldn't achieve.
But all good things had to come to an end. After a week of travel through the cold, snowy forest, Liam's ears finally caught the unnatural sound of human voices, making him adjust his direction.
A few minutes later, Liam was able to spot the source of those voices. Two men in their thirties sat around a small fire that had melted that patch of snow. They wore ragged grey coats over their robes, and their hungry eyes were fixed on the single small fish cooking over the flame.
It was barely past midday, and the sky was clear, so Liam could also see additional details despite the distance. Both men had caved-in cheeks behind their unkempt black beards. Winter seemed to have been hard on them.
Typically, encounters in the wilderness had to be tackled carefully. Liam was just a sixteen-year-old, while those were two full-grown men with unclear intentions or moral code.
Yet, Liam's animal side remained quiet as he climbed down the tree and approached the fire on foot.
Liam knew how to move silently. It was a habit for him, so the two men didn't notice him until he stepped into the small clearing where they had set up their fire.
Initially, the men were startled and tried to stand up, but noticing Liam's young age and his hands raised in peace made them relax.
"Hello, Uncles," Liam called. "Could you point the way to the nearest village or town?"
Despite Liam's young face, his figure wasn't exactly reassuring. His tight black robe perfectly highlighted his broad shoulders and muscular frame. His long black hair had also only grown messier during the trip, adding feral vibes.
Yet, Liam's tone made the two men ignore those vague concerns. He had sounded like the most innocent being in the world, like a clueless child, making them exchange a knowing glance.
"Why don't you join us by the fire, Junior?" One of the men, the bald one, said, wearing a smile. "You must be cold."
Liam nodded and complied, approaching the fire, not missing how both men eyed the clearly full pouch on his back.
"It was lucky for you to find us here," The bald man chuckled while Liam sat in front of the fire. "It's dangerous to travel alone, especially in this cold."
The other man, the one with short but messy black hair, stood up in the meantime, circling Liam to inspect his pouch, eventually commenting on it. "Do you have food? Why don't you share it with these Uncles?"
Liam wasn't exactly savvy in human interactions, but something reeked of a bad vibe. He wasn't even a newbie in random encounters in the wilds, but decided to hope for the best and play by the rules his father had taught him.
"I can share some food," Liam offered, "If you give me directions."
"It pains me that you think so poorly of us, Junior," The bald man said, shaking his head, feigning sadness. "These Uncles aren't so low as to ask for payment for simple directions."
"So, where is the nearest village?" Liam asked, blinking. "A town would be better."
"However!" The bald man continued, pretending not to have heard Liam, "These Uncles' minds are muddied by hunger. If Junior would be so kind as to share some food first, it would help him, too."
The act was far from good, but Liam didn't know how to recognize those social cues. Things still felt off, but he removed his pouch nonetheless, offering it to the black-haired man.
The black-haired man basically snatched the pouch in a hurry, returning to his companions' side. Both gasped happily when they opened it, and their hands didn't hesitate to dive into it, greedily seizing some salted meat and stuffing it in their mouths.
"If you eat so much," Liam pointed out, "There won't be anything left for me."
"Ah, Junior," The bald man laughed, not even looking at Liam as his hands went back inside the pouch. "Grown men need more food than kids. You'll understand when you are older."
And Liam sighed at that point. He knew he was being robbed, but he decided to use that opportunity to get an opinion on his internal conflict.
"Uncles, why are humans cruel?" Liam asked. "Father taught me to respect the natural balance, but everyone seems to take without ever giving anything back."
The innocence in Liam's voice actually awakened some guilt in the two men, temporarily halting their greedy eating.
"Father was strong and fair," Liam recalled. "He lived by the laws of the mountain, providing for us without hurting it. Mother was kind and caring, always hugging me, and Big Sister is always smiling happily in my memories."
Liam lowered his gaze, letting the memories from that peaceful time wash over him, only to compare them with his recent ones.
"But," Liam continued, "Ever since I left the village, I saw no fairness, kindness, or happiness. I … I want to live by what they taught me. I want to make them proud, but I can't see how it's possible in this world."
Liam's innocence delivered another blow to the men's heartstrings, completely lowering their defenses.
"Listen, kid," The bald man called, dropping his act. "No one cares about balance, especially the world. People wouldn't starve to death otherwise."
Liam lifted his gaze at the man, finding some sense in those cynical words.
"It's eat or get eaten out here," The bald man continued. "If you are hungry, you fill your stomach. If you are thirsty, you drink. If you are horny, you take a woman, no matter how."
"What about right and wrong?" Liam asked.
"Do you think the Dragon King worries about that?" The bald man scoffed. "Do you think the Guilds care about such things? Does the wolf worry about that when it's hungry?"
And Liam began to feel enlightened. He gained insights into something he didn't realize before.
The balance Liam's father had talked about wasn't for the well-being of the mountain. His family needed that source of food to remain flourishing, which was why he held back on hunting too much.
As for the animals, it wasn't that they didn't want to eat more. They simply couldn't, and those who tried to ended up dying from exhaustion or accumulated injuries.
Balance did exist, but it was enforced by something greater than humans and animals alike. It wasn't an iron-clad rule. It was simply what had come to be after all the variables fought each other.
Truth was, everyone looked out for themselves, pursuing their needs and goals.
"So, it's just about what I want," Liam concluded, "And whether I can take it without dying."
"You are learning, Junior," The bald man snickered.
"You are making your Uncles proud," The short-haired man added, joining his companion in his snicker before refocusing on the pouch, until Liam unleashed his captivating and distracting innocence once again.
"What I want wouldn't make them proud," Liam exclaimed, "But the dead can't be proud. The dead are just dead, and I know they would have preferred to live."
It wasn't about good or evil. It was about Liam wanting to make things right for himself. If he only considered himself and how he felt, not minding any other external or complicated stuff, he knew what he had to do.
Someone had done Liam an unforgivable wrong, and he couldn't let them go unpunished.
"I think I want to kill the Dragon King," Liam nodded to himself, stunning the two men with his words. "I think I also want to kill the Divine Cult."
The two men's shock only lasted for a second, soon exploding in loud laughs, but Liam's following words reclaimed their attention.
"You Uncles tried to rob me for no reason," Liam announced. "So, I think I'll kill you two, too."
The men's eyes went wide, not believing their ears. They were almost about to burst out laughing again when the fire parted, and the bald one's vision went dark.
The short-haired man was still smiling, but his expression changed when he noticed something off. Liam had vanished from his previous position and was now standing before his companion, his fingers stabbed in his eyes.