It appeared this would be troublesome.
"I think I've also been influenced." Blood said. He then proposed, "Let's use our free time to sort this out and set everything straight.?"
Maybe it was the 'gift' getting back at them.
"This isn't just about us. We should report to the Madam," Ballock said firmly. "It could be that the Bloodsuckers or other factions have finally traced the incident back to us and are orchestrating something malicious to catch us unaware. We cannot be rash, not after everything that has happened. The blood mist is already burdensome as it appears. We must have someone powerful with us if we intend to follow the call."
They couldn't act impulsively.
Blood tilted his head, pulling a faint smile as he listened. He was surprised that Ballock had said all that. "When did you get so intelligent with such uncanny skill? I should learn from you from now on." he said.
Besides, Ballock hadn't made a joke—he had cited a fact. It might well have been the Bloodsuckers with their tedious tactics. They had caught up on this one.
Ballock laughed, though the sound seemed to lack something. "I told you. I'm not the same since yesterday. Things kept entering my head. I can feel it burning right now."
"It's okay. It seems the misty thing did gift you something." Blood paused, before continuing,
"Let's not tell anyone for now. We should follow as it appears. If it leads us beyond the main gate, we will retreat at once and call for aid. But if it remains within the Main Manor grounds, we can handle it ourselves. That's fair, isn't it?" he said.
Blood couldn't get past the gate anytime soon. His parents had made it clear—he had to advance his cultivation base. If only he could cultivate faster, things would have been different. Salza had purposely arranged for his mother to talk him out of it, leaving him with no one to complain to.
"Well, there's no problem with your plan. You should equip your weapon while I wait here. We don't know what might go wrong." Ballock agreed. Going in this style wasn't that dangerous. If something did happen, they could scream and the guards would come to their aid.
The guards were everywhere. If this wasn't related to the Bloodsuckers but still posed a threat—especially one they couldn't handle, they could retreat with ease.
"Fine. You'd better restrain that urge and wait for me here. You must not leave without me. I suppose I'll have to get used to this new… intellectual version of you. Just a minute." Blood said as he passed through the door.
"Was I really that dumb?"
___
Blood emerged moments later, his appearance wasn't much different except for the weapon now in his hand. He carried a rusty spear and wore a pair of gloves. His red T-shirt still bore the image of a dark-colored horse, seemingly neighing, and his pants and boots remained the same shade of red.
Drawing the spear to his side, he said firmly, "Let's go."
Ballock nodded without hesitation, and together they immediately set out...
___
Ballock narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice, "I think it's coming from this direction."
"Yeah, I can feel it too." Blood replied as they followed the instinctive trails.
It had been about ten minutes since they started walking warily within the manor, moving at the pace of an ant, perhaps even slower. Every step was deliberate, their senses were released to their limits as they followed the strange urge, intending to get this over with.
To their surprise, the pull didn't lead them outside the manor. Instead, it guided them toward the side, close to the Sickhouse. There, a large field stretched about two hundred meters away from the Sickhouse.
Ko-ko-ko
Blood tapped his leg lightly against the hard surface. "I think it's coming from here." he said, the sound echoing faintly.
"Yes, that's true. What should we do now?" Ballock asked, but he didn't wait for an answer before grumbling, "Is it hinting we dig the ground?" The short walk had already weighed heavily on them, and the thought of what they might find was like a burden.
"Most likely." Blood replied. His hand trembled slightly as it gripped the spear. "I have a feeling that our coming days will be stressful from now on."
Ballock nodded grimly. He raised his sword, its blade now coated in a dark-red hue and prepared to strike at the point. He signaled Blood to step aside.
The energy suddenly lunged forward, striking the spot the instant Blood moved.
Bam.
A heavy sound rang out, leaving a hole about half a meter deep in the earth. The noise carried through, drawing the attention of nearby workers and guards. But when they saw the young master, most quickly looked away.
"What are they doing?" one of the guards muttered.
"How should I know? It seems the young master is venting his frustration. Have you forgotten the command? He must not leave the manor until he reaches the ninth stage. Isn't he still stuck at the third stage of the Iron Realm?" another butt in.
"Yeah, it's a long road to the ninth stage, especially since he's still in the third stage for so long. I think the decree was meant only to keep him here." a third guard added with a sigh.
"Oh, I pity him. He has an easy-going attitude, except with two." said a rugged-voiced guard.
"You mean the brothers? I wouldn't play with that topic if I were you. See you… I'm going back to my post." the first guard said, leaving quickly. They all knew better than to joke about such an epic matter; the 'other side' of the family wasn't something anyone would want to provoke.
"Look at these dunces, get back to work," barked a burly man in a commanding tone. He was the Head Guard of the Main Manor—Callus.
The guards instantly scattered, vanishing as if they had never been there.
Callus, however, narrowed his eyes, looking into the distance.
I hope he isn't digging another hole for escape this time. he thought grimly.
The young master had many ways of frustrating him, and he wasn't about to take the blame for another escape. He would have to keep a closer eye on him.
Blood frowned as he realized the commotion had already drawn unwanted attention. "We can't go on like this. We have to do this silently, with as little noise as possible."
Ballock turned his head. "Are you suggesting we dig? We don't even know the depth of this call."
"What other options do we have?" Blood replied blankly. "We can find out the depth by digging. If that doesn't work, we'll find an alternative."
Ballock shrugged and resigned.
Digging seemed to be their only option…
Maria stood by the window, her gaze fixed on the duo. What are these kids up to this time? she wondered. She had been watching her son and his servant all along, noting how they walked at a slow pace, as though unwilling to trouble the earth itself.
At first, she suspected he was trying to leave the manor through some secret opening, since that was what he normally did. Her eyes remain fixed, waiting for the inevitable attempt. But instead, they stopped, then came the sudden strike to the ground.
The abrupt noise startled her. She was equally surprised by the sheer power output of the servant. Now, she had both of them under her chart, their actions demanded closer scrutiny.
Weren't they moving silently? Why the sudden disturbance?