Free Web NovelChapter 205: Confrontation (2)
Shinon and the girls slowly approached the settlement gates. Meanwhile, the atmosphere within the settlement was charged with tension and anxiety.
It had been hours since he left with the girls, and the uncertainty surrounding their return had left the settlers on edge. After all, they had received no information about the battle’s outcome.
As such, the guards were on high alert. Although they believed Shinon, the settlement couldn’t take chances in case Shinon lost and were prepared to defend themselves in case Aric was headed their way.
However, as a car came into view, the tension dissolved into a wave of relief and excitement. People began to shout and point, alerting others to their arrival. The settlement’s residents, including the Phoenixes, rushed towards the gates to greet the returning heroes.
Shinon parked the car, and the girls stepped out, their faces reflecting the exhaustion of their journey. They were immediately swarmed by settlers, all eager to ensure they were unharmed.
The moment Shinon emerged from the vehicle, he was engulfed by a sea of well-wishers. His fellow settlers, who had been anxiously awaiting their return, couldn’t contain their joy at seeing them safe and sound.
Sable was among the first to approach Shinon and the girls. Her face lit up with a broad smile as she embraced the girls while Shinon decided to hang back.
"Thank the stars, you’re back safe," she exclaimed. "We were so worried."
While people checked on the girls, Kira, Selena, and Rico headed to greet Shinon. Much to Shinon’s surprise, Kira rushed to hug Shinon while Rico gave him a fist bump.
As for Selena, she decided to stay back and just smile, respecting Shinon’s wishes to not get involved with anyone from their world. Shinon saw her smiling and returned the smile with a nod.
Everyone was ecstatic. The settlers had been constantly anxious while waiting for news of the mission’s success. Their relief was palpable as they hailed Shinon and welcomed Mia, Lily, and Emily with warm smiles.
However, one person among them did not share the same sentiments. Marcus had a dark cloud over his face as he saw Shinon step out of the car with only minor injuries. He had been hoping for a different outcome. freewebnoveℓ.com
He was a bit taken aback as he knew Aric wasn’t an easy opponent to beat, even for him. That’s why Marcus was expecting Shinon to at least lose an arm or become crippled in some way... yet there he was, standing with just scratches.
While the settlers and even the Phoenixes celebrated the return of their friends, Marcus’s mind was racing. His inability to contact Aric in the past few hours had left him anxious, and seeing Shinon’s condition only deepened his suspicion.
Marcus also knew Aric would not remain silent if he had been victorious. Which meant Shinon had, in fact, managed to defeat Aric. But there was another question running in his head.
’Damn it! But what happened to Aric? I can’t imagine him getting killed.’
Marcus made his way towards Shinon, intending to know more about Shinon’s battle. As he approached him, he saw Shinon exchanging a few words with Selena, talking about some details of his encounter with Aric.
It was then that Marcus realised the truth. A surge of anger and frustration coursed through him. The careful empire that Aric had built. A kingdom that Marcus had been promised to become a part of was crumbling, and it was all thanks to Shinon. freёweɓnovel.com
It didn’t take long for Shinon to notice Marcus’s brooding presence and give him a nod of acknowledgement. More like a nod that said, "You’re next, bastard."
As the celebration continued around them, Marcus couldn’t hide the storm brewing within him. He was a man who thrived on control and power, and the situation had spun out of his grasp.
However, he couldn’t openly confront Shinon at that moment, not with the settlement celebrating their return. So, he kept his emotions in check and watched from the sidelines, knowing that a reckoning would come eventually.
Meanwhile, the settlers cheered and clapped, celebrating the safe return of their friends and the defeat of Aric. It was a moment of triumph, a testament to the strength and resilience of the settlement’s inhabitants.
It was then Lova asked the most obvious question. "Wait, what happened to Aric? Did you kill him?"
"Kill him? Why would I do that?" Shinon scoffed, and a few people gasped, thinking Shinon let him go. But he was quick to stop the chaos from spreading.
"Relax, I didn’t let him go either," Shinon continued before opening the car’s trunk, and there he was... the cause of the hurt and pain of countless people.
Aric’s battered and bruised form was a stark reminder of the havoc he had wreaked and the atrocities he had committed. But at that moment, he was powerless and vulnerable, unable to continue his reign of terror.
However, Aric was unconscious and would be for a while. All colours drained from Marcus’ face when he saw Aric. As Aric was the only one who knew Marcus had been colluding with him, Aric’s presence in the settlement could spell disaster for him.
While Marcus was losing his crap, Shinon kept staring at him with a crooked smile. Someone like Marcus would think Shinon would kill Aric the first chance he got, but there was no fun in that.
More importantly, Shinon wanted to expose Marcus for the snake he was, and Aric would have been the right person to do so. After all, while people might not wholly believe if Shinon told them the truth, they would readily do it if Aric offered them that information himself.
Shinon had his eyes locked on Marcus, and once their eyes met, Shinon subtly raised his wrist, tapping it with two fingers. It was a simple, inconspicuous gesture, but Marcus immediately understood its hidden meaning.
The tap on the wrist was a silent reminder, a signal that conveyed a single, ominous message—Marcus’s time was drawing near.
