Chapter 166: Leaving the Dark Swamp Forest

'Soul Piercing Bullet!' 

Ace coldly active his soul attack and destroyed the unconscious Finn's soul without showing mercy!

Now that Finn was dead his storage ring was also opened and Ace found some of his clothes to wear.

After changing into Finn's robes Ace stiffly looked at Finn's corpse.

In the end, he burned Finn with Nola's remains!

'Sigh…'

Ace sighed softly while looking at the burning fire with a hint of grief in his eyes. 'Rest in peace.' 

"It's time to leave." Ace mumbles while taking a last look at the fire and blur toward Dark Swamp Forest's exit!

While moving carefully, Ace was processing Finn's memories that he took just a couple of moments ago. 

Ace has done this process with Victor before so it wasn't difficult anymore. He just discarded useless memories and keep memories he deemed informative. 

Five hours pass and Ace was close to exiting the dark swamp forest. 

In these five hours, Ace processed Finn's complete memories and now he knew many astonishing secrets! 

Like the Living Bait Plan was forged by none other than the Royal Regal Family!

They also leaked the news about the test to the royal family and they were the ones who controlled this information. 

Simply put, the mastermind behind all this was none other than King Kale Val Regal himself! 

As for the person who leak this test's type to King Kale, it was still a mystery. 

However, Finn's role in all this was just a supplier because Finn's family was in the business of slavery and they had many minions spread throughout the capital city! 

Finn's family got a huge amount of Qi stones just for supplying the selected nobles with living baits that were involved in this living bait plan. 

All they had to do was to sacrifice their minions like Crosby! 

Ace also found out that the real scheme was to kill every peasant involved in this plan so no one would know about it ever. 

However, Leo and Mark messed up after they let their living baits escape!   

Now, no one knows what happen to those living baits afterward, but some nobles like Frank and Callen were given the hunt order, to find them and tied this loose end. 

"Those bastards!" Ace clenched his fist tightly. 

He knew it was probably too late to save anyone because this hunt order was seven days old! 

All he can do now is to control himself from killing those nobles involved in this mascara! 

Although he has avenged Nola after killing Finn, it was just a drop in the bucket if he wanted to avenge everyone because he even had to kill the Regal King to get justice for everyone. 

However, Ace wasn't the hero of justice nor an idiot, his own life was on the line here with all those hidden experts like Natalia and Alvin searching for clues about him.

If he walked the path of revenge for some strangers, it would be akin to digging his own grave. And his life was bonded with someone else who he hold dearly so selfishness wasn't the option! 

"Brother Finn!" 

Ace wasn't using his stealth skills or silent step to its full capacity so someone spotting him was very normal. 

When Ace heard this surprisingly familiar voice he immediately stopped and followed the source of the voice. 

Ace saw a handsome young man was waving at him or Finn, with a friendly smile on his face. 

Finn smile faintly and said, "Oh, if it isn't my favorite brother Frank!" 

Ace act like Finn even if he wanted to kill Frank who led them to Leo the other day. 

Because Frank was the son of an Earl in the capital city and his family was a vessel of Finn's family so killing him here can be very troublesome for him since he was now Finn and had to answer Frank's family. 

He can always make some random story but it was just not worth it, he'll wait for now. 

"Hahaha, your too generous brother Finn. Where is the other?" Frank grin broadly and asked with a hint of confusion in his voice. 

Because he knew Finn never go around without his five guards but now that he was alone on the edge of dark swap forest he couldn't help but ask. 

Finn shows a hint of killing intent and faintly said, "I kill those traitors." 

Frank's face shone with astonishment as he exclaimed in shock, "What happened?" 

"Nothing much they tried to fight over a Phantom Horn Lizard with me!" Finn pulled a long face. 

"Heh, you can't trust anyone these days. Who would've thought you were just raising poisonous snakes all these years. But don't worry brother Finn I'll always be by your side." Frank coldly sneered. 

He didn't find it any suspicious because it was a common occurrence; when a servant became overly ambitious and try taking his master's life to free itself.

That's why Ace forge this kind of story that any noble could believe. 

"You become quite powerful even kill five of them and escape without a scratch!" Frank laugh, he was complimenting Finn. 

"Heh, don't jest brother Frank. It's just that those idiots forget about the slave marks on them and die because of their stupidity!" Finn coldly chuckles. 

How could Ace forget about slave contracts? These noble didn't even trust their siblings much less mere attendants without salve contracts! 

"Hahaha, greed can blind anyone, eh." Frank finds it quite amusing not suspicious because Finn was acting extremely normal. 

"Hahaha." Finn grin widely and said, "Since brother Frank is here does it means the matter has been dealt with?" 

Ace was asking about those lost living baits of Leo and Mark. 

Frank's smile instantly freeze when he heard this and said stiffly, "No, those living baits are like rats in this vast forest and we only found seventy of them, not the rest. But I think they're probably dead after all who can survive that rain without Qi not to mention those toxic demonic beasts and insects. 

"Since the seventy we found were barely alive and we just give them mercy by killing them. That's why we close the search two days ago after all the test is ending soon and those brothers also needed to find that lizard." 

Ace's face sank hearing this because Frank has a point. 

"You did the right thing." Finn nodded and said, "You're here mean you also found the target, right?" 

"Hehe, to tell you the truth I just kill an outer noble and my luck was not bad. I found two Phantom Horn Lizards in his storage ring." Frank laugh heartedly as he proudly told Finn about his accomplishment.

"I expect nothing less from my brother Frank." Finn grin. 

Ace knew just what these outside nobles were. These nobles of the capital city call those nobles who live outside the capital city outer nobles and they thought of them just like the commoners.

"Let's go we're just around the corner to leave this damn place. We also have to dirt our faces, you know why." Frank said with a knowing smile. 

"Yeah, I know. We have to hide our complexion to not draw any suspicion of the masses." Finn rolled his eyes. 

"Then let's do it now." Frank laugh and rubbed the mud on his face and clothes. 

Ace coldly looked at Frank before doing the same. 

Ace wasn't surprised by this method to hide the fact that these nobles had the antidote pills from the start. 

But what truly astounded Ace was those people of the institute who were supposed to monitor everyone so no one could cheat. These nobles were openly cheating but to present no one step up to stop any of them and this rub Ace the wrong way. 

Because this simply means; the institute didn't give a damn about their lives and the fairness of this test. As long as these nobles didn't sully the name of the institute everything was fine!

"System, I am truly glad you gave me this mission." Ace coldly transmitted. 

As for why he was feeling this way now, it was very simple because he would've done the same thing even if the system didn't force him into doing it, after what he learns about these people.

Now he can just do the same thing and get rewards from the system as well!

Ace can't wait to reach the first-grade lands and start the mission! 

"Let's go, brother Finn." Frank was now covered in mud and no one can tell he was completely fine even after spending more than a week in this forest with no antidote! 

"After you." Finn shows his white teeth. 

Frank gladly take the lead and with Frank behind they both continued their journey.

After half an hour of the smooth journey, both of them finally left the gloomy Dark Swamp Forest!

However, before they could bask in sunlight a person wearing the institute attire block their way and coolly said in a dictatorial tone, 

"Please show the Phantom Horn Lizard corpse, and if you don't have it, leave your participant token behind!"