Chapter 41: Chapter 41: The Beast That Speaks!

Whenever something is associated with the word "sacred," its rarity and importance skyrocket.

"It seems we'll need to renegotiate how to divide this."

Dean Bruce said, noticing Alita Miller's growing excitement and becoming immediately wary, suspecting she might turn against him.

Why didn't Dean Bruce consider betraying her first?

His knowledge of this world was too limited. He had no idea what the Red Sun Sacred Tree was truly capable of. If he turned on Alita Miller now, not only would he have to fight her, but he'd also have to contend with the organization backing her.

More importantly, even if he managed to obtain the Red Sun Sacred Tree, he'd need to ask others how to use it. If they had ulterior motives, it could lead to endless battles. Continuing to cooperate with Alita Miller seemed more practical; he could simply take his share of the rewards without worrying about how to use the tree.

However, now that he understood the tree's significance, he intended to secure a larger portion for himself. He wouldn't agree to any terms too easily.

Hearing Dean Bruce's words, Alita Miller snapped out of her excitement. She pondered for a moment and then said, "Now isn't the time to discuss this. Rare treasures like this are often guarded by powerful beasts. We should first draw out that beast and secure the Red Sun Sacred Tree before we talk about distribution."

This idea wasn't unfamiliar to Dean Bruce; he'd read plenty of novels in his past life where such logic was commonplace. He nodded and asked, "So how do we lure out this hidden beast?"

Alita Miller's eyes narrowed as she turned to look at the still-unconscious Barnis George and the other instructor lying on the ground. She murmured, "We'll use their blood. Blood is the most enticing thing to a beast. It should be more than enough to lure out whatever is guarding the area."

"Human blood?" Dean Bruce frowned, then glanced at Barnis George. With a sigh, he said, "I had planned to extract some information from Barnis George. It seems I'll have to give him a quicker death."

"No problem," Alita Miller replied, shaking her head. "There's still plenty of time; no need to rush. I can step away while you question him, then we can finish him off. As for that other instructor, Ruiz, he's no better. Killing him is no loss."

Dean Bruce was tempted by this suggestion, but deep down, he felt a creeping unease. The hairs on his neck began to rise, as if some terrible creature was watching him from the shadows.

Dean Bruce suddenly spun around, but there was no one in sight. Aside from the tranquil pool and the Red Sun Sacred Tree, glowing with its crystalline red light, there was nothing else present.

His gaze slowly lowered, focusing on the water's surface. It was perfectly still, without a ripple, reflecting the firelight and the hanging Red Sun Fruits in a stunning display, like a scene from a fireworks show.

But Dean Bruce knew one thing for certain: the more beautiful and mesmerizing something appeared, the more likely it was to conceal danger.

Given the circumstances, Dean Bruce no longer felt it was worth wasting time interrogating Barnis George.

Based on Barnis George's actions so far, it was clear that the pressure he exerted was far less than that of Xerath Cade. This meant he probably wasn't from the Nine Provinces Alliance. The only reason Dean Bruce had considered interrogating him was to confirm his suspicions.

Now, with the situation becoming more uncertain, it seemed wiser to act quickly rather than risk a hidden threat suddenly emerging.

With that thought, Dean Bruce stepped forward without hesitation, grabbed Barnis George's unconscious body, and flung him toward the still water.

Looking closer, Dean Bruce realized that the mouth chewing on Barnis George's body belonged to a giant turtle's head. Its eyes glowed with a menacing crimson light, locked intently on Dean Bruce and Alita Miller.

Except for its head protruding above the water, the turtle's massive body remained submerged, making it impossible to determine its full size. But just the head alone was two to three times larger than a human, indicating that its body was likely enormous.

For a moment, the entire cavern fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of the turtle's chewing. The two humans and the turtle stared at each other, neither side making a move.

After a long pause, once the turtle had completely swallowed Barnis George's remains, its eyes gleamed, and it slightly opened its mouth, producing a deep, rumbling voice: "Humans, leave this place! The Sacred Tree is beyond your reach!"

"What? A beast that can speak human language! Oh my god, this must be a Sixth-Level beast, or even higher!"

Alita Miller cried out in shock, stumbling backward several steps, her eyes filled with fear as she stared at the turtle.

Dean Bruce, on the other hand, wasn't as frightened. He didn't have an in-depth understanding of the levels of beasts, so he wasn't easily intimidated. Moreover, in his experience, even if a turtle was a fierce beast, its attack capabilities likely weren't that strong.

Additionally, the fact that the turtle had spoken, urging them to leave, indicated that it might actually be afraid of them.

Dean Bruce, having read countless books in his previous life, understood psychology quite well. When someone tells you to leave, it's often because they believe they don't have the ability to deal with you.

Otherwise, there would be no need for it to ask you to leave. It wouldn't even bother with you, just like it did with Barnis George—if you dared approach the Red Sun Sacred Tree, it would simply devour you in one bite!

Once Dean Bruce understood this, even though he could feel the pressure, the fear in his heart dissipated.

Taking a deep breath, Dean Bruce stepped forward and calmly said, "This treasure crossed my path, which means it's destined for me. Share some of it with me, or I won't be leaving!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Alita Miller gasped audibly, her eyes now filled with admiration as she looked at Dean Bruce.

She couldn't believe that Dean Bruce could remain so composed in the face of a powerful beast that could speak human language, and even dare to demand a share of the treasure. It was simply madness!

The turtle's eyes flashed with red light, growing even more intense, and its voice, now like thunder, echoed ominously throughout the cavern. "Human, do not push my limits, or you will all die here!"

"Make me die here? You..." Dean Bruce's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "Can you really do that? I'm standing right here! Let's see how you plan to kill me."

Rumble!

As soon as Dean Bruce spoke, the entire surface of the water began to boil violently, and the terrifying pressure surged, making even Dean Bruce tense up.

Ding!

At that moment, a crisp system notification suddenly rang in Dean Bruce's ear, causing his face to light up with joy!