Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Evand, carrying carefully prepared food and drinks, met Tarn at the door at the agreed time. Tarn looked at what Evand had brought, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"It seems you've prepared very well," Tarn said with a smile.

Evand nodded, nervously gripping the food and drinks in his hands. "Yes, I don't want to miss this opportunity because of any oversight."

Tarn patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to relax. "Don't worry, I'm here. Come with me, I'll take you inside."

The two walked together toward the entrance to the Minotaur tribe. The guards nodded in greeting when they saw Tarn. Tarn skillfully led Evand through the crowd and into the core area of ​​the tribe.

However, when they arrived at Chief Axel's tent, the atmosphere became tense.

Axel was a burly, imposing middle-aged man who, apart from his "slightly" overweight body, actually looked quite like a chief. He was sitting inside the tent, coldly scrutinizing Evand.

"Tahn, who did you bring back?" Axel's voice was deep and powerful.

Tarn quickly stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Father, this is Evand. He wants to join our Minotaur tribe's alliance."

Axel frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over Evand. "Join our tribe's alliance? Hmph, our tribe isn't one that just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can join. I don't think someone like him, who looks like a pitiful bone that could be pushed over at any moment, can join us."

“No, he was a brave warrior because he saved my life!” Tarn retorted, somewhat agitated.

"Ha, so what? Unless he can kill those damned lizardmen with his own hands, he's just a punching bag."

“Evand, he can help us, please don’t think so badly of him! I can vouch for him, he will definitely pass your test!”

"Heh! He's the only one who can help us. Our tribe hasn't had any outside interference for a long time, and we're still doing just fine, so we don't need him! He should thank me later for not letting him leave this tent unharmed!"

The argument between father and son began to escalate. Evand, standing to the side, dared not utter a sound, much less speak up for Tarn, because if he dared to speak under these circumstances, he would certainly not be able to leave the Bullman tribe.

"Why do you always turn a deaf ear to the current situation?! Under your arrangements, our tribe has lost too many excellent warriors. We can clearly think of better ways to deal with the lizard tribe!"

"Enough! Tarn, watch your tone. You are speaking to the chief, and only secondarily to your father!"

"I...I know I was wrong...Please forgive me..."

Axel glared at Tarn and said coldly, "I forgive your rudeness because you are my son. However, regarding this Evand, I cannot easily believe him based on his appearance and your one-sided account. He must prove his worth before he can join our tribe's alliance."

Evand's heart tightened, but he tried to remain calm and said respectfully, "Chief, I know that joining the tribe is not an easy thing. But I am willing to contribute my strength to the peace and prosperity of the tribe."

Axel sneered, "Peace and prosperity? Do you think you can join our tribe just by saying a few nice words? Our tribe needs real warriors, not people like you who only know how to talk big."

Axel's words stung Evander, but he did not give up. He took a deep breath and said firmly, "I am willing to prove my worth. Please give me a chance to do something for the tribe."

Axel glanced coldly at Evand, his eyes filled with disdain and suspicion.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger, and then slowly said, "Since you think so highly of him, Tarn, then I'll give you a chance. I want you to complete a mission, and if you succeed, I'll consider having him join our alliance."

Evans felt a chill run down his spine; he knew this mission was definitely not simple.

Sure enough, Axel continued, "There's a lizardman spy near our territory who's been spying on our actions. Your task is to find him, kill him, and retrieve his heart for me."

Evans couldn't help but gasp; this task was undoubtedly extremely difficult for him.

His mission here was to help Nexus find the lizard spy from the Minotaur tribe and bring him back safely.

Not to mention they had to extract hearts from their corpses. But he also understood that this was his chance to prove his worth and the only way to win the trust of the Bull Tribe.

He took a deep breath, mustered his courage, nodded, and said firmly, "I accept this mission."

"No! You can't accept this week's mission!" Tarn, who had been standing silently to the side, shouted excitedly.

"Chief! Previous assessments clearly didn't involve killing..."

Before Tarn could finish speaking, he was interrupted by his father's reprimand.

"Quiet! Notice where you are! If you continue like this, I'll kick you all out!"

Then, Axel turned to look at Evand. Axel's expression made Evand feel uneasy; he was afraid that Axel would cut off his head.

"You dogs all have pretty good noses, huh? This is something my men tore off a spy who escaped from there. You stinking dog, sniff him carefully and find him for me, then kill him and take his heart!"

"I...I..." Evand stared nervously at Axel, too frightened to speak.

Evand's heart pounded like a drum. Just as he hesitated, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in his sight. Evand exclaimed in surprise, "Cheng Yu! What are you doing here?"

Cheng Yu smiled and walked over to Evans, patted him on the shoulder and said, "I heard you were in trouble, so I rushed over to see if I could help you."

He turned to Axel and said calmly, “Chief, I am Evand’s friend and comrade-in-arms. I believe he is capable of completing this mission. Please give him a chance.”

Axel frowned, sized up Cheng Yu, and said, "Who are you? This is none of your business."

Cheng Yu smiled faintly, showing no fear of Axel's imposing presence: "I am merely a passerby, but I can see how much importance you place on this mission. If you are worried that Evand cannot complete it, I can accompany him to ensure its successful completion."

Axel sneered, "Working together? You think you two weaklings can easily find and kill that spy? What a joke!"

Cheng Yu shook his head dismissively: "We won't let you down. Besides, I believe that as a father, you should be more concerned with raising an excellent son, rather than making sarcastic remarks here."

Enraged by Cheng Yu's words, Axel glared at him and roared, "How dare you lecture me? How I raise my son is none of your business!"

Cheng Yu smiled slightly and said calmly, "I didn't mean to lecture you. It's just that I can see that Tarn has high expectations of you, but he also longs for your approval and love. As a father, you should care more about his feelings instead of just blaming and mocking him."

Axel was speechless after Cheng Yu's words. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. He knew Cheng Yu had a point, but he also stubbornly believed that his parenting style was correct.

He snorted coldly and turned to Evand, saying, "Since some people are willing to work with you, I'll give you a chance. But if you fail, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Evand and Cheng Yu exchanged a glance. Cheng Yu saw in Evand's eyes Evand's gratitude and excitement.

Just as Evand was about to bow to Axel, Cheng Yu stopped him.

"What's wrong?" Evan looked at Cheng Yu with some confusion.

Cheng Yu didn't speak, but instead turned to look at Axel, who was like a pressure cooker, ready to explode at any moment.

"I don't think we should rely on him for our manners..."

Upon hearing Cheng Yu's words, Axel's face instantly turned ashen, and anger burned in his eyes. He abruptly stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow within the simple tent, filling the entire space with a sense of oppression.

"What did you say?" His voice was deep and threatening, like that of a wild beast about to erupt in fury.

Cheng Yu met Axel's gaze without flinching, his eyes firm and calm, as if he were prepared to face anything.

“I’m saying, if you don’t apologize to Tarn, then from this day forward I will never respect you as chief again.” Cheng Yu’s voice was clear and powerful, each word like a nail driven into Axel’s heart.

Axel trembled with rage at Cheng Yu's words; he could hardly believe his ears. No one in his tribe had ever dared to challenge his authority like this. He suddenly raised his fist, seemingly wanting to knock Cheng Yu down with a single punch.

However, just as his fist was about to fall, Cheng Yu fearlessly met it head-on, his eyes shining with determination.

“You can try,” he said calmly. “But before you do it, I want to remind you of something. I can take Evand away from here at any time, and I can even make the situation of the Minotaur tribe worse. I’m serious.”

Axel's fist froze in mid-air, a flicker of surprise and doubt in his eyes. He had never encountered such a bold and confident young man, nor had anyone ever dared to threaten him so directly.

However, he also knew that Cheng Yu was not just talking nonsense. When Cheng Yu suddenly appeared in the tent, he knew that the wolf-beastman in front of him was definitely not simple. Therefore, he had to hesitate.

At the same time, Axel could see that Cheng Yu had enough ability and wisdom, and that if he really left, he might indeed bring greater trouble to the tribe.

Moreover, he saw the determination and resolve in Cheng Yu's eyes, and knew that this young man was a man of his word.

Axel took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew he couldn't let Cheng Yu intimidate him like this. However, he also had to admit that Cheng Yu's words made him start to reflect on his own behavior.

He turned to look at Evand, who was looking at Cheng Yu with a worried expression, clearly concerned that he would be harmed by Axel.

Axel then looked at Tarn, the child he had always ignored, but this was also something he had no choice but to do. However, at this moment, Tarn was hiding to the side without saying a word because of him, and did not even dare to look him in the eye.

A complex mix of emotions welled up within Axel. He knew he had made a mistake, but he had to do it. He didn't regret it, even if Tarn would hold a grudge against him forever.

The chieftain needed by the Bull Tribe should be a brave and skilled warrior, not a weak-willed, indecisive coward.

But in the end, Axel sighed and said, "Perhaps you're right. I should indeed reflect on my behavior. I will apologize to Tarn."

Cheng Yu gave Axel a deep look, then turned and left with Evand.

After leaving the tent, the oppressive atmosphere disappeared, which made Evand feel a little relieved.

"Cheng Yu, what do you think I should do now...?"

"Just do whatever you want. Anyway, with me here, you don't need to worry about anything. I can help you complete both of these tasks, trust me."

"Okay, let's hurry up and find the lizard spy!"

……

Deep within the forest, towering trees stand like guardians, their intertwined branches forming a dense canopy. This place, known as the Earth Forest, hides countless secrets and creatures, among which the lizard spy is one.

Cheng Yu and Ai Wende carefully made their way through the forest, their eyes searching everywhere.

The trees here are tall and thick, their roots intertwined on the ground like sleeping dragons. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating dappled patterns of light and shadow.

"Cheng Yu, can we really find the lizard spy here?" Evan asked uncertainly.

Cheng Yu smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Don't worry, we'll definitely find him," he said. "Besides, I have a feeling he'll appear here soon. And if all else fails, at least you still have your nose."

"..." Evan looked at Cheng Yu with some anger.

As they were talking, a slight noise reached their ears.

They immediately stopped, held their breath, and listened intently to their surroundings. A green lizard peeked out from the bushes, its eyes gleaming warily as if observing them.

“They’re lizard spies!” Evand said in a low voice, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

Cheng Yu nodded, and slowly walked towards the lizard, extending his hand to indicate that he meant no harm.

"Who exactly are you people? Why do you have the aura of a chieftain on you?"