Chapter 635: An Encounter with One of the Strongest Scavenger’s Party

The rapid footsteps grew louder, echoing through the massive cave passage, each stride striking stone hard enough to carry through the surrounding tunnels.

A young man and woman lead the group through the narrow passage with serious expressions.

Behind them, several awakeners carried something enormous. Thoren’s eyes narrowed as he took it in. It was a massive serpentine beast, its body stretching several meters.

Behind the hunters carrying the beast corpse came more of the group, supporting injured members. Blood covered their clothes.

One man had a deep wound running from his shoulder to his chest, layers of cloth wrapped tightly to slow the bleeding.

Another’s arm hung uselessly at his side, his face pale from blood loss as a member of the party kept him upright.

A woman limped heavily, her leg wrapped in torn, bloodied fabric.

The whole group looked exhausted, bloodied, and dangerous with their bodies emanating a strong killing aura.

The moment they appeared, Vaela’s expression changed.

The confidence she’d worn only seconds before vanished almost instantly, her hand lowered. The four others on the boulder fell quiet as well, their earlier amusement gone the moment they spotted the group.

Everyone in Scarwind Camp knew who this was. Draven and his party were among the strongest scavengers in the camp.

Their reputation built through countless expeditions into the deeper, more dangerous sections of the trenches. They weren’t awakeners who enjoyed showing off but their reputation preceded them.

Without them, many would have died of hunger. Even the camp leader had to show them a semblance of respect.

And Vaela, she understood this better than most. The instant Draven’s eyes settled on her, her heart tightened.

His gaze was cold, not the furious glare of someone spoiling for a fight, but something worse.

His eyes moved from Vaela to the others around her, pausing on Lucie.

"What is going on here?" His voice was cold, the question was simple but the pressure behind it made Vaela and her companions stiffen.

For a moment, no one answered right away. The four on the boulder exchanged uneasy glances. Vaela’s fingers tightened around her dagger.

Rynna, the young woman beside Draven, looked over Vaela’s group with a faint, unkind smile.

"Haha. Please don’t tell me the notorious Vaela was too scared to speak." She crossed her arms, staring Vaela down.

The words sent heat flooding into Vaela’s cheeks, shame and anger burning together. Her grip tightened on the dagger, but she didn’t dare raise it.

Everyone in camp knew her reputation as someone who preyed on those weaker than herself.

Her arrogance ran deeper still.

She looked down on people from ordinary families and treated awakeners from weaker cities as beneath her. She shows respect to the strong and contempt to the weak.

That was exactly why Lucien had become one of her favorite targets.

Against the truly powerful awakeners, her whole demeanor shifted, turning polite and quiet. That was exactly why Rynna’s words cut so deep.

Vaela couldn’t answer as she didn’t dare.

"Well?" Rynna raised an eyebrow. "Where did all that courage from earlier go?"

Vaela’s face reddened further. She lowered her gaze and forced an awkward smile.

"Hmm. Hmm." She cleared her throat. "Draven, I’m just having a nice conversation with Lucien and the new awakener. Nothing more."

Her voice was noticeably softer, the arrogance she’d shown Lucien completely stripped away.

Lucien’s teeth gritted at that. He wanted to speak, tell Draven exactly what had happened but before he could, he caught her cold glare.

’Talk and you’re gone.’

Lucien tightened his jaw, hating that she could still intimidate him even with Draven standing right there.

After a moment he closed his mouth as the reality of the situation washed over him.

Draven looked back at Vaela, a faint scoff escaping him.

"Useless."

The word was quiet, but Vaela’s face went rigid. He clearly had no patience left for her explanations.

His party had just returned from a hunt and many of his members were injured. Additionally, the massive beast needed to be delivered to the processing unit.

Against all of that, dealing with someone like her was a waste of time he wasn’t willing to spend.

And thus, he simply ignored her.

Then his gaze shifted to Thoren, and something in him changed the instant their eyes met. His heart skipped a beat.

’Hmm? What is this feeling?’

His expression stayed calm, but his instincts snapped to full alert.

Days of surviving on the third floor had sharpened his instinct considerably. His body often recognized danger before the mind understood why.

That instinct had saved his life more than once, and right now every part of his body was reacting to the silver-haired young man standing before him.

Thoren didn’t look particularly threatening. Yet Draven couldn’t shake the sense that something about him was off.

Too calm.

No fear in his eyes, no nervousness and not even after watching the confrontation between Vaela and Draven’s own party.

And there was something about his presence Draven couldn’t quite name, but his instincts were clear on one point.

This person was not simple.

Draven studied him for several seconds and Thoren simply looked back.

Rynna noticed the exchange, glancing between the two men, sensing that something had caught Draven’s attention.

Finally Draven spoke. "Welcome to Scarwind Camp."

His cold expression softened slightly. "I’m Draven. If there is anything you need in the future, come and find me."

The moment the words left his mouth, everyone froze. Vaela’s eyes went wide. Lucien’s mouth fell open slightly.

The four on the boulder stared at Draven in disbelief, and even the injured members behind him looked startled.

Rynna herself blinked in surprise.

She had known Draven a long time and understood him well enough to know he didn’t casually approach strangers, let alone offer help to someone he’d just met.

Yet here he was, doing exactly that without the slightest hesitation.

Likewise, Lucien stared at Thoren, unable to understand what Draven had seen in him. Vaela’s face went pale. A few moments earlier, she had wanted to attack him, to teach the newbie a lesson.

And now one of Scarwind Camp’s strongest scavenger party leaders had personally welcomed him.

A knot tightened in her stomach as she dare not continue thinking about the implication of her earlier charade.

As for Thoren, he stayed calm, offering only a small nod. "Thank you."

Draven gave a brief nod in return before turning away.

"Let’s go."