[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bear-school-astartes":3,"chapter-bear-school-astartes-bear-school-astartes-chapter-795":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Bear School Astartes",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1620675,2087,"Chapter 795 - 778. Hotel at the Crossroads","bear-school-astartes-chapter-795",795,"\u003Cp>Velen is filled with swamps, puddles, and lake islands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, when the strong winds before the heavy rain start to blow, they stir up these accumulated waters, and the earthy smell and stench of silt waft into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, even the rain in Velen seems stickier and more annoying than in other places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann and Belengar set off in the morning and only made a brief stop to grab a bite to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The endurance of the Demon Hunters’ bodies spared them from the worries of chafing thighs like ordinary people after long hours of riding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, they were lucky enough to encounter an internal riverboat midway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar, now indifferent to his wealth of a few coins, directly paid double the fare to stop the boat and hitched a ride for a stretch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann, on the other hand, rode his unicorn, following at a distance as if walking on flat ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such efficiency in travel, they took only a single day to journey from Gos Velen in the far west of Velen to regions nearer its center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember there’s an inn built at the crossroads here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar pointed at the fork ahead as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahead of the crossroads is a village called Mobridge, and in front of the village, there’s a Tree of the Hanged.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tree of the Hanged?\" Lann asked curiously, \"Is it a tree cursed or turned into a monster by Magic Power?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" Belengar shrugged blandly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s just a big tree, tall and strong, with lush branches, often used by the lord as a gallows with its branches.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sometimes the bodies of criminals would hang there for days as a warning against breaking the law.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll tell you, that tree grew really well. There must be more than twenty sturdy branches capable of hanging people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old Demon Hunter said carelessly, while the young Demon Hunter listened with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was still the dark and savage Magical Middle Ages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his travels across worlds, Lann wouldn’t intervene in everything without reason or regard for the environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, in the Ancient Greece world, at the budding stage of civilization, Lann refrained from intruding on the power struggles between the two Aegean Sea hegemonies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More journeys brought more knowledge and contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Lann still felt uncomfortable hearing about ’executions’ and ’hanging bodies to deter crime’, he was very aware: one shouldn’t view the present darkness with methods divorced from the era and productivity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a reflection of the dialectical world view of a humanities student.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann looked down at the velvet ball sitting in his lap, only to find the Three-Floral Kitten also appeared rather calm under Belengar’s description, only swallowing slightly nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it once introduced itself as having participated in territorial disputes among different Detel factions. Such endurance shown in harsh environments was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they arrived at the inn on the crossroads, the heavy clouds above had already begun to drizzle raindrops sporadically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann dismounted, patting the side of his unicorn to signal it to wander off by itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this guy definitely wouldn’t stay put in the inn’s stable anyway, it might as well roam freely. He could call it back with the Magic Ring later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unicorn joyfully ran off, even capable of diving into the sea to eat kelp; this rain was as if nonexistent to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann had already donned his hooded cloak, and the velvet ball followed the unicorn to play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small armored cat was still too conspicuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar tied Bopai in the inn’s stable and then walked inside with Lann.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door, pieced together with planks, opened with a creak, bearing visible gaps due to shoddy craftsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann bent over and ducked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That tall figure caused people inside the inn who saw him to startle in their seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They thought a giant troll had entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the neatly kept cloak on Lann signified he was a traveler, a human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crossroads inn was no different from those in other places, only appearing more lively than usual village taverns due to the regular hustle and bustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The walls, stacked with raw wood, were decorated with wreaths of Mariteli flowers, their vibrant colors appearing warm under the orange flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garlands of garlic and onions used for seasoning hung next to the oven behind the innkeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wooden floors, wooden tables and chairs, wooden counters... Wood was the cheapest and most convenient building material in Velen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper just finished clearing a wooden plate that had been completely emptied, tossing the leftover scraps out the window without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Happy yelps of dogs came from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he wiped the broth off the wooden plate with a rag and put it under the counter, complete with a cleaning gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper glanced at Belengar and Lann, then lowered his head and busied his hands again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though both Demon Hunters were wearing hooded cloaks at the moment, the sharp-eyed innkeeper quickly noticed the clasp at the neck of the cloaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure silver clasps!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quietly, the innkeeper raised the prices of his merchandise in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fancy a round?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar walked to the counter and turned to ask Lann. The young Demon Hunter nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar then said to the innkeeper, \"Two shots of the strong stuff, first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small wooden cups large enough to grip with the palm of a hand were placed out, filled with rye vodka, and the two Demon Hunters carelessly downed them at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the Demon Hunters, this regular strong liquor was just a taste. To truly get drunk, either a large volume was required, or some ’substance’ needed to be added to the drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a round of drinks, Belengar began ordering by looking at the ingredients hung behind the innkeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such village taverns, one shouldn’t expect a formal menu; it was customary to prepare meals based on whatever ingredients were available.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roast us a chicken and a rabbit with onions and carrots, and...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper wiped his hands on the apron in front of him, and following Belengar’s requests, took down the hanging ingredients from the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lann, too formidable in stature, didn’t intend to interject at the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found an empty table, joined two stools together, and took a seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, a table of people were playing Gwent cards, and at another table, folks were holding their drinks and chatting idly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the increasingly loud rainfall outside, the dry, bright tavern, while not clean, was a decent place to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar continued chatting away with the innkeeper, the Old Demon Hunter’s tone carrying a natural ease and leisure refined by time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made the listener feel relaxed too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of \"swish swoosh\" came from the necks of both Demon Hunters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belengar, who was speaking, suddenly fell silent, and Lann, seated at the table, slowly turned his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tavern’s wooden door again opened with a creak.\u003C\u002Fp>",1153,"2026-06-06T10:40:26.754Z",1,"novelbin.me","a606059de55e8ba00afa964127b9f2de109016bdcbcdb6843436800870a0025d","bear-school-astartes-chapter-796","bear-school-astartes-chapter-794",1043,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbear-school-astartes-cover.jpg"]