Chapter 392

"My Lord Hou, a patrol squadron has arrived from the southeast, claiming they received our Austin family's alert and wish to confirm the situation!"

"Tell them the orcs have been crushed by the Austin family! I shall personally report to the Legion Commander!"

"Yes, My Lord Hou!"

As his subordinate departed, Lord Austin's gaze toward Adams grew even more tender.

"Adams, such achievements today will surely summon you before the Legion Commander and the two Dukes. Go wash and change—you cannot appear before them covered in mud!"

"Yes, Father!" Adams nodded eagerly; to be summoned by the Northern Legion Commander and two Dukes was an extraordinary honor among young men.

Soon, father and son returned to the main camp outside Redstone City, where the defenses were clearly heightened.

At least half as many guards stood watch as before Adams had left the camp.

"Lord Austin, you've returned—the Commander and the two Dukes have been waiting for you!"

Austin was unsurprised. "Adams, I'll go report to the Legion Commander and the two Dukes first. Go wash up—don't keep us waiting!"

"Yes, Father!"

About ten minutes later, Adams had washed and donned a brand-new set of armor, looking dashing and formidable.

"My Lord Harry, thank you—for granting me this honor!"

Taking a deep breath, Adams stepped out of the camp and headed toward the main encampment.

But he hadn't expected that soon after leaving, urgent hoofbeats rang out behind him.

Adams initially paid no mind—until the riders passed his group by over ten meters, then turned back. That finally made him frown.

Soon, Adams narrowed his eyes: the rider galloping toward him was Wyatt and his crew.

Wyatt's glazed eyes suggested heavy drinking—he'd likely just left Redstone City.

"Oh? Isn't this the waste, Adams? All dressed up—what are you planning? I bet you're too scared to face the orcs!"

"You're not going to challenge some serf to a duel, are you? Hahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

At Wyatt's mockery, the noble youths beside him burst into laughter.

Adams had intended to ignore Wyatt—he couldn't give his father trouble.

But this humiliation? He couldn't swallow it.

To challenge a serf to combat? That was as insulting as calling him less than a woman.

Everyone knew serfs could never cultivate battle qi.

What did it mean for the heir to a Marquis to duel a serf?

It meant he was powerless and cowardly.

"Wyatt, whether I have ability or not is not for you to decide!"

Wyatt froze—he'd only meant to amuse himself with Adams.

He'd expected to insult him briefly and leave.

But Adams's reply left him with no face to save.

"Huh? You dare talk back? And you say I don't get to decide? Then let me test just how much ability you really have!"

Wyatt dismounted.

But he was clever—he unbuckled his sword and handed it to his guard.

That meant pure brawling—Adams's guards couldn't interfere.

Even if someone got hurt, it could be dismissed as a youthful quarrel; the families wouldn't easily intervene.

Adams understood Wyatt's intent at once.

He could either flee now—or grit his teeth and fight.

Fleeing would make him a laughingstock forever.

But fighting? He clearly couldn't win.

Wyatt was already a true Silver Knight; Adams himself was still one step away.

"Heh, waste Adams, don't you dare run—if you do, I'll beat you every time I see you!"

Hearing such outrageous words, Adams suddenly remembered Lord Harry's warning to him.

To grow, one must face hardship with fearless courage.

"Wyatt, I'm not afraid of you!"

Adams moved—he lunged forward with a sudden punch, striking Wyatt head-on.

They were only three or four meters apart; Wyatt never expected Adams to attack first.

Only when Adams was nearly upon him did he snap back to awareness, trying to dodge or block.

But a day of debauchery had left his limbs weak—even with overwhelming realm superiority, he was too slow.

CRASH!

Adams's fist landed first on his shoulder.

Wyatt grunted, stumbling backward several meters before barely regaining his footing.

Whoa!

The noble youths had expected to watch Wyatt bully Adams.

No one anticipated this reversal—they froze, laughter stuck on their faces.

Even Adams himself paused, stunned—he'd fully prepared to be beaten senseless!

"You little bastard, you ambushed me?" Dazed and humiliated, Wyatt realized he'd lost face.

Standing firm, he glared at Adams, unleashing his Silver battle qi violently as he charged again.

Adams didn't retreat—he ignited his own qi and met him head-on.

The next instant, they clashed, muffled grunts echoing between them.

Yet even as Adams fought with all his strength, he still took the worse of it.

Fortunately, Wyatt's drunkenness had halved his combat power—so Adams could still fight back.

Thus, though he absorbed more damage, Wyatt wasn't unscathed either.

Their brawl quickly drew the attention of patrolling soldiers.

At first, the guards dared not intervene—only rushed to report.

But as the commotion grew, a powerful knight arrived on the scene.

"Stop!"

As commander of the Redstone Knights of the Northern Legion, Hops possessed Gold Knight strength.

With two swift palm strikes, he blasted the two entangled figures apart.

Of course, he held back his force—the two youths staggered a few steps, then steadied themselves.

"With enemies looming, you brawl within the army and create chaos—do you know what crime this is? The lightest punishment is twenty lashes; the heaviest, the gallows!"

Hops despised these noble sons, especially those of high-ranking families.

They followed their fathers into war, refused to learn combat, spent every day drunk and debauched, even disrupting camp order.

So he showed these two youths no mercy.

As for retaliation? As the Northern Legion Commander's most capable commander, he had no reason to fear it.

Adams recognized Hops—he dared not defy him after being thrown back.

But for Adams, he seethed with hatred.

Feeling the fiery pain on his face and shoulder, he snarled: "Adams, you're dead! You dared provoke me—I'll never let you live!"

Normally, Wyatt would finish his threat and swagger away.

But this time, things took an unexpected turn.

Hops exclaimed in shock: "Adams? You're Lord Austin's eldest son, Adams?"