Chapter 21: Poisoned

Blocked by two figures, Benjamin quickly grasped that he was surrounded by a crowd, forming a ten-meter ring around him. The men looked capable, their builds strong, clearly skilled. More concerning, however, were the guns in their hands and the severe expressions they wore. Under an ancient, sprawling locust tree nearby, a middle-aged man sat cross-legged. Bare-chested and frail, he seemed no more than skin and bone, with golden needles tattooed all over his body, giving him an almost hedgehog-like...