Chapter 18: Blind spot

As soon as David stepped out of the house, he started making his way toward the wagon station near the village gate.

The village was really backward. Women trudged along dirt paths, balancing water jugs of fresh water fetched from the nearby river.

A group of monster hunters prepared for the day’s hunt, their weapons nothing more than crude wooden bows and chipped arrows.

‘They’re probably the most stupid people in this village,’ David thought, his gaze lingering on them. ‘Hunting all day just to hand over 60% of the meat to the village chief as tax.

What a fucking joke-’

Before he could continue the thought—

“Oi ... fucking dog.”

A grating voice shattered his train of thought.

David slowed to a stop and turned. Standing behind him was a bloated, red-haired boy with a face peppered with blackheads. His piggish eyes glared at David with the same smugness David remembered all too well.

‘Jack Fled ... Fucking Fat Pig’s Son.’ David’s expression darkened. ‘The bastard who beat the previous owner of this body to death and left him to rot by that tree.’

“Hello, Jack,” David greeted, his voice deliberately neutral.

“Hello? ‘Hello’ my ass.” Jack sneered. “Dog, why aren’t you at work? My father said to give you a good beating if you’re skipping again.” He cracked his knuckles to intimidate David.

“I quit,” David replied bluntly.

Jack blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“I said I quit. I’m not working for your father anymore.”

Jack’s shock quickly twisted into a nasty grin. “H-How are you gonna pay your tax then, huh? Oh, wait ... maybe I’ll stop by your place. I bet your mom and sister will pay me with their bod—”

David moved faster than Jack could finish. He closed the distance between them and stared at him down, his voice cold and unwavering.

“Listen to me very carefully, you fat fuck. If I see you near my house or my family, I’ll shove a log so far up your ass you’ll be coughing splinters. Then I’ll chop off your dick and balls only to feed them to the dogs.”

He reached into his pocket, pulled out two copper coins, and shoved them into Jack’s hand.

“Here’s your fucking tax.”

David turned to leave, but Jack wasn’t done.

“Oi ... did you just call me fat fuck, dog?” Jack’s voice was low and dangerous now.

David glanced back, unbothered. “Didn’t hear me the first time? Dumb fat fuck?”

Jack’s nostrils flared, his face reddening further. “No ... I just wanted to make sure you’re really this stupid.” His voice dropped to a threatening growl. “You better meet me where we left off four days ago. This time, I’m not letting you crawl back out of that forest. And if you’re not there by evening ... I’ll come to your house myself and-”