Chapter 282. Traitor Among Us (1/3)
Morning arrived, but the group’s mood remained as dark and oppressive as the Abyss mist surrounding them. Fear, suspicion, and unease weighed heavily on everyone.
Maxwell’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and accusatory. "Charla, what were you doing in Lian Fu’s tent last night?"
Charla fidgeted nervously, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to thank him for saving me."
Maxwell’s gaze hardened. "What was the last thing he said to you?"
"He said... ’Run,’" Charla answered, her hands trembling.
Maxwell leaned forward, his tone insistent. "Was he running from something?"
Charla shook her head, her brow furrowing in confusion. "I didn’t see anything behind him."
Maxwell’s expression grew grim. "There’s a knife mark on his neck. This wasn’t an attack by an Abyss monster. Someone assassinated him. But for a trained warrior like Lian Fu to be caught off-guard... it must have been someone he trusted."
Charla’s face paled. "I didn’t do it!" she cried, her voice breaking as she looked to her friend for support.
Her friend averted her gaze, leaving Charla feeling more isolated than ever.
"She probably didn’t do it," Tyler interjected calmly. "Charla’s strength isn’t enough to kill a warrior like Lian Fu with a knife. She’s an alchemist and a mage, not an assassin."