The newcomer was none other than Ranni’s subordinate, Blaidd the Half-Wolf.
Blaidd was cloaked in a heavy fur cape, his head that of a fierce but fluffy wolf.
The greatsword on his back radiated a cold, magical power.
Melina's voice rang in Bai Shi's ear:
'He is a shadow beast...'
'Although I don't know what that means, the name just popped into my head.'
'Perhaps it can be a clue to investigate in the future.'
Bai Shi listened quietly without speaking, as there were still outsiders present.
Carrying the corpse, Blaidd walked to within a few meters of Bai Shi and spoke first:
"My name is Blaidd, a warrior.""You would have been in a bit of trouble if he had gotten away, right?"
"A small welcoming gift."
Blaidd tossed the Night's Cavalry corpse in his hand toward Bai Shi, and it landed precisely on the ground in front of him.
Bai Shi looked down to observe the body. There was a large hole in it, piercing straight through the abdomen from front to back.
This wound had been inflicted by Bai Shi's thrown halberd, which had grievously injured the Night's Cavalry.
Besides that, there were two other wounds, the ones that had caused his death.
One was clearly a sword wound that had violently pierced his left ribs, destroying his heart and other organs, with wisps of cold air emanating from within.
The other wound was on the corpse's neck, which was a mangled mess of flesh and blood, clearly torn apart by teeth.
Based on the injuries, Bai Shi naturally reconstructed the scene in his mind:
The Night's Cavalry, impaled by Bai Shi, fled through the Mistwood, evading the stormhawks' pursuit.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to treat his wound, he failed to notice a pair of eyes that had already locked onto him from above.
Blaidd leaped down, his greatsword piercing the Night's Cavalry from top to bottom. All his organs were first pulped by the greatsword, then frozen by the icy magic on its blade.
He struggled to fight back but was met with sharp teeth clamping down on his neck.
In the end, he died unceremoniously, his corpse even presented by Blaidd as a welcoming gift.
Bai Shi looked at Blaidd. His arrival was certainly on Ranni's orders.
However, that Ranni would take the initiative to seek him out was somewhat unexpected.
As Bai Shi observed Blaidd, Blaidd was also warily watching Bai Shi.
Being part beast, Blaidd’s vision was excellent even in the dark, and he had witnessed Bai Shi's battle from the edge of the Mistwood.
These Night's Cavalry were strong; individually, each was powerful enough to be considered a hero.
Although they could only be compared to more ordinary heroes, they had the advantage of fighting as a unit.
Blaidd could easily take down a Night's Cavalry in single combat.
Even when facing two, he was confident he could hold his own, perhaps even killing both at the cost of some injury.
But if the number rose to three, four, or more, he would have no way to defend himself and would have to tuck his tail and flee.
For experts in group combat like the Night's Cavalry, their coordination became terrifying once their numbers increased.
By using hit-and-run tactics, alternating attacks from different directions, they could suppress an enemy with ease.
Even escaping would be difficult, as it was hard to outrun their funerary steeds.
And yet, Bai Shi, without any armor or even a weapon, had crushed them one by one with nothing but his physical body.
As Ranni's sworn brother, having grown up alongside her, Blaidd had a far broader perspective than ordinary people.
Furthermore, he himself was a powerful warrior.
That was why he, more than anyone, understood just how terrifying Bai Shi was.
Just standing near Bai Shi made the fur on his back stand on end.
"Alright. What's the deal? Let's hear it."
Bai Shi returned his body to its normal size and wrapped the cape around himself.
Blaidd glanced at the Tarnished and Kaidan sellswords behind Bai Shi and pointed a finger toward the dense woods behind him.
"My apologies, but the lady I serve has a special status. The details of our cooperation should not be heard by uninvolved parties."
Bai Shi nodded and followed Blaidd into the forest.
Once they were deep in the woods, next to some ruins, Blaidd finally felt safe enough to speak:
"Mr. Bai Shi, the master I serve is the witch you once met... Lady Renna."
Blaidd paused for a moment when he said the name.
'That was close, I almost said her real name.'
Normally, Ranni didn't use the alias Renna, and her subordinates always addressed her by her true name, only using the alias when dealing with outsiders.
Blaidd had almost let it slip out of habit, but he managed to catch himself in time.
However, Blaidd didn't know that Bai Shi was quite familiar with them.
Not only did he know their group inside and out, but in the game, he had even married Ranni.
Bai Shi feigned ignorance:
"Oh, so it's that Witch Renna. I should thank her, actually. The Spirit Calling Bell has been a great help."
"So, what kind of deal does she want to make with me?"
Seeing that Bai Shi wasn't resistant to the idea of a deal, Blaidd continued:
"In the Mistwood of Limgrave, there is a well that leads underground."
"Lady Renna hopes to cooperate with you to explore and develop that subterranean world."
"I wonder what you think."
Bai Shi considered it for a moment, not immediately agreeing.
"So, what do I have to give, and what do I get?"
"We need your manpower to explore the vast underground region. Without a large number of people, it's impossible to explore it completely."
Blaidd paused for a moment.
"As for what you'll get, since you'll be providing the manpower, you can have everything else besides what we are looking for."
"The resources, territories, and items discovered underground."
Bai Shi asked in return:
"In that case, why shouldn't I just explore it myself? Why cooperate with you?"
"From the sound of it, you'll be getting what you want without much effort."
Although Bai Shi definitely wanted to find a way to get in touch with Ranni, he wasn't going to be taken for a ride.
He was a king of his own domain, after all. There was no reason for him to grovel before Ranni.
Blaidd quickly waved his hands, telling Bai Shi not to misunderstand.
"Of course, there's more to it than that. That's just part of it after we begin our cooperation."
"To initiate our collaboration, Lady Renna has prepared other things that might interest you."
"Whether it's intelligence, magic, or weapons, all of it is possible."
"If you are truly interested in cooperating, Lady Renna said she would discuss it with you personally."
Bai Shi nodded. That sounded more reasonable.
"Alright, then I agree."
Ranni would pay a price in exchange for his manpower to find what she was looking for.
In return, Bai Shi would provide the labor for exploration and keep the rest. It was a fair arrangement.
"When will Lady Renna come to discuss the details?"
"I am already here."
A cool, clear voice sounded, greatly startling Bai Shi.
He turned toward the source of the voice. A faint blue mist had appeared at some unknown time amidst the once-empty ruins.
A figure slowly materialized within the mist.
Blaidd stepped back, leaving the space for Bai Shi and Ranni.
Although as Ranni's sworn brother, it wasn't necessary for him to do so. But he considered himself her vassal and felt he must maintain decorum in front of others, lest they think Ranni lacked the authority to keep her followers in check.
Blaidd would never do anything to harm Ranni's reputation.
Ranni was sitting on a broken wall of the ruins, a faint smile playing on her lips as she looked at Bai Shi.
"Long time no see. I didn't expect you to grow so quickly. It seems you are well-suited for life in the Lands Between."
"Torrent certainly chose a good master."
Blaidd had already relayed the message to her, so Ranni had used teleportation magic to get here.
Ranni was genuinely impressed.
Seeing Bai Shi in person, his transformation was even greater than she had imagined.
The weak Tarnished from before had now defeated Godrick and seized a Great Rune.
Unlike Ranni's sentimentality, Bai Shi was stunned.
'Was Ranni already here? Or did she just arrive?'
'I didn't sense a thing.'
Compared to when he first met Ranni, Bai Shi was immeasurably stronger now.
Even so, he still failed to detect Ranni's presence.
Ranni wasn't using her own body and didn't possess a Great Rune, yet she was still this capable.
The demigods were not to be underestimated in the slightest.
The inflated ego Bai Shi had developed after his recent power surge was immediately suppressed. He had only defeated the weakest of them, Godrick; it was not yet time to be complacent.
Bai Shi met Ranni's gaze, only to see her blink.
"Ahem, although I don't mind... would you like to change your clothes first?"
Bai Shi looked down at himself, only then remembering that his clothes had been destroyed in the previous battle. Right now, he was just carelessly wrapped in a cape.
Though nothing was exposed, it seemed inappropriate for a formal discussion.
"Ahem, my apologies."
"It's just that I don't have any spare clothes right now."
"Since you don't mind, rather than postponing, why don't we finish our discussion now?"
Ranni nodded in agreement. It truly wasn't an important issue; the business of their deal was paramount.
This concerned her very own fate.
If it weren't for her lack of available manpower and the prolonged lack of progress, she wouldn't have proactively sought out this Tarnished she had only met once.
With the return of the Tarnished, the Two Fingers were gradually regaining their control over the Lands Between, and the shadow of calamity was drawing ever closer.
"Then, let's talk about the deal."
"Blaidd should have already told you that I wish to make a deal with you."
"I can offer intelligence, secret treasures, skills, and more in exchange for the support of your manpower."
"I hope to find a way to 'Nokron, Eternal City' in the underground, where there is something I wish to obtain."
Bai Shi knew that this venture of Ranni's was likely destined to fail. Although Nokron was deeply connected to the underground, it couldn't be reached from here.
But Bai Shi didn't say anything to warn her. After all, to Ranni, he was still just a stranger she had met once.
If he were to speak up, Ranni would probably think he was talking nonsense and might even take offense.
For now, he would just go along with her terms.
"What can you offer?"
Ranni took out a parchment scroll covered in writing from her sleeve and handed it to Bai Shi.
"You can have everything on this list."
"If you are still not satisfied, we can negotiate further."
Bai Shi took the parchment and read it carefully.
The parchment served as a catalog, listing many names.
From weapons and Ashes of War to sorceries and incantations.
The quantity was large, and the quality was not bad either. It was indeed a very sincere offer.
"If you agree, then our partnership can begin."
Bai Shi rolled up the parchment, a smile appearing on his face.
"In that case, I have no reason to hesitate."
A smile also touched the corner of Ranni's lips.
"Then let's have a pleasant cooperation."
"As partners, I will no longer hide it. Renna is just an alias."
"My true identity is Witch Ranni. Although I dwell in the shadows, I have no reason to hide my real name."
Bai Shi feigned shock:
"Ranni, daughter of the Queen of the Full Moon and Radagon, the 'Lunar Princess' Ranni?"
Hearing that long-forgotten title, Ranni spoke faintly, her tone unreadable.
"The Lunar Princess. That's a very old title."
"But that is indeed me."
Ranni's figure was once again enveloped in mist, slowly fading away.
"That's all for today. Thank you for your cooperation."
"I look forward to our next meeting."
"I have a feeling that we will be able to cooperate for a long time to come."
Ranni left, and Blaidd walked back from a distance.
"It is my honor and pleasure to work with a powerful warrior such as yourself."
"You're welcome. Our interests are aligned, so cooperation is naturally a good thing."
Blaidd seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
Noticing Blaidd's hesitation, Bai Shi spoke up:
"You seem to have something else on your mind. Don't worry, just say it."
Blaidd nodded.
"Actually, I have a personal favor to ask. I'm looking for a traitor."
"It has nothing to do with our cooperation; it's a personal request. I will prepare a suitable reward."
"If you're not willing to help, just pretend I never said anything. I hope it won't affect your cooperation with Ranni."
Bai Shi understood immediately. It had to be about the Bloodhound Knight. He nodded and agreed.
He was very fond of the weapon, the Bloodhound's Fang.
In the game, it had helped him through many early-game challenges, and he had even used it frequently after completing the game.
Like the Exile Greatsword, Bai Shi held a special affection for it.
"It's fine. No one likes a traitor. Since he's wandering in my territory, he should be dealt with."
"Tell me his name and any distinguishing features. I'll have my people keep an eye out for him."
Blaidd was relieved. He had been searching for that traitor for a long time with no luck.
Although Ranni hadn't rushed him, Blaidd couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.
"His name is Darriwil, a Bloodhound Knight."
"As a Bloodhound Knight, his act of betrayal is unforgivable."