In the dark dungeons of Peace Haven, Yorkel stares bnkly into space, oblivious to the commotion outside.

  After a long while, Henwell taps on the bars of the cell, "Scar Tiger! What are you pondering?"

  Yorkel slowly comes back to reality, his eyes gradually regaining their spark.

  Henwell smiles, "Scar Tiger, haven't I treated you well? You were a mere bandit, and I gave you power, status, and strength. I transformed you from a despised deserter and rogue into a high-ranking individual with wealth and influence. Why aren't you grateful? Why did you betray me? Do you have anything to say?"

  Scar Tiger ughs coldly, "It's all just business! I've done plenty of dirty work for you; it's what I deserve! I never pledged loyalty to you, so how can it be called betrayal? Now I've lost, and I have nothing to say. Do what you want—kill or torture me."

  Henwell raises an eyebrow and cps lightly, "Well, well, well! A real tough guy, huh? Why didn’t I notice this quality before? I like tough guys. Since you say so, I'll grant your wish!”

  ”Guards! Drag this tough guy Scar Tiger out and carve him up! Remember, make sure to cut him several times—don’t let him die too quickly, or it won’t do justice to his persona!"

  Chick, wearing a butcher's apron, holds two long knives, rubbing them together to produce a sharp, grating sound. "Don’t worry, sir! I’ll make sure this tiger is carved clean, not a shred of meat left on the bones."

  Scar Tiger gres at Henwell, eyes bzing with fury—a true picture of defiance in the face of death.

  But as Chick passes by Henwell, Scar Tiger suddenly drops to his knees.

  "Sir, please spare me this time! I was just scared! I never intended to betray you! Oh, right! I wasn’t running away… I was… yes! I was going to inform Lord Jansen! You must believe me! I’m loyal to you! Don’t listen to the lies of those petty schemers!"

  Henwell scoffs, "Ha! Scar Tiger, I thought you were a tough guy. Turns out you’re just a coward?"

  Scar Tiger, kneeling on the ground, frantically waves his hands, "No, no, no! Sir, I'm not a tough guy! I'm your loyal dog! Yes, I'm your faithful servant! You still need me! Yes, you definitely need me! I can do your bidding! I can kill anyone you want! I'll do anything for you! Please, spare my life... ah..."

  Watching Scar Tiger sobbing and wailing, Henwell slowly crouches down and asks through the bars, "Are you really willing to do anything?"

  Scar Tiger nods eagerly, wiping his nose and tears from his face, "Just tell me who you want dead, sir! I'll make sure it's done beautifully!"

  Henwell appears conflicted, "But this task is very dangerous. Are you really willing to take it on?"

  Scar Tiger responds earnestly, "Sir, sparing my life makes you my savior. No matter how dangerous, I'll get it done for you!"

  Henwell nods with a smile, "I knew you were trustworthy! A few mistakes don't stop you from getting things done."

  "Yes, yes, sir! You're right! I'm efficient, I get things done!"

  Henwell continues, "Then the first step is to regain that fearless demeanor you had earlier! I still prefer seeing that defiant, tough-guy attitude!"

  Scar Tiger colpses in fear, "Sir, I really can't do it anymore, please spare me!"

  Henwell shakes his head, "That won't do! For what I need you to do next, you can't be like this. Only a true tough guy has the chance to become a noble lord, and you don't fit the bill right now."

  Scar Tiger freezes, confused by Henwell's words.

  Henwell stands up, "Take him away, clean him up, and then bring him to see me."

  In the afternoon, inside Henwell's study, Scar Tiger stands respectfully across from him, now dressed in clean clothes, his wounds bandaged, and having enjoyed a hearty meal. Henwell is busy with his paperwork.

  "Have a seat; I'll expin everything in a moment," he says.

  Scar Tiger quickly insists he's fine standing, too nervous to sit. Henwell doesn't press the matter, and an hour passes as he finishes his work.

  Finally, Henwell retrieves three dossiers from a drawer and tosses them to Scar Tiger.

  "One is your new identity. Memorize every detail. You're going back to the Kingdom of Ika. Take this fake military deployment map and present it to the southwest military commander of Ika. The st dossier contains information on a man named Rifidi. He has royal blood, albeit distantly reted, and holds the title of count. He's ambitious and eager to find weaknesses in Peace Haven's defenses to make a name for himself.”

  ”Once you present the map, he will surely reward you handsomely, likely granting you a noble title to set an example and win favor. After our victory, I'll arrange for your extraction, and you can go wherever you wish."

  Scar Tiger clutches the documents, gncing through one of them.

  "Rest assured, sir, I will accomplish this."

  Henwell stands and pats Scar Tiger on the shoulder. "Do a good job, and I won't let you down. Be cautious, and study your new identity thoroughly to avoid any slip-ups."

  Tears well up in Scar Tiger's eyes. "Sir, I promise I won't disappoint you again!"

  At night, under the arrangements of the intelligence department, Scar Tiger leaves Peace Haven. As soon as he's out of the territory, his expression turns vicious.

  "Henwell! Damn Henwell! Just you wait, I'll make sure you meet your ruin!"

  Scar Tiger gres at the documents in his hand, tossing the identity papers and the fake deployment map into the river.

  After some thought, he decides to keep the dossier on Rifidi.

  Changing direction, Scar Tiger heads to an abandoned vilge. There, from a hidden celr, he retrieves weapons and equipment he had secretly stashed away. After grabbing two bags of gold coins, he seals the celr again.

  A few days ter, Scar Tiger blends into a caravan leaving Peace Haven, making a deal with one of the members. He continues to make several trades with different groups. These are his hidden contacts within Peace Haven, precautions against Henwell. Scar Tiger had long prepared an escape pn.

  Now, armed with a deployment map collected by his secret network, Scar Tiger heads towards the southwestern command of the Kingdom of Ika.

  Looking back in the direction of Peace Haven, he sneers, "Henwell, your end is near!"

  Meanwhile, in the study of the Blood Hill Manor, two slightly damp bags sit on Henwell's desk. He smiles as he opens them, revealing bnk sheets of paper beneath the intact wax seals.

  "Why didn't you take a closer look at the materials I gave you? Must you insist on a path of no return?" Henwell muses aloud.

  Then he asks Chick, standing nearby, "Did he take the bait?"

  Chick nods, "Everything's been delivered as pnned. He's heading straight for the trap."

  Henwell sighs, "Chick, Scar Tiger is quite the clever man. Why doesn't he understand? If he can use money to buy informantions from someone, why does he think I can't offer a higher price?"