News of the war spread throughout Horn Lizard Town, and a thick, suffocating tension permeated every corner.

Doors were closed.

Windows were shut.

The streets were empty.

Everywhere was terrifyingly quiet.

It was as if the entire town had been abandoned, with no living creature left inside. That alone showed how scared and terrified everyone living within the town was.

On the streets, the Horn Lizard Guards patrolled with full vigilance. They arrested anyone who looked suspicious.

What was suspicious?

Humans.

Every human walking on the streets was deemed a suspect and arrested without hesitation. Those who tried to reason with them were either injured or killed.

The Horn Lizard Guards no longer bothered distinguishing between innocent humans and Crimson Arc Guild members.

To them, every human had become a potential threat.

As for the other Beastmen, they received strict warnings to remain inside their homes and never come out.

A curfew.

One that no one dared violate.

Hiding behind closed doors, many humans were filled with regret. Most especially those who had escaped from the battlefield and returned to town.

They had thought the Horn Lizard Clan would not bare their fangs inside their own town and would still remain reasonable.

But they were wrong.

Terribly wrong.

Since the Crimson Arc Guild had managed to escape, the Horn Lizard King tore away all pretenses and began hunting humans openly.

There was no longer any need to maintain the illusion of peace.

This was a show of force.

And also a warning to deter anyone who wanted to cause trouble for the Horn Lizard Clan.

"I told you we shouldn’t have returned to Horn Lizard Town," a young woman muttered in a trembling voice.

When her partner heard this, he frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"If we didn’t return to town. Where were we supposed to go? Hmm?"

The young woman fell silent, unsure how to respond.

That was right.

The Horn Lizard Town had always been the only sanctuary they could return to. Outside the town lay only endless desert, deadly beasts, and countless unknown dangers.

Looking at her, the young man reached out and held her hand.

"Don’t worry."

"Everything will be over by tomorrow."

He spoke in a reassuring tone, although even he struggled to believe his own words.

"Do you think so?"

"Of course."

"Do you think the Horn Lizard Clan would dare continue hunting all humans? He won’t dare."

"If all the humans decided to target the Horn Lizard Clan. Do you think they could survive for long? Hmm?"

Although his words sounded confident, there was a trace of uncertainty hidden deep within his eyes.

Listening to him, the young woman nodded in agreement. But the uneasiness in her heart did not lessen.

She could only pray that the situation would turn for the better by tomorrow.

In another room, a group of Mantis Men gathered together. Among them was an old elder.

"What do you think the Horn Lizard Clan is trying to do?" one of them asked the old elder.

The Mantis Elder did not respond immediately. His small eyes dimmed as he became lost in thought.

The room fell silent.

Everyone waited patiently for his answer. Finally, he spoke.

"We need to leave immediately and return to our clan."

Listening to their elder’s words, the Mantis Men looked at each other. They all understood the gravity of the situation.

Whatever the Horn Lizard King was planning, they had no strength to fight back.

Without the help of the humans, they would have long become slaves to either the Scorpion Clan or the Horn Lizard Clan.

And now that the Horn Lizard Clan was showing its true colors, staying behind was nothing but suicide.

"So... when should we leave?"

"Tonight." The old elder answered without the slightest hesitation.

"The longer we stay...The more dangerous it becomes."

Unknown to the Mantis Men they were not the only Beastmen planning to escape under the cover of night.

The Sandroach Men.

The Dung Beetle Men.

All the Beastman tribes had arrived at the same conclusion. Humans might think the situation would improve by tomorrow.

But the Beastmen knew better. They understood the Horn Lizard King far better than any human.

While the Beastmen secretly prepared for their escape, the Horn Lizard King had increased the number of guards throughout the town.

Hundreds of Horn Lizard Soldiers patrolled the streets. Their weapons remained unsheathed and their eyes blazed with intense killing intent.

Every street was now occupied by heavily armed soldiers. All the entrance gates leading out of the town were tightly shut.

What had once been the bustling hub of commerce within the Crimson Dunes had now become a giant prison.

Anyone who entered could no longer leave.

Slowly night descended. Darkness gradually blanketed Horn Lizard Town beneath the light of the three crimson moons.

Yet instead of the tense atmosphere easing, it only became heavier. The silence was almost suffocating.

Everyone inside the town was on edge.

No one dared make unnecessary noise.

No one dared light their lamps.

They could all feel the Sword of Damocles hanging above their heads. Any strange movement could cause their heads to be cleanly separated from their necks.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that even insects stopped chirping. Only the rhythmic footsteps of the Horn Lizard patrols echoed through the empty streets.

Just then, outside Horn Lizard Town a lone figure appeared. His silver hair gently fluttered beneath the cold night breeze.

His footsteps were neither hurried nor slow. Each step carried an indescribable calmness as he steadily approached the towering city gates.

The Horn Lizard Guards standing atop the walls slowly narrowed their eyes.

Their hands instinctively tightened around their weapons.

They did not shout to stop the lone figure. They were all quiet, waiting for him to be close enough before they made their move.

Right now, the most hated group are the humans. Thus, all the guards could not wait to get their hands on him and show him why he was nothing but a lesser being.

While they were waiting for their prey to get closer, they failed to notice something.