I can evolve everything

We walked for about twenty more minutes.

The surrounding fog seemed to have thinned out a bit.

A clearing appeared ahead. In the black swamp water, several long-dead ash trees stood.

"There it is."

Ella suddenly stopped, lowered her voice, and pointed ahead.

Ryan followed her gaze.

A figure stood under an ash tree.

The man appeared to be middle-aged. He was extremely tall, and even from dozens of meters away, one could feel his imposing presence.

He wore a set of old, worn-out plate armor that had long lost its luster, and a tattered black cloak draped over his back.

At his waist hung a thick hemp rope and a law book.

On the branch in front of him hung a "person" who was still struggling.

As the adventurers said, what was hanging in the tree was not a living person, but a half-rotten zombie.

At that moment, the tall man gripped the zombie's ankle with one hand, while skillfully tightening the noose around the zombie's festering neck with the other—even though the zombie didn't need to breathe.

He opened the codex in his hand, stared at the zombie's rotting face, and slowly spoke, his hoarse and deep voice echoing in the empty swamp:

"...According to Chapter Seven of the Silver Law, the dead cannot return, nor can they disturb the realm of the living. You have defied the order of life and death, which is a grave offense."

"This is not only a desecration of life, but also a serious disruption of the order of the living."

Verdict: Hanging. To be carried out immediately.

After speaking, he pulled his wrist sharply.

"Click!"

A crisp cracking sound could be faintly heard.

The zombie's cervical spine was snapped, but its limbs did not stop; they continued to claw and scratch wildly in the air.

He is "The Hangman" Baron.

A wild knight who reads the law to the dead and attempts to physically execute them.

Seemingly noticing the gaze behind him, Baron slowly turned around.

A cast-iron mask covered his face, concealing all expression, but Renn could clearly feel a gaze piercing through the mist, locking onto this spot.

Karen was also slowly moving forward until all four of them were within sight.

Baron's gaze darted around, glancing at Ryan and Ella who were following not far away. Finally, his gaze settled on Karen.

There was no panic among the desperate.

Barron simply stared at Karen, then made a strange gesture.

Barron simply watched silently, then made a strange gesture toward Karen—he raised his right hand and placed it on his left chest, near his heart, in a classic knightly salute.

Then, he suddenly swung his hand and cut the ropes that were suspending the zombie.

"Karen."

A hoarse voice came through, sounding somewhat mocking.

"You've gotten old. That hunting dog with the most acute sense of smell on the battlefield, can't even smell the stench of decay around you anymore?"

"Baron," Karen continued, her hand silently reaching back to rest on the hilt of her greatsword. "Your farce should end. Neither the living nor the dead are under the jurisdiction of your worthless law. Come back to Sunset City with me; perhaps the Inquisition will grant you a proper burial."

"Waste paper?" Barron chuckled. "The law never goes out of style. As long as there is evil, the gallows will always need to be used."

"As for the courtroom? Ha..."

Baron couldn't help but sneer, tossing aside the rope in his hand, taking two steps forward, and staring at Karen.

"You call me a madman, a criminal. Because I hanged several poaching farmers and killed several deserters who raped women. In your code of chivalry, this is vigilante justice."

"But tell me, Ironhand. If someone in Ironwood Town, wearing a legitimate official's robe and a respected knight's badge, were to feed monsters with the flesh and blood of living people in his own cellar... what would be his crime?"

Ryan, standing behind, felt a jolt of fear; the other man's words were clearly pointed. He instinctively glanced at Karen.

But Karen clearly didn't take those words to heart.

"Shut your mouth, Baron!" the old knight roared. "If you're trying to slander a knight with such a lowly riddle and sow discord, you're underestimating me."

"honor……"

"In this world, honor is just a fig leaf. You're too obsessed with chivalry and honor, Karen. Just as much as you trust your own eyes."

"There's a foul smell in the air of Temu Town."

Baron raised his hand and pointed in the direction of Ironwood Town.

"If you're unwilling to do it yourself, then I will. The Silver Law offers no exemption based on status. When the noose is around your neck, you'll know who true justice is."

"That's enough!"

Karen, clearly unwilling to listen to this madman's ramblings any longer, drew her greatsword and took a step forward, saying, "Since you're so completely insane, I'll help you come to your senses!"

Seeing Karen preparing to charge, Barron did not draw his weapon, nor did he even assume a defensive stance.

"We'll meet again in town, old man."

"Also, a word of caution: don't chase after me, Karen. What's ahead is beyond your capabilities."

After saying that, he took out a dark, round ball from his pocket and threw it directly towards Renn and Ella!

"Watch out!" Ella exclaimed, but her body was too late to react.

The instant the sphere flew out, Karen reached into her cloak with her left and right hands, without gripping the sword hilt, and released a pre-prepared stone.

The stone struck with incredible precision, intercepting the black sphere mid-air.

"Bang!"

A plume of black smoke exploded a dozen meters away from the three of them.

The smoke was extremely thick and did not drift away with the wind. Instead, it expanded rapidly as if it were alive, completely obscuring vision.

"He's trying to escape!" Rein instinctively drew his longsword, wanting to rush forward.

"Don't move!"

Karen yelled and grabbed Ryan's shoulder.

"That's alchemical fumes!"

Renn stopped and watched the billowing cloud of poisonous smoke, only able to watch helplessly as Barron's figure disappeared behind the smoke.

That madman always had a way to escape ready.

"He didn't want to fight us." Karen looked at the wall of smoke. "He knew I was here."

"Should we chase after it? The smoke will eventually clear up," Ella asked, somewhat reluctantly.

Karen turned around and glanced in the direction behind her.

There were four wounded adventurers waiting for them there.

It was completely dark. The danger level in the swamp doubled at night.

"I'm not going to pursue it anymore."

Karen looked away and sighed.

"It's getting dark. And with those adventurers around, a forced pursuit would be disadvantageous for us."

He glanced in the direction where Barron had disappeared.

"At least we've confirmed one thing. Baron did come to the swamp because of the undead creatures like the zombies and skeletons. And judging from his appearance, he seems to know where the source is."

"Sir..." Ryan hesitated for a moment before speaking, "What he just said..."

"Don't overthink it," Karen interrupted him. "It's a psychological tactic. That bastard's specialty is undermining his opponent's morale. I know Harold better than anyone; he gave everything for that town, even his own son died in the war."

After hearing this, Ryan nodded.

Although we failed to capture Baron this time, we still learned a lot of information.

"Let's go."

Karen turned around and waved.

"Go back and take those unlucky guys with you. We'll camp on the edge of the swamp tonight and head back to Ironwood Town early tomorrow morning."

Raine took one last look at the ash tree with the zombies hanging from it, silently memorizing the location.