Whether using Ging's Nen bullets to kill Gregg and Eros would allow Tree Rings to absorb experience points was something Morrow couldn't confirm.
After all, aside from direct level-ups, he couldn't perceive the specific accumulation process of experience points.
However, he believed it was feasible.
Because the Nen bullets used to kill Gregg and Eros were essentially no different from the Poultry Scarlet Knife used for killing.
The algorithmic logic of Tree Rings absorbing experience points was likely primarily based on causation.
So after seeing Ging cripple Gregg and Eros, driven by the mentality that waste is shameful, Morrow directly leveraged the situation to finish off Gregg and Eros after ensuring Morena's safety.
These two were the top combatants of the Heil-Ly Family, with aura output levels around 50. Even with experience decay mechanisms in place, they should still convert into some experience points.
After dealing with Gregg and Eros, Morrow signaled with his eyes that Ging could wrap things up and escape.
Ging received the signal but didn't stop immediately. Instead, he said calmly, "Careless? You think you can defend against my attacks just by being careful enough? Too naive. I haven't even used half my strength yet."
Morrow's eyelids drooped, a bead of cold sweat trickling from his temple. He could only brace himself and continue playing along, saying in a deep voice, "Stop boasting! Bring it on!"
"Take this!"
Ging's right leg suddenly lifted, tracing several afterimages in the air as he kicked a series of Nen bullets fiercely toward Morrow.
If Morrow had known Ging was such an avid role player, he would've spoken less earlier. Now facing the Nen bullets Ging kicked over, he could only continue swinging his arms, deflecting each incoming bullet.
Seeing all the Nen bullets blocked, Ging's expression gradually turned serious, his tone low: "I never expected you to completely defend against them... Hmph, you're lucky. I'm in a hurry today, otherwise I'd definitely show you my real killing move."
"All this talk just means you want to run, right?"
Morrow suddenly drew the Poultry Scarlet Knife, pointing the blade directly at Ging as he said coldly, "Then ask my knife if it agrees."
Ging nearly failed to maintain his expression, a drop of cold sweat running down the back of his head, but his eyes turned cold as he said flatly, "When I decide to leave, no one can stop me."
Before the words faded, he turned around in an instant, already having flashed a distance away.
Right before Morrow and Morena's eyes, he quickly vanished into the night.
"His speed is actually this fast."
Morrow watched Ging's figure disappear, slowly sheathing the Poultry Scarlet Knife as he said solemnly, "He's a master."
Morena lowered her eyelids, as if her impression of Morrow had somewhat changed, remaining silent for a moment.
Although she had escaped becoming crippled, she felt no emotions like relief in her heart.
Because regardless of whether the outcome was good or bad, she would calmly accept it.
After watching Morrow and Ging's deliberate performance, her attention had completely shifted to speculating about their true intentions.
What particularly concerned her was... These two didn't care at all whether their act was convincing enough.
Whether it was the ease in their every movement or their profound and condensed aura, everything revealed an absolute confidence in being able to completely control their own destinies.
For a brief moment, Morena watched this absurd performance, feeling a trace of long-lost envy stir within her.
This emotion had frequently surfaced during her youth when she suffered abuse, but it had long been buried beneath her near-maddening hatred.
She never expected that today, merely by sensing the unrestrained aura emanating from Morrow and Ging up close... It would so easily awaken feelings she thought had vanished forever.
Morena effortlessly smoothed the unwarranted ripples in her heart, slowly raising her eyes. Those dark orbs that seemed capable of concealing all shadows fixed upon Morrow's back.
Morrow seemed to sense something, turning around to calmly meet Morena's gaze.
Morena got straight to the point: "What do you want from me?"
This was the conclusion she had reached after careful consideration.
Ignoring the so-called act, discarding any potential relational context between them.
Only considering Morrow's operational logic.
She could at least confirm that Morrow and Ging hadn't coordinated their performance beforehand; it was purely improvised.
Hearing Morena's words, Morrow remained silent for a moment before calmly stating, "There's no point in saying it now."
"It's about the Scarlet Eyes, isn't it."
Morena's peripheral glance swept over Gregg and Eros's corpses.
If there was any medium that had led to the situation evolving this way, the only thing she could think of was the Scarlet Eyes.
Which naturally led her to think of the other Scarlet Eyes in Fourth Prince Tserriednich's collection chamber.
This was likely the fundamental reason why she hadn't met the same fate as Gregg and Eros.
After all... It's about utility value.
Because she still had use, she retained the privilege to keep breathing.
But Morena didn't dislike this.
Just like how she didn't dislike the centipede-like scar on her face at all.
After all... The centipede-like scar and so-called utility value were the same; their existence was what allowed her to survive.
Morrow maintained a neutral expression while observing Morena, inwardly surprised that she could so quickly discern the essence of the matter.
Morena said calmly, "Your 'methods' are inconsistent. That man called Ging Freecss casually wanted to spare Gregg and Eros's lives, while you deliberately ensured Gregg and Eros died here. So your little performance was actually improvised."
At this point, she stared intently into Morrow's eyes but detected no changes, continuing:
"But that doesn't matter. What I care more about is... you seem to understand me particularly well. Hmm, that might not be accurate enough. You... at least understand Gregg and Eros's positions within the Heil-Ly Family, and you're clear about the connection between the Heil-Ly Family and Tserriednich."
"Then what do you think..."
Morrow met Morena's gaze, testingly asking, "Why did I insist on killing Gregg and Eros?"
"To utilize me more quickly."
Morena habitually clasped her hands, resting them before her abdomen. Her expression remained calm as water while saying this.
When Morrow posed this question, she confirmed all her previous speculations.
By insisting on killing Gregg and Eros, he completely eliminated even the slightest possibility of their recovery, thereby directly weakening the current leader of the Heil-Ly Family.
This was to reduce the resistance she would face in seizing the position of Heil-Ly Family leader.
In other words, the statement "there's no point in saying it now" was because she hadn't yet gained control over the entire Heil-Ly Family, meaning it wasn't yet time for her to be "utilized."
Morrow looked at Morena, who seemed to have discarded all human emotions, and sighed, "You're still as clever as ever."
His earlier probing question wasn't entirely to gauge how much Morena had noticed.
His need to kill Gregg and Eros was mostly for the experience points.
Morena's eyes flickered slightly as she asked, "So, your target is the Scarlet Eyes collected by Tserriednich?"
"Correct."
Morrow didn't deny it, but didn't elaborate further either.
"I'll come find you again."
With those words, he turned and left without hesitation.
Given Morena's current status and strength, she wasn't yet capable of helping him obtain Tserriednich's Scarlet Eyes without bloodshed.
As Morrow pondered this, he inexplicably thought of Ging's casual self-introduction earlier.
Like now, having to go through such trouble just to take the Scarlet Eyes from a prince ultimately came down to insufficient strength.
If he possessed strength comparable to Ging's, he wouldn't even need to consider Beyond's existence.
And he would have more options.
Watching Morrow's receding figure, Morena suddenly said, "Are you... this confident about me as a person?"
"To be precise, I'm confident in your brain."
Morrow replied without turning back.
Morena's thoughts momentarily stalled. Seeing Morrow getting further away, she asked another question, "One last question, when did you... first know me?"
"Kakin."
Morrow responded, then gave Morena no further chance to speak as his figure suddenly flickered and vanished into thin air.
His mention of Kakin referred to their first meeting at the private clinic after he killed Feitan last time.
Morena silently stared in the direction where Morrow had disappeared.
Kakin, huh... No.
During their first meeting in Kakin, she had vaguely sensed something, but after careful recollection at the time, she confirmed there had been no previous interactions with Morrow.
But today's contact made her feel more clearly... Morrow understood her very well.
Morena remained standing in place, silent for a long time.
There were too many things without clear context, making them impossible to figure out.
The only certainty was that the existence of the "Scarlet Eyes" had suddenly established a connection between her and Morrow.
Thinking of this, Tserriednich's image flashed through Morena's mind.
She naturally wouldn't betray Morrow immediately.
Because one of her goals was to destroy Kakin's royal family.
And as Kakin's Fourth Prince, Tserriednich was naturally on her must-kill list.
So her objectives didn't conflict with Morrow's, and there was indeed a foundation for cooperation.
—--
Desert Rocky Mountains.
Morrow stepped on Shooting Star, arriving at high speed at the rocky mountain where Kurapika and the others were.
Chimera, seeing Morrow's arrival, immediately excitedly stretched its bird head toward him.
Nearby, Menchi watched Chimera's reaction and habitually rolled her eyes.
"Ging still hasn't arrived, how slow."
Morrow stroked Chimera's head while looking back in the direction he came from.
Menchi said somewhat speechlessly, "If you think he's slow, why didn't you bring him along when you came?"
"It wasn't convenient. All the mafia in Yorknew are after me."
Morrow spoke in a tone that suggested it was only natural.
Menchi pursed her lips, and Kurapika finally found an opportunity to interject.
"Morrow, have you seen Ging?"
"Yes."
Morrow knew what Kurapika wanted to ask and immediately said, "Both pairs of Scarlet Eyes have been obtained. As for the Scarlet Eyes from the Fourth Prince of Kakin... they won't be easy to acquire. We'll have to take it slow."
"Hmm."
Hearing this, Kurapika gradually relaxed his body. The next thing to consider was how to earn more money.
"What about my kitchen knife?"
Bringing up the auction items, Menchi asked urgently, "Did you manage to buy it?"
"Yes."
Morrow nodded.
Upon hearing this, Menchi's face instantly lit up with a smile. "That's good, that's good."
A long while later, Ging finally arrived at the rocky mountain and handed the Scarlet Eyes and kitchen knife to Kurapika and Menchi.
Menchi took the Bone-Chopping Scarlet Knife, cheering and caressing it lovingly.
In contrast, Kurapika quietly held the Scarlet Eyes, lowering his head in silence.
Ging glanced subtly at Kurapika.
With his sharp perception, he could easily sense the fluctuation in Kurapika's aura when he touched the Scarlet Eyes.
But he had no intention of intervening, instead shifting his attention to the Chimera.
As a top-tier Hunter who regarded the Dark Continent as his ultimate goal, he held a deep fascination for magical beasts like the Chimera, which clearly originated from the Dark Continent.
Ging pulled out a bone-in ham from his pocket and brought it close to the Chimera's tail.
He had never seen the Chimera eat before, but based on experience, he deduced that it used its tail to consume food.
The Chimera glanced warily at Ging, its eyes lingering on the bone-in ham for a moment before turning to look at Morrow in front of it.
Morrow smiled and nodded at it.
With this approval, the Chimera immediately opened the bud-like mouth at the end of its tail, swiftly wrapping the bone-in ham into its maw. In just a few bites, it used its spiral teeth to chew the ham and swallow it.
(◉◡◉)
Seeing this, Ging's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he quickly pulled out a large handful of fresh leafy greens.
The Chimera accepted them without refusal, its spiral maw devouring all the fresh greens.
Ging, now even more excited, took out a large bag of beans.
The Chimera's spiral maw sliced open the bean packaging and sucked all the beans into its tail through the opening.
"Seems to be omnivorous. Good."
Ging clapped his hands together, satisfied, and straightened up.
Morrow looked at him, his eyelids drooping, and asked, "Did it take you so long to get here because you were busy gathering these beans and such?"
"Yep."
Ging admitted without any hesitation.
Morrow fell silent for a moment, then could only shake his head helplessly before bringing up serious matters: "Things here are settled. We can head to the ruin you mentioned anytime."
"Then let's set off right away!"
Mentioning the Exorcism work, Ging's spirits lifted.
He had been thinking about the interior of that ruin for a long time.
A short while later, the Chimera carried everyone into the sky.
September 11th.
The Chimera landed in a marshy forest area of the Kukan'yu Kingdom.
The first sight to greet them was a vast expanse of small lakes scattered like stars, with trees bearing sparse leaves growing around the lakeshores.
Beside one of the larger lakes, numerous large tents had been erected.
As Chimera arrived, the people bustling between the tents were all startled.
The armed personnel responsible for security even raised their gun muzzles, but were stopped by Ging at the last moment.
Under numerous uncertain and suspicious gazes, Morrow jumped down from Chimera's back, focusing his eyes on the cluster of small lakes ahead.
"What, can you already sense the presence of 'Post-Mortem Nen' here? The ruin is deep within the lakes."
Ging came to Morrow's side.
Morrow didn't speak, but a trace of eagerness appeared in his eyes.
He could indeed sense the presence of Post-Mortem Nen and was already anticipating how much Tree Rings energy he could convert.