Eternal Thief

"We're going back to the iron demon city!" Noa told the truth to motivate Buck again. 

She could've used the slave contract to force Buck to move, but she knew once a demon accepted its death, it would not move by anything, even if you torture them to no end. 

This was the inherited trait of demons!

Even the most cowardly ones can become extremely fearless once they accept death, and that's why it was almost impossible for other races to enslave demons because they'll submit to no other race!

Even Noa only submit to Ace because he had the support of a 'God'!

"Going back?!" 

Just as Noa expected, Buck's listless eyes instantly lit up as his will to live aroused again. Because in Buck's mind, once they enter the Iron Demon City, anyone would easily recognize him because of his tribe's traits. 

Once those guards at the checking duty saw his wrenched appearance and his tatter clothes, they'll naturally find it untoward and help him without hesitation because of his status as their lord. 

"Yes, we're going back. Now move!" Noa coldly said before she started moving toward the place where the plump demon said to meet him if she wanted a ride back. 

Noa knew now she had to be extremely careful since Buck was now going back with her. Nevertheless, she was determined to complete this mission, either by hook or by crook! 

---

Inside the underground secret room, 

It's been seven days since Ace had issued the mission to bring Buck back. 

Ace can't seem to focus on his training anymore after he found out Noa has failed the mission, which should be very easy for her. 

Furthermore, she wasn't back yet, and now he was starting to be concerned. 

"Was I too harsh on her?" Ace mumbled as he felt somewhat guilty for giving such a tough mission to Noa and if anything happened to her, he can never forgive himself. 

At this moment, the system unexpectedly speaks with a hint of playfulness in her voice. 

"[The tender-hearted aren't suited to command an army, martyrs shouldn't manage finances, and those who are emotional shouldn't make decisions!]"

"Hmm?" Ace was baffled by this sudden comment. He never heard of anything like this before from the system nor read in books. 

But he could tell the deep meaning behind these words, he mumbled after a rigorous mulling, "Who is emotional shouldn't make decisions? I shouldn't let emotions cloud my judgment? Is this what the system wanted to tell me?" 

Ace's eyes brighten at the very next moment. "System is right. As a leader, I should never let emotions be clouded by judgment. If I went too easy on her, she might think I'm looking down on her!" 

Just as Ace was deep in thought, his soul-sense tintinnabulation abruptly, snapped him out of his stupor. 

While he stayed in this place for over three months, he seldom sensed any presence here, which clearly implied that this place was deserted by all the members of the Silver Iron Demon Clan, or even guards rarely come here to patrol.

With a little focus, Ace found one of the two soul signatures extremely familiar. Thereupon, his lips curled into a satisfactory smile. 

'I was worried about nothing!' 

Ace quickly put on his hundred-face deception mask and active face 6 and again become the silver iron demon, Pablo, while appearing completely cold and expressionless! 

At this moment, the hidden door of the secret chamber suddenly opened and a slender demoness wearing a dark mask gracefully walked inside in front of Ace, and behind her was an unconscious demon wrapped in dark Qi hovering close to her. 

Without even a word, this graceful demoness fell on one knee while keeping her head down and said solemnly, "I disappoint you, Leader!" 

Ace pretended to be impassive as he looked at Noa, but at that moment, a helpless smile appeared on his demonic face as he took off his mask, revealing his real, extremely handsome face. 

He said, "I told miss Noa, before please don't kneel or do anything like this in front of me, I'm not a dictator, just a petty thief. Anyhow, I'm glad you're safely back, and that's what matters the most."

Before Ace thought to coldly reprimand Noa since she failed her mission and taunt her, but after seeing her and feeling her emotions, he couldn't bring himself to act according to his plan. 

His personality wasn't like this, and he felt extremely uncomfortable pulling a fake face in front of his own team member, which just doesn't go well with his morals and integrity. 

Even though he was a thief, he still had his own principles and the system also gave him a clue to just go with his own convictions. 

There was no need to be fake or pretend to be someone else. He just had to be himself. 

Noa didn't know if Ace was joking or not, but when she saw his honest smile and clear eyes with no hint of anger or any fakes. She couldn't help but felt even more guilty that she let him down while he was still treating her with such an attitude. 

If it was Warden Cane, he would've punished her harshly! 

"Don't give me that complicated look. We're thieves and if I scold you, it will just as a thief call another a thief." Ace sneered jokingly. 

"I…" Noa was speechless at Ace's words and couldn't help but felt a little warmth in her heart. It was the first time after a long time that someone treated her so warmly.

"Released her rewards." Ace transmitted with no hesitation. 

Noa also received the notification about the completion of her mission, and now she had 710 House points, but she wasn't happy about it in the least bit, since she failed her actual mission. 

She still wanted to say something when 

"Tell me about your garners." 

Before Noa could utter anything, Ace solemnly asked, he wanted to know just what goes wrong with her mission!