Chapter 25: Unwilling to Be Left Alone

“Many seemingly random and independent events actually have a series of intricate reasons behind them.”Bears this time is injured is a typical example of this.
It all starts with the minerals in the territory ofHilfanis. Although the terrain, climate, and soil on the surface of this red land are extremely poor, its underground mineral resources are incredibly rich, as can be seen from the numerous remnants of dwarf dungeons.
Hundreds of years ago, after humans established their dominance over the continent ofAimera, the main branches of races such as orcs, elves, and dwarves fled to other places. Some smaller groups hid in the wilderness, fled into forests, or went underground. Among those who fled or went underground were the hill dwarves and shield dwarves, who had lived there for thousands of years before humans arrived.
Hilfanis also has a well-developed state-run mining industry. Apart from lack of black iron, there is no shortage of other metals, especially high-quality iron and copper. One type of ore called blue steel is a mineral that lies between silver and ordinary metals. Mages who wear metal armor containing sufficient blue steel can enjoy excellent protection without it interfering with spellcasting. Of course, it doesn’t have the enhancement effects of silver, and the armor itself is by no means light. Unless one possesses spells like levitation or flight, fighting in such full armor without being affected requires a physique equivalent to that of a level 2 warrior.
With such abundant mineral resources, it’s only natural that illegal private mining occurs for profit. Black mining falls at the lowest level of such illegal activities. The most productive mines are in the hands of the government, while the next tier is controlled by wealthy and connected mining lords. The remaining smaller mines—those along the tunnels left by dwarves, completing their unfinished work—are where black mining takes place.
Black mining is characterized by two highs and two lows: high danger, high labor intensity, low wages and living standards. Naturally, it becomes a haven for criminals and lawbreakers who have nowhere else to go. They often try to gain power at the mines, and it’s not all hardship—despite being outsiders, they can still make a living there as supervisors, guards, or for the black mining lords, often surrounded by thugs.
Although black mining isn’t a desirable option, for those with no other means of survival, it remains a choice, especially for outcasts with low social status and few opportunities to learn a skill. They can only survive on the fringes of towns, relying partly on nature and partly on charity. In good times when there are no disasters at home, it’s manageable. But in years like this, or if someone in the family falls ill and incurs debts, it’s easy to end up in black mining. Though many understand it’s like drinking poison to quench thirst—unless they die at the mines, they return sick—choosing between dying now and dying later isn’t difficult at all.

Before Sbun set out on his last hunt, the family was already struggling to make ends meet, so he took the settlement fee from Black Mine. He thought he was being clever by planning to repay the fee if he had a good hunt. That way, he could keep his spot and have time to repay it later. But as the saying goes, it’s easy to get on board but hard to get off. By the time he and Zal tried to repay the money, the people at Black Mine refused. Black Mine wasn’t a bank nor a charity; they weren’t short of money but rather of strong, capable men—people who might die at any moment. The owners of Black Mine wouldn’t take such weaklings.

Just as Sbun was about to be taken away, Bels returned. Sbun had an average reputation in Camp 4, but Bels was more influential, and even outcasts understood the importance of sticking together. With Bels’ backing, they insisted on hiring people from Black Mine.

Hiring usually didn’t require going to the owners directly; it was usually handled by the deacons. The deacons also had their own reputations to consider, and once such a precedent was set, it would be hard to reverse. But forcing it either wouldn’t work well, as Black Mine wouldn’t be at a loss for one laborer, nor would it be worth the high costs if things escalated. So the deacon came up with a compromise—evil must be met with more evil.

Since Bels couldn’t wait for Nio, he set out on another hunt at Sbun and Zal’s urging.

Previously, Nio had helped Bels refine his skills, greatly improving them. While together, they discussed combat techniques, and Bels benefited greatly. This time, Bels decided to be bolder and target larger animals that could fetch a good price.

Luck indeed was on his side. Just two days after setting out, they encountered a large grizzly bear. It took nearly 10 hours to finally succeed in hunting it. But they hadn’t even had time to recover when over a dozen hunters suddenly appeared. They not only stole the prey but also injured Bels. The leader was Gerna, a well-known troublemaker from Camp 6. He was also a werewolf hybrid, but far more vicious than Bels. It was said that Gerna’s mother was raped by a ghostly werewolf, which led to his birth. Though the rumor wasn’t reliable, his physical traits strongly suggested he indeed had ghostly werewolf blood.

Gerna didn’t kill Bels but only injured him—not out of mercy or favoritism, but out of malice. He wanted Bels to suffer, and also to show everyone that those who dare to stand up will face such consequences—live in agony rather than die instantly.

Sbun’s limited understanding couldn’t grasp all these complexities. Most of what happened was deduced by Nio. After all, his sources of information weren’t just Sbun’s accounts; Bier also learned some things from others in Camp 4. Additionally, Nio himself was skilled with weapons and had an unparalleled understanding of human anatomy, so he knew exactly what Bels’ injuries meant. By analyzing all this information, the truth became clear.

However,Neo was cautious enough not to make hasty decisions. He remained silent until Сбун vividly explained everything before asking, “How did Герна know your location? How could he arrive so soon after you hunted the grizzly bear?”
“Maybe it was through the scent,” Сбун replied, looking very embarrassed. “The day before we set out, I happened to meet Герна who was on his way to our base. He gave me a short sword…” His voice grew quieter as he spoke.
Neo gave no response.
Сбун added, “Base 6 is right next to ours, and we know each other. Although Герна is domineering, he’s never had a conflict with us. Who would have thought this time…Ah!! It’s just that times are hard, that’s why Герна and his men resorted to such despicable tactics to steal prey.”
Neo wasn’t sure whether Сбун truly didn’t know Герна’s true intentions or was pretending not to. It didn’t matter. He had no intention of scolding Сбун—this man didn’t deserve it.
Though his tone was calm,Neo said firmly, “Let me see the short sword Герна gave you.” He guessed that, given Сбун’s character, even if he knew something was wrong with the sword, he wouldn’t bear to throw it away.
Whether out of guilt or due toNeo’s own authoritative presence, Сбун obediently took out the sword and handed it to him with both hands.
A cold glint appeared from the scabbard. The steel was of average quality but free of impurities. Its design was plain, and the details were shoddy.Neo knew such weapons came from large arms factories, produced in hundreds or even thousands at a time. They might be worth a few gold coins on their own, but the real point was that he sensed faint magical residues on the sword.
Scent could be used for tracking, but it couldn’t determine the right timing. Since Берс and the others had just hunted the bear when Герна arrived with his men, it was clearly not just about scent—some “eyes” were needed to time it perfectly.
An ordinary outcast didn’t have the time, energy, money, or skills to raise hawks or dogs or learn animal languages. The quickest and most direct method was magic—having a mage cast spells or using magic scrolls. But it was also difficult for an outcast to access such valuable individuals as mages, which meant Герна most likely had backers. Now,Neo’s suspicions were largely confirmed.
Neo showed no signs of outrage or grand speeches. After figuring out the truth, he stopped mentioning the matter to Сбун and Зар. He even had Виц and Бихир keep them company while he found an excuse to change rooms to meditate and focus on his tasks.
In the afternoon, Зар and Сбун went to check on Берс. Seeing that he was in good condition, they were pleased. So when dinner was served that night, they drank a bit too much and slept until dawn.
By then, the place was empty. After asking the innkeeper, they learned thatNeo and the others had left overnight with Берс, saying that his condition had worsened and they were heading to Refuge Valley for treatment. They told Сбун and Зар to return to Base 4 without worry and left them 10 gold coins.

“Did we really sleep that soundly? Not even bothering to say goodbye?” Zal complained mildly.
Sbun, having lived for over 30 years, knew they weren’t meant to be taken along at all. Sighing, he said, “Bels has met some important people! Let’s go back.”
The dull horse and cart they used to leave Base 4 were not left for them, but those things were not even worth five gold coins.Neo left 10 gold and paid for their expenses in Post Valley—all out of consideration for Bels.
By the time Sbun and Zal set off on their way back, slightly disappointed,Neo and his group were already over a hundred kilometers away. Though the dull horse was thin and unreliable, the wolves ridden byNeo and his two companions were strong and healthy. Not only did they travel at night, but White Sock, Bichir, and Vitz also managed to kill two man-eating badgers.
Man-eating badgers were magical beasts that resembled wolverines but were the size of calves. They could harness energy and possess spell-like abilities to protect themselves with rocks. They were fierce, tough, strong, and heavy—definitely not easy to deal with.
Neio’s group had no intention of getting into trouble. It was White Sock, who had been alone on patrol due to staying too long in the Dark Lands, who discovered the two of them fighting a werewolf, leading to the subsequent battle.
Unfortunately, by the time Neio’s group arrived at the battlefield, it was already too late. Neio’s life-restoring spells couldn’t cure the fatal injuries that would have killed the werewolf in seconds, so he could only watch as the young werewolf perished in the wilderness. On the other hand, the two man-eating badgers, injured from the fight with the werewolf, allowed Vitz and his companions to kill them without any harm—quite a good catch. If properly processed, their fur could remain vibrant forever, free from dullness or shedding. Due to its excellent quality, it was highly sought after, and some people even raised man-eating badgers for profit. Of course, the best ones were wild, especially those that had shed their fur in winter.
Neio wasn’t concerned about that. He was more worried about the dead young werewolf. Fighting man-eating badgers alone in the wilderness in the middle of the night meant either he was sick or had some urgent matter. Fortunately, the werewolf seemed to have many unfinished desires, so Neio took the chance to say to him, “Save some strength. If you open your heart, you can communicate with me mentally.” That was true, but it should have been added that “your memories will be completely open to me.”
The young werewolf’s memories weren’t directly accessed by Neio. After all, the memory information of an intelligent being was vast. Accepting it rashly would be like being attacked by a powerful mental spell or undergoing a soul battle during possession—extremely dangerous, and it would also involve too much chaotic content. Doing this too often could lead to self-loss. So each time this memory-peeking ability was used, it was actually Nancy who collected the information, organized it, and then informed or transmitted it to Neio if needed.
“Interesting, interesting!” Nancy became more and more human-like. After briefly sorting through the young werewolf’s memories, she cheered happily.
It had to be said that this was the first time Neio had heard such praise from Nancy.
The group set off again. Neio swayed on his mount, his thoughts engaged in conversation with Nancy about the young werewolf.

“Boss, it’s said that Neo Daknis’s head is worth 100,000 gold coins. That price even exceeds that of the great thief Ferdinand’s 99,999 gold coins.” The news came from Bichir, who heard it from the owner of the Post Valley. It is said that because of this bounty, many ex-reward hunters have returned to their old ways, traveling thousands of miles to Silfanis. This has even boosted consumption in the Refuge Valley and helped resolve many problems for Asia.

Witz, with a toothpick in his mouth, said lazily, “Ferdinand—this guy was already famous when I was still wearing diapers. Rumor has it he’s already on his way to becoming a legend. Tsk tsk! I wonder what that old fellow would think if he knew that the boss has gained such fame overnight.”

While thinking, Neo also chatted with Bichir and Witz. Hearing Witz’s words, Neo smiled slightly. “Victor has given me a generous gift. If I get the chance, I’ll surely blow up some more valuable things to make him regret it.”

Bichir continued, “A good reputation is useful. As long as one doesn’t fall too quickly, a call for help under suitable circumstances can attract bandits, outlaws, and desperate people. Among them, there might be like-minded individuals. Even if not, they can at least be used as combat forces.”

Neo knew Bichir was also ambitious. He wasn’t afraid of that. To make subordinates follow him, it wasn’t just about combining kindness and force—it also required a system of incentives driven by power. Right now, such a system existed. Neo might not be an extremely powerful figure, but he far surpassed any core member of the Gale Team in strength. That power-driven incentive was quite effective. As for incentives, they certainly weren’t trivial things like gold or jewels. While a large bounty could attract brave men, it wasn’t worth risking one’s life for such money. The incentives Neo could offer were power—nothing illegal, with no side effects, and capable of unlocking potential.

For now, only Neo could provide such incentives. Even if someone else could achieve similar results, it wouldn’t be meant for ordinary people like Bichir. So, smart people like Bichir would never easily give up this chance to rise. After all, many in the Gale Team were already middle-aged, with weak foundations. Without special means to make up for their shortcomings, they had no chance to compete with professionals of their age, let alone pursue their ambitions.

Ambition was fine—as long as one didn’t lose their head. Neo glanced at Bichir and said, “To forge iron, one must first be strong oneself. The idea of calling for help is good, but it’s pointless if others overshadow you.”

“That’s true,” Bichir replied.

Actually, both of them only briefly discussed this topic. Bichir’s attitude was that being stingy wouldn’t lead to anything great. For a team like the Gale Team, there was no other way but to rely on the future, luck, finding a breakthrough, and striving for greatness.

Meanwhile, Neo saw the difference between acting frequently and striking quickly, between relying on luck and working steadily. He believed the approach Bichir proposed centered on the idea that “the barefooted aren’t afraid of the clothed—fight to sustain oneself. If you don’t operate for three years, one successful operation is enough for three years.” It was a typical mindset of rebellious peasants.

Throughout history, those who acted with such ambitions usually thrived in the early stages but lacked a solid foundation and sustained strength. In many cases, they experienced repeated ups and downs, wasting precious time and missing the best opportunities to rise. By the time they tried to catch up desperately, it was already too late, and the tide had turned. On the contrary, those who worked quietly, built up strength over time, and sought victory through stability ended up surpassing others in the long run.

Therefore, Nio’s approach was almost the complete opposite of Bier’s. Choosing to take refuge in the Howling Caverns was not out of timidity but to build a team. With sufficient pressure and a base to practice, along with plenty of opponents to challenge, what a perfect environment!

Moreover, although Nio realized through the invasion by dark forces the declining state of the alliance, it still had considerable strength at the moment. This was not the time to show off prowess but rather a good opportunity to lay a foundation, pursue development, and hone his skills.

As for Victor, this great enemy, in a positive sense, his existence made everyone think of Nio as a fierce, revenge-driven hero or outlaw—a good cover. Nio hoped his enemies and future adversaries would see him that way. Moreover, the huge disparity in strength meant people would easily assume that Nio could barely survive, let alone achieve anything significant. This was also an excellent cover—who would expect him to still be ambitiously preparing for a future rise under such circumstances?

Despite being in a difficult situation, Nio was full of confidence. While committing crimes on the Hurricane, he deliberately left some subtle clues. The concept of using human skin for disguise could be enhanced even further if Nio were well-prepared, and Nancy’s ability to read memories gave him a significant advantage.

Nio had decided that upon returning to the Caverns, he would risk damaging his own body to forcibly absorb elemental energy and restore the sacred artifact to full function. This would allow him to truly disguise himself—he had even already chosen his target: Gerna, a half-wolf with ghost wolf ancestry.

Ghost wolves were synonymous with evil. Some lived in Kels, while the rest served the devil. This race had cursed souls; it was said they never died a natural death, or else they all met violent ends. Yet their spiritual power was indeed strong, forming the basis for their magical abilities. In other words, if Nio could assume Gerna’s identity, he would have a solid excuse for wielding dark powers and casting simple spells. As a marginal figure, no one would pay much attention to him, so Nio was confident he could successfully impersonate him. Of course, there were drawbacks—such people’s social status was almost equivalent to slavery, so they were suitable only for petty crimes or hiding among the crowd, not for rising to power. For an uneducated scoundrel to suddenly become a capable hero would clearly disregard the sharp eyes of the public.

Nio had been wondering where to find “genuine” goods when he encountered one on his way back. Though this werewolf was in a lot of trouble and clearly being framed by enemies, his status and actions seemed quite noble. Nio took his place; even for his own needs, he had to deal with those problems, thus indirectly helping him fulfill his wishes, so he felt justified in taking over his identity.

The young werewolf’s body was buried nearby, but Nio already had everything he needed: armor, weapons, relevant documents, blood samples, as well as memories and physical information—both of which Nancy had collected.

Desiring to return home quickly and avoid further complications, Nio arranged a fast journey and arrived at the Ice Lake Valley, where the elemental crystals and instruments were hidden, by nightfall the next day.

Using magic, Nio descended to the bottom of the ice lake and loaded a full cart with supplies. The rickety cart had been bought from the innkeeper in the Valley of Posts, full of noises and problems, but Nio had no choice.

After freezing the lake surface again and covering it with snow to disguise it, Nio and his group left that very night. Ever since learning about the high bounty on his head, Nio once again became a night owl. One hundred thousand gold—this was a sum that would drive many to take risks. And to earn that amount, someone would surely invest in aerial forces, offering smaller bounties for information; a magic fireworks signal would quickly bring in aerial riders. So any stranger encountered in this area was dangerous. Nio didn’t want to kill unnecessarily, so he had to prevent those hunters from having many opportunities to search for suspicious targets.

Four nights after leaving the Valley of Posts, Nio and his group finally entered the Dark Region, and all three breathed a sigh of relief. Bels had recovered greatly from his injuries. Though quiet most of the time, he wasn’t foolish—he already understood why he had taken that sword strike. After Nio invited him to join them, Bels thought it over for days before agreeing. He had some idea of how persistent the Black Miner would be; staying at Base 4 would only bring trouble to him and those close to him. It was better to take this chance to escape. As for becoming a bandit, it was purely because Nio had saved his life.

Bels mistook Nio and the others for bandits, but Nio didn’t correct him. Bels wanted to recover in the Howling Wilds. What he saw and heard with his own eyes was more reliable than anything else.

The journey through the Dark Region wasn’t easy. The route had been carefully chosen after much deliberation. The main difficulties were that the cart wasn’t controllable, the roads weren’t smooth, with several steep slopes and rock platforms that required help to cross. Nio didn’t plan to make the roads perfectly smooth; even if he had time later, he would at most hide a few planks nearby—otherwise, it would be like telling adventurers the way forward.

The three of them rested only 4 hours a day, spending no more than 2 hours on eating, drinking, and other necessities. After 4 full days in the Dark Region, they finally returned to the Howling Wilds. The round trip took 14 days.

First, they encountered the guards on duty, and from a distance, they saw the road barriers being built. Neo was puzzled—since the stronghold didn’t have any convenient stone-cutting equipment, why go to such lengths to construct those high walls? It wasn’t until he returned to the dome and asked that he learned Marian had provided information, and Barret had organized the operation. On the day Neo left, they brought back two small cutting excavators from deep within the dungeon bandits’ lair’s mines.

With these powerful tools, they not only obtained suitable stone materials but also created the first 300-square-meter chamber on the west side of the dome. This was due to a shortage of earth element energy crystals needed to power the machinery; otherwise, the chamber could have been at least another 100 square meters larger.

Though the starting point was good, Neo thought Barret and the others were being rather reckless with this operation. He asked Witz and Bichir to explain the outside situation to everyone, which made them break into cold sweats. It could be said that a single mistake would attract countless enemies. The dungeon bandits’ lair was clearly a trap—even Neo avoided it, refusing to touch that forbidden place.

“The thing has already happened. This is just once, and it won’t happen again,” Neo warned seriously. “There’s no need to rush the construction of this dome. It’s meant to give everyone practice. Eventually, we’ll have our own town where we can build and live openly. For now, focus more on coordination and organization. Don’t expect to turn this place into something grand right away. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I understand.”

“Mm.” Neo glanced at the core members. “Since you’re eager to act, I’ll give you a mission outside. Retrieve the food meant as a reward for the Swift Wind Team.”

Eight carts of food, enough for the stronghold’s inhabitants to last half a month, though the variety was relatively rich, including fresh vegetables harvested from the greenhouses. Of course, they weren’t fresh anymore, requiring several layers of peeling before eating, but it still improved their diet significantly, far better than drinking boiled stone water. This task was quite urgent—it was already early March. Even if winter was cold enough now, it would thaw in another ten to fifteen days. The stronghold couldn’t afford to waste food.

“I’ll emphasize just one thing: whatever you encounter, there’s only one way to deal with it—tie them up or eliminate them. This is related to the safety of all of us.”

And so, the team led by Boglem set out on the second day after Neo returned to the dome. Mah, Witz, and Ban, among the core members, also participated. Although Ban hadn’t reached level 5, his background in the dye workshop had led to significant progress in designing stealth suits. This time, in addition to collecting environmental samples and designing new stealth suits, he also had the task of testing their performance.

For this trip, Neo assigned Duoman to act as both guard and guide for the operation. After all, aside from Neo, only Duoman had found the location where those eight carts of food were hidden.

On the same day, Neo went to the dungeon bandits’ lair personally. He couldn’t shake his concerns, so this trip was to handle the aftermath. He had already checked earlier, and those two devices indeed didn’t have any positioning devices, so they could be used safely.

According to Barret and the others, it seemed there was no one guarding the dungeon’s stronghold. Neo entered various areas of the dungeon cautiously through the mine tunnels and found that it was indeed true—this place had been abandoned for at least 10 days. With his skills in tracking and counter-tracking, his estimate couldn’t be far off.

Undoubtedly, the conditions in the dungeon’s stronghold were much better than those in Howl’s Caverns, at least from a normal perspective. After all, this dungeon was the work of dwarves over thousands of years, and its environment far surpassed that of the caverns. Moreover, dwarves usually chose locations with excellent mineral deposits when building cities, and this dungeon was no exception. Even after being mined by dwarves for countless years, there were still minerals left to exploit—a significant advantage. Mining, combined with basic processing, could then be used to exchange for necessities, creating a sustainable path forward.

Even if one didn’t intend to settle in this dungeon, sending people to search thoroughly could yield many valuable resources, especially for Howl’s Caverns, which was in need of restoration. Yet Neo ultimately decided not to take anything. In fact, he went to great lengths to conceal and mislead in key areas like the mine tunnels.

Just as rabbits avoid eating grass near their burrows, the dungeon’s stronghold was like that grass to Howl’s Caverns. Neo didn’t want anyone to realize that several abandoned areas in the stronghold actually hid important tunnels leading directly to the Dark Regions—tunnels wide enough for vehicles to pass through, with very few dark creatures present.

Of course, doing anything to excess would only draw attention. No one would believe that the dungeon’s stronghold had no such passages at all. Even foolish claw-wolves would eventually realize the truth, so deception was secondary, while misdirection was primary.

Neo’s favorite route was a seemingly hidden but actually hard to conceal large tunnel. He had already sent Bramble Sprouts to explore it early on; the end of the tunnel led to a dried-up magma river. From the remaining traces described by Thorn, it seemed the dwarves had planned to turn that place into a lava forge but gave up halfway.

The path to this dried-up river was unique. It was easy to navigate at first, descending steeply by 500 meters over several turns, followed by high-gradient tunnels and labyrinthine passages deep underground. By the time the terrain leveled out, they were already about 1,500 meters underground—effectively cutting off any path to Howl’s Caverns, forcing them to head toward the Dark Layers. Continuing along the more visible traces brought them through deep ravines, narrow paths, fierce winds, and deathly stillness.

After 4 hours of hard work, everything was finally settled, and Neo left the dungeon’s stronghold without any hesitation. Though it was “nearby,” he had no intention of expanding his forces in that direction. That mineral deposit might hold some value in the eyes of others, but his goals were clear—he didn’t need to take the ordinary path.

Not long after Neo left, a group of 12 people entered the dungeon’s stronghold. The group was diverse, including claw-wolves who had taken off their military uniforms, heavily armed bounty hunters, and a 4-person mercenary team that included a renowned senior mage.

After entering the dungeon, the group split up into small teams and searched various areas before gathering in the dungeon square. Their findings were disappointing—there was no sign of anyone having been there recently.
“I doubt our target will come here again. I think it’s more useful to go to the settlements of the Outlanders to gather information.”
“Outlander strongholds? Someone has already done that—spending money to buy information. There are notices posted at all ten Outlander settlements near Shelter Valley offering rewards for information, and most of the native hunters have become eyes and ears.”
“It’s not some magical fireworks. Is it about establishing strongholds and using aerial knights?”
“That’s another group—those who are also willing to spend a lot of money.”
“Damn it!”
Another person interjected, “In my opinion, our target is hiding in the Dark Lands. Searching on the surface is pure waste of time.”
“Well said. How big isHilfanis? Converted to the scale of the Dark Lands, how large is it? Without any clues, we might not find them even if we search forever.”
“But what clues do we have? Just those nonsense words from that air knight named Kalo? A group attacked them, there was a fierce battle, they were outnumbered, and in the end only he managed to escape… Damn, such a story is worth 200 gold coins!”
“Of course it’s worth 200 gold coins. Think about it—who could wipe out an elite pack of Claw Wolves along with three air knights? It must be the Gale Squad. Why would they attack Kalo and the others? For revenge? The Hurricane crashed, nearly a thousand Claw Wolves died, and the losses amounted to hundreds of millions of gold coins. With such revenge already taken, why risk fighting Kalo and the others?”
“Could it be… for food?”
“Smart! They came all the way from Erdrit. What do you think the migrating group has for food? Human and animal meat! Of course they’re short of food.”
Once the conversation started, someone followed this line of thought: “I remember some information, allegedly provided by bandits who fought against the migrating group. It says there are over 300 slaves in this dungeon, and these people are likely under the control of the Gale Squad. If that’s true, it means an extra 300 mouths to feed.”
“Impossible. They’re short of food themselves—where would they get enough to feed that many people?”
“That’s why they need to find a way. In my opinion, the Gale Squad has three options:
1. Trade with the natives of the Dark Lands. What do they use as trade? They did seize some gold and silver from that bandit den, but in the Dark Lands, gold and silver have limited purchasing power. Besides, someone has already gone there as a guide, bringing supplies and bribes to gain favor and set up positions in those large underground native tribes.
2. Buy food through the Outlanders. This is also closely monitored, especially large-scale transactions of rice, flour, meat, and eggs—nothing escapes surveillance.”

“3 adventurers went on a risky mission to steal food. The migration group still has plenty of frozen meat, but that place is too dangerous—so many eyes are watching it. With such good facilities in this dungeon, it’s likely new residents will move in, making it a target worth raiding. Even other small bands of bandits in the nearby area are likely to be targeted. What we need to watch out for are those with food supplies and places that could become targets of robbery.”

“Your analysis is good, but it’s all based on one assumption: the Gale Team has taken in 300 slaves. If they can’t even survive themselves, how can they take in slaves? Are we crazy to set such goals?”

“It’s not entirely impossible. After all, talent is the foundation. Only by hiding and relying on our own strength can we succeed in the long run. Roaming around to raid others makes us easy to detect. Don’t forget that someone has already hired guides who’ve taken gifts to various factions in the Dark Lands, asking them to keep an eye on the Gale Team. If they’re too active, they’ll surely be noticed.”

“Nonsense! Do you think the natives of the Dark Lands are gentlemen? Can they be manipulated with a little favor? If that were the case, the Dark Lands would have been conquered thousands of years ago.”

“The natives deep in the lands certainly can’t be bribed, but those in the Lower Dark Layers and Shallow Dark Layers can be bought. It doesn’t cost much to get money from them—so why not do it?”

“I’ve said it before—if the natives of the Dark Lands made sense, they would have been conquered long ago.”

“Enough! Is it meaningful to keep arguing? Let’s focus on the facts. Whether the Gale Team has taken in slaves or not, we don’t need to guess. Right now, the Claw Wolves, who have been guarding this place for two months, have already withdrawn. We’ve been here more than once, and countless groups like ours have already explored this area. Even if the target was here before, it’s likely already scared away. There’s no chance here—no need to come back.”

“Then what do you suggest?” several people demanded.

“What to do? Of course, we guard the corpses. That Nio can stand there and let the migration group abandon corpses in the wilderness, but the lord’s daughter can’t. Last time we missed her when she came to search for her father’s body. This time, we’ll keep an eye on her. She’s already communicated with the authorities, saying she’ll bring people to bury the bodies—this is our chance to act.”

“No way! That’s like openly rebelling. Besides, that girl named Melian still enjoys noble privileges, right?”

“Tch! It depends on the situation. Who are their opponents? The Prince, the Fangs Regiment, and Hurricane are all assets of the alliance. Compared to them, the daughter of a worthless lord is nothing! Let me tell you, this is dirty work. We don’t even need to fight Nio head-on. We just need to be the first to seize Melian—once we do, we’ll get a fortune. There are plenty who want to use that girl as bait to lure Nio—Victor definitely has that in mind. Nio and Melian are involved, and it was he who spread that rumor. How could he miss such a good opportunity?”

The eyes of the adventurers lit up at these words. But some also poured cold water on the idea. “Aurora, the master of the Phoenix, is Melian’s good friend. Do you really think we have a chance?”

“What’s wrong with the Phoenix? It’s transcendent, but its master lives in the mundane world. The Iris Knight has duties to fulfill—no matter if she’s the daughter of a lord or even a princess, she can’t afford such bodyguards. We just need to keep an eye out; there’s no shortage of opportunities. All we need is courage. I tell you, time waits for no one. If others give up on pursuing them, who knows if they won’t think of similar tactics? Then it’ll be a race against time.”
“Let’s go! What are we waiting for? Action!”
“Hmm, this method is indeed worth trying. To stand out, we need to be ruthless. Let’s go!”……
There are now dozens of such groups, some driven by money, others by revenge. The Fangs Brigade suffered heavy losses, as did thousands of soldiers on the Hurricane. There are always those filled with resentment, those who care for their comrades and brothers. Justice or not—those are nonsense. If a brother is killed, many simply want to find their enemy and avenge them. That’s their motivation.
More than two months have passed since the Migration Team’s tragedy, and even the remaining Claw Wolves have withdrawn and returned to their units. Yet the campaign to captureNeo and the Wind Team intensifies.
Of course, not everyone wantsNeo’s life.
For example, two groups are backed by the Church; they want the Wind Team andNeo alive as witnesses in political struggles.
Two other groups are from the opposition within the alliance, aiming to discredit Grand Duke Ensbas and use it to criticize the alliance. Their goal in findingNeo is for this reason.
Even the Black Knight and the high-ranking demon Thorey have gotten involved. The Black Knight knew the location of the Migration Team early on and planned to gather enough troops to capture them all at once. But Victor disrupted his plans. Because of this, the Black Knight went to the Migration Team’s camp to deal with Victor’s subordinates who were lying in wait, killing them all. Driven by anger and resentment, the Black Knight even rose to level 18. Victor lost many men because of this. This is the aftermath of the Dark Believers’ eastward migration—dark revenge, somethingNeo isn’t even aware of.
Additionally, the Black Knight’s direct superior, Thorey, is also furious. Not only did Victor disrupt his plans, but he also refused to give him face, causing everything to go awry. Thorey now hates Victor and has sent his most capable subordinate—the man in black robes who participated in the massacre of the Migration Team and can transform into a column of dark lightning fire—to handle this task.
Unlike the Black Knight’s blatant tactics, the man in black robes operates in a more subtle manner. His two search teams consist of magic servants at least at level 8. Later, when the Air Knight Carlo’s group was attacked, the man in black robes added one Eternal Night Warrior and one Necromancer at level 13 to each team. Yet they operate discreetly, disguised as ordinary search teams. In the man in black robes’ words, “We don’t seek glory, but we avoid mistakes.” They keep an eye on other search teams, stealing from each other the moment they get reliable information or succeed in their missions!
Even Frey’s revolutionaries and Kyles’ spies want to findNeo.

Famous throughout the world and a rare treasure, Neo has indeed become well-known. Yet neither the hunters nor the hunted expected that a storm from beneath the earth was already brewing. The lifting of the Great Pentagram Seal of Hell allowed ancient forces of corruption to seep upward toward the surface. This seepage did not occur evenly but, like a magma eruption, sought paths to burst forth. Thousands of years ago, this place was called the Land of Magical Rifts—it had once been a puppet-making ground for ancient demons, and the forces of corruption here were extremely potent…