Chapter 37: The Baron’s Secret

The fluttering sound of countless wings grew louder as they approached, gradually becoming clearer, mixed with screeching cries that conveyed anxiety and excitement.
Though the starlight was dim and the sky dark, even ordinary people could sense the overwhelming presence as these groups of creatures flew by.
It took a full 10 minutes for the sounds to fade away. In the west, the dark red glow emanating from the fissures suddenly turned intensely bright—like an enormous flame trapped by the wind, growing brighter the closer to its core. Even from a distance of a hundred miles, it was clearly visible in the silent night.
“What are those…?” Not many people could fall asleep on such a night.
“Maybe bats?” Even the person who spoke was unsure. Sylphenis didn’t have many damp caves for bats to hide in, nor enough food to sustain such a large swarm. To fly over for 10 minutes like a cloud of darkness, how many bats would that be?
“The Dark Folk…” Neo, however, recognized the true nature of those creatures—they were indeed bats, but not ordinary ones. They had a skeleton-like exterior covered in skin, exuding a deathly aura, like ancient corpses in tombs. Yet, a strange form of vitality remained trapped within their withered bodies, making them extremely eerie.
“The Dark Folk” was also a conclusion Nancy reached after reviewing the information she had. Her source was some mythological texts Neo had read years ago. Most of these works were labeled as “fabricated,” similar to wild anecdotes—fun to read for entertainment, but foolish to take seriously. But Nancy didn’t care about that. In her logic, “false” only varied in degree; nothing was completely impossible. So the information she gave Neo often included an estimate of credibility. Although the theory of the Dark Folk had low credibility, it still sounded plausible.
It was said that these creatures were the lowest form of intelligent chaotic beings. Their relationship to chaotic forces was akin to that of mosquitoes and stagnant ponds. In realms once corrupted by demons, the Dark Folk acted like loyalists of a fallen dynasty. They could endure harsh conditions, waiting for the chance to restore their power. Compared to chaotic beings who thrived with just a little strength, their ambitions seemed far greater.
As a staunch believer in conspiracy theories, Neo tended to believe in the theory of the Dark Folk. They died and died again yet never truly perished, even capable of reigniting from ashes—traits befitting a tenacious race. Objectively speaking, if the chaotic forces had existed in the realms for so long, surely they had some way to survive.

“The People of Darkness have found their cesspits…” As Neo uttered this brief exclamation, his feelings were complex. On one hand, such a situation, in his view, was the bare minimum starting point for chaos to reignite: swift and effective, catching the opponent off guard, allowing them to build a solid foundation—something that wouldn’t be easily extinguished in just a few days. Only in this way could someone like him, a minor figure, have a chance to rise quickly—after all, times create heroes. On the other hand, this situation was a catastrophe for all life on the surface; the humans, as the rulers of the Aemera continent, might suffer the most severe losses, though generally they could also hold out the longest. The weaker the race, the harder it was to survive such a disaster. Take the werewolves, for example—Neo could hardly imagine how many seeds of hope for their continued existence would remain after such devastation.

Seemingly aware of Neo’s conflicted emotions, Nancy reassured him, “From a practical standpoint, keeping thieves around is nothing but a joke for you. You’re not even fully prepared to face this disaster. Even if you try your best, it won’t make much of a difference—it’ll be insignificant. Why bother worrying about moral considerations at this level?”

“It’s not really worry; it’s the belief that desire and ambition corrupt the soul.”

“You’re still unconsciously imposing such moral self-restraints. First, I must remind you that, given the path you’ve chosen, the very foundation of such emotions is a mistake. Does right or wrong in worldly morality have anything to do with the path you intend to take? Is it really the ideal path to transformation in your mind to have all life in the world of Aemera agree wholeheartedly to your way of doing things in a joyful and cheerful atmosphere? On the path of faith, you may not be a lone fighter, but you don’t need to care too much about what the world thinks—at least not in a vulgar way like ordinary people. You must always remind yourself to view morality from a transcendent perspective. If the mainstream morality promoted by human society aligns with your path, then it becomes one of the norms, adding another semi-finished or finished component to your journey of transforming the world. It’s like deciding what to keep and what to discard when decorating your room. If you can’t break free from that, it means the old items are influencing your decisions, rather than you controlling their existence.”

“It’s indeed a fine component, but it’s only suitable for appreciation, not obsession.” Neo realized his beliefs weren’t firm enough, not pure enough. These emotional fluctuations could be seen as distracting thoughts—inevitable, but he needed to stay vigilant. Only by being clearly aware of this could he take control rather than being influenced by them.

People like Gris weren’t like Neo. While they trained their abilities, they also honed their souls. All they were thinking about at that moment was how to get through this terrifying night.

Knock! A soft, gentle knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Neo stopped grinding the paint.

“The mine owner, it’s me, Gris.”

Neo frowned, thought for a moment, put down the tool in his hand, and casually covered it with a sheet. “Come in.”

Grislam entered the carriage. With the heating stopped, the temperature inside had dropped significantly, and the somewhat cold air carried a faint scent of plants. But Gris didn’t have time to notice this. He said respectfully, “Mine owner, the brothers have come up with an idea to save our lives. This leather cover is still quite noticeable. If we use the runes you bestowed and hang them on the cliff face…”

There was no need to continue. “Merging into darkness” didn’t mean disappearing entirely. If monsters appeared, in such a small camp, it would likely be easy to get exposed.

Nio thought it was a rather crude method. At that moment, Nancy reminded him that Gusby wasn’t the kind of person who would give everything for others; he only lived up to the second half of that saying.

“The idea isn’t bad, but it only works effectively in critical moments. Have the brothers handle it themselves to keep it secret. Make 12 sets and arrange their order carefully. Go do it.”

“Ah!” Gris replied and left. Although no rewards were mentioned, protecting the boss was the basic duty of these thugs. If before, Gusby was merely seen as their provider, after obtaining the “Darkness” rune scroll, their perception of him clearly included additional expectations.

Including Gris, six out of the 11 thugs were above level 5. For them, fixing stakes on the cliff rocks was simply pressing down with their battle-energized hands like nailing nails. Gris handled this task himself quite properly, but it could only deceive ordinary people. Angus quickly learned about these actions but couldn’t figure out their purpose at first.

“It’s obviously meant for escaping, but the exact method of escape is worth pondering. It definitely isn’t the most ordinary way—too stupid, and they wouldn’t be able to escape at all…”

“Father, I don’t think we should place our hopes on a black mine owner.” Compared to when she first met Nio, Kara no longer had that innocence and simplicity. This was not only due to the experiences, thoughts, and trials she had gone through during the catastrophe but also because she now carried heavy secrets and goals she had to strive to achieve.

Under the light of the crystal magic lamp, Angus’s eyes shone with an unusual brightness, like the sharp light emitted by energy-activated silver. Such traits were not typical of ordinary humans. “Identity and survival skills aren’t necessarily related. Snakes slither and rabbits hop—each has its own way. The reason I value that Gusby is because his power attribute is indeed darkness.”

“I thought that’s exactly what we need to worry about.”

Angus shook his head. “Darkness is like an orc’s face—seemingly similar, but with subtle differences. Dealing with demons and devils is indeed dangerous, but there have been successful cases. Of course, this isn’t the right path; we can’t rely on this method to solve problems.”

“You mean that Gusby, with his dark attribute, might possess some dark survival skills that would be perfect for deceiving everyone on a night like tonight?”

Angus nodded. “There’s a possibility. I’m considering giving it a try.” He gently turned the ring on his left ring finger with his right hand. Eventually, Angus summoned the werewolf who had dined with Neo at dinner. “Nicholas, take this and go ask that Gusby if he has any good ideas to keep us alive.”

“Father!” Kara was moved as she saw the colorful crystal, about as long as a finger, that Angus took out from his storage space. “Father, this is too risky!”

Angus sighed. “We don’t have any other suitable items to exchange.”

“There are still some jewels…”

“That’s for our own expenses. If we sell such things directly, it would be too noticeable. It’s more appropriate to use them to trade with passersby like Gusby. Don’t worry; in this world, there are no more than 10 people who can recognize the true origin of this crystal. Even so-called connoisseurs would just consider it an ordinary rainbow crystal.”

Indeed, as Angus said, when Nicholas showed the crystal to Neo, Neo’s first reaction was, “Damn! Our Baron Kryllu must be very wealthy! It looks exactly like the rainbow crystal I got from the Rainbow Crystal Forest underground, though it seems less transparent.”

But Nancy told Neo in a determined tone, “We must get it! At any cost!”

“You know, despite my prior declarations, seeing such a valuable item right away still stirs my greed. Is there a rainbow crystal of better quality? Or something similar will do. I think this piece can only be exchanged for the absolute safety of that beautiful lady.”

Nicholas glared at this openly greedy scoundrel, as if wanting to crush each bone in his body one by one. But in the end, he still chose to convey Neo’s intentions to Angus for him to decide. His obedient and indecisive nature, like that of a loyal dog, was exactly what Angus valued.

“Is this really a scoundrel?” Kara said, disgusted and amazed after hearing Nicholas’s account.

“People like this are actually easy to deal with,” Angus said, taking out another colorful crystal of similar size. “Tell that Gusby that desire is a double-edged sword.”

Corpse dust, chaotic force fields, and merging into darkness correspond to the basic uses of the three runes—Annihilation, Twisting, and Darkness. Combined, though far less effective than higher-level disappearance spells, they are still much better than simply using plant ash. Especially against dark creatures, this combination is very effective.

“The basic dark runes—this guy didn’t waste his specially acquired elemental power after all.” When Angus learned that Neo’s life-saving method involved these, he even admired this black mine owner. It didn’t require high elemental affinity, nor extremely strong mental focus, nor a calm and dedicated commitment to the arcane path. Creating basic runes was simply a gift for those who had stumbled upon or obtained elemental power by luck.

“You say it’s useful? Under normal circumstances, Angus would definitely dismiss it—requiring darkness or shadows, and only turning it into a pile of ashes rather than completely vanishing. Such a half-baked effect is truly pitiful! But to say it’s useless isn’t entirely true either; it’s perfectly suited for tonight.”
“That guy really got a huge advantage! Maybe in half a year, the Black Miner will become a private miner…” Though Angus said this, he showed no sign of distress. He believed that with these three rune scrolls, he could indeed get through the night safely.
At the same time,Neo also exclaimed, “This is really a huge advantage!” His words were filled with sincerity. He didn’t recognize those colorful crystals, butNancy knew them extremely well. “These are energy crystal condensates used by the Central Growth Point’s intelligence brain.”
To ordinary people, these fossils were indeed like rainbow crystals—luxury jewelry. Even for most spellcasters, they were merely artworks, worth admiring for their unique energy structures.
ForNeo, first of all, they were equivalent to the output of his brain’s element pool over 10 years. With them, newly formed intelligence brain crystals could be valued 2.4 times more.Neo naturally understood that the first pot of gold was the hardest to earn, and these two energy crystals undoubtedly shortened the long juvenile period of intelligence brain crystal growth.
Secondly, with these two crystals,Nancy didn’t have to spend a lot of time and effort deducing the most suitable energy structure for them. This one was perfect. In other words,Neo not only got the fish but also the fishing method.
“What are the most direct changes after your growth by 2.4 times?”Neo asked excitedly. By then,Nancy had already started preparing to absorb the crystals.
“My deduction ability will improve at a geometric rate. Applied to you, it means analyzing target trajectories and enabling super-fast reactions. Through comprehensive judgment, I can help you identify the opponent’s tactical intentions immediately, giving you an edge. Additionally, I can accelerate the process of converting your consciousness into physical actions. Based on the fastest firing rate of magic energy firearms in the current Aemera continent, you could reach about 300 meters per second—provided your body undergoes condensation training and reaches a certain strength. In your current state, you can only reach the level of a fighter around grade 7.”
“Then do the potions still work?” Earlier, whenNeo fought against the Claw Wolf Pack and the Sky Knights, he relied on external forces. Otherwise, he could only use dark magic to barely suppress opponents around grade 10. As for his second profession as a shaman, its greatest benefit was increasing the diversity of his combat methods, but it didn’t significantly boost his absolute combat power.
“The potions still work, but use them as little as possible. After all, their side effects require several times as much time to resolve afterward.”…

The preparations were complete, and the energy crystal was reactivated. A glowing eye seemed to appear on Neo’s forehead, with a soft beam of light connecting to the energy crystal. Soon, a dense mist of light formed, spiraling around the soft beam before disappearing into the glowing eye. The speed increased gradually, accompanied by a hissing sound. By the time the absorption was complete, the colorful crystal had reduced to a thin shell, losing its once crystal-clear texture.

“The powder from these crystalline shells is an extremely precious material that can serve as a carrier for my clones. This will help address the issue of the low intelligence level of the young Aberrant Camphor, preventing them from carrying out complex tasks.”

Neo was overjoyed and carefully stored the crystal shells. “It seems we need to keep a close eye on Baron Kliu Liu…” In fact, Neo’s earlier greedy behavior was partly due to the character of Gusby he was playing, and partly to gauge Angus’s capabilities. One such discovery, made unknowingly, meant there was a high chance Angus possessed more of these crystals or other even more important items. For Neo, who already had Nancy, any artifact-related item was of great significance. Especially since Neo knew exactly how these energy crystals formed. According to Nancy, an artifact is a complete whole, centered around a growth point. At its core are the energy and control systems—the energy pool and the intelligence brain. These energy crystals, designed specifically for the intelligence brain, were likely formed from a mixture within the energy pool and then trapped in the conduits leading to the brain, eventually solidifying over time due to some accident.

“If we can follow this clue to find the true intelligence brain of the artifact…” Neo could hardly imagine how wonderful that would be. Not only would it grant access to the functions of the intelligence brain, but also to its vast knowledge base—something even 10,000 Nancys couldn’t match, even if they were only at the saintly level rather than the divine level.

Realizing the possible connections, Neo had already made some modifications to the three sets of dark rune scrolls for Angus. Once used, they would activate a precious plant seed, which served as the basis for various plant-based spells. Neo only had five such seeds, obtained from Victor’s beautiful adjutant’s collection.

After calming down from his unexpected discovery, Neo quickly finished crafting the remaining rune scrolls. “Soul Seizure” was the only dark rune with an offensive nature among those he possessed, and it was a mental attack. Powered by his dark energy, it was more effective, especially against dark creatures. It corresponded to “fear,” while “destruction” was associated with bloodthirsty power. Finally, there was “Space Collapse,” which provided defensive effects.

Through meditation, Neo restored his mental strength while absorbing ambient dark energy. Nighttime was naturally a time when dark elements were abundant, but for Neo, a forest night under a bright moon was the ideal environment for energy absorption.

The agonized cries carried on the wind made Neo, who had just finished meditating, sit up in bed. He knew this difficult night had arrived as badly as expected. Without needing to turn on the light, Neo lifted the bedboard, took out his pack, and changed clothes in the darkness.

The grayish combat suit itself was a tight cotton garment. Though Gusby was stingy, he was generous enough toward himself—at least the lining of the suit was smooth silk, not as rough as the outer layer. A set of heavy armor with shaping ribs weighed nearly 15 kilograms, yet it wasn’t scratched at all. As Nancy had said, it must have been something new that Gusby had acquired for him before leaving Spoon Valley. It was fine, but in Gusby’s hands, it was a waste of material.

Once fully dressed, Neo opened the carriage door and sat on the bed opposite it, leaning on his sword. He could sense that many people in the camp had already woken up; some were even praying in hushed voices. It was unclear whom these people were praying to in this faithless land.

Gris was resting beside the carriage. When Neo opened the door, Gris immediately came over, bowed to Neo inside, then sat down again against the side wheel at the back of the carriage.

Horse hooves, neighs, and howls—these sounds were now very frequent. On the road about 200 meters away, no one here could see clearly, but it wasn’t hard to guess who those unfortunate people were. Besides the relatively large group stationed near the rift during the day, there were also the patrol riders left behind. Aside from a few who returned overnight to report, most of them were the unlucky ones of the night. Even though they numbered nearly a whole group, it wouldn’t help them at all. Against those Dark Ones revived by the bats that had crossed for 10 minutes, they would surely be devoured, not even a bone left.

Everyone in the camp, including Neo, waited silently, waiting for those who had made the mistake of underestimating the situation to be slaughtered… or…

The thunderous, rhythmic hooves of a cavalry unit rushed over from the direction of the rift. At the front were knights on horseback, while inside were weaker figures such as knight servants. What made them stand out in the darkness were not only the hooves but also the glowing swords and blades that flew out from time to time.

Clearly, this was a breakout force—a group of stragglers who still seemed to have some hope.

Neo stood at the door of the carriage, gazing into the distance through the wall. After a short while, he said to Gris, “Unfortunately, these people are coming our way…”