Chapter 16: The Plots of the Spellcasters

The healing ointments provided by the medics of Star 745—both for external and internal use—were so effective that they surprised Green. In comparison, the improved method of stitching plus bandages plus medicinal pods seemed less impressive.

Thanks to a senior healer, the warriors no longer had to lie in those coffin-like medicinal pods for hours. Some of the previously severe wounds also stabilized and improved rapidly under dual healing. Although it would still take some time for such injuries to fully heal, Star 745 could still ensure that all its members remained combat-ready after a major battle.

As a earth mage, the young Hess was already capable of doing more than just causing destruction and collapse. Thanks to his efforts, the ruined narrow path was eventually repaired. When many suggested using the suspension system to cross that over twenty-meter-long dangerous section, Neo overruled them all and stubbornly chose to trust Hess’s abilities, allowing vehicles to pass slowly one by one.

“He’d rather keep that suspension ability until we reach the campsite than face complete helplessness,” he said.

Two hours later, it turned out that Neo’s decision was wise. Although the dark forces could no longer launch large-scale harassment attacks, they made another section of the road even more treacherous than the previous one. By then, Hess’s magical power was no longer sufficient to fully repair the road as he had before.

The convoy stopped, and after on-site inspection, Neo and the others identified a few key areas that needed repair. Then they activated the suspension system, allowing the convoy to pass smoothly. Along the way, they also eliminated two small groups of monsters attempting to cause havoc.

Neo’s cruelty and coldness toward the enemy sent chills through his teammates. Looking at the enemies who had fled, he tore a demon priest to pieces alive. It wasn’t some minor creature but a human who worshipped darkness—a woman at that.

After many hardships, by the time Fangyan Post was in sight, it was around 7 p.m. Fortunately, since the beginning of summer, the days had grown longer, and it would still be over an hour before nightfall, giving the convoy time to make arrangements.

Fangyan Post was a station located beside the main road. It wasn’t built in a valley because the terrain here was actually quite good. From above, its shape resembled a dwarf’s war hammer, with the handle serving as the only path in. Even so, it couldn’t withstand the onslaught of massive monsters. Half a month earlier, it had been ravaged and had never recovered since.

Fangyan Post originally had a fixed population of 103 people, along with a company of soldiers stationed there. But now they had all become food for the monsters—their blood licked clean, not a single bone left behind. Only the traces of battle and the chaos around remained, telling of the brutality of that night’s slaughter.

Soon, the details were sorted out. The well was intact. The inn’s storage contained not only supplies but also several barrels of undamaged wine, dried vegetables, vegetable oil, and spices—everything needed. The warriors also discovered a small armory filled with bows, broadswords, and armor in large quantities. There were also many scattered pieces of armor and weapons that could be used after some cleaning and maintenance.

“The monsters obviously only care about meat,” Zanjin said, crossing his arms and making a half-hearted joke.
But when Valrug took over, he gave a somewhat naive affirmative response: “I like meat too—thick legs! Heh! Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.”
“It seems like a great deal,” Coharl said. Though he also had a ferocious appearance, he wasn’t as crude as Zanjin and Valrug. Perhaps this was because spellcasters were also a type of caster, after all, most casters were quite intelligent.
Not only Zanjin and the others were there—Green and several sergeants appointed by Star 745 while purging the corrupted lands near Outpost 1 were also present. They were waiting for further orders fromNeo.
“It is indeed a deal, but it’s in the past now. Even though the enemy might not actually leave this place untouched, there’s no need for us to take that risk. Compared to our mission supplies, what’s here is nothing. Enough talk—I order that no action be taken on these supplies, including food, weapons, or valuables. Whoever dares to move a finger, if I see it, 5 whips! Set up camp, eat, take a hot bath, and go to sleep. Execute the order now.”
“Yes!” The sergeants replied without hesitation and immediately went about it. To develop this habit of strictly following orders, they had endured many whips during training. UnderNeo’s command, the tasks they faced were often even more absurd.
Neo turned to Green and said politely, “Master Green, I need your help with the water.”
“No trouble at all. It’s my duty.”
The spellcasters and Green’s group were impressed byNeo’s orders, but what interested them even more was how the soldiers carried them out. As expected, the high-quality armor and weapons were right there, but the soldiers ignored them, moving them aside only for camp purposes—like into cellars or armories. No one revisited them, nor did anyone steal unattended belongings, not even small items.
The soldiers acted as if they were camping in the wilderness—arranging their lodging, cooking food, boiling water for bathing, changing into dry spare clothes, and throwing their sweat- and blood-stained clothes into a magical washing machine, which cleaned, dried, and hung them up.
Many of the mages were shocked. They really didn’t expect Star 745 to bring two such machines on a mission. Soon, they discovered there was more—those siege spiders also carried miniature furnaces and foldable tool benches. The technicians not only operated the instruments but also maintained the armor. The armor of the 2nd Warrior unit was quickly repaired and maintained. Given their swift movements and efficient process, it was clear they had practiced this task at least hundreds of times.
Moreover, the soldiers on night duty were not warriors but cooks and supply carriers, which also surprised the mages.
Elan even askedNeo, “Aren’t you afraid of monster raids at night?”
Neo replied, “Apart from the 2nd Warrior unit, everyone else on Star 745 is an excellent marksman.”

In fact, not only was his marksmanship excellent, but his guns were also top-notch. Though cautious, Neo didn’t teach Carnito the knowledge of firearms from another world, but he did refine the theoretical aspects of firearms. Now, the team had 20 modified mana long guns, which Neo called “orbital guns.” Everyone didn’t understand why they had such a strange name, but it didn’t stop them from liking these weapons. With their great power, long range, high firing rate, and ruby-powered targeting system, these long guns could rival the most expensive spellcraft magic guns currently available—though those latter ones were so costly that even 100,000 gold coins wouldn’t suffice to buy one. After enjoying a delicious dinner and taking a comfortable hot bath, most of the warriors fell into deep sleep, including Neo. Of course, in reality, his daily routine was quite relaxed; 3 hours of quality sleep per day was enough for him, with half of that time taken during two 15-minute periods during the day. “What’s today’s task?” “Continue trying to work on Gene 4 of madness.” “Weren’t we able to crack it the day before yesterday?” “It’s recurring; we need to start over.” “Understood.” This brief conversation between Neo and Nancy marked the official start of their training. However, Neo was still in the preparatory stage of magic refinement. He first had to complete the “physical memory” step for the obtained genes of madness, then integrate their traits into his body, and finally eliminate the unnecessary parts. It was a complex, difficult, and lengthy process. In Nancy’s words, this was a practice that could take a lifetime, and it was hard to say how far one could go. On the other hand, the benefits of this training came in stages, which was a very attractive feature for Neo, who needed to constantly strengthen himself. Effort led to tangible results—practically speaking, this alone was already highly valuable. “Their nerves are really thick. Aren’t they afraid of monsters attacking at night?” In the mages’ room, Eran wasn’t so much complaining about the carelessness of the people from Star 745 as admiring their simple lifestyle. Huddled in a corner of the bench, Green gently touched his forehead and said helplessly, “We must admit that we really can’t fight when it’s time to fight and sleep when it’s time to sleep like Simon and his soldiers. Since that’s the case, aside from meditation, the only way we can pass the time is by patrolling. I think this job can also give everyone a sense of security. Hold on a bit longer. Based on the distance, we should reach Aidalah by the afternoon of the day after tomorrow.” “Agreed. We can just act like during the group trial. As for the sentries set up by Star 745, we can ignore them.” “Agreed.” The others also expressed their agreement. They really didn’t trust that just over a dozen ordinary soldiers could successfully handle the security of the entire Fangyan Post. So Green arranged shifts, with five people taking turns keeping watch at different times. As for the spellcraft mages, they wisely read books, chatted, or forced themselves to sleep, counting sheep if they couldn’t fall asleep. Combat in normal circumstances was very unfamiliar to them, and they could even be said to lack self-protection skills more than ordinary people. “Gurrr…”

“Aw…”
“Hoh…”
All sorts of strange noises came from the darkness, seemingly distant yet also nearby, repeatedly straining people’s nerves. Fear is often a combination of the unknown and pressure, and the monsters one imagines in one’s mind are the ones that scare one the most. Nights like this undoubtedly create such an atmosphere, allowing people to experience what it’s like to be on high alert for extended periods.
“Damn it, just as the captain said—these bastards can’t be dealt with head-on, and even when using trickery, what’s the use?” said a soldier on watch, shrinking his neck. It wasn’t cold tonight, but the various noises did make one feel extremely cautious.
“They just keep screaming in the dark. If they’ve got the guts, come over—I’ll blow their heads off with a shot!” said another soldier, slapping his gun.
“Yeah, my guy’s marksmanship isn’t bad either. If they dare come, let them taste some peanuts.” …
Babo carried a magic lamp and walked slowly by not far away. He heard the two soldiers’ conversation, which made him realize that Simon Windwalker was indeed no ordinary brute but someone with delicate thoughts. He had calculated that the dark forces wouldn’t actually attack that night but would only keep harassing them to exhaust them, which was why he made such arrangements.
“It’s strange. Why is he so confident?” he murmured to Elan during the shift change.
“I don’t know, but it’s clear they trust their teammates a lot and are well-prepared.”
Indeed, as Elan said, Star 745 was prepared. Under Neio’s guidance, they had been working according to their own methods to arm themselves, not just by modifying weapons and armor. They created a magical device called a Sun Beam Launcher. This device was a typical blend of mechanics and magic; it could fire light balls similar to the Mage’s Immortal Flame. These light balls would burn on their own at predetermined locations, with a lighting range comparable to that of a giant torch. Although they didn’t last as long as the real Immortal Flame, they were sufficient to provide light throughout the night. Moreover, the nature of this light was similar to that of light lightning—a combination of fire and light elements. For unprotected dark creatures, its light was as harsh as misty sulfuric acid.
As night fell, Star 745 sent people to fire these light balls, illuminating the entire area within 300 meters centered around Fangyan Post. Even a hundred miles away, one could clearly see the brilliant light, as if stars had fallen to the ground.
It was extremely conspicuous. Elan seemed to see countless monsters gathering in that direction, hiding in the darkness to spy on every move of the camp, watching clearly. They were waiting, waiting for enough strength to launch a surprise attack.
“The captain said that using ‘the enemy in the light and us in the dark’ tactics doesn’t work against monsters.”

Elan also heard the whispers of the Night Watch soldiers of Star 745. They were divided into groups of two, totaling five groups, with a squad leader in charge of patrols and supervision. The soldier continued, “In the darkness, even though monsters don’t have as good vision as we do during the day, it’s not much worse. So they’re not afraid of the dark at all; rather, they fear the brightness. The intensity of our lighting balls isn’t arbitrary—it has its reasons. For most monsters, looking at these light balls from within 200 meters is like staring at the noon sun. Just think, so much brightness—it would dazzle anyone, right? So, as long as they dare enter this area, they’re practically blind.”

“Isn’t that just like wild boars blinded by the light? Perfect moving targets. The captain is really resourceful! I’ve never heard of any other team doing what we do. Star 744 and Star 743 have high casualty rates. Do you still remember White from new recruit training?”

“Mm, I do. He relied on his strength to bully me.”

“He died in battle. Think about it—he was one of the strongest among our new recruits.”

“Poor kid. Bad luck, wrong mentor. I was even planning to look for a fight after mastering what the captain called ‘blind shooting’!” …

Elan didn’t know what “blind shooting” meant, but he could sense that Star 745 had an extraordinary sense of unity. Just as Green said, their bloodthirsty wolf king was their role model. To treat these soldiers as mere cooks or porters would be a huge mistake. Their fighting spirit was already extremely strong, and Elan could feel that this was just the beginning.

“Mm-hm, this team is quite interesting, even from the start.” It was also time for a shift change. When Elan talked to Ny about what she had seen, Ny shared some of the information she had gathered. She concluded, “The uniqueness of Star 745 when it was first formed was initially criticized by many as trying to attract attention, but after just one incident in the Spider Jungle, most of those criticisms disappeared. The valley purification mission near Base 1 made people, despite their jealousy, admit that this team truly had skills.”

“Then maybe we should look at things from another angle. What if this style and these abilities continued?”

“Style? Abilities? You mean… unexpected?” Elan frowned slightly.

Ny smiled. “Your wording isn’t bold enough, but it gets the idea. This afternoon, I saw 22 fighters at level 6 or above. This clearly contradicts what I told you before—that Star 745 only recruits the weakest soldiers. It’s indeed unexpected, but is that all? If we take everything that’s happened before into account and summarize it, what phrase would describe it?”

Elan said mockingly, “Surely not ‘miracle,’ right? You’re giving them too high a rating. If miracles happened repeatedly, they wouldn’t be miracles anymore.”

“That’s true. But if we always underestimate the amazing things they do and call them one after another ‘miracles,’ what’s wrong with that?”

“Underestimate? I don’t think so. Unless everything described in the information you got isn’t true.”
Ni said, “So, isn’t it a miracle that the Garbage Squad completes such difficult tasks? And when these miracles are linked together, maybe in a few years, people will look back and realize that Star 745’s past actually constitutes a legend.”
Elan smiled, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, and said in a somewhat joking tone, “No wonder you acted like a good girl on this mission. So you had plans—seems you’re quite satisfied with that muscular wolf.”
Ni nodded calmly. “Yes, that’s fair to say. You know, I’ve always thought that spellcasters represent femininity, while fighters represent masculinity. Simon Windrunner and his men gave me that impression very strongly. Although I haven’t seen it with my own eyes—what it’s like when Simon puts on hundreds of pounds of armor and fully embodies the role of a guardian—I can imagine it. Just this afternoon, as I watched that massacre, I felt my blood boiling, yet my mind remained exceptionally calm. It was an amazing feeling; I believe I could have performed beyond my limits at that moment.”
Elan nodded in agreement. “Hmm, bloody, but definitely manly.”
“Saying that might make your three teammates a bit resentful,” came a gentle male voice. Elan turned to look, and Green appeared in her sight.
Elan teased, “I wondered why it’s so hard to please you usually. Turns out the captain likes compliments like ‘wild’ and ‘bestial.’ Really unexpected.”
“Never mind. Just praise me as elegant, intelligent, and wise instead.” Green changed the subject and said, “I overheard part of your conversation. I have some personal opinions I’d like to share on it.”
Elan’s expression became serious as she stood up straight. Green wasn’t the kind to talk nonsense for no reason. If he said this, it clearly meant he had reached a decisive conclusion after rational analysis.
Green gestured for them to come in, and the two stepped back into the room. After all, with Star 745’s night watchers around, the night patrol wasn’t urgent.
Barbo and Hes were also inside. After some deep thought, they were wide awake and were sipping coffee from delicate porcelain cups.
After sitting down, Green asked the four of them, “War is coming. What does that mean?”
“Our regular training is interrupted,” Barbo said unhappily.
“People will die,” Ni added from another perspective.
Green shrugged. “Exactly.” After a pause, he continued, “My mentor told me that living in such a great era is both unfortunate and fortunate for you. This is an inevitable elimination process. To become a winner, it’s not enough to be good here”—he pointed to his head—“In war, smart people can die easily too.”
Barbo laughed a few times.
“Do you still remember that famous saying from the Mage Trials?” Green asked.
“Of course,” Hes said with a smile. “It’s not the god-like opponents we fear, but the pig-like teammates.”
Green said with a hint of pride, “So I’m fortunate to have met a few of them.”
“It’s an honor to have you as our leader,” Ni said.

“Thank you,” Green continued. “War is a large-scale conflict involving many participants and lasting for a long time. So now we face another choice to expand our options. Under limited conditions, we must decide on our future path and destiny.”
“So, team leader, you’ve already picked Star 745?”
Green looked at Babo, who asked, “Not quite. I just want to remind everyone that war brings many people together. From now on, we’ll inevitably have to live with those rude, smelly guys—some with terrible body odor even. We need to be humble and choose future teammates who aren’t complete idiots. That’s real wisdom. That’s what I meant. I think you all understand.”
The four nodded. Hess said, “Star 745 seems pretty good for now. At least they act bravely. I like such meat shields—they can cast spells from behind.”
“Actually, they’re not lacking in long-range firepower,” Green said. “When we were camping, I paid close attention to those two modified Siege Spiders. If I’m not mistaken, they’re equipped with magic cannons.”
Hes and Babo spoke almost simultaneously. One said, “High-tech!” The other said, “They must be quite wealthy!”
“Indeed, they’re like a wolf king—ambitious, strong, and smart. Their team has operated smoothly for just two months without any hindrances. And what I value most is that they know how to avoid danger and seek fortune.”
Ni and Elan exchanged a glance before smiling. “It seems the team leader knows some information we don’t.”
“Yes,” Green admitted generously. “I have a relative named Spencer, who is the head of supplies in the Hylfanis region of the Celestial Temple…”
While the mages were discussing Star 745 and Simon the Windrunner, Neo finished his training and completed his patrol. He was now in the small dark room, interrogating the black magician captured during the day.
The black magician stared coldly at Neo, who was fiddling with some unknown device across from him, his gaze as icy as that of a venomous snake. He had made up his mind: at first, he would insist on staying silent, then reveal some truths after being tortured, and finally give false information under further torture. He believed this strategy would be enough to deal with this muscleman.
Neo finally got ready. Holding a syringe, he walked up to the black magician, waving it. “This is an injection we developed ourselves. It’s holy water filled with light elements, along with other substances to prevent you from dying. Please believe me—I’m doing good. I’m purifying you, at least physically!”
With that, Neo began injecting professionally. He pulled the black magician’s arm and tied it with a leather strap around the upper arm, then used cotton dipped in medicinal liquor to clean the armpit… But the problem was, “You just go ahead and do it without even asking?” The black magician, with his mouth tied and tongue immobilized, was furious at Neo’s brutal method right from the start.

After the injection, countless worm-like movements appeared beneath the Black Magician’s skin. These movements spread rapidly throughout his body, causing him to tremble violently. Unfortunately, he was firmly strapped to a sturdy wooden chair with holes in it, leaving him unable to make any significant movements.

Pitter-patter!

Neo stared at the Black Magician calmly and said, “As expected, the two extreme forces are battling inside your body, causing physiological dysfunction and incontinence. But don’t worry—you won’t die. We have safeguards.”

All the Black Magician wanted to say was, “Damn those so-called safeguards! I’d rather die now!”

After about 5 minutes, his naked body began to sweat profusely, with the sweat evaporating into mist.

“Hmm! The first battle is over. The dark forces within you are very stubborn; they’ve won this round. But we can continue.”

The second injection lasted 10 minutes, resulting in more sweating. This time, after the sweat evaporated, foul-smelling, black stains remained on his skin.

“It’s working. The dark forces had to make sacrifices to drive out the light forces. We need to keep going.”

And so, it was the third time, then the fourth…

By the sixth time, the Black Magician fully believed that Neo was there to purify his body. Repeated extreme pains had left even him, who had a mental strength far beyond ordinary people and an extremely firm will, utterly exhausted. However, when the torture became too intense, his resistance began to take effect—after a certain level of pain, his consciousness dulled, reducing the intensity of his suffering.

It was his first time experiencing torture, but his clever mind realized that Neo was clearly no professional torturer. He merely used physical pain to force compliance, without psychological torment. This allowed him to endure it, and he even thought of himself as a hero who would rather die than submit.

“I’m very pleased to tell you that the purification was successful. Though you’re extremely weak now, the dark forces in your body have indeed been largely eliminated. You can rest in peace. Tomorrow, I’ll have a healer help you recover further. Then, our ultimate goal is to sanctify you—you will become a pure person, one whose body can rival that of a bishop or ascetic from the Church of Light. I’m convinced that under such conditions, you’ll surely convert to the light. Since your physical body isolates your soul, any prayers to darkness will be ineffective. Even in death, your physical body remains a prison for your soul, so you can only turn to the light. What a wonderful future.”

The Black Magician’s face turned red and purple, his eyes bulging as his desire to speak became overwhelming.

Neo removed the restraint from his mouth. “Do you want to thank me? Don’t be polite. It has always been my wish to bring the dark ones back into the embrace of light. Forgiveness, salvation, redemption… I adore such greatness!” Neo said, utterly enchanted.

“You… you’re a devil!” The dark magician managed to utter these words in a broken voice, using all his strength, his tone as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
“Wow! Is that a compliment in the style of the Dark Ones? Truly impressive. Well, let me take care of your rest. A hot bath, a dry and comfortable bed—you’ll feel like you’re in heaven. You’ll surely sleep well.”
Neo didn’t ask the dark magician a single word. He kept his word, unfazed by the magician’s filth, giving him a hot bath and then injecting him with an anti-magic potion that consumed mental energy over time, preventing the caster from concentrating on spells.
For the dark magician, the torment began. Thinking of his miserable future, he was trapped—neither able to live nor die, unable even to feel hatred. He felt he was finished. If Neo really helped him become a Light-Blessed one, he would be the most pitiful failure in the world, stripped of all his powers and uniqueness. He would be forced to spend the rest of his life among the hypocrites he hated the most. At the thought of this, the dark magician couldn’t help but want to go mad, to collapse…
The more one desires something urgently, the harder it is to obtain. Neo knew exactly how to make the dark magician talk. He also knew that although the lower levels of the dark forces seemed chaotic, the higher-ups maintained strict order—after all, their system was derived from the devil, a cruel and evil order.
Thus, this executioner-like dark magician might not know much important information; he was more likely to act on orders. Even so, Neo could still derive a lot of useful information from details or fragmented clues. He had Nancy, and moreover, knowledge of the dark forces was extremely limited—basic information like organizational structure, factions, and symbols was hardly known.
With such requirements, a thorough memory scan was clearly necessary. Breaking a caster’s will was difficult, so Neo’s approach was to destroy all their hopes, making them believe they would become the very thing they hated the most.