Chapter 385: The Wind is Strong Outside
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Nights in the Blackstone Mountains were unbearably cold, and after a tiring day, the adventurers returned to their tents and enjoyed a good night’s sleep, cocooned in their sheepskin sleeping bags.
“Damn it, that bastard Granger is a nothing but a jinx, nothing good happens whenever we see him…” A young Adventurer dressed in black armor was rubbing his hands for warmth as he stood near a mountain behind the campsite, complaining furiously as he did so. “And that Mr Hahn, why did he make us come here in such a cold weather…”
“Alright, Marko, enough said. This is an order from Mr Hahn himself. If we don’t do it well or offend Mr Hahn, we’re done for.”
“Got it, Brother Reggie…”
The two of them were young. If Lin Li was here, he would be able to recognize them as the Bandits Emendas had sent to survey the forest in the morning.
“Oh, right. Brother Reggie, did Mr Hahn say anything about this fellow?”
“I heard he’s an Adventurer from Doland. They are three guys and a girl, all around level-10. They don’t seem to have a formidable background… oh, and Mr Hahn said the youngest mage must be gotten rid of, but we shouldn’t touch the rest, especially the girl—I think Sir Harvey has his eye on her…”
“Around level-10?” Marko’s eyes widened at that. He had thought that they were powerful people when Granger approached him. After all, Granger had laid out pretty good terms: each of them would receive a large sum of money and a recommendation to the family’s mercenary corps, and become core members of the Malfa Family. This was something that every Adventurer in Aminya dreamed of.
Marko had never thought that Mr Hahn merely wanted them to get rid of a level-10 Adventurer…
How powerful was a level-10 Adventurer? Probably like those from the Adventurers Guild in Aminya, risking their lives every day for a few hundred gold coins and fighting low-level magical beasts. That amount of money was not even enough to pay for a meal for Marko and his friends…
Marko shook his head as he felt incredulous—this Mr Hahn was really something. Did he have to take these level-10 Adventurers so seriously? Fancy having Granger gather all of them for this—all four of them here were the best Bandits among Aminya’s Adventurers, and all of them were at least level-15. Reggie especially had reached level-16 a month ago, and would be considered pretty strong even in the whole Breezy Plains.
“Say, Brother Reggie, isn’t Mr Hahn being too cautious…?”
“Don’t talk so much, just do as Mr Hahn said. Anyway, we should wrap this up quickly and go rest soon. We’ll be going into the Scar of Death tomorrow, and that should be more than enough work for us.”
“True…” Marko nodded.
After the short conversation, the four of them followed along the side of the mountain behind the campsite, and vanished into the night like ghosts.
Lin Li was studying a map in the tent. It was the map that Ujfalusi had copied down through the evil spirit; every tree in the Blackstone Mountains was indicated clearly on it, and it included details like which magical beasts appeared at which place, where rare herbs grew, and where there were rare mineral veins to be found. Everything had been clearly labelled on the map.
“This Malfa Family is something indeed…” Lin Li stared in awe at the map. If the Malfa Family could produce such a map, then it meant that someone amongst them had been able to explore the Blackstone Mountains. This was no joke—there were countless magical beasts in the Blackstone Mountains, and the magical beasts in the area after crossing the Scar of Death were especially powerful. Needless to say, even someone in the Legendary realm might not be able to guarantee their own safety after passing through the Scar of Death…
But the Malfa Family managed to do it—someone amongst them had to have crossed the Scar of Death and explored nearly the entirety of the Blackstone Mountains, or he would not be holding this map right now.
But what shocked Lin Li the most was the patch of white at the top of the map…
It was strange as there was a clearly unfinished line that was abruptly cut off as though someone had poured ink on a priced painting.
Lin Li knew that the patch of white was the main peak of the Blackstone Mountains, and it was not white because it had not been drawn, but because someone had wiped it away for some reason.
Lin Li was willing to bet his head that someone in the Malfa Family had indeed scaled the peak of the Blackstone Mountains!
After having fought the Crimson Python and eating with Tutankhamun, Lin Li knew better than anyone now what a truly dangerous place the Blackstone Mountains were. He believed that even if his teacher Andoine were to come here, he might not be able to climb to the peak of the mountain range, either. Luck aside, the person who had drawn this map might be much more powerful than Andoine…
Another thing looked strange to Lin Li.
Everything was recorded on this map—everything except the nest of the Crimson Python…
“This is too strange…” This question had haunted Lin Li for a long time as a map that recorded even mineral veins and herbs should definitely display the location of the Crimson Python’s nest as well. It was a Legendary magical beast, after all. How could the person drawing the map be so careless? Wasn’t he afraid that someone from the Malfa Family might stumble upon a Crimson Python’s nest one day?
Moreover, the Malfa Family was here for the Crimson Python, so what use would a map without any information on it be?
But the map had a detailed description of the Scar of Death. According to it, that place was a living hell—there were even Undead creatures alongside crazed magical beasts there. Hence, Lin Li found it weird that the Malfa Family had the confidence that a bunch of Adventurers around level-10 would be able to cross through such a living hell.
…Unless Emendas had far more powerful tricks up his sleeve?
“Ujfalusi, don’t let the evil spirit sleep tonight, keep an eye on Granger instead. I feel like the Malfa Family is going to do something big…” Lin Li held the map, deep in thought, but failed to think of anything. Hence, he decided to just give an order since he was tired of trying to understand it anyway—he might as well try his luck. This Granger seemed to be deeply trusted, so if Ujfalusi continued to keep an eye on him, maybe they would uncover more secrets…
“Alright, Master.”
“Oh, those rats are here…” Just then, a few shadows appeared on the Warlock’s Eyes. Lin Li smiled; it seemed like Hahn was bent on getting rid of him…
“Master, shall I do something?”
“No.” Lin Li shook his head. If Ujfalusi did something, those people would most likely be turned into Skeletal Warriors; it would be tricky if anyone became suspicious because of that. Lin Li thought for a while before he took out an oil lamp from his pocket.
“F*ck, there’s only half of it left?” Lin Li felt his heart clench when he looked at the magical crystal encrusted on the oil lamp—it was a level-15 magical crystal he had just placed in the oil lamp before he left the Tower of Dusk. It only lasted him for one or two summonses before there was only half left. Damn it, this possession of Osric was not for everybody indeed…
Lin Li gritted his teeth, and ignored the pain in his heart before he rubbed the oil lamp.
Then, black fog engulfed the tent…
***
At the same time, the four Bandits stopped in their tracks.
“Marko, bring them in. I’ll stand guard outside. Remember, the youngest mage only; don’t touch the rest, especially the girl. Oh, and make sure you do a neat job. Don’t make much noise, or we’ll be in trouble if anyone hears it.”
“Don’t worry, Brother Reggie, it’s only a few low-level Adventurers. How much time can I take? Just wait here for the good news. I’ll be back soon.”
Marko was smiling as he said this, and clearly did not take the other’s words to heart. If it were any other time, the serious Reggie would probably chide him for it, but this time, he did not say anything and nodded his head. “Mm-hmm.”
Frankly speaking, even Reggie was sure that a few level-10 Adventurers were no cause for worry. Given Marko’s level-15 ability, he could easily deal with 10 of them if he did not make any major errors.
In a flash, Marko disappeared into the night with two companions.
Reggie found a spot out of the wind, and surveyed the campsite quietly as he waited for news from Marko. But, it soon had been over half an hour…
As he waited, Reggie felt uneasy. While he did not think that a few level-10 Adventurers would bring Marko and the rest any problems, he did wait a long time. “Could they be in trouble…?”
Reggie took a look at the quiet campsite before he gritted his teeth and blended into the dark as he inched towards the tent…
Then, Reggie heard a blood-chilling voice.
“Come in, the wind is strong outside…”