468-474

Chapter 468: A Step to Strike Back

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The scarlet wine rippled in the wine glass under the shine of the magical crystal. Zieg Alanic sat comfortably on the chair in his straight tuxedo. His neatly combed hair was as meticulous as his personality. His confident face and dusky eyes gazed at the wine glass in his hand as though entering a meditative state.

There wasn't much peace on the outside. Although a few days had passed, there were still flares, sword clashes, and swear words every now and then. Everything would turn silent... And after a few moments, it would repeat itself.

Zieg gazed at his wine glass while a half-naked and delicate woman leaning on him shuddering. A few moments before, she was trying to have an intimate contact with this handsome man. However, the bloody corpse of her companion by her feet warned her that it wasn't a smart choice. But it was too late. She tried her best to refill his wineglass with trembling hands, at the same time gazing at the terrifying man before her.

The wooden doors swung open and broke the strange silence in the room.

"Damn it!" A man with a burly stature covered with hide from top to bottom entered the room. He undressed his raincoat and shook off the raindrops before sitting on a chair beside Zieg. At the same time, he kicked the stiff corpse away and snatched over the wine on Zieg's hand to finish it in one go. "Woah, this feels great and there's no difference from the hell on the outside. Those idiots told me they were capable of managing the place but it is still so chaotic after such a long time. Those city guards couldn't even handle this situation and those idiots dared to assure me that everything is under their control? My *ss! Do they think that I'm blind or deaf?"

"How's the situation?" Zieg tapped his finger on the table after ignoring the man's blabbers.

The man let out a snort and spread out both hands. "It's not looking good, Young Master. Those bastards chose the right place because we tried to attack but we couldn't get our hands on them. Instead, we even lost a few of our men. But luckily, we have surrounded them entirely and it will be as hard as scaling the heavens for them to escape. Thanks to these bastards, no one has suspected our operations. But I think that this isn't the solution because we don't know what are those bunch of filthy undead creatures are thinking. Besides, we clearly threw a bait but it wasn't taken by them. This is too strange... Should I investigate once more?"

"There's no need to," Zieg stood on his feet and picked up the pitch-black cloak and top hat from the rack handily to complete his rigorous outfit. His hands iswiped through every inch of his tuxedo and pants. "There's no time left before the start of the parliament meeting. All we need is time and as long as there's enough time... Delay them, and if you can't kill them, at least you should prevent them from making it back in time. No matter what or how you do it, remember, I only wish that this parliament meeting will commence, proceed, and end peacefully like the other meetings that we have been holding. Understand?"

"Don't worry, Young Master. Leave it to me." The man nodded while Zieg tidied his hat and cloak before opening the door. An old butler with an umbrella in hand stood before his young master.

"Don't let down my trust in you. By the way, get rid of that junk," said Zeig before he left the room.

The wooden door closed and the man sneered mischievously as he stripped his clothes off before the shuddering and ashen young lady. He gazed at his prey viciously while licking his lips.

What a nice meal this is gonna be...

The rain continued to fall and it had gotten heavier.

Rhode stood above a pile of rocks while rainwater flowed down his cloak. He gazed at the black silhouette of the hill in a distance while another figure emerged by his side.

"Mr. Rhode, I'm sure they're up there," Viktor fiddled with a stone in his hand that was engraved with a clear triangular imprint. The traces seemed to be from less than a day ago, to which Viktor heaved a sigh of relief. However, he lifted his head towards Rhode with complicated emotions.

It wasn't difficult to arrive at Soraka Mountain through the intersection point. As a matter of fact, there wasn't even one centimeter between both locations on the map. But there was this terrifying sensation where all kinds of monsters were lurking and ready to kill you. Furthermore, their appearances didn't tell anything about their weaknesses. Moreover, there was also the unbearable, chaotic forcefield due to the conflict between the Dragon Souls. In fact, one who entered the intersection point would feel as though one was squeezed and deformed between two steel plates and the pain could make him crumble. Moreover, this wasn't an illusion at all and it felt as though a virus was corroding your body. making you unconscious. The worst case scenario could even make one insane and commit suicide.

Due to this, the path towards the intersection point wasn't as easy as it seemed to the eyes. In theory, it would require about one to one and a half days to complete the journey through the intersection point. Even a guild leader and a powerful swordsman like Viktor could remember the nightmare that scarred him even though he ran non-stop for two nights. Viktor strongly believed that he would never forget this experience. However, he had to brace himself to lead Rhode's group back for the sake of his men and complete this mission.

But the truth was totally different from what Viktor had thought.

Although Viktor was mentally prepared for another torture, Rhode's behavior made him feel that his fears were all pointless. At the edge of the intersection point, Rhode ordered everyone to consume the potions that he retrieved from his Spatial Bag. Even though this potion had a repugnant smell, its effects were obviously helpful. Viktor stepped into the intersection point fearfully but he could no longer feel the painful influences of the conflicts between the Dragon Souls. Instead, the vortex of power that once made him felt like a trembling rag had turned into a gentle, harmless breeze. Rhode's mercenaries who entered the intersection point reacted completely opposite of what Viktor had expected. On the contrary, they lined up in an orderly circle and didn't act like country bumpkins who rushed in to attack the strange monsters that they discovered. Anne brandished her shield and opened the path for everyone. The well-equipped Thieves sneaked closely while vigilantly watching all directions. Marlene instantly cast a defense wall whenever an enemy appeared while the archers would fire rounds and rounds of arrows at the unwelcome guests under Randolf's command. Then, the Thieves would quietly deal the final blow to their enemies before continuing to move forward without any intention of pursuing the retreating enemies or eradicating them.

The whole process was as smooth as an industrial assembly line.

Viktor was astonished even though he was clear of Rhode's abilities. However, the capabilities of a leader and his men weren't necessarily proportional. This was especially so for Rhode who had established his guild for only a few months. Viktor was concerned about Rhode sending unsuitable men for the mission, but he realized that these mercenaries were far more impressive than he had imagined. They weren't as clumsy and inexperienced. Instead, they performed in an organized and disciplined manner with rich combat experience that complemented each other. According to Viktor's observations, these mercenaries were more powerful than the elites of his Cole Falcon Guild.

How is this possible? Where exactly did this young man come from?

Viktor had never thought that mercenaries recruited for only a few months would be able to perform as though they had been together for several years. Besides, they were this familiar with the intersection point... Viktor couldn't help but suspect that Rhode had been doing something illegal. For instance, passing through the intersection point to engage in smuggling transactions with the Country of Darkness... If not, why were his men so familiar with this place?

Of course, now wasn't the time for jokes.

Joey returned to Rhode's side by running across the smooth, wet rocks agilely without any pauses. It seemed that he had gained a lot in the battle training. "Boss, my men have finished their investigations. Those guys seem to be around the bottom and halfway up the mountain. There are about 60 of them including sentries at the mountain junction. We have limited manpower so we couldn't continue our observation. But it seems that that's about all for their strength."

"Good." Rhode nodded in acknowledgment. He gazed at the nearby mountain before him that was shrouded in fog. "Mr. Viktor, what do you think?"

"Either we can sneak our way up the mountain to catch them off guard and escort the Chairman's group back to the city or we can raid them to attract their attention. Then, my men can act together with yours and deal them a painful blow. This way, the enemy's encirclement will scatter and it will be much easier for us to proceed," explained Viktor.

"Good idea, Mr. Viktor," Rhode nodded. "But your method is rather risky. Mr. Viktor, you mentioned that these guys have a close relationship with the current group of people in the city who are trying to seize the power of the parliament. So, if we start a frontal battle now, they would most likely alert their companions in the city and we will be in trouble..."

"Do you have a solution, Mr. Rhode?" Viktor nodded. In fact, he was worried about this problem too. However, he had no choice but to suggest this plan because Rhode brought along 30 men only while Viktor had about a dozen men left with the Chairman's group. They would definitely lose in the number game, but...

"Kill them all," replied Rhode firmly.

"Eh?" If it weren't for the loud downpour, Viktor would have thought that he had misheard Rhode's words. He gazed at Rhode while Rhode continued his sentence. "Although Mr. Viktor's idea is good, I think a better choice would be to raid them directly, attract their attention, and wipe them all out at once. We only have two days before the parliament meeting begins and we have no time to waste on playing hide and seek. We have to raid and annihilate them before they can even alert those in the city..."

Rhode glanced towards his left at the uneven mountains that were covered in shadows, blocking his vision. Soraka Mountain City was located just behind the mountains and although the mountains were usually huge obstacles for Rhode, they became the best barriers in this instance.

"It's a good opportunity tonight... The storm is strong and it makes it easier for us..." Rhode paused. "Mr. Viktor, this is my plan. In a while, both of us will meet up with your men in their hidden location. Then, we need to try and force a breakout. This way, we can gather most of the enemies' strength and as long as we handle it well, we shouldn't have a big problem wiping them all out. What do you think?"

Viktor pondered for a few moments. Got to say, this indeed was a good solution. However, Viktor was concerned about manpower issues so he didn't mention it beforehand. Now that Rhode had suggested it... Was he really that confident with his men?

Viktor wasn't aware that the reason why Rhode suggested this wasn't just to prevent the city from facing problems. Instead, Rhode knew better than anyone else what the Country of Light was up to. Even if Rhode couldn't exterminate them entirely, it was hard to guarantee that these guys would put up a life and death struggle and come up with anything that could incite conflicts. In order to avoid the possibility of driving them into taking desperate actions, Rhode wished to eliminate their strength as much as possible. As long as Rhode could cut off their limbs, it would be meaningless for the Country of Light no matter how devious their minds were.

"No problem, I agree." Viktor nodded because he had no other choice other than to believe in Rhode and his men.

"Good." The corners of Rhode's mouth twitched. He turned over and instructed Joey softly. Soon, the young Thief disappeared into the rain while Rhode donned a black mask he retrieved from the inside of his cloak. "Alright then, let's go, Mr. Viktor."

Chapter 469: Murder in the Rain

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The powerful storm was roaring.

For Felwood, this definitely wasn't a good day to set up an encirclement.

The pitch-dark night sky hindered them from lighting their torches as they feared that those bastards would fire arrows towards them from above. There was no sound apart from the pitter-pattering of the heavy downpour and there was nothing recognizable other than the outline of the dark clouds. Felwood was worried if the bunch of runaways had escaped successfully. However, it was most likely that those runaways would have fallen to their deaths even before they were killed by Felwood's men.

"Damn it..." Felwood grumbled as he pressed his ear against the wet ground to hear for any slightest, rhythmic sound. Those runaways could try to escape from them, but Felwood's group was filled with the sharp, experienced elites of the Country of Light Parliament. Felwood knew how important this mission was and if he succeeded, he could break away from his predicament and hide in a warm, comfortable room like that old bastard, Worchester. Worchester was drinking and hugging women leisurely while commanding Felwood to lay flat on the ground between the rocks and dead wood. "Enjoy what you have and only heavens know whether you will get your retribution," Felwood grunted once more.

Suddenly, an inaudible wind blew in Felwood's face and left him quivering. He squinted and scanned all around him cautiously but there was nothing out of the ordinary. He gripped the pendant hanging before his chest and in an instant, the pitch-black surroundings lit up as though the afternoon sun had emerged. Every inch of grass, wood, and sand appeared distinctly before him. He gazed at the hill, but there were no creatures roaming about.

It must have been my hallucination.

At this moment, yet another cold wind blew in Felwood's face. He touched his cheek while releasing the pendant from his palm. Soon, the scenery before his eyes returned to its usual darkness and the man pressed his ear against the ground once more.

Rhode stopped moving.

He gazed from above and the vivid lives were as glaring as the signals reflected off an infrared detector. They were scattered on a hillside near their targets like scorpions lurking in the cracks between rocks and waiting for their prey.

Parliament's lackey.

Rhode recalled the scenes from when he confronted the Country of Light's Parliament in the game. His group had often faced sneak attacks from those bastards after they cleared numerous dungeons. As a result, Rhode was experienced in sneaking through their surveillance network. He turned around and disappeared into the shadows. In the next moment, he emerged above another boulder and at the same time, he secretly escaped the search of another man.

If it weren't for the storm and pitch-black night sky, perhaps he wouldn't have snuck in so easily.

Rhode dashed ahead like shredded pieces of paper fluttering against the strong winds and arrived at the entrance of a pitch-black cave. In the blink of an eye, Rhode blended into the dark cave silently.

"Phew..." Rhode leaned against the rock wall and caught his breath. As he was wiping the rainwater on his mask, Viktor staggered into the cave in black clothes that blended him into one with the storm.

Rhode swept a glance at the tiny, dim gemstone sculpture hanging before Viktor's chest.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to be faster than me," said Viktor in amazement.

"You're rather fast too." Rhode nodded in response. Viktor realized that this wasn't a suitable time for a leisurely chat. He picked up a stone from the ground and struck the wall several times. Grk grk grk. Crisp, rhythmic sound transmitted along the cave walls. After a while, soft echoes resounded.

"Alright, everything is fine," Viktor heaved a sigh of relief before beckoning for Rhode.

Viktor lit up the cave with a dull magical radiance in his hand. The completely natural cave had stalactites hanging high above and pathed with corroded rocks. However, there were also man-made, dangerous metallic materials hidden among the rocks.

The duo took a short ten minutes and arrived at the end of the cave. Unlike the pitch-dark night sky, the blazing bonfire brightened a ten meters squared area. Mercenaries in full armor held on to their weapons as they sat around the bonfire while watching the cave exit attentively. All of them heaved sighs of relief after witnessing Viktor's arrival. They exchanged glances and put down their weapons. Then, a man clad in a Thief attire stood up and greeted Viktor. "Phew, Boss, you are finally back. We are so worried about you..." The man paused and frowned upon realizing that Rhode was standing behind Viktor. He scanned Rhode with dubious eyes. "That man is..."

"Oh, he is..." Rhode scanned everyone from head to toe while Viktor explained to his men. Apart from these mercenaries, there were four to five men in robes and about 40 to 50 years of age that looked seemingly out of place. Among them, there was also an exhausted old man with a white beard and a full head of white, resting with his eyes shut.

That should be the Chairman of the Soraka Mountain Parliament.

Viktor finished explaining the background of Rhode's group. Without a doubt, he didn't mention Rhode's true identity because, after all, even Viktor came to Soraka Mountain with an alias. Besides, this wasn't an appropriate moment to come clean about it too. He mentioned to his men that Rhode was a reliable ally and explained Rhode's plan in details. All in all, Viktor's men played important roles in this mission and if they couldn't execute accordingly, this entire plan would be wasted.

"Are we going off now?" One of the mercenaries asked anxiously.

Sure enough, they revealed hesitant expressions after listening to Viktor's words. Although they were mentally prepared to move out, the dark, aggressive storm was somewhat intimidating. Not to mention, they had no idea where their enemies might be lurking and even though this storm might be a hindrance to the enemies, wasn't it the same for them?

One of the men in robes broke the silence. "Mr. Solard, must we leave now? Our Chairman hasn't been feeling too well and if we leave now, I'm afraid Chairman won't be able to take it... Besides, what if the enemies trap us outside?

"Don't worry about this, Mr. Silas," assured Viktor.

'Solard'—it seemed that this was Viktor's alias.

Before Rhode and Viktor headed towards this cave, Rhode explained the current situation to Viktor and he understood why Rhode chose to leave at such a timing.

"You guys have been here for several days and they still weren't able to spot you. From what we observed, most likely they can't increase their manpower anymore. Under such circumstances, if we choose to break out of their encirclement, they would definitely cut off our leeway to prevent us from hiding again if we fail. Moreover, it is extremely hard for them to shoot arrows at us in this horrible weather and as long as we are prepared, there shouldn't be too many dangers. Besides..." Viktor paused and gazed at the elderly man in the middle with a frown, "While I was away, I heard that they gained control over half the city and the entire Soraka Mountain is in chaos. If Mr. Chairman doesn't get back in time for the parliament meeting, perhaps the situation will take a turn for the worse..."

"What?!" The men in robes exclaimed as they had never thought that Soraka Mountain would end up in this state.

"I'm going." A frail, solemn voice sounded suddenly. The elderly man opened his eyes and stood up with the support of another man's arm. "Soraka Mountain is in danger and we can't allow this to happen. There's not much time before the parliament meeting begins, so rather than being overcautious, we should move out right now! What is a weary old body like mine compared to the entirety of Soraka Mountain? I will crawl my way back if I have to and show those people who have been blinded by power and interest. As long as I'm around, I won't allow them to mess with Soraka Mountain!"

"Mr. Chairman!" The men in robes gazed at the Chairman anxiously and words couldn't leave their mouths under his imposing gaze.

Viktor seized the chance to join in and tried to dispel everyone's concern. "Don't worry, everyone, the companion that came with me brought along some skillful Clerics. As long as we can break through their encirclement, we can request for the Clerics to heal Chairman's condition. Trust me, there shouldn't be any problems."

"R-Really?" The men in robes were relieved after hearing Viktor's words. They turned towards Rhode hurriedly with hopes of receiving a definite answer. Rhode remained silent and only nodded in response while the men in robes heaved sighs of relief.

"Alright then, I will need all your help... Sorry for not introducing ourselves..." The Chairman spoke with a smile.

"Ah, please pardon my friend. He is a little odd and doesn't like to reveal his name. Call him..." Viktor paused for a moment while his men detected a slight twitch in their guild leader's facial muscle as though he was having a hard time finding an answer. Then, Viktor answered confidently. "Masked Man will do."

"..." The entire cave fell into an awkward silence because this name was too strange. But the first to respond was still the Chairman. After all, the senior had seen all sorts of things in life and he accepted the decision of not revealing his name.

The Chairman nodded towards the 'Masked Man' and bowed slightly. "Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Masked Man. For the future of Soraka Mountain... I will guarantee a grand appreciation in return if everyone can bring us back safely."

Rhode didn't respond to the Chairman and he beckoned for Viktor to leave. Viktor turned around and commanded his men. "Alright, get ready. We're leaving now!"

As the night sky darkened, the storm had gotten stronger. As the group approached the exit, ferocious raindrops struck the ground like stones. Many of them hesitated, but Rhode walked straight out into the darkness. Viktor gritted his teeth and although this wasn't the first time he engaged in such a dangerous mission, he still couldn't shake off his nervousness. Viktor focused his attention forward before ordering his men. "Light up!"

Viktor's mercenaries lit the oil lamps and lifted them high up as they strode out of the cave.

The weak, dim flames were as though hopeless boats struggling on the strong waves. But these flames were more than sufficient for those who were stationed here to spot.

"Are they out?!" Felwood widened his eyes at the dim radiances above him. He rubbed his eyes and reaffirmed himself. "Yes, those aren't stars or bolts of lightning. Those are the radiance of oil lamps. Do they really think that they can escape?"

"What should we do, Leader Felwood?" Felwood's man asked anxiously.

"Go check it out!" ordered Felwood. It was impossible for his men to threaten the Chairman's group with arrows under this powerful storm. Fortunately for Felwood, he had about 60 men in the perimeter whereas the Chairman's group had only about a dozen. Do they think they can break through and escape my blockade at the bottom of the mountain using the nature as cover? However, it would become so much harder to capture them if they really do manage to escape into the forest.

Could it be that these guys are luring me to attack?

"If those bastards have no intentions of leaving the cave, you guys continue to monitor. But if they are a distance away from the cave... encircle them entirely and prevent them from returning back into their safety nest. Since the mice are finally out to play, we won't give them an easy time. Understand?" ordered Felwood.

"Yes, Leader!" Felwood's man acknowledged and vanished in a split second. Felwood gripped on the dagger hilt by his waist.

The roaring storm was as though a monster bellowing and signifying an upcoming bloodbath.

Chapter 470: Luring the Snake

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Everyone could see up to three meters ahead under the crackling flames in the ferocious storm. They scanned the surroundings and the unbounded darkness of the night sky as though it formed into thick, solid walls around them.

The ground was unusually slippery on this abandoned mountain filled with gravel and rocks and the group advanced carefully to avoid falling to their deaths.

Mercenaries lined by both sides had oil lamps and swords in their hands while they were accompanied by their fully-armored companions. After all, everyone knew that the enemy had to extinguish the light sources in their hands if they planned on ambushing in this dark night. Meanwhile, the Chairman was protected in the middle of the group as they moved forward.

Everyone advanced slowly to coordinate with the Chairman's pace. In ten minutes, they covered a few meters of slippery, steep mountain slope. The storm and pitch-black darkness before them seemed as though it was impossible for any enemies to lurk.

Viktor gripped his sword as he scanned the surroundings vigilantly. On the other hand, Rhode had disappeared into the forest. Come to think of it, the Chairman's group was actually playing the same 'drawing the snake out of its hole' game as Felwood. Felwood waited for the Chairman's group to sneak out of their cave to cut off their retreat while the Chairman's group was luring their catchers to attack and wipe them all out.

This was a 'life and death' game and only one side could survive.

And now, it would depend on their opportunity.

Viktor turned back and gazed at the cave that they had exited. At this point in time, they were a distance away from the cave. However, the cautious enemies hadn't launched their attacks yet. It was apparent that those guys were also waiting for the best chance to strike. Without a doubt, Viktor knew what they were up to. The enemies might think that Viktor's group was only probing and they had purposely let them off while waiting for the chance to catch the tiger by its tail. If Viktor's group had the intention to probe the situation, they might hesitate to go even deeper after they discovered that there were no ambushes before them. If that happened, the enemy would use the chance to wipe them all out.

This was truly treacherous.

Viktor sucked in a deep breath. If it weren't for Rhode's group, perhaps they might have to force their way through the traps. Although Viktor was powerful, he wasn't an expert in frontal battle. In this aspect, Barter was much stronger than him and no matter if it were a sea of flames or a land of knives, he would charge forward without hesitation to kill his enemies. To be frank, Viktor was rather admirable of Barter's attitude. However, this didn't mean that he wished to pick up that trait of his.

Almost there.

Viktor gestured and everyone stopped moving. He turned around and ordered his mercenaries softly. "Inform everyone to get ready. If I'm not mistaken, they should be attacking us soon."

Viktor shifted his attention to the darkness before him. There was nothing.

"Leader, they stopped!" One of the guards screamed.

Felwood spat and glared at him. "Shut up! I can see for myself... They must be panicking now but our encirclement isn't fully ready yet. Wait for my command and if there are any idiots who disobey my command, I'll teach him a lesson!"

Sure enough, those mercenaries stopped for a short while and continued to head towards the bottom of the mountain.

Hmph... Humans are greedy and don't know when to give up, even in the face of danger. Oh well, my men should be ready with the encirclement now. Just a little more patience will do...

The mercenaries had arrived at the midpoint of the mountain. Perhaps they were used to the downpour, so they were now advancing much quicker than their turtle-like speed at the start of their 'escape'.

Felwood gripped the pendant hanging before his chest once again. Soon, the dark sky was replaced with vibrant colors and he witnessed his men sneaking in behind the mercenaries with the power of this night vision device. The encirclement was completed and his men awaited for Felwood's orders to strike.

Opportunity knocks only once.

Felwood gestured to his men while holding onto the dagger by his waist.

The storm was getting stronger.

The mercenaries widened their eyes and scanned every corner cautiously in fear that a dagger would strike towards them at anytime. However, even though they did their utmost best, they weren't able to locate their sneaky enemies.

"Phew..." Viktor lowered his head and sighed. At this moment, an assassin suddenly swung his right arm to the side!

An intense blade airflow rose from the ground rapidly and engulfed the storm as though fluttering waves. A pitch-black dagger struck towards Viktor's chest. Clang! Viktor's sword collided with the ambushing dagger. The assassin flinched slightly and seized the chance to attack another mercenary.

"Ambush!" The mercenaries snarled as they gripped daggers smeared with deadly venom and darted for their prey like a pack of hungry, vicious wolves.

"Don't stop! Keep moving!' Viktor ordered his mercenaries and advanced unswervingly. He brandished his sword and a powerful stream of air with dozens of sharp wind edges erupted, slashing the assassins before them. At the same time, Viktor looked for Rhode's presence but he couldn't locate him. It seemed like all he could do now was to wait patiently for Rhode to respond. Viktor's mercenaries continued to resist the assassins' attacks as they howled and released the explosive powers from their weapons.

"They're putting up a hopeless struggle!" Felwood gritted his teeth. This wasn't his hallucination... This immense storm was definitely hindering them from displaying their skills. So what if every single one of them performs like superheroes? There are only ten of them while I have 60! With such an advantage, how can I let them escape?

Felwood placed the tips of his fingers by his lips and blew.

"—!" A sharp whistle sounded and a few whistles responded back almost immediately. In Felwood's line of sight with the 'night vision', the backup that he had arranged was drawing closer. Meanwhile, those damn runaways had darted for a distance and stopped once again. They are trapped now...

Felwood stood up in his hiding place with a satisfied expression and decided to join the battle. Those runaways weren't as easy as they seemed and his traps weren't efficient. Felwood revealed a sinister smile and suddenly, someone patted his shoulder.

"What the hell do you..." Felwood turned around and before he finished his sentence, a sharp dagger pierced through his throat effortlessly. Felwood widened his eyes at the sudden agony. He gazed at the man who was in full black and a pitch-black mask. Who is he? Why is he here?

The 'night vision' in Felwood's eyes flickered and vanished entirely. He could no longer see his enemy and had fallen into the darkest abyss.

Rhode withdrew his dagger from Felwood's throat, at the same time snatching the pendant around his neck. He examined it and twitched his brows.

This Night Vision Pendant was a great find. It seemed like these lackeys had access to all these wonderful treasures... However, this wasn't the time for that. Rhode lifted his head and the corners of his mouth twitched. Dozens of figures in black cloaks were darting towards Viktor's group. It seemed like Viktor's group couldn't hang on anymore and were about to be devoured by a pack of jackals. However, Rhode saw them as moths fluttering into a sea of flames.

Rhode placed the ring on his right index finger on his lips. "Our bait has fallen into the net. Move out."

Viktor's group was in a treacherous situation. After a desperate breakthrough, they were now slammed more violently than ever. Viktor strained himself to cast his most powerful skills to disperse the damned hungry jackals. His arms were starting to fail him. His mercenaries leaned against each others' backs while brandishing their swords and defending with shields. The Chairman was half-kneeling in the middle, surrounded by the mercenaries protecting him.

The situation was utterly chaotic.

"Get lost!" A burly mercenary brandished his two-handed sword and struck off an assassin in full black. He roared and slashed straight for the assassin while striding forward. The assassin couldn't dodge his ferocious attack and the sharp blade hacked into his shoulder. In the blink of an eye, the unlucky fellow collapsed to the muddy ground. While the burly mercenary withdrew his sword, another assassin darted towards him with a dagger and pierced his arm.

"Argh!" The mercenary groaned in pain and he retaliated with a punch innately. Although the assassin was punched in the gut, the mercenary couldn't settle his scores because two other figures pounced on him at the same time...

As expected by Felwood, lack of manpower was their fatal wound. It was true that Viktor had brought his guild elites to Soraka Mountain, but the Light Parliament's men weren't weak either. Both sides were almost equally divided in terms of strength and equipment.

Good luck came late.

Soon, Viktor realized that there were some slight changes to the situation. The enemies seemed to be disoriented with their attacks and they weren't as aggressive. However, it didn't affect the overall situation too much.

This was only the start.

Joey lowered his body and tossed a corpse to the side. He scanned sideways and spotted a target darting towards the dim flames in a distance. Joey darted forward and caught up with the target instantly. The assassin sensed that something was off. He turned around quickly and was startled to see Joey behind him. Although Joey was also clad in a pitch-black cloak, his strange mask gave away his outsider identity. The assassin reacted quickly by brandishing his dagger towards Joey before dodging to the side successfully... Until another dagger penetrated his chest from behind.

Joey nodded at his companion as they gazed at the corpse on the ground. After seeing his companion's hand gesture, Joey raised the ring on his right index finger.

"Boss, no problem in the surroundings. Settled!"

"—" A resplendent, multi-colored ice wall emerged all of a sudden and blocked all the attacks.

With weapons still in the mercenaries' hands, they stared at the ice wall in bewilderment. They suspected that this was an attack from the enemy, but they were quickly proven wrong.

"An ambush!?" The assassins began to retreat at the sight of this ice wall. They realized that things were amiss because there were no Mages among the mercenaries who could cast this ice wall. What does this mean? Damn it, could it be...

"Firsy!" Marlene gazed at the battlefield secretly while she hid behind Anne's shield. At the same time, her slender fingers drew a horizontal line in the darkness to connect the magical runes hovering in midair. The heavy rain concealed the chanting of her spell.

Bam! A column of flames emerged behind the assassins while scorching flames erupted from the empty ground as though responding to her summons. The flames were like ocean waves sweeping on the seacoast, smacking the surface violently. Gillian emerged within and pointed forward with a smile. "I'm so sorry; this road is blocked. Go from another way."

"—!" The sea of flames formed a circle and enclosed the assassins. This was the first time tonight that the assassins were so frightened and although there were about 40 of them with excellent equipment left, they were nothing more than naked children standing before the raging flames.

The burning flames whizzed towards the assassins.

From a distance, one could see scarlet radiances flit in the mountain range.

Then, everything returned to complete darkness.

Chapter 471: Turnabout Chess

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

When the flames exploded through the sky, Viktor's group felt the scorching heat hit their faces through the other side of the ice wall. Horrified screams sounded while Viktor witnessed a badly burned assassin pounding on the other side. The assassin wept as he slammed into the ice wall, but the flames continued to ruthlessly swallow his presence. In an instant, his voice was cut off and he slid to the ground.

"Argh..." Some of the mercenaries vomited at this horrible sight. Although they were elites who had killed countless people in battles, watching another human being burn in the oven so closely was another matter. Presumably, Viktor and his mercenaries would be living on vegetarian food for a long time after this battle...

The overwhelming flames behind the ice wall stopped burning abruptly and retreated like the tide. In a blink of an eye, the omnipresent flames that could engulf them vanished entirely. At the same time, the ice wall that protected the mercenaries reached its limit as it cracked crisply and disappeared.

Darkness once again became the main hue of the night.

The mercenaries exchanged glances in dismay. At this moment, the surroundings had returned to serenity. The violent storm continued to hit everyone's face, but this time, they felt calmness and tranquility.

The mercenaries widened their eyes in astonishment. They had just been through an aggressive battle... Wrong, they should have just been through a battle, right? That's right, the wounds on their body reminded them of that. However, for unknown reasons, everyone including Viktor was perplexed as the flames vanished too quickly. Everyone saw clearly that the flames weren't extinguished by the storm. Instead, they just disappeared as though they were a living body with self-consciousness.

Viktor's group was caught off guard as they had never seen such 'obedient' flames. In an instant, the mercenaries felt lost, soaked in the sudden sense of victory and excitement. However, this didn't mean that everyone behaved like them.

Rhode emerged from the darkness and approached Viktor while gesturing. Viktor reacted quickly with an awkward cough to gather his mercenaries' attention. "Why are you guys dazing off? This is only the start. Our mission isn't complete until we escort Mr. Chairman into the city safely. Get moving!"

The mercenaries stood at attention after hearing Viktor's command. After all, although such a scenario was rare, these experienced mercenaries wouldn't be as bewildered as newbies.

Although the danger was gone, the mercenaries continued to scan the surroundings vigilantly. At the same time, they sized up the corpses of those assassins. Most of the corpses had been burned pitch-black by the flame and only a pile of black dust was left. Perhaps, even the ashes of these pitiful assassins wouldn't remain after this stormy night.

Viktor's strong point was his meticulousness on several matters. His absolute calmness and observations helped him lead the Cole Falcon Guild. According to Viktor, there were about 40 assassins that attacked them, which was about the same quantity as he had predicted. However, a battle wasn't as simple as just gathering and beating up their enemies. The assassins from before were so scattered in formation that there must be other liaisons and guards on the backlines. In the face of any accidents, the liaisons and guards could stay away from danger and convey the latest progress to their master behind the scenes.

However, Viktor had no control over this. After all, he had limited manpower and he couldn't possibly figure out all the enemies' locations. Meanwhile, Rhode remained secretive and was unwilling to discuss much with him. However, it seemed to Viktor that Rhode had a grasp on the situation, which was why he suggested this raid. As for the sentries around the perimeter, they were probably already eliminated.

Like Rhode, the other members of Starlight concealed their appearances. Even though Gillian revealed her face for a while, she disappeared without a trace, which left the mercenaries with mixed emotions. They were thankful for their savior, but they didn't manage to catch a glimpse of their savior's face and couldn't even thank them if they wanted to. But Viktor knew that Rhode was equally helpless on this matter. After all, there were two people on his team who couldn't reveal their faces—Lize and Marlene.

As the heir of the Senia Family and a genius Mage, Marlene was a notable figure. As for Lize, she was Royal Highness Lydia's younger sister, and both of their political identities were powerful. Although the Munn Kingdom was a recognized witness when both parties signed the agreement, they were only in charge of witnessing and not supervising. Therefore, it wouldn't be advantageous for the Munn Kingdom if both of them were recognized by the enemies. On the other hand, Viktor understood that Rhode was doing this to avoid the attention of the Country of Light's Parliament. After all, Rhode's bad relationship with them in the Deep Stone City had spread all across the continent. Although the Country of Light's Parliament was far away from the Land of Atonement and their Southern lackeys were previously beaten to a pulp by Rhode in the Midsummer Festival, it couldn't be guaranteed that the Country of Light's Parliament wouldn't attack Rhode's group if Rhode were to spoil their plans again. After all, Starlight had just been established, unlike the Cole Falcon and Purple Lily, and were limited in numerous aspects. In order to prevent trouble, it was only natural to avoid direct conflicts and threats.

Viktor lifted his head and gazed at Rhode who appeared like a ghost from time to time. He let out a long sigh because there was still a long road ahead of him.

Everyone left the mountains and entered the forest safely under Rhode's lead. Only when the mercenaries entered the hinterland, they heaved sighs of relief. If those enemies caught up with them, they wouldn't mind letting them taste their own powers in this terrain.

At this moment, they finally witnessed Rhode's men.

Rhode's men stood at a distance and had no intention of conversing with the mercenaries. Although this seemed to be somewhat rude, these mercenaries knew that they wished to keep their identities a secret. Therefore, it was only apparent to keep a distance just like when they entered the Soraka Mountain for this mission.

Although the atmosphere was rather awkward, there were no disputes since all of them were professionals. Viktor represented his men and expressed his gratitude while Rhode accepted by nodding slightly. Then, the exhausted mercenaries took a quick rest in this peaceful place. Meanwhile, Rhode fulfilled his commitment by getting Lize to heal the Chairman's body/ After all, the chairman was an elderly man who had just gotten through a nasty storm. Fortunately, the Clerics were effective with their healing spells and furthermore, Lize's healing skills had improved dramatically under Mini Bubble Gum's guidance.

Rhode stood at the side, quietly gazing at everyone. He knew that this wasn't the end and it was more like a marathon. They were taking a temporary break and had to continue running afterwards. Logically speaking, although it wouldn't take too long to arrive at Soraka Mountain City through this forest, the situation wasn't this simple. According to Viktor, those clowns in the parliament had basically manipulated the guards surrounding the city. This meant that it was somewhat difficult to lead the Chairman's group into the city and Mithril Hall... However, Rhode had some other ideas up his sleeves.

"What do you think?" Viktor arrived at Rhode's side and asked softly.

Rhode shook his head slightly. "We should hurry as quickly as possible. Although I can confirm that we have eliminated most of them, I can't be sure that everyone has been killed. Moreover, even if all of them are annihilated, those bastards will definitely be cautious about the Chairman. My guess is that they will send some men here to check on the situation and by then, they will realize the truth. All we can do now is to settle everything before they find out about us..."

Rhode paused for a moment. Even though Viktor couldn't see Rhode's expression through the mask, he heard the slight urgency in his voice. "We have broken their puzzle and it's time for our counterattack, Mr. Viktor."

Night fell and another day passed.

Everything went according to plan.

Zieg turned away from the scroll in his hands and nodded in satisfaction. He picked up a quill pen and began to write a letter for his family. This scheme to head into Soraka Mountain was proposed by the parliament members of the Alanic Family. Zieg joined this scheme as the most prestigious star of the family. He knew what disaster awaited the beautiful Soraka Mountain City once they made the decision. However, this wasn't a matter of his concern. The most important goal for Zieg was to complete this mission for his family and promote his position within. Furthermore, the Alanic Family would gain huge profits from this upcoming battle.

Everything is fine and in place. No problems whatsoever.

Placing the quill pen on the desk, Zieg gazed at the letter before him pleasingly. The neat handwriting on the white letter described the series of changes in Soraka Mountain. After a few days of integration, the group of useless Soraka Mountain Parliament members finally convinced most of their counterparts who were in charge of various parts of the city to agree to the proposal. Although there were some members who rejected, there weren't enough of them to be taken into consideration.

The Chairman was Zieg's only concern and up until this moment, he didn't receive any news regarding him. This was what Zieg was most mindful of. Only those who personally lived in Soraka Mountain knew how influential and reputable the Chairman was. Although many of the parliament members were on the verge of agreeing to the proposal to hand over Soraka Mountain, these people would be useless in the presence of the Chairman and everything that they had done up till this point would be meaningless. Due to this reason, Zieg plotted the assassination of the Chairman to ensure success. But those idiots were too afraid of the Chairman's prestige and they lacked the guts to do it. This forced Zieg to send out his men to finish the job. If he could obtain the Chairman's head now, his upcoming plans would definitely be a success. But the problem right now was that he received no news about the Chairman at all.

Zieg felt uneasy. It was as though he was walking down a safe, flat road and was suddenly struck with strange feelings of flusters.

This isn't a good sign.

Zieg pondered for a few moments before lifting and shaking the bell on his table. Soon, an old butler opened the door and lowered his head while waiting for his master's instructions. "Send some men to the Dolan mountain and check on the situation. If those rats are still hiding in the cave, order our 'wolves' to force their way in. No matter what, I want to see that old man's head before the start of the parliament meeting!"

The old man bowed deeply and closed the door quietly without responding. Zieg sighed and lifted the quill pen once more.

Viktor led everyone through the terrain that he was rather familiar with and passed through the forest without any obstacles. As the sunlight from the third morning shone in their faces, a massive, formidable city presented before them.

Soro City.

Everyone sucked in deep breaths at the sight of the high walls and towers in the city they were so familiar with. As a region that had an abundance of magical crystal minerals, Soraka Mountain had advanced magical technology. Although it was inferior to Golden City, it was still far ahead of Deep Stone City. Tears of excitement rolled down the faces of the Chairman's group because after days of trudging and dangerous encounters, they had finally arrived at their destination. They were only one step away from entering their city and gaining victory.

But things weren't that simple.

Viktor stood before everyone with a grave expression instead of his usual smile. The Chairman's group calmed their nerves because they knew that things weren't as smooth as they had imagined. Indeed, Viktor gritted his teeth and bowed to the Chairman deeply.

"Every path that leads into the city has been blocked off," Viktor said solemnly.

Chapter 472: Sneaking In

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Viktor continued to explain. "I heard from the peddler by the city entrance that the entire city has been blocked off since two days ago. The reason was that Soraka Mountain has been chaotic recently and in order to maintain order in the city for parliament meeting, the entire city needs to be blocked off entirely. No one is allowed to roam freely. In order words, even if we manage to sneak into the city successfully, we are likely to be spotted by guards. This will expose our whereabouts entirely and everything will be done for."

Although there might be supporters of the Chairman among the guards, this would need to rely on their luck. At this point in time, they couldn't afford to gamble, but they had to enter the city first.

The city entrance was blocked off and guards filled the city walls above. The atmosphere of the entire city was as tense as a siege. In this situation, they could give up the thought of sneaking their way into the city easily. Not to mention, they had to face the patrols roaming around the streets even if they managed to enter the city. Furthermore, the tighter security around the Mithril Hall was bound to give them even more trouble. But, there was not much time left before the start of the parliament meeting!

"We have half a day left," Viktor spoke anxiously. No matter how cool-headed he was, he could no longer maintain his calmness at this juncture. They finally had the chance to turn things around, but they would be done for if they failed at this last hurdle. He stared at the towering walls helplessly. If the city entrance opened, he could sneak Rhode and the Chairman's group in by creating a mess. However, the gate of the city entrance was tightly sealed and didn't budge at all. Moreover, their current scarce manpower wasn't enough to trigger them into opening the gate... What should I do?

"Mr. Chairman, are there no secret pathways into the city?" asked Viktor anxiously.

"There..." The Chairman knitted his brows and pondered for a few moments. "Indeed, there is one. Maybe we can give it a try!"

"Are your enemies aware of this secret path?" A glimmer of hope shone in Viktor's eyes.

"Only the parliament members are aware of this secret path. But..." The Chairman paused. Without a doubt, he knew why Viktor asked him this question. If their enemies knew about this secret path, they would definitely be prepared. But they didn't have any other choices now. Therefore, Viktor could only give it a shot even though the answer that the Chairman gave him wasn't up to his expectations.

According to the Chairman, the significant secret path was located in the dense forest behind Soraka Mountain. It wasn't near the borders of the Country of Darkness or Country of Light. Instead, it was situated across the river from the Munn Kingdom. This reflected Soraka Mountain's attitude towards their neighboring countries. As Soraka Mountain had an unusual surrounding with one massive city and numerous mines, it meant that Soraka Mountain City would be a goner if there was a need for parliament members to escape through the secret path. There wouldn't be a chance for them to retaliate and they would be devoured completely.

The secret path was located far from the Country of Darkness and Country of Light, which showed how insecure Soraka Mountain City felt with them. On the contrary, they felt on closer terms with the Munn Kingdom.

"This..." In the end, Viktor's hunch came true. The Chairmen led the group to the entrance of an ordinary cave hidden in the forest and they were dumbfounded. The deep, dark cave had been blocked off by large rocks.

"This is really problematic..." Viktor sucked in a deep, cold breath. He clenched his fists while staring at the boulder. Although it was possible for them to clear the tall, stacked rocks, it would require precious time, which they lacked the most now. By the time they removed them and managed to sneak into the city through the secret path, the meeting would long be over.

But what other choices were there?

Time was almost up.

The corners of Rhode's mouth twitched and he gestured to everyone before approaching Viktor. "Mr. Viktor, is there any other way?"

"No," Viktor replied with a bitter look. He was at his wit's end and his usual smiley face was replaced with misery. Viktor spread his arms apart and shrugged his shoulders. Although strictly speaking, Viktor had other riskier plans, he wouldn't resort to them unless necessary as these plans relied on luck and they should only be chosen in the face of death.

But this current situation seemed about the same now.

Rhode scanned Viktor from head to toe before turning his gaze towards the Chairman's group. The happiness of escaping death was no longer present on their faces. Instead, it was replaced with despair and fatigue. Even the elderly man was panting and his bent-over body seemed as though a weak flame in a blizzard that could extinguish at any time. Even if the Chairman received treatment from the Clerics, it was still a tough task to rush this way under such a treacherous weather. At this point in time, it was great enough that he made it this far.

"I'll take over from here," Rhode announced.

"Eh?" Viktor gaped and widened his eyes. "Could it be... you have a solution, Mr. Rhode?"

"The meeting will be held in the Mithril Hall, right? If that's the case, I do know a way that can lead us there. Please get your men ready. Meanwhile, I need to brief mine," explained Rhode.

"Ah... Okay," Viktor gazed at the pitch-black mask foolishly and answered a few seconds later. Although he wondered how Rhode learned about the situation of Soraka Mountain, this was not the main issue that he was concerned about now. It would be more than enough for Viktor if Rhode really knew a way to lead them into Mithril Hall.

Viktor nodded and turned around swiftly. Meanwhile, Rhode approached his men.

"Leader, when can Anne take down this irritating mask? It's so uncomfortable," Anne grumbled as she hopped from the side. Got to say, this pitch-black mask didn't match Anne's lively and ringing voice at all. In order to conceal their identities after arriving at Soraka Mountain, Rhode had forbidden them from interacting with the Chairman and Viktor's groups. Although Lize and Marlene had no qualms about this arrangement, it was torturous for Anne. Not to mention, Rhode had even forbidden Anne from speaking whenever there were outsiders around due to her unique speaking habits. Anne was obedient and she didn't speak a word before any outsiders. It was really difficult for her to be this patient.

"Bear with it a little more, Anne, we are almost done with this mission soon. After this, I will treat you to some tasty food. How about it?" Rhode patted on Anne's head.

Anne exclaimed excitedly. "Really? If Anne bears with it, Leader will treat Anne to any tasty food?"

"Uh..." For unknown reasons, Rhode felt a chill down his spine as soon as he heard the word 'any'. But, he eventually nodded forcefully. Anne cheered softly and hopped her way away from Rhode. At this moment, Rhode shrugged before gesturing to his men.

"Randolf, I have an important mission for you. From now on, your team will set up an ambush and observe the paths that we took. I'm concerned that those guys will send men to comb the mountains for the Chairman's group again. If they receive any news, they will definitely report it back to the city and if you find anyone heading towards the city in the same direction as us..." Rhode swung his right arm downwards. "Kill them on the spot cleanly. If you find any intel on their corpses, inform me immediately. Your team can then return to the Fortress after receiving my confirmation. All's good?"

"Yes, Sir," Randolf nodded sternly before re-adjusting his bow and backing down. The Ranger beckoned to his team and soon, a dozen fully armored mercenaries vanished into the dense forest.

Rhode turned around after Randolf's group left entirely. "Joey, it may get dangerous soon, so get your men to stay vigilant. Also, look after those guys around the Chairman because I don't wish to see them screwing up during a crucial juncture. I have discussed this with Viktor and you guys just have to observe secretly. Understand?"

"No problem, Boss. Leave it to me," Joey replied diligently.

"Marlene, Anne, and Lize," Rhode turned to the three young ladies who were waiting for his command. "The three of you have much more important roles. Marlene, you have to look out for yourself. Lize, I hope you can focus all attention on the elderly Chairman and protect him if there are any dangers. Anne, you're in charge of shielding Marlene and Lize. Most importantly, don't speak and don't reveal your identities. All of you should know how important this is."

"..." All three of them nodded quietly. Lize and Marlene were aware of their unique identities and were mentally prepared for this. As for Anne... Rhode's promise to her seemed to be effective.

Viktor led the Chairman towards Rhode and the elderly man seemed rather helpless.

It seemed that things weren't going well.

Rhode knitted his brows and gestured for everyone to get ready. Then, he approached Viktor and the Chairman. "Mr. Chairman has some questions for you," said Viktor.

"..." Rhode gazed at the Chairman quietly. Although the elderly man seemed thin and weak, he lifted his head towards Rhode with determination. In his eyes, there was a kind of unique stubbornness and tenacity that only mountain people had. "I heard... You have a way to let us enter Mithril Hall?"

"..." Rhode continued to remain silent and nodded. The elderly man puckered his brows slightly. Rhode understood his doubts and hesitations, but this was also within his expectations. He wasn't worried about being suspected because he had hidden his identity. "Can you tell me where that place is?"

"..." Rhode pointed ahead and stopped paying attention to the elderly man as he walked forward. Even though Viktor gaped and tried to provide an explanation to the Chairman, the elderly man gestured while staring at the black figure. After a few moments, he turned around and followed Rhode.

Rhode walked past the blocked secret path and stopped by a tall mountain stream. There was a crack eroded by natural weathering. On the outside, it seemed to be wide enough for one to two people. Furthermore, the gap was deep and the steep mountain wall was easily visible. Everyone gathered around Rhode curiously.

Rhode ignored the curious gazes behind him. He lifted his head and scanned the crack. He began to recall the mission information that he had read in the forums regarding 'Soraka Mountain Historical Research'. That was an archaeological mission and players conducted a search in the undergrounds to prove that the original Soraka Mountain was formed by the Dwarfs who migrated from Silver Mountain... According to the documents, the passage that connected the underground ancient Dwarf ruins and Mithril Hall should be here...

Rhode entered the crack and adjusted his body to the side.

"Ah!" Everyone shrieked in astonishment. Rhode entered the narrow crack and disappeared in full view!

What's going on?

Viktor rushed forward hurriedly and widened his eyes as soon as he stood at the position where Rhode was. On his side, a wide cave entrance presented itself quietly. From the front, it seemed just like an ordinary hole, but when one looked inside from the entrance of the crack, one could see the towering walls on both sides without any shadows in the cave.

This was simply a manifestation of nature's ingenuity. Or perhaps, it wasn't that simple.

Viktor gazed into the pitch-black cave in front of him and hesitated. However, he beckoned quickly and entered the cave.

It was five hours before the start of the parliament meeting.

Chapter 473: Countdown Begins (1/2)

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The long, narrow passage was dark and tortuous.

The seemingly unnatural scenery from the beginning had disappeared and was replaced by artificial, smooth walls and stone steps. The ceiling of the entire passage was as low as the heights of Anne and Rhode and spider webs were just hanging above them as they lifted their heads. It was apparent that this wasn't a passage built for humans.

The mercenaries advanced cautiously as only God knew what in the world would appear in this historical underground passageway. Rhode recalled that apart from some Goblins lurking in this underground passage, there was almost nothing else present that could hinder them.

Rhode sensed the astonished and confused stares from the Chairman behind him. The stares were also filled with strong, inconspicuous vigilance and hostility.

Rhode was clear about where this hostility stemmed as Soraka Mountain had a lot of legacy 'historical problems'. One of them was the most important issue of Soraka Mountain's ownership. Although logically speaking, Soraka mountain was ruled by humans, the Dwarves had sought for the ownership of Soraka Mountain in the past. According to the stubborn Dwarves, Soraka Mountain was first discovered by their ancestors and humans had gotten involved later and took over the ownership with their large numbers. This violated the original covenant signed by humans that sought for the Dwarves' protection and this was why the Dwarves wanted to regain ownership of Soraka Mountain.

This definitely wasn't a piece of great news for Soraka Mountain's Parliament. They denied the Dwarves' accusations flatly and at the same time, they claimed that Soraka Mountain was discovered and built up by both the Dwarves and humans. As the architectural style of many buildings including Mithril Hall was designed for the Dwarves, Soraka Mountain's Parliament didn't deny the fact that the Dwarves had participated in the building of this city. However, they couldn't accept the saying that the Dwarves had discovered this place.

It had been over a few centuries between the conflicts of the Dwarves and Humans. Although Dwarves possessed longevity and the ancient records had been passed down, humans didn't believe them. After all, generations of humans had changed along the centuries and the crucial humans that knew who exactly built and discovered Soraka Mountain were all dead. The newer generations of humans were educated by their parents on the history of their homeland and they believed that Soraka Mountain was discovered by the Dwarves and humans together. Due to this reason, Soraka Mountain was dissatisfied with the persistent and demanding Dwarves. Furthermore, a few centuries had passed and you Dwarves are still hanging on to this matter?

However, the concept of time for the Dwarves was completely different from that of the Humans. In the eyes of the naturally stubborn Dwarves, humans were untrustworthy and scheming. Therefore, this conflict might go on forever as long as both races were still alive...

The disputes between the two sides were even reported to the Country of Light, Country of Darkness, and Country of Trial. But the Light and Dark Dragons refused to get involved with this complicated historical issue. On the contrary, the Judgement & Ruling Twin Dragons suggested to carry out an investigation, but there was no follow up to it. After all, the Country of Light and Country of Darkness preferred to deal with humans than the stubborn Dwarves. As a result, the conflict about the ownership of this region extended endlessly. Staring at the pitch-black figure before him, the Chairman had a bad hunch.

Although the Chairman was an elderly man, he clearly recognized that this passageway wasn't designed for humans. From the height to the management of the steps and the knowledge on the usage of the natural environment, only Dwarves that lived in these environments for years were capable of building them. This caused the Chairman to be suspicious of Rhode's identity because even he wasn't aware of this secret passageway—how did this man know about this passageway? What did he have to do with the Dwarves?

"Kala," several black figures jumped out from the sides. They chattered in an unknown language while brandishing their wooden clubs and charging towards the group. They had short statures, shriveled skin and sinister, small eyes...

"It's the Goblins!" The experienced mercenaries recognized this maggot-like evil race that inhabited the ruins immediately. They drew their weapons and displayed their best mercenary qualities swiftly.

Viktor's mercenaries prioritized the protection of the Chairman's group by forming a human wall with their shields. Meanwhile, Joey's group by the perimeter halted and gathered towards the middle quickly. At the same time, they threw flying knives towards the Goblins swiftly.

The charging Goblins collapsed after a round of flying knives struck them. At the same time, Marlene cast a firewall to block off the other Goblins while Lize strengthened the defense of the mercenaries with her spell. The Goblins whined at the sight of the firewall and perhaps because they hadn't met any prey for a long time, these cunning creatures continued to surround the group.

"Continue to move forward!" Viktor gazed at Rhode who beckoned and strode forward. Viktor brandished his sword and berated loudly. "We don't have time to play hide and seek with these Goblins. Move! Frank, you deal with those evil creatures and make sure they stay away from us!"

This originally quiet passageway was instantly filled with disorientation and warcries. Rhode led the pack as his eyes penetrated the darkness to find the critical path in this complicated underground...

Suddenly, there was a sudden gust of wind.

A snowy-white string of web shot from above and formed a huge spider web that wrapped towards Rhode. Rhode rotated his wrist and tore apart the web with glaring blade rays. However, at this moment, a three-meter-long spider dived from above with its sharp claws. It let out a chilly hiss and pounced forward with its venomous, pungent teeth.

Rhode split into two and disappeared into nowhere in a blink of an eye. The spider lifted its head and widened its mouth instantly. Then, as though an invisible sword had struck its body, it split into half and crashed to the ground. Marlene cast a blizzard swiftly to freeze the splashing venom and the spider carcass.

However, this wasn't enough to stop the evil creatures inhabiting this dark underground."...!" All kinds of shrieks resounded in the entire underground passageway. Viktor supported the Chairman by his arm and followed Rhode. Both Viktor and Rhode had no intention of stopping as they gazed at the blurry figures hidden in the dim path. Viktor ordered his men to fend off the creatures who were giving chase. Meanwhile, Joey and the others were roaming on the perimeter and dealing with the Goblins that sneaked out from the cracks on the rock walls. At this moment, only Lize, Marlene, and Anne were following closely to provide protection to the Chairman. Gillian had been ordered by Rhode to provide support at the back—after all, a mask wasn't enough to conceal the fox-eared young lady's unique features. For safety precautions, Rhode had no intentions of letting her travel with him together.

The twin daggers shone once again. Rhode tilted his body and his left dagger pierced into a Goblin's skull effortlessly. As he withdrew his left dagger, he raised his right dagger and brandished downwards. Gracier drew a crescent arc and the Goblins shrieked in fear of this horrifying attack. Although they scattered like mice, they had no intentions of giving up. Soon, they threw some wooden club objects at Rhode.

Tsk. Annoying.

Rhode knitted his brows at their meaningless aggression. In fact, these low-leveled creatures wouldn't stand a chance if Rhode summoned his spirits. However, this would expose his identity instantly. After all, Rhode was well-known for summoning creatures and therefore, he had decided that unless necessary, he would definitely not summon any spirits. Moreover, Madaras and Gracier were more than enough to deal with these Goblins.

"Hmph!" Rhode stacked his daggers in a cross and once again struck off the attacks. This was the reason why most players hated to enter such low-level dungeons. Apart from not earning any EXP from these creatures, the players also needed to fend them off endlessly. Even though these creatures were non-threatening, they were as annoying as mosquitoes and houseflies.

We have no more time to waste here.

Rhode laid his daggers flat and swept a glance forward.

Storm Slaughter, activate!

Rhode disappeared and blended into the darkness in the blink of an eye. In the dimly-lit passageway, glaring white and green blade rays flickered irregularly. Annoying clamors from the Goblins ceased abruptly as though a giant hand was cupped over their mouths.

The path was filled with Goblin corpses in their attacking stances. However, the flames of life were missing in their evil, dark eyeballs. The Goblin corpses were filled with ghastly slashes that had penetrated their bodies.

Rhode lifted his head and looked the path before him.

The narrow passageway had widened gradually as they entered deeper. A large, arena-like structure presented itself in a massive, empty hole. With the powers of the night-vision pendant, Rhode easily spotted the neatly aligned sculptures and murals that symbolized the victors.

It should be here...

Boom... Boom... Heavy rumbles sounded. Rhode scanned the still surrounding and there were no signs of life. However, Rhode sensed the slight tremors on the ground sharply. He sheathed his daggers and retrieved pocket watch from the fold of his clothes. Three hours left before the start of the parliament meeting.

"... Sir!" Viktor and the group caught up to Rhode and they stared with widened eyes at the massive arena. However, Viktor knew that this wasn't the time to admire the ancient ruins. Moreover, he also sensed the dangers hidden within. "This is..."

"Be careful. This is one tough enem-" before Rhode finished his sentence, the flat ground rose abruptly and a gigantic, black earthworm-like creature emerged from within.

"It's the Giant Megadrile!" Viktor witnessed its hextuple layers of razor-sharp teeth and recognized its identity instantly. The Master Swordsman raised his sword and its blade erupted in green, lightning radiances. He struck his sword towards the incoming Megadrile heavily on its body.

Bam! The ear-deafening collision resounded in the massive arena and filthy dust engulfed the entire place. However, this attack wasn't powerful enough to annihilate the Megadrile. This gigantic, terrifying creature had a thick, protective layer of rock on its skin and Viktor's attack wasn't able to shatter them.

Fortunately, the vision of these underground creatures was terrible even though they had sensitive hearing. Although Viktor's attack wasn't effective, the loud explosion had stunned the Megadrile. In an instant, the Megadrile paused its movements as it couldn't spot its target with its hearing. Then, it dove right back into the ground.

"Leave it to me, Sir!" Viktor yelled out to Rhode as he gazed at the arena in his attacking stance attentively. Viktor was aware of Rhode's intentions as he didn't summon any of his spirits along the way. "Continue to escort the Chairman. You must make it before the meeting begins!"

"..." Rhode nodded and turned towards Anne. "... Let's go!"

Anne replied instinctively. She lifted the Chairman on her shoulder while Lize cast a defense spell on him. Then, the group charged towards the exit under Rhode's lead.

Viktor shifted his attention to the arena with his sword quietly.

Shortly after, the ground ruptured once again.

Chapter 474: Countdown Begins (2/2)

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Zieg sorted out his clothes and swept a glance at the tense crowd. As the start of the meeting approached, there were more people apart from the 25 parliament members gathering in Mithril Hall. According to the parliament regulations, every time the Soraka Mountain Parliament decided to make major changes that would involve the interests of other parties, the representatives of various forces in Soraka Mountain would be invited for the hearing. Due to the regulations that troops weren't allowed to reside there, the various forces would send out only their representatives. The same went for Zieg too; he wasn't representing the Country of Light, but was representing the Alanic Foundation. The Country of Light had another person as a representative.

Hmph.

Zieg twitched his brows and squinted at a bald, elderly man before him. The elderly man was dressed in formal attire and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief nervously.

Useless trash.

Zieg knew why the elderly man was so nervous. Although he was the representative for the Country of Light, he lacked the true qualities of one. Many people, including this elderly man, had heard of the decision that Soraka Mountain Parliament made and this wasn't good news for Zieg. A diplomatic envoy that was unobtrusive during times of peace had to bear immense attention in this time of war now. However, this elderly man had no intentions of stepping onto the stage since people would push the blame of 'disadvantageous communications' onto him.

This was the reason why Zieg looked down on him. To Zieg, those who couldn't foresee the future were as good as dogs. The difference between humans and dogs were that humans could raise their heads and look towards the horizon while a dog could only lay on the ground and observe the things before their eyes.

He's merely a parliament-fed dog who only cares about his current position and future.

Zieg smiled slightly at this thought.

At this moment, the bustling conversation ceased to a halt and the entire Mithril Hall fell into silence. Zieg felt a cold sensation penetrate his first-rate coat and into his body effortlessly.

He turned around and narrowed his eyes.

A tall knight clad in black, steel armor from head to toe strode into Mithril Hall as two crimson flames of life in his eyes flickered. Beside the knight was an elegant, young man in pitch-black attire. The satin on his lapel was glaring and his cuffs and collar were covered with fretwork edgings. He had a full head of brown combed to the back neatly while his hands were wrapped in silky, white gloves. The man waved gracefully towards everyone and revealed a pale, yet charming smile—and a pair of canine teeth between his sickly white lips.

Vampire.

Zieg turned away before lowering his head and sucking in a deep breath to calm his nerves. Apart from the missing Chairman, the other concern that Zieg had was the Country of Darkness. Although logically speaking, this plan was beneficial for the Country of Darkness, Zieg couldn't figure out what their people were thinking. Furthermore, Zieg had heard of the cunningness of these Vampires—their fascinating charm, inspiring voices, and sharp senses allowed them to perceive all hidden lies and hostilities.

Zieg sent two scouts to gather intelligence about the situation in the Country of Darkness. However, he dropped the idea after they were delivered back to him dead. Fortunately, those two men weren't aware of Zieg's identity at all. If not, Zieg wouldn't be sitting here.

The two undead figures passed Zieg and arrived before the Country of Light representative. They greeted with a friendly, yet hypocritical smile and the elderly man stood up hurriedly to bow in return.

Worthless trash.

Zieg cursed secretly at the elderly man as soon as he witnessed his hesitance and fear towards the Vampires. Even though this mission was led by the Alanic Foundation and the Country of Light Parliament was somewhat involved, Zieg didn't disclose the whole plan to the elderly man. He didn't trust that dotard and it seemed that his decision was right. Perhaps the damned undead creatures would have read his thoughts inside-out if Zieg told him everything.

But the trouble wasn't limited to that only.

After greeting the Country of Light's Parliament's representative, the Vampires escorted the Undead Knight to their position on the other side. Although the undead creatures could get along with living creatures peacefully, this didn't mean that they were on good terms with each other. After all, the undead aura on them was similar to venomous gases, where it was harmful to the living creatures.

At this moment, bugle-horns sounded.

This time, Zieg knew who had arrived without turning around. But he turned around regardless to face the figure who was as though shrouded in bright radiance entirely. Her flawless wings spread apart gracefully and the white-golden robe wrapped around her slender stature with colorful Ioun Stones revolving around her. Her fair, dewy face came with a touch of delicateness. She shut her eyes as her blonde hair fluttered in the wind. Almost everyone took a step back innately in fear that they would blaspheme the memories in their minds.

She's here. The Supervisor.

The various forces came together at Soraka Mountain. Apart from the Country of Darkness and Country of Light, which received the most attention, the Supervisor from the Munn Kingdom and the Guardian from the Country of Trial were also big figures.

In terms of national strength, the Country of Darkness and Country of Light were the most powerful countries on this continent. However, in Soraka Mountain, the most respected person was the Supervisor from the Munn Kingdom. The Guardian from the Country of Trial came in second while the Country of Darkness was placed third due to the living creatures' fears towards the undead creatures. In the last place was the Country of Light. Their reckless behaviors on this land didn't give the aborigines any good impressions.

The Munn Kingdom's Supervisor wouldn't be responsible for any specific matters. Before arriving at Soraka Mountain, Zieg had specially investigated this. The position of the Supervisor existed ever since both countries signed the treaty. However, nobody knew what the Supervisor's responsibilities were. According to Zieg's investigations, it seemed to be an idle position with no particular purpose. The Supervisor had never interfered or influenced the opinions of Soraka Mountain. Moreover, sometimes the Supervisor wouldn't even be present during meetings, as though they didn't exist.

However, Zieg couldn't understand why this idle position would be so highly respected in this region. The locals that Zieg hired weren't shy to hide their admiration whenever they talked about the Supervisor and they didn't indicate any reasons for this. The only conclusion that Zieg could think of was that, compared to the mightiness of the Country of Darkness and the bullying from the Country of Light, the Munn Kingdom had been friendlier and provided support to Soraka Mountain much more often.

For no particular reason, Zieg began to fluster a little. He remembered this emotion clearly. This also happened was when he first took over his family affairs to prove his worth. At that time, he was only a youngster and the important task scared him witless. Although he had always remained calm on the outside, his heart had been pounding hard when he submitted the report to his Father to put an end to the mission. That was the first and last time that Zieg felt such emotions.

However, this emotion came back to him.

Vampires, the Supervisor, and the Parliament. Zieg pressed against his chair subconsciously and he felt restless. This was the first time that he felt that Soraka Mountain shouldn't have such a tradition. Now, all the various forces had gathered in this place. Apart from them, there were also the Dwarves (To the humans of Soraka Mountain, the Dwarves definitely couldn't participate in this meeting). There was even a representative for the Elves... What was going to happen next? Besides, why hadn't those men that Zieg sent out earlier on to encircle the Chairman's group reported back?

Zieg clenched his fist and this was the first time he felt that things were getting out of his control.

Perhaps, this mission wouldn't be as successful as he imagined?

The bright sun shone on the corona and the shadow shifted gradually.

Just half an hour left before the start of the meeting.

Apart from the two heroic sculptures towering on both sides of the dark corridor as though explaining the chaotic past of this land, there was no one else.

Bam... A flat slate started sinking and several figures climbed out of the dark hole.

Thank goodness. This worked.

Although the strategy worked out perfectly as he recalled from the game, this place was, after all, real. With the Necromancer turning into a Lich as an example, Rhode harbored some suspicion. However, Rhode heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of this familiar place. If the underground was a dungeon, the Giant Megadrile would have been the BOSS. Now that Viktor was handling the BOSS, there shouldn't be other problems.

Anne peeked her head out of the hole before laying the Chairman down from her shoulder. She gritted her teeth and stretched her arm. Although the Chairman wasn't heavy, he was still heavier than her steel shield. Moreover, the shield had an almost equal weight distribution and it was easier for her to locate the center of gravity.

"This is... the Heroes Hall?" The Chairman stared with widened eyes and astonishment. As a person born in Soraka Mountain, he clearly knew where this place was. The Heroes Hall was a space that preserved the sculptures and records of all the heroes of Soraka Mountain. Almost everyone had come to admire the heroes here. However, they would never have thought that there would be such a secret passageway.

Cough. Rhode let out a cough to snap the Chairman out of his daze. The Chairman turned around and gazed at the young man in doubt. "Who exactly are you?"

The Chairman had been thinking of this question and he finally asked. After all, Rhode knew too much.

Without a doubt, the Chairman didn't know that there were these other secrets in Soraka Mountain.

Rhode didn't answer the Chairman. He knocked on his mask and swayed the pocket watch before the Chairman's face.

His intentions were clear-cut.

We have no time.

"..." The Chairman stared at the black mask on the young man's face as though he was trying to seek out any information. However, he let out a sigh and said, "Don't think that I'm unaware of your intentions, Young Man. I am more familiar with this place than you. I know who wishes to change, dominate, and destroy it. This is our land... yet, it doesn't belong to us entirely."

The Chairman lifted his head. "But we won't shiver in the corner and let them decide our fate."

The elderly man turned around and strode forward. His voice was filled with unprecedented dignity. "Follow me. I don't know how many of them are plotting against me. Maybe they will kill me instantly once they see me."

Rhode squinted his eyes before turning towards the three young ladies behind him. "We have completed the first step of our mission. Listen carefully; we will not know what's going to happen next. Just like the Chairman said, there are several forces here and we've touched on merely the first layer of all things. No matter if it's the Undead or the Country of Light Parliament, it will not be that simple."

Soraka Mountain was in a chaotic situation before. However, the problem was because Rhode wasn't in Soraka Mountain at that point in time. Soraka Mountain in that period of time was considered to be unfamiliar to Rhode and the clues that were obtained through historical pieces of evidence in the future were not necessarily useful here. In fact, if Rhode didn't come, the Chairman would most likely be killed and the plan for Soraka Mountain to align with the Country of Darkness would be approved. However, what was the initial motive in this? Just because the Country of Light bullied Soraka Mountain? Rhode didn't think that things were this simple. Using the power of the masses and complying with their way of thinking was righteous. However, this wasn't their original intentions. Sometimes, motivation and state of affairs were fundamentally unrelated.

"Lize, Marlene, do you two know about the purpose of the Supervisor?"

"?" Both the young ladies exchanged looks and shook their heads.

"I'm not sure, Rhode," Marlene said with puckered brows.

"Sister never told me anything about the Supervisor. Sorry, Mr. Rhode," Lize rested her hand against her chin.

The position of the Supervisor of the Munn Kingdom had always been a mystery to the players because after the official announcement of official ranks in the Munn Kingdom, the Supervisor was second only to the Duke. However, its specific role and responsibility weren't explained at all.

Rhode had once received a chance to gain this position. However, the war broke out and Soraka Mountain was annexed entirely by the Country of Darkness. As a result, the Supervisor position had lost its meaning.

Rhode pondered for a moment. "Marlene, Lize, and Anne. I want all of you to return to the path that we took. But don't leave the secret passageway for now and we shall keep in touch... I don't know why, but I have a bad hunch."

The atmosphere was chilly and a deep breath could leave one gasping for more air. Rhode wasn't sure if this was his misconception because he felt as though the entire Soraka Mountain was extraordinarily constrained.

Rhode knew that the return of the Chairman would definitely cause an uproar. However, this strange feeling far exceeded those in the usual, small-scale conflicts. He felt such emotions only when he faced powerful BOSSes in large-scale battles in the game.

"Get Viktor and his men to back off anytime. By the way, help him get rid of that worm," Rhode wasn't concerned about the Giant Megadrile because Viktor had similar capabilities to himself. In addition to Marlene, Lize, and Anne, it wouldn't stand a chance at all. As for the remaining Goblins, he would leave them for Joey's group to give them some EXP.

The Chairman arrived at the entrance of the Heroes Hall and turned around to gaze at Rhode. After instructing the trio about the weaknesses and threats of the Giant Megadrile, Rhode closed up the secret hole and arrived by the Chairman's side.

At this moment, the loud clock sounded.