Chapter 427 - Black Front Fortress
Lin Li only realized that there was hardly anyone left in the campsite after he got up and looked around. Besides the Death Knights who continued to stand guard where they were, there were only a few adventurers who had overslept just like he did, now hurriedly packing up their things. From their panicked expressions, it seemed as though there was danger knocking at their doors.
“I… I’ve been stood up!” Lin Li understood what had happened the minute he saw how empty the place was.
Young Master Hutton of the Malfa Family was a rare talent indeed. He knew when to let things go when needed, which was exactly what he did to Lin Li and Sendros the minute he realized that things had spiraled out of his control. There was not an ounce of hesitation, and while it left the other bewildered, they could not help but to admire him for it too.
After all, it was not only Lin Li that he left behind, but Sendros too. How many would be willing to leave behind someone as powerful as Sendros? Sendros could probably deal with anything in the Blackstone Mountains besides Black Dragon that was said to have been trapped at the peak.
But Hutton was willing to…
Lin Li could probably guess what Hutton was thinking—they had all started holding a grudge against each other from the moment Vanskore struck, and while Lin Li had yet to strike, who knew if he would not do so in the future? Keeping him in the Malfa Family’s team was like carrying around a ticking time bomb. Besides, Lin Li’s relationship with Sendros meant that if he chose to strike, Sendros would definitely help him. By then, it would be too late for Hutton to regret.
But, if he left both of them behind, the situation would take on a different turn. It was like taking on a stance of sorts, one that showed he was backing off and saying “alright, alright, it was wrong of me to let Vanskore ambush you yesterday, and I have realized my mistake. I can’t afford to offend you, and now I’m going to avoid you, so please forgive me for my mistake”…
As they left the campsite, they hardly met with any trouble… Of course, nothing much could be considered trouble for Sendros. When they encountered magical beasts, he did not even lift his finger, and merely summoned Undead creatures to tear them into pieces.
After they scaled another mountain, Lin Li retrieved the map from his pocket.
They were very close to the Crimson Python’s nest. Judging from the map, it was at most another two hours of travel left.
Just as he wanted to let the team rest, the crystal ball in his pocket started letting out violent magical waves.
Lin Li hurriedly retrieved the crystal ball from his pocket, and saw a flustered Gavin appear.
“Gavin, what is it?” Lin Li knew Gavin well—he was always calm and cautious, and never looked this flustered no matter what happened.
“P-President Felic, we were attacked!”
“Who was it?”
“My apologies, President Felic, we have no idea…”
“Tell me what exactly happened.”
“It’s… It’s like this, President Felic…” Gavin panted heavily before he started recounting what’d happened.
It was nothing complicated, actually. Gerian and Gavin had led the mages of the Tower of Dusk quickly to the Crimson Python’s nest as Lin Li instructed them to do. However, they soon realized that there were other adventurers there as well.
This was not something strange, as magical beasts roamed the Blackstone Mountains, and it naturally was a place adventurers came to seek wealth. Hence, both Gerian and Gavin did not pay much attention to them, and merely sent a magical signal as a greeting as per the usual practice of adventurers.
Who knew that that would be the start of a tragedy.
Before anyone had time to react, numerous magical attacks and arrows came flying towards them and injured a dozen mages there and then. Luckily, Gerian and Gavin realized something was amiss, and immediately ordered the group to flee, thus avoiding further casualties.
“Who in the world would dare do that?” Lin Li almost burst out in anger upon hearing that.
His own mages, attacked by a group of adventurers somewhere less than a two-hour journey away from him!
“No… No idea.”
“Never mind, as long as nobody’s dead, that’s all that matters. Find a place to hide and don’t fight with them for now. Wait till I’m there before doing anything else.” After rushing through his instructions for Gavin, Lin Li shoved the crystal ball back into his pocket, and turned to face Sendros. “The rest from the Guild met with some trouble, we have to hurry over there.”
“Alright.”
Following Lin Li’s orders, Ujfalusi conjured up a Levitation Spell, while Norfeller turned into a bat. Rina also summoned her Unicorn, and the 18 Death Knights rode on their Shapeshifters, reaching the Crimson Python’s nest in less than half an hour instead of a journey that would have taken two hours.