2816: The Weirdo

The Weirdo

The pair swiftly embarked on their dragon, taking full advantage of the night sky. Silently, they reached the southern edge of North Wangda Forest, guided by the jade messenger talisman. Their destination: a secluded valley.1

Duan Yue couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

In just two days, this rogue had managed to locate a secure contact point. It appeared he had already stationed operatives in a small valley, nestled some distance from their current location.

This obscure valley remained hidden on the southern fringes of North Wangda Forest. The entrance was perpetually shrouded in miasma and infested with venomous creatures, deterring all but the most daring souls.

Duan Yue's gaze shifted to a stone tablet standing sentinel at the valley's entrance. The characters "Beiwang" had weathered away, leaving only faint shadows. The tablet had clearly suffered the ravages of time, suggesting that someone had inhabited this place centuries ago.

Beiwang Valley? Duan Yue shot Mo Lian a quizzical look.

Mo Lian nodded subtly. "Thanks to the talisman matrix's enhancement, the entrance to Beiwang Valley is effectively concealed."

"I dispatched scouts to inspect the area. It seems that people did reside here in the past, but it's been sparsely populated in recent decades."

"I noticed that it was a relatively modest location, but suitable for our immediate needs. Hence, I arranged for some individuals to move in and establish a presence nearby."

Duan Yue: …

/You've stationed so many operatives here in North Wangda Forest. Did you inform the nearby mercenary faction?/

Mo Lian responded with a glance that clearly implied, "Why bother informing them?"

Duan Yue realized it made perfect sense. With Mo Lian's disposition, anyone who provoked or interfered with him would likely meet a swift and ruthless end. Informing them seemed rather futile.

North Wangda Forest had always been a lawless expanse where the strong preyed upon the weak.

Within this gathering of various factions, Crown Prince Mo and his retinue establishing themselves on the southern side of the region would inevitably draw envious glances. It was only natural that they would become targets for potential troublemakers.

"It's still manageable," Crown Prince Mo remarked. "We haven't been stationed here for an extended period. The nearby major level-five and level-six Mercenary Groups are likely keeping an eye on us for now."

"The smaller guilds and factions don't pose a significant threat either."

As they conversed, the two of them followed a young man dressed in black, making their way into a small valley towards the dungeon.

This dungeon was a modified cave, with two rows of torches affixed to the walls, illuminating the interior.

Huifeng approached Crown Prince Mo and Duan Yue with a grin, saluting them. "Your Highness, we've given them a proper greeting, but they haven't summoned any trouble. It seems they are genuinely clueless."

"However, we did stumble upon an unusual individual within the prison."

Mo Lian instinctively halted. "Unusual person?"

Duan Yue couldn't help but inquire with curiosity, "You mean to say that when you entered, you discovered survivors inside the prison?"

"That's correct," Huifeng affirmed emphatically. "What's even more peculiar is that this individual is still alive."

Mo Lian and Duan Yue were taken aback, but their interest was piqued. "Let's go take a look."

Huifeng led them past a row of wooden bars forming a cage, guiding them to the innermost section of the dungeon where a shadowy figure lay huddled in a corner behind the thick bars.

Duan Yue approached and rapped on the enclosure a few times. "Hey!"

However, the shadow remained unresponsive, lying motionless.

"Has someone gone in there?"

"Tung entered a moment ago."

Both of them directed their attention towards Tung, who had been trailing them discreetly.

Tung stepped forward and reported, "Your Highness, I've noticed something extraordinary about this individual."

"Her tendons have undeniably been severed, and she's nothing but skin and bones from starvation, yet miraculously, she's still breathing."

"Let's enter and examine her," Duan Yue proposed.

Huifeng unlocked the prison cell door, and they swiftly entered.

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