Chapter 268: The Shadow of Death

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After explaining what had happened, Arkas caught his breath. He then struggled to walk towards a huge stone and started digging behind it. Prying away a loose layer of dirt, he dug out a pair of black-green pair of shoes made from beast hide and excitedly brought them to Yang Ling. “My Lord, I found this treasure along a small path!”

Treasure?

Yang Ling regarded the black-green beast hide shoes with suspicion as he took it for a closer look.

The entire pair of beast hide shoes was black-green in color. At first glance, the shoes looked like they were made of Green Python skin. After touching it closely, however, it seemed to feel quite different from Green Python skin. Green Python skin looks smooth and shiny, and feels sleek and smooth to the touch. This beast hide however, had many small motifs close together, making up groups of mysterious drawings. They looked like an embossment, yet also looked like a natural part of the material.

Additionally, the beast hide shoes had a hidden aura of pulsating energy, sometimes weak, sometimes strong, far different from Green Python skin.

“My Lord, if I’m not wrong, this should be a pair of Magic Shoes imbued with Agility Boosting Technique. It can increase the travelling speed of its wearer!” Goode said. Looking at the pair of black-green beast hide shoes in Yang Ling’s hand, Goode muttered to himself for a moment, then continued, “Once we find an appraiser in Montson or Bavaria and get the shoes evaluated, you will be able to use them!”

Magic Shoes imbued with Agility Boosting Technique?

Could it be, that after discovering that there were all sorts of treasures to be found along this path, the different factions all changed their plans at the last minute? On the one hand advancing forward at great speed; on the other hand sending men to the other paths to disrupt other factions’ progress and seize what others have gained on the road?

Looking at the unique pair of shoes in his hand, Yang Ling, in his heart, was becoming sure that his theory was right.

According to Arkas, one can find top quality crystals, gems and other treasures along this path. If even Troops are fighting over this, the powerful factions surely would not give up this opportunity so easily!

Following this, should they progress with caution or should they just advance all the way to the front of all the paths to find out what was going on? Should they join the other big factions in the dog-eat-dog situation and take others’ gains by force?

After gaining a vague understanding of how the situation has changed, Yang Ling understood that he had to make corresponding adjustments to his own plan. Otherwise, not only would he only gain a few Magical Beast Essence Crystals, but the treasures along the way would also be cleaned out by the others! After pondering for a while, he came up with an idea.

There were many traps and dangers everywhere in the cave. To prevent mishaps, the Army should not act rashly. In this case, Goode could lead them to proceed forward with care, while Yang Ling himself would move ahead on his own to the front of the path to invetigate the status of the Wolf Troop Teams. He could use the Earth Evasion Spell to burrow his way to the other paths to investigate the other factions, and maybe even take advantage of the situation.

With his current powers, there would be no problem even if he were to meet an ordinary Sage Level Expert. Even if he were to encounter a so-called Domain Expert, he could also use the Wizard Pagoda’s Space to beat a quick retreat, so his own safety is not an issue!

As they entered the path much later, the chances of Goode and gang encountering big factions such as the Church Army or the Undead Army of the Angus Family were low, as long as they proceeded with caution. Ordinary Troops and Magical Beasts were also no match for them. Thus, even if Yang Ling were to leave the Magical Beasts Army, they also would not be in too much danger.

Furthermore, Yuna and Alice had a certain level of Wizard Power in their bodies. At the very least, they could already use beginner level Wizard Amulets. If they encountered a powerful enemy, they could use Wizard Amulets like the ‘Sky Blasting Thunder’ or ‘Dolphin Sonar’, and he would be able to feel it instantly. He would then be able to use the Earth Evasion Spell to rush back on the double!

There’s no time to lose!

Having made his decision, Yang Ling stopped hesitating. He summoned the Unicorn to protect Alice and Yuna, and demonstrated to them again, how to use various Wizard Amulets. After leaving Goode with a few instructions, he raised the sharp Blood Elf Dagger and left rapidly, disappearing into the night like a gust of wind.

To an ordinary man, it would be terrifying and difficult to travel in the dark. But to Yang Ling ,who possessed astonishing vision and heightened perception, the dark was not a problem, but the best form of cover.

Under the cover of darkness, Yang Ling travelled rapidly on the path like a ghost, passing the lagging Troops like a gust of wind. On his shoulders were a few Horned Bee Beasts. If he had any apprehensions, he could instantly order them to fly off and scout ahead.

With his rapid speed, Yang Ling was getting further and further away from Goode and his men. He slowly began to encounter more and more Troops and adventurers. Occasionally he would even chance upon a few Orcs or Church Knights who were left behind.

Yang Ling was not interested in people carrying only a few Black Crystal Coins. However, regardless of whether the other party were Troops or adventurers, he would not let them off easily if they were carrying bags full of Magical Beast Essence Crystals or various treasures. Needless to say, if the other party such as Church Knights or Necromancers, were carrying treasures and had been separated from their groups, he would definitely kill every single one he encountered.

Ever since Yang Ling advanced to the level of Divine Wizard, his energy and Wizard Power had reached new heights. There seemed to be no limit to the number of times he could cast the Earth Evasion Spell for short distances. The energy and Wizard Power he spent for each casting of the spell amounted to almost nothing. Faced with his sudden attacks, none of the guys he encountered on the road could survive!

Thus, within slightly more than half an hour, there were many more items in Yang Ling’s Space Ring. There were shiny top-quality crystals, sparkling gems and rare mercury… The only regret he had was that he only managed to snag only two treasures.

As Yang Ling neared the larger forces of the Wolf Troop Teams, the number of Troops and adventurers who were injured or stopped to rest increased. However, no one had yet to discover Yang Ling’s traces. There were a few fellows who felt something, but thought it was a Magical Beast which flashed by. They also lacked the energy and ability to investigate further.

“Casper, I’d never thought we would be able to seize so many top quality crystals, mercury, and even a few pieces of treasure. Hehe, we’d be able to earn a fortune once we get back to Montson!

“Yes. Didn’t I tell you that if our two Troops cooperate, no one else can be a match for us. Hehe, I was right, wasn’t I, Kozmo?”

…

After a hard day’s work, the two Troops’ leaders, in each other’s bad company, were in the tent taking stock of the day’s spoils. Once in a while, they would retrieve big pieces of shiny, top quality crystals from a Space Ring.

As Troop Leaders of the ‘Courageous’ Troop Team and ‘Metal Bear’ Troop Team, they command teams of strong soldiers and sturdy horses. Surrounding the tents were over 200 elite Warriors and Spellcasters, so they weren’t in the least worried about any danger.

While an ordinary person would not dare approach the tent, no one expected a person like Yang Ling, who did not care about the Troops stationed outside. Feeling the hidden aura of pulsating energy from the pieces of treasure, he quietly snuck in among them.

After killing off a trooper stationed at the perimeter, Yang Ling took off the trooper’s clothes and armor and put them on. Yang Ling then managed to approach the tent of the two Troop Leaders without incident. After reaching a dark corner and looking around to see that no one was paying him any attention, he vanished on the spot, appearing inside the tent in a blink of an eye.

Hehe, with so many mesmerizing gems, the Countess would willingly climb into my bed without much effort!

Looking at the shiny, top quality crystals and sparkling gems, and touching the rare Magic Armor that had many mysterious engravings, Courageous Troop Team Leader, Casper, was thrilled beyond words. He fantasized about easily getting the beautiful and bewitching Countess, who urgently needed a large amount of Crystal Coins to clear her family’s debts.

Thinking about how he could soon pin the beautiful and elegant Countess beneath his body, or even take her in the Earl’s house, Casper swallowed hard. After stroking the sparkling gems, he suddenly saw a trooper whom he had never seen before, behind Kozmo, not knowing when he had appeared. Stunned, he instinctively unsheathed a sharp, long sword, standing up with a whoosh.

Seeing Casper abruptly draw his sword and stand up, Kozmo, who was sitting opposite him, was shocked. He suddenly had an ominous feeling in his heart. Just as he was going to stand up, he felt a pain in his back. He had been brutally stabbed in the back by a sharp dagger!

“You… Casper, how dare you want to keep it all for yourself?”

Looking at Casper, who was ferociously charging towards him with the sharp, long sword, Kozmo thought that he had laid an ambush in the tent. With a cry of anguish, he fell to the ground, with his hand to his chest, dying with a grievance. If only he held on for another breath, he would have seen Casper also falling to the ground, with a fatal wound to his chest, dying too, with a grievance.

Wanting to keep it all for himself?

After striking the deadly blow, Yang Ling looked at the two who did not die peacefully, thought about the two Troop teams outside and had an idea. He took Casper’s long sword and stabbed Kozmo in the chest, then used Kozmo’s long sword to stab Casper in the chest, to make it look like they had fought each other to their deaths, over who got to keep all the riches.

After putting on a simple disguise, Yang Ling took most of the valuable items in the tent, including the Space Rings on the fingers of the two. He purposely left behind some lower quality crystals, overturned the wooden table and a wine bottle between the two, to make it look messy. Then, before the Troops caught wind of what had happened and rushed in, he quickly left using the Earth Evasion Spell.

When faced with the temptation of wealth and riches, it was common to see dog-eat-dog behavior among the Troops!

Hearing Kozmo’s cry of anguish before his death and looking at how the Team Leaders stabbed each other to their deaths, the Troops who streamed in immediately figured out what was going on. The two Troop Teams then drew their swords on each other at almost the same time, to seek revenge for their Team Leaders and to get their hands on the immense riches in the tent.

Very soon, blood flowed like rivers between the two Troop Teams fighting to the bitter end. No one noticed that the Space Rings on their Team Leaders’ fingers were long gone!

Having gained much of the spoils and having succeeded in getting two Troop Teams to turn on each other, Yang Ling smiled coldly, then left speedily. Along the way, he used various ways to provoke the Troops into fighting each other to the death, taking the opportunity to seize their spoils for himself.

On top of dog-eat-dog behavior, attacks by powerful factions like the Church and Orcs, and ambushes by Magical Beasts, Yang Ling’s attacks and provocation dealt a fatal blow.

Very quickly, the Troops in the cave were all under threat. Traps and danger seemed to be everywhere, with the lingering shadow of death hanging over every trooper’s head!

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