Spanning thousands of miles across the southern end of the Navalon continent, the Sorensen Mountain Range bordered several countries, including the Rhine Kingdom and the Duchy of Shiga. Within these mountains, there were a few areas that remained untouched by the thick mists and toxic fog, thanks to unique terrain or other factors.
One such area, located near the southern border of the Rhine Kingdom, was a canyon that cut through the mountains, providing a pathway unaffected by the toxic miasma.
Dense fog constantly veiled this canyon approximately two kiloters in length, and there was a fast-flowing river at the very bottom. At its widest point, the canyon spanned several dozen ters and was just over 10 ters at its slimst.
About a dozen wooden and stone houses adorned the cliff walls on either side of the canyon, connected by iron chains and suspended bridges made of wooden planks. Among them, the most impressive structure was a massive circular iron-frad house positioned at the highest point, spanning the widest part of the canyon with over a hundred horizontal iron cables holding it in place.
This stronghold belonged to the infamous band of bandits known as the "Sacred Crows," who once struck fear into the hearts of rchants that operated across the southern region of the Navalon continent.
"The Rhine Kingdom's finest wines, wheat flour of the Duchy of Shiga, exotic spices from the distant south... By controlling the passage through Sorensen, we can secure an endless supply of unimaginable treasures and invaluable goods," remarked a man with deep, piercing eyes and a ticulously grood beard as he lifted a box containing rare spices from the southern lands and took a deep whiff.
"Of course, for a... lich like you, these things may not hold much allure," chuckled Hal Maxwell, also known as "Razor," leader of the Sacred Crows, as he took asure of his guest seated on the luxurious brown sofa.
"Let contemplate what a black mage might fancy... Hmm, magic dust, spellcasting materials, alchemical ingredients. Every spellcaster has a fondness for such items, and I presu you are no exception."
The mysterious guest, who was personally received by "Razor," raised his head slightly in response.
This guest, who still wore a thick black cloak inside the room... was actually a skeleton.
However, it was evident that this distinguished guest was different from a typical mindless undead. Its bones were pure white and smooth, resembling high-quality jade, and its eye sockets weren't empty darkness but instead shimred with a haunting crimson light.
And when it spoke, even those who witnessed it personally would find it hard to believe that such a deep yet soft and enchanting lodious voice could co from a skeleton's mouth. "'Razor' Hal, if all you have to say is such dull and irrelevant chatter, then we ought to bid farewell."
Upon hearing this, Hal Maxwell imdiately appeared sowhat embarrassed.
However, the leader of the Sacred Crows didn't get angry. On the contrary, he spoke with more earnestness, "Sir, if you aren't interested in any of these, then how about a friendship with a prominent heir to the royal throne of Rhine?"
The guest appeared to lose interest in further idle talk and pulled up the hood of his cloak as his figure beca ethereal…
Hal grimaced, and he stepped forward, wanting to stop the guest. "Wait, sir, please let finish—"
The form of the guest seated on the sofa vanished like a bubble popping, and Hal didn't even have a chance to grab the corner of his cloak.
"Damn it!" Hal stood there dumbfounded and kicked the sofa in frustration.
"Captain! A-a black mage has co to visit!" A henchman's stuttering voice sounded from outside the dwelling.
"To hell with black mages! All these damn black mages should just die!" Hal shouted back angrily.
"Oh?" Black mage Yang Qiu, clad in a black robe and holding a dragon bone staff, pushed open the door of the circular abode with a look of indifference on his face. "Why? Have black mages started desecrating the ancestral tombs of bandit gangs too?"
Hal: "??"
"Nice to et you." Yang Qiu strode into the room confidently, the corners of his lips forming a slight smile. "'Razor' Hal, right? Black Mage Yang, greetings."
"Yang…?" Hal initially appeared confused, but then sothing clicked in his mind, and his expression changed slightly. "Y-you're… 'Nightmare Butcher' Yang?!"
.
"I've never acknowledged that nickna." Yang Qiu's face darkened. "Just call Yang."
Brother Bat, who was behind Yang Qiu, kicked out the bandit henchman that had chased after them and shut the door before glancing at Yang Qiu in surprise because of what he had just heard.
Yang Qiu explained to his newly recruited comrade, "That's just a slanderous nickna given to by the Inquisition. I have never engaged in any acts worthy of being called a butcher."
Brother Bat nodded with a mix of both belief and skepticism.
"Let's get to the point, Hal." Having placated his young companion, Yang Qiu turned to face the leader of the Sacred Crows, who had just tarnished his reputation.
With a sowhat unfriendly expression, Yang Qiu continued, "I heard that the Sacred Crows failed in a recent confrontation, lost their territory, and suffered significant casualties. And now, you people are seeking reliable collaborative partners. Is that right?"
Hal's face stiffened.
"This stronghold of yours is quite impressive. There's no need to worry about the botherso miasma when entering and leaving the Sorensen Mountains. Even if your outer territories are lost, your entire band wouldn't end up starving as long as you can hold onto this canyon. However…" Yang Qiu raised an eyebrow. "Even an outsider like can see how important this canyon and this stronghold are. What more for enemies of you Sacred Crows?"
Hal's expression fluctuated sever tis as he gritted his teeth and uttered, "If Mr. Yang is interested, we can offer this canyon—"
"Not interested," Yang Qiu cut him off. "This canyon is indeed a good path to collect tolls, but it isn't the only safe route through the Sorensen Mountains. Moreover, the geographical conditions here are so terrible that it isn't suitable for large caravans to pass through. Even if the gains are maximized, how much can you truly gain?"
Hal: "…"
"As far as I know, there is another safe route within the southern border of the Rhine Kingdom. If we think of a way to blow up this canyon, forcing all the caravans and passing rchants from the Rhine Kingdom trying to enter the Sorensen Mountains to use the other route, we can establish businesses along that route, like supply stations or sothing. Wouldn't that be more advantageous to please everyone?" Yang Qiu shrugged.
Hal couldn't bear it anymore and uttered through clenched teeth, "Mr. Yang, are you here just to mock us?"
"Of course not," replied Yang Qiu. "Just that I heard the Sacred Crows, a once rather notorious bandit, have decided to fight like a cornered beast. Personally, I don't think it's necessary for you few remaining mbers to waste your lives in vain."
"…I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you an."
"My point is simple, Hal. At the end of the day, people like you, who always want sothing for nothing, who always rely on violence to earn large sums of gold; all that you pursue is fine wine and food while indulging in unimaginable pleasures, isn't that so?"
Ignoring Hal's apparent displeasure, Yang Qiu calmly spread his hands. "Skip the violence, skip the so-called large sums of gold. I'm here to show you a simpler and easier path, equally capable of bringing about fine wines, good food, and a life of decadence.
"One that guarantees the absence of the high risks of leading a life of banditry, allowing you to achieve a stable and peaceful existence.
"I, who co with this goodwill, am a friend."
While Hal was still bewildered, Yang Qiu casually took out a bottle of rum selling at 13.8 yuan in supermarkets, half a catty of braised duck from the supermarket's deli section, a plate of preserved vegetable-braised pork, and big steam buns that cost 20 cents each.
This sumptuous al, which cost less than 40 yuan, was served… Five hours later, the forr Sacred Crow bandit gang, including its leader, followed Yang Qiu and Brother Bat out of the Sorensen Mountains.
As they followed along the border, on the way to the Taranthan Wasteland, Brother Bat frowned as he observed the bunch of rowdy forr bandits making a din before casting a disapproving look at Yang Qiu.
"If it were just 'Razor' Hal, perhaps he could still be of use," Brother Bat, who was once a respectable individual too, expressed his dissatisfaction regarding those barbaric thieves in such a rather tactful manner.
"I understand what you an. This group of disorganized individuals may not accomplish much, but at least having them is better than having nothing," Yang Qiu explained to Brother Bat, who rode alongside him on the undead horse. "We'll need to simultaneously receive around three hundred harmless foreign guests. And although these guests don't need food or shelter, we won't be able to handle it if it's just you, , and Hal."
Brother Bat was silent for quite so ti before he muttered softly, "Don't need food or shelter… These so-called guests of yours are undead, aren't they?"
"Um… they're quite different from ordinary undead," Yang Qiu mused. "In any case, you have to believe that apart from so unconventional behavior, they are indeed rather safe and harmless."
Brother Bat's brows furrowed slightly as he contemplated how much credibility there was to this "safe and harmlessness" ntioned by this black mage with the moniker "Nightmare Butcher"…
After two days and one night of long-distance travel, the 19 indigenous… intelligent NPCs following Yang Qiu arrived at Exile Town in the central part of the Taranthan Wasteland.
At present, three full days had passed since the "ga server shutdown" in Earth ti.
Originally, the announcent was that the server opening would be postponed by two days... but well, were there any gas that never experienced delays?
Yang Qiu, who decided to postpone the server opening for another day, got the 19 intelligent NPCs, who were disheartened after seeing the true face of Exile Town, to gather in the town square.
"From now, we still have two more days (OtherWorld ti) to prepare. First, I'm going to set the sa mind imprint on all of you so that everyone can enter the Mind Imprint Matrix that I've constructed—"
Hal was taken by surprise and quickly stood up. "Wait a minute, Yang. My fellow brothers and I haven't yet experienced the corruption…"
"I understand. You guys have been active in Sorensen for a long ti and know how to avoid risk.
"But rest assured, I am the one overseeing the matrix, a black mage who never prays to any gods. So, you don't have to worry about your mind being unknowingly marked and targeted by so unknown entity." Yang Qiu raised his hand and pressed Hal back down.
Hal gave Brother Bat a sideway glance, wanting to speak, but hesitated.
He certainly believed that a black mage wouldn't behave like a priest of a religious institution that dragged people into worshiping their gods. However… mind and spiritual contamination were contagious.
Brother Bat, with his pale complexion and often strange gaze, was the sort of person who was visibly on the brink of a ntal breakdown. Being connected to such an unpredictable person within a matrix based on mind links was rather unsettling.
To put it bluntly, if it weren't for Yang, the high-level black mage holding the fort, Hal would never get so close to Brother Bat.
"Rest assured, Hal, it won't just be us in this matrix. There will also be three hundred intelligent beings highly resistant to mind contamination that far exceed your imagination.
"With so many reliable anchors, all of you will maintain your rationality as long as you haven't completely lost your mind," said Yang Qiu with a smile.
"And… it's best not to refuse. If you aren't in the sa matrix and accidentally reveal your health bar… our guests who notice might attack you for real."
Hal, Brother Bat, and the other forr bandits: "???"
Mr. Yang, didn't you say our guests were completely safe and harmless?!
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