The experience in White Pumpkin City was rely a minor episode.
Before leaving, Rhett had considered whether to recruit the female knight into his ranks. However, he prudently decided that his upcoming mission to subdue the Sand Spirit was too crucial for any unexpected incidents. Revealing too much about himself could bring unnecessary risks. With his extensive life experience, he treated it as just a fleeting encounter, rely passing through.
At most, after his business was done, he could discreetly return to White Pumpkin City and see if she was interested in joining his territory.
After spending another week traveling, Rhett finally arrived at his destination.
The Dead Swamp, located in the central-eastern region of the Rem Kingdom, was surrounded by a barren, yellowed wasteland. The withered land encircled a twisted forest covering a hundred square kiloters. From above, the ground appeared pitch-black.
The swamp lay at the center of the forest. Upon arrival, Rhett had already gathered information from nearby villages. The Dead Swamp was said to have a powerful devouring force, making it nearly impossible for ordinary people to escape once they ventured in. They would be slowly consud by the swamp until they perished.
Even low-level knights would find their leg movents hindered if they accidentally stepped into the swamp. Moreover, the presence of corrosive beasts within the swamp made it a forbidden zone for ordinary people.
However, for knights and mages who possessed extraordinary power, it remained a viable place for trials.
Estimating the date, Rhett realized it was February 29th, three days earlier than in his simulation.
He surveyed the blackened landscape below, which resembled a giant abyssal mouth waiting to devour anything in its path.
Yet, Rhett felt no fear, muttering to himself, "A sandstorm appears approximately every half month..."
In his simulation, there had been one in mid-March. So, it might happen in the next couple of days, coinciding with his arrival.
No, it’s the phenonon of the Sand Spirit! Rhett's eyes flashed with determination as he issued a command: "Fireclaw, circle the Dead Swamp from the outside in, flying in spirals!"
Chirp! Fireclaw spread its wings wide and began to fly in a 360-degree spiral around the periter.
As Rhett sat on its back, he mused, "I wonder if that troubleso Archmage will appear again when this sandstorm occurs."
Frowning, Rhett felt a bit uneasy.
Out of caution, he decided to perform a real-ti simulation first…
With a thought, he activated the system.
[Would you like to initiate a real-ti simulation? Each day simulated costs 1 Destiny Point.]
“Yes, simulate one day!”
Buzz
When the ripples around him subsided, Rhett sighed in relief.
He stretched lazily and muttered, "I still don’t know the identity of that obnoxious Archmage. He’s so rude and overbearing—it's really too much!"
Fireclaw continued flying high above the Dead Swamp, both man and beast scanning below for any suspicious activity.
Half a day passed.
Despite his full concentration, Rhett found nothing.
Night had fallen by now, and the darkness deepened. The thick mist and swamp made a perfect pair, with a layer of poisonous purple fog hanging over the Dead Swamp, creating an eerie atmosphere. Any ordinary person who entered wouldn’t last long before succumbing to the poison.
In stark contrast, the sky was clear, with stars twinkling and a full moon rising into the sky.
Rhett, weary from his search, had circled over the swamp countless tis.
Just as Rhett was beginning to feel drowsy, he noticed sothing unusual on the horizon.
His spirits imdiately lifted.
Looking ahead, he saw an old man with green hair and a green robe, holding a straight white staff with a dazzling gemstone set into its top.
The old man was riding a flying beast, carefully observing Rhett.
Rhett tensed. The aura of this green-robed elder, coupled with his sharp and harsh expression, matched the image of the Archmage who had oppressed him in his simulation!
Rhett clenched his teeth in frustration…
As expected, the elder spoke next.
"Oh? A Level 5 Magister? And you have a flying magic beast… What brings you here?" The green-robed Archmage, riding a Tier 4 Storm Hawk, hovered in the air, narrowing his eyes with a hostile expression.
Rhett sighed inwardly but kept his composure. Fortunately, he knew this was just a simulation and had prepared accordingly.
Following his prearranged plan, he responded: "May I ask which faction this Archmage hails from?"
"Hmm? You don’t seem to understand the situation. I’m the one questioning you—why are you asking questions?" The green-robed elder's eyes glead dangerously, and a faint wave of earth-elental energy rippled through the air.
Rhett feigned a hint of panic, allowing a trace of fear to show while forcing himself to stay calm. He then said: "I am a student of Master Nilu, the Alchemy Master of the Circle Tower. I’m here on a mission in the Dead Swamp."
"The Circle Tower?" The green-robed elder’s voice rose by two octaves, and he quickly withdrew his aura, his expression calming. However, a flicker of suspicion remained in his eyes: "You… are a student of Master Nilu?"
Rhett smiled faintly. "Of course. My ntor ntioned that signs of the Sand Spirit might be found here and sent to try my luck."
As he spoke, a faint yellow glow flashed around Rhett’s body, and a solid layer of rock armor ford over him.
"Rock Armor!" The green-robed elder was visibly startled, his eyes flashing as his thoughts raced. "Level 6 earth magic… If it weren’t for a special bloodline potion, it would be impossible to master this at Level 5.
It seems quite likely that he really is Master Nilu’s student."
Otherwise, how could such a valuable bloodline potion end up in the hands of an ordinary Magister?
The green-robed elder’s breathing gradually steadied as he grew more convinced.
However, he couldn’t be entirely sure!
With his long life and vast experience, the elder remained cautious until he saw conclusive evidence.
Nevertheless, his tone beca more polite, and he smiled. "Ah, I see! A student of Master Nilu, no wonder you’re so talented!"
Rhett’s lips twitched slightly, thinking to himself how quickly the man had changed his tune.
But he had done his research—Master Nilu, an Archmage and Alchemy Master, held significant influence in the Rem Kingdom, enough to make anyone wary.
He then asked, "And what brings you here? May I ask your na?"
"Heh, I’m the Vice President of the Yager rchant Guild. I happened to be passing through and heard about so recent anomalies here, so I decided to investigate," the green-robed elder replied with a smile.
"What? Haven’t you heard of the Yager rchant Guild as a mber of the Circle Tower?" The elder’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Of course…" Rhett’s heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression, ready to fabricate an excuse.
But just then, a "whooshing" sound filled the air, like a demon’s low moan.
The purple mist above the swamp began to swirl with yellow sand, forming a vortex that slowly coalesced before drifting in another direction.
Rhett’s eyes lit up, and he prepared to move.
"A Sand Spirit?!" The green-robed elder reacted quickly, his thoughts racing. Rembering what Rhett had just said, he darted forward, beating Rhett to the punch!
Rhett watched from a distance. "It’s a pity… Even if I were truly Master Nilu’s student, the elder wouldn’t simply hand over the Sand Spirit.
Not to ntion, I’m just a complete imposter."
Rhett shook his head and sighed, deciding to observe from a distance. He feared that if he tried to intervene, the elder might kill him on the spot, wasting this simulation.
Since this was just a simulation, it made more sense to watch and learn.
As he observed, Rhett ntally calculated the elder’s approach direction, the ti they spent talking, and other details.
He planned to use this information in the next simulation to devise a way to send the elder away!
The green-robed elder rushed into the heart of the sandstorm without causing any disturbances.
He then perford a series of strange actions—jumping, raising his arms, and lying down at tis.
Rhett watched closely, deep in thought.
Could it be that certain actions help attract the Spirit?
But soon, the scene before him pulled him out of his musings. As the sandstorm gradually dissipated, the elder stood there, dumbfounded.
In frustration, the elder flew over to Rhett and demanded, "Didn’t you say there might be a Sand Spirit? Why didn’t it appear just now?!"
Rhett shrugged and asked, "Tell your na, and I’ll tell you why."
"Hmm? Are you not really a student of the Circle Tower?" The elder froze for a mont, his gaze turning dangerous again. "How could soone from the Circle Tower not know the na of the Vice President of the Yager rchant Guild?"
In other words, the Magister before him had just dared to deceive him!
Unforgivable.
"Heh, Moguli Fute. I’ve told you my na. Now tell everything you know!" The elder smirked sinisterly.
Rhett chuckled and casually cursed in response.
Hearing the unknown curse, the elder's face turned red with anger, and a sharp spike of earth magic instantly ford, hurtling toward Rhett’s chest.
However, the next mont, the surrounding space froze.
Then, a ripple spread out.
The simulation had ended.
The options from the real-ti simulation appeared before Rhett, and he quietly chose to enhance his spiritual power, though there were no visible changes.
The scene shifted back to midday, and the sunlight on Rhett’s face made everything feel surreal.
"The Sand Spirit is mine! It’s mine!" Rhett’s face flushed with excitent as he recalled the sandstorm scene.
But he quickly cald himself. The important task lay ahead, and he ntally reviewed his plan for the night.
After a mont, he and Fireclaw flew into the Dead Swamp.
As dusk fell and the sun set, Rhett watched the moon rise in the western sky and silently hovered above the swamp.
He surveyed the area again, pinpointing the exact location from his simulation.
After a while, he nodded slowly, recognizing the familiar surroundings. This was the place.
He turned his gaze to a towering ancient tree on his right. The sandstorm had ford around that tree in the simulation.
Then, he looked ahead—toward the direction Moguli Fute had co from.
Estimating the ti, Rhett mounted Fireclaw and rushed forward.
In a dimly lit tavern, no more than a hundred square ters in size, a green-robed elder sat at the bar. After feeling disgusted by the rundown place, he suddenly beca intrigued.
"Oh? You say that sandstorms have been occurring regularly around here lately?"
The bartender, nervously polishing a glass, nodded with a hint of fear in his eyes as he looked at the terrifying mage before him.
"That’s right. I heard it from the patrons here and so villagers."
"And when was the last sandstorm?" The elder’s eyes glead with excitent as his voice grew more eager.
The bartender thought for a mont and said, "It seems… it was about half a month ago. I heard a villager was injured at the ti, so there was a lot of talk about it."
"Half a month ago?" The elder’s voice rose in surprise, and his eyes darted around before he pulled out a gold coin and placed it on the bar. "Keep the change!"
As the words left his mouth, the elder had already vanished from the tavern.
The bartender stared at the gold coin in delight, pocketing it with a big grin.
The green-robed elder, of course, was Moguli Fute.
After hearing about the sandstorm, his vast experience prompted him to investigate further! Leaving the tavern, he headed straight for the Dead Swamp.
Soon, the small village was far behind him.
He patted the Storm Hawk beneath him, urging it on. "Faster, Barty!"
Chirp~ The Storm Hawk, with its dark gray feathers, thick neck, and broad wings, shot through the night sky like an arrow, creating gusts of wind in its wake.
But before long, Moguli noticed a red dot ahead, growing closer as if coming straight toward him. Curious, he murmured: "Hmm? Barty, stop."
Chirp? The Storm Hawk ca to an abrupt halt, letting out a confused cry.
Soon, Rhett and Fireclaw drew near.
Rhett chuckled. "Good evening, Mr. Moguli."
"You know ?" Moguli squinted, studying the Level 5 Magister before him.
"Of course. The Vice President of the Yager rchant Guild is well-known throughout the Rem Kingdom."
Moguli, pleased, softened his expression and asked calmly, "Heh, and who might you be? What do you want with ?"
"Loft Kerman," Rhett made up a fake na and continued: "Mr. Vice President, I’m a student of Master Nilu, here to track down a traitor from the Circle Tower."
"Oh? A traitor from the Circle Tower?" Moguli seed genuinely surprised before smiling and adding: "Do you have any information on this traitor? If they’ve been in the area, I might be able to help."
"Well…" Rhett hesitated, his eyes flickering as he remained silent for a long mont.
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