The entrance to Audo Canyon resembled a giant, gaping maw waiting to devour people, shrouded in an ominous silence.
Knight Commander Lyon ordered the group to halt, his cold gaze sweeping over Lin Gui and Theia.
“For efficiency and safety, we will split into groups.”
“You, you, and you two, one group. You...”
His finger pointed at Theia, and then at a burly knight standing at the other end of the column.
“...are with him.”
His intention could not have been more obvious.
He wanted to separate Theia and Lin Gui, dividing and controlling them.
“No!” Theia reacted instantly, stepping sharply in front of Lin Gui with a resolute look in her eyes.
“I must stay with him!”
She had no idea what would happen to Lin Gui if they were separated, but it would certainly be nothing good.
“Hmph!”
Lyon's face darkened instantly, his hand moving to the hilt of his sword.
The pressure of a High-tier Transcendent bore down on Theia with almost physical force.
“Do you think you are in any position to bargain here?”
The atmosphere grew instantly tense, as if blood would spill in the very next second.
Theia clenched her teeth and did not retreat even half a step, her elven longbow already held quietly in her hand.
At this critical juncture, however, the anger in Lyon's eyes gradually subsided.
He took a deep breath as reason reasserted itself.
He needed this half-demon ranger.
She had escaped from Moragus.
Her danger-sensing and stealth abilities made her the perfect, irreplaceable bait.
Furthermore... His cold eyes swept over Lin Gui. This kid seemed to be her weakness.
As long as he kept the boy under control, he wouldn't have to worry about her refusing to comply.
“Hmph,”
Lyon snorted, suppressing his anger as he changed the assignment.
“In that case... you two are in my group.”
They walked in silence for the rest of the way.
Most of Theia's attention remained focused on Lin Gui.
She watched him closely, anticipating some unexpected move from him.
Yet, Lin Gui was unusually quiet.
He merely adjusted his bulging backpack from time to time, counting the letters inside.
His focused demeanor made it seem not as though he were entering a devil's den, but rather going on a casual picnic.
Eventually, the group arrived once again at the hidden outpost located on the cliffside in the middle section of Audo Canyon.
The moment they entered this chaotic den filled with the smells of alcohol, tobacco, and cheap perfume,
many of the male knights' eyes immediately lit up.
They practically scrambled to rush into the miniature bar.
Before long, several scantily clad dancers were wrapped in their arms,
laughing, they led them toward the dark booths at the back of the bar.
Even Knight Commander Lyon merely frowned and did not stop them.
Instead, he gestured to Priestess Martha, and the two walked together toward another section of the outpost,
seemingly to attend to certain “matters.”
Only four knights, clearly unfortunate enough to have been assigned guard duty, remained behind.
Looking in the direction where their companions had vanished, their faces were filled with resentment and envy.
Grumbling, they gathered around a wooden table, pulling out cheap ale and a dirty set of dice.
Taking advantage of their attention being completely absorbed by alcohol and gambling, Theia quickly leaned in close to Lin Gui's ear.
Her warm breath brushed against his earlobe as she asked urgently in a barely audible whisper,
“What on earth is your plan?”
Catching the faint fragrance wafting near his ear, Lin Gui's ears turned red at a visible rate.
He turned his head away uncomfortably but did not answer.
He simply pressed a finger gently to his lips, making a shushing gesture.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he cast a meaningful glance toward the grumbling knight nearby who was scowling over a lost hand.
Theia's heart sank; she could not understand what he was playing at.
The knights spent two whole days in this outpost, indulging in unrestrained revelry.
Only then did Lyon finally order them to assemble, preparing to enter the truly perilous territory: the Black Demon Forest.
Right at the edge of the forest, a scout clad in light leather armor, carrying a sharp and capable aura, had already been waiting for a long time.
He was the only remaining Transcendent Rank scout from the Caran City Adventurer's Guild.
He respectfully reported the latest forest developments to Lyon,
pointing out with particular emphasis the current, precise location of the Legendary Demon, Moragus.
Upon hearing the exact location, a satisfied smile appeared on Lyon's face.
He turned to Theia, his tone carrying an uncomfortably dismissive edge.
“Very well, it is time for you to make yourself useful.”
The group ventured deep into the forest, eventually halting at the perimeter of a forest depression filled with a faint scent of sulfur.
Through the sparse trees, a pool of turbid spring water could be seen in the center of the depression.
A massive, twisted, terrifying figure covered in moss and thorns lay sleeping beside the spring.
Every breath it took sent a slight tremor through the ground.
It was indeed Moragus.
“Its flower is right above its head.”
Lyon lowered his voice, pointing to a strange plant emitting a faint, dark glow just above the demon's head.
“Your task is to sneak over, cut it off, and bring it back.”
“We will be watching you from the perimeter, so don't even think about trying any tricks to escape.”
Theia's heart pounded wildly; she knew this was practically a suicide mission.
She took a deep breath and made her sole demand:
“Fine. But you must let Lin Gui leave! Once I confirm he has safely made it out of the forest, I will go!”
Lyon furrowed his brow, about to reject her with a cold sneer, but he did not expect Lin Gui to speak up first.
“No! Theia!”
Lin Gui suddenly grabbed Theia's hand, his face filled with “deep devotion” and “resolution.”
“How could I let you take such a risk alone? If we die, we die together! I will never leave you behind!”
His voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone around to hear.
The “sincerity” in his eyes was almost overflowing.
From an angle where no one else could see, he quickly winked at Theia.
Theia's heart skipped a beat, then began to race.
She instantly understood, though her heart was still filled with fear and doubt.
Yet, she cooperatively put on a touched and conflicted expression, squeezing Lin Gui's hand in return.
“Lin Gui... you...”
Lyon's suspicious gaze swept back and forth between the two of them.
He had observed Lin Gui's behavior throughout the journey.
Sometimes cowardly and sycophantic, sometimes strangely unsettling—he absolutely did not believe the kid's current display of “deep devotion.”
But no matter how he thought about it, what could a Low-tier High Rank mage and a newly advanced Transcendent Ranger do?
What kind of tricks could they possibly pull in front of his elite squad?
Did this kid really think his meager concealment spell would be of any use?
“Bringing him along will only hinder your movements and drag you down,” Lyon said coldly, attempting to separate them.
“Lord Knight Commander!”
Lin Gui put on an expression of “grief and indignation.”
“I know a High Rank Concealment spell! Although I can't maintain it for very long, I can at least cover some distance for Theia as she approaches and retreats!”
“Please let me go! If I cannot live and die with her, what is the point of my life!”
His performance was bordering on melodramatic, yet it perfectly fit the image of a young man completely blinded by “love.”
Lyon stared at him for a long moment, the doubts in his mind never fully fading.
However, the current situation and the priority of the mission forced his decision.
He snorted coldly.
“Hmph, since you insist on seeking death, so be it! Remember, don't play any tricks, or you will die a miserable death!”
“Thank you, Lord Knight Commander!” Lin Gui bowed, seemingly “moved to tears of gratitude.”
Just before setting off, Lin Gui seemed to suddenly remember something and asked casually,
“By the way, Brother Scout, there seemed to be more than just this one Legendary Demon in the forest before, right?”
“Where is the other one, 'Ironclad Sovereign' Gorog Ironjaw, located right now?”
The scout glanced at Lyon. Seeing that the Knight Commander did not object, he pointed out a general direction.
“Near the ruins of the mine deeper to the northwest.”
“It is relatively quiet over there. As long as you don't actively attack or make loud noises, that lord generally ignores outsiders.”
“Oh, alright, thank you.” Lin Gui nodded, showing no trace of anything unusual on his face.
Then, he took Theia's hand.
The two exchanged a glance, took a deep breath,
and turned to sneak cautiously toward the terrifying, slumbering colossus in the depression.
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