Green Monster Epic

Chapter 311: The Greatest Challenge in Adventure Lies in Tracking (Happy Weekend!)

“I’m going out on a mission this time, so I won’t be accompanying you.”

Originally, according to Allen's plan, he should have secretly followed Cole and the others to complete another mission. However, things changed too quickly, and Cole and her companions were growing rapidly, no longer needing Allen's assistance.

Therefore, Allen decided to let go and let Cole and the others venture out on their own. However, just as Allen was about to depart, he still couldn't help but repeatedly instruct Cole, Tom, and Treeborn, feeling somewhat uneasy.

“When choosing missions, don't be reckless. Be cautious and thorough. Don't be tempted by the rewards of those lucrative missions…”

Allen was just like a parent who couldn't bear to see their children venture out, tirelessly telling Cole, Tom, Treeborn, and the others about the things to watch out for, but he didn't notice the slight frowns on their faces and the helplessness in their eyes.

“Yes! Yes! Don't worry, Teacher!”

“Chieftain, I will definitely take good care of everyone!”

The several teenagers almost unanimously made their promises to Allen.

Finally, with a bit of worry, Allen was dragged away by Kaya and left the Oak Temple's monastery. At the monastery gate, Albion and the others had already stopped and were waiting for Allen's arrival.

“According to the intelligence I've gathered, this group of evil god worshippers is wandering towards the southern Centaur Plains.”

After leaving Mansa City's south gate, everyone began to exchange information. Since they had reached a cooperative relationship, there was no need to be too secretive. No one knew where Richard's intelligence came from, but he always seemed to know things that others didn't. Therefore, everyone was listening to Richard's account.

What made Allen feel even more embarrassed was that Richard didn't treat this information as his own treasure. Instead, after everyone formed an adventure team, he selflessly shared it with Allen and the others. Kaya and Albion at least mentioned repayment, but Allen, the hobgoblin who had just returned to Mansa City, couldn't provide any useful information.

“The leader of this group is an evil god worshipper named Alva, who has the strength of a level 15 battle priest.”

“There are also two fallen paladins, both human. The main instigators of this wilderness evil god chaos are basically evil god worshippers from the human kingdoms, with only a small portion being native aborigines of the wilderness.”

“…”

Richard told Allen and the others all the information he could, exchanging and communicating with Kaya and Albion.

“However, before that, I need to make a request.”

After finishing the intelligence, Richard said with a troubled expression, then looked seriously at Allen and Kaya.

“Speak.”

Kaya still had her original personality, liking to take the lead. She immediately took over Richard's words, while Allen and Albion on the side paid attention. Only Alba next to them didn't seem very interested.

“If we encounter this group of evil god worshippers, please help leave one alive, preferably the leader, Alva.”

“I need to interrogate them to understand the real mastermind behind their actions and their purpose.”

After Richard finished speaking, he handed the right to speak back to Kaya and the others.

“…I don't think there's a problem. I also happen to be somewhat interested in the mastermind behind these guys.”

This time, before Kaya could answer, Albion, the elf, spoke up first.

“I agree.”

Allen nodded. After all, this had a lot to do with the wilderness, and Allen also wanted to understand more.

“Since you all agree, then I have no objections.”

Kaya was a step slower, seemingly having something to say, but after seeing Allen and Albion express their stances, she took back what she wanted to say and nodded in agreement.

As for Alba on the other side, he shrugged indifferently, and then his body of excess flesh trembled continuously.

“Then let's go!”

Five figures strode forward, resolutely heading south.

Before leaving Cole and the others, Allen was naturally worried about them. However, not long after he left Mansa City, Allen readjusted his state and stopped thinking too much about the situation Cole and the others would face next.

As a chieftain and elder, when the teenagers were by his side, Allen would invest a large portion of his energy in them, helping them grow. This was a responsibility that Allen believed belonged to him. But when he left the teenagers and decided to let them venture out on their own, Allen would no longer overly concern himself with the teenagers' situation.

The wilderness was unpredictable. Everyone would encounter their own problems and opportunities, and everyone would pay the price for their choices. Allen couldn't be the teenagers' nanny forever. Even if, upon Allen's return from this adventure, Cole and her team suffered heavy losses or even total annihilation due to their adventure, Allen would only be saddened for one night. Then, when the sun rose the next day, he would pick up his sadness and continue forward.

This was the character of the wilderness natives.

At this time, Allen put Cole and the others' affairs aside. While walking with light steps, he chatted with Richard and Kaya, who were riding on moose and horses, inquiring about the changes and various information in Mansa City over the years.

During this time, everyone was lucky enough to encounter several scattered demon teams and loners. Then, everyone mercilessly slashed and killed these guys on the spot, cutting off their heads as their respective spoils. With Albion, a part-time scout with good perception, there was basically no danger that could approach everyone within a few miles.

In addition to the unlucky demons on the road, Allen and the others also rescued many wilderness natives who had lost their tribes, guiding them to go north along the relatively safe Mansa trade route to Mansa City. As for whether these wanderers scattered in the wilderness and lost their tribes could safely reach Mansa City in the end, this was beyond Allen and the others' control.

This evil god chaos brought chaos and destruction to the wilderness that was not as simple as what Allen felt in the Green Plains. At least, looking at the remains of countless villages that had been slaughtered and burned along the way, and the piles of white bones on the destroyed flesh altars, all silently told Allen the cruelty of this disaster.

“Your wilderness is considered good. The centaur tribes spared no effort to help you block the northward demon army. Otherwise, if that group of bloodthirsty demons rushed into the wilderness, I'm afraid your entire southern wilderness would fall and become the demons' flesh hunting ground.”

“The Spring King's Capital is probably about to collapse as well. If Mingxi City and the surrounding positions completely fall into the hands of the demons, then the demons will be able to free up more than 200,000 troops to go north.”

“With the number of warriors in your Centaur Plains' three major tribes, it is impossible to stop the demons who have added 200,000 fresh troops, unless your wilderness tribes send more troops south to help the Centaur three major tribes build a more solid position.”

“…………”

In the conversation, Richard looked worried, looked at the devastated wilderness, and told Allen and the others about the situation around the distant southern human kingdom.

“Then I don’t understand. Why do these demons prefer to come to such a broken place as Mansa Wilderness, instead of going to the human kingdom territory, which has a larger population, more resources, and is closer! ! ”

Albion suddenly emerged from the protection of the shadow plane, then looked at Richard with a hostile gaze and said.

“Heh heh heh, they actually want to attack the human kingdom!”

A flash of sarcasm flitted across Richard's face.

“The dozens of human kingdoms in west-central Hilon Continent reached a consensus when the demons first appeared in the Spring Country.

They temporarily abandoned their conflicts and hatred and formed a powerful allied army, building three lines of defense along the border of the human Lionheart Kingdom, completely preventing the demons from breaking through.”

“I myself don't really understand how these kingdoms could react so quickly.”

“Unless…”

Richard had some guesses in his heart, but considering his identity, he didn't say it in front of Allen and Albion, and closed his mouth.

Nearby, Koya, who rarely spoke, stared at Richard's back, as if she already knew what Richard hadn't finished saying.

“What about your kingdom? Have you been attacked by demons?”

Allen actually wanted to hear some information about the demons, but seeing that Richard was no longer talking, he changed the subject and asked.

“Our Ice and Snow Kingdom is at the southernmost tip of the continent, where it is covered in ice and snow for most of the year.

Although demons have good adaptability, they still don't like the frozen environment, so not many demons run to our kingdom to cause trouble.”

“In addition, we have quite a few mages in our kingdom.

Demons can't gain any advantage in the hands of mages, and may even become the object of their research.”

Hearing Allen mention his hometown, Richard suddenly became more talkative, and a hint of pride appeared on his face.

Not all mages are silent and only know how to study magic.

Richard, this cheerful mage, ran to the wilderness to travel because he didn't like the dull atmosphere of the mage circle in the kingdom.

Why didn't he go to other human kingdoms to travel, but came to the wilderness after traveling thousands of miles? This has to be said about the uniqueness of the Ice and Snow Kingdom.

The Ice and Snow Kingdom, a border country with very scarce natural resources, is also a kingdom where the human population is inversely proportional to the territory.

The kingdom's main god is the ancient god—the Ice and Snow Goddess, a strange god with powerful divine power who doesn't like to develop believers and is unwilling to interfere in the power of the kingdom on earth.

In the Ice and Snow Kingdom, although there are temples and churches of the Ice and Snow Goddess, it is actually a group of mages who have almost no faith who dominate the change of power in the kingdom.

If there is any group in this world that has no awe of the gods, then mages are definitely the most correct answer.

Mages who have always claimed to pursue the truth and seek the essence of magic have already seen through the essence of the supreme and nearly eternal gods because of their extensive knowledge and profound wisdom.

It is because they have seen through the essence of the gods that the mages have lost their awe of the gods.

For tens of thousands of years, countless powerful mages have tried to challenge the gods.

Although they all failed in the end, there are still more mages who take this as their goal and are tirelessly looking for ways.

If it weren't for their power, such a profession that doesn't know awe would have been reduced to insignificant dust in history under the concerted suppression of the gods.

But also because of this reason, these mages who pursue the truth alone and ignore the gods were expelled from the prosperous land of human civilization and came to settle in the Ice and Snow Kingdom.

Only those mages who give their body and mind to the gods and believe in the gods can gain a foothold and develop in the human kingdom.

As an orthodox mage of the Ice and Snow Kingdom, Richard actually has little awe of the gods from the bottom of his heart.

Because of this factor, wouldn't letting him travel to the human kingdom be like letting a wild cat swim in sewage?

A month later, Allen and the others arrived at the border of the Centaur Grassland, which is shrouded in green all year round and full of natural atmosphere.

Allen and the others still haven't found any trace of the target squad.

The latest information was half a month ago, when the other party once again successfully attacked a tribal leader.

When Allen and the others arrived at this troll tribe that had just lost its leader, the thousands of trolls were not chaotic because of the sudden loss of their leader.

Several tribal leaders were fighting each other, vying for a new leader.

In order to avoid trouble, Allen and the others found a secluded place and watched the movements of this tribe that had just lost its leader from a distance without disturbing them.

“What exactly are these guys trying to do? Such aimless assassinations have basically no impact on a wilderness tribe, right?”

Richard looked at this troll tribe village named Twisted Wood Hammer and couldn't help but ask a question that had puzzled him for a long time.

As a mage, he is best at finding the essence from the chaotic appearance.

For example, this time, the target they are chasing has completed a total of 11 assassination missions so far, of which 8 were successful.

However, although the other party succeeded in assassinating the leader, in fact, these tribes, except for the loss of 14 high-level peak war professionals and some warriors, actually have little substantial impact on the tribes themselves.

The wilderness is not like the civilized world, with a standardized inheritance system.

In the wilderness tribes, the strongest and smartest person always inherits the position of leader, unless it is those tribes with legendary powerhouses who can achieve an orderly inheritance of power.

With the configuration of Alva's team, they are not qualified to assassinate a tribe with a legendary powerhouse.

Their targets are basically small and medium-sized tribes with at most half-step legends.

But even if they succeed in the assassination, these tribes will only be in chaos for a few days or half a month at most, and then a new leader will be selected from the surviving leaders.

“Indeed!”

Albion is most annoyed by this kind of person, with no fixed route, as if all assassinations are random, making it difficult for them to track.

Half a month is enough for this small team to eliminate the traces they left behind.

If they want to track the other party's whereabouts in this vast wilderness, it is simply like looking for a needle in a haystack.

“What to do now, which direction to chase?”

Koya looked helpless, looking at the vast grassland in front of her, all green at a glance, and couldn't make up her mind.

“Let's continue forward…”

Now the only thing they can trust is probably their intuition.

Allen pointed to the south of the grassland and said his choice.

“…What do you think?”

Koya's question is actually meaningless.

To track a target that has been gone for more than half a month, you can basically only rely on luck.

If the target leaves within a short period of time, perhaps Albion and Richard have some means to track the other party's approximate location.

Everyone nodded in agreement with Allen's judgment.

Anyway, the other party has not changed much in terms of direction along the way.

The best choice now is definitely to continue tracking along the direction the other party may be heading.

However, more than a month had passed since Allen and the others left Mansha City. Fortunately, they were all high-level professionals, capable of traveling five hundred miles a day at full speed, which allowed them to catch up with the adventure team that had set out earlier in the wilderness, where various situations arose.

“Hiss ~ ~ Hiss ~ ~ ~”

“Did you guys smell anything?”

Alba had been very quiet on this journey, rarely expressing his opinions, except when Allen started preparing food, at which point he would express strong opinions. But now, he lowered his head and took several breaths of fresh air on this land, and then, rarely, he made his own voice heard.

“Smell? ?”

Hearing Alba's question, Allen took a deep breath himself, and then waved his hand, empty-handed.

Albion and Kaya also took deep breaths, and their final responses were exactly the same as Allen's.

Richard, however, after receiving Alba's prompt, concentrated and emptied his mind, using his mental power to stimulate a specific part of his nasal cavity. After breathing again, he finally gained something.

“Hmm? Why is there still a sulfur smell here?”

In the current situation, the presence of sulfur meant that there were demons nearby, and the fact that a faint sulfur smell remained meant that the demon had not left long ago.

“It seems that we may have to delay our time here.”

The closer he got to the target, the more cautious Richard became. In his opinion, any clue was worth pursuing. Like the sulfur smell in front of him, because there was an Assassin Demon in the target team, coupled with the assassination half a month ago, Richard felt that this clue might be worth continuing to track down.

“……”

Kaya was a little unhappy, her face gloomy.

“……I also think we can follow this clue. The smell is still here, which means that the other party has not been gone for long, and may even be hiding somewhere around here.”

Albion began to rub the hilt of the dagger at his waist again, his eyes scanning around.

Twisted Wood Hammer was located on the edge of the Centaur Grassland, and the surrounding terrain was not complicated. If the owner of this aura was really what Richard and the others guessed, belonging to a demon or a team of demons, then there would not be many places to hide around.

“I’ll go grab a troll and ask about the surrounding terrain!”

As he spoke, Albion disappeared slowly into the air before Allen and the others could respond, disappearing without a trace.

Before long, Albion came back, with a huge sack in his hand. When Albion loosened the mouth of the bag, a troll curled up in a ball and unconscious was revealed.

Next, it was Albion's time to show off his skills. Half a magic hour later, the troll, who had suffered all kinds of torture, told everything about the tribe. In order to save his life, many secrets of the tribe were revealed from the captured troll's mouth, including the affair between the former patriarch and a certain female troll.

With a casual stab into the chest of the dying troll, completely ending the other party's fresh life, Alba didn't even have time to stop him, and saw Albion flicking the blood off his dagger, casually saying: "Looking at it this way, if there are really lurkers hiding in this area, then the most likely place for them to hide is the swamp area to the west."

“The sparse forest vegetation in the swamp area also has a relatively rich food source.”

“……Why did you kill him?”

Perhaps because he had been a city guard in Mansha City, Alba was a little angry about Albion's unprovoked killing of the troll. At this time, he held the fine steel spear in his hand and questioned Albion directly.

“Why keep him alive if he’s useless?”

Albion replied indifferently: “If you let him go, can you guarantee that he won’t report back to their tribe?”

“If the other party sends a team to chase our tracks to find us, or interfere with our mission, what will you choose then?”

“……Okay, okay, Alba, this is also something that can't be helped.”

Kaya grabbed Alba's arm from the side and whispered to persuade him.

“But Albion, can you not kill people arbitrarily like this next time without telling everyone?”

“Alright!”

Albion shrugged indifferently.

Allen and Richard looked at each other, a haze flashing in their eyes.

“Okay, let's talk about the current problem. Since the most suitable place to hide around is in the west, then let's go to the swamp area first to see if there are any other discoveries.”

“What do you all say?”

“Yes.”

After some discussion, they buried the troll's body on the spot, cleaned up the traces left by everyone, and then Allen and the others bypassed the Twisted Wood Hammer tribe and headed towards the swamp area dozens of miles to the west.

The swamp area, known as the Rotten Bone Beach, had a well-developed water system, with trickling streams densely distributed like spider webs within the swamp area, nurturing countless water-loving trees and shrubs.

Because of the water source, coupled with the lush surrounding vegetation, there were also many animals here. Serrated crocodiles lurking under the swamp pools, their figures covered by rotten leaves, grassland pythons swimming on the surface of the water and hanging on the crowns of trees, and even carnivores such as mountain lions and black panthers that feed on serrated crocodiles, lived freely here.

Of course, there were even more various mosquitoes and insects as dense as swarms of bees, which had been flying around them ever since Allen and the others arrived at the swamp area. If they were not careful, the exposed skin would be covered with these mosquitoes and insects. A slap would flatten countless insect corpses, and the bursting of their bellies full of blood was really disgusting.

“Did Albion find the other party's whereabouts?”

Kaya impatiently drove away the mosquitoes and insects. As a human being, she was most loved by mosquitoes and insects, and she didn't know how many times she had been bitten by mosquitoes and insects all over her body.

At this time, everyone stayed on the edge of the swamp, with Albion, a guy who was good at lurking and tracking, going deep into the swamp to investigate the situation. More than a magic hour had passed, and Albion had not returned, which made Kaya, a woman, unable to bear it any longer and began to complain.

“He should be back soon.”

As a mage, Richard had his own way to solve the problem of being bitten by mosquitoes and insects, but he couldn't stop the irritability of the mosquitoes buzzing around his ears all the time.

Allen and Alba were the most comfortable. The bites of a few mosquitoes and insects could not break their defenses. One had tough skin and the other had layers of fat, so they didn't feel too uncomfortable. At this time, they were just squatting bored on the wet ground, waiting quietly.

“Coo coo ~ ~ ~”

Suddenly, a crisp chirping sound of a bird came from a distance. This was the signal that Albion had set with Allen and the others, indicating that he had found traces of the enemy who might be lurking in this area.

“Go!”

Kaya stood up from the bushes with a whoosh, running forward as if flying, while running, she did not forget to drive away the surrounding mosquitoes and insects with her hands.