Chapter 621 - 531: An Old Acquaintance?

Chapter 621: Chapter 531: An Old Acquaintance?

The night deepened. The rugged road snaked out from underfoot, leaving the silent tranquility of the wilderness farther and farther behind.

The air grew dry, a mixture of dust and the distinct scent of cooking smoke carried on the wind from a distant human settlement.

The terrain began to rise and fall. Massive, menacing gray-black rocks, like the skeletons of slumbering behemoths, rose up in ever-increasing numbers within their field of view.

After rounding another hill scarred by wind erosion, Holland, who was walking in the lead, suddenly stopped.

He raised a rough hand and pointed north.

Against the vast night and the sparse starlight, a huge, crude shadow crouched on the distant horizon, nestled in a pass of the Gray Rock Mountain Range.

It was not a natural mountain silhouette but a fortress city, formed from countless giant stone structures—some orderly, some crooked—all stacked and crammed together.

Even from a considerable distance, an aura blending savage vitality with disorderly Chaos faintly washed over them.

A few scattered lights flickered within the shadow, like the murky, sleepy eyes of a great beast.

Most of the area was submerged in deep Darkness, its hard, blurry outlines traced only by the faint starlight.

"See that? That’s Gray Rock City."

Holland’s voice was exceptionally clear in the night wind. ℯ

He withdrew his hand, habitually patting the handle of the Nail Hammer at his waist before turning around.

"Once we’re in that stone nest, stick close. Don’t wander off. The alleys there are more winding than goblin-dug tunnels, and there are more swindles and traps than rats in an abandoned mine. If you get lost..."

He paused, his gaze pointedly sweeping over Ellis’s Mage Robe, which, despite being covered in dust, still betrayed its fine quality.

"Don’t blame me if you get stripped down to your shirt."

Ellis had been gazing intently at the legendary Border City in the distance, trying to discern a possible layout of its buildings or defensive weaknesses from the chaotic silhouettes.

Upon hearing Holland’s pointed and crass "advice," he immediately retracted his gaze.

A flash of offended displeasure, mixed with irritation at being so obviously looked down upon, crossed his gray-blue eyes.

"Priest Holland."

Ellis’s tone was deliberately steady, but his slightly raised chin betrayed his emotions.

"To whom are you referring? Or do you believe that I, in particular, require this... special attention?"

Holland let out a soft, short whistle, avoiding Ellis’s direct gaze. He turned his face toward Roland, who was silently observing Gray Rock City, as if his previous words had just been idle chatter.

"By the way, Rudolph, are we really okay just leaving that Ogre fellow back in Lin Ye Town? He did make that, uh... Blood Covenant with you, right?"

Holland remembered the term clearly. After all, in a Priest’s mind, anything involving covenants and blood carried a special weight.

"What I mean is... letting him join ’Dawn Embers’ and adventure with us wouldn’t be such a bad thing."

"He might be a bit simple-minded, but at least he’s got brute strength..."

Hearing Holland’s question, Roland gently shook his head.

Taming Ogre had been more of an expedient measure, a means of restraint under the circumstances at the time.

And while Ogre had indeed restrained himself considerably under the dual threat of the Blood Covenant and physical force, even stepping in to stop a few minor brawls and bring a rare semblance of surface-level Order to the lawless Lin Ye Town...

...that didn’t mean his past deeds could be wiped clean.

Allowing his subordinates to extort "tolls" from passing caravans until they went bankrupt...

Using violence to drive away, and even injure, original vendors to monopolize the liquor supply...

Committing arson by burning down a farmer’s granary in the dead of night to force him to give up his land...

Selling "Healing Potions" laced with inferior ingredients to desperate Adventurers, causing their injuries to worsen or even lead to disability...

These seemingly "commonplace" evil deeds in Lin Ye Town were already silently branded onto Ogre’s character.

To let a man with such a blurry moral compass, accustomed to bullying the weak, join their newly-formed adventuring party—which required a certain foundation of trust—was tantamount to planting a ticking time bomb right next to them.

Moreover, Ogre’s strength was limited to brute force and street-brawling experience. He wasn’t particularly outstanding among true Transcendents, nor did he possess any special talents or value.

Weighing the pros and cons, leaving him in Lin Ye Town was the most prudent choice for now.

If, after this, Ogre could truly turn over a new leaf and maintain a basic level of stability in the area, that would be for the best.

But if his nature proved unchangeable and he returned to his old ways...

...then in this gray area, devoid of true law but filled with hidden blades, the backlash from all the grudges he’d created was only a matter of time.

"The people we have now are enough."

Roland’s voice was flat yet firm. His gaze shifted to the flow of people coming and going near Gray Rock City’s massive gates.

Similar to his observations back in Lin Ye Town, the figures gathered here—whether they were weather-beaten Adventurers in old Leather Armor or wary Mercenaries in relatively uniform gear—were, without exception, all Extraordinary Professionals, wreathed in fluctuations of Energy, strong or weak.

However, the scene at the entrance to Gray Rock City was far more eye-catching than in Lin Ye Town.

Roland’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The Magic Elements in the air were in an abnormally "dense" and "agitated" state.

It wasn’t a natural flow, but a constant churning caused by frequent, large-scale Casting or by the Power radiating from the Casters themselves.

As far as the eye could see, the proportion of people dressed as Casters or bearing the distinct marks of Casting was unbelievably high.

Among every four or five people, at least one was surrounded by a glow of Magic Power—imperceptible to the naked eye, but as thick and tangible as a physical substance to a keen Perception.

It might be the faint gleam of Runes on a Mage Robe’s cuff, the devout Power flowing from a Priest’s Holy Emblem, the elemental aura that some bloodline Warlocks couldn’t fully suppress, or even the miniature models of Arcane Energy swirling around strangely-dressed individuals.

This dense concentration of Casters was something rarely seen in the "future" timeline that Roland remembered.

Noticing that his observation seemed to have attracted the wary gazes of a few nearby pedestrians, Roland impassively withdrew his eyes and spoke concisely to Holland.

"You’re familiar with this place. Find a reliable spot for us to rest. We’ll make plans after that."

Hearing this, Holland immediately puffed out his chest, a "leave it to me" expression spreading across his rugged face.

"Don’t worry! I know Gray Rock City like the back of my hand. As for a place to stay, we’ve got a few options. The ’Stone Claw Inn’ is cheap but rowdy, the ’Majestic Corridor’ is quiet enough but ridiculously expensive, and the attic at the ’Veteran Ironsmith’..."

He paused, patting the bulging coin purse at his waist. It immediately produced a delightful, crisp clinking of metal, and he grinned.

"But hey, we’re pretty well-off right now. If you ask me, we should go to the ’Shield and Fire Lizard’! The place is spacious, has its own stables out back, and the landlady’s meat stew is one of the best in all of Gray Rock City. The key is..."

He lowered his voice slightly.

"That’s the regular turf of the ’Anvil Oath’ Mercenary Corps. They’ve got some influence, so the usual riffraff don’t dare cause trouble there. It’s safe enough."

As he spoke, he was already striding forward, leading the way like a seasoned guide who knew the route by heart.

And, completely different from any town Roland remembered entering in the "future," there wasn’t a single Guard in uniform or standard-issue armor to be seen at the entrance of Gray Rock City, or anywhere near the city walls within sight.

This place didn’t seem like a town with a system of governance, but more like a massive, spontaneously formed encampment or settlement dominated by Adventurers and Mercenaries.

Thus, the three of them faced no inspections or questions, simply following the flow of people and entering the fortress of stacked Giant Stones unimpeded.

The moment they entered, a wave of clamor and a medley of smells assaulted them.

The narrow, winding streets were lined with simple storefronts and stalls built from rough timber, canvas, and even scrap metal sheets.

The cries of vendors, the sounds of haggling, the clash of weapons, and the din from taverns punctuated by occasional roars and curses all wove together into a ceaseless, noisy backdrop.

The air was thick with the smells of sweat, cheap alcohol, burnt meat, rust, livestock manure, and the strange odors given off by various alchemy Potions and Magic Materials.

The architectural style was coarse and haphazard. Most buildings were constructed from locally quarried gray-black rock with little fine carving. Many houses seemed to have been randomly expanded upon their original structures, making the streets even more intricate and filled with looming shadows.

People in all sorts of attire, carrying a motley assortment of weapons and gear, brushed shoulders as they passed, their eyes filled more with wariness and appraisal than friendliness.

Just as Roland was observing the scene of this unique border city-state with a trace of novelty, a clear commotion and angry shouts suddenly erupted from a fork in the road not far ahead.

Several burly men dressed like Mercenaries, their Leather Armor stained with grime, were cursing as they chased a figure.

The one being chased was a rather young, blond-haired man.

He nimbly dodged thrown wine jugs and outstretched burly arms, weaving frantically through the crowd. Onlookers frowned and moved aside, but no one stepped in to interfere.

Roland had already turned aside, intending to avoid the sudden chaos like the other passersby.

However, in the instant the blond youth hastily turned his face and his eyes swept over the crowd...

Roland’s pupils contracted sharply.

’That face...’

Though much younger than he remembered, still holding a youthful immaturity and panic, the contours of the eyes and brows, the subtle expression of unconsciously pursing his lips in a moment of crisis...

Almost without a moment’s hesitation, Roland stepped forward.

His once-calm figure was like a suddenly unsheathed sword, cutting through the crowded flow of people and heading straight for the center of the chase.