Adventure World Online (AWO) Chapter 256 256: Killer and Murder

"Can't sleep?"

It was unclear how long the prisoner had been lost in thought, but Thankhun's voice pulled him back to reality. He turned to look at the young man, now fully awake and carefully avoiding disturbing the woman resting in his arms.

"Have you... been awake long? Or did I wake you?"

The prisoner asked.

"I woke up when I heard movent,"

Thankhun replied truthfully.

"What is it that you want to know? To go so far as to rescue a prisoner like from captivity, even from soone who trusted you?"

"We're looking for Zhi Yuan, the man captured by your forces. We need him to complete our mission," Thankhun explained, glancing down at Chang Long, who stirred slightly. He gently brushed the hair from her eyes with his free hand before turning his back to the prisoner.

"Do you have a na?"

"My na is Najeb. You're looking for a man nad Zhi Yuan, captured by my people? I don't know much about him. In fact, I don't even know who he is. But if he's indeed been taken by my tribe, I'll take you there, to find him as a way of repaying you for giving back my freedom."

Najeb's thoughtful expression turned firm.

"Tonight, you should rest and regain your strength. Go ahead, sleep. To be able to hold your lover even in such dire circumstances, you're truly fortunate. I won't run. I'll keep the promise I just made."

Thankhun appeared slightly startled by Najeb's words but chose not to deny or explain himself. After all, their current situation did make them look like lovers, ones who were unsure if they could truly love each other. Though their relationship had softened, it still could not be described as romantic. Without the constraints of the mission, they would likely remain distant acquaintances, like friends.

Was that the mission's true purpose? To make two people fall in love, potentially becoming a real couple by its end? Ling Lan had once ntioned that few succeeded in this task, with most giving up halfway due to frustration or argunts stemming from disagreents.

Thankhun could not help but wonder if he and Chang Long would ever complete this mission. What if they did fall for each other? His face grew warm as the thought crossed his mind, his heart skipping a beat as he realized he was gazing at Chang Long's sleeping face. Najeb, lost in his own thoughts, seed oblivious, staring dreamily at the starry sky.

Thankhun looked down at Chang Long's face again. Gently, he brushed her cheek with his hand, looking at her with an indescribably profound gaze. He knew he should not let his thoughts stray further. He knew he could not allow himself to fall for Chang Long. Their relationship still held unresolved complications, and giving in to his feelings could make it impossible for him to go through what needed to be done. Still, he whispered softly to himself, a faint vulnerability laced his voice:

"Could you and I really be sothing more?"

News about the location of the mine reached the bustling Heaven City, which was in a state of chaos. Craftsn of various trades and mbers of the allied guilds moved about. anwhile, the council was deep in discussion about the troubling news they had received. The location of the mine alone was enough to cause headaches, but adding to their concerns was the interest of Doom Star, the top-ranked guild and rulers of Luzzor City, in the sa mine. Luzzor was geographically closer to the mine, giving them a strategic advantage. This forced Heaven's City's leaders to carefully plan their next steps if they wished to claim the mine for themselves.

"I'll go myself,"

Siegfried declared finally, breaking the tense silence that had gripped the conference room.

"But it's too dangerous. We don't even know how the mining system works yet—whether the mine can be wholly owned, partially controlled, or if it's a public area."

Rafael objected, disagreeing with Seigfried's decision to proceed despite insufficient information about the location.

"Agaz Mountain is already perilous, and now Doom Star is involved. We've never directly confronted them before. This would be our first encounter, and we can't afford to be reckless,"

Draco agreed with Rafael. Regardless, the Doom Star Guild remained the number one threat. They needed a well-thought-out plan if they were to face them.

"And don't forget—he's there too. The one who put Master Chang in a coma."

Peach Blossom added bitterly. She had not called Chang Long again after getting yelled at through the phone. She had chosen to believe Oliang's comforting words that Chang Long had been arguing with soone else and had picked up her call accidentally. Deciding not to bother Chang Long with another call as she already seed stressed out, Peach Blossom resolved to wait until the city was fully developed before inviting Chang Long to visit. Her greatest fear was earning Chang Long's ire.

"That's why I said I'll go myself. If I encounter him, even better—I can settle the score for Chang Long," Siegfried said with a determined look. He had long wanted to face Demos in battle, and waiting for the final confrontation between the heirs of the Seven Pirate Kings was starting to feel intolerably slow.

"Then I'll co too.. I might not be great in combat, but my magic power is second to none. I've always been good support for you all."

Peach Blossom suddenly volunteered after hearing that her brother planned to avenge her beloved Master Chang.

"We'll need high-level mbers to accompany us. The reports say those who got closest to the mine barely made it out alive."

Rafael sighed, giving up on trying to dissuade Siegfried. He knew how hard it was to change his guild leader's mind once it was made up.

"Then I'll join as well. I've never gone up Agaz Mountain before—only lingered at its base. "

Phiros chid in with a cheerful smile. He did not know deep the feelings Pendragon Guild's siblings had for Chang Long were. He just knew he still owed Chang Long an unreturned favor. If taking revenge on Chang Long's enemy could sohow help her, even just a little, he was happy to help.

"I'd like to co too,"

Destiny also offered.

"My, my, all these guild leaders seem so eager. Don't you people have other responsibilities?"

Feather's sarcastic comnt ca with a smirk, causing the deputy guild leader of Caesar to snap his head around. Deep down, the deputy wanted Phiros to join the expedition. He believed it would help Phiros develop his skills. While he was not certain of Destiny's prowess as a leader of the Immortal Guild, he was well aware of Siegfried's reputation as the leader of Pendragon. Siegfried had vast experience in battling both beasts and players and had even defeated an AI commander. The deputy hoped this adventure would allow Phiros to gain experience by traveling with the group.

Phiros glanced nervously at the deputy guild leader. The man had scolded him so frequently that Phiros often felt like he had another father in the ga. To his surprise, the deputy did not criticize him this ti but instead appeared to support his decision.

"Go ahead. I'll handle the guild in your stead. Joining experienced adventurers on this mission will be a valuable learning opportunity for you. I expect to see significant growth when you return."

Caesar Guild deputy leader said with a smile.

"So, Rafael, you'll stand in for Siegfried and oversee the guild."

Draco turned to Rafael, patting his friend lightly on the shoulder, it was not hard to discern his thought.

"What? You should stay this ti. You guys are always leaving behind to run the guild!"

Rafael protested.

"It can't be helped. You wouldn't be much use out there, honestly. My Firetail had reached level three. He's more helpful to the team. You're better off commanding the guild from here—that's your strength."

Draco teased with a wide grin.

"We'll take only enough for a single group. The fewer people we bring, the easier it'll be to manage and avoid drawing unnecessary attention from beasts,"

Siegfried said.

"I'll go check on the supply depot and get ready. Finalize the group,"

Siegfried left the eting, which was held in his tent.

"One group ans just twelve people, there'd be Sieg, , Phiros, Destiny, Peach Blossom, Oliang, Wet Trash Can, Aden, Valentine, Feather (who raised his hand quickly)—that makes ten. Who are the last two?"

Draco's eyes scanned the area for more mbers until he spotted a pair of twins passing by. Draco recalled their exceptional skills during the battle for the special territory.

"You two will do!"

The twins jumped when they were picked. They had no idea what was being discussed, having only just arrived in front of the tent. They pointed at themselves in confusion, Draco nodded and answered,

"get ready. We're heading to Agaz Mountain."

The twins broke into wide grins and sprinted toward the supply depot.

"I swear, those two must be battle maniacs!"

Feigning sigh of exasperation but unable to hide his smile, Draco joined the rest of the group as they got all the mbers. Then, they headed to the supply depot to gear up for the journey ahead.

Siegfried's expedition group set off toward Agaz Mountain, located to the northwest of Troy City. The twin brothers, the newest recruits in the Allied Guilds, were particularly excited, especially to be traveling alongside top-tier players like the three guild leaders and their close companions. Draco's Firetail was summoned to patrol the skies. With its massive five-ter-long fra, the smaller beasts fled the area in terror.

Lycanth was also summoned to join the group, intimidating both players and beasts alike. However, against the formidable creatures of Agaz Mountain, it remained uncertain who would end up being more frightened. Aden also summoned his Dryad companion, Livia, a stunningly beautiful nymph, for a stroll. Aden rarely brought her out, fearing a repeat of previous incidents. As expected, the male mbers of the group were all sleazy. They beca instantly captivated by her, bombarding her with flirtatious remarks. Peach Blossom and Valentine had to step in to prevent further disruptions before the group could proceed.

"What are your nas again?"

Lidded Wet Trash Can asked the twin newcors.

"I'm Killer, and this guy is Murder, Wet Trash Can,"

one of the twins answered. The two brothers looked identical—sa build, facial features, hairstyle, hair color, and eye color. They even dressed identically, making it almost impossible for anyone to tell them apart. Both of them smiled almost constantly, their cheerful deanor seeming like soone not quite all there, yet they were incredibly cute.

"I've never seen you two before. What guild are you from?"

Oliang asked, his approachable nature made him know almost every mber in all allied guilds.

"Immortal Guild,"

one twin replied.

"Honestly... how am I supposed to tell which of you is Killer and which is Murder?"

The twins burst out laughing. Clearly, they enjoyed the confusion their identical appearances caused.

"We actually prefer it when people can't tell us apart. But since you're our leaders and invited us on this fun adventure, we'll let you in on the secret."

one twin admitted with a mischievous chuckle. Everyone turned their attention to the twins, curious after hearing they would tell them how to differentiate the two.

"I'm Killer. You can tell because I wear my earring on my right ear. Murder wears his on the left."

Following the tip, everyone noticed the crystal earrings the twins wore on opposite ears. Oliang also realized that Killer was more talkative than Murder.

"Co to think of it, your nas really don't suit your personalities. You're both so cheerful and friendly, yet you've given yourselves such scary nas."

Peach Blossom chid in, the group agreed wholeheartedly. Nas like Killer and Murder felt mismatched with their personalities.

However, the twins did not respond to the observation, maintaining their bright, cheerful expressions as if indifferent to the mismatch between their nas and bubbly, harmless personalities and appearances.

The group continued their journey, eventually entering the outskirts of the Orc Forest. The outer edges were populated by simple orc villagers, who were easy to dispatch. Occasionally, a warrior orc would appear, but not in numbers so great that they posed a challenge to the players hunting in the area. Then there was Orc camp, where Oce King was. The group chose to skirt the outer edges of the forest to avoid direct confrontations with warrior orcs. While this added so ti to their journey, it helped them conserve energy for the grueling trials they anticipated on Agaz Mountain.

Once they left the Orc Forest, they began encountering more frequent beast attacks. The trail beca increasingly overgrown, forcing them to cut through dense vegetation with their weapons to clear a path wide enough for both travel and combat. The route to Agaz Mountain was nurous. The path their informant had indicated was particularly untouched by players due to its extre difficulty—it was dense, wild, and teeming with high-level beasts.

The group paused at a modest hill, roughly 7-8 ters above sea level. From there, they could see the stronghold claid by the Doom Star Guild, now nad Luzzor in the west. The stronghold lood large and imposing. The group could not tell whether its black coloration was natural or the result of the guild's occupation.

The black stone walls of the city appeared incredibly sturdy and resistant to attack. The central tower, which vanished when the stronghold was conquered, now stood at each of the four corners of the city walls. The towers, rising roughly 50 ters above the walls, featured sharp, claw-like spires at their peaks. They too were jet black.

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