"What is the land below?"
Chang Long and Thankhun asked in unison.
"The land below are a strange place deep within a well at a nearby oasis. They say it's filled with ruins of an ancient city, signs of decay, and even the tomb of a princess."
Najeb explained with a tense expression.
"And how do we get down there?"
Chang Long asked imdiately, ignoring Najeb's worried face.
"You need to head to the oasis. There's only one nearby. Near the well, there's a swing—the clue lies in that swing. You'll need to sneak out on your own. Do what you did at General Qiao's camp if you must. But if you enter the land below, I can't guarantee you'll co back. No one who's ever fallen in has returned."
Najeb's voice was grim.
"Thanks for the concern, but we'll make it out just fine,"
Chang Long said confidently, standing up along with Thankhun. She suddenly swung her fist, landing a punch on Najeb's face. He yelped in pain, and as the guards rushed in, Thankhun delivered a swift kick to send them flying back outside the tent.
"That hurt, you crazy woman!"
Najeb shouted, rubbing his jaw.
"Had to make it look real. Bye."
Chang Long laughed before running out of the tent with Thankhun. They darted through the paths, dodging the shouts and pursuit of the guards.
"Hey, dummy,"
Thankhun called out.
"I told you not to call that!"
Chang Long shot him a glare of pure annoyance.
"Well, you're a dummy. Do you even know where the oasis is?"
Her stunned silence was the answer.
"Good point. Where is it?"
Her response made Thankhun shake his head in disbelief. He leaned toward her wrist, where Little Jade was disguised as a bracelet.
"Can you guide us? Going back to ask Najeb isn't an option now,"
he asked the tiny dragon.
"I have no idea either,"
Little Jade replied indifferently, her muffled voice still distorted from her swollen mouth.
"Forget about her. Najeb said it's nearby, so why don't we fly there? If it's not too far, it should be able to handle the weight."
Chang Long shrugged. Thankhun raised an eyebrow skeptically, wondering how she would fly. She did not have a flying pet, and even if she did, she could not unseal it. Little Jade was their only option, but Chang Long clearly was not about to beg the dragon for help.
"Fly?"
"Yeah, fly. Co over here. It'll be easier."
Chang Long led them to a spacious gap between two tents. She adjusted her grip from Thankhun's waist to his neck, making him flush bright red in shock.
"What are you doing!"
He hissed under his breath.
"Hold on tight to my waist. Alright, spread wings!"
Unaware of his reaction, Chang Long commanded her wings to co out. Large, dark gray feathers suddenly unfurled from her back in a magnificent display. With a powerful flap, she lifted herself and Thankhun high into the air. Within monts, they spotted the oasis they were searching for—it was not hard to locate under the broad daylight in the vast, open plains.
Chang Long flapped her wings, heading straight for the oasis amidst the stunned cries of the tribespeople. They shouted about a winged person, their voices echoing loudly as they craned their necks to look skyward. With Chang Long's current appearance, it was no surprise that these AI-driven NPCs likened her to an angel, a goddess descending from the heavens to deliver their companion before returning to the skies.
"You? A goddess? I'd laugh so hard my ribs might crack!"
Little Jade scoffed, forgetting her swollen mouth due to sheer annoyance that overwheld her pain.
"Quiet, will you?"
Chang Long huffed.
"Black wings like so satanic demon, and they call you a goddess,"
Little Jade retorted.
"Stop stirring the water if you're not rowing,"
Chang Long snapped back.
"I haven't done a thing. And anyway, while there's water nearby, you're not exactly rowing a boat,"
Little Jade countered, making Thankhun chuckle.
"It's a saying, an old proverb..."
Chang Long muttered curtly. They were now walking, looking for the swing Najeb had ntioned. They had walked for a while but were still unable to locate it.
"I know that. I'm not stupid, you know!"
Little Jade shot back, indignant.
"Didn't call you stupid,"
Chang Long sighed with exasperation.
"I guess your mouth is better now since you're back to arguing with ."
"Ah, it still hurts. You're just trying to make talk more so it takes longer to heal, aren't you!"
"Ridiculous. Hey, Thankhun, look over there. Is that a swing?"
Thankhun followed Chang Long's pointed finger and spotted a large tree by the well they had been circling for a while. Beneath the tree hung two vines, their ends tied to a log that resembled a swing.
"Let's check it out,"
Thankhun suggested, his voice tinged with excitent.
The two made their way along the edge of the well toward the tree. The well was actually a small lake at the center of the oasis, but the locals called it a well due to its small size. Its edges were lined with smooth stones with crystal-clear blue-green water inside, though its bottom was impossible to see.
The swing, made of vines and a log, looked alive. The vines were adorned with tiny, blooming white flowers, and the wooden seat had been polished smooth. The ancient tree supported the swing, surrounded by lush moss, mushrooms, and scattered wildflowers.
"Alright, we've found the swing. Now what? How do we get to the land below?"
Chang Long asked Thankhun, who stood frozen, clearly clueless about what to do next.
"Uh..."
He began, but before he could form a coherent thought, their hands were suddenly free from each other. They exchanged startled glances imdiately. They did not think that there would be attacking beasts inside the oasis, still they readied themselves for a fight. However, even then, none showed up.
"What's going on? Why are we free? I don't see any danger around here,"
Chang Long said, puzzled.
"Maybe we need to do sothing related to the quest,"
Thankhun speculated.
"Could be. Maybe it has to do with this swing," Chang Long said thoughtfully. Without waiting, she sat on the swing and began to rock herself gently. She laughed, her voice light and carefree, as mories of her childhood surfaced.
She rembered playing on a swing her father had tied to a big tree in front of their house. Her father would push the swing as she told him to push her higher and higher while laughing uncontrollably. She reached out with one hand as if trying to grab the sky. The swing was going high, so high that she felt like she could grasp the sky...
"I'll give you a push,"
Thankhun offered. The swing faced the well, hovering slightly above the water's surface. As he pushed harder, Chang Long's body floated outward over the water. She laughed, enjoying the sensation of dipping her toes into the cool water. Seeing this, Thankhun chuckled softly and unknowingly pushed even harder. To an onlooker unaware of their quest, the scene might easily be mistaken for a romantic couple in love—sothing even the sharp-tongued Little Jade could not let slide.
"How sickeningly sweet. Aren't you two supposed to be on a quest!"
Little Jade exclaid sarcastically, her loud voice startling the pair. Thankhun, caught off guard, accidentally pushed too hard. Chang Long lost her balance as the swing soared high. With a loud gasp, she tumbled into the water.
Splash!
Chang Long's body sank rapidly, as though weighed down by stones. She did not even attempt to swim back to the surface. Worried, Thankhun called out to her, initially suspecting she might be playing a prank. But as ti dragged on, far longer than anyone could possibly hold their breath, Thankhun dove into the water after her.
He followed the faint silhouette of Chang Long's body, sinking deeper and deeper. The deeper he went, the darker and colder it beca, until he could no longer see anything—not even the tips of her fingers. His lungs burned as his air supply dwindled, and he was faced with a harrowing decision: to keep diving deeper in search of Chang Long, or to return to the surface to breathe, leaving her behind in the cold abyss.
.....
Killer strode into the group with a carefree grin, leaving Murder to finish off the last dark dwarf beast. The rest of the group turned their curious gazes toward him, the weight of their unspoken questions palpable. Feeling their piercing stares, Killer shivered slightly.
"If I ask you about your profession, will you tell us?"
Oliang broke the silence, starting the interrogation.
"Oh, you're curious about that? Murder and I are assassins,"
Killer replied. Murder joined them with a slight smile, his face still sared with bits of blood from their battle. The sight sent chills through the onlookers.
"I figured as much. Judging by your combat advantage, you two must have pretty high levels,"
Wet Trash Can chid in. If he had bothered checking the group stats earlier, he would have confird this long ago.
"We're both level 66. To be honest, we've been grinding levels because there's soone we're dying to fight,"
Killer admitted. As the group resud their trek up Mount Agaz.
"This person you want to fight must be pretty incredible if you're going to such lengths to level up,"
Oliang said, his curiosity got the better of him again
"Incredible isn't even the word for it. He's unbelievably skilled—brutal, too, just the way we like it. We've only crossed paths with him once, but man, just watching him fight was enough to set our hearts racing."
Murder replied, his eyes gleaming with excitent as he thought about the fight and the person he wanted to face.
"You guys are real battle junkies. Makes think of that guy—Demos from the Doom Star Guild!"
Peach Blossom huffed disdainfully.
"That one's tempting, too. But at our current skill level, we don't stand a chance."
Killer said solemnly. The group continued their lighthearted conversation with the newcors until they arrived at the foot of the mountain. The slope was steep, and the area was swarming with beasts. Seeing the grotesque creatures gathered there, Peach Blossom could not help but exclaim in shock. Everyone imdiately drew their weapons, ready for battle.
Peach Blossom began chanting a spell, conjuring ice teors that rained down on the swarming beasts. Their anguished cries revealed that their numbers were far greater than what initially t the eye.
"Red-eyed Beetle Beasts, level 52 are preparing to attack. Diablo Beasts, level 80 are preparing to attack."
As the system notification sounded, everyone's faces fell. On Agaz Mountain, beasts were rarely below level 50. What made players avoid this area—even for high-level players—was the fact that these creatures always moved in packs. With luck, one might encounter a small pack of 3 to 4, dium one numbered to 10 or so.
If players of level higher than 50 ca in group, they might have a surviving chance. However, if they were unlucky, they would et larger pack—like the one Siegfried's group now faced—had over twenty beasts. No one who encountered such a large pack had ever escaped being teleported back to town, where they would endure the frustration of a mandatory two-hour confinent.
"Peach Blossom, cast a grand spell!"
Siegfried shouted. Peach Blossom's grand spell, powered by her level at 62, might at least thin out the swarm. Siegfried hoped it would deal significant damage, enough to give them a fighting chance.
"Infernal Blaze!"
Peach Blossom called out her skill as an enormous crimson magic circle expanded outward with a radius of about 250 ters. Closing her eyes, she focused her energy to intensify the circle's radiant red glow to its peak. Siegfried and the others quickly retreated, ensuring they were outside the spell's radius. Although they were in the sa group, the conditions of the grand spell offered protection only to its caster.
Peach Blossom began to feel the power building within her, signaling that it was ti to release it. By then, her older brother and his friends had nearly reached the edge of the magic circle, while the approaching beasts were dangerously close to her. Unable to wait any longer, she uttered the incantation to unleash the full might of her Infernal Blaze spell.
"Incinerate!"
Peach Blossom shouted. The magic circle hissed as it erupted into towering flas. Everything within its boundary was reduced to ashes. The Agaz Mountain beasts let out agonizing screams. Though many were injured, her level of 62—while high—was insufficient to fatally wound the two Diablo beasts. Instead, they were enraged. On the other hand, most of the red-eyed beetle beasts were obliterated, as their levels were much lower, and the grand spell's destructive power was overwhelming, the higher the user's level, the more dangerous it could be.
The Diablo beasts flapped their small wings and surged through the flas, slamming into Peach Blossom directly. Immobilized during the casting of her spell, Peach Blossom scread in pain as she collapsed. Her left arm, raised to shield herself, bore deep gashes as though it had been sliced with sharp blades, and blood oozed from the wounds. The magic circle vanished instantly, leaving behind a smoldering battlefield and nearly ten remaining beasts preparing to attack her.
Oliang moved faster than anyone else, leaping into the fray and delivering a powerful kick to the Diablo beast closest to Peach Blossom. The twin brothers and the two ninjas followed close behind, swiftly finishing off the severely wounded red-eyed beetle beasts first. Oliang supported Peach Blossom to her feet as their teammates shielded them. Siegfried and the rest of the group joined in, overwhelming the two Diablo beasts and forcing them to respawn within minutes.
Peach Blossom received proper dical attention and rested until she was ready to continue the journey. Crystals of various types were placed into the top ten auto-use slots in their inventory for convenience during battle. Once they ventured further into Agaz Mountain, they knew they would not have the luxury of searching for them in the heat of combat.
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