On the wasteland, weeds were overgrown, and white bones could be seen everywhere.
A small merchant group, protected by more than a dozen mercenaries, shuttled through this dangerous area and headed towards the Kingdom of Briana.
This wasteland is the junction between the kingdoms of Holm and the kingdoms of Brianna, surrounded by mountains, where magical creatures are rampant, and it is rumored that the vicinity is the territory of Viken, the "governor of the Great Holm region" and the "King of Calamity" hundreds of years ago - he is not stationed in Rentat like previous and subsequent governors, but is conducting his own experiments in this area close to the edge of the Arthurian Empire.
Of course, after Viken's disappearance, the powerful magicians, including several of his disciples, did not find his "half-plane entrance" here, so that no one knew why he disappeared, and no one got his inheritance and magic items.
Many magicians sighed at this, a magician who was said to be close to the peak of legends, a master of bloodline research, his half plane must have unimaginable wealth and knowledge, but it was annihilated in the long river of time.
"There are always many similar stories, even today, there are many adventurers wandering in the wasteland and deep mountains who want to obtain the treasure of Viken." Hassan, the deputy captain of the mercenary team, said to his subordinates with contempt and yearning, "They don't need to think about their own butts, even if Lady Luck blesses, they really found the half-plane entrance to Viken, do they have the strength to get the treasure from it?"
"Viken's title is 'King of Calamity', he is good at bloodline research and body transformation, I dare to bet with this bag of wine, his half-plane and magic tower definitely have mutant monsters close to legendary strength, tsk, maybe Viken's half-plane has been discovered a long time ago, but those people have become food for monsters."
His subordinate was a well-mannered and handsome young man, and after his expression changed gloomy and uncertain, he forced a smile and said: "They were all blinded by the light of the treasure and swallowed their wisdom."
"Oliver, you always speak so interestingly, as expected of a bard." Hassan patted the boy beside him on the shoulder.
After three or four months of getting along, he found that Oliver could talk and do things, and in addition to liking to hang out with women, he was a rare good subordinate, but then again, who doesn't like to hang out with women when he chooses to be a mercenary? Except for the kind of pervert who likes males, of course.
At this time, Grigera, the captain of the mercenary team, said with a cold face: "Don't discuss this kind of thing near the caravan in the future, be careful of being heard by the night watchman."
"We just tell legends." Hassan replied angrily, is this about the night watchman?
Grigra snorted: "I heard from the nobles of the caravan that during this time, the night watchmen have been like crazy, and many mercenaries have been burned to death as evil people because they wantonly discuss the legend of magicians."
"Is it really fake?" Hassan was taken aback, and Oliver, who was thinking about his own thoughts next to him, couldn't believe it, the night watchmen were crazy, but when did they get so crazy?
"You will know when you try it." Grigra casually answered Hassan's question that he didn't expect an answer to, and then glanced at Oliver meaningfully, he was still full of guard against this new member who had only been with the squad for a few months, he must be hiding something, maybe an important fugitive, if it weren't for the fact that he had nothing to do with magicians, and there were no fluctuations in the most basic apprentice-level mental power, he would have tied this guy up and sent him to the court long ago, so he could live longer!
The captain doubted me? Oliver shrank his neck, lowered his head, and secretly decided to leave the team before the end of the "journey".
Although he was just an ordinary murderer, unrelated to magicians, and could not enjoy the treatment of being hunted by the night watchman, various mercenaries, adventurers, and sheriffs still forced him to fight head-on several times.
Fortunately, he went through hardships and was no longer a rookie who didn't understand anything, he taught himself a lot of combat skills, and he was smart, and he always carried all kinds of strange powders on his body, so he got rid of the danger, fled to the border of the Kingdom of Holm, and began to "be a new person" - a small murderer like him was not yet qualified to enjoy the treatment of being wanted by the entire region.
The dangers he experienced during this time taught him that if he had no strength, he could only wait for death, so he had turned his back on the God of Truth and really began to try meditation!
But to this day, he still hasn't entered the meditative environment described in his life.
He was not panicked and frustrated by this, because according to the records on the staff, it would take six months to two years for a person with good talent to control the spirit and enter the empty ethereal state, and he had only tried to meditate for more than four months.
"But what are the four elements of earth, fire, and feng shui? How do they make so many things?" As a young man aspiring to drama, Oliver's thinking has always been divergent, so as he walks, thinking about all kinds of inexplicable problems that arise after learning meditation.
After the caravan moved forward for a while, Captain Grigra looked at the surrounding environment, announced the camp, and arranged for Oliver and others to keep vigil.
It was midsummer, but there was still a cold wind on the wasteland, making people think that it was late autumn and they were cold.
Oliver sat by the fire, looking at the stars in the sky and thinking about his own thoughts: according to the record on the staff, the location of the treasure was nearby!
He had already seen the obvious strange stone, the blood-red strange stone that looked like a creeping demon.
He fled all the way in this direction, definitely not without purpose!
He almost thought that he was looking for the half-plane entrance of the "King of Calamity" Viken, but fortunately, he was still clear-headed and knew the gap between legend and reality, so he temporarily targeted a magician who used to live here - a magician who settled here in search of Viken's treasure.
The night was getting deeper and colder, and the other two mercenaries on patrol came back and kicked Oliver's body: "Get up, it's your turn!"
They stretched out their hands to the fire, showing a comfortable expression.
Oliver shook the dagger in his hand and smiled at his companion: "Let me patrol this side first, shall I?"
"What's so interesting about this...... The mercenary muttered and shook his head, then turned and walked to the other side.
After patrolling to a secluded place, the smile on Oliver's face disappeared, he held the dagger tightly, left the camp directly, and sneaked towards the strange rock.
"The exchange patrol area is ten minutes, and you must enter the place where the treasure is located before that......" Oliver's mind was highly focused, and there was an unprecedented sobriety.
Three minutes later, without attracting the attention of the Night Watch mercenaries, he reached behind the strange stone and reached out to rub something in the gap between the stone and the ground.
A minute passed, no notice, another minute passed, still not noticed, Oliver's forehead gradually oozed with dense cold sweat, but the more nervous he became, the more awake he became, and his movements were not stiff and flustered at all.
Suddenly, his face turned happy, his hands quickened, he dug out a lot of dirt in the cracks, then took out the blue and crystal staff and stretched it in.
With a crisp click, the staff seemed to be embedded in something metallic, and then, a faint blue light came out through the gap, dyeing the nearby weeds extremely strangely.
Silently, a cave cracked in the wasteland floor behind the strange stone, covered with dark gray stone bricks.
Oliver took out the staff, entered the cave in three steps and two steps, and ran frantically towards the depths, because according to the staff record, there was a mechanism inside that closed the entrance, which also needed to be activated, and he had to do it all before the mercenaries came over, so that he could pass the level safely.
Da Da Da, the sound of footsteps echoed in the passage, and Oliver saw the round hall in front of him.
There are several stone chambers distributed around the round hall, the doors are wide open, and it is clear at a glance inside, some are placed with strange plants that are about to break, some are full of several bookshelves, and some are stacked with dazzling gems.
"Hailan Stone...... Sun Stone ...... Cryolite ......" As an ordinary person, Oliver's eyes were naturally attracted by the brilliant light for the first time, and the deep blue like the sea, the golden color of the sun, and the clarity of ice cubes together made the room "engraved" the word "vault".
"I'm rich...... Oliver had seen similar gemstones in the lady, so he naturally understood their preciousness.
"Haha, I'm rich!" A rough voice sounded behind Oliver.
Oliver turned around in astonishment, just in time to see Captain Grigra holding a long sword, walking towards him with excitement and greed.
"Captain......" he shouted blankly.
Grigra laughed and said: "Yes, I know you have a problem, I have been thinking about driving you out of the team at the end of the mission, but I don't know you are a good question, thank you for letting me get this treasure, haha, I have lived for more than thirty years, and I have never seen so many gems!"
"Thank you for the Lord's blessing that I have not forgotten to follow you, thank you for leading the way and allowing me to find the treasure, so, to show my gratitude, I allow you to die here." He has a cross on his chest and intends to keep the secret to himself!
Oliver retreated in horror with a short sword and staff, showing no confidence in defeating the captain, who was just one step away from the knight's rank.
Grigra calculated the time, decided not to delay any longer, and pounced on it with a long sword.
(End of this chapter)