The Treasure

On the wasteland overgrown with bushes, there were bones and skeletons everywhere.

A small group of traveling salesmen was going through this dangerous area under the protection of a dozen mercenaries. Their destination was the Kingdom of Brianne.

The wasteland was on the border between Holm and Brianne and was embraced by the big mountains where all sorts of magic creatures were living. Also, there had been rumors that this area was once the domain ruled by Viken, the King of Calamities and the governor-general of Great Holm. He was different from all the previous and following governors-general. Instead of only focusing on guarding Rentato, Viken had also conducted many experiments here close to the border. Therefore, on the wasteland, there were many strange creatures, and they were believed to be the shoddy products of Viken’s experiments.

After Viken went missing, no one ever found the entrance of his demiplane, which was located here on this wasteland. No one knew why he went missing, and no one ever found the magic items Viken left behind.

Many sorcerers saw this as a great pity. A sorcerer close to top legendary level and the master of studying bloodlines must have lots of treasure and great knowledge in his demiplane, but they had all gotten lost in the long river of time.

“Similar stories are endless. Even now, some people are still trying to find Viken’s treasure on this wasteland,” said Hassan, the deputy leader of the mercenaries, with mixed feelings. “They should think using their butts. Even if they are blessed by the Goddess of Luck and find the entrance, are they able to get the treasures in the demiplane?”

“Viken was called King of Calamities, and he was a master of studying bloodlines and transforming bodies. I bet you a bag of liquor, that in his demiplane and magic tower, there are transformed monsters close to the legendary level. Umm, maybe people already found his demiplane, but all of them became the food for the monsters,” Hassan continued.

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One of his subordinates was a teenage boy who looked quiet and scholarly. Hearing the deputy leader’s words, the look on his face slightly changed. He then forced a smile on his face as he said, “They became blind because of their greed; the treasure devoured their wisdom.”

“Oliver, you are surely a bard. You always say something interesting.” Hassan patted the teenage boy’s shoulder.

Hassan had known this young man for three to four months. Except for the fact that Oliver liked fooling around with women, Hassan felt that he was quite a good subordinate for he knew how to talk properly and how to do things in the correct way.

All men who chose to be mercenaries loved fooling around with women, so this was not a big deal.

At this time, the leader, Grigra said coldly, “Don’t talk like this next to a business team anymore. Night watchers will probably hear you.”

“We’re just telling tales!” Hassan said unhappily. What did this have to do with those night watchers?!

Grigra snorted, “I heard it from the nobles in the team that those night watchers have been acting crazy recently. They have burned a few mercenaries for discussing these sorcerer legends. The night watchers believe they are evil.”

“Really?!” Hassan was quite shocked. And so was Oliver, who was just immersed in his own thoughts earlier. They knew that those night watchers were lunatics, but he never thought that they would go this far.

“You can try if you want,” said Grigra casually. He then took a meaningful glance at Oliver. He was still on full alert toward the new member of the team. Grigra’s instinct told him that this young man was hiding something from them. Maybe he was an escaped criminal. If it wasn’t because he sensed no spiritual power waves at all on the young man, Grigra would have sent him to the inquisition already.

Oliver knew that the leader believed that he was suspicious. He lowered his head and had decided to leave the team before the journey ended.

Since he escaped from Rentato, his life had been in constant danger, and he was constantly nervous. Although he killed a man, he was not a sorcerer. Therefore, night watchers would not be chasing after him. But the mercenaries, adventurers, and sheriffs had still made his life full of risks, and he had to fight for himself.

Fortunately, he was very experienced, and he had learned some fighting skills. His smartness and the strange powder he carried had helped him come all the way to the border of the Kingdom of Holm, where he had decided to start all over again. The death of Goldson was not a really big deal, and thus, he would not be put on the wanted list all over the country. When he got to a remote area, he would be safe.

What he learned from his experience was that one could only wait for death if he got no power. Therefore, he started to meditate after abandoning his belief in the God of Truth!

However, up until today, he still had not entered the meditation environment.

Oliver was not disappointed. According to the blue, short staff, even a gifted person would need to spend six months to two years to master his spirit and then enter the blank state. He just started four months ago.

But why were earth, fire, wind, and water regarded as the four most basic elements? How did they form so many different things? Oliver, a young man who was always interested in opera, could not control his imagination as he thought to himself.

After marching forward for a while, Grigra looked around and asked them to pitch the tents. Oliver was among those who were responsible for keeping watch tonight.

It was during mid-summer, but it was still cold on the wasteland.

Sitting beside the fire, Oliver looked pensive. He watched the stars in the sky and thought to himself that he was already very close to the treasure!

He had seen the strange, red rock, looking like a demon staying low on the ground.

He came all the way here for a reason!

What Hassan said earlier scared him, for he thought that the place he was looking was in fact the entrance to Viken’s demiplane. But he knew the difference between legends and reality, and he believed that he was looking for the treasure left by another sorcerer, who probably settled down here to seek for Viken’s demiplane.

It was getting late, and the wind had become even colder. The two mercenaries who went out earlier to patrol the area had come back.

“It’s your turn now.” They kicked Oliver.

They then reached their hands to the fire and started enjoying the warmth.

Oliver gripped the short sword in his hand and grinned to the man who was going to patrol with him. “I’ll take this side, okay?”

“What’s the difference…” murmured the man. He walked to the other side.

After walking to a remote corner, the smile on Oliver’s face disappeared. Gripping the short sword in his hand, he left the camp and walked to the strange rock.

He got ten minutes to patrol this area. He had to find the place where the treasure was hidden within ten minutes. Oliver was on full alert, and his mind was clearer than ever.

Three minutes later, he had safely approached the strange rock without catching anyone’s attention and was now trying to find something in the gap between the rock and the ground.

A minute later, Oliver still didn’t find anything. Another minute passed, and there was still nothing. There was fine sweat on Oliver’s forehead, but he remained calm.

Suddenly, a surprised expression appeared on his face. He dug quicker and inserted the blue stick in.

With a crisp sound, the blue stick had gone into some metal gear. After that, a blue light lit up from the gap and dyed the grass nearby blue.

Silently, a cave was exposed in the ground of the wasteland behind the strange rock. The path going deep into the cave was paved with dark gray stone bricks.

Oliver took out the stick and then hurriedly walked in. He walked faster and faster, and in the end, he started running as fast as he could. According to the characters on the stick, there was a gear inside for shutting down the entrance. To be safe, he had to find it and close the entrance before the mercenaries found him.

The sound of his footsteps resounded in the corridor. Finally, Oliver saw the round hall in front of him.

The round hall was divided into a few stone chambers, and all the gates were wide open. What was in each of the chambers was very obvious—bookshelves and all sorts of dazzling gems.

Oliver was dazed for a second because of such great treasures!

Obviously, this place was a treasure vault. Oliver didn’t even know where to look. Wave stone, Sun stone, the Ice Crystals…

Oliver had seen those gems on noble ladies. He understood how precious they were.

“Haha, I’m rich now!” A hoarse voice laughed behind Oliver.

Oliver was shocked. He turned around and saw his team leader, Grigra, who was walking to him looking rather greedy and excited.

There was a longsword in his hand.

Oliver didn’t know what to do.

Grigra laughed. “I knew you were hiding something. I wanted to kick you out once the mission is completed. But I didn’t know you were hiding something this awesome! Thank you for bringing so many gems to me!”

He crossed his sword in front of his chest and said, “Thank God for bringing you to me and leading me to the treasure. To express my gratitude, I’ll allow you to die here!”

Gripping the short sword and the magic stick, he was so scared that he took a few steps back. Facing the team leader, who had almost reached the level of knight, Oliver had no confidence in himself.

Grigra did not want to waste any time. Without hesitation, he jumped at Oliver and lifted his sword.