Chapter 480: Transaction and Backstage

One was a black-haired human woman whose left eye socket was wrapped in a red birthmark; she wore dark, stiff leather garments embroidered with magical runes, with bindings around both her wrists and ankles.

She must be Vivian's old friend, Greta.

The other was a snake-person, bare from the waist up, wearing loose shorts similarly embroidered with magical runes.

This snake-person was of the two-legged variety, with a neck flat and wide like a cobra's.

He flicked out a long, flat, forked tongue.

His gaze locked onto Rod in an instant, his sinister, moist snake-eyes showing a glint of interest.

Rod strode forward, in no mood to exchange pleasantries with this bunch who delighted in destroying the forest.

"Witherers, go back to wherever you came from."

"Don't be so hasty, Mr. Human. We have come to start a dispute, and we are here for a transaction."

The snake-person Witherer laughed, his mouth splitting extremely wide, carrying an exaggerated, grotesque air like a circus clown.

And Greta beside him, looking past Rod, called out excitedly:

"Vivian!"

Rod's eyes went cold.

He seized the arm of the woman before him, forcibly halting her momentum as she lunged toward Vivian.

The other glared at him in annoyance, trying to shake him off hard.

But she couldn't shake him off; instead she felt his grip steadily tighten—an irresistible, crushing force like steel bearing down.

The corner of her mouth twitched.

"Greta."

The Young Lady of the tree-spirits, who normally paid no heed to her surroundings, only now reacted, slowly raising her head.

Still expressionless, still in her usual flat tone.

But Rod had been with her for a long time.

He could still hear the joy of reuniting with an old friend in the girl's voice.

Greta glared at Rod in annoyance: "I know her! What are you doing?"

"Our sides are opposed; it's better to keep a little distance."

"That's between me and Vivian. Besides, we're as close as sisters; we wouldn't care about such a small matter at all. Right, Vivian?"

But Vivian had clearly also noticed that the natural force of this former friend was somehow different.

She tilted her head in some puzzlement, and did not choose to approach lightly.

Greta didn't mind either.

Just like that, separated by Rod, she talked with Vivian.

The content was mostly old amusing stories between them, and sharing what had befallen them after leaving Wind-Wall Forest.

She described her own life as miserable.

And expressed how much she had missed Vivian.

Tree-spirits lacked emotion, but precisely because of that they were a little more simple and stubborn.

So she gradually opened her mouth and began to chat with her.

Rod didn't want to manage the girls too much.

The main issue was Greta's identity; he had to be on guard.

He first nodded toward the Blizzard Regiment wolf-riders who were on alert not far away.

Signaling that he would handle things here.

The Blizzard Mercenary Corps members were still rather forceful before the contract was signed, but once formally established they became a genuine party A and party B, and naturally would abide by the contract's contents.

The wolf-riders were still quite respectful; they waved and led the others off to patrol elsewhere.

Only then did Rod look at the two Witherers.

Regardless of the fact that their attitude was actually not bad, he spoke bluntly and hard:

"I trust you can see I've already given plenty of face. If it weren't for the fact that this Greta here knows Vivian, I would have already made a move."

"Don't be so wary, Mr. Rod. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dane, I am this Miss Greta's companion, and as you can see, we are both Witherers."

"So? Get to the point. My patience is actually not good, especially with men."

"There's no need for such wariness, Mr. Rod."

The snake-person Witherer's laugh was deliberately hearty, but there was always a cold, sinister undertone within it.

"A transaction, friends. Shi Ying Town has fallen into a giant-dragon crisis—that is common knowledge. But perhaps what you don't know is that Shi Ying Town actually hides an even more important secret."

"."

"You've already guessed it, haven't you, Mr. Rod? Indeed, otherwise why would a little border town be worthy of possessing a Guardian Array?"

He spread his slender, knee-length arms.

"Unlike those hidebound Druids, we poor souls who were once betrayed by nature are far more willing to share those histories sealed away by dust."

Druids were an extremely ancient profession.

Most of them lived deep within the forests, recluses.

Although solitude was their constant state, they were by no means a group that kept no historical records.

Legend had it that they would record messages, through the medium of natural force, into the clear winds of the woodlands, waiting for new Druids who arrived later to uncover them.

However, Rod didn't really believe this legend.

". If Etheron were still in its prime, no one would care about this secret. But things are different now. The Celestial Flower Kingdom has successfully developed magical artifacts that intercept legendary spells; Twilight City has fallen once more. This secret has naturally reached the moment when it must be dug up again.

Mr. Rod, it's not only the Yige Sect that regards Wind-Wall Forest and Shi Ying Town as a thorn in its eye—the Archdukes of the Inferno, dragons active once more, the Grey-Cloaked Lord rat-men obsessed with building an underground city, the countless ambitious yet self-important mad mages, the Blood Ancients who, even after dying and becoming formless, still plot resurrection—

Even that so-called 【Hero Prophecy】 of salvation. Perhaps they themselves do not covet it, but the Half-Deer will use it to build a cruel, chaotic stage, hoist all manner of 【Hero Candidates】 onto it, and manufacture a so-called 【Hero Event】 to set things right."

Rod waved his hand, cutting him off.

His expression barely changed.

"Let me say it once more, plainly: what do you want?"

Dane broke into an exaggerated smile again, his eyes squinting almost into a single line:

"We only need a quarter of the Wind Wall Forest as promotion materials for my companion here and for protective excavation research on Shi Ying Town. In exchange, we will grant this place the strongest defensive force to repel all external threats. And you, Ranger Rod, can build a new city here, take all your girls, and become a king!"

Rod sneered.

Quite good at painting pie-in-the-sky dreams.

As expected, they came for the forest.

Is it just the secret hidden in Shi Ying Town?

Ever since the time the demon Atum and the feathered person Caroline invaded Shi Ying Town, he had indeed suspected this.

But what special secret worth hiding could a remote borderland like this possibly have?

Rod shook his head and set the matter aside for now.

"The Withered are loose, greedy, and selfish. Do they have the right to say such things? Who is behind you? Speak plainly."

"As expected of you, Mr. Rod. Just as you guessed, the Withered have been largely gathered up, and we serve the Bahadur Magic Academy."

He burst out laughing directly.

This was also something he hadn't expected.

Dane continued: "I know Mr. Rod has had several disputes with Bahadur, but it matters not. As long as you are willing to accept this deal, Bahadur is willing to wipe out all past grievances, and Mr. Rod will also receive the honorary professor position at Bahadur Magic Academy, enjoying abundant resources for free."

(End of this chapter)