Puppet stood aside and waited while the old man bustled about.
The mercenary group did not lower their guard either, though apart from the sentries on watch, the rest gradually drew nearer.
Only upon getting close to the fallen giant wolf did they truly feel the suffocating pressure radiating off the colossal beast at close range. Hearts tightening involuntarily, no one dared advance any further rashly.
Another squad member exclaimed, "Boss, did you kill this big wolf?"
Puppet said nothing.
The bald woman shot the man an are-you-out-of-your-mind look. "This is that pup's territory," she said. "If it were killed, it would attract a flood of Melded Lands creatures here. The boss is a lot smarter than you."
"Well, obviously! Otherwise, why would the boss be the boss!"
Brother Xuan walked over as well, casually cuffing the speaking mercenary on the back of the head. "Are you an idiot? That wolf is kept by a martial artist! If you don't kill it, maybe he won't bother with you. But if you actually kill it, he's bound to come after us. Are you going to block him when the time comes? You're just making trouble for the boss! Day in and day out, all you do is look for trouble—use your head!"
Ignoring them, the old man finished harvesting one plant and moved to another. His movements did not look fast, but they were remarkably rhythmic, and before long, he had harvested an entire specimen.
The crowd watched for a while, growing somewhat entranced. Someone could not help remarking, "This old guy really knows his craft."
"Hey, tell me, what's that stuff actually used for? Doesn't look like anything special."
"Supposedly it's useful to martial artists. Who knows the exact effects? We don't need to care that much anyway—all we need to know is that it sells for big money."
"Fair point."
After waiting for about twenty minutes, the old man had gathered everything harvestable. He nimbly snapped the lid shut, scooped up the case, and sprinted back toward the horses at a speed defying his age, urging them on. "Hurry, hurry, let's go!"
The bald woman glanced at Puppet. Seeing him nod, she gave the signal, and every member immediately mounted their horses to follow the old man.
Puppet remained where he was. He was always the one who brought up the rear.
After waiting for about ten minutes, he stepped forward and struck the groggy giant wolf with his staff once more as it began to stir, knocking it back into unconsciousness. Turning around, he swiftly walked over to his horse, swung into the saddle, and quickly gave chase.
The mercenaries kept riding without stopping along the way. Whatever was behind them, they would generally be safe once night fell.
Even if that great wolf was a creature of the Melded Lands, it was unlikely to roam around during the Melded Lands' night. Furthermore, the martial artist had stationed it there primarily to guard that patch of rare flora; they had not picked it completely clean, and without the wolf, nothing would be left to guard it.
The only real cause for concern was that martial artist. They knew that if the martial artist truly pursued them, only their boss stood a chance of putting up a fight. If the rest of them showed their faces, it would mean certain death. The best thing they could do was flee as quickly as possible and avoid burdening the boss.
Fortunately, what they feared did not come to pass. Moreover, since they were retracing their steps rather than scouting a path, their pace was far faster than on the way in. Riding at full gallop, it took them only half a day to successfully leave the hunting ground. They then promptly boarded the waiting airship and flew back.
As for the hunting parties and mercenary squads from before, there was no chance they could have completed their missions so quickly. The priority now was to return this group first.
Several hours later, the airship touched down near the exit of the Melded Lands. After speaking with the guards stationed there, the old man led everyone through the fissure. An hour later, they arrived back at the laboratory's border outpost.
Upon arrival, a telegram was dispatched to the laboratory. Before long, another airship touched down and offloaded a case. The old man tracked down Puppet and handed the case over. "Per your request, half of the payment has been converted into high-grade high-energy nutrients. This stuff is notoriously hard to get, with prices fluctuating by the day. But since you completed the job so efficiently this time, the laboratory didn't hike up the rates and adhered to what was negotiated.
"The other half has been deposited into Wansheng Financial Firm. You can collect it yourselves." With that, he handed over a gold card from the Wansheng Consortium. "There's a telegram room here where you can verify it. Once today passes, we accept no responsibility."
The bald woman stepped forward to take the gold card and headed straight for the telegram room to check. Wansheng Financial Firm did not care who made the deposit; even if you were a wanted fugitive, they offered the same service, making them the safest place to store assets.
A moment later, she returned and said to Puppet, "Boss, I checked. Everything's in order."
Seeing that they had confirmed it, the old man said, "Good. Then this commission is concluded. There is another job, though. I wonder if you're willing to take it?"
Puppet said nothing.
Brother Xuan stepped up behind him. "Speak. What job?"
The old man handed the case in his hands to a nearby security officer. "I just checked in via telegram. The client requires more Kokmole. I wonder if you have the guts to go back in again."
Brother Xuan said, "Right now?"
"Right now," the old man confirmed.
"Are you out of your mind?" Brother Xuan glared at him. "We just came out of there, and you want to head back in immediately? Tell me, do you really think nothing will happen just because we beat that martial artist's dog?"
The old man did not waste words arguing. Holding up three fingers, he said, "Triple the price. The client is very sincere." Showing a hint of impatience, he added, "Give me a straight answer. If you'll take it, good; if not, I'll find someone else. Let's not waste each other's time. With the time wasted standing here, we could already be on our way."
Brother Xuan looked at him. "Are you still coming along?"
The old man showed a look of disdain. "If I don't go with you, do any of you know how to harvest it?"
"Got guts, I'll give you that." Brother Xuan looked back at Puppet. "Boss, what's your take?"
Puppet spoke concisely. "Take it. Need rest first."
"You're taking it? Fine, you can rest," the old man chuckled. "I must remind you, though: the longer you stall, the higher the chance that martial artist returns. If you run into him, you'll have plenty of time to 'rest' for the rest of your lives."
Ignoring him, Puppet took the case. After exchanging a few quiet words with Brother Xuan, the latter nodded in understanding, then turned back to the old man.
"Old man, there's one more condition.
"Half of the second payment must be paid upfront, and just like before, converted entirely into high-grade high-energy nutrients."
The old man glared at him. "Didn't I just say so? This stuff isn't easy to procure! Giving it to you this time was already an exception!"
Brother Xuan spread his hands. "If you're unwilling, you can go find someone else right now." With that, he tapped the old man's chest. "Let me tell you, though: don't think just because our boss handled that wolf easily, anyone else can do the same."
The old man hesitated slightly. "Wait here." He immediately walked over to the telegram room to consult with the laboratory. About ten minutes later, he returned and said, "The lab agreed, but you must set out immediately once you receive it. No making excuses to delay."
Brother Xuan replied, "That depends on how fast you can deliver it. The faster it arrives, the sooner we move out."
The old man checked his watch. "Just wait, then."
Puppet paid them no further attention. Carrying the case, he stepped into a private lounge nearby. Once the door clicked shut, he pulled out all the high-energy nutrients and consumed them in one go.
Yet even after devouring all of it, he felt he was still just a tiny bit short—just by that slight fraction. In that case, he would wait for the next batch to arrive.
***
Duwan State.
After a journey of nearly two days, Chen Chuan stepped down from the train. While on board, he had felt that seed suddenly fade from his perception. It had not vanished entirely, but turned faint and indistinct, seemingly present yet elusive.
He judged that it must have entered the Melded Lands.
From the look of things, the seed had reached a phase where it was poised to leap to the next level. This stage was actually extraordinarily perilous. Whether breaking through or crossing over, balance could easily be shattered.
If it failed, all previous efforts would come to naught, and he would inevitably have to arrange for another seed.
This involved a degree of luck, as well as the seed's own resilience.
Watching the motorcade arrive to receive them, Vegadov said to Chen Chuan, "Mr. Chen, it's another five-hour drive to the mountainous region. By the time we arrive, it will probably be dark. We've constructed a base camp there where we can rest for the night before heading into the mountains at daybreak. How does that sound?"
Chen Chuan agreed.
He rode in the same vehicle as Vegadov, while the escort squad members who had accompanied them boarded transport trucks. The convoy drove along the highway toward the faintly visible Mount Misuka.
The terrain here was desolate. The long highway threaded across an endless plain, stretching all the way toward the distant horizon.
Pale yellow grasslands flanked both sides of the road, dotted with low shrubs, where the silhouettes of foxes and hares could occasionally be glimpsed. Chaoming did not stay inside the convoy this time; instead, he soared overhead, following along and letting out an occasional cry.
By the time they reached the camp, dusk was falling. The sky looked as though draped in a sheer veil of crimson and gold, while the earth sank into dim gloom. From afar, the lights within the camp flickered like scattered stars.
Chen Chuan had expected a simple encampment, only to find what amounted to a small town. Reinforced concrete fortifications were visible, surrounded by perimeter barbed wire. It appeared that at least a hundred men were garrisoned here.
Upon the convoy's approach, a signal flare was fired from a distance. The camp personnel moved the roadblocks aside and swung open the gates, allowing the dozen or so vehicles to enter one after another.
As the convoy drew near, a new batch of data refreshed on the boundary credential, accompanied by a young male voice: "Welcome, Mr. Chen. I am Wayfarer, here to serve you."
Vegadov smiled and said, "We've stationed an active conscious entity here, capable of linking communications for all of us."
Chen Chuan nodded. An active conscious entity consumed a vast amount of high-energy nutrients daily, not to mention sustaining such a large garrison over several continuous years. That was far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Setting aside the Federation Purist Faction's competence for a moment, he had certainly witnessed their financial muscle. He felt that moving forward, he could make an effort to vigorously promote cooperation between both sides.
Chapter 1209