Glen decided to build a fire on the spot to address the hunger of Leaves and Mushroom. Although numerous perils lurked in the vicinity, he paid them no heed.
This time, he refrained from making barbecue. Firstly, the environment was rather poor, and secondly, overindulging in barbecue was not conducive to good health. Glen retrieved an iron pot from his backpack, which came with a collapsible stand at the bottom. He placed the pot on the fire stand, rinsed it with water first, and then took out various ingredients. After a flurry of activity, a pot of sumptuous stew was ready, merely awaiting cooking before they could partake.
The two young girls watched intently as the tantalizing aroma wafted from the iron pot, making their mouths water. They were once again captivated by Glen's culinary prowess. Leaves couldn't help but wonder, Why didn't the teacher let Glen cook at the magic house? This smells far more appetizing than what we usually eat!
Before long, they finally got to savor this uniquely - crafted delicacy by Glen, indulging in yet another bout of exquisite gustatory pleasure. As expected, they stuffed themselves to the brim once more, which left them reluctant to move for the rest of the journey.
In such a place, it was inevitable that various magical beasts or low - level tribes would come to cause trouble. However, they were all deterred by the formidable might Glen displayed.
As the sky darkened and the deer - drawn carriage had just entered their destination, Combor Ridge, Glen had no choice but to postpone his search for the abode of the three dark mages until the next day.
Sensing the carriage come to a halt, the two drowsy young girls on the carriage looked around in bewilderment."Glen, where are we?" Leaves asked, rubbing her eyes.
"A place called Combor Ridge. Get down. We'll be spending the night here today," Glen replied as he alighted from the carriage and began to survey the surrounding terrain. He found a sloping embankment and started erecting a tent. An orange - hued lantern illuminated the newly - set - up tent, creating a serene scene that harmonized with the quiet wilderness around, a sight that soothed the soul.
The two young girls were extremely sleepy, so Glen had little trouble lulling them to sleep. As for Glen himself, he scaled an extremely tall and stately pine tree to overlook the distance. Based on the descriptions provided by the three dark mages, he had a general sense of the location in mind. Then, he descended from the tree, kindled a bonfire, and leaned against the tree trunk, closing his eyes.
...
A faint sound reached his ears, and Glen's eyes snapped open. His eyes darted around, and he caught a fleeting glimpse of a figure vanishing into the depths of the forest. It seems the locals have discovered us... he thought, immediately grasping the potential situation. He reached back, clutched the large tree behind him, and with a sudden heave, his body silently ascended the tree.
In the forest, a bare - chested man with a thick beard and abundant chest hair rounded a tree and suddenly realized the person who had been sleeping was gone. He immediately grew alert and began to scrutinize the surroundings carefully. He was not the only one in the forest. On one of the trees stood a slender male elf. His bare arms were marred with numerous scars, and his once - handsome face bore marks resembling burns.
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The elf had witnessed Glen's ascent up the tree, but in the blink of an eye, the human had disappeared. He's a tough one... the male elf judged. At that moment, the man with the profuse body hair emitted a hissing sound, their signal for communication. The male elf looked over and saw his companion on the ground making several hand gestures, which meant "Where did the person go?" The elf merely shook his head, and the companion understood his meaning.
The two, in tacit understanding, sensed that this was a difficult opponent and decided to make a hasty retreat. However, Glen was not about to let them succeed. They felt a sharp pain at the back of their heads and promptly lost consciousness one after another.
When they regained consciousness, they found themselves bound to a large tree. A young man, accompanied by two little girls, stood before them.
"Wait! Don't kill us! What do you want? Gold coins? We have them! We'll give them all to you! But please, spare our lives!" the male elf pleaded resolutely.
"Yes! Killing us won't benefit you! Please have mercy on us!" the man with the copious body hair implored as well.
They had both survived in this place for a long time, clearly discerning that wealth was far less important than their lives. Otherwise, with their limited strength, they wouldn't have lasted until now. In this place, killing was a common occurrence, but it was never the objective; only self - interest mattered.
Glen hadn't expected the two to be so sensible, which saved him some trouble."We'll discuss the gold coins later. Do you know of three dark mages in the vicinity? Where are their dwellings? Reveal the location, and I'll spare your lives," Glen said.
Upon hearing this, the two bound individuals were momentarily puzzled. Then, the male elf ventured,"We know. Compley and the other two fourth - level dark mages are the masters here. Everyone in Combor Ridge is aware of them."
"Good," Glen smiled."Then you should know where their abode is, right?"
"Ordinarily, we wouldn't know. But something seems to have gone awry in their laboratory. We have a prophet here who said that Compley and the other two perished, causing the laboratory to spiral out of control. A monster was born within, and that's how we all learned the location of their dwelling," the male elf explained, observing Glen's expression intently, yet discerning nothing.
In truth, Glen's heart sank. Does 'out of control' imply that everything inside was destroyed?…He suppressed the urge to rush over and verify immediately, maintaining a composed tone as he asked,"You must have gone to check. Did you remove everything inside?"
"No! The items in the laboratory were all devoured by that monster. A few who got too close were also consumed by it! If we hadn't fled quickly, we would have met the same fate!" the elf exclaimed, his voice tinged with horror.
Glen could only curse inwardly. This trip might well be in vain. Perhaps sensing Glen's foul mood, the male elf summoned up his courage and said,"If you're aiming to claim the wealth of the three dark mages, there might still be a chance."
Glen's eyes lit up, and he pressed,"Explain."
"I heard from the prophet that Compley and the others actually had another laboratory, beneath the one on the surface. However, to gain entry, you must pass the monster," the elf continued.
"Hasn't that creature left?" Glen queried, perplexed.
"No," the elf nodded."That monster seems to have been created to guard that place."
Whatever. I want everything in the laboratory anyway! I'll just conscript these locals to help me carry the items... Having made up his mind, Glen sliced through the ropes with a claw. He urged the man with the body hair and the elf to lead the way without delay.