"Mar, I heard that the twin flowers in Upper Dallas have bloomed again."

An orc quietly brought three cups of ale and went to the corner where his companion was huddled.

"Yes, the Black Blade Mercenary Group's convoy had the scent of twin flowers on it when they returned."

"Then why do you still want to go?" The young orc was puzzled. Whenever the twin flowers bloomed, it meant that the continent was becoming increasingly dangerous.

“East Port has been blockaded by the Gordons.” Mar picked up his cup, glanced at the equally somber-looking workers around him, and said in a low voice, “It won’t be long before they blockade the entire port, and… seal off the city.”

"Why seal off the city? Why don't they just continue fighting?" the young orc asked, puzzled.

Mar downed half his drink in one gulp, wiping the wine stains from his lips: "This time is different. Before, it was a game for noble lords. This time... they will kill us all."

Seemingly sensing the disbelief of the two beside him, Mar swallowed hard and said in a low voice, "I saw the Black-Faced Iborri..."

For a moment, all three stopped what they were doing, lowered their heads, and remained silent.

Ibori the Blackface, an orc, is a general in the empire known for his cruelty. Regardless of why he is here, wherever he appears, he is subject to strict control, even if he only likes to deal with deserters and torture spies.

After a while, Mar continued, "Although the area around Upper Dallas is dangerous, it is located in the mountains. With our sense of smell, we may not be unable to survive. Moreover, to enter Upper Dallas, we must pass through Monta. Once the Allied forces have defeated the troops stationed in Monta, they will not retreat to a dead end like Upper Dallas."

Simply put, Monta is a strategically vital location, while Upper Dallas is a dead end surrounded by mountains and plagued by the Twin Flowers. The Allied Forces and the Empire can only send one person to stabilize the situation at most.

"The Fang Mercenary Group is a henchman of the Upper Dalles nobles. They will do anything to bring back the supplies, even if it means their own death. So they won't skimp on our equipment. It's a good deal to go with them."

The young orc downed his drink in one gulp and made up his mind in an instant: "I'll go with you."

Mar instructed, "Prepare well, and start over when we get to Upper Dallas."

"Hmm!" The young orc stood up, poured the last few drops of wine from his glass into his mouth, and strode out.

Lin Feng, who had overheard the entire conversation, also had the idea of ​​getting up. Regardless of the situation, he cared a lot about the Twin Flowers.

The twin flowers are a direct manifestation of the erosion of reality by the sea of ​​thoughts in the inner world. The more frequently the twin flowers bloom, the closer the Holy Communion is. The filthy giant insects encountered on the journey were a direct product of the twin flowers blooming.

Perhaps he can find some clues from it... that will give him a deeper understanding of the Sea of ​​Thought and of this world.

After a short while, Lin Feng, having changed into normal clothes, stood up and walked outside. Braving the heavy rain, he arrived at the recruitment point of the Fang Mercenary Group.

The orcs had just finished signing the contract and were now walking around the edge of the dock towards the bridge, heading north of Monta City.

"Oh? Boss, someone else is here!"

As Lin Feng approached, the henchman with the sword wiped the moisture from his face and pointed it at him.

The mercenary in charge of recruitment hurriedly put the contract in his hand into the small box on his back. When he turned around with a smile, his disappointment was visibly apparent.

Even if it requires someone to deliberately lure monsters, recruiting orcs increases the chances of survival, while recruiting an ordinary human is simply feeding the monsters for nothing.

"We've filled all the positions."

The clear, cold sound was exceptionally distinct in the rain, making it impossible to resist.

Lin Feng continued to approach, and before the other party could show any impatience, a magic book flew out of his hand: "I am a magician."

Magician?

This time, there was no trace of impatience in the man's eyes. He spun around twice, then poked his head out from under the table: "Ah... Master Magician, you want to..."

“Well, I’m heading to Upper Dallas, but I’m lacking some ‘friends.’ If you can help me…” Lin Feng twirled his hand, and a piece of gold the size of a finger flew into the man’s hand.

"Yes, yes, yes! My lord magician, I know the whole of Upper Dallas better than anyone else. Whether you're looking for someone or something, I guarantee I can deliver it to you within an hour." The man fawned as he gripped the gold tightly. The weight and feel were 100% real, and its golden luster was definitely purer than ordinary gold.

Lin Feng pointed to the damp contract on the table: "I heard that the Fang Mercenary Group works for the nobles of Upper Dales. Have they sided with the Empire?"

“Oh, sir, what are you saying? The nobles of Upper Dales are worse than dogs. What difference does it make whether they submit or not?” The man suddenly smiled wickedly. “Besides, nobody cares about Upper Dales. It’s surrounded by mountains and haunted by monsters. If it weren’t for the chance to make some money and escape war, who would want to go there?”

“Of course you are different from us. We are just trying to make a living.” After the man finished speaking, Lin Feng had already pressed his handprint on the contract, and a trace of unknown power immediately fell on him.

The contract is now in effect.

"Sir, we will meet at the North Gate about an hour after dawn tomorrow. You can arrive a little later. We will depart after it is completely light."

"Um."

Lin Feng nodded and turned to walk into the darkness not far away.

Just then, the sound of rain around them suddenly subsided. Lin Feng, who had just missed the tavern, suddenly spotted a figure walking out of the deep street.

The newcomer wielded two serrated swords, half of his body shrouded in darkness, with only his dark gold shoulder armor and breastplate illuminated by the tavern's light.

He stepped... his black boots stomped through the puddles, and in the brief moment he moved, a vertically striped gold-patterned mask emerged from behind the light, noticing Lin Feng's gaze.

"They are assassins."

"Hurry up, hurry up."

Two mercenaries in the distance also noticed the person who had suddenly appeared. They immediately packed up their belongings and ran into the alleyway of the port.

As Lin Feng moved his feet, preparing to leave, the figure called the assassin followed him, moving the position his toes were pointing to.

Assassination?

Did you come for me?

Lin Feng, puzzled, continued to move, retreating into the darkness to one side.

The assassin's footsteps flickered, his light movements allowing him to glide a distance along the shadows on one side, instantly arriving a few meters away from Lin Feng's location, raising the cold glint in his hand.

At that very moment, the assassin's twin swords froze in mid-air.

Rainwater streamed down the blade of his raised sword, reflecting a bright yellow light in its cold gleam, making him dare not overstep his bounds in the slightest.

"Immersion..." Fear flickered in the assassin's eyes behind his mask as he stared at the towering black demon that had just emerged from the figure, neither daring to retreat nor advance.

"Who sent you?"

Lin Feng raised his demonic blade, the dragon bone radiating an evil aura piercing the darkness and sending chills down one's spine. However, a brief hesitation led the assassin to make a decision. Ignoring Lin Feng's question, he dispelled his fear, gripped the blade tightly, and thrust it forward with all his might.

"The God of Wisdom will guide me forward!"

A god of wisdom?

The dragon bone blocked the blade, but the feel was just as real as expected. Then, the blade slid past his demonic blade and pierced directly into his chest.

Sizzle...

The sword tip pierced the armor, and a force clearly probed inward, frantically probing.

"Fake?" The assassin was stunned for a moment. He had prepared himself to die, but the feel and the aura emanating from this thing were so different from those who had been corrupted.