Chapter 23 The Storm is Coming
It was dusk in Yansha Town. The sun had just set and the air was filled with the lingering warmth of the heat wave.
At a tea stall somewhere on the roadside, some players sat together, drinking tea to cool off and chatting.
"Hey, have you heard? Recently the dungeon lord seems to be spreading news everywhere, saying that a sandstorm will come soon."
A player took a sip of the bitter tea, his tone filled with confusion and disapproval.
"Is this true? Who can predict something like a sandstorm?"
A young player nearby put down his teacup, scratched his head, and said uncertainly.
"Well, whether it's true or not, it won't do any harm to us."
Another player who looked a little older waved his hand, "It is said that the new train station nearby was unlocked and built by the city lord because of this matter. It is said that if a sandstorm really comes, even if some players can't stand it, they can quickly get on the train to take shelter."
"You know what, this is really reliable."
The younger player nodded:
"Having a safe train platform here gives me peace of mind."
Yansha Town is the base of Yansha Guild.
Although this guild is not large in scale, the location of its base is indeed good. It is located at the intersection of multiple bases and monster gathering places, so it is quite popular among nearby players.
Thinking of this, the older player, a member of the Yansha Guild, couldn't help but sigh:
"The city lord has a good eye for choosing a new site. Not only will it be convenient for people in our small base, but it will also benefit the people in the nearby Oasis City."
"Yes, yes. I heard that the players in Oasis City already have abundant resources. With this platform, it will be easier for them to exchange supplies with people outside."
"Let's not talk about other guilds. I have to admire the city lord this time. He still thought of helping everyone build a shelter at a time like this. To be honest, it's really rare."
"Now that you mention it, it is true. The number of players in Yansha Town has obviously increased a lot in the past few days. I guess not only to avoid the sandstorm, but also many people came for the newly opened train station."
"Of course not. By the way, have you seen the advertisement for the dungeon? Those words make me want to go there. A friend of mine went there and showed off to me every day, wishing he could live there forever."
"I just came back from the dungeon a while ago. The environment there is really great. The dungeon lord is really amazing. Not only can he fight, but he can also build. No wonder the dungeon is becoming more and more famous."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and the atmosphere was relaxed and happy.
*
The wind blew past her ears, mixed with the excited conversation of the group of people in the distance, and clearly reached Elvira's ears.
"So that's why the group was so happy."
There was a hint of thoughtfulness in her tone.
The man sitting opposite the girl tilted his head slightly, his eyes calmly fixed on the group of players in the distance.
The wind blew up his black cloak, revealing his tall and thin figure.
He reached out and poured a cup of tea, took a sip, and asked in a leisurely tone:
"Oh? What did you hear?"
"That group of players are discussing the new train station in the dungeon."
Elvira tapped the table with her fingers and replied.
The man hummed softly, his eyes calm.
Then he looked up at Elvira and asked:
"After we left, how was the situation in Evernight City? Is the union running well?"
Avella looked down at the player bracelet on her wrist, paused, and then slowly spoke:
"Everything is fine, the union is running smoothly."
However, the hesitation in her tone did not escape the man's ears.
He raised his eyebrows, his eyes probing: “Tell the truth, Avella.”
Elvira bit her lower lip and finally confessed:
"The first two days after leaving Evernight City were relatively peaceful, but recently some of the union leaders seem to have discovered something and are starting to stir."
She looked up at her brother with some worry in her eyes:
"But it doesn't matter. I have already prepared the people who stayed behind. They dare not act rashly."
Looking at Avella's worried eyes, the man raised his hand and rubbed her head, his tone softened a bit:
"Don't worry, these are just minor troubles. The most important thing now is that we get to the dungeon as soon as possible."
Avella nodded, and in order to ease the atmosphere, she took the initiative to change the subject:
"Brother, if there really is a new train platform nearby, can we take the train directly to the Lost City?"
The man lowered his head and drank a sip of tea, his voice steady:
"No rush. It is said that the train goes directly into the underground city. The train station is indeed convenient, but we can't take it now. It will be troublesome if those little tails following us also sneak into the underground city."
Elvira was silent for a moment, and whispered:
"Brother, it turns out you've already noticed something's wrong."
"Yeah." The man nodded, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and there was a coldness in his blood-red pupils:
"Those people are just some clowns. Since they have followed us, let's make sure they never have a chance to go back. It won't take too much time to deal with them. You don't have to worry about delaying our trip."
Avella looked at his calm and composed appearance, and the worries in her heart gradually dissipated:
"Okay, brother, let's act according to the original plan. By then, those little tails will help us clear the obstacles on the road."
The two looked at each other, stood up tacitly, and continued to move forward towards the depths of the desert in the distance.
*
Dungeon.
It's late at night.
Zhu Yu sat on a bench in the garden. The branches and leaves above his head cast interlaced shadows under the light, casting a mottled shadow.
In her hand, she held a raspberry and strawberry ice cream. The sweet fruity aroma melted between her lips and teeth with every bite, making people feel happy.
She tilted her head to look at Lin Li beside her, who was eating a caramel and sea salt flavored ice cream.
In fact, at this time, the ice cream shop had already closed.
However, when Zhu Yu was out for a walk, he happened to meet Lin Li, and the two hit it off immediately. Zhu Yu quietly used the city lord's authority to take two ice creams, both of which were new flavors, which was considered a small back door.
Lin Li slowly scooped a mouthful of ice cream with a small spoon and put it into her mouth. The sweetness of caramel was mixed with a hint of saltiness, and the taste was unique.
She lowered her head and took a few sips, but gradually frowned.
Zhu Yu noticed her mood, put down the cone in his hand, and asked:
"What's wrong, President Lin? Is the ice cream not to your taste?"
"No, that's not it." Lin Li shook her head, her eyes fixed on the fountain in the distance, her gaze slightly heavy, "I was just thinking about the Red Leaf Umbrella Union."
Zhu Yu was slightly stunned. She originally thought that Lin Li was still worried about the relocation of the members of the Liuhuo Union, but then she changed her mind and realized that recently the members of the Liuhuo Union had already moved into the underground city one after another, and the upcoming sandstorm would have almost no significant impact on them.
But she didn't expect Lin Li to suddenly mention the names of other unions.
Lin Li retracted her gaze and gently stirred the ice cream cup with the spoon a few times:
"The Red Leaf Umbrella Guild has been too quiet lately."
"Red leaf umbrella?" Zhu Yu finally reacted.
She squeezed the cone with a little more force. "Are you talking about the guild that always likes to mess things up in this dungeon?"
"That's right." Lin Li nodded and looked up at Zhu Yu.
As the president of the Elite Union, Lin Li has been secretly following the movements of Red Leaf Umbrella:
"The people of Red Leaf Umbrella have always been good at making plans in secret, and they often stir up trouble. But recently, the entire union has been unusually quiet, as if it had dived into deep water."
The red leaf umbrella is silent, it must be doing something strange.
Lin Li continued, "The Red Leaf Umbrella group has always been restless, and this time they are probably planning something big."
"What about their president?" Zhu Yu asked, "What has he been doing recently? Isn't it said that he loves to stir up trouble? How can he control himself?"
Lin Li's tone was somewhat helpless:
"In fact, no player has ever seen this mysterious guild leader. The Red Leaf Umbrella's operations have always been led by the two vice-chairmen, and the outside world knows nothing about their guild leader, including his appearance and background."
Zhu Yu raised his eyebrows, seeming to be more interested:
"Even you don't know? That's really rare."
Lin Li: "It's really strange. The two vice presidents of Red Leaf Umbrella are in charge of almost everything. Not only do they frequently show up, they even participate in open fights. But their president seems to have never existed. He never shows up, but he can accurately issue various orders and dispatch the entire union."
Zhu Yu licked the ice cream in his hand and said thoughtfully, "Being so mysterious does make people suspicious. Generally speaking, the president of a union always shows up, even if it's just to intimidate the internal staff. Their president has never shown up. Isn't he afraid that his subordinates will have ulterior motives?"
Lin Li shook her head, with a hint of deep thought in her eyes:
"Perhaps the Red Leaf Umbrella group has long been controlled by the president in some way. Otherwise, with their personalities, it is impossible for them to obey orders so wholeheartedly."
Lin Li turned her head to look at Zhu Yu and said seriously, "But no matter what Red Leaf Umbrella is planning, it will be exposed eventually. City Lord Zhu, you should be more careful recently. Red Leaf Umbrella will not let go of any place where they can cause trouble just because you have no grudges with them."
Zhu Yu took a bite of the crispy tube and said in a leisurely manner: "Then just come on. We can't be so scared that we don't dare to do business. Besides, the underground city is my territory now. Even if they really make trouble, I'm not afraid."
Seeing her so calm, Lin Li smiled unconsciously and whispered, "You are really open-minded."
Zhu Yu: "There's nothing I can do. As a city lord, I have to learn how to counter attacks from different sides."
Lin Li: "Anyway, if Red Leaf Umbrella does make any move at that time, my Liuhuo Union will fully support it."
The two looked at each other, smiled in tacit understanding, and continued to enjoy the ice cream in their hands.
In the garden at night, the wind blows across the path paved with luminous stones, and the fountain sparkles with tiny water droplets under the lights. There is tranquility all around, but it seems that a bigger storm is quietly brewing somewhere.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
