CHAPTER 410: CHAPTER 213: WHAT A COINCIDENCE, EVERYONE’S HERE?

However, when he was in River Valley Town earlier, he investigated some information about Xia Nan.

He started to become prominent around last year, and his growth path is quite clear. At that time, he hadn’t yet decided to come to River Valley Town, so it probably wasn’t an early setup to confuse the two of them in advance.

So... when did he meet that beast?

Or who told him about my goal?

Could it be Vireis?

No, this woman is on the same boat as me... no, no, no, considering the things on that beast, maybe...

Cash shook his head abruptly, clearing the increasingly chaotic thoughts.

No need to overthink. The urgent matter now is to quickly meet up with that woman. Having a companion provides options, whether it’s to retreat temporarily or to delve deeper.

He looked up at the sky.

Gazing at the dim light filtering through the tree canopy.

The Mist Forest at night is far more terrifying than many people imagine.

...

Cash and Vireis, though not particularly close, have been teammates for many years.

Some secret codes unknown to outsiders, several rules set long ago, allow them to communicate even without direct conversation in those few short seconds before retreating, using eye contact and several subtle gestures.

Therefore, there’s no reason to talk about getting separated.

Minutes after escaping the pursuit of the Bear.

Cash, who was walking quickly in the dense forest, alert to the surrounding environment, heard that familiar female voice.

Along with the浓郁的血腥味permeating the air.

His expression suddenly shifted.

He tightly gripped the Stone Spear, lowered his body, maintaining a posture ready to exert force at any time, and moved through the thickets in front.

He saw Vireis leaning against a trunk, one hand holding a Poisoned Short Dagger in a reverse grip, the blade facing outward and gleaming coldly, while the other hand pressed tightly against her upper abdomen, with fresh blood vaguely visible seeping down her fingers.

This Zor Half Elf from the Dark Territory looked considerably worse than she did when they left the field.

Though not severely injured, she had garnered many small cuts and gashes.

Seeing Cash, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Her whole body leaned back against the trunk, and the dagger that was horizontal across her chest fell down accordingly—of course, it didn’t return to the sheath, still held in her grasp.

Seeing this, Cash frowned slightly, seemingly wanting to ask something.

But before he could speak, Vireis took the initiative to say:

"It’s it, it’s that beast!"

Cash’s eyes suddenly flashed with a hint of surprise.

"It didn’t run away? When did it attack you? Is it still nearby?"

Not even considering her injuries, he asked repeatedly.

"That beast was ambushing at the edge of the field; I didn’t pay attention when retreating and got clawed by it." Vireis gently shook her head, not directly answering his questions, "Fortunately, the Healing Potion is still effective; the wound can be bandaged quickly and stop bleeding, not affecting combat."

Located in the Mist Forest, two adventurers, one injured, the other relatively intact, and the long-tracked target capable of yielding immense rewards right before them.

Even though they have known each other for years, they subconsciously guarded against each other at times like this.

Or perhaps, it’s precisely because of the years spent together, knowing the other’s disposition, Vireis didn’t disclose all information to him.

Seeing the Zor Half Elf’s reaction, realizing he was too hasty, Cash forced a smile onto his face:

"How’s your injury? Don’t get infected with Beastification. Let’s return to River Valley Town for curse purification, shall we?"

To this, Vireis just glanced at him, sarcastically:

"Sure, why don’t we just ignore the beast we’ve been tracking for months, whose tail we’ve barely caught, let it run for another couple of weeks, and once I’ve healed in the town, set out again, shall we?"

"Don’t talk rubbish!" She quickly tended to her upper belly wound, the bandage wrapped round after round, cursing in the foulest language of the Dark Territory, "Capture that beast quickly, get everything on it, and live easy forever."

Seeing her like this, Cash stopped pretending and withdrew his smile.

Taking the opportunity while she tended to her wound, exchanging intel with each other.

"I suspect the frenzy of the forest beasts, including the beast herd and the Bear earlier, were all led by ’it’ behind the scenes."

"That’s definitely possible." Vireis responded without looking up.

Right hand gripping the bandage roll, yet her forearm muscles tense, in less than half a second, she could retrieve the dagger placed beside her back to her grasp.

"When it ambushed me earlier, it’s as if it had been lying low for a long time, possibly premeditated."

"Well, you’re clear about that." Cash’s gaze occasionally swept through the brush on both sides, wary of the surroundings.

"Also, I suspect Xia Nan might be related to this incident."

"Him?" Vireis’s eyebrows inadvertently raised, a thoughtful gleam flashing in her eyes, "Why?"

"Otherwise, it’s all too coincidental, don’t you think?"

No need to elaborate further; both are experienced senior adventurers, just a hint from Cash, and Vireis also caught on to the peculiarities.

"Mad, could that young man really be wreaking havoc inside?"

She cursed aloud.

The previous appearance of the Beastman traces and the emergence of the long-tracked target made her overlook that relationship.

Now hearing Cash’s words, she couldn’t help but begin suspecting Xia Nan.

For a month and a half since the Night Wolf mission, she’s been secretly monitoring this black-haired youth who joined halfway, maintaining high vigilance.

Knowing his strength far surpasses the typical newcomer, many times also questioning whether Xia Nan was deceiving her.

Yet, on adventure trips, many mistakes unique to newcomers, he hardly committed any, showing extreme lack of knowledge in areas concerning professionals.

Didn’t seem staged.

And Cash’s speculation further clouded her perception of Xia Nan.

Nonetheless, at this stage, it doesn’t really matter.

Their target, that Beastman, is nearby, and Xia Nan has already separated from the team.

In such an expanse of forest, without planning ahead, it’s difficult to encounter him again.

Whether he lives or dies subsequently is unrelated to them.

Vireis had numerous wounds, but most were superficial, only the abdomen clawed by the Beastman needing serious attention.

The matter was managed in just a few minutes.

Under normal circumstances, if a legitimate adventurer team encounters an enemy as strong as the Bear during a mission, reducing the team by half, the remaining two members would be slightly or severely wounded.

For them, the only option would be a direct retreat.

But now, neither Cash nor Vireis hesitated in their decision to delve deeper into the forest to pursue the target.

Even the possibility of further pursuit by the Bear and those rampant beast groups in the forest was cast aside.

Ultimately, if not influenced by some Spiritual Control Magic.

Then the anticipated rewards must be huge, enough to make long-known teammates guard against each other at the critical moment, enough to overshadow all these risks.

And just as Vireis finished tending to her wound and the two were about to depart.

"Sasha..."

Suddenly, there came a rustling sound from the bushes beside them.

Under the vigilant eyes of the two, what appeared first was a glint of iron-grey sword light.

The obstructing thorns branches were swifty cut off, enveloped in a浓郁的血腥味paired with shredded meat and grass, the leg armor of pale grey nearing white slowly stepped forward, the robust blood-drenched boots nearly dyed crimson landed on decaying leaves and soil.

Xia Nan looked at the two ahead, baring his forest-white teeth.

"What a coincidence, all are here?"