CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 52: RED MOON MOUNTAIN (HAPPY NEW YEAR!)

Chasing Light City, Black Obsidian Martial Arts Hall.

Three large tricycles loaded with ore rolled over the cracked asphalt road, the rusty frames groaning as if in a death throe.

Twelve gray-clad men shouldered logs and followed closely behind, the coarse bark rubbing raw marks on their shoulders, but no one stopped—these gray-clad folks had been shuttling back and forth to the Grizzly Mine for three consecutive days. Their mechanical repetition of the mining task had turned the initial startled glances of the vagabonds along the way into numb indifference.

Yes! Numbness!

In three days, this group of gray-clad madmen had been coming and going from the Grizzly Mine without rest, almost making at least four trips a day. Now, this grand convoy had become a spectacle in the Abandoned Area, leaving other non-human vagabonds dumbfounded. They couldn’t believe that a wild gang could exploit its members to such an extent.

No sitting in the vehicles allowed, they just carried logs all the way back. It was as if these gang members were not even worthy of the treatment of prisoners; at least prisoners were treated as human beings, while these members of the Gray-clad Gang were not.

The sight of this even discouraged the human vagabonds around, who still wished to join a gang, making them feel that being a vagabond wasn’t so bad after all, just having inconsistent meals at most.

"Sister Wu, a new storyline has been triggered within the hall!"

"New storyline? What kind of storyline?"

"Three NPCs from the Feather Race have arrived. They are a new force, introducing themselves as the Cyan Sparrow Gang. It seems like they’re here to discuss cooperation with the Hall Master."

"Cooperation with a new force? Could it be that the game developers are planning to test a new gameplay?"

Luo Wushang looked at the new recruit from Celestial Might who reported from the training field and couldn’t help but start commanding the others present immediately.

"Everyone, move quickly! Return the borrowed tricycles to the other two teams, and gather at the martial arts hall!"

"It’s rare for a new storyline to be triggered; if we miss the opportunity to receive the task, our new weapons and armor will be in vain."

Each member of Celestial Might carrying logs also picked up their Leopard Shadow Step quickly, following the tricycle straight toward the martial arts hall training ground, afraid of missing the new task.

Meanwhile, on the training ground within the martial arts hall, the more the three members of the Cyan Sparrow Gang observed, the more surprised and puzzled their expressions became.

"What’s with these gray-clad gang people?" An elegant Feather Race woman looked at the increasingly gathering players, especially noticing their strange looks at them, "Why do I feel like these people seem to be anticipating our arrival, and their gazes toward us are like they’ve seen a delicacy."

As one of the top hundred-ranked gangs in the wilderness, the Cyan Sparrow Gang had always been renowned across major abandoned areas. Whether members of large wilderness gangs or homeless vagabonds who had achieved apprentice status, they all avoided contact with these Cyan Sparrow Gang middle and high-ranking individuals, fearing that provoking them would lead to certain death in the wilderness.

Yet, she encountered for the first time a group of weak humans, whom she could kill with a punch, looking at her as if she were a prey, completely disregarding their own lives and showing no reverence for the strong.

And just during the time the three Feather Race members were observing, Luo Wushang and others had also arrived at the training ground, making the three Feather Race members feel a slight pressure.

"Fourteen apprentice-level experts, this gray-clad gang is much stronger than previously estimated." Fluo glanced at the arriving Luo Wushang and others, giving more recognition to the rumored gray-clad gang.

Although the current gray-clad gang couldn’t keep their trio, they might even be counter-killed by these three, the fourteen apprentice-level experts still represented a formidable force in a major wilderness gang.

"Is it you looking for me?"

Just during the time Fluo and the others were observing, Lin Qi also walked out from the lounge, causing the players on the training ground to make way.

"Honorable leader of the Gray-clad Gang, hello, I am Fluo, the Deputy Gang Leader of the Cyan Sparrow Gang. You can call me Fluo, and our visit here bears no ill intentions." Fluo looked at Lin Qi who walked out, carefully sizing him up while introducing himself.

"Gray-clad Gang?" Lin Qi frowned upon hearing the name, not knowing where this name had spread from, but was too lazy to explain, and asked directly, "Why have you come over?"

"We’ve come representing the Cyan Sparrow Gang, to negotiate a deal with the Gray-clad Gang." Fluo smiled, speaking kindly, "I think those who attacked the White Feather Gang will surely not refuse our cooperation this time."

"Are you threatening me?" Lin Qi looked at Fluo, whose smile concealed a blade, with a somewhat grim expression.

On the surface, it was called cooperation, but it was strongly implied that they attacked the White Feather Gang. If they didn’t cooperate, the consequences were self-evident.

"Honorable leader of the Gray-clad Gang, please don’t misunderstand." Fluo smiled and explained, "This cooperation, whether successful or not, our Cyan Sparrow Gang won’t disclose any information to the White Feather Gang. I even specifically dealt with some minor issues that your gang might be discovered this time. For instance, we Cyan Sparrow Gang publicly declared that Miss Luo Qi was ransomed with our money."

"With my testimony, I believe those employees at the Cangjing Weapon Shop won’t talk about Miss Luo Qi returning safely, and might even suspect that we Cyan Sparrow Gang were the ones who wiped out the White Feather Gang’s base."

"Speak, what kind of cooperation?"

Seeing Fluo’s proactive goodwill, Lin Qi’s expression softened somewhat, understanding that Fluo probably harbored no malice.

"There’s an old saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Fluo pulled out a stack of A4 papers from his clothes and said slowly, "Our Cyan Sparrow Gang has always been at odds with the White Feather Gang, mainly due to the energy ore vein within Red Moon Mountain, a hundred kilometers away."

"Although it’s just a micro energy ore vein, securing it would bring substantial long-term and stable profit for both our gangs. However, despite our prolonged contention, no resolution has been reached."

"Thus, our two gangs have decided to make a grand gamble under the witness of a notable figure in the city outskirts. Both gangs will each send fifty apprentice-level experts for a deadly battle twelve days later. The winner claims ownership of Red Moon Mountain, and the loser can no longer entertain any ideas."

"So? What does this have to do with our Gray-clad Gang?"

"Fifty apprentice-level experts aren’t a small number for both our gangs, let alone involving a death match, hence both gangs will enlist external aid, and in my view, your gang is an excellent candidate for external support."

"Why would we in the Gray-clad Gang agree to be external support? What’s the benefit?"

"You’d only need to dispatch ten apprentice-level experts. If we win the death match, our Cyan Sparrow Gang is willing to give your gang 5% ownership of the Red Moon Mountain ore vein. Here is a contract recognized by the Martial Artist Association of Chasing Light City, and the consequences of breaching it are well-known to all residents of Chasing Light City."

"If your gang is interested, you can sign the contract now, and it will immediately take effect."