Fan Lang returned to the Gold Alliance group with questions, his expression grave and very different from before.
"Guild Master Jin, I saw one of your people suddenly die. What's going on?" Fan Lang demanded bluntly.
"Th-this... to be honest, I'm completely confused too. Ever since we came to Star Beast Ridge, one person has suddenly dropped dead every day. Each of them died differently. Some simply stopped breathing, some burst into flames and burned alive, and some bled from all seven orifices. Today's victim died even more horribly—his body actually came apart on its own, as though he'd been chopped into pieces." Old Man Jin looked miserable.
"That happened?"
"Yes. We must have run into some kind of trouble."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"Sigh, I was afraid that after hearing it, you wouldn't be willing to take us in, so I didn't dare mention it. Please forgive me, benefactor."
"One of you dies every day. Once you board my ship, this danger might spread to it and drag us into dying one person a day too."
"Yes, that's exactly what I was afraid you'd think, so..." Old Man Jin looked troubled and somewhat guilty.
"That possibility does exist. But today, the one who died was still one of your people, which proves to some extent that these deaths are limited to your group. Of course, that's only a rough guess. For all we know, one of my people might die tomorrow," said Fan Lang.
"Benefactor, please don't drive us away. We've suffered heavy casualties, and we no longer have enough strength to leave this place safely."
"Don't worry. I have no intention of driving you away for now. I'll even help you investigate what's going on. But let me make this clear: you are not to