The Struggle Between Both Sides

"I think that for the sake of people's future, we certainly can't stay in Hidden Borderlands forever."

"But the reality is that we are powerless to resolve the crisis brought about by the Dragon Beast, after all, the difference in strength between the two sides is too great."

Linsey candidly expressed her thoughts.

He didn't see any need to hide it. Being honest with Iruier and telling the Awakened in the town about his thoughts was a direct and effective way to get things done immediately.

Hearing Linsey's candid response, Iruier nodded in agreement.

But he then pointed out a problem that Linsey had considered before, but hadn't realized was serious:

"Everyone understands this principle."

"But Linsey, unlike you who have only been in town for three years, many people have been hiding in this Hidden Borderlands for thirteen years!"

"Many of them didn't come here with the intention of staying for life. In other words, these people have been practically imprisoned here for thirteen years, and they've lost patience!"

"..."

Thirteen years is not a short time for anyone.

Linsey reflected on herself.

He was marked by the Law Knight and was in Hidden Borderlands, which was an ideal situation for him to evade capture.

But the awakened ones or civilians in the town who came to the Hidden Borderlands may only have lived here for a short time, or even be trapped here by sudden problems, like the Female Hunter Dan.

They all have their own lives.

Rather than preparing to be buried and sleep forever in this outpost-like place.

In addition, there is the ever-present threat from Black Mountain World.

For many people, these years of life have been almost equivalent to the torment of being in prison!

Realizing this, Linsey understood the townspeople's thoughts even more, and thus fell silent.

Across the table, Iruier continued speaking:

"So, Linsey, do you still support staying in town?"

Linsey composed herself before replying, "We'll definitely have to stay in town for now, but that doesn't mean things will stay the same. We also need to find ways to resolve the crisis or deal with the Dragon Beast."

Iruier pressed him almost interrogatingly, "Where are we going to find the method you mentioned?"

Linsey replied firmly, "Of course, it's in operation."

Upon hearing Linsey's answer, Iruier's eyes narrowed, and he asked in a subtly different tone from his usual deep voice:

"Then what action are you talking about? Going with those people to challenge a Seventh Stage Dragon Beast?"

Linsey responded:

"The records left by scholars in the town may also provide assistance from those Hidden Borderlands."

The former goes without saying; it naturally involves searching for potentially useful information from records.

The latter refers to today's Open-air Mine and the inspiration Linsey received from his trip to Black Mountain.

Although the Hidden Borderlands is not a complete large world.

But it still has a considerable area.

The policy of using it as an outpost and a base to receive Expedition Team in the past.

The area is underdeveloped, and human activity is almost entirely confined to the vicinity of the Border Town.

Linsey believes that if we carefully examine this world...

You might even find some unexpected gains.

For example, when he Climbing to Heaven Vine, didn't he find the hidden map and obtain a secret treasure like the [Purple Leaf Vine Branch]? After hearing Linsey's thoughts.

Iruier, however, was not very supportive. He shook his head and said, "What you're saying is all in vain. How can a Seventh Stage Dragon Beast be so easy to deal with?"

Linsey's tone was uncompromising. "That's better than resisting without doing anything, or going straight to the Dragon Beast to die!"

Iruier shook her head, said nothing more, and picked up her water glass to indicate that she was leaving.

Linsey didn't say much.

After saying goodbye to the other person, they left the cabin.

After he closed the door of the Artisan's Cottage and walked more than ten meters away,

A barely perceptible sigh of melancholy came from the front hall where the two had just been talking.

Linsey returned to the south of town before dusk.

He was still thinking about his conversation with Iruier.

According to Linsey's information, the old craftsman supported staying in the town, and his attitude towards the Dragon Beast proved this.

Even so, when Linsey indicated that she would look for a solution.

Iruier directly expressed her encouragement...

"Um?"

Suddenly, Linsey stopped in her tracks.

He prepared to go back to his work for the day.

Just before reaching the cabin, they passed the Female Hunter's house and saw Suo Mu Jin walking out of it.

The other person also saw Linsey.

The businessman immediately put on a polite, formulaic smile, "Linsey, you're back?"

"I was looking for you this afternoon, but I couldn't find you in the house. So I came here to ask, but even Ju said he didn't know where you went."

It turns out they were looking for themselves.

Linsey's eyes instantly understood.

Unlike Iruier, who was an awakened being who planned to stay and guard the town.

The businessman before us can be considered a very important representative of the radical faction that broke through Black Mountain.

The other party has no other purpose in coming to find Linsey at this moment.

"I went to the mine." Linsey knew everything, but maintained a polite demeanor. "Suo Mu Jin, what brings you here?"

Suo Mu Jin said with a smile, "I just talked to Torch, and he said you also want to leave the Hidden Borderlands and try to break through the barriers of the Black Mountain."

Linsey refused without hesitation:

"Even if we were to do something like this, we would only do it if we were certain that we were confident in our ability to succeed."

Upon hearing this answer, Suo Mu Jin's smile vanished instantly.

"Do you know how long this town can hold on if things continue like this?"

Linsey replied naturally:

"At least six years, at most ten years, that's the time that Dragon Beast needs to advance."

Suo Mu Jin pressed on, and his tone became increasingly aggressive:

"Do you think this is enough time?"

"Or rather, in the longest possible ten years, our town might be able to produce a powerful individual who can defeat a seventh-tier Dragon Beast!"

"Or perhaps we can entrust our lives to luck and gamble on whether the outside world can send someone to kill that Dragon Beast and rescue us within the next ten years?"

Linsey remains firm in her stance. "I'm in favor of taking action, but that's not the same as pure suicide."

Suo Mu Jin's gaze turned somber:

"But some people can't wait any longer! Not to mention the threat of death is right before their eyes!"

Linsey answered seriously:

"Everyone is different. When faced with the same problem, everyone will make different choices."

"A thousand people, a thousand faces? That's a good point." Suo Mu Jin praised Linsey's statement first, then continued, "So what do you think the people in town should do now?"

Linsey gave the exact same answer she had given to Iruier before:

"We haven't reached the point of complete despair yet, so we can continue to look for solutions."

"..."

At this point, both of them fell silent.

They looked at each other for a moment, and finally Suo Mu Jin spoke first.

The businessman spoke as if he were drawing a conclusion.

"You probably think my approach is too radical, even dragging most people down with me to their deaths." The businessman lowered his eyes and shook his head. "But the truth is, even if we do nothing, people will still die."

Linsey still showed no sign of backing down. "There's an old saying in our School of Death —no one can beat death in a race."

"We haven't reached the point of making a final decision yet."

"..."

That was the end of their conversation.

This shrewd businessman already knew that persuasion against Linsey was unlikely to yield any results.

He said nothing more, and his aged figure turned and walked into the town, without giving Linsey another glance.