Murphy left in a hurry.
He took only Adele and a squad of vampire nightwalkers from the Shadow Intelligence Bureau. They disappeared from the chaotic battlefield near Blackflame Pass, and no one knew where they had gone or what their destination was.
The one other person who disappeared alongside Murphy was Count Andre, who had been stationed in Shadow Valley. He took some of the elite troops with him, leaving the remaining White Mountain faction fighters temporarily under Vesta's command.
This operation was related to the affairs of the Wise Wolf. At this stage, they had to remain sufficiently discreet to ensure their safety.
Besides, the third-and-a-half-generation orbs, improved by Old Flywheel, could also serve as the core of the long-range communication network. That meant the players near Blackflame Pass wouldn't be left unable to communicate just because the core orb had gone with Murphy, and it also gave him a few days to take care of some important business.
Shadow Valley was bustling at the moment.
Most of the players who had passed the Black Iron trial had bound their save points here, giving this barren valley the feel of a "game's main hub."
There was no doubt that the temporary leader here was General Maxim. Murphy had also left his other child, the "Blind Prophet" Vilansel, here as Maxim's adjutant.
Max was a simple man, and he and Vilansel worked together smoothly. That wasn't because he knew her well, but simply because this strange shadow elf was, like him, one of Lord Murphy's children.
That single fact was more than enough for Max to trust her.
Leaving "Spider Girl" in charge of affairs in Shadow Valley had unquestionably been a stroke of genius. Her "exotic charm" had already bewitched plenty of sheltered new players, and Vilansel's popularity among