The Expedition Begins (Part One)

Just as dawn was breaking, Greenwood's Second Chief awoke from meditation and began bustling around the camp, making arrangements.

The morning was chilly. Even with his cultivation as a Soul Emperor, Greenwood's Second Chief couldn't help shivering. He tugged his collar tighter and paused to catch his breath after a busy morning. A faint puff of white mist drifted from his lips. As he watched the sun slowly emerge over the horizon, a fiery glint shone in his eyes, though a trace of tension was hard to hide from his face.

"Ah, a battle to the death..."

He stared blankly at the sky for a while. Only after the sun had fully risen did Greenwood's Second Chief turn and enter Greenwood Chief's office.

Hearing someone come in, the chief turned around in his chair. He rested his chin on his right hand, his gaze deep and unreadable.

"Chief, everyone's assembled. We're just waiting for your orders," Second Chief said respectfully, bowing.

"Mm." The chief nodded but remained seated. "Yesterday, I contacted the two factions, Stare and Bili. Stare will provide the first wave of probes. Bili has the most people, so they'll launch a suicide attack, dismantling the buildings and other cover around the target and draining its Soul Power. Once the expedition is over, they'll receive thirty-five percent of the spoils. As for us..."

The chief rested his left hand on the armrest, tapping his index finger repeatedly. His voice carried a hint of excitement. "We'll handle the final battle and take fifty percent of the spoils. This is our chance."

"Yes, Chief." Second Chief felt his hands trembling at his sides. Since joining Greenwood, he hadn't felt this kind of tension in nearly ten years.

The chief was just as excited and nervous, but he managed to keep his expression calm.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

The chief continued tapping his finger, and the room fell into a brief silence.

After a long while, the chief finally spoke. "Have you notified that master and apprentice?"

"I've sent someone. They should be here soon."

"Good." The chief rose slowly and paced back and forth across the room.

"Second," the chief suddenly said, "show your face on the battlefield for a bit, then leave with a team for the two factions' bases. Kill everyone you see. Leave no survivors. Make sure no information gets out, move all the supplies, then get out of there."

"Chief!" Second Chief stared at him in disbelief.

"Ah..."

The chief paced over to Second Chief and silently patted him on the shoulder, his expression complicated. After a long pause, Second Chief finally spoke. "It's just a precaution. I don't know why, but even after all our preparations, I still have this strange feeling of unease."

"Chief..." Second Chief parted his lips, but didn't say anything more.

"All right." The chief patted Second Chief's shoulder again, returned to his chair, and waved him off. "Go get ready. I need to think things through. Go."

"...Yes, Chief..."

At noon, the sun hung directly overhead, scorching everyone beneath it. Despite the heat, a chilling air of murderous intent surrounded the tavern.

Greenwood Chief watched as a burly, muscular man and a slightly stooped, white-haired old man approached together.

The old man smiled without speaking, while the Strongman looked impatient. "What's going on? It's so late already. I'm telling you, don't let us down when it's our turn."

Before Greenwood Chief could reply, the old man spoke up. "Hey, hey, there's no need for that. I trust Greenwood Chief to keep his word. Don't worry, the operation hasn't even started yet."

Greenwood Chief smiled at the two of them. "Then I'm grateful for your kind words, Stare Chief. Bili Chief, don't worry either. I've arranged everything. We'll make that bastard pay this time."

"Hmph." Bili Chief snorted in displeasure but said nothing more.

The sun moved slowly across the sky until, at last, everyone's shadows had shrunk to a point beneath them.

"Time's up..." the old man said calmly, still smiling.

The three exchanged glances and nodded. The smile finally disappeared from the old man's face. A cold glint flickered in his eyes, and his voice turned vicious. "All members of Stare!"

"Here!" The response rang out in unison like thunder.

The old man narrowed his eyes. "I don't need to say much, do I? Go. Find out everything you can about that so-called Puppet Thug. Move!"

"Yes!"

Dozens of people quickly broke away from the group. In silent waves, they streamed into the tavern and vanished from sight...

The operation had begun!!!

In the basement, Hals sat motionless in a corner. His presence was so faint that only careful listening revealed the trace of his barely audible breathing.

"Boom."

His eyes snapped open. In the darkness, his luminous green eyes, flickering like flames, shone like two shooting stars in the night sky.

As he looked at the clearly visible soulflames in his vision, a strange grin appeared on Hals's equally eerie face, sending a chill through the air.

"Such amusing little mice..."

In the blink of an eye, the basement held nothing but the faint, hoarse whisper and a wisp of Black Mist still slowly evaporating.

The hunt had begun...

Every member of Stare's vanguard released their martial souls and tensed up, forming squads as they searched every room in the tavern, not daring to relax for even a moment.

A short while later, one squad reached the back room of the tavern. They stared at the tightly shut door, then silently looked to their captain. After a moment's thought, the captain nodded to a burly teammate who stood over two meters tall.

At the captain's signal, the teammate took a deep breath. Then...

"Boom!"

He kicked the door so hard it shattered into pieces across the floor. At the same time, his body grew taller, and his already massive hands swelled until, in less than two breaths, each was as big as an adult's head.

"Roar!"

The teammate smacked his chest and let out a howl toward the sky, but the sound abruptly cut off.

"Get back!!!"

The captain roared and turned to flee first.

"Heh heh."

A low, hoarse cackle rang out. The big man's body crashed to the ground like a mountain, revealing a pale face before him.

Hals's left hand was covered in blood. He drew it back, feeling the heart in his palm. It was still beating!!!

But Hals wasn't surprised in the slightest. The corner of his mouth curled into a smile...

He tossed the heart aside with a sneer, then his body turned into Black Mist and vanished in an instant.

The hunt had begun...

"Ahhhhh!"

"He's..."

"..."

Screams of unimaginable agony echoed throughout the tavern. The smell of blood grew stronger and gradually spread, even reaching beyond the tavern.

Smelling the thick stench of blood in the air and hearing the faint, intermittent screams, the three chiefs' faces turned grave. Only Greenwood Chief seemed to have something else in his eyes.

They exchanged glances and saw the same grave expression in one another's eyes. They knew that monster had awakened...