Across the endless piles of jagged rocks on the Gobada Wasteland, the wind swept sand and gravel along with it, howling past the craggy stones in a piercing wail.
A pair of eyes, deep as a frigid pool, peered from between layers of rocks, completely hidden beneath a voluminous silver robe. They never blinked, fixed on the figures streaking across the horizon. Only after those figures had receded into the distance did the silver-robed figure crouch low, seemingly merging with the earth as he silently slipped underground without stirring so much as a speck of dust.
More than a hundred miles away, a vast underground cavern was filled with a frigid air. The silver-robed man had just returned. Kneeling on one knee before a gaunt figure in a dark green robe, he respectfully reported everything he had just spied.
The gaunt old man, known as the Grand Wizard, hunched over. The hands poking out from beneath his robe were as dry as chicken claws, their wrinkled skin stretched over knobby joints. He looked utterly lifeless. Yet his eyes glowed with a faint green light, like a hungry wolf prowling the wasteland at night, brimming with cruelty and cunning.
After hearing his subordinate's report, the old man slowly turned his head toward the other two figures beside him, both radiating formidable auras. His voice was hoarse and dry. "Gentlemen, according to my servant's surveillance, our target squad won't take the same route as before. They're changing course and circling around from the north."
Beside him, a tall, burly middle-aged man wore a pitch-black robe and carried an Azure Saber on his back. His brow furrowed sharply, and his face showed clear displeasure. His deep voice held a reproachful edge. "Grand Wizard, can't those subordinates of yours controlled by Soul Seeds relay intelligence directly through a soul connection? Running back and forth to deliver messages like this could cost us our chance if there's even the slightest delay! We agreed to let you come along because of the intelligence-gathering capabilities of your Soul Seed control!"
Rather than getting angry at the reprimand, the Grand Wizard grinned, revealing a row of yellowed teeth, and chuckled ominously. "Lord Beaumont, my Soul Seed control is merely a crude method of enslavement. It's no divine soul contract, and it has none of its miraculous abilities. Only when a subordinate controlled by a Soul Seed is near death might they be able to send back their final sights. In ordinary circumstances, they can only relay messages like this."
Just as the two were arguing, a third voice rang out, cool and calm, breaking the oppressive silence of the cavern. "At this distance, we can still catch up with them."
Beaumont and the Grand Wizard both turned toward the man who had spoken.
The man wore a luxurious dark-gold robe and possessed a beauty so striking it was almost uncanny. His smooth, youthful face looked like that of a young man. Most unsettling of all, a vertical eye sat in the middle of his unblemished forehead. It was half-open, its golden light sending a chill through anyone who saw it.
Had Barn of the Ice Blade 123 Squad been there, he would have recognized the man at a glance—the Three-eyed Youth was none other than Dylan, a major character in the original story! The burly middle-aged man, Beaumont, and the gaunt Grand Wizard beside him were also Godlevel powerhouses who had appeared in the story!
Four strangely shaped magical beasts stood quietly beside Dylan. They had lionlike bodies, wings on their backs, and six eyes on their faces. They were Dylan's children, the Six-Eyed Golden Lions.
Clearly, four of Dylan's five sons were still alive at this point.
Dylan's pale golden eyes swept toward the wasteland. His tone brooked no argument. "We'll move in and surround them."
The Grand Wizard's expression shifted. Half warning, half persuasion, he said, "Lord Dylan, this escort team isn't weak. There are three Lowgods in the squad! And our target, Tiebo, is enormous and heavy. Even if we manage to seize it, it'll be extremely difficult to transport across this wasteland. It won't be worth the trouble."
The vertical eye in Dylan's forehead narrowed slightly. He cast the Grand Wizard a cold glance and issued his command with lofty authority. "Grand Wizard, you defected from the Evil Royal City to the Azure Fire Royal City. If you want to earn our trust, you'd better show us what you can do and follow orders. As for how we'll transport Tiebo, that's not something you need to concern yourself with."
The Grand Wizard's gaunt cheeks twitched. A trace of malice flashed in his eyes, but in the end, he didn't dare act on it. He lowered his head, forcing down his anger, and replied quietly, "You're right, sir. I'll obey."
Just as Dylan had said, the Grand Wizard had once belonged to the Evil Royal City. During a battle between Royal Cities, Dylan and Beaumont had captured him. He'd only escaped their blades because of his two strange talents: "Soul Seed control" and "refining Soul Gold Beads." He had defected from the grim, oppressive Evil Royal City and joined the Azure Fire Royal City, entering Dylan and Beaumont's ranks.
But he was still being evaluated. His loyalty remained uncertain, and he had a long trial ahead before the Azure Fire Royal City would truly accept him.
In the Grand Wizard's eyes, however, Dylan and Beaumont might have been arrogant and overbearing, but their formidable strength more than justified their confidence. More importantly, the Azure Fire Royal City was not only the strongest power in the region; it also treated the soldiers in its legions exceptionally well.
By contrast, the Evil Royal City he'd once served was steeped in bloodshed, gloom, and oppression every day. Even the Grand Wizard, who considered himself cruel and heartless, could no longer stand it. Compared with that, Dylan and Beaumont's domineering ways were bearable.
Dylan flew out of the underground first, turning into a streak of dark-gold light as he headed north. Beaumont and the Grand Wizard hurried after him, followed by more than a dozen Saint-domain powerhouses, their auras tightly restrained as they shot through the air.
At that moment, the Ice Blade 123 Squad crossing the wasteland had no idea an attack was coming.
As the squad traveled, its members did notice several Saint-domain auras watching them along the way. But on the Gobada Wasteland, any unusual activity drew the attention of Saint-domain powerhouses. Barn and the others couldn't exactly kill every curious Saint-domain expert they encountered.
Fortunately, they had chosen to move quickly across the ground on this escort mission, which was much faster than traveling through underground tunnels. They also had only two Tiebo trees to escort this time, making their load much lighter. According to their estimate, they would reach a safe area in just ten days. Once there, they could take to the air and fly at high speed, leaving the danger behind for good.
But just as the squad surged forward at full speed, a powerful wave of energy suddenly erupted in the southern sky!
"Enemies!"
As one of the squad's veteran Godlevel experts, Fukaloss had the keenest senses. She was the first to cry out a warning.
At her side, the Earth Violent Bear, Gideon, immediately growled, "Declan, take over for me!"
Before he'd finished speaking, the bear and the dragon swiftly switched places, handing off the heavy load of carrying the Tiebo trees and preparing for battle.
In the blink of an eye, the energy wave that had erupted in the distance swept close. Three figures plunged down like meteors—or rather, three human-shaped Godlevel powerhouses!
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