Roadside Wizard (Seeking Further Reading, Favorites, Recommendations!)

Chapter Forty-Four

Early the next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Red Rock City's gates were already open.

Three figures pulled a crude cart along the winding official road toward the distance.

Lynn was not solely responsible for this escort mission. He had two companions: a man and a woman.

The man was named Bill. A savage scar ran across his face, and his rugged appearance involuntarily reminded Lynn of Wizard Drey.

The woman was named Mena. Heavy makeup covered her face, while her seductive figure was outlined to perfection by tight-fitting clothes and light armor, making her seem both dangerous and alluring.

From Lynn's observations, Bill and Mena had long since become far too intimate—judging by their sticky-sweet conversations, they had clearly rolled around in bed together more than once.

Living by the blade every day, the men and women here had no regard for conventional morality.

The previous night, the two had even tried to invite Lynn along, but he had no interest in it. He was busy taking potions and cultivating.

The employer had paid a deposit in advance and promised to pay the remainder upon completion. They also stated that the faster the delivery arrived, the more generous the reward would be.

This filled Bill and Mena with motivation, and they had virtually no intention of wasting time.

Lynn had no objections to this either. Completing the mission quickly was in his own best interest.

Thus, the three of them and their cart set out from Red Rock City and traveled almost day and night.

Other than brief, necessary rests, they did not delay at all.

During this period, the entire Green Forest Province was under traffic restrictions, making things rather troublesome.

Fortunately, with the travel documents provided by their employer and additional gold and silver for greasing palms, the official inspections caused Lynn and the others no trouble.

There were also people who targeted them in secret, but the three were quite capable and dealt with them easily, suffering no impact whatsoever.

Traveling at full speed, they crossed Green Forest Province, traversed Anda Province, and reached the border of Blue Moon Province in just ten days.

Beyond Blue Moon Province lay the destination of this journey: the Pale Moon Plateau.

However, just as they entered Blue Moon Province and passed through a narrow mountain road, a group of figures suddenly blocked their path.

"They really came."

Lynn thought to himself.

He had expected this long ago. Such a high mission reward, coupled with the employer's insistence, clearly meant that this cargo was no ordinary item. Naturally, it would attract the attention of certain ill-intentioned forces.

Although some people had harassed them earlier, they had merely been ordinary bandits and posed no real trouble.

The ones blocking them now should be the reason that employer had urged them to travel through the night.

Lynn looked over, and his pupils suddenly contracted. The other party was a supernatural being!

At the end of the mountain road stood a white-haired middle-aged man in silence. He wore a long robe, his eyes bright and sharp as an eagle's as they locked onto Lynn and the others.

His presence was cold and oppressive, as though the air around him had frozen solid.

"A Level 2 Wizard Apprentice?"

Using the Crystal Ball in his arms, Lynn swiftly assessed the man's strength: mental power 13, physique 3.

Since this strength was too weak, Lynn concluded that the man clearly was not part of Night Shadow Bunker's allied forces. Yet his identity remained a mystery, so Lynn did not act rashly.

"Seeking death! Run him over!"

Bill and Mena, however, had not noticed anything unusual.

Bill grinned, tightening his grip on the cart reins, utterly disregarding the man before them.

As the wheels rumbled over the mountain road, Bill drove the cart straight at the white-haired man.

However, at the very instant the cart was about to hit him—

The man slightly raised his head and quietly chanted an unknown incantation.

In an instant, a frigid aura spread through the air. The ground split open, and several pale, bone-like branches shot up from the earth like spears, thrusting straight into the sky!

Splat—

The sharp branches instantly pierced through the horses and the cart. Blood sprayed everywhere, and with a deafening crash, the cart overturned onto the ground.

The vicious grins on Bill and Mena's faces were replaced by terror. They were flung from the cart by the violent impact and slammed heavily onto the ground.

Lynn had been prepared. He rolled outward twice with the momentum, avoiding the center of the impact.

He crouched warily on the ground, his cold gaze fixed upon the white-haired man before him.

"A wizard... It's actually a wizard!"

Bill and Mena had completely lost their former arrogance. Their entire bodies trembled like sieves.

They had never imagined that the one blocking their way would be one of those legendary horrors: wizards who used blood as sacrifice and fed on human flesh!

If those pale branches rising from the ground had pierced through the horses, the two of them would likely have been skewered like roasted meat long ago.

The white-haired middle-aged man cast a cold glance at the pair lying on the ground, his eyes devoid of even a trace of pity.

He slowly spoke, his voice icy. "Hand over the Earl of Green Forest's possession."

Hearing this, Bill and Mena looked at each other, clearly having no idea what he meant.

Lynn, however, felt his heart jolt.

"The Earl of Green Forest's possession..."

He took a deep breath, his expression grave as he glanced at the overturned cart, eventually stopping at the damaged cargo crate.

Could the white-haired man's words just now have been directed not at them, but at the crate... or something inside it?

"So, you know nothing. Go open the crate!"

The white-haired man's cold voice interrupted Lynn's thoughts and completely confirmed his suspicion.

The man's gaze remained on Bill and Mena as he took a battered bell from his robes.

Jingle—

The crisp ringing echoed along the silent mountain road, carrying an eerie rhythm.

Bill and Mena's expressions instantly turned vacant, their eyes unfocused as though they had lost all ability to think.

Lynn also felt a wave of dizziness, as if countless needlepoints were piercing his mind.

He quickly suppressed the discomfort. Rather than immediately breaking free, he quietly imitated Bill and Mena's expressions and put on the same dazed look.

Bill and Mena turned around mechanically, staggering as they slowly walked toward the cargo crate behind the cart.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Just as their hands were about to touch the crate, a sudden upheaval shattered the silence!

Boom!

The cargo crate exploded, splinters flying everywhere as a green shadow burst from within.

It was a monster that radiated an eerie green glow—a small Tree Man with a plant-like, twisted body and the shape of a goblin.

Its face was ugly and vicious, its eyes gleaming with bloodlust. Its palms resembled thick tree roots covered in barbs.

Without hesitation, the Green Tree Man swung its huge palms at Bill and Mena.

Their minds were controlled by the bell's ringing, leaving them utterly unable to react.

Even in their normal state, they would never have been able to withstand this fatal blow.

Rip!

The Green Tree Man's hands came down like massive hammers, directly smashing Bill and Mena's heads to pieces!

Blood and brain matter splattered in every direction, and a foul stench instantly filled the air.

The monster let out a low roar. The next moment, its body leaped into the air and pounced at the white-haired man!