"Brother, Ravenholdt Manor is on that hill ahead? That's where the Assassins' League ' headquarters is?"
Teleporting directly from Lordaeron to the town of Tarren Mill, Lilian stared wide-eyed at the pristine mountains to the east, devoid of any signs of human activity, filled with suspicion.
She stood next to Jiang Jie Jiang Jie, a happy smile on her face.
This is the first time I've gone out alone with my brother!
So happy!
" Lilian, Ravenholdt Manor is located in a very secluded place. People of slightly higher status know of its existence, but only a very few know its approximate location, and even fewer have been able to find it."
Jiang Jie pointed to the mountains ahead and said, "There's no road here. The only way to the Ravenholdt Manor is for us to find our way out ourselves."
"But how are we supposed to find it in such a big mountain?" Lilian wondered.
Jiang Jie smiled and said, "Just follow me, I know where it is."
He reached out, and a map appeared in his hand.
This is a map drawn by Patriarch Alexei; it is detailed and exquisite.
Winding paths lead to valleys high in the mountains, with the only entrance and exit being a long tunnel through the mountain.
Finding the location is only the first step, but getting to the Ravenholdt Manor is the real challenge, as the journey is fraught with danger.
The Assassins' League only welcomes two types of outsiders: the wealthy or the powerful.
The wealthy are the Assassins' League 'Assassins' League's customers, bringing them riches and thus being welcomed. However, if a wealthy person lacks strength, they might not be a customer but rather a lamb to the Assassins' League. It's not uncommon for wealthy people to be stripped naked and thrown down mountains.
Those with the ability can join the Assassin 'Assassins' League Assassins' League and serve it, but they need to pass a rigorous test. This test is extremely difficult; ordinary professionals can forget about it, mid-level professionals have a slight chance, and even high-level professionals may not be able to pass it.
Patriarch Alexei had cooperated with the Assassins' League many times, visited Ravenholdt Manor in person on numerous occasions, and even had a good relationship with Duke Jorach. He was the kind of person who was both wealthy and powerful.
Jiang Jie's status and strength are both higher than those of Patriarch Alexei.
If he were willing, he could simply reveal his identity, and members of the Assassins' League would naturally lead him to the Ravenholdt Manor. Duke Jorach would certainly receive him personally; this is the benefit of status. Ravenholdt Manor would not refuse a customer with real power, because such a customer could bring them enormous profits.
But Jiang Jie chose a different approach.
" Lilian, Senior One-Armed Invar told me that he has taught you everything he could, and asked me to give you a little test."
Jiang Jie smiled and said, "The test I'm giving you is to join the Assassins' League. Can you do that?"
"Yes!" Lilian nodded quickly, her face beaming with excitement.
One-Armed Invar had told her about the Assassin 'Assassins' League Assassins' League, saying that every skilled thief considers it an honor to join it. The best thieves are almost all connected to the Assassins' League; Master Onias and One-Armed Invar were both once members of Assassins' League.
She wanted to join as well; it would be proof of her abilities.
Jiang Jie reached out and patted Lilian's head, nodding affectionately, "Alright, here's the map. Your time to test you has come!"
Lilian hummed in agreement, took the map from Jiang Jie's hand, examined it carefully, and then entered Stealth mode.
Jiang Jie smiled and disappeared as well.
The mountains are very high, reaching a thousand meters, Ravenholdt Manor is located in the valley at the highest point.
Although there is no path, if you look closely, you can still find traces of people walking on it, such as trampled grass or some hidden marks.
One-Armed Invar is the chief assassin of the Order of the Silver Hand, possessing exceptional professional skills. Lilian, on the other hand, received the most rigorous and comprehensive training, so these challenges posed no difficulty for her.
Jiang Jie followed behind Lilian.
They dodged one hidden sentry after another, pressing onward. But there were not only sentries, but also traps.
There are not only thieves' traps, but also traps set by hunters and mages.
While the Assassins' League is primarily composed of thieves, it also includes hunters, Warrior, and even mages. Anyone can become an assassin, not just a thief; ordinary people can, and even Priest believe in the Holy Light can.
These traps were all cleverly concealed, and they were discovered the higher up the mountain. Most of the traps were not hidden from Lilian's eyes, but there were some magical traps that Lilian could not avoid and could only withstand.
A phantom flashed, and daggers flew.
One-Armed Invar taught Lilian all his skills. Although Lilian hadn't fully absorbed some of them, it didn't stop her from becoming a remarkable thief, even a high-level thief who had mastered some of the skills of a great thief.
All she lacked to become a master thief was experience and recognition. (First published online)
Jiang Jie intended to hone and train her, to mold her into a sharp blade, and the Assassins' League and later the Syndicate were the best whetstones for that.
No trap can escape the game pod's scan, and no one can escape Jiang Jie's "eyes." He can even see a very powerful high-level thief watching Lilian from a distance, holding a very special colorless crystal ball in his hand.
Jiang Jie silently approached him from behind and saw Lilian's image inside the crystal ball.
This is clearly an alchemical artifact with powerful magic; once it has locked onto Lilian, Lilian will never be able to escape its pursuit.
The value of this crystal ball is probably close to that of an epic item. The Assassins' League truly lives up to its reputation as the oldest assassin organization, with a foundation that is even more profound than that of SI:7!
The high-ranking thief observed Lilian while scribbling in a small notebook, recording her behavior along the way. This was observation, this was assessment.
For countless years, many ambitious thieves have wanted to join the Assassins' League, and finding and entering Ravenholdt Manor is the first hurdle to overcome in joining the Assassins' League.
Lilian performed well.
From the foot of the mountain to the top, there were many Ravenholdt sentries, but Lilian was never spotted until she reached the tunnel.
On the other side of the tunnel is Ravenholdt Manor; this tunnel is the last line of defense.
The tunnel has no door; Ravenholdt Manor welcomes all uninvited guests, who may enter if they have the means.
Lilian's performance was still commendable, silently avoiding the Ravenholdt sentries on both sides of the tunnel. Her Stealth ability clearly surpassed that of most high-ranking rogues, which was her greatest strength.
She wouldn't have been locked in by the crystal ball if she hadn't accidentally triggered a magical trap.
Jiang Jie followed the high-ranking thief less than a meter behind, almost touching his body, as they entered the tunnel.
This crystal ball isn't good enough; it can only lock onto one person at a time, and only those who have already been discovered. It's far inferior to the " Eye of Azora " on the " Tower of Azora " in Elwynn Forest.
The tunnel was long and guarded everywhere, but no one found Lilian. Having learned her lesson, she was more alert and cautious than before. Jiang Jie noticed that in the records of high-level thieves, there were many scoring categories, Lilian almost got a perfect score.
Upon reaching the exit, Lilian was finally discovered!
A perfectly concealed magical trap spotted her, and two Ravenholdt sentinels carrying twin swords blocked her way.
Jiang Jie silently extended two fingers, which were filled with condensed Chi.
"90 points!"
The high-ranking thief scored the final point, then canceled his Stealth, stepped forward, a hint of surprise on his face. "Young thief, please come with me. You are worthy of an audience with Duke Ravenholdt."
Lilian looked annoyed, clearly unwilling to be discovered at the last minute.
Remembering Jiang Jie's instructions, she nodded and followed the high-ranking thief toward the Ravenholdt Manor.