Even some genuine scammers were still peddling supplies at this time, and many people thought these folks were a few bricks shy of a load. Was making money the most important thing right now? There's a treasure trove in that underground city waiting for them!

How trivial this small change is. They're truly short-sighted.

However, Tianlan believed that these were the truly shrewd ones. The wealth inside the underground city was certainly tempting, but how many could actually lay their hands on it? People simply got hot-headed, thinking they were the lucky ones.

"Ah," Tianlan remembered something and hastily explained in a childlike voice, "I'm not talking about you, Brother Ade. You're naturally different from the rest."

"I think so too," Fang Hong said confidently, "Don't worry, once I grab those treasures, we'll have enough money to build a real ship."

"One with a private room for Parker," the Papalarian quickly put in, "The big catfolk like to grind their teeth when they sleep. I always feel like I might get eaten at any moment, which has been causing me insomnia recently."

"Don't worry," Fang Hong replied, "I'll give you a super large room with a double bed."

"That would be fantastic."

"Then I'll have you sleep with the big catfolk."

"Good heavens!"

The group couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Fang Hong cautiously glanced behind him. He had escaped from the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team due to Toragotos unlocking the puzzle lock and because they were short-handed at the time.

After leaving the forest, he had not felt truly safe. He always felt like someone was following him, but his reason told him it was just an illusion. But Fang Hong also knew that even if they had not caught up yet, they would never let him go.

It was only a matter of time.

He couldn't help looking at the back of his hand. The secret hidden in the Elf Ruins had not been revealed to him yet, but it must be important—so important that guilds like the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team were still holding a grudge.

Moreover, Fang Hong was aware that more than just one guild was behind this because the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team was just one of many guilds that participated in the Long Summer War. The ones truly after him were actually the colossal Descendants of Flor.

<>He thought of Baihua, the odd boy who said he would meet up with him but who had vanished without a trace after the battle at the pyramid. He looked around but didn't see him, feeling somewhat disappointed as he had wanted to thank him in person.

He wondered where he had gone, recalling the look in Baihua's eyes, sure he had perceived something. But what exactly had he noticed? Was it recognizing him from the video on the forum, or was it something deeper?

It wasn't that Fang Hong was overthinking things, because each time he saw Baihua, he felt a familiar sensation. That erratic shadow, the waterfall-like long hair under the moonlight, the poised and tranquil elegance—with these, he alone understood what place they held in his heart.

Did Baihua and Miya have anything to do with each other? For a moment, Fang Hong didn't know whether he should look forward to or stay well away from an answer.

However, before entering the ruins, the group really did encounter a swindler selling supplies.

It was a fat man who pushed his glasses up with effort. The tiny lenses were disproportionate to his round face. He rubbed his hands together, appearing kind and benevolent as he said, "Come take a look, Olef's Healing Potions, of excellent quality and reasonably priced. Buy now and get 50% off the second bottle."

While speaking, he even took out a small green paper marked with 50% OFF and stuck it on the colorful vials.

Fang Hong and Tianlan, as if bewitched by the green paper, wanted to take out their money, but Atira dragged them back: "Have you gone mad? That's five times the price of supplies outside!"

"But," Tianlan wriggled like an eel in the Elf Miss's hands, "The second bottle is half off!"

Fang Hong nodded like a pecking chicken.

"All right, you two, off to the side," Atira said, annoyedly shoving the two aside, and watched with mixed emotions as the fat man counted money among the crowd—If she wasn't wrong, under the dazzling sunlight, the shadow of a cunning giant dragon was clearly looming behind the fat man.

The Elf Miss sighed. The green dragons had a pact with Goddess Ameya, and it was she, the Lord Goddess, who had bestowed upon her the ability to feel the Essence of Nature and Ether Magic Power.

She didn't know whether she should point this out—

Using Control Spells to make money was not exactly something that would sound good if spoken aloud.

"Goddess Ameya's reputation is being sullied by these damned dragons," Atira clenched her fists with a cracking sound: "During the Giants' War, the Lord should not have pitied them, falling for their sweet talk."

The entrance to the Trial Grounds was a long staircase that descended gradually.

The grandeur of the staircase created the illusion as if it stretched vertically into the deepest recesses of the earth. At the very bottom where mist lingered, even sunlight couldn't dispel the gloom. The brown rock that made up the stairs was cracked, covered with gnarled roots and ovate leaves of climbing plants, like a gateway to hell that had been lost to time.

It was with great difficulty that Atira, along with Reed and Xiesta, managed to drag a few who could hardly walk and were intent on going back to the 'half-price refill' away from that horrific money trap and towards the entrance.

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