Black Hearted Mage

Chapter 141 Murder and Robbery 4

Caesars hid far from the camp, behind a massive volcanic rock, finding a relatively safe and secluded corner. Here, quiet and peaceful, he could close his eyes in peace and drift into a sweet dream. Meanwhile, the loyal black snake dutifully stood guard, vigilantly observing the surroundings and keeping watch for Caesars.

As the first rays of morning light pierced the clouds and shone across the land, Caesars slowly awoke from his slumber. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, pulled out a sophisticated magic telescope from his interspatial ring, and observed the movements of the distant Golden Viper Mercenaries. He saw that the mercenaries, once gathered together, had now split into two groups, one heading north, while the other chose to follow the lava river eastward.

Upon closer inspection, Caesars discovered that the group heading north was relatively small, roughly estimating only forty or fifty people. More importantly, there seemed to be no wounded among them, indicating that they were moving at a very fast pace.

In contrast, the group heading east seemed to be stumbling. This group consisted of over a hundred people, but among them were twenty or thirty wounded, severely slowing down the entire group's progress.

Before long, the group heading north gradually approached the volcanic rock where Kaisas was hiding. Sensing the approaching danger, Kaisas dared not delay even a moment. He quickly cast an invisibility spell, completely cloaking himself in shadow. At the same time, he diligently restrained his own magical fluctuations to avoid detection.

The approaching group included seven or eight skilled magicians, and the remaining thirty or so were nimble hurricane warriors and agile archers. Watching the mercenaries hurried past, Caesars was so nervous he dared not even breathe. Only when he was sure they were far away did he gently relax his tense body and let out a long breath.

"Saint Paul, these damn guys are divided into two teams. This is difficult. Which team should we chase?" Caesars asked the black magic snake beside him in a low voice.

The black snake only let out a slight hiss in response. It smelled prey and pointed its nimble tail at the retreating team.

"There's a great magician among them. It won't be easy to kill him!"

Suddenly, Caesars slapped his forehead, as if remembering something. "I almost forgot. The elven elder gave me a powerful alchemical bomb, just in case it blew them into pieces, making it hard to find the storage ring!"

Watching the retreating mercenary group, Caesars began to estimate their movement speed. They were using buffs like Swiftness, so at this rate, they could cover thirty miles an hour, which would mean at least two to three hundred miles a day.

"These damn magicians are forcing Master Caesars to keep up with them even under the scorching sun. Otherwise, if they walk all day, I won't be able to catch up even if I chase them all night!"

The feared black demon snake was grabbed by Caesars and roughly thrown into his slightly worn backpack. At the same time, high-level magic crystals were added to the ice array and placed into the backpack. Precious elemental crystals needed to be used prudently, as the future was foreseeable, with more intense and brutal magical battles to come.

Under a blazing sun that seemed to melt everything, a lone figure clad in an animal-skin cloak hurried forward. The intense heat caused the air above the ash-covered ground to violently distort, and even objects that had previously been clearly visible in the distance now appeared grotesque and distorted.

At this moment, the black snake, which was supposed to be staying quietly in the backpack, actually sneaked out. It was extremely dissatisfied with the low temperature emitted by the ice array and enjoyed the scorching sun outside the backpack.

It's worth noting that the Golden-Eyed Black Demon Snake is a dark-type creature during its eugenics period, but as time passes and it continues to grow and develop, it has a high probability of awakening fire-type abilities. Unfortunately, even if it successfully awakens its fire talent, its flame power is still relatively weak compared to the naturally powerful dark-type, far from being comparable to the dark.

Rodman had returned to the crater and handed the fire flower to Crassus. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, the other party suddenly called him.

"Rodman, take these bottles of physical enhancement potion. Your physique is a little weak, so you can only take one bottle every six months!"

Rodman was a little flattered. The half-elves' potions were distributed to them by thorn flowers, and the elven elders would never give them potions directly.

"Crassus, give him a few more bottles, his mother needs them too." Old Ethan said suddenly.

"Okay, at least there are a few more bottles of potion!"

After Rodman got the potion, he thanked the elf elder profusely, which made the three old elves a little uncomfortable.

"Rodman, get busy!"

After sending Rodman away, the three elderly and wise elves paused to gaze at the clusters of high-quality, brightly colored magical plants that resembled burning flames. The faint fragrance they exuded, accompanied by the element of fire, filled the air, bringing a sense of peace and joy.

After a moment, the old elves withdrew their gaze, exchanged a satisfied look, and then turned and walked slowly and steadily towards the magic tower. This towering magic tower stood quietly on the land of the crater like a mysterious fortress.

Far away in the southernmost reaches of the Roland Empire, two massive armies stood in formation. Clad in sturdy armor and armed with sharp weapons, the soldiers stood in neat rows, forming an impenetrable defensive line. Vast quantities of precious and rare magical materials were being delivered continuously, piling up like mountains. However, the crucial Fire Crystals were yet to be gathered, forcing the entire battle plan to be put on hold. But everyone knew that the time for the assault on the mines was nigh.

Elite assassins dispatched by the Empire's Eagle Eyes have long been lurking around the borders of the Roland Empire. Like ghosts, they stalk the mountains and forests, vigilantly watching for every sign of trouble. Any suspicious spies who come within their sight will be ruthlessly eliminated. In this tense situation, even the slightest suspicion will not escape cold-blooded execution. These are critical times, and there is no room for negligence. It would be better to kill a thousand innocents than to let a single enemy who could threaten the Empire escape.

"Why are the people of the Roland Empire so reluctant to launch an attack?"

At the Bitterwater Farm on the border of the Saint Laurent Empire, a middle-aged man in ornate aristocratic robes frowned as he stared at the rough animal hide map before him and muttered to himself. This man was the imposter, Earl Soren, a treacherous, cunning, and ruthless man.

"Count Soren, the entrance to the stone mine is too small. Two legions can't attack at all. They can only enter in batches!"

The speaker was Earl Garlon, whose only heir died in the Northland Tower, bitten to death by a golden-eyed black demon snake.

"What I want is for them to enter the mine in batches, but now they are surrounding it without attacking. I am a little confused!"

In Earl Solon's mind, the stone mine has always been the most hidden and the most heavily guarded, and it is impossible for outsiders to sneak in. Although Earl Garlon has been into the mine, he has no idea of ​​the shocking secrets hidden in the mine.

Earl Soren was a clever man, but his cleverness backfired. He believed the mines were well-defended and impenetrable. Little did he know that two elves had entered and uncovered every secret. If the elves had not refrained from interfering in human affairs, Earl Soren would have been the first to die.

"Sauron, something terrible has happened! There are several assassins lurking around the Bitter Water Farm, and everyone entering and leaving the farm has been assassinated!" A man in a priest's robe hurried into the small living room, panting.

Bitter Water Farm is the territory of the Church of St. Laurent. It is a training camp for ascetics and a place for priests and priests to practice. People come in and out every day.

"Assassins? The border is already heavily guarded. How did they get into the Saint Laurent Empire?" Earl Soren asked with some confusion.

"I got some news. The mercenary guild has issued a mission. As long as you kill anyone who enters and leaves the Bitter Water Farm, you will get 100 gold coins for each head. I heard that the two major assassination organizations have also accepted this assassination mission!" Earl Garlon said.

Count Garlon possesses two well-trained falcons, which serve not only as his hunting companions but also as a crucial tool for maintaining close contact with the outside world. With this unique tool, Count Garlon is able to establish contact with the people of the Roland Empire and obtain important information from the outside world.

Upon hearing this news, Earl Soren couldn't help but frown. The Roland Empire's recent actions had far exceeded his expectations. Faced with such a complex and volatile situation, Earl Soren began to harbor doubts about the Pope's decision. He pondered, "Perhaps the Pope's decision this time is indeed a bit hasty..."

Amidst the vast expanse of the volcanic region, the sun blazed fiercely, the heat unbearable. Caesars had been running continuously for a full day under the scorching sun. He was panting, yet his heart was filled with anger and resentment. Not far ahead, those damned magicians were desperately fleeing. To stay alive, they had consumed multiple doses of alchemical potions to maintain their strength, sustaining their frantic run.

The long day finally passed, the sun set, and night gradually fell. As the sun slowly sank behind the mountain, the fleeing group ahead finally stopped their exhausted pace. Seeing this, Caesars breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly pulled a soft animal hide from his backpack and spread it flat on the still-scorching ground. He collapsed to the ground as if exhausted, and then lay down on the hide.

At this point, he was still about two or three miles away from the Golden Viper members. Fortunately, it was already late, so as long as he didn't rashly light a bonfire and expose his position, no one would be able to detect his presence in the pitch-black night.

Not far ahead, the members of the Golden Viper Mercenary Group sat slumped on the ground, their faces exhausted, breathing heavily. After a long journey, they were completely drained, as if their bodies had been hollowed out. They weren't allowed much rest. After a few moments of adjustment, the mercenaries gradually forced themselves to stand.

The panting, sweating magicians were even more anxious. They kept urging their mercenaries to quickly build tents for them to rest in. The tents used by the magicians were not only large in size but also very heavy. It took eight or nine strong mercenaries to work together to successfully set them up.

Accompanied by shouts and bustling figures, the mercenaries, after much effort, finally erected the massive tent. Meanwhile, the magicians, without pause, began to set up a complex and mysterious defensive array around the tent's exterior. Laudenor produced dozens of flares and distributed them to each mercenary.

"Everyone, listen up! Follow the same defensive deployment as during the previous Salamander hunt. Half the personnel will rest and recover their strength, while the other half will immediately begin night defense duty!" Laudno barked the order. He then pulled out several bottles of precious vitality potions and handed them to the leading mercenary.

At that moment, Caesars sat leisurely on a large rock, chewing a delicious, sweet pastry with relish, occasionally sipping the cool water from a nearby canteen. An exquisitely crafted magic telescope sat beside him, allowing him to observe the camp ahead.

Looking at the busy magicians and mercenaries, Caesar couldn't help but curse: "These damn magicians not only set up defensive magic circles, but also set up traps, and even had people set up crossbows outside the tent. They are trying to shoot Master Caesar like a fire lizard!"

The defenses outside the magician's tent were formidable. Two magic steel shields stood beside the crossbows, protecting the mercenaries on night watch. Outside, a defensive magic circle formed the outermost layer, and mercenary traps were laid. These traps were clearly designed to deal with the golden-eyed black demon snake.

Seeing all this, Caesars took out a small flame viper and threw it to the black magic snake next to him.

"Saint Paul, eat. I want to get a good sleep tonight, and then I'll go scare them in the early morning!"

The black magic snake seemed to still be obsessed with the lightning mouse. It raised half of its body and looked towards the east for a while before lowering its head and biting the short and thick flame viper.