Chapter 131: Open Spears and Hidden Arrows

The three greatest warriors of Frostfall City and the top fighter from Torrent City had come to the Minotaur encampment.

They ate half a basin of egg fried rice in the Minotaur camp’s kitchen.

Then... they left.

Meng Qi swore that this was the most absurd thing he had ever seen in his life. The look of suppressed rage on the four men's faces as they departed nearly made him burst a blood vessel trying to hold back his laughter.

"Brother Ye, tell me about it. If you don't explain, I won't be able to sleep tonight."

After seeing the guests off for Ye Ran, Meng Qi returned and ran straight to the door of Ye Ran’s thatched hut.

Ye Ran was sitting at the entrance, polishing his massive Cleaver spear. He treasured this weapon dearly and wiped it down twice every day.

Ye Ran didn't keep him in suspense. "You want to ask why I hosted them so poorly despite their special visit?"

Meng Qi almost laughed out loud.

Calling it "poor hosting" was an understatement; it was shabby to the extreme.

"That was just my little joke," Ye Ran said. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I’ve always eaten egg fried rice, so it’s not as if I mistreated them. Besides, I was afraid that if I treated them too well, it would be easy to invite the gods but difficult to send them away."

Meng Qi chuckled. "Brother Ye, why have you become so mysterious? I don't understand the meaning behind your words at all."

Ye Ran smiled and shifted the topic. "This meeting was pre-arranged. Little Meng, do you know what they’ve been doing these past few days?"

Meng Qi shook his head.

"Giving Luo Ning a hard time—the more excessive, the better," Ye Ran said.

He spoke plainly, but Meng Qi turned to look at him with a stunned expression.

"Brother Ye... you were the one who told them to..."

Ye Ran nodded. "I asked them to do it. Under the pretext of investigating the fake Vampire Relic, they are to make things as difficult for her as possible."

Meng Qi’s jaw remained agape for a long time.

He had only conversed with Luo Ning once, and that time, both he and Ye Ran had returned empty-handed. The intellect Luo Ning displayed made him incredibly wary.

She had the mysterious Island of Slaughter backing her. He had assumed Ye Ran would avoid her at all costs, but instead...

"Brother Ye, I don't understand..."

He felt he was finding it increasingly difficult to see through Ye Ran.

Ye Ran traced the shaft of his Cleaver spear and countered, "Who do you think is the mastermind behind the Vampire Relic incident?"

Meng Qi shook his head. "How would I know?"

Ye Ran said, "I don't know either—not yet. That person operates in secret, leaving no traces behind. Perhaps no one will ever know."

"Little Meng, this world is not one where good always triumphs over evil, is it? That kind of talk is just to deceive children; adults don't believe it. Some people can commit every evil act imaginable and never face punishment. There is always darkness hiding in corners that can never be driven away."

"Brother Ye..."

He understood Ye Ran's words even less now.

"Who that person is doesn't matter to us. What matters is that whatever he can do, I can do as well."

Ye Ran suddenly gripped the Cleaver spear, a shockwave of internal energy rippling from his body, his long hair flying upward.

Meng Qi clearly felt the terrifying, murderous aura radiating from him, and he felt as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar.

He didn't know when the gap in their power had grown to such an extent.

"Brother Ye, I still don't understand what you're saying."

"That person toyed with everyone using three fakes. Anything he can do, I can do better. Bei Yuming, Luo Ning, Delis, the Dwarves, the Elves—everyone in the Ipo Evil Land is on the list..."

"Little Meng, you will understand soon enough."

...

Before dawn the next day, the representatives sent by the Elves and the Dwarves arrived at the Minotaur encampment, each group pulling a cart full of goods.

The Dwarves sent Pado, a fierce warrior, who brought two other dwarves and a cart filled to the brim with gold coins.

Pado explained that this was a "deposit" from Chief Dodoro to thank Ye Ran for driving away the two jackals from Torrent City. From now on, for the next year, the Dwarves would purchase iron ore only from Ye Ran, and they promised to nominally recognize the temple Ye Ran was about to build.

The Elves sent Ophelia and Robin. The Elves were much more generous than the Dwarves; in addition to the gold coins—which they considered dreadfully tacky—they also brought precious agate, diamonds, and crystals. The Elf King, Cecil, also promised to nominally acknowledge the temple.

"Please convey my gratitude to King Cecil," Ye Ran said after reading the letters from both tribes. "And to Chief Dodoro. Ye Ran will always be a friend to the Elves and the Dwarves."

"You are too kind, Brother Ye. We Dwarves are very happy to befriend a warrior like you," Pado replied.

He had always admired Ye Ran, and since Ye Ran had acquired the Cleaver spear and driven away the detestable mercenaries, he had become a savior-like figure in the hearts of the dwarves.

Ye Ran smiled. "I am sure you are aware of the letters I wrote to Chief Dodoro and King Cecil. Please stay here for these three days. After three days, I will fulfill my promise and join the coalition of the Ipo Evil Land to drive out the strange species and the Life-Makers from the New Species Forbidden Zone."

Pado had no objections.

Robin and Ophelia nodded as well.

They had all received orders from their respective tribes to follow Ye Ran’s lead for these three days. Although they did not understand the underlying reasons, they all trusted this human.

The Minotaurs moved all the gold and jewelry into the warehouse. Ye Ran and Meng Qi counted them: 50,000 gold coins in total, with other treasures worth over 100,000 gold. It was barely enough to build a small temple.

For the next three days, Ye Ran often sat at the door of his hut, polishing his Cleaver spear, occasionally glancing at the entrance of the Minotaur camp as if expecting someone.

He was indeed waiting for someone. At first, he appeared calm and indifferent, but as time passed, his brow furrowed, and he grew restless. He had made many preparations; if that person did not come, it meant he had lost his gamble, and all his previous deductions would have to be scrapped.

On the evening of the third day, just as Ye Ran finished polishing his spear and intended to go inside, a young girl in black leather walked into the Minotaur camp humming a tune. She headed straight for the hut to find him.

"Ta-da! Look, what’s this?" Delis flicked her handkerchief, and like a magic trick, she produced a letter.

Ye Ran’s furrowed brow finally smoothed out. He took the letter, read it carefully, and a smile appeared on his face. He gripped his spear tightly and said, "Notify everyone. It’s time to move."

"Bingo!" Delis held up two fingers. Her handkerchief expanded into a black cloth, and she vanished beneath it.

Ye Ran turned and opened the door. Freya was sitting on the bed, drawing.

"Freya, when I return, I will build you a temple—a temple that belongs to you."

...

At the southern end of the Ipo Evil Land, several figures flashed by, racing toward the north.