Chapter 241: Hollomgad.

The weather was undecided. It had gone from drizzling one second, to ice cold in another. The sky was heavy and bruised_ far from sunny, choked with thick, gloomy clouds that smelled faintly of rain that would later pour.

Zyra and Hunter stood on a thick branch of a sturdy old tree, staring at the town in the distance.

Hunter winced, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight. "Look at that place... It’s way too advanced for the Wild Lands. I wonder how many settlements like this are in this place."

The town was surrounded by a tall, thick fence reinforced with heavy bricks, topped with tall watchtowers and crawling with tight security.

Zyra crossed her arms, nodding slowly. "From the looks of it, this town hasn’t just been built overnight. It’s been here a long time. Their fence was built with sturdy materials; it was not broken by the floods. They must have some kind of Somnivore tech that protected them."

Hunter turned to her, his face serious. "Maybe I should go in alone first. I’ll slip in, see if the soul maidens are inside, and come back for you after confirmation."

Zyra glared at him immediately. "After you almost died in Rosewater? Absolutely not. We’re going in together."

"Fine, fine," Hunter muttered, raising his hands in defeat. "Together it is. I have such a caring wife, how can I complain?"

She rolled her eyes and leaped down, landing on her feet thanks to the boots. He followed, landing heroically in a mud pit. They stepped out into the open, walking toward the town’s perimeter, with their beasts lumbering closely behind them. The brick fence looked ridiculously sturdy, built with the kind of expensive material you could only buy straight from the capital.

And not just the capital, but the Mystic Sanctum companies. Currently, they were the leading companies for all construction needs in the world.

Suddenly, a crisp notification chimed inside Zyra’s mind.

[Warning Host: Multiple weapons are currently aimed at you.]

The System’s interface flashed in her vision, highlighting bright red targets in the watchtowers above.

"Hunter," Zyra whispered without changing her stride. "We’ve got weapons pointed at us from the towers."

Hunter gave a subtle nod. "I noticed. Keep calm. Don’t make any sudden moves that might be considered threatening."

Before they could take another step, the heavy main gates creaked open. A squad of armed men and women marched out, large blades and guns drawn. But as they approached, their hands were visibly shaking. Their eyes were glued to the beasts standing right behind Zyra and Hunter.

The Drake, standing tall beside Zyra, did not appreciate being pointed at. It huffed, hot air billowing from its nostrils, and violently clapped its heavy wings together.

A bright arc of raw electricity shot out from its wings, zapping the air and shocking the hands of the soldiers at the front.

"Agh!"

"Ow!"

The soldiers shrieked, instantly dropping their weapons into the dirt. Gasps erupted from the guards watching on the high walls.

"Who dares to attack my men?!" a loud, booming voice called out.

A middle-aged man rushed out from the gate, wearing gleaming iron armor and a surprisingly flashy crown that looked a little too small for his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing his brow in frustration before glaring at the duo.

"I am Tobias Ginger, Crown Keeper of Hollomgad!" he announced, though his nervous eyes kept darting toward the Drake. "Why have you strangers brought terror right to my doorstep with wild beasts?!" He had come out because reports had reached him of two strangers with two high level beasts. He had come out because he was worried they were there to loot.

It was not uncommon for bandits to visit this town. After a flood like this one, it was even expected.

Hunter stepped forward, looking entirely unbothered. "We didn’t bring any trouble, Mr. Tobias. Your men welcomed us with hostility first. Besides, these beasts aren’t wild beasts, they are our half-life beasts."

Tobias’s eyes narrowed. He looked at the huge drake, then at Zyra and Hunter, sensing the quiet, terrifying aura radiating from the two people. He quickly waved a hand at his men. "Lower your weapons! All of you, stand down! They say they come in peace."

He turned back to Hunter, his tone far more cautious. "Where do you strangers come from? Which part of the Wild Lands?"

Zyra put on her best innocent smile. "The North. We’re just looking for some lost friends of ours." She lied partly; Beast valley was in the east.

Tobias scoffed lightly. "A lot of people pass through Hollomgad every single day. Who are these friends?"

"Soul maidens, very easy to identify." Zyra said directly. At the same time, she was frowning. Was this the wrong town? She asked herself.

Tobias shook his head without missing a beat. "Soul maidens? Absolutely not. I know everything that happens on my land. If there were soul maidens here, I would know."

Hunter arched an eyebrow. "Mind if we step inside and check for ourselves, just to be sure?"

Tobias glanced nervously at the Drake, swallowing hard. "Fine, but your beasts stay_"

Before he could finish, Zyra and Hunter calmly opened their Beast Pockets. With a flash of light, the beasts dissolved into beams of energy and were sucked straight into the small bags on their backs.

The guards gasped out loud. Tobias stood frozen, his jaw dropping slightly. He looked far more terrified now than impressed.

Tobias cleared his throat, pulling out two wooden tokens. "Here. These are gate passes. These last for one hour. Exactly sixty minutes. After that, get out of my town."

Zyra took her token with a smirk. "Don’t worry. We’ll need way less than that."

"I’ll walk with you," Tobias insisted quickly, stepping beside them. It was obvious he just wanted to keep his eyes on these dangerous strangers.

Beauty, scan the entire settlement for soul maidens, Zyra commanded in her head.

[Scanning settlement... Please wait...]

As they walked through the bustling streets, Hunter quietly scanned their surroundings. He noticed a high wooden platform in the center of the square where bound individuals were on their knees.

His jaw tightened, but he quickly forced himself to look away. Not our business today, he thought. Focus.

Looking at the crowd, Hunter’s sharp eyes picked up every detail. Almost everyone here was burly, wearing heavy hunting gear, leather armor, or carrying cruel-looking blades and guns. The houses were sturdy, and the market was packed with strange, rare goods.

A mercenary black-market town, Hunter realized. This place is built on blood, plunder, and illegal trade. I would not be surprised if they engaged in human trade too.

Suddenly, the System’s voice echoed in Zyra’s mind.

[Scan complete. Zero soul maidens detected in this location.]