Chapter 284: The more, the worrier.

The dragon snakes that had been watching the battle from afar flew back, their wings shimmering as Zyra signaled to her team that it was time to continue the journey the moment Elfy said she was fine.

They had only taken a few steps before Neil’s voice cut through the damp air. "Wait."

Zyra paused, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade. "What now?"

"We’re coming with you," Neil said, stepping forward. "I can’t let you go in there alone."

Zyra instantly shook her head. "No. Absolutely not." To her, more bodies just meant more dead weight she’d have to babysit. "You don’t need to do this, Neil. Just stick to your own path and keep moving. Go find more snake eggs."

Neil shook his head. He grinned, looking both wicked and charming, voice dripping with playful arrogance.

"Listen, gorgeous," he began, every words smooth as velvet, "you think you are walking into a simple dungeon but you’re really walking into a death trap. I have been a hunter for many years, at least, more than you. I know my walls, my traps and shadows that whisper seductively but are actually dangerous. You just saved my life, so how can I let you go alone when my heart will remain behind, worrying for you? To follow you is not greed, like you might be thinking. I won’t touch your loot. What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a beautiful woman like you die when I could have died in your place?"

Zyra’s jaw almost dropped. Was this lunatic hearing himself?

Beside her, Bullet let out a rough scoff, crossed his arms, and rolled his eyes. "Ah, brilliant. Another human with a savior complex. Just what this miserable place needed."

Neil’s jaw tightened. He wanted to shout that it wasn’t about being a hero_ he was only doing this because it was her. But seeing the cynical glare from Bullet, he decided explaining himself was a waste of breath. Let them think what they wanted.

"What are you doing?" whispered the blonde female standing behind Neil, tugging on his sleeve. "Are you crazy?"

Neil brushed her hand away with a quick shrug. "Milly she saved my life....I owe her. Don’t question me. Don’t forget your place."

The woman pinched her lips tight, her face turning sour with irritation, but she fell back into line.

Bianca checked her time on the link band and tapped the glass impatiently. "Look, if we’re going to argue, can we do it while walking? Unless everyone here is eager to sleep in a cold dungeon tonight?"

Zyra let out a long, defeated sigh. Arguing with Neil was like talking to a brick wall. Giving up, she reached out to the system. Beauty, send insulated boots and toxin filtrators.

[Yes host. Materializing in your bag.]

She unzipped it, pulled out the sleek gear, and tossed the items directly at Neil’s group like she was feeding stray animals. "Here, I don’t need burdens." She was not giving them away freely, she was calculating.

Three of Neil’s men had died and three more had already taken their place. The man had shadow guards. Anyone that could afford shadow guards was important. Zyra had concluded that this Neil was the son a rich family from another nation. By the end of her mission, he would be an ally or an enemy.

"Whoa!" One of Neil’s companions caught a pair of boots, eyes wide with awe. "Cool! Did you get these at the black market as well?"

"Shut up and put them on," Zyra snapped, turning her back on them. "Listen closely: you are on your own. If something eats your face off, I’m not saving you. If you can, convince your boss not to follow me."

Neil just offered a cheerful, completely unbothered smile. He unfolded the map. "So, ma’am what exactly are we hunting for in there? A beast? An egg? A herb? A weapon? There is a rumor that...."

Zyra dragged a hand down her face and groaned. "Just close your mouth and follow quietly or my spear will do to you what it did to the Mad snake."

Neil shut his mouth but kept his grin.

*****

Hunter had encountered his own fair share of challenges, but right now, he was looking at the most annoying one yet.

A big, damp territory stretched out before them, sitting directly between his team and the only comfortable path toward the Ghost Mines. Behind him, the rough mountain peaks loomed like giant black teeth.

"Are we sure this place is clear?" Taylor asked, gently patting the head of Red Sun. The monkey leaned into his hand, letting out a satisfied yawn. "What if these cannibals have corrupted beasts hidden inside the mine?"

Hunter raised his wrist, tapping the polished gem on his link band. "Relax. If there were corrupted beasts around, the beasts would be bristling, and our link bands would be blinking purple like a bad festival light. See? Nothing."

Big Vince grunted, reaching up to slap the side of his helmet. He flipped a side lever, activating the built-in X-ray vision. "Well, the town looks almost empty," Vince said, his deep voice muffled by the metal. "Judging by the state of things, they must have been living here for a long time." The settlement was larger than most they had been to in the Wild lands.

Curious, the rest of the team activated their own eye-gear to look.

The glowing blue outlines revealed a bleak picture. Only a handful of ragged citizens were stumbling down the dirty streets, hunched over and coughing violently. Near the entrance, a frail woman carrying a wooden pail of well water wobbled for a second, collapsed onto her knees, and fell flat on her face.

Nobody even ran over to help her.

"Wait a second," Hunter muttered, his eyebrows knitting together. "Look at them. This is practically a ghost town, only a handful of people remaining. And they seem to be coughing an awful lot."

"A plague?" Tessi winced, taking a quick step backward.

"Probably," Hunter said, letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright, change of plans. We are going through the town since its practically deserted. Taking the long way around the canyon will add three days to our trip. But hear me now: absolute zero contact. Do not touch anything, do not talk to anyone, and if a stray dog sneezes on you, undress and abandon those clothes."

Nero grinned and gave a crisp salute. "You got it, Boss. Sneeze, get naked."

"I’m serious, Nero," Hunter deadpanned.

Armillo shook his head. "We should have come with those trucks, climbing the mountain would have been easier."

"And alert the cannibals_ smart move." Tessi said sarcastically.

The team pulled out their toxin filtrators and pushed them into their noses. Breathing in the clean, filtered air. Tessi distributed hazmat suits and everyone wore them over their armor. They drew their weapons and quietly began their approach into the sickly territory.