The afternoon sun made the forest warm. Ji Yijun and his group walked along an intermittent forest path into the depths of the forest.
Ji Yijun took a deep breath, and the fresh air refreshed him. It would be great if he was just a traveler who went to the mountains to play. However, he soon put such thoughts behind him because the goblin shaman stopped and pointed to a high ground in the distance.
Ji Yijun looked carefully and saw that the high ground was backed by mountains and there were many thatched houses hidden among the trees.
"We are almost there, everyone be careful. Don't alert the enemy." Ji Yijun said in a low voice. He glanced at the others. The two mercenaries looked calm, while Ye Zi frowned slightly for some reason. Zhang Hong looked around and seemed a little uneasy. This man joined inexplicably, and he was very low-key along the way, unlike his usual behavior.
Ji Yijun came to Ye Zi and saw her staring blankly at the mountains in the distance, and asked, "Hey, what's going on?"
"Ah? It's okay. I always have a strange feeling after I walk near here." Ye Zi answered with some confusion.
"What does it feel like?"
Ye Zi thought for a while and said, "I can't explain it. It seems like a familiar feeling, as if... something in that mountain is calling me."
"It sounds so mysterious." Ji Yijun scratched his head, unable to understand what Ye Zi said. He waved his hand and said, "Hey, never mind. Maybe you'll understand after you go over and take a look."
Ye Zi nodded, but when she turned her gaze away from the distant mountains, she suddenly said in surprise: "Ji Yijun, look at the pendant on your chest."
Ji Yijun looked down and saw that the tracking crystal that Morey had given him had turned a light orange color. He pulled the crystal off his neck and looked at it left and right, not caring at all that the rope had left a red mark on his neck.
"Really! It's true, we finally caught up with that bastard. My guess was right, it was those bastards who attacked the goblin tribe." He held the crystal tightly in his hand, his handsome face slowly twisted, he paced left and right, leaving a string of messy footprints on the mud.
"Ji Yijun, are you okay?" Ye Zi asked.
"No, I'm fine. Very fine." Ji Yijun stopped in front of the goblin shaman, squatted down suddenly and said: "Quick, take us to the mountain, help me find those horse thieves, let me kill them!"
At this time, Zhang Hong came over and said, "Ji Yijun, I think if so many of us go over there, we might be discovered. Why don't we let Cole go over and take a look? A half-elf like him is much more familiar with the forest than us."
"I have to go by myself. We have already caught up with that horse thief, and I will not allow him to escape again." Ji Yijun flatly refused.
“Don’t try to be brave at the critical moment. I’m reminding you with good intentions because I don’t want you to ruin everyone’s business due to a moment of carelessness! Cole is good at hiding, and his bow and arrow never misses its target. No matter how you look at it, he is better than you…” Zhang Hong rattled off a lot of reasons.
Ji Yijun stepped in front of Zhang Hong, pointed at his nose and said, "Today I want revenge, and I have the final say on how to take revenge! Whoever dares to cause trouble for me, I will not let him have a good time, you better remember this!"
"You! You! You really take my kindness for granted!"
"Alright! Shut up!" Ye Zi couldn't bear to watch any longer. "I say it's best to let the goblins go for reconnaissance! They are familiar with the roads and are small in stature. Ji Yijun, Zhang Hong, if any of you are worried and want to go again, wait until they come back. It's settled!"
Ye Zi finished speaking and glanced at the goblin shaman. The latter nodded and said a few words, and the two slightly stronger goblins ran stealthily up the mountain.
Not long after, the two goblins returned, bringing with them a goblin with a bruised face. The goblin was frightened when he saw the appearance of Ji Yijun and his group of humans, and he screamed immediately. The goblin shaman scolded him a few times, and he stopped screaming, hiding behind another goblin and stealing a glance at Ji Yijun.
The goblin shaman stopped him and questioned him for a while, then said to Ji Yijun: "This guy is a survivor after the bandits broke into the village. The bandits used them as slaves. He said that the bandits left the village early in the morning with a lot of food and went into the mountains."
Ji Yijun asked anxiously, "How many bandits are there? Why did they go into the mountains?"
"About a dozen people went into the mountains to look for treasure." The goblin shaman said after a moment of hesitation.
"Treasure?!"
"Go further into the mountains from our village and over two hills, there will be a canyon. A few months ago, an earthquake occurred there, which collapsed half of the mountain and revealed the entrance to a ruin. Last month, a warrior from our tribe passed by there and found that at night, light often came out of the cave entrance of the ruins. We guessed that there must be some great treasure inside. Yesterday, a shaman apprentice told them this secret in order to lure away the horse thieves, and then this morning the horse thieves decided to look for the treasure to see if they could make a fortune." The shaman explained.
"Treasure?" Zhang Hong asked suspiciously, "This ruins didn't just appear. If there is any treasure, why don't you goblins go and take it? Why do you take it instead of letting these horse thieves who have only been here for a few days take it?"
"We sent some warriors to explore that place, but no one who went in came out again. I sent three groups of warriors in total, and after all of them failed, I gave up on that place. In the early years, I have traveled to many places with human adventurers. There are often many dangerous creatures and mechanisms in those ruins. If you are not strong enough, every expedition will cost you your life. These ruins are not something that our tribe can own. So I made a rule that no goblin is allowed to go there again." The shaman replied.
"So your people led the horse thieves over there, hoping to let them all die in there?" Ye Zi asked.
The shaman nodded and did not deny it, but he said: "Although my apprentice thinks so, it may not succeed, because our fighting power is very weak, and the creatures that can kill us may not be the opponents of those horse thieves. That's why they dare to give it a try."
"Huh, do you also want us to try our luck there? And then die in there?" Zhang Hong said dissatisfiedly.
"I just told you where the enemy is. As for what you do, it is not my place to interfere."
The goblin shaman made it clear that he had seen through Ji Yijun's determination to seek revenge. Even if there were numerous difficulties and dangers, how could they scare off a man who was determined to seek revenge
"Then there's nothing more to say. Let's chase them and kill them." Ji Yijun's plans have always been simple and direct.
"Isn't it too reckless to chase them like this?" Zhang Hong hesitated at this time. He originally thought that a group of experts on his side would chase and kill the two injured horse thieves. As long as they find the right opportunity, they can kill them before they open their mouths. But now these horse thieves have obviously gathered more subordinates. Not only did they destroy a goblin village, but they also ran into some dangerous ruins. In this way, the risk factor has obviously increased greatly. There is no need to fight them to the death. He opened his hand to stop Ji Yijun and said, "Captain Wang has sent a whole platoon to follow us. Why don't we wait for them and have a better chance. We have made marks along the way, and they will be here in an hour at most. Exploring the ruins will not be done in a short time, right?"
"If you want to wait, wait here. Ye Zi, let's go!" He waved to the goblin shaman, "You lead the way. As long as you take us to the entrance of the ruins, we'll be even."
"Wait, wait. Ji Yijun, you are such a reckless guy! It doesn't matter if you kill yourself, Ye Zi will also be killed by you!" Zhang Hong didn't dare to let them go like this. If Ji Yijun asked him the secret of killing Hong Lifeng, he would be finished.
"Thank you for your concern. I can take care of myself." Ye Zi said, and she followed Ji Yijun without hesitation.
"You are all crazy. You just rushed over without knowing the situation." Zhang Hong slapped his head and suddenly remembered the common persuasive jokes in romance dramas. He shouted: "Ji Yijun, don't you think about whether your father would be willing to let you take such a risk? If anything happens to you, your father in heaven will not be at peace!"
Hearing this, Ji Yijun turned around and smiled coldly, "Don't try to use your power to bully me. Don't think my old man looks like a good guy. He is never a coward. If he retreats when he sees me in danger, he will be so angry that he will jump out of the cemetery! Besides, it's useless to bring anyone out. I don't like to be controlled!"
Ji Yijun's words made Zhang Hong's face red with anger. Just when he was in a dilemma and was anxious, Cole came up and said, "Boss, why don't I protect you and follow you. Let Gameiro go back and lead the reinforcements quickly. With him leading the way, the people behind can at least move twice as fast."
"Well... can the four of us deal with those, those dozen or so horse thieves?"
"Ji Yijun and Ye Zi are both Dou Qi warriors, I am a magic archer, and you are still a magic apprentice. Even if the horse thieves are stronger, we can always block the entrance to the ruins and wait for reinforcements." Orvel lowered his voice, "Don't you just want to kill those two horse thieves? Maybe we can secretly kill them from a distance with magic and cold arrows."
Zhang Hong thought about it carefully, and it was true. Besides, wasn't the ruins dangerous? If he was lucky, the bandits might just die in the ruins and not be able to get out.
Hong Lifeng, Hong Lifeng, you have caused me so much trouble, you really deserve to die. After I handle this matter, I will never run away again, I would rather be unlucky in school. Zhang Hong thought with gritted teeth.
"Ji Yijun! Wait for me! Cole and I will go with you."