Chapter 50: Deals and Choices

Qianye was in no rush, instead taking a moment to examine his surroundings.

This was a rather crude and somewhat rudimentary lounge, with walls adorned with beast heads, pelts, and swords. The items were hung in a somewhat haphazard manner, completely in the style of a werewolf tribe.

At this moment, William let out a long sigh and turned to ask, “How did it go?”

“Very well,” Qianye replied.

“Good to hear that.”

Qianye glanced at the map again, suddenly recognizing an icon that resembled the crest of a certain medium-sized vampire clan. This time, he noticed that the symbols similar to regimental marks seemed to represent a standoff between the vampires and werewolves. However, the situation for the werewolves was clearly not optimistic, as the vampires had already formed a semi-encirclement around them.

Qianye asked, “Something troubling you?”

William smiled wryly, “A lot, too much, so much that I don’t even know where to start.”

His gaze fell back on the map as he said in a somewhat despondent tone, “We werewolves are a race that respects our ancestors and traditions. A large part of our strength comes from the favor of our forefathers. But that doesn’t mean everything they did was right, especially after the Great War…”

Qianye listened quietly, not saying a word. Heritage or change, both were complex issues, and when it came to the level of a nation and a race, more political factors would be involved. Qianye was never good at this kind of thing.

On the other hand, as one of the four major races of the Evernight faction, the valiant werewolves were always the main force of the army. They were more intelligent than the arachne, less selfish than the vampires, and vastly outnumbered the demons.

William tapped the edge of the table, put away his worries, and regained his usual demeanor. He then took out a black token made of some unknown metal and handed it to Qianye.

“This is a token of our clan. With it, you can freely travel through the werewolf territories. Of course, a basic level of caution is still necessary, as there are still many tribes like White Claw.”

Qianye took the metal token and examined it carefully.

The token was about half the size of a palm, with a rough and uneven surface. On the front was a towering peak, and on the back was the werewolf totem. From the craftsmanship to the design, the token exuded the unique rugged style of the werewolves, with a hint of melancholy.

Casually, Qianye asked, “Did you resolve your dispute with the White Claws?”

Coldness seeped into William’s voice, “Old Walker has been the chieftain for too long, long enough to forget the reverence due to the ancestral spirits of the Peak of Peaks. If they want war, they will get it.”

Qianye looked up in surprise. William’s expression was now unfamiliar, and his typically Viking handsome features exuded a sharp intent.

Qianye flipped the metal token over a few times and said nonchalantly, “You’ve checked me out? What do you want from me?”

For William to give him a token, it wasn’t just for the convenience of travel. A human might never need to go to werewolf territories, and if one did, it was either for killing or trading. Therefore, this token also meant a trading route with the werewolves.

If William didn’t already know Qianye’s identity, how could he believe that a lone hunter would have the capability and need to trade with a werewolf tribe?

William chuckled, “I’m just a little curious about someone who annoys Old Ross. You have a mercenary company now, and you need money and resources. Trading with me would be beneficial for both sides.”

Qianye remained silent. Before William, he had never thought he could peacefully coexist with a dark race for several days. But trading was another matter; it wasn’t as simple as selling loot in the underground black market, nor could it be brushed off with a phrase of mutual benefit.

William picked up a scroll nearby and unrolled it, revealing a map of the Evernight continent. “It’s simple, just a small favor. When you fight those vampires, if you have the chance, look after the direct descendants of Marquis Ross. I might be able to provide you with some information.”

He paused, pointed to the area near Blackflow City, and continued, “Also, if you’re willing, there are over a dozen small werewolf tribes in this area. They can exchange medicinal herbs and minerals for your equipment. Of course, if you can provide custom-made equipment, it would be even better. The price will be very satisfactory.”

Qianye’s eyebrows furrowed even more.

Due to their natural limitations, werewolves were not skilled in crafting, while vampires were born masters of artistry. As for the demonkin, they were known for producing top-tier primordial energy equipment. By habit, werewolves preferred to rely on their physical strength, and equipment was often optional. If the werewolves had suitable equipment, their combat power would undoubtedly surge, which was not something Qianye wanted to see.

William suddenly patted Qianye’s shoulder, his blue-gray eyes fixed on him, and said in a relaxed tone, “Actually, it’s simple. You have complete freedom to do or not to do.”

Qianye thought for a moment and said slowly, “The first thing was something I would do anyway. As for the trade…”

William smiled, “You can decide after you meet them. Those tribes are relatively close to us and more moderate. However, just like here, you need to show enough strength when you meet them. Werewolves respect warriors, and that will make it easier for you to be accepted.”

Qianye nodded, but sighed inwardly. He suddenly thought of Song Zining, whose Ningyuan Group had trade routes with the dark races. How did Song Zining make his decisions when it came to trade?

William added, “I have some matters to attend to and plan to stay a few more days. You should stay a couple more days as well. There are always good things appearing in Gray City every day.”

“No, I don’t have much time. In fact, I’m preparing to leave soon.”

“Concerned about the battle on the Evernight side? There’s no need to worry; the war there is already over.”

Qianye was taken aback.

That was a war that swept across half of the Evernight continent, and there were signs that the Evernight Council had sent two-digit numbers of councillor-level experts to oversee the situation. According to Wei Bainian, the Empire had also deployed several mainline corps and nearly half of its elite corps to the Evernight continent.

Just the transportation costs alone were astronomical, and by common sense, such a large-scale war would take at least half a year to determine a winner. How could the war end so suddenly?

Seeing Qianye’s confusion, William smiled and said, “The old fellows of the Evernight Council seem to have started the war to find something. Now that they have a result, there’s no need to continue fighting.”

Qianye was initially incredulous at the first part, unable to imagine what could trigger such a large-scale and costly war. The second part, however, made him tense. “A good result or a bad result?”

William shrugged, “Of course, a bad result. Those old fellows are probably having a headache now.”

Qianye bade farewell to William.

William escorted him to the door and reminded him, “I don’t know why the Ghost Rope people are targeting you. I took care of two of them, and the third one looks like an accidental death by Zaren. But Ghost Rope has never left a job unfinished. Be careful.”

Qianye nodded and, without lingering, left Gray City directly, heading towards the Zhao family territory.

The journey to Yu City was almost along the border, and unlike the open mountains and fields, the activities of dark races and ferocious beasts were much more frequent. There were also many human hunters and adventurers, and in terms of danger, humans were no less threatening than the dark races.

Yu City, a significant town in the Zhao family territory, had a population of 300,000. Due to its geographical location bordering the dark territories and rebel lands, the city was a complex mix. The real danger might not be in the wilderness but within Yu City itself.

Qianye set out in the afternoon, and the night’s camp was uneventful. After another 43 rounds of Tidal Surge, he lit up the eighth node.

As Qianye was traveling, the situation on the Evernight continent suddenly became strange. Countless dark armies suddenly retreated like a tidal wave, even giving up some hard-won strategic locations easily.

The Empire found it difficult to discern the intentions of the dark races, and some bold and impulsive commanders couldn’t resist pursuing them. However, this time, the dark races no longer followed the previous rule of choosing a battlefield, and suddenly, multiple armies encircled and swallowed a recklessly advancing group army.

That was four elite divisions, all wiped out in less than three days, even before Duke Dingsuo, who controlled that direction of the battlefield, could rescue them. This loss put the Empire and the dark races on equal footing in the campaign, causing Duke Dingsuo and Marshal Luo Mingji to look extremely grim.

After this battle, the Empire became very cautious in their military operations, following the retreating dark armies, consolidating their positions, and gradually reclaiming lost territory.

In fact, the atmosphere on the dark race side was even more somber. In a castle near the front lines, over ten councillors gathered. Yet, the meeting had gone on for an hour without anyone speaking, letting the oppressive atmosphere spread.

After a long silence, a ghostly councillor finally spoke, his voice ethereal, “No new news yet?”

The standing spider demon marquis immediately stepped forward and respectfully said, “All search teams have arrived at the Beacon Continent as instructed and entered their designated areas. So far, there have been no reports of any discoveries. Among the search teams, Viscount Zaren of the Bane Clan was killed.”

A vampire councillor demanded harshly, “Zaren? How did he die?” It was a senior councillor, and his aura, like a thick black fog, even made the spider demon marquis step back.

The marquis hastened his speech, “We have found Viscount Zaren’s remains. It is said that he was tracking a suspicious human resembling a vampire deep into the mountains. The place where the viscount died was near the Zhao family territory, and from the condition of the body, he was killed by… Manjushaka.”

This statement instantly caused a stir in the meeting hall. Even the councillors, upon hearing the name Manjushaka, struggled to control their emotions, especially Gosuto.