However, so far, this was just Xue Yi’s conjecture. And if he were right, it would only be more troublesome. Whether it was the Crystal Spiders or the Assassins, they were all titans on the scale of entire legions—far beyond what Qian Ye could handle at his current strength.
From another perspective, since Cui Yuanhai’s skills in firearm manufacturing had already been exposed, there was less need to worry about his safety. No force, as long as they were not mad, would kill such a master craftsman.
Seeing that Xue Yi didn’t have any more information, Qian Ye could only sigh and wait for an opportunity to search for Cui Yuanhai in the future.
At this moment, Xue Yi said, “There is another strange creature, show it to me; perhaps I have seen it before.”
Qian Ye took out a transparent shrimp shell from his backpack and placed it on the table, asking, “Have you seen this before?”
This was the armor from the large lobster that Little Zhu Ji had captured. Previously, Qian Ye had asked several people in the town, but neither the traveling mercenaries nor the passing merchants could identify it, having never heard of it.
However, upon seeing the shrimp shell, Xue Yi’s face changed drastically, as if he had seen a ghost. His voice trembled, “Is this… the Nightmare Legion!?”
It was a term Qian Ye had never heard before, but judging from Xue Yi’s reaction, he knew that the Nightmare Legion was not comparable to the Crystal Spiders or the Assassins.
Xue Yi’s hands trembled, and after a moment, he gritted his teeth and picked up the shell, examining it carefully. After a thorough inspection, his face turned ashen, and he muttered, “Yes, it is indeed the Nightmare Armor, the Nightmare Armor.”
Qian Ye waited quietly, and after a while, Xue Yi gradually calmed down. He placed the transparent shell back on the table and said, “Where did you get this? Could you tell me?”
“I got it by chance. But what is the Nightmare Legion?”
Xue Yi steadied himself and said, “The Nightmare Legion is a symbol of disaster, the beginning of destruction…”
After a lengthy explanation, Xue Yi revealed everything he knew.
In the Neutral Grounds, not only do the Eternight and the Empire’s outsiders wage war against each other, but the battles between the outsiders and the natives are unending. Throughout history, the Nightmare Legion has appeared twice, both times on the battlefields between the outsiders and the natives. At that time, countless bizarre creatures suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Many of them were unseen in the Neutral Grounds. Even those similar to known species seemed twisted by an invisible hand, making them eerily strange. However, these creatures were incredibly numerous, surging out of the void like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing the entire battlefield. Even the most elite legions could not withstand their onslaught, being overwhelmed in an instant.
When they left, no life remained on the battlefield. Tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides became corpses, their souls completely dissipated.
No one knew how the Nightmare Legion appeared, nor how they departed. On the desolate battlefield, the only trace they left behind was some peculiar, broken armor.
After the Nightmare Legion vanished, a powerful seer, who specialized in divination, used all his life’s energy to glimpse fragments of the battles, thus discovering the existence of the Nightmare Legion. Due to the horrific scenes, they were called the Nightmare Legion.
The appearance of the Nightmare Legion brought about a disaster to the Neutral Grounds. In the two great wars, both the outsiders and the natives gathered their most elite legions and numerous strong warriors, yet they were all destroyed by the waves of the Nightmare Legion.
Although Qian Ye had only recently arrived in the Neutral Grounds, he understood that this land was full of dangers. Every strong warrior was a cornerstone for expanding territory and a protector for the weak civilians. For example, in the small town where Qian Ye first set foot, without a fighter of Iron Bear’s caliber, it would be powerless to deal with the vicious beasts roaming the wilderness and the unpredictable disasters.
In the Neutral Grounds, a single fighter meant a new town, a new home.
Historically, the two appearances of the Nightmare Legion hit the outsiders particularly hard, nearly costing them three-quarters of their territory. Countless ordinary people perished under the unstoppable beasts and disasters. Endless borderlands were abandoned, and the people living there fled to the core areas. Without the protection of strong warriors, the migration route was paved with blood and flesh. Out of a hundred people who started the journey, only a few reached the core areas.
On this path of tears and blood, suffering knew no race. Whether human, vampire, werewolf, or spider demon, all were victims. Werewolves and spider demons, with their inherently strong bodies, should have had a higher chance of survival. However, the beasts of the Neutral Grounds preferred such strong prey, making the weaker humans less attractive targets.
After recounting the history of the Nightmare Legion, Xue Yi found it hard to calm down. He poured himself a large cup of strong alcohol and drank it in one go, feeling slightly better.
“As you said, the last appearance of the Nightmare Legion was hundreds of years ago. How do you know this is their armor?” Qian Ye voiced his doubts.
Xue Yi sighed and said, “During the second appearance of the Nightmare Legion, my ancestor was on the battlefield. In our ancestral home, there is a fragment of Nightmare Armor. It was a piece left on my ancestor’s body.”
Hearing this, Qian Ye looked at the transparent shell on the table, lost in thought. If the Nightmare Legion was truly so terrifying, how could Zhu Ji capture and easily kill that lobster?
Xue Yi regained his composure and said, “Can I buy this armor from you?”
“What use does it have?” To Qian Ye, the armor, aside from its unique material and lightness, had no remarkable features. Its defensive power was mediocre. Therefore, Qian Ye hadn’t given it much thought, treating the intelligent lobster warrior as nothing more than a curious creature.
“The armor of a common Nightmare Legion soldier is of little use. However, its appearance may herald a new disaster. I have a senior who excels in divination. I plan to show it to him and see if it foretells anything.”
Qian Ye nodded, “If that’s the case, then I’ll give it to you.” He didn’t want to get too involved with anything related to unknown disasters.
Xue Yi took out three black crystals and handed them to Qian Ye, saying, “If that’s the case, then consider the previous information as a free gift.”
Qian Ye accepted the black crystals without protest and left the tavern with Night Pupil.
Returning to the inn, Night Pupil asked, “What do we do now?”
“Let’s stay here for now. According to Xue Yi, the Crystal Spiders and the Assassins will soon be in the area. If the old man is with them, he will definitely come here as a camp follower. We’ll see the situation and find a way to save him.”
Night Pupil had no better ideas, so she nodded.
Qian Ye sighed. He had escaped to the Neutral Grounds, hoping to live a quiet life with Night Pupil until the end. But he didn’t expect it to be not only a non-paradise but even more cruel and realistic, with a harsher environment.
“Will there be any trouble from Xue Yi’s side?” Night Pupil was a bit worried.
“That man is indeed extraordinary, but he’s smart. He won’t do anything rash before he figures out our true intentions.”
The next day, Qian Ye noticed the atmosphere in the port city subtly becoming tense. More patrol officers were on the streets, and the city guards were constantly mobilizing, with key intersections being guarded.
At the end of a street, a sudden commotion broke out. A team of mercenaries, split between two trucks, drove towards the city. The trucks were battered, riddled with bullet holes and claw marks, and it was a miracle they were still moving. Most of the mercenaries on the trucks were covered in blood, and several lay motionless in the cargo beds, their fate uncertain.
They didn’t stop, driving straight towards the governor’s mansion. The city guards attempted to intercept them, but someone on the truck showed a token, and they were allowed to pass unimpeded.
Their passage caused a significant stir. From the people’s discussions, Qian Ye learned that this mercenary group was quite famous in the area. Originally, they had over a hundred elite soldiers, but now, the two trucks combined carried no more than thirty. Moreover, in Qian Ye’s view, there was only one fighter among them, barely at the entry level, and their level twelve captain was nowhere to be found.
It seemed the mercenary group had been utterly decimated.
Before long, more hunters and adventurers rushed into the port city, all injured, with some collapsing at the city gates, unable to rise. As if setting a precedent, more adventurers and mercenary hunters returned to the city, all covered in blood.
This was not a common sight. As Qian Ye frowned, a piercing alarm sounded, echoing across the entire port city.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. A voice outside said, “Is Mr. Zhao here? The governor requests your presence!”
Qian Ye was taken aback and opened the door to see a tall, thin man standing there, exuding an indescribably sharp aura. Several others followed behind him.
The tall, thin man’s gaze was as sharp as a sword, and he sized up Qian Ye, saying, “Mr. Zhao, the governor has heard of your great talents and is very pleased. He wishes to invite you to the governor’s mansion for a discussion.”
“Governor Su?”
“Indeed. If it’s convenient, please come with me. The governor is busy, and it might be inconvenient to keep him waiting.” The tall, thin man had a hint of arrogance, and a trace of hostility in his eyes as he looked at Qian Ye.
Qian Ye knew that the governor of the port city, Governor Su, maintained his independence among the Wolf King, the Spider Emperor, and the Moonlight White Devil, not just through political acumen but also through his extraordinary personal strength. It was said that his origin force cultivation had surpassed the Heavenly General’s threshold, allowing him to navigate among the three major powers.
Why would such a significant figure in the Eastern Sea suddenly take an interest in Qian Ye, who had changed his name?
After a brief thought, Qian Ye said, “Alright, I’ll come with you.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage