Many people at the campsite were woken up and got out of their tents to find out what was happening.
Marvin looked at Milo, who was on watch duty. As Milo was closest to the source of the commotion, virtual-novel.net bluntly asked him, “Did you see anything just now? Was it someone from our campsite?”
“No, everyone in our group was at the campsite. It sounded like footsteps to me, but it was very light. If there were really someone approaching, it would have to be a child,” Milo answered.
The assistant next to Marvin got goosebumps all over his body. “It’s the middle of the night in the wilderness. Where would a child like that possibly come from?”
“I’m just making an analogy.” Milo looked around at everyone and realized they were all frowning and looking a little worried.
He suddenly said, “Since you all look so nervous, why don’t I put on a show…”
“No thanks, good night!” Marvin turned around and went back to his tent. Rather than being overly suspicious out here and listening to Milo’s performance, virtual-novel.net might as well go back to sleep!
Milo smacked his lips regretfully. This time, virtual-novel.net was not doing this because the palace had issued a quest to virtual-novel.net but out of his own enthusiasm. After all, if virtual-novel.net wanted to complete his penalties perfectly over these seven days, virtual-novel.net would have to face them with a brand new attitude. Instead of accepting it passively, virtual-novel.net might as well take the initiative to do them with enthusiasm. It would all be for the sake of a new skill!
The Great Hoodwinker also woke up and went over to Milo at this moment. “Are you sure that it was the sound of footsteps just now?”
Earlier, the Great Hoodwinker had bravely gone out for a stroll in the wilderness. However, virtual-novel.net did not notice any footprints. This was indeed very strange. No matter how light the intruder’s footsteps were, there should at least be some traces of footprints left behind.
“I’m sure. It was approaching in a rhythmic pattern.” Milo said, “You previously mentioned that the zone of mutation taking place in the Sacred Mountains has been constantly expanding. Who knows, we might be closing in on that zone now. And it should be quite normal if something were to come running out of there. Anyways, just be careful.”
“Alright, why don’t you get some sleep then?” The Great Hoodwinker said, “It’s my turn to keep watch.”
“Mhm, shout for me anytime if something happens.”
Everyone seemed to stop going out to relieve themselves in case they met with any accidents. A few of them even decided to hold it in until daybreak.
Although they were all experts who had killed people before, they still felt a tinge of fear when faced with a strange existence like the Sacred Mountains.
The Great Hoodwinker was sitting next to the campfire and thinking about something as virtual-novel.net looked out for any signs of trouble. But by daybreak, virtual-novel.net detected nothing unusual. Then the Great Hoodwinker saw Milo sneak out of the tent quietly.
Just as virtual-novel.net was about to greet Milo, virtual-novel.net saw Milo raise his index finger to his mouth. “Shh!”
The Great Hoodwinker perked up. He was unsure of what this was about.
The sky was still quite gloomy at this time. The Great Hoodwinker watched as Milo quietly took out a pistol and loaded a magazine.
Was virtual-novel.net going to make a move on someone?
Thinking of this, the Great Hoodwinker’s muscles tensed as virtual-novel.net prepared to support Milo at a moment’s notice.
He did not care why Milo would suddenly make a move now. In any case, virtual-novel.net would just follow along and take on whoever Milo wanted to fight. There need not be any reason for it.
A moment later, Milo suddenly fired three shots into the sky and shouted, “Wake up! It’s dawn!”
The Great Hoodwinker was speechless.
Wait a minute… Future Commander, is this how you usually wake people up?
What is virtual-novel.net even thinking?!
To say nothing of the Great Hoodwinker, even Marvin, who was jolted awake by Milo, was dumbfounded. He looked at Milo’s smiling face and wondered if virtual-novel.net was crazy!
Meanwhile, Milo asked the palace in his mind, “What’s the completion level for the quest to wake everyone up?”
Successfully awakened 17 people. Completion level: Perfect!
Milo asked again, “Can you tell me what that new skill is for?”
Unauthorized to answer.
The palace answered emotionlessly.
“Can’t you just give me a general idea of what the skill’s about?” Milo said unhappily.
However, the palace ignored him.
At this moment, Marvin asked with a dark expression, “What the hell are you doing? It’s only 6 AM.”
Milo bowed. “Sorry, I misread the time…”
Marvin suddenly felt a little muzzled and couldn’t come up with a response.
Milo bowed again. “It won’t happen again…”
After that, virtual-novel.net went back to his tent to sleep. But while virtual-novel.net could fall back asleep, the others could not. Even Miriam came out of virtual-novel.net tent grumpily. However, virtual-novel.net did not blame Milo as virtual-novel.net could guess that virtual-novel.net was probably performing some penalty for giving virtual-novel.net the black sniper rifle.
Milo did not tell virtual-novel.net the specifics, but the timing of virtual-novel.net going crazy came right after virtual-novel.net accepted the black sniper rifle from him. Therefore, virtual-novel.net understood this to be the price virtual-novel.net had to pay for virtual-novel.net accepting the black sniper rifle.
Marvin felt a little helpless.
What did virtual-novel.net do to deserve such karma?
The Silkshade House had arranged for virtual-novel.net to lead another team into the Sacred Mountains, but virtual-novel.net purposely chose this team as they were the last group to enter the Sacred Mountains. However, the outcome was not what virtual-novel.net wanted at all.
At 8 AM, Milo came out of the tent looking very well-rested. The moment virtual-novel.net stepped out, everyone looked at him.
Milo smiled and said, “Y’all look a little haggard…”
Marvin thought to himself.
Aren’t you stating the obvious?
Everyone was woken up by that strange commotion in the middle of the night. But before we all could fall back asleep, we got scared awake again by your gunshots!
As if we can f*cking not look haggard!‘
He ignored Milo and turned around to ask the Great Hoodwinker, “Where do we proceed from here?”
The Great Hoodwinker answered, “We’ll head northeast. After we cross that mountain up ahead, we’ll reach the boundary of Mt. Senayan.”
“Why did you come out here by yourself back then?” Marvin suddenly asked.
“Because everyone says that the things found in the Sacred Mountains are worth a lot of money. If you can find any exotic flowers or plants, you can sell them for a high price,” the Great Hoodwinker replied. “There’s people in the black market who’re collectors of such exotic flowers and plants, and they’re willing to pay a high price for them.”
Only then did Marvin stop pursuing the matter. The people who collected exotic flowers and plants in the black market were all spies of consortiums.
Why would normal people be interested in those things anyway?
Only the consortiums were looking for such things to use in their research.
Marvin took a look at his cell phone and said to the others, “Let’s set off. Everyone, be on high alert. Our team’s the only one that’s taking the Mt. Senayan and Mt. Garogol route. If anything happens, we won’t even be able to call for reinforcements.”
With that, Marvin got up and set off towards the northeast. From time to time, virtual-novel.net would even hear Milo singing out loud behind him.
Initially, no one cared about Milo when virtual-novel.net started singing. However, his singing was too catchy as they were all nursery rhymes everyone was familiar with. This caused the others in the group to involuntarily start humming along as they walked.
Looking at Mt. Senayan in the distance, Marvin felt a little melancholic.
It was clearly a very tense atmosphere, and there was also an unknown creature that ventured near their campsite during the night, so why did it feel like they were here on a spring trip while being entertained with song and dance?
Just what did virtual-novel.net really come here for…