Mark was confused. "What about you? Where are you going?"Everyone turned their gaze to Adrian."I'm going to continue the investigation. I have these Falconia lackeys from Exasword’s lands," Adrian said firmly.“Do you need any assistance, Mr. Adrian? These guys are despicable, and we have to contribute wherever we can," someone offered."Yes, we want to help,” another chimed in.Adrian simply waved and said, "That's not necessary. While eliminating Falconia’s base, we need to be vigilant about their potential retaliation against Exasword. Just focus on defending your positions.""Yes, I agree. Our duty is to hold our ground. That will naturally be a great help to Mr. Adrian," Mark said.Upon hearing these words, everyone nodded in agreement.After saying his farewells, Adrian set off. He knew the enemy was located in the vast desert to the southwest. If he wanted to find them, he had to enter the desert.Unfortunately, he had not found any useful maps inside the previous bas
Suddenly, Adrian spotted someone ahead of him. Although the figure was fleeting, it couldn't elude his gaze.Adrian hastened forward to investigate. As he drew closer, he observed that the person appeared to be sprinting, and their speed hindered his ability to see them clearly. He was not concerned though. His abilities and speed were formidable, enabling him to swiftly close the distance. He was eager to uncover any connection this person might have to the secrets he pursued.Before long, Adrian caught up and delivered a forceful blow to the person's back, causing them to stumble and collapse. Adrian swiftly restrained the person, rendering any attempt to flee futile. The person was now entirely at Adrian's mercy.Adrian sternly demanded, "Who are you? Why are you here?" Upon finally seeing the person clearly, he couldn't shake the chill from the sightThe person's appearance was far from ordinary. Despite being humanoid, he bore distinct features unlike those of humans. His arms
"Could you take me to your village?" Adrian inquired.However, the scaled man shook his head. "No. The villagers will kill you. They despise outsiders.""But I'm from Aethersphere, just like you. Moreover, I hail from Exasword," Adrian insisted."Nobodies cares if you're from Exasword or Westania. The people of my village only trust their own. To them, anyone else is a threat," the scaled man replied.Adrian found this very peculiar. Seeing as they considered everyone else a threat, he sensed there was more to this village than met the eye.Nonetheless, this scaled man seemed relatively agreeable. Adrian glanced at him and proposed, "In that case, why not show me your village? I'd like to verify the situation for myself.""What? You still want to go even after what I said?" The scaled man appeared puzzled, evident that he couldn't fathom Adrian's persistence.Adrian remained resolute. "Yes, I still want to see your village."Observing Adrian's determination, the scaled man sigh
After a while, they finally arrived at a dilapidated village that appeared as though it could crumble at any moment. But despite its decrepit appearance, the village was inhabited. Adrian noted numerous people bustling about, attending to their daily tasks, much like any rural community. However, as he entered the village’s confines, he sensed wary gazes fixed upon him. The villagers appeared distrustful of him."Nilson, what is this? Didn't I instruct everyone to refrain from bringing outsiders here?"A voice suddenly pierced the air. It was a coarse male voice that demanded immediate attention, and it certainly caught Adrian’s.Glancing toward the source, Adrian spotted a burly man. This individual sported long, coarse fur on various parts of his body, akin to a black bear. It was clear that this person had undergone genetic modifications too."Mr. Griz, this man isn't malevolent. I sense he's capable of aiding us in resolving our predicament," defended the scaled man named Nilso
Adrian sprinted swiftly through the desert wilderness, disappearing without a trace before long. He had delved into the depths beneath the sand after pinpointing an anomaly he had detected. He sensed the presence of another space hidden deep within this dark underground corner, which was undiscovered by anyone until now.As he descended, Adrian discerned that it was an underground fortress. Though buried for decades and showing signs of decay, the fact that this place was concealed so deeply underground was peculiar. There should have been defensive measures surrounding the base, yet Adrian encountered no obstacles upon entry. This stirred up an unsettling feeling within him. Even for someone as formidable as him, he knew discerning the situation here would be challenging.Adrian pressed onward to explore this subterranean world. He was determined to uncover its mysteries. After about ten minutes, he reached the deepest part of the underground expanse. Before him lay an exceedingly n
At that moment, Adrian heard voices."Why did the leader assign us this task?""Yeah, we've been researching alchemy all this time but haven't had any substantial results. Those test subjects always run into various issues. What's the purpose of this?"As these people talked, they walked toward Adrian's location, unaware that someone lurked in the shadows, overhearing their conversation."Maybe the leader is worried, but that's not our concern. We just have to do our job.”"Yeah, you're right."As they conversed, they didn't realize someone sneaking up behind them and launching an attack. Caught off guard, they were struck, feeling intense pain before passing out. After an unknown period, they woke up in a dark place. The surroundings were dim, with only a man standing before them, glaring at them sharply. Even in the darkness obscuring the man's face, the weight of his sent shivers down their spines. Clearly, this was no ordinary individual.Feeling a coldness settle in their h
Observing their reaction, Adrian pressed, "What's the purpose of this lab? Tell me or I'll break your legs.""You dare?! Don’t you know who we are?!"The captives doubted Adrian would follow through with his words. They had powerful backers, and harming them would mean opposing that force.They stared at Adrian coldly. "We don't care who you are, but if you dare hurt us, you won’t get away with it."To Adrian’s surprise, these people retained their superior sense of self, even in this tense moment. He smirked. "Such loyalty, but unfortunately for you…” He kicked one of the captives in the thigh, eliciting from him a sharp scream.The other captive was stunned. Neither of them had anticipated such actions from Adrian. It was clear now that his words weren't empty threats."Why you… You…” The captives, clearly frightened, hesitated, unsure of what to say.Adrian's gaze remained cold. "What? Want me to continue?" He raised his foot.Shocked and pale with fear, the captives pleaded
According to the captives, they were merely low-level workers who knew only that alchemy research was being conducted but were unaware of the specifics. However, they were certain that their superiors were searching for something within certain individuals or seeking out a particular type of person."A particular type of person? But you’ve been experimenting on humans, and as a result, created some half-human half-beast monsters," Adrian said."Yes, but those individuals are considered failures. They are not the outcome our leader desires.”After a pause, one of the captives looked up, adding hastily, "These are the directives of our superiors, not our personal opinions. We ourselves hold deep regard for the people of Aethersphere."It sounded like he was pleading for mercy, but upon hearing this, Adrian simply glared at the captives, visibly furious. "You hold deep regard for the people of Aethersphere? You mean you regard them as test subjects.”Unexpectedly, Adrian abandoned an