Free Web NovelChapter 228: Chapter 141: A Mission Forestalled (Part 2)
Pei Ze had his Oak Guardians, which were barely enough to defend the resource point. If they weren’t, he could always supplement their numbers after conquering it.
However, the slave teams for mining and smelting had to be prepared in advance.
As he was pondering this, a surprised voice suddenly called out from nearby.
"Pei Ze."
Pei Ze turned toward the voice and saw two familiar faces he hadn’t seen in a long time.
It was Colin and Jiang Rui, whom he had met when he first arrived in Red Maple City.
"Haha, Pei Ze, long time no see," Colin said with a wide smile.
Jiang Rui also greeted Pei Ze enthusiastically.
Compared to when they had first met, both were more enthusiastic toward Pei Ze, yet there was also a hint of restraint.
They had heard quite a few stories about Pei Ze’s exploits recently.
His solo destruction of Fortification No. 89 had caused quite a stir in Red Maple City back then.
It gave them a deeper understanding of Pei Ze’s strength and potential.
Seeing Pei Ze again, they were certainly surprised and enthusiastic, but they couldn’t help but feel the slight deference one shows to someone powerful.
"Long time no see," Pei Ze said with a smile and a nod. "Are you here to accept a mission too?"
Colin smiled and nodded. "Yeah, we just got back from a mission a while ago. After resting for a few days, we’re planning to head out again today."
Most Wizards who came to the Plane Battlefield were cultivation fanatics, either busy earning merit points or engrossed in Meditation and experiments.
Wizards who had lost their ambition and indulged in pleasure wouldn’t come to a place like the Plane Battlefield.
"What about you? Are you also here to accept a mission?" Jiang Rui asked.
Pei Ze smiled and nodded.
Jiang Rui’s curiosity was piqued. "What mission? Do you mind telling us?"
"The Secret Silver Resource Point."
Pei Ze didn’t hide it; not that he could.
The mission for the Secret Silver Resource Point had always been a focal point for many Wizards. Once someone accepted it, the news was bound to spread like wildfire.
Hearing Pei Ze’s words, Colin and Jiang Rui were stunned.
Jiang Rui said with a look of astonishment, "You joined another Wizard team?"
By now, Jiang Rui and Colin no longer had any thoughts of recruiting Pei Ze into their own team. After all, their strengths weren’t even in the same league.
They had only heard that Pei Ze always worked alone and never planned to join any team.
So, upon hearing that Pei Ze was going to attack the Secret Silver Resource Point, his first reaction was that Pei Ze had joined some powerful Wizard team.
But to their astonishment, Pei Ze simply shook his head and denied it.
"No, I’m going alone."
Jiang Rui and Colin froze, their faces filled with shock.
’Going alone to attack the heavily guarded Secret Silver Resource Point?’
’We know you’re strong, but this is just insane!’
’There are over a dozen Winter Frost Priests and hundreds of Legendary Knights there!’
’Unless a Second-level Wizard took action, who would dare to attack that place single-handedly?’
The two of them stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say.
Just then, Su Ya and Peng Yan, who had gone to accept the mission, returned. Both of them were frowning deeply.
"My lord," Su Ya said with a frown. "Someone else took the mission."
Pei Ze was slightly taken aback.
’Speak of the devil,’ he thought. ’Which unlucky fool took the mission?’
"Do you know who took it?" Pei Ze asked.
Su Ya hesitated. "A Wizard team. The leader seems to be named Xu Bo."
’Xu Bo?’
Pei Ze searched his memory but had no recollection of the name.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of Jiang Rui and Colin’s strange expressions out of the corner of his eye and asked directly, "Do you know Xu Bo?"
Jiang Rui and Colin exchanged a look before Colin finally spoke. "We don’t know him personally, but we’ve heard of him. He’s said to be a Level 1 Wizard who has reached the Crystalized stage, and he’s very powerful. Not long after arriving in Red Maple City, he gathered a group of Wizards from Red Lotus City and formed a team. To date, they’ve successfully destroyed four or five Turin fortifications, making him quite famous throughout Red Maple City."
"Also..." Colin paused, glanced at Pei Ze, and said in a low voice, "Xu Bo is Xu Ke’s cousin."
Pei Ze now understood their strange expressions.
Xu Ke was the Wizard Apprentice from a Red Lotus City Bloodline Clan who had died at his hands during the duel between the two cities.
’What a small world for enemies,’ Pei Ze thought, shaking his head.
At that moment, a sudden commotion rippled through the surrounding crowd.
News that the Secret Silver Resource Point mission had finally been accepted was spreading, sparking considerable discussion among the crowd.
A door in the corner of the hall suddenly swung open, and seven or eight Wizards walked out.
"That’s Xu Bo," Jiang Rui said, gesturing for Pei Ze to look at the man leading the group of Wizards.
The man was around thirty years old, with high-set brow bones and a gaunt face. He exuded a gloomy aura, and his features bore a fair resemblance to the deceased Xu Ke.
It was worth noting that among those following Xu Bo was the Wizard with dark red eyes who had secretly sized up Pei Ze before.
Pei Ze remembered Yan Dong saying that the man’s name was Lu Rong.
Just then, Lu Rong also spotted Pei Ze. He took a few steps forward, whispered something in Xu Bo’s ear, and Xu Bo’s gaze immediately sharpened, shooting toward Pei Ze like a sword.
He changed direction and walked over to Pei Ze, stopping two or three meters away.
His gaze swept over Su Ya and Peng Yan, and a flash of understanding appeared in Xu Bo’s eyes. He said coldly, "So you wanted to seize the Secret Silver Resource Point too."
"Just because you got lucky and took down one fortification, you think you’re so great? You actually want to attack the Secret Silver Resource Point alone?"
"You truly don’t know your own limits!"
Xu Bo’s words were like a bomb dropped on the crowd, instantly causing an uproar.
"Pei Ze wanted to attack the Secret Silver Resource Point too? And by himself?"
"For real? How dare he? Does he really think he’s a Second-level Wizard?!"
"The defensive forces at the Secret Silver Resource Point are way stronger than those at the fortifications. There’s no way a single Level 1 Wizard could take it down."
"Yeah, a team like Xu Bo’s might have a chance, though."
Listening to the surrounding chatter, a mocking smile played on Xu Bo’s lips.
Pei Ze acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing, his expression still calm. He replied with a half-smile, "If you don’t believe it, why don’t you just give me the mission and let me try?"
Xu Bo’s expression froze, and his eyes narrowed.
Seeing this, the Red-Eyed Wizard behind him quickly interjected, "In your dreams! If you fail to conquer the Secret Silver Resource Point and end up alerting the enemy, wouldn’t it be even more troublesome for us to take over?"
Pei Ze glanced at him, unfazed by the disdain in his words, and said with a shrug, "Then forget it. I can wait anyway. I don’t mind taking over your mission."
As soon as he said this, the gazes from the Red Lotus City Wizards behind Xu Bo turned hostile.
’Isn’t he implying that we’re bound to fail?’
Xu Bo said coldly, "Then it seems you’re in for a disappointment."
Leaving this remark, he shot Pei Ze one last cold glance, then turned and left with his people, quickly disappearing through the main entrance.
Su Ya looked at him hesitantly and said in a low voice, "My lord..."
"It’s not your fault." Pei Ze waved his hand, cutting her off, a slight smile on his lips. "This is fine too. We have someone to test the waters for us and wear down the resource point’s defenses. It’ll be much easier for us to attack afterward."
Jiang Rui and Colin looked at each other, nonplussed.
’What does he mean by that?’
Jiang Rui couldn’t help but ask, "Pei Ze, you think Xu Bo’s group will fail?"
"Of course," Pei Ze said with a smile.
Jiang Rui assumed Pei Ze was unaware of the strength of Xu Bo’s group and explained, "Including Xu Bo himself, his team has two Level 1 Crystalized Wizards, four Level 1 Liquidation Wizards, and three Level 1 Gaseous Wizards."
"Additionally, they have fifty Flesh Golems and eight Clay Golems. They also have a barbarian army of over five hundred, composed mainly of Grand Knights."
"Honestly, with a lineup like that, their chances of taking the Secret Silver Resource Point are quite high."
But to Jiang Rui’s surprise, even after hearing all this, Pei Ze still stuck to his opinion.
"We’ll just wait and see."
Jiang Rui grew even more confused and couldn’t help but ask for the reason.
But Pei Ze had no intention of explaining, only offering him a meaningful smile in return.
