388 Advance Party

"Emendas, are you kidding me?" Harvey laughed coldly. "You should be clearer than me why the Adventurers are going to the Blackstone Mountains. What's so hard in letting a few others die? If you're giving me this excuse, does it mean you think I can't do anything to you since you know my brother?"

"Sir Harvey!" Emendas exclaimed after he opened his tired eyes wide. The calm atmosphere turned tense at once, and although his voice was not loud, it carried a definite and firm tone. "You drank too much."

"I'm…" Harvey was surprised by that Archmage who suddenly got very serious. "I… I was only joking…" he said softly.

"Some things are not to be joked about," said the Archmage as he closed his eyes again. He had a very composed and relaxed expression as if nothing in the tent concerned him.

Due to the shock from Emendas' sudden reaction, Harvey lost his interest in reprimanding him. Then, he left with Hahn and Granger.

After watching the three men leave, Emendas sighed in relief. He picked up the map from the coffee table and started to discuss with Jason when they should depart.

"Brother Jason, I'm thinking of reorganizing my team before we set off. You know, we met many kinds of trouble these few days. We even got attacked by the poisonous Strigid Gryphons this afternoon, and lost dozens of brothers…

"Actually, we still have sufficient time. If we set off after lunch, we would have the entire afternoon to go through the Scar of Death…"

"Oh…" Jason nodded distractedly. Although his eyes were fixed on the map, his mind was occupied by the conversation between Harvey and Emendas.

Could the Felic they were referring to be… that Felic?

The thought of it made Jason laugh at himself. How could it be possible? How could that young mage be willing to become an Adventurer who worked for money? Alright, even if the world had gone mad, and that young mage really became an Adventurer, who would dare to employ him? Not to mention the Malfa Family, even if it was Felan's royals, no one would have the means to hire a mighty man who could kill a Humerus Wyrm…

In fact, he even had a Lich as a servant…

Moreover, Jason knew very well that this young mage definitely had a very powerful background…

After he returned from Syer Town's ruins, Jason tried to ask around to find out more about Felic's identity. Coincidentally, he had a friend from his hometown who was also an Archmage in the Alanna Guild of Magic. Thinking that his friend should know some relevant information about Felic since he was a mage as well, Jason attempted to meet up with him when he returned to the hometown for a visit.

However, he did not expect that mentioning Felic's name would cause his friend to open his eyes widely and question Jason how he knew of that freak…

After Jason told his friend about his encounter at the Syer Town ruins, he was stupefied. He stared at Jason for quite a while before exclaiming, "I can't believe you're still alive!"

Then, that friend started to talk with Jason about the magic trial at Alanna Guild of Magic, where he witnessed the craziest mage apprentice in history…

Jason's mouth was open wide when he heard about the happenings at the Alanna Guild of Magic. Although he had seen Felic slay a Humerus Wyrm, and how a Lich was his servant, Jason could not imagine there could be such an extraordinary human…

When the friend finished his story, Jason also secretly wiped off his cold sweat. Looking back, when he was at the ruins of Syer Town, his discussion with Sienna was as good as committing suicide. It was fortunate that nothing happened afterwards. Otherwise, the rage of Felic's mentor, the Legendary-mage Andoine, would be enough to burn Sienna and himself into ashes.

"I believe you have heard about the Sanctuary-realm mage, Apophis, one of the three arbitrators in the Supreme Council? I heard that the old man had been living in the Tower of Dusk for half a month…" That was a vital clue about Felic's background, which Jason's friend gave him before he left…

Who would dare to employ such a man as an Adventurer?

"Oh, yes. Emendas, regarding the Felic you were talking about…"

"Felic?" Just mentioning the man gave Emendas a headache. He massaged his temple and sighed helplessly. "He's just an unlucky mage who offended Sir Harvey for God knows what reason. Now, Sir Harvey has been nagging at me all day to get rid of him in the Blackstone Mountains…!"

"Mage?" Jason's heart skipped a beat. What were the odds for this name to match this occupation? "How old is he?" asked Jason frantically.

The frustrated Emendas did not notice Jason's unusual expression. He frowned and tried to recall Felic's particulars. "If I'm not wrong, he is around 20, with black hair and eyes. He seems to be very cheerful, and is very polite when he speaks. I really don't understand how he offended Sir Harvey…"

"Damn…" Jason gasped. He knew it meant trouble.

A man that is 20 years old, has black hair and eyes, is always smiling and speaks politely… Which other Felic can he be?!

"Brother Jason, what's with you?" Emendas asked. He wanted to continue their discussion on the reorganization of troops, but noticed Jason staring at him blankly as though he had been possessed.

"N-nothing, nothing…" Jason could not sit still anymore. "Apologies, Emendas, I suddenly remembered I still have tasks at hand. I will take my leave now. As for the reorganization of troops, you can settle it yourself. I have no opinion on that…"

Then, Jason left the tent in a hurry.

At the same time, Lin Li was frowning in his tent.

Lin Li heard everything about the conflict that happened inside Granger's tent through the evil spirit. He was not surprised by the reason behind Harvey's desire for his death. He knew that only a moron like Harvey could've thought of getting rid of himself in order to get closer to Rina…

But, Lin Li was still very curious about that Archmage.

He understood that although Harvey was a idiotic man, he was still the second young master of the Malfa Family. This reason alone was sufficient to let him do anything he wanted in many places. Now that he even lashed out at Emendas… What could Emendas' background be to let him reprimand Harvey like that?

"Master, Harvey had his men call upon Johnathan…" Just when Lin Li was still at a loss, he suddenly heard Ujfalusi's voice. His servant had been spying on Harvey with the evil spirit.

"What?" Lin Li stood up. "Why did he look for Johnathan?"

"It seems that…" Ujfalusi hesitated. "It seems that he wants Johnathan to bring an advance party into the Scar of Death…"

"Whose idea is that?"

"Hahn's."

"Goddammit…" Lin Li cursed angrily.

The Scar of Death was a place filled with danger. Not to mention Johnathan, there wouldn't be much hope for even Emendas if he were to lead a team into that place by himself. Hahn was indeed an inhuman bastard if he would send his distant cousin to death like this.

"Let's go and find Brother Johnathan." Lin Li picked up the Aether Staff beside him, and brought his team out of their tent.

After a while, Lin Li found Johnathan, who was packing his luggage sadly.

"Brother Felic, what brings you here?" Johnathan asked in surprise when he looked up to see Lin Li and his teammates walk into his tent.

"We just heard the news that you have to lead an advance party into the Scar of Death. We are here to ask if you can bring us along as well. We might be able to help you…"

"No, no, no. Brother Felic, I can agree to everything except this. You should be aware that being in the advance party entering the Scar of Death is no different from sending yourself to straight death. It will be lucky if one person can survive out of 10 that go in. I'm just unlucky to receive this suicide mission. I can't drag you along, Brother Felic…"

"Hehehe…"

After he was rejected by Johnathan, Lin Li did not insist further. He smiled and went straight to Hahn, and volunteered to join Johnathan's advance party and enter the Scar of Death together.

"Really?" Hahn could barely contain his joy when he heard that. At first, his sudden plan of letting Johnathan lead the advance party was part of his intention to get rid of that man who had been bragging about his cousin relations with himself to everyone. He wanted to make use of this chance to shut his mouth eternally.

Yet, he had not expected that this Felic would actually volunteer to join Johnathan…

Damn, I've hit the jackpot. I actually accomplished the task Emendas found difficult! Sir Harvey should be delighted if I send that fella into the Scar of Death. Later, I would not need to worry about my life with the Malfa Family…

"Sure, when do you plan to set off?" asked Hahn. He agreed to Lin Li's request straight away.

"Right now."