Chapter 79: The Ancient Race

A rumbling sound erupted...

Little Black seemed to sense something and became even more excited, wagging its tail incessantly.

In the next moment, a secret compartment popped out from the bookshelf, a gleam flickering in Irving's eyes.

This hall was the core of the entire castle, and The Brotherhood of Night Blades had taken over the twelve guilds nearby, undoubtedly looting a lot of resources from them.

The secret compartment was not large, only about thirty centimeters.

However, as Irving looked inside, the smile on his face gradually faded.

Were it not for Little Black's [Hellish Scent] skill, this secret compartment would have been nearly impossible to discover. He had thought something hidden so well must be a treasure, but instead... inside the compartment was merely a tattered sheepskin scroll.

"What a waste of effort." Irving shook his head, expressing his disappointment.

The sheepskin scroll looked no different from the traps and architectural blueprints on the bookshelf, and it appeared even older and more dilapidated, as if it had been retrieved from a trash bin.

With patience, Irving took out the sheepskin scroll. It was covered with densely packed, strange symbols, and beneath them were numerous lines, somewhat resembling a map.

Although he couldn't understand the meaning of those strange symbols, he could sense that there was a unique power embedded within the text.

"This scroll seems different from the blueprints; it must be pointing to some place..." Irving thought to himself.

He gradually realized that the sheepskin scroll was not as simple as it seemed.

Given that Duncan had specifically hidden it in a secret compartment within the hall, its importance was evident.

[Congratulations, player, you have obtained the "Lost Legacy Scroll"]

[Description: This scroll is a relic of an ancient race from Blue Star. By following the guidance within the scroll to locate the indicated ruins and passing the tests, one has the opportunity to obtain the legacy of this ancient race...]

As the system prompt echoed, Irving looked at the description before him, his brows gradually furrowing.

"An ancient race?"

Irving fell into deep thought. He had once watched a science program that suggested humans were not the only intelligent race to appear on Blue Star.

Millions of years ago, when the ancestors of humans were still groping their way through primordial forests, continuously evolving, it was very likely that this ancient land had once harbored another group of mysterious deities, perhaps possessing technology beyond human imagination.

But as time passed and history shifted, they were buried deep within the sands of time.

Though this theory was speculative, it was not without basis. Scientists had discovered traces left by ancient races on Blue Star, but the span of millions of years made it nearly impossible to verify...

Holding the worn sheepskin scroll, Irving felt an indescribable premonition. This ancient race might very well have been the rulers of Blue Star millions of years ago.

And the legacy they left behind must be incredibly powerful!

"These peculiar symbols must be the language of that ancient race." Irving deduced, looking at the edge of the sheepskin scroll and suddenly noticing signs of tearing.

The scroll was incomplete!

In other words, the sheepskin scroll in Irving's hand was only part of a larger whole.

"Irving!" A sudden shout from outside the hall interrupted Irving's thoughts. James hurried in from the outside, looking rather flustered. S~eaʀᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Pulling himself back from his thoughts, Irving tucked away the sheepskin scroll and restored the hidden compartment in the bookshelf before he turned and left the small chamber.

James came in, looking excited. "Irving." he said, "while I was leading a cleaning crew through the castle, we discovered a warehouse. Guess what we found inside?"

Irving smiled. As a shelter for The Brotherhood of Night Blades, it was expected that they stored all the spoils they had collected here. Having a dedicated warehouse was hardly surprising.

"Stop beating around the bush. What did you find?" Irving said.

Ever since the start of the game with the [Tenfold Explosion Rate] bonus, he earned numerous pieces of equipment from every disaster round by defeating the exotic beasts. Consequently, he wasn't interested in the ordinary equipment and materials collected by The Brotherhood of Night Blades.

"A whopping three hundred sets of high-level equipment." James reminded, unable to hide his excitement, "Not three hundred pieces, but three hundred sets! All for warrior-class, from boots and armor to helmets and weapons, all perfect sets."

If we're talking about the total number of individual items, it would exceed a thousand.

Irving wasn't particularly interested in high-level equipment. However, when he heard that these were all complete sets, his expression became complicated.

Three hundred sets of equipment meant that a powerful army of three hundred could be armed instantly.

"What were they planning to do with all these matching sets of equipment?" Irving wondered.

At this, the smile on James' face gradually faded. "I remember during our combat with the members of The Brotherhood of Night Blades, not everyone had a complete set of equipment, and their gear's quality varied… But with so many sets of equipment in their warehouse, why didn't they use it?"

The Brotherhood of Night Blades had over four hundred members, a formidable force compared to other guilds. Of course, a guild's strength depended not only on the number of its players but also on their capabilities.

Duncan himself was a powerful warrior who had reached the "Trainee Hero" stage, and on top of that, there were four Mage Elders, which explained why they were able to dominate twelve guilds in such a short time.

"They have so much equipment, but they didn't distribute it to their members." Irving's lips curled up slightly, "Which means these sets of equipment weren't prepared for themselves."

At Irving's words, James' expression faltered. On being reminded, the same thought occurred to him.

Night Blades!

The Brotherhood of Night Blades was a domestic branch dispatched by the Night Blades, and their unified tattoos were a clear indication of this.

"Given these circumstances, it seems that the Night Blades have been scheming something recently." James paused for a moment before continuing, "I've received some information from certain channels that suggest some families in the capital city have been in close contact with foreign forces, which might be related to this matter..."

There have already been uprisings in several places abroad, with some nations even experiencing government overthrows.

"Irving, to my knowledge, the situation domestically isn't that stable either... especially in the border areas, where some cities have already broken away from official control." James said with a sigh.

The capital city is the core of the nation. While residents here are aware of the game "the Other World," their lives have largely remained unchanged. The authorities have strictly ordered a blackout on negative news to prevent panic, making it difficult for ordinary people to be informed.

The world is already in chaos even before the apocalypse has truly descended. One can only imagine the upheaval when the Dark Overlord eventually arrives on Blue Star.

"Alright, this isn't something that concerns us directly for now." Irving said gravely. "All the equipment found in the warehouse will be handed over to you and the Green Ivy Group. Make sure to recruit more players in the coming days."

"Remember what I told you: every player must be rigorously screened!"

The number of players in a guild isn't the absolute factor. If the recruits are cowardly and useless, having more of them is meaningless.

Facing the Brotherhood of Night Blades and the numerous families coming to their aid could mean risking their lives at any moment. Despite this dire situation, James chose not to flee.

After this battle, Irving recognized James' loyalty.

In an apocalyptic scenario, it's crucial to establish one's own power. However, Irving didn't have the time to manage the guild's daily affairs, making the Green Ivy Group the best option for now.

"Irving, what should we do with this castle?" James glanced at the grand hall and sighed. "It's a pity to lose such a fine place."

Although the Brotherhood of Night Blades had been eliminated, it wouldn't be long before the Night Blades learned about it. Leaving the castle as it was posed a significant risk.

"If push comes to shove, once we've moved all the supplies, I'll send people to destroy it thoroughly. We can't leave it for those bastards!" James declared.

Irving didn't respond.

He realized that James was unaware that this Shelter could be[occupy].

According to the system mechanics, the[occupy]option is triggered only when a player kills the Shelter's owner.

For Irving, this impenetrable castle was practically a free gift. The Brotherhood of Night Blades had invested so much effort into building it, never imagining it would ultimately fall into his hands.

"After we've collected all the supplies, send some players to repair this castle, restoring it as much as possible." Irving pointed to the bookshelf in the side hall and continued."There are some construction blueprints up there. Build anything useful from those."

"Huh?" James was taken aback.

"Alright, just follow my instructions. Leave these tasks to you, and ensure the repairs are completed before the third disaster wave hits." Irving smiled slightly and then turned to leave.

The third disaster wave would be Blue Star's final test, and having this castle would significantly enhance their safety.