Giant Beast Bone Field. In a more distant era, this land was once called the Alien Beast Dungeon.
It was listed alongside the illustrious Dragon Cliff Dungeon and the mysterious Tomb of the Ancients as one of the three legendary dungeons within the Empire.
What distinguished it from other dungeons was the dazzling variety of strange monsters.
Their forms varied vastly, their abilities were bizarre and unpredictable, and almost no two identical individuals could be found, utterly different from monster populations in the outside world.
However, this miraculous dungeon eventually collapsed completely due to an unknown cataclysm.
Its internal vast spatial structure collapsed, overlapping with the rock and soil layers that were originally "squeezed aside" by the dungeon space and reset at this time.
In that spatial collapse that swept through everything, relatively fragile alien beasts were crushed into powder. Only those individuals with sturdy body structures or special talents had their skeletons survive the torrent of destruction, buried deep under the geological layers.
Among them, most preserved were the skeletons of giant beasts; hence, this place was renamed the Giant Beast Bone Field.
Due to their out-of-print nature, these alien beast remains contained strange properties not possessed by monster materials from the outside world.
Many bones, teeth, keratin, or crystallized organs were indispensable precious materials for formulating specific high-tier potions, holding ancient rituals, or forging special magic items.
The value of the Bone Field even once exceeded a rich magic crystal vein.
It was just that two hundred years of uninterrupted exploration and excavation had long exhausted the legacy of the surface and shallow zones.
Nowadays, this was no longer that dreamland where one could dig out precious skeletons just by scratching a few times.
Although there was still output, the mining difficulty and cost were countless times higher. The bustle and noise of the past faded away, leaving only a relatively desolate industrial area.
However, for the local lord, Count Bona, the importance of the Giant Beast Bone Field had not decreased but increased day by day.
This Count's title came from inheritance, not relying on prominent military achievements or personal might.
Since he sat on that position, he had suffered covetous eyes from surrounding powerful lords due to insufficient strength.
His father's old subordinates rebelled, friction at the borders was constant, and after a series of open strife and veiled struggles, he had already lost nearly half of his fief, his sphere of influence shrinking drastically.
[The Giant Beast Bone Field is now one of the few important assets under his name that can still provide stable income.]
"Huh? So... miserable?"
Kruma scratched his horns, truly somewhat surprised.
In the imagination of an ordinary mercenary like him, a Lord Count who could rule a region and sit on a treasure land like the Giant Beast Bone Field should be a big shot with impressive prestige and monstrous power.
Didn't expect it to be such a loser forced into a corner.
But this made Kruma even more puzzled: "Since his situation is already this bad, why spend a huge price to buy so much expensive Blood Jade Wine? Isn't that wasting even more money?"
Previously, the mercenary group lost a portion of the Blood Jade Wine, and Big Brother Canggu (Pale Bone) was still wrangling with that Count over this matter even now.
[Hehehe] [Precisely because it's already terrible, he absolutely cannot let outsiders glimpse the slightest weakness!] [Imagine, when other lords or envoys from the Imperial Capital visit, if this Count can't even bring out the Blood Jade Wine that best demonstrates strength and taste in the Empire nowadays to entertain them... what does that mean?] [That equals personally telling everyone: Look, this guy is already destitute, can't even keep up appearances! He can't even be called a soft persimmon, but a piece of oily, sleek fat meat on the chopping board!] [At that time, what pounces on him won't just be one or two hyenas, but the entire wolf pack smelling blood!] [That group who ambushed your caravan earlier... the mastermind behind them probably had this calculation, cutting off his last remaining dignity to accelerate his collapse.]
Kruma felt a chill down his spine hearing this: "Then... should I remind Big Brother to leave here early to avoid getting involved?"
[Leave?] [No! Not only do we not leave, we must persuade your Big Brother to stay!]
"Why is that?"
[Since that Count is a piece of fat meat, why can't the one who eats him be you?]
"Me?"
The Yellow Codex silently began to stir Kruma's emotions.
[Yes! Don't you also want to be called Lord Count by others?]
"I... I want..." Following the Yellow Codex's guidance, Kruma completely immersed himself in this ambition, even ignoring many illogical points because of it.
And after reaching an agreement with his good friend, the Yellow Codex immediately instructed Kruma to start making preparations.
...
Kruma's big brother, Canggu (Pale Bone), walked out of the Count's mansion somewhat indignantly.
Simply bullying people too much!
On the official road so close to the Giant Beast Bone Field, encountering a well-equipped ambush obviously premeditated, anyone with eyes could see that the attackers' target wasn't these mercenaries at all, but aimed at the Count.
Now this Count actually wanted to shift all losses and risks onto the mercenary group; how could Canggu tolerate it?
Neither side was willing to tear faces completely, pulling and arguing in the hall for a long time. Finally, when Canggu could almost barely restrain himself from drawing his weapon, the other party reluctantly relented, paying a little more than half of the originally agreed remuneration.
Returning to the courtyard rented by the mercenary group on the outskirts of the Bone Field, Canggu immediately summoned all squad leaders. He intended to briefly explain the situation, distribute this meager compensation, and then lead the team to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.
As soon as he entered the room, he noticed Kruma was actually among them.
Originally, this biological younger brother who joined the team relying on his relationship wasn't qualified to sit here. However, probably because he saved everyone last time, sitting there now, surprisingly no squad leader raised an objection. Canggu was also happy to see this success.
He briefly and concisely reported the result of the negotiation with the Count. A burst of sighs and curses immediately sounded in the room.
Canggu then stated his intention to lead the mercenary group to leave here the day after tomorrow at the latest.
Just then, Kruma, with an old yellow-covered book spread on his knees, suddenly spoke: "Big Brother, I think... we should stay."
Canggu looked at Kruma somewhat reproachfully.
He understood young people's eagerness to prove themselves, but openly refuting the commander, who was also his big brother's decision right off the bat, was really somewhat insensible.
However, he didn't refuse immediately. This was Kruma's first time offering an opinion on a formal occasion. Even if rejecting, he had to leave some leeway.
Kruma gave quite a few reasons, roughly that the loss this time was too great; leaving directly would be like coming for nothing.
Suggested purchasing some local specialty materials and such first, then transporting them back would count as an extra trade run.
The reasons sounded reasonable and sensible, even quite pragmatic.
But naturally, Canggu had considered these. However, he weighed the tense situation and potential risks here more, preferring to give up part of the profit.
What made him slightly surprised was that after listening to Kruma's words, those squad leaders present who usually had many opinions actually all remained silent at this moment. No one spoke to refute, the atmosphere somewhat subtle.
"Big Brother, I wrote more detailed thoughts... all in here, take a look." Kruma stood up, handing over that yellow book on his knees with both hands.
Canggu took the book, calculating in his heart how to decline this overly risky suggestion without hurting his brother's face.
He opened the pages casually, his gaze falling on the handwriting.
Initially just scanning casually, but soon, his gaze was firmly sucked onto the paper surface.
The plan framework outlined there actually still had quite a few omissions and naivety, and the logic wasn't impeccable.
However, for some reason, there seemed to be a strange attraction between the lines. The more he read, the more he felt the direction pointed out within was full of hope, the more he felt acting accordingly was correct, even the only wise choice.
"No..." Canggu shook his head violently, one hand holding his throbbing forehead, some instinctual vigilance struggling at the bottom of his heart. "This idea... why would I..."
And at this moment, the thoughts of everyone in the room seemed to produce some kind of resonance. The gazes of all squad leaders seemed to faintly cast toward that book, or meet each other.
Under this invisible resonance, that weak struggle and doubt in Canggu's brain melted away without a trace rapidly.
His eyes refocused, but with a bit less prudence and doubt than before.
"Good kid! Have ideas, considered more thoroughly than Big Brother! Let's do it according to your plan!" He handed the Yellow Codex back to Kruma, patting his brother's shoulder forcefully, voice resounding. "Moreover, since we're doing it, why not do a big one? We might... be able to think of a way to pull Count Bona himself into our business too!"
Other squad leaders also put forward their respective suggestions one after another.
For a time, this room seemed to become a magnificent stage.
On the stage, puppets discussed enthusiastically, as if they all had free will.
For a time, everyone was speaking enthusiastically, arguing, envisioning, expressions vivid, eyes invested.
Like a magnificent and realistic puppet show.
(End of Chapter)
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