Chapter Twelve: The Valley of Thorns

After leaving Brian Buckler’s house, Hugh first wandered around Acacia Town for a while to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

The bandits in town no longer looked at Hugh Glare with such ferocity. Regardless of who it was, being able to kill Inigo with such ease and emerge from Boss Buckler’s room meant only one thing: he possessed absolute strength and had already gained the boss’s recognition. No one was foolhardy enough to go looking for death.

Though they still held a mocking attitude toward the gentlemanly behavior of Reler and his group, they no longer initiated provocations, instead drawing a clear line with cold indifference. Just as Hugh had expected, Reler and his companions felt they no longer belonged in this town.

Walking into a secluded, deserted corner and checking that no one was around, Hugh took a strange little object out of his ring. It looked like an eye attached to a small metal rod, scanning its surroundings. He planted the eye into the soft soil nearby and chanted a spell; the eye vanished. He then casually took out a crystal ball, and the images of the surrounding area were instantly reflected within it. This was the "Prying Eye," a tool most commonly used by alchemists.

Hugh did not know if Buckler could be trusted. While there might be many among the Acacia Town bandits who valued loyalty, there was no shortage of treacherous scoundrels. It would be foolish to blindly entrust one's life to others, and Hugh would certainly not make such a mistake. The greatest advantage of using the Prying Eye was its ability to provide constant, fixed-point surveillance without consuming mana like a Wind Warbler, nor did it require constant attention. After walking to several hidden spots and planting over a dozen Prying Eyes, the area around Acacia Town, especially the town entrance, was fully under his watch.

Only after finishing all this did Hugh finally heave a sigh of relief. He decided to go to a nearby tavern for a drink.

Old Bill’s Fighter Tavern was packed, and several patrons who couldn't find seats were cursing and swearing at the bar. The noisy din filled the entire tavern until Hugh walked in. The tavern fell silent instantly. It was like a harbor after a storm—quiet as the grave.

"Give me an ale," Hugh said, placing a Gold Vit on the counter.

The waiter glanced at Hugh with fearful eyes and hurriedly placed a mug of ale in front of him.

"Thanks," Hugh said.

White foam bubbled in the tin mug, and a rich aroma wafted from it. Hugh took a small sip; the taste was much more bitter than what he had drunk in Fragrant Leaf City.

"A drink for a sissy," a discordant voice rang out from the tavern.

Looking toward the source of the sound, Hugh saw a tall woman sitting at a table. She had short golden hair and wheat-colored skin. Her lips were painted a deep purple, appearing extremely sexy and alluring. She wore a tight leather outfit that hugged her curvaceous body, accentuating the beautiful curve of her hips. A long emerald-green bow was tucked into her waist, a quiver rested on her back, and several throwing knives were strapped to her abdomen. Notably, the woman’s ears were slightly pointed and elongated, and her eyes held a deep, dark green.

*Half-elf? A human-elf hybrid?* That was Hugh’s first impression. He immediately noticed that the woman was sitting alone. In this crowded, chaotic environment, anyone who could dominate a table by themselves usually possessed some status, position, and relative strength. When the woman spoke, all the bandits wore expressions of anticipation, waiting to watch a good show.

Honestly, having achieved his goal, Hugh did not want to start any more trouble. In his view, force was merely a supplementary tool to achieve an end, not a leisure activity for people to gossip about. He had no interest in creating trouble or getting into brawls at every turn, so he did not respond to the woman’s remark.

However, it seemed trouble always liked to find him. The woman left her seat, walked toward him, and stopped a short distance away.

"Buckler shouldn't have made a deal with you," she said. "You are trouble. You will bring trouble to everyone in Acacia Town."

"Acacia Town has never lacked trouble."

"But this time is different. You haven't just brought trouble; you’ve brought a disaster." The woman’s gaze was sharp as she stared at Hugh. "Perhaps I should take you down and hand you over to the local administrative office to trade for a better opportunity for cooperation."

As she spoke, her left hand slowly raised the longbow, while her right hand reached for the quiver on her back. This action put Hugh on high alert. He said coldly, "That is a very dangerous thought. I advise you not to take any further action, or I cannot guarantee what terrible consequences might occur here."

All the bandits in the tavern grew nervous, standing up and retreating. The woman quickly drew an arrow, preparing to nock it on the bowstring. Hugh’s body coiled like a leopard; he had already made up his mind that if this woman nocked that arrow, he would immediately kill her.

"Lilith, stop! Don't attack!" Buckler’s roar came from the tavern entrance.

Igor Ashlin also appeared at the door at the same time: "O evil Lord of the Undead, with your powerful will, control the creature I designate—Undead Bind!"

A ball of white energy light pointed at the woman with the bow, surrounding her completely. The woman was furious: "Igor, you actually attacked me!"

Just as she was about to forcefully break through the necromancer's binding, she saw Hugh suddenly move with extreme speed, a pale golden magic sword already held to her throat.

"Don't move, or I'll cut off your head," the boy’s voice was cold and resolute.

"Don't!" Buckler and Ashlin shouted at the same time.

Buckler strode over: "I am very sorry, Hugh Glare, but I can assure you that Lilith does not understand the situation. She just returned. Inigo was under her protection, and you killed him, so she is very angry."

The woman named Lilith yelled, "Shut up, Buckler! I’m not doing this for that piece of trash Inigo. You still don't know who Hugh Glare really is. Do you think he’s just an ordinary criminal?"

Buckler looked back at his companion: "Lilith, no one who stands beside you and me is an ordinary criminal. Yet we are all living just fine. He is a nationally wanted criminal, and so are we."

"It’s not the same. This Hugh Glare is different from all of us. You don't have to believe it, but I just came back from the outside. I can tell you clearly that in the eyes of the Empire, this Hugh Glare is far more important than any of us. People I know in the city told me this themselves. He has caused a mess bigger than the sky; his arrival will likely draw a large force of Lance Empire warriors to hunt us down."

Buckler moved Hugh’s sword away from Lilith’s neck and patted her shoulder, releasing his battle aura to dispel Ashlin’s Undead Bind, and held her down: "Yes, killing Ablitt is a huge mess, but so what? How many times has the Lance Empire tried to wipe us out? They have never succeeded. The Bilias Mountains are large enough, and our strength is sufficient; we don't fear them. Hugh Glare is an alchemist, and he has brought us the top-tier potions we’ve dreamed of. They can save our lives in battle."

"You should rob him of everything and throw him out of Acacia Town," Lilith shouted indignantly.

"I tried, but unfortunately, I couldn't. His ability to kill Ablitt wasn't based on luck. Lilith, wake up. If Igor hadn't acted against you, you might already be dead."

"You fought him?" Lilith was shocked.

Buckler leaned close to Lilith’s ear and whispered: "You must be thankful, really. My premonition tells me that this boy’s strength is even greater than what he has already shown."

"But the intelligence I received tells me that the importance the Lance Empire places on this boy far exceeds the sum of everyone here. Perhaps it won't be long before we face an unprecedented siege. He is a madman; only a madman would do what he did at the Lanya Grand Theater," Lilith replied coldly. She glared at Hugh fiercely and strode out of the tavern.

Watching her shadow depart, Hugh thought for a moment and said: "What if she is right? Buckler, what would you do?"

Buckler chuckled: "For profit, we dare to defy imperial law; for freedom, we don't mind becoming exiled criminals. Hugh Glare, no matter what you bring us, the threat of death is not a reason for us to give up on trading with you. Don't forget, we are criminals; we are people born to risk our lives on the edge of a blade. When we make a choice for profit, we are already pushing ourselves to the brink. It is very likely that we could bring about our own destruction by robbing a caravan that shouldn't have been robbed, but would we give up our operations because of such a possibility? No, we wouldn't! And you, Hugh Glare, are just one of those choices. No matter what you bring, for us, it’s no different from a regular robbery."

"Well said," Hugh Glare nodded. He realized that Buckler at least had one obvious merit: he knew what he was doing and was prepared to pay the price for it. This was a man with a clear head.

"You had better leave here now. We will take care of your people," Buckler said.

***

Thorn Valley is located south of Acacia Town, within the Alps. To its northwest lies the Forest of Silence, a paradise for magical beasts.

The Forest of Silence is one of the few remaining primeval jungles on the Wind-Singing Continent, home to about three thousand species of creatures, including over a thousand types of magical beasts. However, with humanity's endless exploitation of resources, this tranquil jungle has also suffered great damage. Today, the area of the Forest of Silence has shrunk by a quarter; of the thousand-plus magical beasts, only about seven hundred remain, with three hundred having gone completely extinct. Large amounts of magical vegetation have been logged and excavated, causing severe destruction, while human habitats have expanded significantly.

There are about thirty human settlements in this area. Aside from a few bandit-ridden areas like Acacia Town, there are also tribal regions where a large number of humanoid lifeforms live. Humanity’s endless expansion threatens not only jungle creatures but other races as well. And for humans, regardless of the race, the fate is always expulsion or enslavement. Therefore, any life form surviving here holds a natural hostility toward humans.

The place Buckler promised him was in such a location.

The Alps are vibrant now. Large patches of holly trees brighten the mountain shadows with their greenery in the white season. Although the trees are slightly sparse, the dense canopies connect in great swaths. On the sunny, rocky slopes, low shrubbery is visible everywhere, and by the jagged cliffs, one can always see clusters of drooping small trees, dotted with pale, scattered flowers like stars, adding a touch of charm to the mountain range.

Stepping off the rugged mountain path, Hugh saw a cool spring flowing through the mountains, carrying melted snow and forming a clear pool on a nearby hillside. The weather had warmed, spring was arriving, and some flowers had already begun to bloom early. Red Fire-Dragon Grass, green Heart-Cleansing Lotus, pink Maiden’s Heart, blue Ocean Flowers, and fish swimming in the water turned this place into a tranquil and beautiful world.

Unfortunately, none of these were valuable magical plants. Following the spring upward, Hugh arrived at a cliff where a small waterfall flowed down, crashing against the rocks and creating countless crystalline droplets.

"This is the place you need," Ashlin’s voice sounded from behind.

"Yes," Hugh agreed. "It is very hidden and quiet; it truly meets my requirements."

This area was surrounded by a vast forest of holly trees; the dense, needle-like leaves formed a natural defensive circle for the region. Unless someone was specifically looking for it, few would ever discover this place. Not far from the cliff was a flat, open space, perfect for Hugh to use as his laboratory.

Hugh walked over to examine the surroundings, his brow furrowing slightly. Ashlin caught this expression sensitively: "Is there a problem?"

"No, nothing," Hugh replied quickly. He thought for a moment, then said, "Master Ashlin."

"Call me Igor. And I am no master, just a fourth-level necromancer."

"Alright, Igor, I have a question to ask."

"Go ahead."

"How much do you know about alchemy?"

Igor Ashlin was slightly taken aback and gave a bitter smile: "In truth, my knowledge is limited. I learned alchemy partly because I am a necromancer and some spells require it, and partly due to Buckler’s request. Acacia Town needs an alchemist so we can be self-sufficient. Unfortunately, we couldn't find an alchemist interested in opposing the Empire until you appeared. We handed this place to you because Buckler hoped I could learn something useful from you. You can create top-tier potions; perhaps you can point out many things I have been unable to figure out until now."

Hugh thought for a moment and nodded: "I can give you some knowledge regarding alchemy, but you must promise me that you will not pass this knowledge on."

"I swear in the name of the Lord of the Undead," Ashlin replied very seriously.

"Then I have one more question."

"Please ask."

"Do you come here often?"

Ashlin paused, then shook his head: "No, there is no need. In fact, including the time we discovered this place, we have only been here twice."

Watching Ashlin leave, Hugh Glare first sent out a Wind Warbler to patrol the surroundings, then used his mental perception to ensure there was no magical surveillance before hurrying to the flat ground.

This flat area was very level, looking as if it had been artificially cleared. But Hugh had learned from Ashlin that this was discovered by accident three years ago by the girl named Lilith. At that time, this open space had already existed. Both Buckler and Ashlin had overlooked a problem: why was there such an empty space in the holly forest?

Jungle growth never spares any soil suitable for itself. Seeds fly with the wind and grow wherever they land. But in this forest region surrounded by holly trees, the appearance of such a large blank area, where even wild grass wouldn't grow, was somewhat strange.

"It looks like some kind of power is limiting the growth of plants here," Hugh muttered to himself. He scooped up a handful of soil and sniffed it carefully. It was fresh soil, rich in moisture. Taking a test tube from his ring, he attempted to analyze the components of the soil. The result was that the soil quality was excellent and suitable for most magical plants to grow.

"The soil has no problems, so what is causing this land to be barren?" Hugh was puzzled.

The development of things is never isolated; there is always a cause for every effect. Tracing the origin is a mindset and habit that any excellent alchemist must possess. Ashlin’s attainment in alchemy was too shallow; his strong utilitarianism made him focus only on potion brewing, so he never realized the strangeness of this area, let alone felt any interest in exploring the unknown. But as soon as Hugh arrived, he felt the peculiarity. That was why he had strangely asked about Ashlin’s alchemical skill level. He believed that if Hains or Pierre had discovered this place, they would have tried everything to break the mystery. Only a half-baked alchemist like Ashlin could turn a blind eye to such a sight.

After thinking for a while, Hugh began to condense his mana to sense the elemental changes in the air. The elemental fluctuations around were not intense, meaning there were no obvious magical waves nearby. It wasn't the soil, nor was it magic; what was it related to?

Hugh became increasingly confused. He paced the empty field, racking his brain over what could keep this place so barren, when he vaguely smelled something foul. He was just wondering when Xu, in his arms, suddenly started barking wildly.

"Xu, what happened?"

Xu jumped out of Hugh’s arms, its fur standing on end, emitting a low hiss from its throat. Its eyes were fixed on the center of the clearing. The Flame Bird also flew toward the sky, letting out a shrill cry.

"Damn it!" Hugh finally understood what was going on.

This place! It was the resting place of a high-level magical beast! The stench he had just smelled was the mark the beast had left on its territory. For most high-level magical beasts, they usually only stopped creatures that might threaten them from entering, but this one, it seemed, was less magnanimous—it didn't even allow plants to grow in its territory.

The next moment, following Xu and the Flame Bird’s battle stance, Hugh quickly summoned the Wind Spirit. At the same time, the ground suddenly shook violently. The previously flat ground began to undulate like the surface of the sea, and eerie ripples, like those in a pond, spread in all directions.

In the center of the clearing, a deep, concave hole appeared.

"Hiss!" A sharp, shrill screech erupted from the hole, almost tearing one’s eardrums.