Chapter 73 Betrayal in Chillwater Valley
Chapter 73 Betrayal in Chillwater Valley
Anos and his group soon caught up to the team ahead. The others had just finished battling a pack of beasts and turned to face Anos and his companions, sizing them up.
The other team consisted of eight people, bringing the total to fourteen now that both groups stood together.
"Any of them look familiar?" Zoey murmured to Oscar beside her.
Oscar shook her head slightly. "No one I recognize. But that's not unusual. Not everyone runs in the same circles."
Anos kept his eyes on the group ahead. "If they're strangers, let's tread carefully."
Zoey glanced at him and replied, "Right. Let's keep moving."
The group ahead stopped, watching as Anos and his companions approached, clearly waiting for them. The tension thickened in the air as both sides observed one another with guarded expressions.
"Didn't expect to run into fellow warriors out here in Chillwater Valley. Always a surprise," Bodhi greeted, stepping forward with a courteous nod as the group's de facto leader.
Anos took a quick look over the opposing team. Six men and Two Women, seasoned mercenaries who appeared to be likely in their late twenties or early thirties. Compared to Bodhi's team, they had an aura of experience that was hard to ignore.
"Likewise," a broad-shouldered man in his thirties responded with a polite nod.
Bodhi held up the insignia of the The Iron Reavers Group. "We're with the The Iron Reavers Group from Flower City. I'm Bodhi, the vice leader. And you are…?" He trailed off, subtly probing for more information. His companions stayed alert, quietly assessing the other group.
The burly man nodded in return. "James, leader of the Bloodsworn Mercenary Group," he replied, showing his own badge in confirmation. "A pleasure to meet your team."
Seeing this, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The fact that the other group presented their mercenary badge suggested they were not members of the Evil Fiend Temple. Of course, there was always the slim chance that the Temple had its own mercenary group as a cover, but that seemed highly unlikely.
"So, what brings you all to Chillwater Valley?" Bodhi asked, breaking the silence.
James let out a hearty laugh. "I'd wager we're here for the same reason!"
"Oh? You're also after the Ice Source Core?" Bodhi inquired with interest.
"That's right. Since we've all come this far, it makes sense not to battle each other for it. How about we split whatever we find fifty-fifty?" James suggested, his tone calm and businesslike.
Bodhi nodded in agreement. "That sounds fair to us!"
Typically, rival mercenary groups would compete fiercely for resources or missions, but in cases like this—where the supply of Ice Source Cores wasn't limited to one and everyone wanted to avoid unnecessary losses—a cooperative approach made sense.
With an understanding reached, the combined group proceeded deeper into Chillwater Valley together.
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After some time, a towering Frost Rumblehorn blocked their path, its massive 12-foot frame covered in a dense, icy hide with razor-sharp, scale-like fur. Two large horns jutted from its forehead, gleaming with a menacing frost. Its eyes glowed an eerie, icy blue, cutting through the darkness with a chilling stare. Heavy, frozen hooves dug into the ground as it snorted, and icy spikes lined its neck and shoulders, glinting ominously. A cloud of frosty mist encircled the creature, as if the very air shrank from its frozen rage.
The beast, over five meters long, stood directly in their way. Noticing the group, it released a blast of hot air from its nostrils. With a forceful stomp, it sent ice crystals surging from the ground, spreading quickly toward them.
Whoosh!
Everyone dodged out of the way in an instant.
"A Stage-Three Spirit Core Realm Frost Rumblehorn," James observed, narrowing his eyes. "Brother Bodhi, we've had to fight our way through and have picked up a few injuries along the way. How about leaving this one to your group?"
Bodhi nodded. "Just what I had in mind. Appreciate the trust, Brother James. I'll handle this beast myself!"
Whoosh!
With that, Bodhi unsheathed his Spirit Weapon broadsword and lunged forward in a whirlwind of motion. The sound of a fierce clash soon echoed through the valley as Bodhi engaged the Frost Rumblehorn head-on.
"Something feels off," Anos muttered, frowning as unease prickled his instincts.
Normally, no one would willingly pass up a beast of this level, especially a Stage-Three Spirit Core Realm Frost Rumblehorn . For warriors, that beast was practically a walking treasure—packed with valuable experience and resources. Typically, groups would be at each other's throats for a chance to take down a Frost Rumblehorn , yet James and his team had let it go without hesitation. They'd been so friendly from the start—almost too friendly.
Granted, they did appear injured, which could explain their reluctance to engage. But eight of them together could have easily handled the beast. It would have been better for them to claim the rewards, even if it meant sharing them. So why step aside?
Anos's gaze shifted to his own team. Oscar and the others seemed to have let their guard down, trusting the Bloodsworn Mercenary Group without a second thought. Anos's eyes flicked to Owen, who'd been giving him strange looks, only to quickly glance away whenever Anos looked back. Then he caught Zoey's expression—her brows were slightly furrowed, as though she, too, felt a sense of doubt, even if she wasn't voicing it.
Anos's instincts were screaming that there was more to this than met the eye.
The clash ahead grew fiercer by the second, with Bodhi putting everything he had into the fight. At the peak of his leap, he raised his broadsword, channeling a powerful martial skill. The air crackled with his energy, and even those watching from a distance could feel the chill of his strike.
But in the next instant, a glint of silver flashed in the palm of a woman beside James. Without warning, she released a silver needle that shot forward with blinding speed.
It was too fast—though Anos had kept a careful eye on them, James's position partially obscured the woman's movements, giving her the perfect cover. Bodhi, mid-air and focused entirely on the Frost Rumblehorn, was at his most vulnerable.
"Watch out!" Anos and Zoey shouted in unison, their voices laced with urgency. But the warning came a fraction too late.
The silver needle sank deeply into Bodhi's back, and he staggered, coughing up blood. Seizing the moment, James rushed forward and finished off the Frost Rumblehorn with ruthless precision. In an instant, the remaining seven from the Bloodsworn Mercenary Group closed in, surrounding Anos, Knox, Oscar, Xander, and the rest. The shock was evident—none of them had anticipated the sudden betrayal, and Bodhi now lay injured on the ground.
"Damn it! I let my guard down!" Zoey clenched her fists, her gaze filled with anger and regret.
Anos, too, cursed under his breath. How could they have been so careless?
A shrill, mocking laugh echoed from the woman who had attacked Bodhi, her eyes glinting with satisfaction at the chaos she'd created.
"Who are you people, really?" Zoey demanded, her voice steady, though tension simmered beneath the surface.
The atmosphere grew thick as Anos and his companions readied themselves. But the oppressive aura radiating from the seven around them was overwhelming- it was clear they were outmatched, and a sense of despair crept in.
James's laughter echoed through the cold, hostile air, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. He kicked the unconscious Bodhi aside, and the force of the blow sent him skidding several feet away, his body limp and unmoving. The others watched in stunned silence, their hearts pounding in their chests as the situation grew even more dire.
As James walked forward, his heavy footsteps crunched against the icy ground, each step sending a shockwave of dread through the group. He reached into his pouch and pulled out the Bloodsworn Mercenary Group's emblem. The emblem shimmered briefly before he crushed it effortlessly in his hand. The once-proud insignia disintegrated into powder, fluttering to the ground like ash, leaving behind only the faintest trace of its existence.
The act was deliberate, meant to break any remaining illusion of their allegiance.
"They're not from the Bloodsworn Mercenary Group,"
James's voice rang out, dark amusement lacing his words. "You were never facing the Bloodsworn Mercenary Group, fools. You've walked straight into a trap from the very beginning."
Anos' eyes narrowed as he analyzed the situation. The aura of the seven mercenaries surrounding them was unmistakable—the overwhelming pressure of five Spirit Core Realm Stage-One cultivators, two at Stage-Two, and James, the one who had destroyed their hopes of survival, at Stage-Four, all confirmed the power disparity.
Bodhi, their de facto leader, was down, and his injury had crippled him. Even if he managed to recover, he was no longer a threat. And with the remaining group members being mere Stage-One and Stage-Two cultivators, it was clear that they were at a complete disadvantage.
Zoey clenched her fists, the fear of defeat gnawing at the edges of her mind. It was a fight they had no chance of winning. Her eyes flickered to Anos, looking for any sign of a plan, any hope that might yet remain. But Anos' expression was unreadable, cold and calculating, his gaze locked onto the mercenaries with a focus that revealed nothing.
It seemed like their world was closing in on them—seven powerful enemies and the brutal reality of their disadvantage setting in. But despite the crushing pressure, Anos did not waver. He wasn't the type to give up. But the question lingered in the back of everyone's mind: How were they going to fight back against such overwhelming odds?