Chapter 2576: Chapter 2577: Competitors
"Indeed, only the Birlos Family has the capability to form a merchant caravan of such scale and order within The Garden Labyrinth," Dox remarked in the Mind Ribbon while waiting for the magical craftsman to arrive.
There are wizard families stronger than the Birlos Family, but in terms of geographic advantage and public support, only the Birlos Family remains.
Dox paused for a moment, then mused, "However, itâs somewhat odd that the Birlos Family secretly stirred up such a merchant organization."
Angel hadnât been paying much attention to what Dox was saying, but upon hearing the keyword "somewhat odd," his ears perked up immediately. When others say this, it can be taken with a grain of salt, but if Dox says so, there might truly be something fishy involved.
"Is it your conjecture or a premonition?" Angel asked in the Mind Ribbon.
Dox replied, "Itâs conjecture. Think carefullyâThe Garden Labyrinth was hollowed out by wizards many years ago, which is a well-acknowledged fact, and hardly any Transcendent would travel here anymore. Thus, The Garden Labyrinth is tacitly accepted as part of Bilun Tree Court, effectively under the Birlos Familyâs control, and no one in the Wizardsâ Realm has objections to this."
"Yet, the Birlos Familyâs operations around The Garden Labyrinth are very peculiar. On the surface, they completely ignore The Garden Labyrinth, even allowing ordinary adventurers to enter. Yet, secretly, theyâve developed a merchant organization, funded adventure groups, and hunted for treasures. Donât you find that strange?"
After Dox finished speaking in the Mind Ribbon, he looked at everyone.
Two seconds later, Kaier asked somewhat confusedly, "Isnât it just another source of income? The Bilun Tree Court is filled with the Birlos Familyâs industries; I donât find it strange to have an additional source like a relic."
Dox responded, "Thatâs true, but from certain details like division of labor, oaths, and regular trade, you can see the merchant organization isnât small-scale; theyâre seriously engaged in this, and itâs quite substantial."
"But can the gains from ordinary adventurer groups in The Garden Labyrinth really support such a sizable organization?"
"Keep in mind, a single Ghosteye Witch can wipe out an entire adventure group. In terms of losses and gains, the merchant organization is actually only losing, not earning."
"Therefore, I find the establishment of the merchant organization itself very strange. What could be their reason for maintaining the operation even at a loss?"
Moments after Dox posed his question, the Black Earl said, "The only possibility is that theyâve discovered some highly valuable treasures still unearthed among the relics."
Angel nodded. If Doxâs speculation holds, the Black Earlâs answer is indeed the only plausible explanation.
"Fate does not favor only one person. If Kaier can gain fateâs favor by noticing clues in the âTravel Chronicles of Gaia,â why canât others discover it? The travel chronicles are just one type of medium; there surely exist other media recording and pointing to the depths of The Garden Labyrinth."
Vay said, "So, in that case, the merchant organization is actually in a competitive relationship with us?"
Angel replied, "If Doxâs speculation is correct, then indeed they are competitors. However, the merchant organization, or rather, the Birlos Family, is not yet aware of our existence, so this competitive relationship hasnât been established yet."
The traveling merchant from the Fierce Flame Adventure Group is quite slick, with a strong survival instinct; he acts very clearly and directly to avoid death, using no hidden codes nor secretly notifying the merchant organization.
Therefore, in the scenario where the opposite side remains unaware, they are not yet competitors.
Of course, this is Angelâs judgment of the current situation, but who knows if any mistakes might occur, prompting the Birlos Family to perceive their true purpose?
Thus, Angel glanced toward Dox.
"What do you think?" Angel asked, feigning nonchalance.
Dox considered for a moment, then nodded, "Thatâs indeed right. As long as they donât know about us, a competitorâs relationship canât be established, whether or not they share our objectives."
Hearing this, Angel felt somewhat reassured. Even if Dox felt it was not an inspiration, his subconscious judgment was already influenced by inspiration. Since Dox said so, Angel was naturally inclined to trust him.
However, just as Angel was starting to relax, Dox threw in a "but."
Dox said, "Nonetheless, the merchant organization has been operating here for such a long time; is it possible theyâve specifically assigned someone to monitor and report the arrival of Transcendents?"
After Dox said this, his gaze shifted to the Black Earl. Although the Black Earl only retained a nose, its probing abilities were unmatched among those present. If there were people monitoring them, it could only be discovered by the Black Earl.
The Black Earl replied, "I donât know. At least near the relics, I havenât detected any fluctuation in energy waves indicating a Transcendent."
The Black Earl wasnât constantly observing and surveying the surroundings, and some Transcendents possess strong concealment abilities, making it improbable for the Black Earl to deepen its observation intensity without reason. Hence, in this matter, he truly was unaware.
Dox continued, "Perhaps itâs not just Transcendents; ordinary people could also serve as lookouts."
As Dox finished speaking, the group fell into silence.
Seeing this, Dox quickly added, "Iâm just saying it casually; the possibility is still quite small."
Angel thought, "..." Does that make it seem even more likely?
Angel exchanged a glance with the Black Earlâs nostrils, secretly beginning a communication link.
They had previously been purely exploring the relics; now, they needed to take into account the variables imposed by the merchant organization, necessitating a slight tightening of their prior lax approach.
However, despite Doxâs jinx being laid on the table, Angel and the Black Earlâs clandestine communication was devoid of significant tension.
Angel had Earl Mi and the Wilderness of Dreams as backing; as for the Black Earl, his inherent strength was undeniableâif his True Body descended, he could obliterate the Bilun Tree Court in an instant, and even just with his nose, his power shouldnât be underestimated.
With strength as their foundation, even if trouble did arise, they wouldnât be afraid.
After Angel finished coordinating with the Black Earl, they settled on the strategy for the upcoming plan. Simply put, they decided to comprehensively enhance surveillance and lay down covert moves, such as traps with the Magical Energy Array and inducements with Illusionary Realms.
Their purpose here wasnât combat, after all. Once the exploration ended, that might be treated as an after-party event. But during the exploration, be it Angel or the Black Earl, they wouldnât allow any disturbance.
During Angel and the Black Earlâs secret communication, Dox decided to test his hypothesis. He summoned the trembling traveling merchant, the clueless Miss Red, and Machusa, interrogating them about whether the merchant organization had assigned them as secret sentinels to specifically watch Transcendents.
The answer... was affirmative.
As Red answered, "Itâs not really an order from the merchant organization; they simply advised us. Transcendents arenât on the same level as us. To prevent being slain by them, if encountered, itâs best to inform other adventure groups and avoid heading in the same direction as the Transcendents."
This seemingly innocuous advice was, in truth, a result of the merchant organizationâs covert guidance. Ordinary people were indeed being used as their eyes.
As for the traveling merchantâs responses, they were even more straightforward: "Thereâs an oath binding me; I canât say anything."
The traveling merchant spoke with unyielding confidence, without fear, for he knew Dox would comprehend the implication.
If itâs unspeakable, it means the merchant organization was indeed maneuvering behind the scenes.
Dox shared his findings with the others, and Angel was no longer as surprised as before; he merely remarked calmly, "Since Dox wasnât mistaken, there could be some variables along the way. However, given that we already know this in advance, paying more attention should prevent it from affecting the overall situation."
This time, Dox didnât dispute it. He nodded, "After all, with the great Black Earl here, and with me present, no one else stands a chance."
Angel didnât pursue this topic further, knowing Dox deliberately omitted him, likely just bored and wanting to engage in some banter.
But, what Dox said wasnât entirely wrong. Judging purely by Angelâs own power, he might not actually be able to defeat Dox. After all, the bloodline side can easily crush those of the same level, and thatâs an undeniable fact.
However, if other factors are considered, such as Speedy and Earl Mi, along with the strong rules of the green Pattern, then the outcome would be different.
If Toby were brought along this time, then Speedy and Earl Mi wouldnât even need to be involved; Dox would be defeated just by Angel and Tobyâs cooperation.
"Dox is right, you two donât need to worry too much." Angel glanced at Kaier and Vay, whose expressions clearly showed some apprehension, likely confused by Doxâs chain of actions.
Hearing Angelâs words, Kaier and Vay at least appeared slightly more calm on the outside.
On the other side, Dox was quite annoyed; Angel didnât take his bait, making him so bored that he couldnât even indulge in some banter.
With waiting being equally dull, Dox could only reminisce the past with his old friend Vay.
Time flew by, and about half an hour later, a figure resembling an iron mountain emerged from the swirling wind and sand.
"My lords, the Magician is here." The Traveling Merchant hurriedly announced to Dox and Angel.
"Usually, those who appear with such flair are the weakest," Dox commented sarcastically, looking at the clearly artificially created sandstorm.
Traveling Merchant: "Please donât mind, my lord, the Magician just likes such displays to fool ordinary folks."
Through the sandstorm walked a tall, muscular man with a weathered face, as if he had seen through everything in the world, approaching the Traveling Merchant step by step.
Each of his steps caused the ground to tremble slightly, as if the earth was in sync with his stride.
Dox couldnât help himself, turning to Vay and said, "Even an Alchemy Apprentice dares to steal the job of your Earth Wizards? Can you stand this?"
This can be tolerated... Vay silently thought to himself.
He hadnât intended to do anything, but since Dox had said so, he had no choice but to lightly stomp his foot. The Power of Earth instantly enveloped hundreds of meters around.
At this moment, as the Magician resumed stepping, he could no longer move the earth.
The Magician paused, taking several more steps in place, and upon realizing there was truly no response, he looked over with a puzzled expression.
Could it be the Traveling Merchant whoâs behind this?
The Magician swiftly scanned his surroundings to ensure that besides the few individuals near the Traveling Merchant, there was no one else present, and he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
For him, everything else can fail, but not his dignity. Thankfully, there werenât many spectators.
Though even with few viewers, the Magician still felt the need to perform. He gazed at the earth, his eyes filled with sorrow, and sighed softly.
It seemed as though he could see the restless echoes deep within the earth, while his feet measured the soil and calmed its inner unrest.
Observing the Magicianâs display, the Traveling Merchant felt quite embarrassed and pretended not to know him.
Angel remained silent, and the Black Earl said nothing either; as someone with broad experience, thereâs no kind of person he hasnât encountered.
Though slightly older than Angel, Dox, who was still regarded as "young and hot-blooded" in the Wizardsâ Realm, took a deep breath: "Canât stand it any longer, come over here!"
With those words, a faint aura of blood suddenly radiated from Doxâs body, the blood energy plunging into the ground.
In less than a second, before the Magician could react, a hole burst open beneath his feet, and a huge worm shining with golden light opened its abyssal maw, directly biting him in half.
Then, amidst a chaotic mess of broken soil and rocks, the worm emerged carrying the bewildered Magician to Doxâs side.
"Letâs see you act tough every day; now youâve met your match." Before Dox could speak, the Traveling Merchant spoke up in mockery: "Walking with your head held high like an overconfident gopher; didnât even see who my lord was beside me, pretending away; serves you right."
The Traveling Merchantâs words were mocking, but actually intended to help the Magician by giving him a way out.
The Magician endured the pain of his waist being nearly bitten apart, raised his head, and opened his eyes.
His expression turned pale instantly.
How could he not recognize Doxâs face?
How did he end up meeting the notoriously temperamental Wandering Wizard here?!
The other party was an Official Wizard of the bloodline side, even if the leader of the Merchant Organization came, they wouldnât be able to take advantage.
And yet, here he was, acting tough for nearly five full minutes in front of Dox.
Itâs over; this is truly over.
...
Just as the Magician was about to descend into despair, a voice echoed like heavenâs melody in his ear.
"Let him go; if you donât release him now, heâll die from blood loss even if he isnât bitten in half," Angel said.
Dox snorted but still followed Angelâs suggestion, releasing the Magician from the wormâs mouth.
At this point, the upper half of the Magician remained relatively intact; from the waist down, he was in a truly pitiful state.
Angel wasnât wrong; if he wasnât released soon, the Magician would indeed perish from blood loss, as there were at least dozens of large and small deep holes from the waist down.
These pores were all caused by the wormâs circular sharp teeth capable of inducing trypophobia.
The Magician was only on the ground for a few seconds after being let go by the worm, and a copious amount of blood gushed like a spring, staining the earth red.
Seeing the dying Magician, Angel sighed, reached out, and deployed a Purifying Field to prevent infection, then cast a healing spell.
Yet despite this, the Magicianâs face was ashen, appearing still close to death.
"An Alchemy Apprentice of the Second Level, and you use a worm to bite him, thatâs something else." Angel glanced at Dox: "Iâve done my part; now itâs your turn."
Angel could heal and purify, but replenishing vital energy and blood was the specialty of the bloodline side.
Although the injury was caused by Dox, he couldnât simply watch the Magician die in front of him, so he walked over to help.
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