Ethan shook his head, glancing at the sea of heroes surrounding them. "No rush. I suspect someone will approach us soon, suggesting we collaborate to venture inside."
"Who?" Mia curiously inquired.
The answer came almost immediately.
Emerging from the crowd was a towering figure — the very Hero who had initially called out to Ethan.
Seeing the approaching towering Hero, Mia instantly became wary.
She assessed the figure, asking, "What do you want?"
Pale Wolf wasn't bothered by the caution in Mia's eyes.
Being wary of strangers was second nature to any Hero.
It was a lesson many learned through blood and sacrifice.
"I think we can get to know each other again," Pale Wolf said with a smile. However, given his immense stature, his grin seemed more menacing than friendly.
"There's no need for introductions," Mia replied coldly, still resenting Pale Wolf's earlier mockery.
Ethan, on the other hand, gave Pale Wolf a thorough once-over, waved a hand signaling Mia to stay quiet, and then spoke, "I'd like to know your intentions. I can't trust a stranger."
"That's only natural," Pale Wolf nodded in agreement.
He began introducing himself, "I'm a Hero, but not from this region. I hail from the snowy plains in the North, where it's perpetually cold and blanketed in snow. A catastrophe forced me to flee from my home and eventually led me here. Upon hearing about the treasure, I came to Red Jade Valley."
"I assume you're aware of the treasures within the valley?"
Ethan nodded slightly, "A bit, not much."
"Then I might know more than you. The most common treasure in the Red Jade Valley is the 'red jade', but that's just a superficial name. In reality, it's the solidified form of the Blood Source."
"Blood Source?" Even though Ethan was already aware, he feigned surprise.
Seemingly pleased by Ethan's reaction, Pale Wolf's vanity shone through.
A smile crept across his face, his stance relaxing slightly.
"Exactly. The true name of the red jade is Blood Source, which can enhance one's bloodline. This information is invaluable, and only the likes of you are deserving of such knowledge. Those outside? They aren't even worthy of hearing a whisper."
"Hmph. If you're so formidable, why seek us out?" Mia challenged deliberately.
ale Wolf's face faltered for a moment, at a loss for words. Fortunately, Ethan intervened, sparing him from further embarrassment.
"Continue," Ethan prompted.
"Alright." Pale Wolf gathered himself and began again, "Beyond the Blood Source in the valley, there exists another, even more invaluable treasure. I'm not entirely certain about the specifics, but it's undoubtedly a divine artifact. Not many are privy to this information, which is why I propose a partnership with you two—together, we could obtain this divine artifact."
"I've heard your tale, and your reasons seem justifiable." Ethan replied, not fully convinced by Pale Wolf's words.
He probed, "You haven't clarified why you'd want to partner up, especially when someone of your Rank S Hero stature could easily overpower the rest. Isn't that so?"
Pale Wolf's face drained of color instantly, his entire body tensing.
With a slightly quivering voice, he responded, "How...how did you know? I've never disclosed my ascent to Rank S Hero status to anyone. There's no way you could know, unless... unless you're even more powerful than I am. But that's even more improbable!"
"It's as simple as that," Ethan said with a hint of a smile, letting a glimpse of his aura peek through.
In just that brief moment, Pale Wolf was hit by a terrifyingly overwhelming presence, striking awe and even fear into him.
"It seems I've misjudged," Pale Wolf admitted, recovering slightly. "I initially thought you managed to bypass the Red Jade Valley's barrier because of an extraordinary Bloodline, but it appears your personal strength is also immense."
"All the better," he continued, barely concealing his excitement. "Together, our chances of obtaining the divine artifact will be even higher!"
"Hold on!" Ethan interjected, cutting him off. "I haven't agreed to partner with you."
"If not with me, then who? Those fools out there?" Pale Wolf retorted.
"I can tell you now, initially, the Red Jade Valley didn't have that barrier. But after a group entered, especially a black dragon, it appeared. It implies that those inside are already vying for the divine artifact. Entering after them, we can take advantage of their disputes, ambushing them, or discreetly seizing the divine artifact."
It was clear Pale Wolf had given this a lot of thought and had meticulously planned his moves in the valley.
Ethan, however, remained somewhat indifferent, only a nearly imperceptible twitch of his eyebrows betraying his interest at the mention of the black dragon.
"You're that confident?" Ethan asked, genuinely focusing on Pale Wolf now.
With a scoff full of arrogance, Pale Wolf replied, "To become a Hero in the first place requires confidence. And what's wrong with being confident as Rank S Heroes? Those weaker should be humiliated, made to kneel and beg!"
He boldly voiced his philosophy.
Ethan chose not to comment, steering the conversation back to their potential partnership.
"In that case, let's have a fruitful collaboration. I'm Ethan, and this is Mia."
"I'm Pale Wolf, symbolizing a wild wolf of the vast plains. As for my past name, I've cast it aside."
"Perhaps for the best," Ethan concluded.
Ethan seemed momentarily lost in thought, his mood darkening before quickly recovering.
Turning to Pale Wolf, he inquired, "Since you're familiar with the current situation in the Red Jade Valley, do we proceed immediately or wait for a while?"
"We'll need a bit of time. Someone else is coming," Pale Wolf replied.
"Who?"
"Someone you might not fancy — a cold-hearted woman." A shadow of displeasure crossed Pale Wolf's face.
Glancing at Ethan and then to Mia by his side, he couldn't help but chuckle, "Also, my friend, once she arrives, you might want to keep a close eye on your lady, lest she gets charmed by that ice queen."
Before Ethan could respond, a chilling aura approached.
"Pale Wolf, if you dare speak ill of me behind my back again or address me with such vile names, you'll know the pain of a dagger piercing your throat!"
A gleaming blade was swiftly pressed against Pale Wolf's neck, held by a slender, yet powerfully defined hand.
The hand's wheatish skin tone juxtaposed with its latent strength made for a striking image.
The owner of the hand was a statuesque woman, dressed in tight clothing that accentuated her curves, especially the prominent rise and fall of her chest.
Her long, shapely legs further emphasized her allure.
"And you," she snapped, her gaze cold as she eyed Ethan, "if you dare look at me with such intentions again, I'll carve out your eyes with this blade and feed them to the wild boars in the forest as an appetizer!"
Seeing Ethan's appraising gaze, the woman instantly bristled with offense.
Ethan, his ire sparked, retorted disdainfully, "This is our first meeting, so I can excuse your impudence just this once. But if you dare address me in that tone again, you'll come to know the meaning of regret."
"Oh, really?" The woman, clearly irked, scoffed, "You, a lanky twig, think you can talk to me that way?"
"Enough, both of you!" Witnessing the brewing tension, Pale Wolf quickly intervened.
He first approached Ethan, adopting a placating tone, "Ethan, her name is Sherry. She's our upcoming ally. There's no need for this hostility."
After that, Pale Wolf moved towards Sherry. "Sherry, I apologize for my earlier remarks. However, Ethan and Mia are allies I've found after much difficulty. Let's not resort to violence. You know full well that once you begin, you can't easily stop."
Sherry's expression softened somewhat.
She gave Pale Wolf a sidelong glance, stating, "I can let it go, but only if that arrogant boy apologizes to me. And, as for the woman beside him," her gaze landed on Mia, and she licked her lips as if intrigued, "I want her."
"Ethan, about this..." Pale Wolf started, moving closer to Ethan.
Yet, this time, Ethan disregarded Pale Wolf and directed his gaze at Sherry.
His face was inscrutable as he said, "Let's find a more secluded spot. Some insects never realize their true nature unless someone points it out to them."
"How dare you liken me to an insect!" Sherry seethed, the cold aura emanating from her growing even more chilling.
"No one has ever dared to address me in such a manner. You're the first, and you'll be the last. Young man, I hope you won't regret your rash words when you lie dying beneath my dagger!" Having said that, Sherry strode toward a remote wasteland.
Ethan followed suit.
Watching the two now openly hostile towards each other, Pale Wolf couldn't help but heave a sigh.
His eyes, full of pity, settled on Ethan.
In his mind, Ethan was no match for Sherry.
Before long, both Sherry and Ethan stood on the quiet wasteland.
Dagger in hand, Sherry icily addressed Ethan, "I'll give you the first move. Otherwise, you won't get a chance to make one at all."
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