The rugged path underfoot gradually became hard and flat.
A wide, gray-black road passed through the rift valley steaming with sulfur, its massive size barely concealed by the thick layer of volcanic ash.
It was wide enough for three carriages to travel side-by-side, its edges piled with collapsed rubble and withered wood that appeared to have been burned.
Perhaps this was the legendary Dragon Road built by the Dragonlords of Valyria.
The procession snaked like a long serpent, moving through the rift valley.
"Stay. We can't leave yet," Aegon thought silently as he stepped over the cold ashes slightly ahead of the group.
In the original work, Crows Eye claimed to have brought back the dragon horn and Valyrian Steel armor from the Valyrian Ruins, using them to contend for the Seastone Chair.
Perhaps this was the source of that exploration?
Aegon's gaze swept past the end of the rift valley, looking toward the depths of the Valyrian Ruins.
A faint golden glow there guided his direction.
Coincidentally, that was also the destination the employer had hired them to go to.
He glanced at the uneasy Mercenaries around him.
And perhaps they had recruited these Mercenaries specifically to act as cannon fodder, scouting out a safe route for them?
Since powerful Mercenary Groups wouldn't allow themselves to be manipulated, did they choose these easily bullied'small fry' who were cobbled together?
Based on the information he currently had, this was the only reasonable possibility he could deduce; as for other possibilities, Aegon couldn't imagine them for the time being—he could only observe carefully and adapt as needed!
Although there was a risk of being used as cannon fodder, Aegon still decided to remain with the group for now.
Because in the harsh environment of the Valyrian Ruins, acting alone might be even more dangerous.
He knew that in the original work, there were many monsters in the ruins, including Half-man, half-beast entities modified by Blood Magic.
Setting aside the fact that the Check-in Location was almost the same as their destination for this trip, the issue of returning home required careful consideration.
He couldn't just stay in these ruins forever after completing the Check-in Mission, could he? He still needed those ships!
As for the matter concerning Old Buck earlier, Aegon could only say he had a clear conscience.
Although it was his persuasion on the ship that gave everyone a chance to survive by landing, his silent observation when Old Buck was targeted by Euron Greyjoy after landing seemed somewhat hypocritical?
But Aegon could only say that the words he spoke on the ship were for everyone's survival, preventing a mutiny and a premature purge by the Ironborn that would lead to the destruction of the ship and all hands lost.
When Old Buck was targeted, maintaining silence was for his own survival. Euron Greyjoy was looking for an excuse to establish his authority, and if Aegon had stepped forward, he would instantly have become the perfect 'kill the chicken to scare the monkey' target.
It was not worth it for an individual who only incited trouble and caused problems.
Survival is never based on needless pity, but on precise, razor-sharp choices.
Perhaps it was cold, but this was the principle Aegon had grasped over the years.
"Hey, that Blue-lipped Guy is a real bastard!" A plump figure interrupted Aegon's thoughts.
Henry, moving with slightly bloated steps, pushed past the surrounding Mercenaries and quickly walked up to Aegon, lowering his voice to speak quietly.
"And that employer is a bastard too! We just signed a Mercenary contract to help him explore this wretched place, but what does he treat us as? Cargo? He even called us trash!" Henry complained indignantly next to Aegon.
"If we hadn't only received the deposit and not the rest of the money, I'd tear up that contract and let him explore this cursed place himself!" As he spoke, Henry's angry expression suddenly changed. He scanned the surroundings cautiously, then, as if presenting a treasure, pulled a dark object from the cloth pouch tied to his waist.
Aegon couldn't help but look at him with a puzzled expression.
Henry moved quickly, snapping the sooty black shell into pieces and discarding it in no time.
While doing so, he muttered, "It's all that Blue-lipped Guy's fault for causing that scene just now; it almost burned my food!"
As the black shell was completely peeled off, it revealed a small, golden-brown piece of pie inside?
The freshness of the apple, mixed with the rich aroma of baked dough, wafted toward them, faintly but stubbornly resisting the strange smells of volcanic lava and sulfur in the surroundings.
"Here, Brother Hain!" Henry's eyes sparkled, and his Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed, but he still handed the fragrant pie to Aegon.
"Try it! This is a specialty delicacy from my homeland, Riverlands—Apple Meat Pie, made by my own mother! My mother always said you should share good things with good friends." He then gave a slightly embarrassed smile.
"When I left, my mother packed a huge bag for me, but I ate almost all of it; this is the last bit left. Still, you can get a taste!" He pushed the meat pie closer to Aegon.
Looking at the piece of pie, and then at the pure, unadulterated kindness on Henry's sweaty face.
Aegon's expression was complicated; he silently reached out and took it.
"Screech—!!! Roar—!!!"
Suddenly, terrifying, beast-like cries came from the crevices on both sides of the rift valley.
The Mercenaries walking at the front looked stunned, their unease and fear not yet having time to surface on their faces.
Several unprepared Mercenaries were tackled to the ground by black shadows that sprang out of the crevices.
Sharp claws slashed across their abdomens, their internal organs were ripped out alive, and blood sprayed everywhere!
More black shadows continuously poured out from various crevices; the crowd descended into chaos, and fear spread rapidly like a plague.
Screams and shouts of terror pierced his ears. Aegon drew his sword and watched cautiously.
He focused his gaze on the black shadow monster tearing at the Mercenary's corpse—
The thing was about the height of a man, its body covered in pitch-black scales as sharp as daggers.
Its back was hunched, twisted bone spurs jutted out from its joints, and its skeleton vaguely resembled a human's, but the ends of its four limbs were massive, gleaming bone claws that could easily rip open leather armor and bellies!
The most horrifying part was its skull: it had no eyes, only two deep sockets streaming black liquid, and its enormous mouth, split back to the ears, was filled with crisscrossing fangs like rusty iron spikes.
It repeatedly plunged its hideous head into the abdominal cavity of the dead Mercenary, pulling out tender internal organs and chewing furiously.
Saliva mixed with blood dripped down, sizzling and corroding the ground.
They could even see a long, bright red strip sliding from the corner of the monster's mouth—perhaps the dead Mercenary's intestine...!
The terrifying scene before him made Aegon's brow twitch, and cold sweat slid down his cheeks.
If the Sea Monster from before dragged people into an unknown abyss, leaving only cold dread, then the creature before them was a living, breathing meat grinder, dissecting death nakedly in front of everyone!
Just then, a foul wind attacked from behind. Aegon instinctively swung his sword behind him to block.
A cold, sharp sound rang out, like the call of Merok.
It was the sound of his longsword being snapped by a claw. Aegon's pupils contracted; the cold grip of death enveloped him.
He was violently slammed to the ground by the black-scaled monster, its massive, tearing mouth, dense with hideous fangs, growing larger and larger before Aegon's eyes!
Aegon could even see fresh blood and flesh embedded between its fangs!
The chilling feeling of falling into an ice cellar—Death was calling!
At this critical moment—
A massive iron hammer smashed horizontally toward them!
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