Just then!
Thud!
A dull thud of flesh and bone colliding echoed through the air.
The argument outside the Guild's entrance had inevitably escalated into a full-blown brawl.
Swordsman Buck punched Berserker Gru in the face, and Gru retaliated with a brutal headbutt. The two men instantly locked in a vicious struggle.
"Enough!"
Two Guild guards clad in steam-powered armor strode out.
They each grabbed one man by the scruff of the neck, effortlessly separating the bloodied combatants like squabbling alley cats.
One of the guards coldly declared:
"Private brawls are forbidden within the city limits."
"If you have personal grudges, sign a life-or-death contract at the Bloody Arena."
"There, you can kill each other and it's none of our concern."
Bloody Arena... life-or-death contracts...
Lin Qingyue froze in her tracks.
She raised a hand, stopping her teammates who were already discussing which blacksmith's shop to visit for new gear.
Then, she pointed at the two men who were still exchanging venomous insults and had agreed to settle their rivalry in the Arena.
"Look at them—what a great source of free intel."
Xia Lian and Lin Xiyue were stunned.
Only Su Wan's ice-blue eyes flickered with understanding as she instantly grasped Lin Qingyue's reasoning.
"You mean..."
"Of course we'll go to Tender Village, but not now."
Lin Qingyue turned back to her three companions, a mischievous grin spreading across her face like a curtain rising on a drama about to unfold.
"Those two fools and their women are the most vivid, living textbook of this world's 'rules,' aren't they?"
"Their duel will definitely attract a huge crowd of Professionals who either share their troubles or simply revel in violence."
Her eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
"In that hormone-charged, blood-soaked environment, the 'Truth' we'll hear will be ten thousand times more revealing than anything we could overhear in a Tavern."
"Besides," she added matter-of-factly, "if there's a good show to watch, why wouldn't we?"
Lin Xiyue instantly understood, her eyes blazing with excitement as she pumped her fist in agreement.
"Great! Let's go see a show!"
She grabbed Su Wan's arm and shook it vigorously, her voice cloyingly sweet as she pleaded:
"Xiao Wan, Xiao Wan, let's go together~ Watching others fight is so much fun!"
Su Wan hadn't planned to refuse anyway.
Compared to the "Tender Village"—the very name of which made her skin crawl—the pure, unadulterated violence of the arena would be far less psychologically jarring.
Under Lin Xiyue's burning anticipation and affectionate onslaught, she reluctantly harrumphed, maintaining a semblance of dignity.
"I'm not going for the spectacle!"
"It's an excellent place to gather intelligence, that's all!"
Xia Lian glanced from one to the other, finally sighed in resignation, and resignedly followed.
Fine, a show it is. The mission comes first.
"Then it's settled," Lin Qingyue declared, hammering down the decision.
With a casual wave of her hand, she led her three strikingly different yet equally eye-catching teammates, turning to follow the two shoving men toward the city's largest and most raucous structure.
There stood Blackrock Stronghold's blood-and-fire entertainment hub:
The Bloody Arena!
-
Even before approaching the massive circular structure, a deafening roar composed of countless voices, carried on a scorching wave of heat, crashed over them.
The air reeked of a savage blend of the acrid tang of sweat, the bitter tang of cheap ale, the charred aroma of roasted meat, and an overpowering, cloying stench of iron rust and blood.
The stands teemed with jostling crowds.
Though Professionals and commoners were clearly distinguished by their attire, both groups wore the same fanatical fervor on their faces.
While the commoners' clothing remained relatively orderly, the Professionals dressed far more flamboyantly—
Most of the men were shirtless, flaunting their corded muscles and gruesome scars.
The women wore wide strips of cloth bound tightly across their chests for support, similarly brandishing muscular arms as they placed wild bets and roared encouragement to the gladiators battling in the arena.
This was a pure hormonal paradise, brimming with primal, untamed vitality.
"Wow~"
Lin Xiyue's bright eyes sparkled with wonder and excitement. The frenzied atmosphere seemed to make her blood boil.
Xia Lian, however, appeared visibly uneasy, instinctively shrinking behind Lin Qingyue and muttering softly, "These people are... so... enthusiastic."
Su Wan's brows furrowed tightly.
The icy aura surrounding her intensified, coalescing into an invisible barrier that shielded them from the crude, surging tide of violence.
She found no aesthetic appeal in such a brutal display of force and couldn't bring herself to appreciate it, at least not for the moment.
Only Lin Qingyue observed her surroundings with keen interest, her mind racing as she analyzed the intelligence value of the scene.
As the four women searched for a suitable vantage point to observe the battle, a slightly hesitant voice called out from the side.
"Lin Qingyue?"
The four turned to see an exceptionally burly man striding toward them.
Nearly two meters tall, he carried a monstrous greataxe proportionate to his massive frame, its blade still stained with dark, dried blood.
A faint scar across his ruggedly handsome face only added to his imposing presence, lending him the gravitas of a seasoned warrior.
"Senior Brother Zhou Yi!" Lin Xiyue exclaimed in delight.
The newcomer was none other than Zhou Yi, a senior brother from Tianshu University and a renowned Berserker.
"Ha ha! It really is you! Junior sister Lin, your pink hair is impossible to miss!"
Overjoyed to see familiar faces, Zhou Yi strode closer, laughing heartily. He scratched his head with a palm the size of a fan and sized them up.
"I'm so glad you're all okay! I was worried about you freshmen getting into trouble in this kind of place!"
His imposing presence—his burly physique and hearty laughter—made the curious adventurers nearby unconsciously avert their gazes.
After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Yi learned that they had come to watch the duel between the two quarreling Professionals. His cheerful expression immediately turned grave.
Lowering his voice, he said gravely, "Freshmen, watching the spectacle is fine, but there are some things you need to know."
He paused, his tone heavy. "This is information... I paid a great price to obtain."
Seeing his solemn demeanor, Lin Qingyue and her companions abandoned their lighthearted mood.
"Please tell us, Senior Brother," they urged.
Zhou Yi's eyes darkened, filled with the fear and humiliation of having his dignity crushed.
"The strange atmosphere in Blackrock Stronghold... it's not native to this place."
"About a few months ago, a group of mysterious female traveling merchants arrived in the city."
"They use their beauty as bait, specifically 'hunting' single individuals, regardless of gender. Ordinary people and Professionals alike are their targets."
Hunting?
The four exchanged glances, their hearts skipping a beat.
The four exchanged glances, their earlier speculations confirmed.
Zhou Yi, oblivious to their reactions, continued in a low, suppressed voice, his tone simmering with suppressed fury:
"Whether you're a native of this world or an outsider like us! As long as you become... intimate with them..."
He paused, his face etched with bone-deep dread.
"Under the amplified influence of the 'Echo of the Heart's Abyss' rule, you develop an overwhelmingly intense dependency on them—a pathological obsession and possessiveness."
"You'd willingly do anything for them, ultimately becoming cheap or even free labor under their control!"
"They barely need to lift a finger. Just a little 'sweetener' at night is enough to keep their prey firmly under control!"
Zhou Yi's voice dripped with venom, each word squeezed out between clenched teeth:
"Turning people into their... loyal dogs!"
The moment the words left his lips, an icy, deathly silence suddenly radiated outward from Su Wan.
She whirled around, her gaze locking onto Lin Xiyue, who was still curiously looking around.
In her ice-blue eyes, Lin Xiyue's innocent, lively face was reflected.
A loyal dog?
In Su Wan's mind, the face of the fox spirit Adela and Senior Brother Zhou Yi's warning slammed together like thunder.
Come to my room tonight... to admire my tail?
What's so great about an ice queen? Come play with me instead?
The flippant teasing.
The blatant invitations.
In that instant, they transformed into the most venomous curses and the most insidious traps!
A wave of belated fear gripped her heart.
If Lin Qingyue and I hadn't stopped her...
If Xiyue had actually gone...
The thought of Lin Xiyue wagging her tail like a dog before that fox spirit, reduced to a creature who only knew how to beg for "treats"... filled her with dread.
That fear gave way to a towering rage that burned away all reason.
The ice-blue in her eyes instantly lost all warmth.
It was no longer an iceberg, but an abyss—a pure, dark killing intent capable of freezing the soul.
That fox spirit named Adela...
Deserves to die!