Chapter 633: Losing Money? Impossible!
February 1st.
Death Desert.
Bay Territory's desert town.
Clear skies.
The blinding sunlight poured down from the sky.
In no time, the previously cold desert turned scorching hot.
Even the gentle breeze carried an unbearable heat.
Jifan cautiously approached the sand dune ahead. His tall body didn't make a single sound.
Even the steps on the gravel didn't alter the shape of the sand in the slightest.
This was the performance of the gravity engine components running at full power.
The newly reinforced magic armor greatly enhanced the Dragon Warriors' combat power.
In Matthew's combat philosophy, physical strength and fighting ability were not points of pride.
What Dragon Warriors needed to consider were tactics, training, and weaponry that could fully unleash those combat abilities.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The wind blew across the dunes, carrying with it the faint sound of sand grains.
A tall Gray Elf Dragon Warrior walked over, placing her slender hand on the dune, and after a moment, turned and said:
"There are 32 of them, conducting experiments. Twelve are on guard..."
Hearing this, Jifan pointed forward without hesitation. The previously hidden Dragon Warriors no longer concealed themselves and dashed forward like lightning.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several bursts of fire exploded in midair, and the spreading flames sent out violent shockwaves.
The small magic arrays hidden in the dunes were instantly exposed.
The Cole Elf guards' expressions changed, and they immediately issued an alert of attack.
But it was already too late.
Just as they tried to activate the teleportation array to escape, the Cole Elves despairingly discovered the space around them had already been locked down.
They rushed out at top speed, only to be easily "subdued" by the swarming Dragon Warriors.
Crack!
Their arms and legs were all broken. The intense pain surged into the hearts of the Cole Elves.
They stared in despair at the approaching needles, even though no solid evidence had been obtained.
But the vast majority of Cole Elf scouts knew full well that once caught by Bay Territory, they would face a terrifying "judgment"!
If their previous crimes were great enough, they would face horrifying "torture."
Unlike other powers, Bay Territory would directly publicize the "crimes" of captured Cole Elves.
And Bay Territory would also declare they had no relation to the Cole Elf Kingdom, labeling them simply as "criminals."
They also knew very well that the Cole Elf Kingdom typically dealt with such cases by simply ignoring them.
The ones being ignored were the captured prisoners.
The Cole Elves wouldn't even bother to make an announcement about disavowing these individuals.
From the moment they were captured, their identity and former honor were erased.
Why didn't they choose suicide?
As long-lived beings, Cole Elves became more fearful of death the longer they lived.
That's also why Bay Territory often managed to "capture" them alive.
Jifan glanced at the unconscious prisoners, then turned to the accompanying mage.
The mage nodded to confirm there were no magical traps. Only then did Jifan dispatch the scouting unit to explore the underground area of the hidden base.
In just a short while, everything below was thoroughly "cleaned out."
This location would be temporarily sealed and could serve as an emergency rest stop for adventurers in the future.
Of course, some special items would be placed inside to provide unique information.
Though this method was a bit clumsy, Bay Territory had used it to trace and destroy three or four hidden Cole Elf bases.
This reflected Bay Territory's meticulous style—never leaving the slightest chance behind.
Having reaped substantial rewards, Jifan reported the combat results to HQ and swiftly headed to the next suspicious location.
Until late afternoon.
The blazing red sun gradually sank behind the distant dunes.
A faint coolness slowly flowed in with the breeze.
Only then did Jifan lead the Dragon Warrior squad back to the underground base.
After passing twelve security checkpoints confirming the Dragon Warriors' identities and statuses, the surrounding red lights finally faded.
With the help of mechanical arms, Jifan removed his Thunder Magic Armor, adjusted to his current physical state, and prepared for the final meeting and handover.
Jifan swiftly gathered his Dragon Warriors and summarized the day's results and gains.
They also analyzed the carelessness and errors during battle, letting the Dragon Warriors speak and summarize.
The improvement of combat skills came from constant transformation through this kind of long-term accumulation.
He finished the shift handover with Leon, who was on night duty.
Jifan emphasized the recent Cole Elf activity, then asked about the Eastern Archipelago. After hearing that the Wokou pirates were retreating on all fronts, he joked excitedly:
"If we weren't short on manpower right now, we'd have already stormed the Wokou pirates' main island."
Leon, who had thoroughly studied the Wokou pirates, shook his head regretfully:
"Unless the Cole Elf Kingdom is crushed first, the Wokou pirates won't be easy to deal with."
"Their numbers are huge. Kill one wave, and another can be brought in."
"We can only proceed step by step, slowly gathering strength and gradually eroding their influence on the eastern coast."
Jifan nodded thoughtfully. Thinking of the Cole Elf Kingdom's many "henchmen," he asked in a low voice:
"Will the Lord let us make a move on those teams?"
After thinking for a moment, Leon rubbed his chin, smacked his lips, and said:
"Probably not. Unless they dig their own graves, we won't target those adventuring teams."
Shrugging helplessly, Jifan completed the handover and, as instructed by the Lord—
He exited the underground combat base through a hidden passage and stepped into a brightly lit street.
The Dragon Warriors behind him were chatting and laughing happily, clearly having already relaxed.
Meeting all the curious eyes, Jifan looked back calmly.
Most of the gazes quickly turned away, except for one very curious pair.
A pair of elven eyes!
What kind of elf dared to be so bold?
Jifan stayed calm and was about to approach, but suddenly remembered—he was off duty now.
The night shift guys had already done several sweeps, eliminating most dangers.
As for the remaining inspectors, they would apply special markings.
So this elf likely wasn't a problem.
Still, Jifan couldn't help but notice her and saw her glance away and head toward the Adventurer Hall.
He bought two skewers of grilled meat from a street vendor and slowly walked over.
As soon as he entered the Adventurer Hall, Jifan's towering figure caught many eyes.
Over the past month, adventurers had gotten used to the Dragon Warriors of Bay Territory.
But it was rare to see one this close in person like today.
Adventurers marveled at Jifan's size, curiously examining his burly physique and sensing the formidable aura he emitted, then turned to gossip.
Jifan secretly cursed. He'd forgotten how unusual Dragon Warriors were.
But he wasn't like before anymore. He just smiled and nodded to the crowd, then found a corner seat in the hall.
Suddenly, Jifan thought—this was the perfect chance to get a better sense of what the adventurers were thinking.
Thanks to his enhanced senses, he could clearly hear many of their conversations.
"That's a Dragon Warrior? Damn, he's huge..."
"It's the build—not bulky, but explosive..."
"Dragon Warriors are enhanced all around, not to mention the awesome combat skills and techniques from Bay Territory."
"Exactly. Everything Bay Territory teaches us is top-tier. What they keep for their own people must be even better."
"After the Dragon Warrior transformation, your power can leap an entire major rank."
"I heard some veteran adventurers say Bay Territory might open the Dragon Warrior modification program to others. We might get the chance too."
"But the price must be outrageous. The Bay Territory newspaper said it costs over 2 million gold when done in partnership with major factions."
"2 million gold? That's insane!"
"We couldn't afford that even if we sold ourselves!"
"Haha, you think 2 million is a lot? Sure, for us."
"But for high-level and Legendary Professionals, that's not out of reach."
"Just the lifespan extension from the transformation—at least 100 years—would tempt a lot of people..."
"..."
Jifan didn't keep listening to the chatter and instead started browsing the adventurer missions.
Considering the dangers at night and the Crimson Moon, even if some adventurers were confident in their strength and continued exploring—
Most still returned to the towns of Bay Territory to avoid unnecessary threats.
Thanks to Bay Territory's steady work on reforming the Death Desert's soil, construction missions were rapidly increasing.
Judging from the adventurers' attitudes, nearly a third were now willing to accept reconstruction missions from Bay Territory.
Jifan couldn't help but feel emotional at this shift.
Compared to other regions, every expansion into the Death Desert cost Bay Territory real money and resources.
It was practically a bottomless pit!
Was it really worth it?
That question popped into Jifan's mind—but he wasn't in doubt. He was simply seriously thinking of ways to solve it.
Just then, a tall figure slowly approached.
Under Jifan's curious gaze, she carefully took out a dark transparent crystal and asked in a testing tone:
"Uh, excuse me... how much gold could I get for this magic material?"
Looking into those same eyes from earlier, Jifan couldn't help but suspect—did she come here on purpose?
Could she really be suspicious?
The thought flashed through Jifan's mind, but his face didn't show it. He skillfully took the material, lightly touched it, and said in surprise:
"A large soul crystal? That's some good stuff!"
"The quality's quite good. It should be worth over 800 gold."
Laura's eyes lit up instantly and she eagerly asked:
"That much? Can you exchange it for me? 800's too much—700 is fine."
100 gold coins—just like that?
And you say you're not suspicious?
Jifan blinked, but didn't immediately agree. That would've been too abrupt.
He lightly shook his head, and under Laura's curious gaze, finished the rest of his skewers.
Jifan stood up. With many adventurers watching, he took Laura to queue at the adventurer station and turned to her, saying:
"For loot handling, it's best to let the staff take care of it."
"Bay Territory only charges a reasonable handling fee, ensuring adventurers get the most out of their rewards."
The other adventurers didn't find this too official-sounding. In fact, they nodded approvingly.
Some braver adventurers looked at Jifan and Laura, and replied with a chuckle:
"Yep, in other territories or cities, that kind of talk is just fluff. Don't take it seriously."
"But in Bay Territory, you can actually believe it."
Laura, who had rich adventuring experience, noticed the recognition and smiles on everyone's faces, and blinked in surprise before blurting out:
"This place really that interesting?"
Everyone nodded together—then suddenly realized how silly that looked and burst into laughter.
Bay Territory's staff worked efficiently. In two or three minutes, it was Jifan and Laura's turn.
The staff took the crystal Jifan handed over, examined it closely, and used a magical tool to study it further before turning to Laura and asking thoughtfully:
"Hello, this should be the remains left behind after a wraith's death."
"Its quality is extremely high and contains destructive energy unique to the Death Desert. It's a magical material we've never seen before in Bay Territory."
"Its market value should normally be around 1,500 gold, but we're willing to purchase it for 4,500 gold."
1500 gold coins?
No, 4500 gold coins!