The guild hall was already buzzing with excitement and suspicion after the SSS-rank result appeared.
Then the orb shimmered again, and a new line of text materialized in glowing golden letters above the leader's information:
Title: Hero
The entire lobby went dead silent for a split second.
Then the mood shifted violently.
Chairs scraped loudly as dozens of adventurers stood up at once. Weapons were drawn in a flash — swords, staffs, bows, and magic circles forming in the air. The Guild Master's silver longsword was already in his hand, pointed directly at the group of "travelers."
The atmosphere turned hostile in an instant.
The Guild Master's voice rang out, sharp and cold.
"You are all Heroes? What brings you here? Where did you come from?"
The golden-haired leader kept his face mostly hidden under his hood, but his voice remained calm and collected as he lied smoothly.
"We came from another kingdom. We are simply traveling adventurers seeking new opportunities."
The Guild Master narrowed his eyes. "Which kingdom?"
The leader answered without hesitation, "The Kingdom of Water."
A tense pause followed. The adventurers exchanged glances. The Kingdom of Water was far away and had no known connection to the Dragon Kingdom's recent scandals. Slowly, one by one, the weapons began to lower. The Guild Master sheathed his sword, though his expression remained wary.
"Very well," the Guild Master said. "What brings a group like you all the way here from so far away?"
The leader began to speak, weaving a convincing story on the spot. He talked about seeking stronger monsters to fight, wanting to explore the holy land's famous healing temples, looking for rare materials, and hoping to take on high-paying quests in a stable kingdom. He kept talking smoothly, adding details and answering follow-up questions from the Guild Master and curious adventurers.
He spoke for a long time, explaining and elaborating until the sky outside had turned completely dark and the guild lanterns were fully lit.
Only when the conversation finally wound down did the four heroes and their disguised soldiers excuse themselves politely and leave the guild.
As they walked back to their inn under the night sky, the golden-haired leader's lips curled into a cold, satisfied smile.
"They believed it," he said quietly to the others. "We're in. Now we just need to find Luo Feng and his family."
The hunt continued.
Meanwhile, in a quiet room at The Healing Lantern inn, Luo Feng was sitting with Lina and Suki, completely unaware that the heroes he had once fought were now inside the same city, searching for him