Chapter 51 : The Reward

The town of Ark woke to the clamor of passing merchant caravans.

As the noise stirred the early morning streets, Li Wen moved steadily through the western district, her gaze sweeping over the merchants and their companions.

She wasn’t chasing targets to steal from—she was searching for someone.

According to Pastor Mog, the liaison of the Moon Worship faction operated a merchant business, and their emblem was a crescent moon split in two.

To gather the offerings required for advancing to Witch Attendant, she might only find what she needed in their possession—perhaps not just in Ark, but throughout the entire Black Dragon Territory.

Even the caravan transporting moonlight potion belonged to them.

To avoid exposure, the faction didn’t maintain a permanent base in Ark.

So if she wanted to find them, Li Wen would first need to track down one of their caravans.

As she pondered how long such a search might take, a distant figure caught her eye.

Wasn’t that Taketori?

She was alone—probably just returning from somewhere.

Judging by the direction she was headed, she was likely on her way to the church.

That made sense, considering the promised reward had yet to be delivered.

Li Wen headed straight toward her.

Instead of greeting her outright, she brushed past Taketori like an ordinary passerby and then turned down a nearby alley.

After waiting a moment in the alley’s shadow, footsteps echoed in.

“I thought you were dead in there,” Taketori muttered, scratching her face, clearly relieved.

Though perhaps her relief had more to do with the undelivered reward than Li Wen’s wellbeing.

After all, if Li Wen had died, no one would be left to hand it over.

Li Wen didn’t buy the concern.

If Taketori had really thought she was dead, why would she be headed to the church?

“At the far west end of the Black Dragon Territory, atop the Askant Mountains, there’s a temple built from red stone. It’s a training ground established by the Order of Bared Blades.”

“Anyone who reaches the summit and passes their trial may join and be taught extraordinary techniques. There’s a village at the base of the mountain—the locals know the shortcut up.”

Li Wen had long since decided what reward to give Taketori and her companions.

They’d played a key role in defeating the fire mage, after all.

The Order of Bared Blades served the god Bard the Jagged—one of the deities in the Nightmare pantheon.

Their cultivation path was that of conquest.

In her previous life, Taketori had followed the path of conquest, and it had suited her well.

The Order of Bared Blades would be a perfect fit.

Taketori stared blankly for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.

This was exactly the kind of reward she’d hoped for—clues to a hidden class.

And it wasn’t something only she could use, either.

If she sold this intel, she could probably rake in hundreds of thousands of R.

Of course, Taketori wasn’t the type to do that.

She and her viewers had fought for this reward together—it was only right that they shared it.

“Ah, thank you! This is exactly what we needed!”

“You can head for the Askant Mountains right away. But before that, I have a small favor to ask.”

After Taketori mobilized her network, it wasn’t long before news of the broken crescent moon symbol reached Li Wen—someone had spotted a carriage bearing a similar emblem outside a crumbling house in the slums.

Li Wen accompanied Taketori and one of her viewers as they headed toward the southwest corner of Ark.

“Really, the reward’s no big deal.

We didn’t actually do much,” Taketori insisted, still trying to decline the reward.

She wasn’t stupid—building a good relationship with this NPC was worth more than any item.

She was set on clinging to this powerful leg.

Hadn’t she seen Li Wen take down that terrifying mage with her own eyes?

Since Taketori put it like that, Li Wen naturally…

“You can take this staff. I won’t be using it. Sell it on the black market if you like, but don’t try to wield it.”

Li Wen didn’t like owing favors.

The fire mage’s black-and-red staff had no practical use to her—keeping it might even be dangerous.

Better to hand it off as payment.

Taketori had no choice but to accept it.

When they arrived, Li Wen realized the so-called “crumbling house” was not an exaggeration.

It looked like it had survived a devastating fire—roofless, doorless, walls scorched black.

Part of the structure had collapsed, some of it reduced to charcoal.

And there, in front of the ruin, was the carriage said to bear the broken crescent symbol.

Li Wen didn’t approach immediately.

Instead, she turned to Taketori.

“Sure you don’t want to help?”

Taketori’s pupils fixed on her with a certain yearning.

Li Wen shook her head.

She was here for a transaction, not to clear a dungeon.

What was about to happen wasn’t for too many eyes.

Reluctantly, Taketori and her companion left.

Once they were gone, Li Wen turned her gaze back to the carriage.

Though bathed in morning sunlight, the carriage seemed cloaked in a faint, invisible shadow.

It was the lingering presence of the Path of Night—not to be confused with the Path of Shadow.

Shadows did not exist in light, but night could.

That confirmed it.

She’d found the right place.

Li Wen stepped up to the carriage.

The cabin was empty.

So she moved toward the ruined house.

Inside, it was just as desolate as expected.

But on the charred floor, she spotted numerous footprints.

They covered nearly every inch—except for one small corner.

Many prints stopped just before reaching that area.

Li Wen walked over and tapped the floor with her Bone-Eroding Dagger.

The echo revealed a hollow space beneath.

A hidden door?

She pressed the dagger down.

A strong resistance pushed back—this wasn’t a simple hatch.

There was a spell or ritual sealing it from the other side.

It couldn’t be opened through normal means—either a proper method was needed, or it had to be forced.

Li Wen wasn’t looking for a fight.

She wasn’t about to break in recklessly.

But that didn’t mean she lacked alternatives.

Using the dagger, she carved two-thirds of a circle into the floor.

Then placed the blade at the center and began to chant:

“Gate half-open, gate sealed.

Key that is not, key that unlocks!”

As her magic flowed into the weapon, the Bone-Eroding Dagger shimmered, turning into a key that could unlock any door.

She turned it gently.

With a soft click, the lock disengaged, and the hidden door began to melt from the center outward.

It revealed a hole just large enough for one person to pass through.

Below was a dark, narrow passageway, its destination unknown.

Li Wen took a moment to assess herself.

Thirty-one magic power remaining—thanks to her recent level-up and a full night of meditation.

Plenty for several battles.

She didn’t hesitate any longer.

With a sharp breath, she leapt into the passage.