NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27 - A Heavily Guarded Thieves' Base?
027: A Heavily Guarded Thieves’ Base?
Mu Liang moved through the shadows of rocks and hills.
When he encountered tall stones, he used spider silk to leap forward.
In wide-open areas, he activated his Mimicry Invisibility to walk slowly, scouting the thieves’ layout.
“I didn’t expect this kind of setup,” Mu Liang murmured as he circled the crescent-shaped valley.
To reach the central hill, one had to climb the left or right hills and cross suspension bridges to get there.
Blood Beard’s home was situated inside this central hill.
The first challenge was entering the hill from either of the guarded entrances.
Mu Liang estimated around 20 guards per entrance, with patrols frequently passing by.
“This place is surprisingly well-guarded,” Mu Liang remarked.
Though Mimicry Invisibility could get him inside, he needed someone to open the gate for him.
“Forget it. I’ll climb from the outside,” Mu Liang decided to take the unconventional route, scaling the central hill directly.
After all, going through the entrances might involve unknown obstacles, wasting precious time.
He didn’t have time to waste—who knew when Blood Beard might return?
Decision made, Mu Liang stealthily approached the central hill’s base, where he discovered a few hidden sentries.
Crunch…
In a few minutes, Mu Liang and the Red Ghost Spider eliminated the sentries.
“This thief leader is cautious,” Mu Liang mused.
He summoned his helper: “Little Cai, come here.”
The Three-colored Lizard would carry the loot—Mu Liang alone couldn’t haul much.
Minutes later, Little Cai emerged from the shadows, rubbing against Mu Liang’s hand.
“Here’s one evolution point. Work hard,” Mu Liang patted the lizard’s head.
Hiss, hiss~~ Little Cai tilted its head, confused.
Whoosh~~
“Time to climb,” Mu Liang shot spider silk onto the rock wall and began ascending.
The two tamed beasts followed.
The hill stood 150 meters tall, about 30 stories high.
With the help of spider silk, climbing was manageable, though some protruding rocks posed challenges.
As he neared the top, Mu Liang became increasingly cautious, worried about making noise.
It was a nerve-wracking journey, but he reached the summit without incident.
Upon arrival, something felt off.
A wooden dome sat atop the hill, illuminated by light seeping through gaps. The dome wasn’t small.
“What’s this dome for?” Mu Liang pondered.
Suddenly, a possibility struck him—could this be Blood Beard’s residence?
Could his treasure vault be inside?
“Quite possible,” Mu Liang muttered.
Believing it could be the vault, Mu Liang searched for an entry point. Using force wasn’t an option—someone inside might catch him.
Circling the dome, he found only small gaps.
As he prepared to climb to the top, muffled voices arguing inside caught his attention.
“My father’s away. I’m in charge now.”
“No, without the boss’s orders, no one goes in.”
“Move. I just want some water.”
“You know your father’s temper. Don’t make it hard for us.”
“Don’t use my father to pressure me.”
Bang, bang, bang!
Expletives.
The argument ended with door-pounding and curses, then silence.
“Blood Beard’s son?” Mu Liang smirked.
If Blood Beard didn’t even let his son in, there must be something valuable inside.
Whoosh~~
Mu Liang used spider silk to climb the dome, finding a gap about ten meters long and ten inches wide—just enough for a person to squeeze through.
“Why such a big gap?”
Cautious, Mu Liang sent the Red Ghost Spider in first.
After a brief wait, hearing nothing, he lowered himself in using spider silk.
Inside, Mu Liang realized the dome covered a massive space.
The hilltop had been hollowed out, creating a vast area, with the dome acting as a cover.
Mu Liang landed softly, standing atop a square wooden door, the entry to this space. The earlier argument had come from beyond it.
Stepping away, he estimated the space to be about ten meters high. Looking up, he noticed supports, gears, and ropes around the dome.
“A movable cover?” Mu Liang was stunned, understanding the gap.
“Blood Beard, you’re quite resourceful.”
The space was divided into sections, the most striking being a patch of green.
In this post-apocalyptic world, seeing greenery after nine days was surreal.
He approached the green patch—dozens of plants growing in the soil. “This movable dome must be for this greenery,” he murmured.
“These look like cabbages,” Mu Liang knelt in a small plot.
He plucked a leaf, sniffed it, and exclaimed, “They are cabbages!”
Moving to a wooden rack, he recognized familiar green and red fruits.
Mu Liang grinned silently, “Tomatoes? Blood Beard, you’re full of surprises. Even tea trees?”
In a corner, he spotted a short tea tree.
“There are several plants I don’t recognize,” Mu Liang observed, knowing only two or three types.
Some plants were withering, nearing death.
“Why not eat the withering ones?” Mu Liang inspected them and guessed—
Unless they were incredibly valuable, Blood Beard must be trying to save them.