The curtain of the night has fallen and the moonlight shone over the encampment where Gareth and his team were resting at.
The quiet atmosphere has shrouded the surrounding area after most people have gone to sleep. But few people were still awoke and keeping the watch for security reasons.
Gareth and his companion were gathering in front of their tents. They sat around a campfire as they enjoyed the night while talking and drinking together. The only one who's missing was Arda, he has fallen asleep inside his tent.
"Ah... The moon is truly fantastic tonight." Heinz spoke after drinking liquor from his water pouch.
"Yeah..." Said Zeke in agreement while enjoying the sight of the blue moon.
Both of them were still in their disguised human form. Ever since the team meeting with Marco, Gareth had forbade them to show their true appearances.
"I don't understand both of your fascinations. I mean, it's just a moon, you know." Diandra sighed.
"Hahaha." Heinz laughed merrily, "You wouldn't understand, Diandra. You're a human, so you won't be able to know the glory of the full moon."
"How should I say... Ehmm... When the full moon appeared, it can make us both relaxed and energized at the same time. It's really hard to describe, Miss." Zeke tried to explain the feelings that he and Heinz were having right now.
"Hehe... Even by just looking at the moon, our hearts could feel relief and... Ehmm... Ah shit, I don't know! Basically, staring at the full moon is really good, there's that." Said Heinz snappily.
Diandra keeps observing the two while she tries to digest their explanation. But in the end, she still shook her head as it was beyond her understanding.
Looking at his companion's antics, Gareth lightly smiled. Even he himself was at a loss.
Kobold and wolfman shared the same fascination towards the full moon. It's almost impossible for the member of other races to know what kind of feelings did those two races have when the full moon appeared clearly up in the night sky.
Though, the effect of the full moon wasn't as simple as Zeke had described.
There were many other effects, mostly beneficial to wolfman and kobold races. Such as better efficiency in absorbing Martial Essences, their mind would be more focused during meditation, and their female would have their fertility enhanced, thus this was an ideal time for engaging in the act of reproduction.
All in all, the full moon was wonderous and sacred to both kobold and wolfman. Even their cultures basically revolved around it.
Suddenly, at this very moment...
Gareth's Martial Sense was picking up an unknown group of people heading towards the direction of the encampment.
The distance of this group were still a few kilometers from the encampment. However, Gareth could already discern their identity. Every one of them was cultivators.
All of them were carried by two aerial-type demon beasts which were flying at high speed.
"We've got company." Said Gareth softly. His expression remained calm.
"!!!" His companions were alerted upon hearing his warning.
"Ten people, all cultivators. One 1st-rank Martial Saint, two peak Martial Grandmasters while the rest are Martial Masters. They're coming here from east direction using two wyverns." Gareth informed them the composition of the incoming group.
"That's... a pretty strong group." Said Zeke.
"Tsk! Strong your head! I could beat all those trash myself." Heinz sneered in contempt.
Although Gareth was a bit dissatisfied with Heinz's attitude, he was right though.
The strength possessed by that group might be powerful enough in this region. However, it still not enough of being a threat to Gareth and his team.
"Should we be on guard, Young Master?" Asked Diandra with a serious tone.
"I don't know what their motives are. But, just ignore them as long they didn't get in our way." Said Gareth after contemplating for a while.
He thinks there's no need for his team to be alarmed.
"Roger that." Diandra complied.
After a while, as the unknown group was approaching closer to the encampment. Gareth's companions were finally able to detect them using each of their Martial Senses.
"Blasted! They all have aggressive auras! They clearly have malicious ideas." Said Heinz in anger. He had felt the aggressive aura exudes by each member of that group.
"Calm down, Heinz. We don't know what they want. There's no way they're coming here for us. So, I think they're targetting someone else." Zeke spoke as he tried to calm Heinz.
"Zeke's right. We should listen to Young Master and just ignore them. Their business is not ours, to begin with." Said Diandra in agreement.
Heinz shrugged his shoulders as he calmed down.
Other people inside the encampment had no idea that a powerful group of cultivators was about to disturb their rest. Most of these people were ordinary people without any cultivation at all. Even though there were mercenaries and few cultivators in here as well, the strongest among them was only Martial Masters.
However, there was an existence of female Martial Grandmaster amidst the impressive convoy, which had entered the encampment during the evening earlier. She should be the leader of the knight group that was escorting the convoy and the strongest expert they have. But even that, she was merely a 5th-rank Martial Grandmaster.
Her strength alone wasn't enough to contend with the incoming group. Thus in this encampment, the only people who have the strength to resist them were Gareth and his company.
***
At the same time, inside a luxurious carriage within the knight group's camp. Svetlana the female knight was having a conversation with someone.
Svetlana was the vice-commander of the Order of Windflower, a powerful knight order in Eternal Fragrance's military. From a young age, she was already a rare flower, who possessed not only a fearful familial background, but also beautiful looks and high talent in cultivation.
She was only 30 years old this year, but her cultivation has reached 5th-rank Martial Grandmaster.
A few days ago, she was given an important assignment to escort and protect a special person. This person was one of the upper-echelon of Tulip's Embrace Chamber of Commerce, who has a connection with the Queen and who was also one of Svetlana's own friend.
"Eish." Svetlana letting out a long, tiring sigh after lamenting about something inside her mind.
Svetlana's friend, a lady with lush blonde hair and charming face, was glancing at her worriedly, "It's been hard for you, right Svetlana? You know, these past few months..."
Svetlana took a wine cup from the table in front of her and sip its content before replying, "Irina, you have no idea... If not for those bastards from Martial Glory, we wouldn't have this huge mess."
The blonde lady, Irina, sighed, "What has been done can't be undone. Even without those Martial Glory's people, I'm sure the ruin would also be revealed to the world sooner or later. It's hard for something huge like that to be hidden for a long time."
Both woman soon letting out another sigh. They were worried about the future of their beloved kingdom.
Currently, many foreign powers from all over the continent were eyeing covetously the newly-discovered ruin belongs to Eternal Fragrance.
Their own excavation project has been forced to stop because of the pressures from those powers, who have banded together and formed a coalition. Even Eternal Fragrance's neighbor, Genosia. A kingdom of which they have shared a friendly relationship with for decades, has stabbed them in the back by joining the coalition and pressuring them as well.
"Back then, if we could just announce the ruin's discovery to the world after we took it from Martial Glory's people, instead of, trying to keep it for ourselves. I'm sure we would have gained foreign powers' goodwill and our kingdom would not be isolated like now." Said Irina bitterly.
Svetlana nodded and sneered, "Yeah... Thanks to our great Minister of Defense and his goons. I bet they're having a good time right now. Damn bastards!"
Nearly a year ago, Eternal Fragrance had deployed hundreds of stong cultivators to the ruin and successfully seized it from the hands of Martial Glory. After a short period of excavation and the interrogation of the prisoners, the team learned that the ruin was, in fact, a ruined stronghold that belonged to an ancient force.
This particular ancient forces once ruled over half of the eastern continent's landmass and it was helmed by a legendary Martial Sage expert, approximately 10.000 years ago.
And as the report reached the capital, White Rose. It caused a massive uproar amongst the kingdom's court. The Queen immediately convened an emergency meeting in response.
Svetlana couldn't help but feel annoyed as she recalled the high-level meeting that took place at the Queen's palace a few months ago. Where many important people from the government, military, as well as the Queen herself discussing what should be done with the ruin.
That meeting was practically chaotic.
The Queen along with dozens of ministers and generals wanted to announce the discovery to the public. They all felt the ruin was too much of a burden, instead of, a goldmine.
A ruin of a Martial Sage was not something that could be monopolized by Eternal Fragrance alone.
By sharing the discovery, the Queen hoped that her kingdom would gain more friendly relationships with the continent's powerhouses and other powerful organizations. Besides, she and her faction also wanted to use this action to attack Martial Glory politically. Since it was them who discovered the ruin in the first place and excavated it covertly. Thus, they'll be the ones who would attract the irk of other powers.
However, Eternal Fragrance's Minister of Defense alongside several important people had convinced many nobles, civil representatives, and few military commanders in pressuring the Queen to take a more bold stance regarding the ruin.
They argued that the ruin was a gift from the gods and a chance for the kingdom to raise its national power to a whole new level. Thus, they felt that it's imperatives for the kingdom to keep the ruin for themselves and hide its existence from the public.
The Defense Minister and his faction gained their momentum when another report from the excavation team arrived. The report specifically mentioned that the team has successfully extracted myriads of rare treasures, goods, artifacts, and weapons from the ruin.
Each of those treasures' worth was unimaginable and they were all extracted from the ruin's outer section.
Once again, Eternal Fragrance's court was shocked.
If the treasures that have been found in the ruin's outer section were already immensely valuable, what kind of other treasures they would gain once they excavated the inner section?
Certainly, there was a high chance that the treasures buried within the untouchable inner section would be even more valuable and rare.
Hence, many neutral factions, who initially did not take sides and just watching from the sideline, begin to converge on the Minister of Defense's faction.
In the end, after her faction's influence was greatly diminished and outnumbered, the Queen was forced to implement monopolize policy over the ruin.
Svetlana shook her head as she gathered her mind. She thought it's no use crying over spilled milk.
She began to silently stare at her friend.
Irina, in turn, felt baffled by Svetlana's stare. She couldn't but ask, "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Svetlana was hesitating at first. But a moment later, she still inquires, "Do you really want to go into the ruin? I mean, according to our excavation team stationed there, that place is riddled with lots of dangerous things, you know."
Irina smiled, "Of course. Why do you ask me that? Do you think I'm afraid, Svetlana? Or perhaps, you underestimate me, huh? Well... Although I'm not as talented as you, I am still a peak Martial Master. I can take care of myself, my dear friend."
Svetlana hurriedly shook her head, "No! No... I'm not underestimating you. I know you're quite strong too, but..."
However, before she could finish speaking. Svetlana felt something's off detected by her Martial Sense, which was always been active.
She quickly dashed to the carriage's window and began to cast her eyes towards the east direction.
"What happened?" Asked Irina with a frantic expression.
Svetlana squinted her eyes as her expression grew serious. Then, she turned her vision toward Irina and reply, "We have guests coming here, and I don't think they're friendly."
"Huh?!"