Chapter 118: Unexpected Incident and Decision

Until the very end, Oakstill remained somewhat unruly, yet he agreed to act alongside Liu Zong and temporarily refrain from heading to the ancestral camp.

By this time, Liu Zong and the others had come to realize that although the overall situation remained unchanged and their mission was still to complete the Amber Resonance task, a portion of the circumstances had slipped beyond their control. They had been drawn into a conspiracy.

So Liu Zong gathered them together to explain the current state of affairs. Finally, he said, “This is the situation now. What should we do? Should we abandon all leads here and pursue the Amber Resonance, or should we assist these Kurast dwarves and see if we can earn their trust?”

Xu Ying and the others exchanged glances, and Xu Ying was the first to speak. “We still have time. This is only the first year. As long as we find the Amber Resonance before the fifth year, or even just uncover clues before then, the school will allow us to focus entirely on this task.

“So, our time is quite ample. But opportunities like this are rare. The Kurast dwarves are a mysterious race; if we can gain their recognition, our actions on this map will proceed much more smoothly.

“Then, whatever we seek, we can ask the Kurast dwarves to help locate.”

Xu Ying’s reasoning was sound, and as the strongest member of the team, his words carried weight. The others, not lacking in sense, nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Liu Zong felt somewhat speechless. When they first began cooperating, each was eager to showcase their insights and opinions, constantly pointing fingers and debating every matter. But in just a few days, they had all grown complacent. Liu Zong had hoped to gather their views, but judging by their current demeanor, that seemed unlikely.

Liu Zong nodded, about to announce his decision when suddenly Lu Shang stood up. Noticing Lu Shang’s shocked expression, Liu Zong asked, “What’s the matter?”

Lu Shang’s face grew serious. “We just received news that an NPC on the other side has been fully pushed to Level 2. The school is under tremendous pressure and plans to reduce everyone’s rest and free task time to focus entirely on battlefield missions.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Zong’s expression darkened. His task was not considered a battlefield mission but a free task. Unless he could genuinely find the Amber Resonance, the school would not acknowledge it. No matter how much effort they put in, it would be futile.

But if the school really cut down on rest and free task time, his original plan would collapse. He only had three months each year to search for the Amber Resonance. Should that time be shortened, how could he complete the mission? How could he justify this to the companions who had already begun to trust him?

Like Liu Zong, the others wore solemn faces. They understood the impact of the school’s decision and also the helplessness behind it.

At this moment, Yuan Ying quietly suggested, “Why don’t we focus entirely on finding the Amber Resonance now? The mission line has already given some direction. Once we find the clues, we can petition the school to convert this free task into a battlefield mission.”

Yuan Ying’s proposal sparked a light in everyone’s eyes. They had witnessed the recent events; if time were not pressing, helping the Kurast dwarves unravel the conspiracy would be quite rewarding. But now, with no time to spare, their choices were different.

Xu Ying frowned, feeling uneasy about this choice, yet the situation left him no room for objection. Reina, meanwhile, kept her head down, leafing through a book as if searching for an appropriate approach.

At this juncture, Liu Zong suddenly spoke with grave seriousness, “You’re gambling—betting that we can find the Amber Resonance in just over two months. But have you considered that if it were that easy, would the system offer us such great rewards?

“Besides, even if we try our hardest, where will we spend these two months? Still in this forest. And what kind of place is this? The Kurast dwarves’ forbidden land. Although they themselves don’t see it as forbidden and believe everyone may enter.

“But have you thought about what might happen if the conspiracy affects the entire forest? I certainly don’t want to be attacked by the Kurast dwarves just when we’re about to complete the mission and be expelled from this forest.

“Moreover, how will we enter this forest next time? Without a guide, can we still find a smuggler to bring us here?

“Have you considered all these things?”

Here, Liu Zong stood up, his expression growing intense though his gaze remained calm. If one paid close attention, they would notice Liu Zong was using rhetoric to inspire the group.

Liu Zong’s words were neither entirely right nor wrong, and everyone pondered the matter carefully. These concerns affected their future choices, compelling them to be cautious.

Finally, Xu Ying spoke first, having reached Level 1 and with his path relatively clear. No matter the choice, it would have little impact on him. He said plainly, “You are the one who accepted this mission. We’re just here to help you complete it. Which mission you want to finish doesn’t affect us much. You decide the path, and we will support you.”

Reina closed her book and added, “I agree. For us, merely arriving here is a victory. Have you considered how much influence it would have on the entire war if we could enter the neutral zone ahead of schedule?”

“But this isn’t a place just anyone can enter,” Lu Shang said involuntarily.

“If we can find the Kurast dwarves’ teleportation array or a way to enter, that would be enough,” Yuan Ying seemed to grasp Reina’s implication. “Even if others can’t enter, we could come and go freely here during battlefield missions. That way, we wouldn’t need to dedicate all our time to this task.”

Liu Zong nodded, then glanced at Oakstill in the distance, who was preparing to leave with his servant.

Slapping his thigh loudly, Liu Zong declared, “I have decided. We will help the Kurast dwarves confront this conspiracy. Regardless of whether we gain what we desire in the end, at least we will have no regrets.”

With that, Liu Zong strode toward Oakstill, his face grave as he asked, “Do you know where the other expelled heroes are, besides you and Pine?”