Passing through a patchwork of vines in the jungle, and pushing aside a few shrubs covered with snow, Duan Qing and his teammates finally followed the pace of the figures in front of them, and came to a hidden cave in the valley**, the snow white that was still draped everywhere made the originally imperceptible darkness more obvious, and at the same time, it also reflected many figures that haunted the area from time to time, and compared with the Starwind Spring camp led by Richard, the crowd here was obviously more silent and timid.

"They are ......"

"They're the villagers of Greenstone."

Very simply, he tore off a weed near the entrance of the cave, and the blacksmith named Val straightened up and bent down, first greeted some figures in the cave, and then looked back at the faces of Duan Qing and the others: "You guys come over now...... Probably looking for them too, right? ”

"To be precise...... It's you. Duan Qing bent his waist, which can be regarded as a courtesy: "As people who were also born in Greenstone Village, we are very worried about your safety, so we ......"

“…… Thank you. ”

The blacksmith, who had rarely spoken since he beckoned them down, looked at Duan Qing for a while, and then nodded slightly: "If it was an ordinary adventurer who found here, I would have regarded that sentence just now as if I hadn't heard it, but if you ...... We can still be trusted. ”

"Why, is there anything else to play...... Adventurers have ever been here? ”

"They haven't been here, but many of them ...... Been to this valley. ”

Stretching out his hand and pointing in the direction where they had come down from the cliff before, Val's voice became muffled: "In the past few days of fighting, many people have jumped from that cliff, some out of desperation, some out of ...... came down to search. In order to ensure the safety of the people here, we have to dispose of these people, and we can't dispose of them...... We're going to have to find a way to hide the past. ”

"I'm the one in charge of guarding the gates, everything in between...... I'm in charge. The old blacksmith turned to himself, "So that you can see me there, and ...... The appearance of that avalanche. ”

"I thought it was those magicians who used their magic too hard and accidentally got it out in the end." Meng Zhu, who was standing beside Duan Qing, widened his eyes: "Could it be that you made it all by Uncle Blacksmith?" ”

"It's only been the last few days because of this heavy snowfall."

With the appearance of this voice, an old man in a shabby white cloth robe gradually walked out from the inside of the cave: "We have also gone through countless journeys to come to this secret place, and we have been able to walk these roads safely during this time...... Thanks to the heavy snowfall. ”

"The village chief?"

In the eyes of several people looking at each other, it was Mengzhu who took the lead in making his own voice: "You, why are you here?" ”

"I wish I wasn't here." The old village chief calmly replied: "I am an old man who is about to die, and I deserve to die in that ancient land, but during this time, countless villagers have died in my place......"

"That's not what a village chief should do." He said in a serious voice: "A ...... What the guardian of the village should do. ”

“…… I remember before I left, I asked you by name. Duan Qing, who was standing beside Mengzhu, thought for a while, and then replied in a low voice, "Those restorers are so attached to the territory of the south, is it because of your existence?" Fabregas ...... Or rather, Lord Fabregas? ”

“…… I do not know. ”

In the silent reaction of the blacksmith on the side, the voice of the old man known as Fabregas replied indifferently: "I am just an ordinary village chief now, no different from other ordinary people, even if those restorationists find me, they will not get any ......"

"Right, Amara?"

He turned his head and looked at an old woman with a kind expression sitting at the entrance of the cave, who still maintained the same smile that Duan Qing and Mengzhu had seen when they were at the pharmacy in Greenstone Village, while shaking his head back and forth: "Yes, yes, we were supposed to ...... It doesn't have anything to do with them, does it? ”

She turned her head, and her warm smile still bathed Duan Qing and the others' body and mind: "Welcome to this temporary cave, I have rescued all the emergency herbs, if there is anything needed, please feel free to tell me." ”

"Okay, okay."

Looking at the herb shop owner who still had no change from the impression of the novice village, even the cold face of the evil young man in the city was thawed, he nodded slightly embarrassedly, and seemed to regain his immature feeling from the old man's body: "That...... We're glad to meet you, old man...... Hey, hey. ”

Secretly bumped Xiao Hongchen beside him with his elbow, he whispered to remind the shirtless other party to maintain due courtesy, but the latter glanced at the other party indifferently, and then swaggered out of the team: "It's been a long time since I saw you, are you okay?" I, the laughing red dust who led a powerful adventuring party, are back to save everyone! ”

"Oh, it turns out that you are the laughing Hongchen?" Before the others could pull him back, an old woman dressed in white sent a smiling voice to the cave door: "I remember you, a guy who always likes to get hurt...... Why is it still this picture without armor? Don't you still have the money to buy equipment? ”

"Uh...... No, no, no, no! That one...... I ......"

Looking at the appearance of the doctor named Claire approaching with a smile, Xiao Hongchen, whose face was as thick as a city wall, suddenly became at a loss, Duan Qing, who took two steps back, endured it for a long time, and finally swallowed back his smiling expression gradually: "It seems that you didn't get into trouble when you were in the novice village...... Anyway, it doesn't matter if you can't go to Greenstone Village, anyway, this time I'm here to find you......"

“…… Did the Principality send you to us? ”

His eyes withdrew his gaze from Xiao Hongchen, who was pulled away by Claire, and the old village chief standing at the entrance of the cave suddenly interrupted Duan Qing's words: "They ...... Want to recruit us? ”

"No, no, no, we came to you ourselves." Duan Qing hurriedly raised his hands: "Although the combined forces of the principality and the empire will arrive soon, they want to integrate all the remaining forces of Xifeng County first......

"Greenstone Village doesn't have any extra strength left."

Shaking his head resolutely, the old village chief replied in a resolute voice, "If you are not here to help us, then please go back, and tell those guys in the principality by the way...... All the young people in Greenstone Village have been recruited in the past few years. ”

"Greenstone is now an abandoned village." The old village chief in a white cloth robe slowly turned around and walked towards the depths of the cave: "Let it be destroyed in this way." ”

"Trust us, we're here with good intentions." As if sensing the indescribable indifference from the other party's tone, Duan Qing, who glanced at Mengzhu, hurriedly shouted, "For the sake of us who are also young people who have walked out of this village...... Let us help you! ”

“…… Don't take it personally, he's just a little too sad right now. Looking at the figure of the old man who still hadn't stopped walking slowly, the old woman known as Amara shook her head kindly: "You can stay here and help some people in need here by the way, as for the future...... I'm sure he'll figure it out slowly. ”

“…… Then thank you in advance, old woman. Pulling Duan Qing's clothes slightly, Mengzhu, who took a step forward, replied politely: "Even if it is to protect the safety of the rest of these people...... We will also do our best. ”

"Ah, that's right, I've been short of a few herbs lately, if you're interested......"

In the whistling wind, the players from the Fool Adventure Team gradually dispersed as the figures dispersed, and then merged into the white sky along with all the ice flowers that came and went in the sky.

************************

"Little Benny, what are you doing?"

"Sentry!"

"It's such a cold day, you're so young......"

"Benny is no small! Benny is a real man! ”

The outstretched hand was forcefully opened by the other party, Duan Qing sighed with a wry smile, and while looking at Mengzhu who was following him, he withdrew his intention to touch the little boy's head: "Okay, okay, Benny is a real man...... You're going to be a hero like your father in the future, aren't you? ”

"Yes!" Clutching a wooden spear that did not fit his tiny body at all, the little boy Benny puffed out his chest vigorously: "I will be a hero like my father and protect the rest of the village!" ”

"Sister believes what you say, but sister thinks you can rest for a while." Stretching out his hand to cover the hood on his head that was pressed by the wind, Mengzhu slowly squatted in front of Benny: "I finally came back for this trip, and my sister also prepared a gift for you, but I didn't find you just now, so I left it to the village chief's grandfather......"

"Really, really?" The boy in the plush leather armor immediately became smiling, and his legs, which were constantly shaking, began to move secretly towards the location of the cave: "That, that ......"

"Go back, we can guard for you for a while."

Smiling and patting the little boy on the back, Duan Qing completely dispelled the last trace of doubt in Benny's heart, and then slowly turned his head after watching the other party leave happily: "The villagers of Greenstone Village...... Has it really come to this point? Even a child of this age has now begun to act as a member of the patrol team......"

"It's not the fault of those people in the Duchy!"

Mengzhu, who also had a lost expression, screamed indignantly, and then twisted his nose angrily: "No, it's the fault of those who restored!" If you like uprisings, forget it, why kill people......"

"Let's not mention the great truth that every order is broken, it is accompanied by death," Duan Qing replied with a smile...... "Didn't I say don't take the NPCs and feelings in this too seriously?" Why do you still value the children of this novice village so much? ”

"You, why do you care so much?" The little girl with her hands on her hips glanced at Duan Qing carelessly, and then replied unconvinced: "Anyway, this girl is in charge of this matter!" Whether it's Benny Jr. or the rest of Greenstone...... This girl will avenge them! ”

"Forget it, it's good if you're happy."

Pursing his lips helplessly, Duan Qing stretched his lazy waist: "But what I want to remind you is...... There's no value left over this time, so don't you want to find any rewards left by the archmage on him, or other hidden quests...... Ouch! ”

"You, you...... Why are you so annoying! Hatefully retracting the boots that kicked at Duan Qing's ankles, Mengzhu pointed at the other party's face: "Contacting others all day long is just to get tasks...... Are you like those greedy players who like to need any equipment, uncle? ”

"You can't have it both ways, and if you want to be stronger, you have to do it." Duan Qing crossed his arms and replied, "I don't want to find a way to get equipment...... Can you still go to the qualifiers like this? ”

“…… Well, you didn't remind me. ”

After pursing her lips for a long time, the little girl finally put down her finger of accusation: "I have asked since the last time I was in the League Cup, but I have not been told whether I am eligible to participate in the competition, and I heard those professional players say that if you want to succeed in such a competition, you still need a lot of systematic training......"

"Systematic training...... Aren't you already doing it? ”

Pointing to their north, Duan Qing looked into the distance of the canyon in the wind and snow: "I deliberately ran to the front line of Zaraha City, and now I have come here again...... Can't I see that little bit of your mind that wants to exercise yourself? I've already identified all of my previous performances at the foot of the mountain in Wind Flower Town, and you and your current teammates ......."

"I guess I can fight a little bit with the pro team, right?"

He looked back at the other teammates who were still in and out of the cave at the bottom of the canyon, carrying all sorts of food and water past the surviving NPCs, asking them what they needed and what they wanted. His gaze was retracted from the thousand-fingered crane who was squatting in the corner with another child, Duan Qing's eyes pondered slightly for a while, and in the creaking footsteps that gradually approached, the question belonging to the little girl still rang in his ears all the time: "...... Can we really do it? What are the odds of winning? ”

"Uh...... Twenty percent? ”

"You, you, you...... Can't you comfort me? ”

"Believe me, I've been very subtle and objective...... What's wrong? ”

Looking at the laughing Hongchen who walked up to Duan Qing in a gloomy manner, Duan Qing asked suspiciously, "You don't seem to be very happy?" ”

“…… Ferrin died. ”

Finally stopped his steps, Xiao Hongchen sighed abruptly, he raised his eyelids and glanced at Duan Qing, and then replied with his head drooping.