Published at 24th of July 2026 9:56 am

Chapter 1870: Expedition Team

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Sensing her gaze, Valerian slowly turned toward her with narrowed eyes.

Then, with utmost seriousness, he pointed at his own topaz eyes with a paw before pointing that same paw at the young woman.

The message was clear: I’m watching you!

Geneveive’s heart instantly melted.

He’s adorable!

Far from intimidated, she found herself resisting the urge to walk over and scoop him into her arms.

"Come now, Magus Constantine," Esmond said as he put his arm around Adam’s shoulder and guided him to the table. "You’ve already met Channing and Genevieve."

Adam turned to the old scholar, enjoying a glass of wine by the fireplace, and offered him a nod. "Professor Oakley."

"It’s nice to see you, Magus Constantine." Channing raised the glass toward him.

"Let me introduce you to the rest of the team," Esmond continued.

He stopped before a young man with short blond hair — almost a stubble on the head — and blue eyes. Though he appeared lean, he radiated surprising strength and vitality.

"This young man is Michael," Esmond said. "He’s a Cavalier Paladin. A splendid swordsman."

"Hello, how do you do?" Michael offered a handshake and a polite smile.

"Nice to meet you." Adam shook his hand with a smile.

"This young lady is Kara, a Paladin and a stalwart scout." Esmond gestured toward the half-elf. "She has a lot of knowledge regarding the roads and wilderness of the West Coast."

"Hello." Adam smiled, offering a handshake.

The half-elf shook his hand and gave him a silent nod.

Esmond finally arrived before the final member of the team. He was a young man of imposing build, broad-shouldered and a full head taller than everyone else in the room.

"And this mountain of a man is Darren," Esmond introduced with a cheerful laugh. "If you haven’t guessed already, he’s a Paladin as well."

Adam smiled politely and offered the man a handshake as well. "Looking forward to working with you."

Darren stood with his arms crossed. He glanced at Adam’s outstretched hand and didn’t bother hiding a sneer. He didn’t greet him. Instead, he turned to Esmond and said:

"Old man, are you sure about him?"

Esmond’s eyes slightly narrowed. "I vouch for him, Darren. Now, why don’t you be a gentleman and shake his hand, eh?"

Darren’s brown eyes gleamed with a sharp light. He turned back to Adam and clasped his hand, squeezing it with unkind intention.

"You’re late," he spat coldly.

Adam’s smile didn’t falter. It was as if Darren’s grip didn’t bother him in the slightest. If anything, his smile only widened as he met the Paladin’s eyes.

Darren’s brows furrowed.

He felt a faint sense of unease creep into his heart when he looked into those unsettling, tenebrous eyes. After a moment, he released Adam’s hand and looked away.

With a scoff, he turned to Esmond. "Shall we continue?"

"Yes, yes." The old man walked to the table, and so did the rest of the people in the room.

Genevieve, who had been observing Adam since the moment he entered, was intrigued by his and Darren’s interaction just then.

She didn’t have a good first impression of him. The barely concealed desire that he shot her and Kara was disgusting to say the least. Having met Darren less than half an hour ago, she had already formed a profile of him. In simple words, he was a pervert. And a bully.

But just then, she saw a flicker of fear in the man’s eyes when he interacted with Adam.

How intriguing, she thought as she walked toward the table and stood beside the raven-haired youth.

She turned to him, but instead of looking at him, her gaze landed on the cute little cat sticking its head out of Adam’s tunic.

Sensing the woman’s gaze again, Valerian turned toward her and hissed — an act that made Genevieve want to cuddle him even more.

Esmond pointed at the map on the table, at a spot five hundred kilometers north of Davos.

"This is the location Channing has deduced," he said, circling the area with a finger. "The place where the shifting mist is most likely to appear. It’s also where you’ll find the gypsies."

"The gypsies?" Adam’s brows furrowed.

"Yes. They’re a rather mysterious people." Channing stepped forward. "We’ve discovered that these wanderers have a strange connection to the mist. In that, they can enter and leave it at will."

"They can also allow others to enter," Esmond added.

"But apparently not leave," Michael chimed in.

Kara nodded. "Have you considered the possibility that they’re luring people inside? Trapping them?"

"We have," Channing replied, turning to the half-elf. "But I also believe they hold the key to leaving the ancient ruin once you’ve entered it."

Darren let out a low grunt.

"Then why haven’t any of the people who entered before us come back?"

"Well, isn’t that the mystery?" Adam smirked.

Darren turned to the raven-haired youth and sneered.

"The simplest explanation is often the correct one," Channing said solemnly. "They died before they could return."

"Or, for some reason, they are simply unable to return," Esmond added.

A tense silence settled in the study. The two old men didn’t speak further, allowing the young adventurers to digest the information.

"I’ll be honest with you, Master Greene," Adam spoke up. "From where I’m standing, this expedition seems to carry a tremendous amount of risk with very little upside."

The other adventurers found themselves involuntarily agreeing — even Darren.

"I will not insult your intelligence by claiming the expedition is safe," Esmond said. "It is not. People have entered that place and never returned. If any of you still wish to leave, you may do so now with my blessing. In the future, our friendship will remain nevertheless."

However, no one left.

If they were gathered here on this day, that meant they had already come to a decision.

Esmond secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I had previously stated that the expedition team would receive fifty percent of all treasures recovered from the ruin," he continued.

Adam was about to interrupt, suggesting that fifty percent was not enough compared to the risk involved. But what Esmond said next surprised him.

"I have reconsidered," said the old adventurer with a determined look in his eyes.

He looked the young adventurers in the eye and declared, "Everything you find in the ruin will belong solely to you, to be divided among yourselves!"

Not just Adam, but everyone else was equally stunned.

This changed everything.

If the ruin contained a great fortune, every coin, artifact, and treasure recovered would belong to the expedition team.

Of course, there was also the possibility that they would return empty-handed.

Or never return at all.

But the incentive was undeniable. Suddenly, the rewards no longer seemed quite so small compared to the risks.

"Additionally, I will cover the cost of your food, supplies, and any essential equipment required for this expedition," Esmond added.

"In return..." His eyes flashed with hope — or perhaps desperation.

He placed a portrait of a woman on the map.

The room fell silent as everyone’s gaze shifted toward it.

Esmond rested a hand on the portrait.

"Please," he whispered softly. "Find her."

He looked at each of the young adventurers in turn and pleaded:

"Bring her back to me. That is all I ask..."

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