Chapter 622 595-Exploring the Crying Valley
Chapter 622 Chapter595-Exploring the Crying Valley
?John\'s stay within the Naga tribe was brief.
After acquainting himself with the other members of his squad, they promptly received their first quest.
It was one of the more formidable Naga warriors who assigned the quest to their group, stating, "Your next task is to venture towards the Crying Valley. We\'ve detected the presence of mysterious creatures there. However, these creatures aren\'t as formidable as one might expect. Our entire strength is currently focused on defending against the main onslaught from the Mystery faction. Thus, it falls upon you to scout the Crying Valley area thoroughly. Once you have gathered detailed intelligence, report back to us with all the information you\'ve collected."
After delivering his instructions, the Naga warrior chose to depart immediately.
In his view, individuals like John, who sought refuge in the Naga tribe from the Mystery faction\'s assaults, didn\'t warrant much attention.
In the parlance of players, John and all the members of his squad were essentially considered expendable.
The captain of John\'s squad hesitated slightly. Glancing at the map in his hand, he then looked around at his team members and inquired, "I\'m not entirely familiar with the situation in Crying Valley. Has anyone here been there before?"
No one responded to the captain\'s question.
It was clear that none of them had ever ventured to Crying Valley before.
Even the name \'Crying Valley\' was unfamiliar to John prior to this.
Given that John was now in an ancient battlefield, it meant that the geographical names here were entirely different from those in his own era, where the only somewhat similar name was \'Weeping Shore.\'
If Weeping Shore and Crying Valley were indeed the same place, it would imply that a cataclysmic battle had transpired between the era of the ancient battlefield and John\'s time, altering the landscape entirely.
"No one here has been to Crying Valley. On my way to the Naga tribe, I heard some people mention it. They all seemed to believe that the conditions in Crying Valley were extremely perilous. Being sent there likely means we won\'t return safely. Should we consider fleeing the Naga tribe instead?"
The nervous expression on one squad member\'s face reflected the gravity of their situation.
His words conveyed a clear message: Crying Valley was fraught with danger.
However, John believed escaping the Naga tribe wasn\'t a viable option.
The outskirts of the Naga territory were patrolled by powerful beings from other Order Factions, ready to eliminate any deserters.
If John still possessed his former strength, he wouldn\'t worry about being targeted by these formidable opponents.
But since passing through the portal to this ancient battlefield, his power had significantly diminished compared to what it once was.
"I firmly believe that we cannot resort to such actions. As members of the Order Faction, it is our duty to fight for the cause. If we were to flee now, it would undoubtedly be seen as an act of betrayal by everyone. The dangers we would face then might not only come from the Mystery faction. Moreover, it could even lead other members of the Order Faction to target us."
John spoke with utmost seriousness, not wishing for any unilateral actions by his squad members to jeopardize his plans.
His immediate goal was to venture elsewhere to gather intelligence, as he felt the information he had was insufficient.
John\'s words eventually bolstered the squad captain\'s resolve.
Nodding emphatically, the captain said, "John is right. We cannot choose to flee now; we must carry out this quest. Though we are all unprepared, we must act swiftly, for we need to return before sunset tonight. After the sun sets, if we haven\'t made it back to the Naga tribe, we\'ll be in grave danger. The Mystery creatures particularly enjoy launching surprise attacks at night."
With the captain\'s decision made, he promptly organized the squad\'s course of action.
John listened attentively to the captain\'s arrangements, placing his Sacred Relic deep into his pocket.
He was well aware that the only thing that could offer him an additional margin of error in the upcoming endeavors was his Book of the Astral Realm, the sole Sacred Relic capable of being used within the ancient battlefield.
Due to the pressing time constraints, John\'s squad had no opportunity for preparation.
Led by their captain, they promptly departed the Naga tribe.
Passing through the portal at the tribe\'s entrance, they arrived directly at Crying Valley.
At the valley\'s entrance, John immediately encountered an abundance of Mystery creature remains, clearly indicating that a fierce battle had recently taken place here.
The sight of these carcasses suggested that the situation was far beyond what John had anticipated.
The other members of John\'s squad were visibly terrified at the sight of the Mystery creature remains, hesitating to proceed further.
Despite feeling immense fear himself, the squad captain maintained a facade of resilience; he knew showing fear was not an option.
"It seems the situation within Crying Valley is worse than we imagined. However, since we\'re already here, let\'s proceed into the valley quickly," he said with a calm demeanor, though John could sense the lack of confidence in his voice.
Lacking confidence but aware of his duty to lead, the captain stepped over the remnants of the Mystery creatures and led the way into Crying Valley.
Following the squad captain\'s lead in crossing the remnants of the Mystery creatures, John quickly caught up.
Had he been more certain of the situation, John would have been the first to step into Crying Valley.
With both the squad captain and John now inside, the remaining team members, despite their initial hesitation, hurried to follow.
They understood the peril of being left behind in such a dangerous locale, where separation from the group could spell certain doom.
As the last of John\'s squad entered Crying Valley, the remains of the Mystery creatures at the entrance stirred to life, reanimated by some potent force.
These resurrected beings, however, did not pursue John and his team but instead chose to seal off the entrance to Crying Valley.
Unaware of the creatures\' resurrection and subsequent actions, John and his squad remained focused on the mysteries within the valley.
To John\'s puzzlement, the valley did not emanate the strong presence of Mystery forces he had expected; instead, it was the overwhelming power of water elements that he sensed.
The anomalies in Crying Valley seemed less connected to the Mystery faction and more closely linked to the Sea God, suggesting a different origin for the valley\'s peculiarities.
The rest of the squad, sensing the same anomaly, relaxed their previously tense demeanor.
The captain, curious and slightly perplexed, turned to John for insight. "Do you feel any strong Mystery forces here? Why does it seem to me that, apart from the power of the Sea God, there are no other formidable forces present?"
John shook his head in agreement, "I, too, haven\'t detected the presence of Mystery forces. However, the remains of the Mystery creatures at the entrance of the valley surely indicate that this place once faced an attack from the Mystery faction. It\'s better to remain cautious. Since we haven\'t encountered any immediate danger, let\'s quickly survey the valley. After we\'ve assessed the situation, we should head back without delay. Lingering here could only increase our risks."
John\'s decisive words struck a chord within the squad, especially resonating with the less powerful members who harbored a deep desire to retreat to the safety of familiar grounds at the earliest opportunity.
Buoyed by a unanimous agreement with John\'s judgment, the team members swiftly fanned out across the valley to conduct their final assessments.
Little did they know, their movements were under the watchful gaze of an unseen observer.
High above, a pair of vigilant eyes meticulously tracked their every step, silently observing from a vantage point, the intentions behind this scrutiny shrouded in mystery.