A new day began.
The rising sun painted the Reed River surface with soft golden light, dispelling the last chill of night. The closer they got to the storm's arrival, the more peaceful and serene the riverbank became.
For the old beaver "Gnaw-gnaw," this was the busiest period before the storm arrived.
It had to hurry and reinforce its precious dam to prevent it from being washed away by floodwaters when the storm came.
"Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!"
Clear, rhythmic gnawing sounds echoed along the quiet riverbank, while busy hoofbeats gradually grew louder.
"Clip-clop... rumble rumble..."
A dull, continuous vibration traveled through the moist riverbank soil, followed by clear wheel rolling sounds and horses snorting.
The arrivals were equally busy humans and demi-humans.
Before, only a small team of adventurers might hurriedly pass by every few days.
Now from morning till night, the sounds of wheels, footsteps, and chattering conversation almost never stopped.
Trip after trip, endless like salmon in mating season.
"Gnaw-gnaw" stared in the direction the carriage had disappeared, its small chest heaving as it emitted dissatisfied grumbles.
Hmph, these noisy sounds were definitely tests from its precious dam.
It wouldn't pay them any mind.
"Gnaw-gnaw" lowered its head, making the "crunch" sounds echo along the riverbank once more.
......
South, in the Death Swamp.
Withered, decaying trees sporadically grew along the roadside. Without leaves for cover, the drifting mist was only a thin layer, allowing adventurers who reached this place to barely see the putrid swamp bubbling with toxic foam about fifty meters away.
On the riverbank side, overgrown with weeds and reeds, Yano's adventurer group had temporarily camped by the swamp road. Several white tents could be seen set up there, with adventurers coming and going from inside.
"Good morning, group leader."
"Good morning, William."
Yano smiled and waved to passing adventurers, appearing humble and composed with a touch of aristocratic demeanor.
This adventurer group was formed driven by profit. Strictly speaking, it couldn't be called a proper "group" - it was actually a loose organization composed of several adventurer teams.
The so-called group leader title was just a name;
the only people he could actually command were his own adventurer team members.
Most of these adventurers were kingdom idlers or rough men living dangerously, accustomed to laziness. Compared to the strictly disciplined knights of the border garrison, they definitely couldn't measure up. That they accepted him as a group leader was already a tremendous thing.
Even the mission officers at the Adventurer's Guild had to marvel at "Miracle" Yano's charm.
Of course, Yano knew clearly that the so-called "miracle" wasn't miraculous - the real miracle was the one behind him.
Yano parted the tent flap, and in the privacy where no one could see, shed all aristocratic demeanor, carefully taking a slime from his chest.
He asked quietly: "Boss, is the signal good now?"
"Almost... almost there, I'm... hurrying over."
Yano breathed a sigh of relief, wiping nonexistent sweat from his forehead.
"That's good."
"According to intelligence, the gnolls are still holed up in their tribe, seemingly not planning to help the Scale Claw Tribe's lizardfolk."
"The Rotten Moss Tribe's lizardfolk have gone to scout the positions of those corrupted lizardfolk. They should return soon..."
Before he could finish speaking, he heard noisy sounds coming from outside the tent.
Putting away the slime and pushing open the tent flap, he saw that the Rotten Moss Tribe's lizardfolk had returned.
But worryingly, most of these lizardfolk looked anxious and upset, as if something unexpected had happened.
Adventurers crowded together, shouting noisily, making it hard to see what exactly was happening.
"Make way."
And miraculously, once Yano passed through, the adventurers automatically parted, clearing a path.
Only then could he see what was ahead - a lizardfolk lay barely alive, its thigh seemingly hit by a trap, with a bloody hole gushing blood.
Angry lizardfolk stood all around, with Sekashi and her sister among them, their expressions grim.
After learning what happened, Yano discovered that these corrupted lizardfolk, knowing they were coming, had set traps in advance and hidden deeper in the swamp, in a location close to the Swamp Forest.
He immediately grew alert, reporting to the little slime through mental communication.
"Boss, it's bad! Those corrupted lizardfolk are lurking at the edge of the Swamp Forest."
"We're going to surround and eliminate them now."
Yano snapped back to reality, seeing the adventurers and tribal lizardfolk still arguing.
Their argument was simple enough.
These adventurers didn't want to take such great risks chasing into the swamp depths and suggested coming back in a few days.
But the Rotten Moss Tribe's lizardfolk couldn't wait that long, angrily accusing the adventurers of breaking their promise.
Thus the two sides were quarreling.
Yano shook his head slightly. Facing these lazy fellows, even the border garrison commander would probably have the same headache as him.
But as the boss's "rider," a qualified demon's favored, learning stirring speeches was necessary.
His eloquence wasn't particularly great, but fortunately he had anticipated this scenario and had memorized a speech in private.
He raised his hand to stop the noisy adventurers. Seeing this, everyone gradually quieted down.
Yano immediately got into character, revealing a calm and confident smile.
"Brothers, have you forgotten who else is here!" His voice suddenly rose, echoing through the camp.
An adventurer hesitantly murmured: "'Miracle' Yano..."
"Exactly!"
Yano took a fierce step forward, his gaze sweeping like torches over every doubtful face.
"It's 'Miracle' Yano! Me, standing here, standing before you!"
He spread his arms wide as if to embrace the entire perilous swamp.
"A mere mud puddle, a few man-eating mud pits, a few nests of insignificant poisonous bugs - do they deserve to be called dangerous? Do they deserve to make us men who live by the blade stop in our tracks?!"
"Since I brought you to take this mission, I came with the purpose of making everyone in our adventurer group - yes, everyone! - make heaps of money! I came with the purpose of making your wallets so full they burst through your pockets!"
His finger pointed sharply toward the misty swamp depths.
"Look! Open your eyes wide and see clearly what's in there! Danger? Death? Completely wrong! That's living gold coins, gold coins waving to us!"
"This damn miser of a swamp doesn't welcome weaklings! It doesn't welcome cowards with soaked trousers! And it especially doesn't welcome--"
"Those who'd rather drink cheap ale in taverns, so poor they can't even afford to buy their sweetheart a wildflower!"
Yano drew the sword from his waist, planting it in the ground.
"Cowards stay."
"Those who want to make money, follow me!"
As he finished speaking, the adventurers' eyes in the camp grew increasingly fiery as they drew their swords.
"Damn!"
"I'm not even afraid of poverty, why would I fear these tailed things!"
"Well said!"
"Pah, I finally understand - cowardice is the biggest reason I'm poor."
"Group Leader Yano, I'll follow you."
"Me too!"
The adventurers, fired up with passion, followed Yano as he stepped into the swamp.
The Rotten Moss Tribe's lizardfolk caught up, and Sekashi breathed a sigh of relief.
Behind her, Semiaya carrying her spear also nodded coldly.
......
Inside the Swamp Forest.
"Little Ka, charge!"
"Grawr grawr!"
Hundreds of poison-stinger wasps cleared the path, while the little crocodile carrying a slime on its back crawled vigorously behind, surprisingly not slow at all.
It was as if with the king present, all the forest's dangers became nothing to fear.
"Wait, Yano sent me a message."
Chen Yu received Yano's earlier message and stirring speech.
"Not bad work."
"Since those lizardfolk are at the forest edge, no need to run so far."
Chen Yu's round little eyes glittered.
Hey.
He seemed to have an idea.