Chapter 59: First Encounter with Adventurers

Zhao Hai really did not expect such a thing to happen. In this world, there were actually people who dared to impersonate black mages. After all, they were black mages, a group of people that no one in this world wanted to provoke. He did not expect that at Black Mountain Pass, someone would dare to impersonate a black mage. It was truly a strange place.

Green clearly saw the confusion in Zhao Hai’s eyes and smiled slightly, saying, "There's nothing strange about it. This is the paradise of mercenaries and adventurers. Those bold and daring fellows are capable of anything."

Zhao Hai nodded and said, "Alright, I'll follow your lead. Let's go."

After saying that, he had Green and Merlin sit on the alien’s body. Green was now wearing the shiny armor, looking like a metal can, but to be honest, the armor was quite imposing.

However, Zhao Hai also knew that this was just for show, especially for someone like Green. This armor would not provide any real protection. If he ever needed to rely on it for safety, it would mean he had already lost.

Merlin, dressed in a maid’s outfit, sat quietly in the alien’s chest cavity with Zhao Hai. She had seen Zhao Hai sit there before but had never done it herself. Now that she was sitting there, she was a bit curious.

However, she soon found that sitting there was not particularly comfortable. Although the wooden boards were covered with thick blankets, they still felt hard. Moreover, the space in the chest cavity was not very large.

Although the alien’s body length was a staggering ten meters, most of it was concentrated in its tail, which was about half the length of its body, or about five meters long.

Including the nearly two-meter-long head, the remaining length for the chest cavity was only about two meters, and the height was only about one meter. However, they were under the alien’s ribs, which had gaps, allowing them to stand up through the gaps, like sitting in an open-top jeep.

Green did not sit in the chest cavity today but on the alien’s skull. The skull had a large surface area, and Green could stand or sit on it without any problem. With his skills, he could even sleep there without any issues.

The alien had no feelings and did not mind being ridden. Although it had become Zhao Hai’s summoned creature, it did not have emotions. It had merely forgotten its instinct for flesh, or rather, the space had made it forget its desire for flesh, like a machine reprogrammed to have no feelings.

The three slowly left the forest and returned to the Forgotten Valley. The valley was still deserted, and Zhao Hai did not pay much attention. He directed the alien straight toward Black Mountain Pass.

They were not far from Black Mountain Pass. After about half an hour, they saw the distant city walls and the people entering and exiting the city gates. However, they were still too far to see the faces clearly.

Zhao Hai did not hesitate and directed the alien straight toward Black Mountain Pass. Green had already told him that as long as he rode the alien into Black Mountain Pass, no one would dare to offend them or investigate their background. No power on the continent liked to provoke black mages.

The three sat on the alien’s back and swaggered toward Black Mountain Pass. After less than five minutes, they encountered a small group of mercenaries. The group consisted of five people, each carrying an adventurer’s backpack, looking at Zhao Hai and his companions with surprise.

However, as soon as they saw the alien’s massive body, they all moved to the side of the road, just as Green had said. They did not dare to provoke a black mage, especially one with such a powerful undead summon.

Zhao Hai’s body did not move, but his eyes were sizing up the mercenaries. They wore simple leather armor, each carrying weapons and backpacks, with nothing else.

Zhao Hai noticed that these five people had different builds. The one in front carried a bow and a short knife, and was very slim but had long arms and legs, clearly a very agile person.

The second person also carried a backpack but held a double-bladed axe, which looked heavy. His leather armor was relatively thick, and to Zhao Hai’s surprise, this person was tall but not very muscular, with a lean build. However, his black skin covered iron-like muscles, making him look like a powerful warrior.

The third person was dressed in a very traditional manner, wearing suitable leather armor, carrying a large sword, wearing a leather helmet, boots, and a cloak, and dressed in a warrior’s outfit underneath. This was the most traditional adventurer’s outfit.

Behind this person were two others who looked like brothers, not twins, but very similar. Both were very fat and were eating chicken feet, as if they had been hungry for days.

Zhao Hai was observing them, but his body did not move. The black mage’s hood was still over his head, so the five people thought Zhao Hai was focused on the road ahead and did not notice them.

Although Black Mountain Pass often had people impersonating black mages, no one doubted that Zhao Hai, sitting in the alien’s chest cavity, was a fake. A fake black mage could not summon an undead combat beast.

The alien moved quickly, and in a blink, it had left the five people behind. Zhao Hai then retracted his gaze. To be honest, whether in his previous life or this one, it was his first time seeing mercenaries, so he was very curious.

Moreover, these five people had distinct features, giving Zhao Hai his first impression of mercenaries. However, he could not gauge their strength.

At this moment, Green said in a deep voice, "Young master, those five people are a somewhat famous adventure team in Black Mountain Pass called the Quiescent Snake Adventure Team. All five are quite strong, with the one using the axe and the one with the large sword both being peak-level sixth-grade warriors."

Zhao Hai really did not expect these people to be so powerful. Peak-level sixth-grade warriors? That meant they were stronger than Wood and Stone. It seemed that there were indeed many experts in this world.

On the way, the three encountered many more adventurers and mercenaries. Some were dressed similarly to the first five, wearing leather armor, indicating they were doing well. However, most mercenaries and adventurers did not have leather armor, only wearing rough cloth warrior outfits and carrying weapons, some without even backpacks.

When these mercenaries and adventurers saw Zhao Hai and his companions, they all made way without hesitation. Even if they were strong, no one wanted to conflict with a black mage. Although these mercenaries and adventurers were defiant, they were also flexible. They would lower their stance when faced with someone they could not provoke, as they were just a group of mercenaries.

Of course, you could not bully them too much. If someone bullied them too much, they would rise up in resistance, and it would be a fight to the death.

Under everyone’s gaze, Zhao Hai and his companions rode the alien into Black Mountain Pass. Even the city guards at the gate did not dare to stop them. The city guards were just a force in the city, not the strongest, and naturally, they did not dare to provoke a black mage.

Following Green’s guidance, they stopped in front of a large and luxurious hotel. Zhao Hai looked up and saw that it was called the Flos Carnivorus Hotel.

The three dismounted from the alien. Green put on his backpack, and Merlin picked up her small bag. Zhao Hai, finding nothing to carry, tapped his magic staff and put the alien away.

Any summoner could send their summoned creature back to their summoning space. This space was very peculiar, only the summoner could sense it, and it could not hold anything other than the summoned creature. To bring something into the space, it had to be placed inside the summoned creature’s body.

Since the alien was a skeletal crocodile, the wooden boards in its chest cavity could be stored in the summoning space. If not, Green would have reminded him.

The hotel’s attendant, seeing a black mage arrive, did not want to come out to greet, but was afraid of angering the mage, so he reluctantly approached with a smile, saying, "Welcome, noble mage sir. Our hotel is the most luxurious in Black Mountain Pass, providing 24-hour hot water to wash away your fatigue."

Zhao Hai did not speak, just waved his hand. Green immediately stepped forward and said, "Book the two best rooms, prepare hot water, and send a good meal to the room. That’s all."

After saying that, he stood beside Zhao Hai, who then walked into the hotel. This was a pre-arranged plan. Zhao Hai tried to avoid speaking, letting Green handle everything to create a mysterious aura and to prevent anyone from guessing his age from his voice.