Chapter 50

Hearing about the goblins' brutal actions in Qiongzhou, Luo Zhengdao, recalling the equally ruthless invaders from the old world, felt a sense of righteous indignation. A glint of ferocity flashed in his eyes, and he wore a sinister smile as he said:

"It seems our green-skinned friends are too idle. It's time to give them some interesting work."

Breaking into the prison is a direct challenge to the authority of the state. Even a knee-jerk reaction would tell you how difficult it is. With his limited resources, Luo Zhengdao, a novice magic card master, could not possibly defeat the goblin garrison, let alone keep them from paying attention to the prison guards. However, if you consider his identity as a magic card master, things are different. As a rookie magic card master, the idea of defeating the goblin army, which numbered an entire regiment, by brute force was unrealistic. But reducing the goal to causing them some trouble and making them flustered was much more feasible.

Thinking of the magic card masters, Luo Zhengdao's heart stirred. He pulled out a magic card from his spatial bag and showed the back of the card to the resistance members, saying:

"Has anyone seen a card like this before?"

Even in a self-sealed state, unactivated magic cards can be identified by the new world's arcane masters as unknown magical artifacts. The wealthy and idle aristocracy loved to collect mysterious ancient items, regardless of their practical use. They would display them in cabinets as collectibles, showing off their erudition and refined taste to visitors. Therefore, these unactivated cards gradually scattered across various places after the decline of the magic card masters. Luo Zhengdao was not surprised to find traces of magic cards in any corner of the new world. The question he had just thought of was whether his adoptive father might have also collected such seemingly useless items. So he asked specifically.

As expected, the resistance members gathered around to examine the card with its back adorned with strange patterns. The old man rubbed his bald head and said:

"The old baron seemed to have collected similar cards, but I'm not sure if they were exactly the same."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao was overjoyed and quickly followed up:

"Oh, do you know where they are?"

Although the old man provided some clues, Luo Zhengdao did not have high hopes. If his adoptive father had kept his private collection, he would have given it to his only heir, Will Needham. If the few magic cards he initially obtained were from the old baron's collection, there would be no second batch. The probability of finding more unknown magic cards was relatively low.

However, things did not develop as Luo Zhengdao had expected. Instead of giving a vague and ambiguous clue, the old man said with certainty:

"Yes, I remember they were in the castle. When the goblins overran the castle, they set it on fire. Later, seeing the extensive damage, they did not bother to repair it and let the place fall into ruin."

Suddenly hearing this good news, Luo Zhengdao's breathing quickened as he felt the slightly damp and stifling air around him. A fiery hope ignited in his chest. There was indeed a chance, and it was worth trying. After taking several deep breaths to steady his emotions, he said:

"Can you arrange for someone to take me to the castle?"

Hearing Luo Zhengdao's request, the old man looked troubled. Will Needham, the current Baron of Fulu, was the backbone of all the resistance members. If anything happened to him, the group would have no hope. The old man, worried about Luo Zhengdao's safety, hesitated and said:

"Uh, the earliest we can go is after dark. It's not safe there!"

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The night in Qiongzhou was less scorching than the daytime. For an island that was always under a tropical climate, the arrival of night meant a rare period of coolness.

Many goblins, accustomed to the temperate climate with distinct seasons on the mainland, and even those born in dry, rain-scarce inland mountains, were now stationed on this tropical island with such high humidity that they could wring water out of their hair. Even the resilient goblin soldiers grumbled incessantly. Not only was there no war to fight, and no chance to earn new military honors, but they also had to remain on the island, acting as lowly overseers, whipping human slaves to produce food, sugar, and alcohol for the mainland.

The long-term idleness on Qiongzhou Island, the scorching heat, and the constant mosquito harassment had almost worn out the Redstone Regiment's fighting spirit. Only a few swigs of rum could slightly boost their morale.

Strategic locations like the remnants of the old baron's castle were gradually neglected by the goblins. The goblin patrol teams passed by here every few days, catching a few rabbits and wild boars in the grass to improve their diet, which they considered their duty.

The resistance members on Qiongzhou Island, following the old baron's final instructions, focused on gathering intelligence and secretly building strength. They did not launch large-scale attacks. Even though the goblins knew that some human armies had fled into the rainforest after the old baron's death, the task of searching the rainforest, which had no proper roads, was daunting even for the warlike goblin army. They were not troubled by the fighting but by the inability to find anyone. Therefore, the commander of the Redstone Regiment, Dedu Redstone, carefully reviewed multiple plans and ultimately ordered to wait for the humans to emerge from the forest before concentrating forces to eliminate them.

In other words, if the human resistance did not appear near the goblin-controlled cities and ports, the goblin army would not bother to search the humid rainforest for a few scattered resistance members, as it was not worth the effort.

The goblins' lax attitude greatly facilitated Luo Zhengdao's infiltration plan. Before setting out, the resistance members were blessed by a few amateur wild mages with a low-level arcane spell called "Enhanced Cat Eye Vision." Even in the pitch-black night, the majestic castle ruins nearby appeared as bright as daylight.

Luo Zhengdao and a few guides stealthily trekked through the tall grass, which could grow as high as two-story buildings. No wonder the goblins were unwilling to enter the tropical rainforest to clear out the resistance. This terrible natural environment was already unbearable for the army outside the rainforest, let alone inside, where it would be a death trap. After much hardship, they finally reached the castle ruins and stopped in front of an inconspicuous annex building.

The guide gestured for everyone to stop. A young resistance member who claimed to have served as a castle guard turned back and whispered to Luo Zhengdao:

"Lord Baron, this is where the old baron used to handle his documents. On the day the goblins breached the castle, the old baron ordered us to pour oil and burn everything here."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao remained silent, surveying the desolate scene after the fire, and said:

"Will the cards be here?"

"Yes, I heard from my comrades that they saw the baron flipping through those cards during their shifts. It was his personal hobby to collect those strange magical artifacts."

Clearly, collecting cards of unknown use was seen as a luxurious and eccentric hobby among the noble class. The old baron and Luo Zhengdao were no exception. Although this hobby had the potential to lead to neglect, in a society with a strict hierarchy, accusing a superior without clear evidence was a huge risk. The subordinates were reluctant to say more, and Luo Zhengdao was happy to let others misunderstand his true intentions for collecting magic cards. After hearing this, he nodded, waved a bamboo stick in front of him to drive away any snakes or insects, and then stepped on the scattered bricks and stones, entering the not-so-large room.

One side of the building ruins had windows and doors, while the other three sides were stone walls charred black by the fire. It seemed there was nothing worth searching for here.

Before Luo Zhengdao could ask, a wild mage who accompanied them extended his staff and tapped the wall, saying:

"Detect secret chambers!"

In response, a faint white magical glow rippled through the room, and a pale white light appeared behind the charred bookshelf on the left side of the intruders.

Seeing this, the resistance members became excited. This indicated that their mission might yield significant results. The items left by the old baron were likely valuable, and this discovery would greatly benefit the resistance in raising funds.

"Unlock!"

In the old world, it was a tradition for noble families to keep skilled thieves. After all, who knew which temple's deity might manifest? Many unsavory tasks were beyond the reach of decent people. In the espionage field, it was always a mix of black and white, and it was often impossible to tell who was on whose side. Asking who was a friend and who was an enemy was a profound and unsolvable puzzle, no less complex than the great mathematical problems.

The old baron's secret chamber was well-hidden, but it was not designed to deter treasure hunters. Among the resistance members accompanying Luo Zhengdao were professionals. After identifying the location of the secret chamber, they immediately began to break the lock.

"Roar roar roar roar roar..."

Suddenly, a low, wild animal call approached from a distance. The only creatures bold enough to act so brazenly at night on Qiongzhou Island were the goblins. Sensing the danger, Luo Zhengdao, without a word, rushed forward as the secret chamber door opened and said:

"Quick, take everything you can carry."

Putting the principle of quick and efficient looting into practice, Luo Zhengdao grabbed everything in sight, regardless of category, and stuffed it into his spatial bag. Then, he ran out with the resistance members. By then, the red glow of torches could be seen flickering at the edge of the castle ruins, like a red dragon winding its way toward them, ready to pounce.

ps: Please add to your favorites! Last week, I only gained a few, a dozen or so, which is really disheartening!

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