On the scorched, blackened bark corrupted by the wasteland, someone had carved pale, stark words with a sharp knife:
"The fate of bandits and criminals!!!"
"—Erected by Luojie City, Alliance Stronghold of the Kana Wasteland."
"O... kay?" Samael sized up the giant tree with hanging corpses in front of him. He circled the massive trunk, emboldening himself to inspect the bodies.
Thanks to his current body’s lack of a sense of smell, he couldn’t detect the stench of rotting flesh. If Xia Mo’an from his past life had seen these corpses, he would have likely jumped out of his skin. However, his cold Undead Armor body felt little fear. Perhaps the Undead Armor forcefully diluted his emotions to some extent, or maybe it was because he had already died once. To him, dead people were merely his own kind.
"There are very few wounds on the bodies," he observed, studying the corpses. "Most of them were... killed in a single strike. Whoever did this must be experts."
"It was likely the work of the Alliance Guards," Talia said, looking at the wounds. "Most of them transitioned from Professional Soldiers. While they lack experience in survival and exploration within the Barren Land, they excel at swiftly eliminating unarmored humanoid enemies. The Alliance Guards are responsible for maintaining order and executing criminals.
"A long time ago, the earliest adventurers were a chaotic mix of the good and the bad. Because the Barren Land had no laws, many adventurers were no different from criminals. Rape, theft, pillaging, and thieves robbing thieves happened constantly. Therefore, the very first thing the Adventurer’s Alliance did upon its establishment was to draft the *Seeker’s Codex*. They set up Alliance Guards specializing in killing humanoid enemies to conduct lawful trials and eradicate all criminals. This move ensured that the term ’Seeker’ was no longer synonymous with ’bandit.’ No longer universally despised, their reputation gradually improved until they became synonymous with explorers and heroes.
"At that time, many adventurers with criminal records fled directly into the Barren Land to avoid execution, turning to banditry. Even now, many sinners and fugitives band together into gangs to evade the law, surviving in the depths of the Barren Land."
"Oh ho, a new broom sweeps clean, and laying down the law is the first step to prosperity! They really know their stuff!" Samael leaned in and poked at one of the corpses’ wounds. "Looks like a penetrating wound caused by being pierced and launched into the air by a polearm... A spear? A lance? Or maybe a Lancer class..."
"The Barren Land is a hideout for many bandits and fugitives. They typically make a living by plundering the Merchant Teams traveling between kingdoms. Occasionally, they hunt Demonized Creatures and gather precious resources, finding channels to smuggle them into the black market for sale." Talia kept her eyes on the bodies hanging from the giant tree. "The Adventurer’s Alliance is stationed on the frontlines of the Barren Land, so their supply convoys are frequently ambushed by bandits, and their strongholds are constantly harassed. With continuous friction against these bandit factions, adventurer quests don’t just involve exploring caverns, gathering supplies, and escorting convoys—they also include special bounty missions to wipe out the bandit gangs."
CAW, CAW. The flock of Demon Crows shrieked from the branches.
Among them, the largest Feather-crowned Demon Crow folded its wings. With a hint of amusement in its eyes, it quietly stared at Talia.
Talia narrowed her eyes slightly behind her helmet.
"Wait a minute. The Demon Race can manipulate low-level Demonized Creatures... This Demon Crow..." She raised her hand, attempting to control the bird.
CAW! CAW, CAW—
The Feather-crowned Demon Crow did not submit to her will. Instead, it broke into loud, cawing laughter with its harsh, raspy calls.
"Ah, did you think I wouldn’t recognize you, Lady Ronov of the Northern Rondolan Mountains?" the Feather-crowned Demon Crow laughed, its coarse avian throat producing a cultured, elegant voice. "Though of course, you’ve certainly changed quite a bit in the two years since the fall of the Demon Country in the Rondolan Mountain."
Talia took a half-step back, but Samael had already shifted behind her. Her back bumped gently against his chest, supporting her and allowing her to steady her footing once again.
"Master of the Dungeon of the Kana Wasteland Plain, Valak," she replied in a low voice.