Chương 53: The secret order
"Isn't it? " a familiar voice replied to me and as I turned towards the voice, I could see the head warden standing far in the opposite direction of me, near the edge of the plateau which was once a mountain top, staring deep into the horizon.
He was wearing a simple dress with a plain white scarf around his neck, his clothing makes you think that he was a hermit but the gentle wind caressing his long white hair and his white scarf gives him the aura of a saint.
I started walking and stood beside him near the edge of the plateau, my eyes fell on the horizon, below the mountain and as far as the eyes could see, a plain of white expanse greeted me. The moonlight upon hitting the white expanse painted the site in a mesmerizing shade of silver along with the Aurora of cyan blue glimmering above it like the Polar lands of my previous world.
"Snow dessert? " I said absentmindedly as the white expanse seemingly resembles a dessert made up of snow and ice.
"In a way I guess? " the head warden replied without turning back.
"This white expanse which you referred to as snow dessert covers an area upto a 100 miles. "
"That much? " I asked quite surprised and curious.
The head warden looked at my direction and warmly smiled.
"You are quite the curious one aren't you? "
He then look back towards the snow dessert and continued.
"Heavy snowfall is observed every day throughout the year in this place. Whether it's the rainy season or the summer, snow keeps on falling in this place like an eternal winter. "
Feeling quite curious, I further asked him.
"Why does only this area observes eternal winter? "
"Hahaha" the head warden laughed and looked at my mask.
"I was right about you. " he said.
"About what? " I replied in confusion.
The head warden smiled as if he could see the confusion behind my mask.
"You are quite the curious one. " he smiled at me then looked towards the snow dessert.
"3000 years ago, this snow dessert as well as the lion's gate mountain range were full of vegetation, full of flaura and fauna as a valley with a large river stood in the place of this snow dessert. " The head warden said with a bitter smile on his face.
[Climate change. ] my system commented inside my mind.
"Then one day, a cultivator of the 9th level of Nascent realm originating from the neighbouring country attacked our city.
His name was Vagabond Dao Ki, Emperor of poisons and curses.
Our previous Patriarch as well as our previous City Lord along with their golden armies lay siege to him and pushed him till the valley where they surrounded him and commenced the battle of attrition. "
While talking, the head warden took out his right hand as the snow below his feet flew up, collected into a ball and landed in his hand.
"The answer to your question also lies in this snow. " he said while showing me the snowball.
"? " I looked at it with confusion.
'A snowball? '
Seeing my expression, the head warden further explained.
" As you may have already noticed, the snow here is different then a regular snow and that is because the snow here is filled with a dangerous poison. "
"What!? " I exclaimed.
"The snow here is whiter and lighter then a regular snow and that is because this snow is formed by Vagabond Dao Ki's 1st poision mystical arts: Hell snow storm.
In this art, he releases a unique poison in the air which rain down from the sky in the form of snow towards his unsuspecting enemies. "
the head warden further explained while scrutinizing the snowball in his hands.
'No wonder no plants or animals are present here as how could they?' I thought.
[Lucky you weren't thirsty for some ice cream. ] the system said in my mind.
"The battle of attrition lasted for a month between the Vagabond Dao Ki and our city's combined forces.
The Earth shaking battle took it's toll, it turned the beautiful valley into a desert for a hundred miles but our forces were also quickly tiring the king of poisons and curses down and finally at the last second of his life, Dao ki used every last bit of his strength which he could muster and casted his 1st poison mystical arts: Hell's snow storm upon the desert which further turned the dessert into this snowy white wasteland. "
the head warden spoke with a hint of melancholy.
"Ever since that day from 3000 years ago, this place is always under eternal Hell's snow storm. Thus, this snow dessert was named as Hemlock forest, Vagabond Dao Ki's tomb. "
After saying all that, he turned towards me as if he was asking for my opinion on it.
"A real dessert on one side and a snow dessert on the other, the prison castle is located in a truly exotic place. " I replied as I did find the backstory of this place quite interesting and didn't know how to answer him.
The head warden warmly smiled at me and pointed towards the ground.
"Do you know why this mountain is called lion's gate mountain range? " he asked but frankly I wasn't too interested but still decided to humour him.
"Why? " I asked.
"Ho, you are very interested in history and geography which is rare in youngsters these days. " he laughed and stroke his beard while praising me.
"Thank you. " Frankly I didn't know how to react but wasn't it he who first asked me this?
"In the battle against the Vagabond Dao Ki, our li clan fought very bravely so in order to honour our clan and our previous patriarch, the city Lord of that time named this mountain range which gaurds our beautiful blue wind city from the Hell's snowfall's poisonous winds and snow storm as Lion's gate, the symbol of our clan engraved in the grand gate of our li clan compound. " the head warden proudly explained.
'That golden lion with the grand aura at the li clan's entrance gate? ' I thought as the memories of my first visit in this clan flooded inside my mind.
"Just like the lion at our clan's golden Gate, the li clan will also protect the gate of our beautiful city! " the Head warden further continued with pride radiating from his every word as he further continued talking about his clan for multiple minutes.
[Ain't he a talkative one? ] my system asked inside my mind.
'Yes, just like a certain pair of sisters. ' I replied half tired.
"So-" I tried to intervened.
"And do you know the other reason why this mountain range is called the lion's gate mountain range? " and I failed to stop the blabbering of the head warden.
"Why? " I asked in defeat.
"Because the mountain tops are arranged in such a way by mother Nature that when you look from the sky, it reminds you of a crouching lion! " the head warden excitedly flew up.
"Look! there it is..." and stopped awkwardly while hanging mid air as the mountain tops were nowhere to be found.
[Lol, he forgot that he is the one who erased those mountain tops while also destroying a important natural heritage site! ] the system laughed and I controlled mine.
'I thought that he might have set up a trap for me but it seems like he is an idiot, a complete contrast to his appearance especially after the mysterious act he put up inside the washroom. ' I thought as I wondered what had happened to my relaxation.
[that's why someone wise has said that appearance can be deceiving. ] the system commented like a wise old man as I mentally nod my head in confirmation.
"Hahaha" the head warden slowly flew down towards me while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Looks like I got a bit carried away as history and geography were my favourite subject when I was a kid. " he spoke while apologizing.
"No problem" I replied but more questions popped up inside my mind.
'That's why he was so happy after finding out I like geography and history! and there is also a school where they teach geography and history to cultivators?! Did they had maths and science? ' on second thought, science shouldn't be there in a cultivation world or maybe I am wrong.
"So what will happen to the city if the lion gate mountain range can no longer protect it from the Hell's snowfall as y'know, the mountain tops are gone. " I asked the question inside my mind but kept the school one for a later day.
The head warden looked surprised and answered.
"Oh! as you see, the snow has already penetrated the other side of the mountain which was previously not possible thanks to the mountain tops protecting us but since it is now gone, the snow is continuously spreading towards the city. "
"What!? " I exclaimed.
"But worry not! as the situation is already under control thanks to the barrier formation we are constructing. The barrier is still not 100 percent completed but it still is more then enough to contain the snow storm thanks to the advance barrier formula." the head warden replied confidently without a care in the world.
"Right..." I awkwardly replied as we remain in silence for a few minutes, neither taking the initiative to talk like it was a mutual decision then suddenly.
"Now..." the head warden's gaze became stern as the air around him shifted like a sharp saber.
"Alright let's get to business. " he spoke firmly, a complete contrast to his previous behavior as he handed me an envelope.
'Oh right! his chitter-chatter almost made me forget what I came here for. ' I thought as I tried to open the envelope but I couldn't.
"?" I looked at the head warden's eyes with confusion.
"There is something important that I need to tell you Robin Hood. " he spoke seriously as he referred to me by my made up name.
"Yes." I also firmly replied as tension was building up in the air.
"How much do you know about the Ancient emperor cultists? " the head warden spoke in a deep voice, his eyes stern and his face firm.
'Ancient...? is he referring to the demonic order? ' I thought.
[Indeed, the real tittle of your made up name 'demonic order' seems to be the Ancient emperor cultists. ] the system gave me it's affirmation quite tacitly.
"Quite a lot. " I replied without revealing anything.
As if the answer was within his expectations, he further continued.
"Then you may already know that they have already infiltrated this city and probably all of the sects of this world. "
I nodded my head as it was also within my expectations.
Pleased, the head warden spoke this time without hiding anything.
"We, the secret order's mission is to investigate the ancient emperor cultists hidden in this city and eliminate them. "
"We? " I asked somewhat shocked by this revelation.
"Yes, we are an organization of like minded people and our organization called the secret order. " the head warden spoke as he held his hand towards me in a manner of a handshake.
"The secret order would like to invite you to join us. "
10 minutes later....
*Whooosh*
Frigid wind brush past me as I descended from the mountain in a thundering speed.
[Why did you rejected him master? ]
"Remember that the ancient emperor cultists had already infiltrated most of the sects in this world? " I asked as the freezing wind flew through my long hair.
"There is a high chance that their secret order is also infiltrated which makes their secret order not so secret anymore that's why I will investigate about them first. The head warden should have gotten my hint by now. " I firmly replied to my system while touching my mask and then gazing at the envelope in my hand.
'He says it will only open up after I officially join their organization. I wonder what's in there. ' I wondered.
[Wow master! you are like Einstein!!! ] the system complimented me.
"Thank you" I happily replied then I noticed something wierd.
"Hey system, things like Ice cream, Climate change, lol and Einstein are knowledge not available in this world so how-"
[Of course I am reading your memories master! ] the system innocently replied.
"What! you better not or else-"
[Oh stop being so stingy like a money lender! ]
"Why you! "
Head warden's POV:
The frigid wind furiously roared passed me but the cold didn't bothered me. After attaining a certain cultivation stage, one was free from the effect of the dessert's scorching heat or the mountain's numbing cold so the only restraint that remains are your mind and your heart.
My eyes fell on the silver moon which lit up the white expanse in front of me in a eerie yet mesmerizing shade of silver. The snow storm was reflecting the silver moonlight as they cascaded the light in the air into a green and cyan Aurora which shone above the snow tomb.
Lost in my own thoughts when I noticed a shadow approaching me from behind.
"So, how did it go? " A familiar voice asked me.
"Couldn't have gone any better. " I replied with a smile as the picture of a certain youngster appeared in my mind
"Did he accept it? " he asked me as I moved my head in denial.
"Then why did you say it couldn't have gone any better? " He asked me, his voice containing a trace of uncertainty.
"This just means that he is a very cautious person. " I replied as my eyes fell on the direction Robin Hood left.
"Isn't this the type of person we should scout?"
"Right as usual old man. " he replied jokingly as his voice trailed off into another question.
"But will he join us in the future? "
I smiled upon hearing that question.
"Who knows? for now he still wears his mask."
"What? For what reason? we already know his identity. " He asked in confusion as his voice content a trace of ridicule.
"Hmmm, as far as I know, he did it for 2 reason.
The first reason being that he wore that mask as a metaphor that he didn't trust us.
The second reason being he is testing us. "
"Testing us? " he asked me in confusion.
I hummed and further replied.
"Hmmm, He is testing whether I am trust worthy or not. "
"Is he testing whether you will keep his identity a secret or not? if that's the case then you have already told me his identity. " he voiced his concern.
"Not quite. " I replied as my eyes fell on the moon hiding behind the clouds, leaving the world devoid of it's silvery light.
"He already knows that some of the members of our organization knows his identity.
He is now waiting for one of us to attack him."
I smirked at the thought, truly a cunning fellow indeed.
"But why would we attack him... unless he thinks that our own organization has a ancient emperor cultists hidden amongst us! " he spoke, his voice shaken from both anger and surprise. Angered because that would mean that Robin Hood suspects that I and he himself are a informant and surprised because his method of finding out whether his conjectures are correct or not was impeccable and daring.
if we indeed had a informant amongst us then he will surely attack Robin Hood Or Yang Kai to be more precise.
"He has already laid the trap and now he is asking me to ensnare some wild beasts towards it.
If I did my part of duties correctly then I will gain his trust. " My smile grew wider and wider at the schemes of this cunning fellow.
"Secretly revealed the identity of Robin Hood in the form of gossips and rumors in our organization. " I gave him my order as a smirk formed on my face.
'Let's see how his play acts out. ' I thought.
"But what if nobody attack him even after all this? " he asked me.
"Then that only means that his trust on us will increase and lead us one step closer on making him join us." I replied with a smile, our meeting was short and very few important words were exchanged yet in that short meeting, he clearly explained to me all of his conditions without even speaking about it.
"A man of few words but many meanings. " I smiled as the silver moon passed through the clouds and illuminated the world once again.
"Indeed sir. " he spoke, his voice revealing that he was impressed as the moon light illuminated his face, revealing his sharp handsome feature along with his long red hair.
"By the way" I suddenly remembered something as I turned around and looked at his eyes.
"Is he a member of the yang palace? "
The man with the red hair smiled and bobbed his head side ways.
"According to our investigations, there is no one from the yang palace named Yang kai,
Sir head warden. "
"Hahaha" I burst out laughing upon hearing that information.
"Neither Yang Kai nor Robin Hood, looks like we have a peculiar guest on our hands don't you think so? Vice captain Jun? "
"It seems so sir. " Jun li started laughing too.
....
[AN: Some people may find this chapter boring due to the information dump but trust me, it's very important for the plot.
Thanks for reading and stay tune as the story is about to pick up its pace 三三ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ ]
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