Chapter 2359 – Unfortunate

Death “Prideful Brute died!”

“How dare he?”

Everyone stared at Shi Feng in shock. The players from the various superpowers were especially stunned.

Azure was a large-scale Chamber of Commerce with close to 100 years of history in the virtual gaming world. It was no weaker than a Super Guild. Azure was even capable of operating on both the western and eastern continents in God’s Domain, which was why the various superpowers sought to become a member.

The Dark Hills was one of Azure’s important territories, and as such, the Chamber had stationed 4,000 experts at the checkpoint. It had also set up 40 heavy crossbows and 6 Basic Mana Pulse Cannons on the checkpoint’s walls. All sorts of magic arrays protected the checkpoint, as well. Even Domain Realm experts would have to behave themselves here.

After watching Prideful Brute die, Cloud Hunter was utterly stupefied. He simply couldn’t understand why Shi Feng had been so impulsive.

The several cloaked players that Prideful Brute had respectfully welcomed into the Dark Hills earlier jerked to a halt, watching Shi Feng curiously.

“That guy must be crazy, Big Sis Jade. He actually dared to attack someone here. I doubt even the Long Family’s second miss can save him now,” a blue-clad Assassin youth said.

Although the Long Family was one of the Azure Chamber of Commerce’s main shareholders, Silent Wonder didn’t have a particular position or authority in the Chamber. She could only rely on the Long Family’s old man for help.

Prideful Brute, on the other hand, was one of Azure’s upper echelons. Silent Wonder was lucky that he had shown her any respect. Now that the situation had devolved, Prideful Brute’s faction wouldn’t let this matter rest unless the Long Family’s old man made a personal appearance.

Furthermore, magic arrays had been set up all over the Dark Hill’s checkpoint. Not only was all teleportation prohibited, but if Azure activated a magic barrier, Shi Feng wouldn’t have any hope of escaping physically. He wouldn’t get away with a single death, either.

“He’s courageous, but it’s a pity that his actions will only result in his death. He simply doesn’t understand how strong superpowers are,” the female Berserker named Jade Bamboo said, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes as she gazed at Shi Feng. However, she quickly turned away from him to look at the refined middle-aged man above the checkpoint’s gate.

This middle-aged man was Hermit, one of the Azure Chamber of Commerce’s old monsters and the Dark Hills’ protector. He ranked among the top of the Fire Dragon Empire’s players.

A Domain Realm expert wouldn’t even have a chance to escape with their life from someone like Hermit, much less defeat the man. She suspected only the two Vice Alliance Masters or the Alliance Master from her adventurer alliance would have any hope of surviving a fight against Hermit.

While Jade Bamboo watched, Hermit jumped down from the wall, landing before Shi Feng’s group.

As he did, he earned horrified looks from the various superpowers’ experts. They looked as if they had seen a ghost. Even Cloud Hunter watched the older man seriously.

“Elder Hermit, please don’t misunderstand! This isn’t what it looks like!” Cloud Hunter hurriedly explained. If he had only had to face the checkpoint’s war weapons and various experts, he would’ve been confident of helping Shi Feng escape, but now that Hermit was involved, the situation had changed.

Hermit wasn’t allied with either of the two families, but he was Azure’s secret enforcer. He had assassinated countless peak and apex experts that had wished to harm the Azure Chamber of Commerce.

In contrast to the visiting players, the several peak experts that guarded the checkpoint couldn’t help but grin when Hermit appeared.

“Those people have crap luck. I hadn’t thought that Elder Hermit would get involved.”

“Not even Old Man Long can help that guy now, not to mention Silent Wonder. Elder Hermit is famous for being a stickler for the Chamber’s rules.”

Initially, they hadn’t been particularly confident of going up against Shi Feng. After all, Shi Feng had Cloud Hunter with him, who was one of Azure’s apex experts and one of the outstanding talents among the organization’s younger generation. They could not afford to kill Cloud Hunter without a good enough reason.

If Cloud Hunter intended to help Shi Feng escape, the Swordsman was likely to get away.

However, they no longer had to worry about that problem.

Hermit was one of the strongest players in the Azure Chamber of Commerce. He’d have no problems killing Cloud Hunter, much less suppress the youth. If Hermit wanted someone dead, very few would survive against him.

As Hermit slowly approached Shi Feng’s group, another group of cloaked players, who watched from afar, began to panic.

“How?! Why is Hermit here?!” Burning Owl paled when he saw the middle-aged man. “Doesn’t he normally patrol inside the Dark Hills?!”

Burning Owl had been surprised to see Shi Feng abruptly attack and slay Prideful Brute, but he was actually quite pleased to watch the man die. As a result, his opinion of Shi Feng significantly improved. As such, he had intended to lend a helping hand, but now that Hermit had arrived, this problem had become far worse.

Even Burning Owl was afraid of the older man, and Hermit was one of the Guild’s Grand Elders. Hermit wouldn’t back down out of respect even if he were one of Azure’s Vice Guild Leaders.

While Burning Owl considered ignoring the repercussions to save Shi Feng, Hermit appeared before the Swordsman in question and extended a hand.

“Greetings, Guild Leader Black Flame. I am Hermit, the Dark Hills’ protector,” Hermit said, smiling at Shi Feng. “I’ve been hearing of you for some time now, but I hadn’t expected to meet you here today, Guild Leader Black Flame.”

Both Azure’s members and the various superpowers’ experts gaped in shock when they heard Hermit’s greeting.

“What’s going on?” Jade Bamboo stared with wide eyes.

Everyone in the Fire Dragon Empire had heard of Hermit, especially the various superpowers’ experts. They all treated Hermit like the Grim Reaper. The man was known for his indifferent expression, and even when he had stood before her adventurer alliance’s Alliance Master, he had treated her coldly.

Now, however, Hermit welcomed Shi Feng with a smile. It was unbelievable.

Even Cloud Hunter and Burning Owl, who were both quite familiar with the middle-aged man, were utterly flabbergasted, their eyes nearly falling from their sockets.

Was this really the Hermit they knew?

Even stranger, Shi Feng had just killed Prideful Brute in public.

Prideful Brute had picked the fight, but he was still one of Azure’s peak experts, and Shi Feng had slain him as so many people watched. This would definitely damage Azure’s reputation. Normally, Hermit wouldn’t tolerate such an insult.

Both Cloud Hunter and Burning Owl figured Shi Feng would be lucky if Hermit decided to spare him. However, not only wasn’t Hermit attacking the Swordsman, but he had greeted Shi Feng with a smile!

“You offer too much praise, Elder Hermit. I’ve heard a lot about you, as well. I am here to accompany Silent Wonder and visit the Azure Chamber of Commerce,” Shi Feng politely responded. In reality, Hermit’s behavior surprised even him.

“I see. The competition will begin soon. I’ll have someone guide you and your group to the venue, Guild Leader Black Flame,” Hermit said. He then instructed one of his subordinates to lead Shi Feng’s group through the gates.

After watching the amicable conversation between Hermit and Shi Feng, and Hermit’s initiative to have someone lead Shi Feng into the Dark Hills, everyone was utterly confused.

“Elder Hermit, that player hasn’t been inspected! And he killed Prideful Brute! We cannot just let him get away with this!” one of Azure’s peak experts whispered to Hermit.

The other Azure experts nodded in agreement.

However, they then felt an intense aura wash over them. It was from none other than Hermit himself.

“Fools!” Hermit glared at the peak expert that had spoken. “You think you can afford to provoke a Tier 3 player? It seems you lot have been slacking while I wasn’t around. From now on, you and that Prideful Brute will spend your days in the combat training rooms. You are only allowed a break once you’ve passed those trials!”

After saying so, Hermit ignored the experts and left.