I entered the game in advance and found that I was invincible

The only other options are that they somehow breed within the kingdom's borders, or manage to cross the Cocas Mountains from other kingdoms.Both scenarios are fairly unlikely.

Now, they must investigate where they came from.Long Xiangtian looked around while chopping down a half-orc with Grandia.

His current appearance was modified with Jester's mask, so only Jae Sung Lee knew his identity.

If I'm using some well-known abilities, though, that's a different story.

Since the Battle of the Hall of Eden, there have been many stories about Long Xiangtian's ability.

How a hero grows dark wings, how to slay giant beasts with one sword.Although there are some voices who worry about whether he will be a monster, most people deny this idea, because he is fighting against his own kind.

This is one of the reasons why he can easily rise to the top.

Because he has the support of everyone, other nobles can't get too deep into the source of his power.

Of course, there were not many who dared to stand up and question Long Xiangtian in the first place.

It's a pity to have to fight without using all of my strength, which is quite painful.

It's not that he doesn't want others to know his identity, but maybe this will make it more difficult to investigate the source of all this.

Why would the number of monsters appearing throughout the kingdom skyrocket.It is almost impossible for these monsters to build ships and arrive by sea, so that is to say, they must be hidden in the actual territory of the Rhine Kingdom.

call out!call out!call out

Long Xiangtian had already mobilized among a group of monsters, and without the slightest hesitation, he chopped off the ogre in front of him.

Since he broke the seal of Versailles Rose, he felt stronger.He has become more proficient in using demonic energy, which has the same effect as internal force.

Kakahak!

help me!

When Long Xiangtian walked through the monsters, he heard the screams of some farmers...

Is it coming from the northeast?

Perhaps they were caught by the tribe on their way back from picking herbs in the mountains.

When he rushed over, he saw a young man and woman tremblingly surrounded by a large group of orcs.

Just when they were about to pierce them with a chopper, a large red-tasseled sword appeared and saved them just in time.

Hwarrrk!
A brown fountain spewed into the air.Seeing the face of the savior, their expressions brightened.

Coe, Earl!

You have come to save us!

Li Zaicheng stood in front of them, panting heavily.

Now is not the time to let your guard down! Wait until you've got them all dealt with and rest easy!
Yes!
I will keep it in mind.

The two picked up the fallen orc weapon, and Lee Jae-sung raised the kite shield and used the taunt skill to steal their attack power.

Karrrr!

Kiyaaaak!

The excitable orcs rushed to Li Zaicheng at once.Seeing this, Li Zaicheng used the battle song to buff nearby allies for a certain period of time.

After doing everything to give the two of them the best possible chance of survival, he entered the fight in earnest.

Karan!Karan!
There was a muffled sound as the orc's iron weapon collided with his kite-shield.Because he faced too many opponents, Li Zaicheng was placed on the defensive and could not find an opportunity to attack.

At least at his current knight level, his health has increased by 15%, and his HP recovery has also increased by 20%.

This basically means that he can hold out for a considerable amount of time while being outnumbered.

His strength is not bad at all.

Looking at Li Zaicheng's performance for a while, Long Xiangtian couldn't help but feel happy.

At his current level, he should do pretty well as a lord.Now, though, it looks like he could really use his help.

Long Xiangtian lifted Grandia and jumped into the orc tribe.The battle with monsters continues until the sun goes down.Due to the recent fighting, the provincial army is quite understaffed.Fortunately, Long Xiangtian played a big role in reducing casualties for the soldiers.

But still not enough.

my poor son!

Please, open your eyes!
Seeing the family members mourning the loss of their loved ones, Long Xiangtian and Li Zaicheng felt very heavy.

They can't help but blame themselves, maybe they didn't do their best.

Where did these monsters come from?

We haven't found out yet.

He has been hiding his identity, just so that the black hand behind all this may show up, but it is all in vain.The principal culprit couldn't be some junior monster trainer.

Even Cui Kaien couldn't possibly be able to control so many monsters so early.

What's more, he knew that she would start from Izanah.Of course, it is technically possible for her to arrive by sea via the Liberty City of Mediah, but this is quite unlikely.

There must be other explanations.

If the cause is not found, there will only be more unnecessary casualties.

Maybe.

Although the average life expectancy is as high as 300 years, the population of Ace has not increased much due to frequent wars, plagues, and monster invasions.

When Li Zaicheng was clicking his tongue, the young man and woman he rescued spoke.

Sir, I have something to mention.

what's up?

I actually found this in the mountains.

The young woman handed him a leather bag.When Li Zaicheng untied the enchantment, he found some blue powder inside.

This is the first time in my life I have seen this substance.Because we often help alchemists collect medicinal materials, I happen to know a lot of ingredients very well.

I'm showing it to you because I believe it may have some connection to this recent incident.

They couldn't bring it up before because the battle was in full swing.

When the two left, Long Xiangtian spoke.

The breeding substance of monsters.

Propagation substance?

Be careful not to ingest anything, in humans it can cause the same symptoms as taking hard drugs.

Taking it can cause severe withdrawal symptoms that are hard to deal with.This substance can lead to quite troublesome situations if not handled with care.

Hearing Long Xiangtian's explanation, Li Zaicheng couldn't help being surprised.

So you think someone deliberately increased the number of monsters?

may be.

If it is used by humans as a medicine, it is impossible to find it in the deep mountains.Of course, it may also be used to kidnap slaves in the kingdom, but the possibility is quite small.

This thing must have come in from the port city of Mediah.

The first thing that came to my mind was the Cohen Merchant Group.

It's the guys who smuggled a lot of wildfire to supply Earl Gwen.

If it is them, it should be related to get these things.

I need to borrow a hunting dog.

Do you want to search the mountains?
Yes, there might be some clues left.

I will go with you.

No, you stay here.

Li Zaicheng is still busy tidying up his house.

After choosing a hound with a keen sense of smell, Long Xiangtian walked deep into the forest.

Night began to fall.

Without sunlight, he was looking for any trace of the substance by the dog's nose.

It's so dark that ordinary people can't see it clearly.Only the sound of wind and grass and insects can be heard.

After searching for a while, the dog stopped and let out a growl.That means the path ends here.

Where did you go from here?

He used his senses to the limit, looking for anything that might catch his attention, but found nothing.

Worrying that it would be too late, Long Xiangtian took out the archaeologist's golden magnifying glass and wanted to look around again.

Someone cast a spell here.

It wasn't long before the magic circle was tracked on the ground, because there were still faint traces left.

There is no doubt that the other party has tried their best to erase any traces.

Long Xiangtian moved cautiously along the traces.

This guy is really thorough.

Without a special magnifying glass, he would not have found any traces of the magic circle, nor would he have found the footprints covered by magic.

Long Xiangtian stopped in front of the cave, he thought the opponent was an elite monster.

Woah! Woah!
The hound barked towards the cave, showing its sharp canine teeth.

That means something is inside.

Long Xiangtian also successfully detected some existences inside with his perception.

Quite a few people.

This is a den of monsters.Now that the footprints are here, there is no doubt that the boss is also inside.many people.

This is a den of monsters.Since the footprint ends here, there is no doubt that the boss is also inside.

After killing the hound on a nearby oak tree, Long Xiangtian took out Fan Sili.

He can even force monsters to obey him if his spirit stats are high enough.

In most cases, monsters are the by-products of daedra mating with other creatures.

Of course, there are some cases that are caused by the curse of the gods, such as Arachne or Medusa, but that is the exception.

So, if he can successfully kill the Boss monster with Versailles Rose, it will settle the whole case.

As soon as Long Xiangtian stepped into the cave, a pair of red eyes appeared in the darkness.As if it had been waiting for him.

From now on, I am your master.

Krrrrrr!

Kiyaaaak!

The monsters seemed unwilling to succumb to Long Xiangtian, they roared to challenge.However, they are still quite afraid of Versailles' aura, so they haven't attacked yet.

Monsters act on instinct, so it's not uncommon for them to want to avoid the abyss that awaits to swallow them.

There you are, come forward.

Long Xiangtian had already pointed at an elder orc shaman, the leader of the tribe.This is very similar to the elder trolls they fought in the Cocas Mountains, but with a purer bloodline, excellent physique and statistics.

The only reason they might still be there is that after the war between gods and demons, they were either assimilated by the demon world, or they were sealed in historical relics.

Cui Cui
The elder orc shaman pretended to follow Long Xiangtian's orders, but it fully intended to attack with magic.

It cast a flame pillar, and a red magic circle appeared under Long Xiangtian's feet.

Soon after.

Walker!
A huge pillar of fire engulfed Long Xiangtian.However, this is weaker than the fireball, so Long Xiangtian didn't take any damage.

He just relied on his demon power to protect his body.

You seem stubborn.

Long Xiangtian's eyes flashed dangerously, and he stabbed Fan Sili into the ground.Afterwards, his dark magic energy spread in all directions.

[space field]
An ability he gained after releasing the latest seal, which was placed on Verserios.

The monsters were overwhelmed by the pressure it issued, and they couldn't help taking a few steps back.

I command you to obey me.

While talking, Long Xiangtian walked forward, his eyes became evil, and he exuded the aura of divinity from Verserios.

Dengdengdeng.

Deng Deng Deng

The monsters fell to their knees one by one.The elder orc shaman resisted for the longest time, but in the end he was still unable to overcome such oppressive force.It lowered its head, and it spoke.

I lost】.

Orcish.

Although the system's translation ability did not extend to the monster's language, Long Xiangtian could still understand him right away.

Because Abyss has assimilated countless species into his Asura world.

Who gave you the endorphin substance?
[Media Cohen Firm]
For what purpose?
[don't know. just swap deals]
The transaction he was referring to was some sort of barter transaction.The Korn Merchant Group will continue to provide gunpowder, and the BOSS monster will provide loot or prisoners in exchange.

How is this possible without any intermediaries?
They send.our.family they are.obedient.]
According to the elder orc shaman, endorphin powder is provided to orcs who obey the orders of the merchant group.They were then sent into the mountains to demonstrate how effective it really is.

When they learned that although it wasn't the usual mating season, they could reproduce, multiplying their numbers, they agreed to a deal with the Korn Merchant.

A pretty thorough plan.

Although he still doesn't know what the ultimate purpose of the Keen Merchant Group is, he has now determined that if they are not uprooted, a disaster will befall the Rhineland Kingdom.

Withdrawing his demon energy, Long Xiangtian raised Verserios and pointed at the old orc shaman.

You need to help me.

He needs an insider to uncover all their plots.Long Xiangtian saw the frightened expression on the face of the elder orc shaman, and gave him a pitiful smile.

***
Media is a port city in Erutonia.The city is run by two top business groups, Cohen and Rossio.On the surface, the two are very similar, but in fact the Coen business group operates a smuggler.

Slaves, drugs, weapons, anything illegal, they sold throughout the kingdom.Rossio's syndicate runs auctions for rare items on the black market.

Just like Kaliss and Erica at Landium back then, these two business groups were always fighting each other.This is one of the reasons why the media is not a very safe place, as fights often break out between the two.

What a lawless place.Long Xiangtian sighed when he saw the fight between the mercenaries in the nearby alley.
.
Even as Liberty City gained autonomy, it came with a serious insecurity.Compared with here, Landim may be heaven.

Perhaps this has something to do with their trade with the southern countries.

In the southern states, slavery was legal.The Kingdom of Talis is one such example.

Although they firmly believe in freedom, they believe in strict religion and discriminate against heretics.

The Dragon King Ivanov also used their vicious torture methods to successfully obtain the complete obedience of his red dragon Kanelian.

However, this is not the method Long Xiangtian likes.

If you need physical force to bend it to your will, it's bound to crumble one day.

Perhaps this is also one of the reasons why Canelian went crazy in the past.Long Xiangtian had to do something before it suffered permanent damage.

The same goes for people in the media.They will later rise up like an angry mob to end the Cohen Cartel oppression.

Recalling the smugglers he caught in Ionia, Long Xiangtian came to Adonis' residence.

We need to verify your identity.

A guard standing at the door spoke rudely.Long Xiangtian was wearing a shabby travel outfit, so he could easily be regarded as a homeless man.

I am a first-class mercenary working for Count Ludwig, please tell Adonis.

His letter of recommendation bears Lee Jae-sung's signature.

After seeing the red way seal on the letter, the guard disappeared into the manor.Even if they are in a free city now, a count in the same province as them cannot be ignored.

Come in, Adonis is waiting for you.

After returning, the guard bowed to him and spoke more politely.

Long Xiangtian then followed him into the manor.

you want to work for me

asked a man with dark brown hair and glasses who was sitting in an armchair.

Adonis.

His first impression of him was that he seemed to be a rather scheming kind of guy.

Yes.

Do you want money?I'm really short on money here, so for a first-class mercenary like you, I can pay 20 gold a month.

一般来说，3级佣兵的月薪是3到5金。二等佣兵9到12金，一等佣兵15到18金。20金按照现在的市场行情，已经算是相当丰厚了，但龙翔天还是拒绝了。

I don't need gold, I prefer information.

Information?There are indeed some quite expensive ones.

There are some inside information that can make people earn 1000 gold with a single investment.

However, contrary to Adonis' expectations, Long Xiangtian's interest is not in money, but in other places.

Any information you have about the Cohen Merchant Group will do.

Long Xiangtian's counter-price caught him off guard.Cohen Business Group.?

Adonis narrowed his eyes, and he couldn't help wondering what Long Xiangtian was up to.

Yes, I've heard rumors that they've been secretly smuggling.As you may know, there have been many cases of smugglers running around and kidnapping young women in the countryside of the Rhine Kingdom recently.

What would you do if this were true?
I will find some evidence and report to the Earl.Anything beyond that is not covered by my contract, so I don't really care.

Long Xiangtian must maintain his mercenary image.This is why he emphasized his indifference to anything not directly related to the conditions of the award.This also convinced the other party that he could buy him with money at any time.

I would like to give a warm welcome to anyone who opposes the Cohen business group.

As he expected, Adonis had agreed.Long Xiangtian signed the contract with a quill and white ink, and then asked.

What kind of person is Bruno?

As long as there is money to be made, he is doing it for profit.Be it weapons, sex slaves, drugs, whatever.There is nothing he dare not do.More recently, he's even gotten into the hire-hire business.

You mean they train assassins themselves?