With Aaron's command, Twist slams the brakes, bringing the SUV to a halt in the snow.

  "Let Lazio know to keep the engine running and take turns resting."

  "Got it. By the way, Aaron, where are we headed?"

  Twist lights two cigarettes, handing one to Aaron.

  Aaron takes it, inhaling deeply. The sharp taste fills his chest.

  He's not much of a smoker, but in this blizzard, driving through the endless white wilderness, a cigarette helps keep him alert and shifts his focus away from the monotony and irritation.

  "We're heading to Bert City, the nearest fortress city."

  "Won't the Rhine Consortium put a bounty on us?"

  "No, they won't. The guards are dead, the mine has collapsed, and there are no survivors at the Mystery Tungsten Mine to identify the culprits. Plus, the Mystery Tungsten Ore was just shipped out yesterday; we didn't take anything too valuable. They'll likely chalk it up to bandit raids rather than launch a full-scale investigation."

  The Ninth Empire spans vast territories, with fortress cities scattered like stars across the land, separated by endless wilderness.

  This wilderness is teeming with dangerous beasts and insect tribes, presenting constant threats but also opportunities in the form of herbs, ores, and the bodies of these creatures.

  Ordinary, weak people who cannot train live in fortress cities, serving as fuel to keep the empire running.

  Those with strength, such as Force Adepts, Gunsmiths, and Gene Warriors, venture into the wilds to gather resources. Hunter teams and guilds have emerged, becoming a hallmark of the era.

  Besides, there are the less scrupulous bandits and those who align with the Church's outcasts.

  All these forces together create a chaotic stage in the wilderness.

  While the consortiums have undisputed control within the cities, in the wilderness, strength rules supreme.

  Many bandits and outcasts see consortium caravans as ripe targets for plunder. A mine being raided is not uncommon, and a worthless mine won't prompt the consortium to launch an extensive investigation.

  "But we'll need to ditch these vehicles before reaching Bert City," Aaron says.

  The cars they are driving bear the Rhine Consortium's emblem—a pair of pristine white wings.

  Driving these into the city would invite suspicion and be akin to walking into a trap.

  Aaron steps out of the car, unzips, and relieves himself in the snow, shivering briefly before climbing back inside.

  ……

  One night passes without incident.

  By early morning, the blizzard has lessened. The group sets off once more.

  The night's heavy snowfall has buried all recognizable landmarks, rendering the map nearly useless. Holding a compass, Aaron directs their route based on general bearings.

  After traveling for most of the day, a rumbling sound reaches them. Four or five vehicles appear from the west, each also bearing the emblem of white wings.

  As they spot Aaron's group, the vehicles begin to approach.

  "Aaron, what do we do? Should we avoid them?"

  Lazio's panicked voice crackles through the walkie-talkie. Beside him, Twist looks equally tense, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

  "No, just keep driving normally," Aaron commands, eyeing the heavy artillery mounted on the approaching vehicles.

  In these conditions, they can't outrun these cars even at full speed. Any sign of suspicion would lead to their annihilation under a barrage of cannon fire.

  Just then, a stranger's voice cuts through the walkie-talkie: "Avoid who? Which corporation are you with?"

  The group's hearts leap into their throats.

  Unbeknownst to them, the Rhine Consortium's communication channels are universal within a certain range, automatically connecting any devices. This setup is common among consortiums and large hunter guilds for easy communication and emergency calls in the wilderness.

  Their conversation has already been overheard, raising the other party's suspicions.

  "Which corporation are you with?" Aaron's voice, cool and collected, responds over the walkie-talkie.

  "Not at liberty to say," the voice replies after a brief pause.

  "Sorry, but our business isn't something you're authorized to inquire about," Aaron replies calmly, glancing at the white wings on the other vehicles' doors.

  Master Rhine had once explained the hierarchy within the Rhine Consortium to Aaron.

  The "Golden Wing Rhine" refers to the consortium's emblem, where the highest rank is represented by golden wings, reserved for the core family members. Below that are silver wings, blue wings, and white wings, signifying the top executives, branch leaders, and general staff of the various subsidiaries, respectively.

  The emblem on the approaching vehicles is the same as the one on Aaron's car—white wings—indicating they belong to one of the many subsidiaries under the Rhine Consortium. This means they are of equal rank, so there's no need to be overly intimidated.

  The walkie-talkie falls silent again until a voice eventually asks, "What's your destination?"

  "Bert City," Aaron replies.

  "You’re taking this route to Bert City?" The voice carries a hint of skepticism.

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  Aaron pauses. Is this not the correct direction to Bert City? He only knows the general direction.

  Before he can respond, the voice continues, "Well, what a coincidence. We're headed to Bert City too. Follow us."

  Aaron furrows his brow in thought. If he refuses, will they forcefully stop him?

  After a moment of hesitation, he steadies himself and agrees, "Alright."

  As Aaron releases the walkie-talkie, Twist looks anxious. "Aaron, moving with them—won't that increase our risk of exposure?"

  "We have to follow them. If we don't, they'll sense something's off and might attack. At our speed, we can't escape their firing range," Aaron explains.

  In the wilderness, posing as a consortium or a large hunter guild convoy is common, and the other party is likely wary of such tactics. Aaron can't take this risk.

  "Go down and explain to Lazio and the others. Tell them not to panic or speak. Just follow my lead," Aaron instructs.

  "Got it," Twist replies.

  Aaron brings the car to a stop, pretending to wait for the other vehicles, while Twist steps out from the passenger side to brief Lazio and the others.

  It isn't long before those vehicles catch up to Aaron's.

  The lead vehicle's passenger window rolls down, revealing a burly man with a bushy beard.

  Aaron lowers his own window, his expression guarded.

  The man glances at Aaron's Rhine Consortium-issued guard uniform and curtly says, "Stay close to me," before preparing to roll up his window and drive on.

  "Hold on," Aaron interrupts, feigning distrust. "How can you prove you're with the consortium?" His right hand moves as if reaching for a gun, adding to the act.

  The bearded man's window lowers again, and he casts an annoyed look at Aaron. With a grumble, he pulls out an ID from his pocket, displaying his photo and the Rhine Consortium emblem.

  It reads: Peak Corporation Transport Leader, Sam.

  "Here, take a good look and see for yourself if I'm with the consortium," Sam grumbles, clearly irritated. “Hmph! This kid's got some alert.”

  Aaron nods, looking displeased, and rolls up his window without acknowledging Sam further.

  Seeing this, Sam fumes, "Hey, this brat really needs a lesson."

  Despite his anger, Sam doesn't ask to see Aaron's credentials. Aaron's demeanor—defiant and dismissive—perfectly mirrors that of a newly minted consortium recruit, confident in consortium’s protection and untouchable arrogance.

  ……

  As night falls, the eight vehicles split into two smaller groups and settle on a sheltered hillside.

  That team clears the snow, creating a space to pitch their tents. They drive stakes into the ground at each corner, erecting tents with insulated layers, and secure them with windproof ropes. Inside, they lay down cold-resistant boards, covering them with layers of snow hare pelts.

  Before long, seven or eight tents stand in a row, their camp successfully set up.

  Aaron and Twist, one with an axe at his waist and the other carrying a firearm, gather arm-thick logs from a distance.

  Beneath the damp, snow-laden logs, they place blazing stones. As sparks meet the stones, a flame bursts forth, igniting the dozens of dark logs above.

  Thick smoke rises, carrying away the logs' moisture, and within minutes, the smoke transforms into flames. The sudden blaze dispels the darkness, casting a warm glow on the faces around it.

  The two groups sit distinctly apart, each gathered around their own fire, soaking in the warmth.

  Before long, Sam strides over to Aaron.

  As Aaron looks up, he sees the weight of the man's imposing figure, backed by the three M134 rapid-fire guns and a 107mm cannon mounted on the vehicles.

  These weapons of mass destruction are manned, with their operators' gazes fixed on Aaron and his group.

  Apart from Aaron and Twist, the miners in Sam's line of sight avert their eyes, not daring to meet his gaze. Sam quickly assesses that there are no formidable fighters among them.

  "So, kid, what brings you to the no-man's land?" Sam asks.

  "Transporting supplies," Aaron replies quietly after a brief pause.

  "With just a bunch of nobodies like you?" Sam scoffs.

  Unfazed by the mockery, Aaron calmly turns the roasting meat in his hands, then looks up and says, "Not just us. The captain and a few others went off to hunt a beast."

  "What kind of beast?" Sam inquires.

  "A Level 2 snow wolf," Aaron responds.

  Sam's eyes narrow with interest. No wonder this kid seems so confident.

  A force adept capable of hunting a Level 2 snow wolf must be at least in the Awakening State.

  In the development of force adepts, the ranks ascend from Vitality State to Awakening State and then to Meridian Opening Stage. Beyond the Meridian Opening State, the classifications and details are tightly controlled by major powers like the consortium, inaccessible to ordinary people.

  Sam himself is only at the Vitality State, as are most hunters in the wilderness.

  And the Awakening State is already considered the pinnacle for many.

  But... is this kid telling the truth?

  Sam scrutinizes Aaron, noting the ill-fitting Rhine Consortium guard uniform, with sleeves and shoes too large for him. Not just him, but everyone around seems hunched and subdued, looking more like slaves than consortium members.

  Could such a ragtag group really have an Awakening State powerhouse with them?

  What would compel such a strong individual to lead this bunch of misfits?

  Despite the glaring inconsistencies, Aaron's calm demeanor keeps Sam wary.

  What if he's right? It's a risk Sam isn't willing to take.

  There's a general understanding about the balance between force adepts and heavy weaponry: force adepts are weaker early on but grow stronger later. Sam, armed with his heavy firepower, isn't necessarily afraid of an Awakening State Force Adept, but that's only in theory.

  The hallmark of a force adept is their individual combat prowess and endurance.

  If an Awakening State expert were to shadow his convoy, it could become a significant problem. Moreover, Sam worries that this Awakening State adept might be a Gunsmith.

  In the wilderness, consortium members often exploit their powerful thermal weapons to seize resources and occupy strategic points, stirring discontent among hunters.

  Oppression breeds resistance, and over time, Gunsmiths have emerged.

  These weapon masters create force-driven firearms, offering greater power and range than conventional weapons, becoming favorites among hunters. The consortium has had to curb its actions in the wilderness due to the rise of Gunsmiths.

  Seeing Sam's hesitation, Aaron feels a slight sense of relief.

  Initially, he thought that proving himself as a consortium member would be enough to pass unnoticed and ensure his safety.

  However, he soon realizes a new problem: Sam's group seems off. They might not be consortium people, or if they are, they're likely lying and might turn on him.

  In the past, when Aaron helped Archie identify herbs, the people transporting supplies often mentioned a small town about 200 kilometers from the Mystery Tungsten Mine. It was a rest stop for hunters to replenish their supplies, and they talked about herb prices to try and buy Archie's herbs cheaply.

  That town was on the way from Bert City to the Mystery Tungsten Mine.

  Now, having traveled nearly 300 kilometers without seeing any trace of the town, it's clear they aren't headed toward Bert City.

  Recalling the surprised reaction when they mentioned Bert City as their destination, Aaron realizes the group knows they're lost but didn't warn them, instead leading them along.

  Initially, Aaron didn't understand their intentions.

  But when Sam used the term "nobodies," Aaron suddenly understood. Sam's amicable behavior wasn't due to any consortium camaraderie but rather a plan to gauge Aaron's group before making a move.

  So the story of the Level 2 snow wolf was entirely fabricated. Aaron needed to invent a strong ally to protect himself, betting that Sam wouldn't risk it.

  And he was right. Once Sam heard about the 'captain' pursuing a Level 2 snow wolf, he stopped being aggressive.

  As Sam turns to leave, everyone finally breathes a sigh of relief.

  Next to Lazio, a man with sharp, triangular eyes subtly nudges the person beside him. They exchange a glance, both with hesitation in their eyes.

  The campfire flickers as night falls. The group splits into pairs, each returning to their tents. The man with triangular eyes lowers his voice and whispers to the younger man, "Don't sleep too deeply tonight. At midnight, we make our move."

  "Are you sure, brother? In this snow, how far can we really get? Wouldn't it be better to stick with the Young Master and watch each other's backs?"

  The triangular-eyed man snorts.

  "Watch each other's backs? Nonsense. I don't know exactly how far Bert City is, but we've been on the move for almost two days. We can't be far now. Before we ran into that bearded guy, we could have destroyed the vehicles and slipped into the city unnoticed. Now, we have to rely on the consortium identity to get in. But entering the city as consortium members is suicide."

  "Didn’t Lazio say that the Young Master has a plan to help us escape and advised us to lay low?"

  "Are you really that naive? Aaron is a pharmacist. Even if he's exposed in the city, the consortium, with its profit-driven mentality, won't kill him. But us? We're nothing but slaves. Do you really think we'll have a good time if we enter the city?"

  The triangular-eyed man glares at the younger one, frustrated by his lack of wisdom.