BXBX NOVEL Chapter 94: The Explorer's Association
"Hello, my name is Richard. I am an explorer. I came to the Desert of Sands to explore and to find the treasures that might be hidden within." he introduced himself.
Charles had deliberately given himself a fake name.
After all, his real name had already been discovered by his enemies. If he didn\'t give himself a pseudonym, he could very likely become a target for those lurking in the shadows.
Eck, along with Johann, hurriedly extended their greetings to Charles.
"We are also explorers, but we are members of The Explorer\'s Association. Why don\'t you consider joining the association? The benefits of The Explorer\'s Association are actually quite substantial." Eck said.
Eck was the less injured of the two, so naturally, he was the one to speak with Charles and the others.
Johann stood quietly to the side, listening intently while tending to his injuries.
After roughly understanding each other\'s identities, they could finally discuss some important matters.
Charles directly asked Eck and Johann, "Since you are members of The Explorer\'s Association, why don\'t you have a guide? Did you lose contact with your guide during the sandstorm?"
Eck had mentioned that The Explorer\'s Association provides many benefits.
This certainly implied that The Explorer\'s Association would provide guides during member explorations. Otherwise, how could Eck and Johann dare to wander around the Desert of Sands with their level of skill?
Eck\'s expression showed a hint of frustration.
"The association did provide us with a guide, but that guide disappeared shortly after we entered the Desert of Sands. The map he gave us was actually a fake map.
We had no choice but to try trading with the local Serpent people to have them guide us out of the Desert of Sands. But we were deceived by those Serpent people.
They didn\'t lead us out of the Desert of Sands. Instead, they tricked us into entering a very dangerous area of the desert. There, we encountered a sandstorm.
After that, I and a few other companions wandered aimlessly through the sands, and in the end, only Johann and I were left. The next part of the story is how we met you."
Eck quickly recounted their previous ordeal.
Charles believed that the other party was telling the truth, as Eck\'s tone was very sincere when he spoke. Moreover, Eck\'s abilities were not sufficient to deceive Charles with lies.
Charles had previously seen information about The Explorer\'s Association on forums.
However, at that time, he had been preoccupied with improving his territory and strength, and didn\'t pay much attention to an organization that seemed to have no practical use like The Explorer\'s Association.
But since he had entered the Desert of Sands and the first people he encountered were members of The Explorer\'s Association, Charles naturally wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about the organization.
"Could you tell us more about The Explorer\'s Association? Maybe I will consider joining in the future.
After all, as you mentioned earlier, exploring alone can be quite risky. Although I have two companions, they can\'t always guarantee my safety." Charles said.
As he spoke, Charles glanced at Medusa and Little Green.
Little Green just nodded, agreeing with Charles. Medusa, on the other hand, threw a flirtatious wink at Charles.
Charles, feeling a bit embarrassed, quickly averted his gaze.
Fortunately, Eck and Johann didn\'t notice this exchange. After all, Medusa\'s abilities far surpassed those of Eck and Johann, allowing her to easily hide her actions from them.
"Since you want to know about The Explorer\'s Association, I\'ll give you a proper introduction. But before I start, I must warn you that joining The Explorer\'s Association is not that easy." Eck began.
Charles felt a bit puzzled.
To Charles, The Explorer\'s Association seemed like an organization designed to scam weaker Overlords. He assumed the founders of The Explorer\'s Association were just in it for the membership fees.
"To join The Explorer\'s Association, you need recommendations from two current members. Plus, there\'s a one-month observation period.
The Explorer\'s Association doesn\'t charge any membership fees. The only rule is that if two members of The Explorer\'s Association are working together, the association must provide a guide." Eck explained.
Upon hearing this, Charles thought The Explorer\'s Association sounded like a charity organization.
Not only did The Explorer\'s Association not charge its members any fees, but it also provided guides to assist them during their expeditions.
Charles couldn\'t believe that such an organization existed on this otherworldly continent.
Eck glanced at Charles\'s expression and seemed to notice that Charles didn\'t believe him. So Eck, slightly anxious, continued speaking.
"I\'m not lying to you! Everything I said is true!"
Eck didn\'t want Charles to think he was dishonest.
If Charles lost all trust in Eck, it was highly likely that Charles would abandon both Eck and Johann in the Desert of Sands.
"I didn\'t say you were lying, but it seems to me that from your description, The Explorer\'s Association sounds like a perfect organization. If that\'s the case, why did you get lost in the Desert of Sands? And why did your guide suddenly disappear without a trace?"
Charles voiced his doubts directly.
"I just mentioned the good side of The Explorer\'s Association. In reality, there are many negative aspects as well."
"The Explorer\'s Association does provide guides, but during our expeditions, these guides constantly demand various supplies from us members."
"Some guides ask for precious minerals, some for weapons, and there are even those who demand our blood."
"What\'s even more unbearable is that whenever we find ourselves in a tough spot, the guides take the opportunity to raise their prices. If we don\'t give them the supplies they want, they simply abandon us."
As Eck spoke, his face suddenly turned pale, as if recalling some very unpleasant memories.
"Are you saying that the guides from The Explorer\'s Association intentionally put you in dangerous situations?" Charles felt like he had encountered something similar in the real world.
Eck gave a slight nod of his head.
"I think the reason he disappeared this time is because we didn\'t provide him with the information he wanted."
Eck\'s words made Charles\'s eyelid twitch.
"You told me before that the guides only ask for supplies. Why did your guide ask for information this time? And what kind of information did he want from you?"
Charles had a feeling that the sudden disappearance of the guide might be related to him.
Eck, with a furrowed brow, began to explain.
"Previously, guides only demanded supplies. But this time, the guide specifically asked for information. He wanted to know about the situation in Serene Forest."
The moment Eck mentioned Serene Forest, Charles realized that the missing guide must be after him.
Although Charles felt a surge of emotions inside, he maintained a very calm exterior.
"What are you planning to do next? I\'m heading into the Desert of Sands with my companions." Charles asked calmly, almost as if he were asking Eck about the weather.
Eck looked slightly troubled and glanced at Johann, who was lying nearby.
"Both of us want to get back to safety as soon as possible. We\'ve entrusted our respective territories to a very powerful Overlord. Our lands are north of the Serpent Empire.
If we can find a place to teleport from, we can quickly return to our territories. But we don\'t know where the nearest teleportation point is."
Eck said candidly, revealing their predicament and thoughts.
Charles nodded, "In that case, it looks like you two will have to join us for now. You must have come from deep within the Desert of Sands."
"Could you tell me where the nearest town is located in this area? And what\'s the name of that town?"
Charles finally asked one of his most pressing questions.
Eck nodded thoughtfully, "If you head directly north for approximately half a day, you\'ll reach the nearest town. The name of that town is Rock Fortress.
It\'s more of a fortress belonging to the Serpent Empire than a typical town. The place is heavily guarded by Serpent Empire soldiers. However, we can procure some supplies there and gather valuable information."
Eck shared every piece of information he knew about Rock Fortress. Charles nodded, making a mental note of all the details.
"In that case, you two should get some rest for now. At dawn, we will set out for Rock Fortress. Perhaps the Serpent Empire guards there can assist in teleporting you back to your territories." Charles suggested.