Chapter 362: Third-Level Array

“Master Bawei, Master Buck and his group have been gone all day and haven’t returned. Could it be…”

A young man with glasses spoke worriedly to the middle-aged man beside him.

Bawei pondered, “It’s indeed concerning. They might be in trouble. Buck has a bidirectional teleportation artifact, so he should have returned immediately after exploring the ruins. The fact that they haven’t returned means they’re either trapped or encountered something.”

“But even if they faced danger, shouldn’t Master Buck be able to teleport back using the artifact?” the bespectacled Sean asked.

Bawei shook his head, “Activating the artifact takes time. In a critical situation, there might not be enough time to teleport back.”

“Master Buck is a second-level wizard. What could prevent him from using the artifact?” Sean realized the situation might be more serious than he thought.

They were official members of Eye of the Storm, part of an exploration team.

Bawei was the team leader, with Buck as deputy.

A team with two second-level wizards was strong, unlikely to face insurmountable challenges.

They could handle most situations.

Buck brought students for training.

Bawei had reservations but couldn’t control Buck, a seasoned veteran.

He couldn’t criticize Buck’s actions, letting him be.

If anything happened, it wasn’t Bawei’s responsibility; Buck would handle it.

Buck mentioned exploring a discovered ruin, so Bawei and the others waited.

Bawei knew the ruin; its castle design suggested little value.

Correspondingly, the risk was low.

Bawei’s group set up a protective array, waiting for Buck’s return.

After a day with no news, Bawei felt uneasy.

A second-level wizard missing was no small matter.

Bawei’s group was inside a wasteland hill.

Externally, it looked like any other hill in the polluted zone.

Their presence was undetectable, with no sound or scent escaping.

This was a common protective array for explorers, a temporary safe haven.

Despite its ordinary appearance, it was a third-level array.

With it, nights in the polluted zone were safer.

The array adapted to surroundings, concealing those inside.

It also had strong defenses, resistant even to third-level wizard attacks.

Bawei didn’t expect Buck to be gone so long.

He wondered how long to wait.

Buck’s artifact was set to return here; leaving would prevent a safe return point.

But staying too long, even with a third-level array, was dangerous.

Bawei had to consider the safety of the five team members.

“One more day… If they don’t return by the day after tomorrow, we’ll leave.”

After much thought, Bawei decided to wait another day.

If Buck didn’t return, it meant trouble.

If Buck was in trouble, it might be beyond Bawei’s ability to resolve.

Bawei wouldn’t risk searching for Buck; he’d report back, leaving decisions to higher-ups.

His dislike for Buck meant he wouldn’t risk himself for him.

Waiting another day was already generous.

“Master Bawei, did you hear something?” Sean suddenly asked, interrupting Bawei’s thoughts.

“Sound?” Bawei was puzzled, then listened carefully.

Hearing a distant commotion approaching, Bawei’s expression changed.

He gathered magic, forming a blue mirror.

The mirror showed a vast horde of Crawlers approaching.

Adjusting the view, Bawei saw who they were chasing.

A young man in dark golden armor flew above, seemingly alone.

Bawei was puzzled by a lone traveler in the polluted zone.

In the Land of Dawn, explorers moved in groups; solo travel was taboo.

The zone’s dangers and uncertainties were too great.

Even entire teams risked annihilation, let alone a lone individual.

Bawei didn’t recognize the young man or see any faction insignia.

He guessed the man was separated and somehow attracted the Crawlers.

“Crawlers! Why are there so many?” Sean exclaimed, shocked by the sight.

He’d seen Crawlers before, but never so many.

“Master, the Crawlers are heading this way. Should we…” Sean looked at Bawei, concerned.

Bawei understood.

The third-level array could withstand Crawlers, no matter the number.

The issue wasn’t the Crawlers, but the noise they made.

In the polluted zone, discretion was key.

Fires at night made one a target.

Similarly, loud noises attracted attention.

The Crawlers’ vast numbers created a commotion like a locust swarm.

Such noise would draw attention from many entities in the zone.

Bawei’s group was safe inside the array, but not indefinitely.

A legendary creature could detect them, even in the array.

Even a strong array couldn’t withstand a legendary creature’s assault.

Staying inside would make them sitting ducks, ensuring their demise.