Chapter 668 - There’s Been a Change in Plans (1/2) (2/2)

“What now?” Eliard shot a questioning look at his companions.

Dyleson frowned. He too did not seem sure what they should do next. Link raised a brow. “Just do as he says for now.”

Their plan had gone off course. Still, this was normal. The information they were able to gather was incomplete after all, so how should one expect any plan to go smoothly on the basis of incomplete information?

The three of them got off the wagon. One of the thieves then pointed a dagger at their backs. “Walk, now.”

The three of them were then forced to walk up to the bandit leader, who looked at them with a cold smirk. He then threw a bundle at Link. “Take the statue with you and go straight down into the valley. Don’t even think about running; our lord is waiting for you in the valley!”

Link and the others looked at each other in confusion. Their bodies began to tremble. None of them seemed willing to take another step forward.

“Hurry along now, will you!” The bandit leader took out his crossbow and pulled back its bowstring with a click. So did the other bandits. At that moment, the tips of ten or so arrows which glinted with a cold metallic light were pointing menacingly at the three of them.

If they remained cowering there, they would surely be killed. At least they could live a bit longer if they followed the path before them into the valley. The three of them began walking forward tremblingly, especially Link, who was shaking so furiously he nearly dropped the statue from his hands. Evidently, he was more shaken up than the other two.

The thieves behind them howled with laughter as they watched Link and the other two enter the valley.

The three walked on and on until they finally entered the valley. The bandits were now completely obscured by the white mist behind them.

Morpheus was still nowhere to be seen. This was not part of their plan. However, the three of them had no choice but to walk on.

After walking for at least ten minutes, a voice suddenly rang out in the white mist. “Mortal, you seem familiar.”

There was a stir in the white mist before them. The mist then coalesced into a humanoid form, which floated straight towards them. Link could feel its gaze on him.

This must be one of Morpheus’ clones. Where was his real body? Without knowing where it was, Dylosen could not use the sacred gear on the demi-god even if he wanted to. He began to panic.

Link had once dueled with Morpheus in the past. In order to avoid being recognized by him immediately, Link had altered his own features, his own magical aura and even assumed a jittery disposition in order to transform into a completely different person. Still, even after taking these precautions, he was unable to completely fool the demi-god’s unusually acute senses.

Link fell to the ground. Sweat was now streaming down from his forehead. He raised the bundle that was hiding the statue above his head in trembling hands. He then pleaded, “Almighty one, I’m just a simple merchant trying to make an honest living. Please spare me.”

No one would have guessed that this trembling merchant was the peerless lord of Ferde. Though Eliard and Dylosen looked petrified on the outside, deep down, they now had nothing but admiration for Link’s performance.

The human figure in the mist seemed to have dispelled his suspicions concerning Link’s identity. Its attention was now drawn to the bundle in Link’s hands. The bundle unraveled by itself all of a sudden, revealing the dazzling Celestial Stone statue inside it.

“Incredible, just incredible. Such a shame that you’ve brought me only half of the real thing.” The figure in the white mist extended a hand to touch the statue’s broken surface. “Where did you get this from?”

At that moment, Link’s back was now wet with sweat. He was now sweating nervously for real. He had a feeling that if he gave Morpheus the answer that he had prepared before entering the valley, the demi-god would immediately make his move against them.

And once Morpheus made his move, the three of them would be forced to give themselves away. Morpheus’ lair was nearby. As soon as he knew who they were, he would soon come out to greet them personally.

They had initially planned to catch Morpheus by surprise. Only through ambush would they have any chance at all of defeating him. All three of them would simply be stomped to death like mice by the demi-god in direct confrontation.

They were now standing on the crossroads of life and death!

The problem was, what should they do now?

Eliard and Dylosen were smart enough to know that things had taken a dangerous turn. However, the two of them were unable to do anything at this point. Their hearts pounded furiously against their chests as cold sweat oozed out from their pores.