"Yeah... I guess you're right. So, what do we do next, brother?" the young man asks.

  "At midnight, I'll grab some blazing stones, and you get the jerky. Don't worry about water; there's enough snow to keep us hydrated. We'll sneak away and head for the woods not far from here to make our escape," the man with triangular eyes instructs.

  "Got it."

  The moonlight is hazy, casting a casual glow over the snow-covered wilderness. The pristine snow reflects a cold, clear light, and the land lies silent.

  The campfire, surrounded by stones, has burned out, leaving glowing embers that cast a faint red hue in the dimness. A soft crackling sound comes from the unburned charcoal, sending sparks onto the snow and leaving a shallow mark.

  At this moment, two figures with guns slung over their shoulders emerge from a tent. The snow crunches under the young man's feet with a squeaky sound. The man with triangular eyes glances at him, expressionless, then points to the untouched snow, signaling the young man to walk with sliding to avoid leaving obvious tracks. The young man nods quickly.

  Quietly, the two make their way to the vehicles, gathering their belongings.

  Just as they are about to leave, a voice rings out behind them. "Where do you two think you're going?"

  The man with triangular eyes turns to see a burly, bearded man standing in the snow like a black bear, the dark barrel of his gun aimed at them.

  "Cap... Captain Sam, we were just... taking a walk," he stammers.

  "Taking a walk with all those supplies?" Sam gestures toward the heavy backpack slung over his shoulder.

  The man with triangular eyes forces an awkward smile, unable to find the words.

  "If you can't give me a good reason, I can't just let you go," Sam says with a cold smile.

  Hearing this, the man with triangular eyes hesitates, his expression shifting. He lacks the courage to raise his gun. Firing would undoubtedly wake the others, making escape impossible.

  Besides, neither of them has much experience with firearms, and their aim is poor.

  Sam, being a force adept, might not be completely bulletproof, but his enhanced physical and reflexive abilities make him a formidable opponent against their amateur skills. Angering Sam would be a costly mistake.

  "Captain Sam, I can tell you a secret, but you have to promise to let us go," the man says through gritted teeth. Sam, being part of the consortium, would gain some credit for capturing Aaron and the other fugitive slaves.

  "Let's hear it. If it's valuable, I might just let you go," Sam replies, raising an eyebrow.

  "Actually, we're from the mine..." the man with triangular eyes begins to say.

  But before he can finish, two figures burst out from a nearby tent. Their submachine guns unleash a barrage of bullets, targeting the man with triangular eyes.

  The moment the gunfire erupts, Sam reacts swiftly, dropping to the snow and rolling into a low-lying area for cover.

  In front of Sam, the man with triangular eyes and the young man beside him are instantly riddled with bullets. The gunfire ignites the blazing stone in the backpack, turning the fallen duo into fiery figures in the snow.

  The assailants are none other than Aaron and Twist.

  Sam's face darkens with anger as he sees the two dead bodies. The sudden gunfire had startled him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that some bullets might have been aimed at him.

  Were these two trying to kill the escapees, or did they intend to take him out as well?

  The gunshots wake the rest of the camp, who quickly grab their weapons and emerge from their tents to assess the situation.

  Lazio and the others instinctively gather around Aaron, holding the guns they had taken from the mine. However, their posture and demeanor betray their nervousness to any observer.

  In contrast, Sam's group moves with professional precision. They quickly assess the scene, and according to their squad roles, they take up positions behind cover, heavy weapons at the ready, all aimed at Aaron and his companions.

  Sam rises from the snow, seeing his men already in position with their weapons. He storms over to Aaron, delivering a sharp slap across his face.

  "What do you think you're doing, you little brat?"

  "We're dealing with deserters. What's it to you?" Aaron retorts, his face flushed with anger.

  "The guy was about to tell me a secret before you shot him. What kind of secret dealings are you two up to?" Sam demands.

  "Ask our captain when he gets here," Aaron replies defiantly.

  Sam grabs Aaron by the collar, his eyes cold. "Don't try to scare me with your captain. If you keep testing my patience, I might just kill you myself. Your captain finding me is another matter."

  Aaron hesitates, a flicker of fear in his eyes, then speaks with a hint of humiliation, "We're actually from the mine... part of the transport team."

  "Transport team? Why all the secrecy for a transport team?" Sam questions.

  "We're transporting militarily controlled minerals," Aaron admits, the words catching Sam off guard and sending a chill down his spine.

  Involving militarily controlled items means a heap of trouble.

  Consortium might have significant influence locally, but that doesn't mean they can freely traffic such items. In these times of war, everything aligns with the war effort. Being connected to militarily controlled materials is a core secret of the Empire and the consortium, and getting involved spells trouble.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Aaron turns to Twist, "Go to the vehicle and bring out the minerals for Captain Sam to inspect."

  Twist immediately turns around and leaves.

  "Forget it, forget it. I didn't hear any of this!" Sam exclaims, waving his hands dismissively.

  Dealing with militarily controlled items is like handling a hot potato—nothing good can come from it. No wonder this group, despite their skills is in low level, is led by someone in the Awakening State; they're escorting militarily controlled minerals.

  Moreover, these people are likely expendable assets of the consortium, meant to be disposed of after the transport.

  As the two remain silent, a sudden "thud, thud, thud" echoes through the air. The sound comes from one of the vehicles in Sam's convoy. Unlike the other off-road vehicles, this one has a closed compartment at the back. There's someone inside.

  The unexpected noise during the standoff draws everyone's attention to the vehicle, and the atmosphere becomes tense once again.

  "Now that we've cleared things up, Captain Sam, can you let go?" Aaron asks with a cold snort, shifting his gaze from the vehicle.

  "Heh, my young friend, it was all a misunderstanding. Also, I realized tonight that we've strayed off course. This isn't the road to Bert City, but it's too late to turn back now. We're low on supplies and fuel. There's a hunter's town up ahead; we should reach it by tomorrow afternoon. We can rest there and then go our separate ways. What do you say?" Sam releases his grip, offering a forced smile.

  "Fine," Aaron replies with a single word.

  Sam signals his men to lower their weapons, and as he turns to leave, the tension in the camp eases.

  Back in the tent, Aaron's anger dissipates into a calm demeanor, as if the young man who had been humiliated outside wasn't him at all.

  Twist glances at Aaron and sighs inwardly. It's as if Aaron always wears a mask, one that adapts to different situations with varying emotions—gentle, passionate, defiant, angry, indifferent. He can switch between them as needed, effortlessly.

  "You're quite bold, not afraid of being exposed," Twist comments, lighting two cigarettes and handing one to Aaron. Aaron rubs his face before taking the cigarette.

  The Mystery Tungsten Ore is only a quasi-military controlled mineral. Though it's just a "quasi," the level of control is significantly lower. You can tell from the guards at the Mystery Tungsten Mine—Archie is just an ordinary person.

  "It was a sudden situation, and I had no choice," Aaron says, flicking ash outside the tent.

  Suddenly, something crosses his mind, and he pauses.

  "In two hours, when they're all fast asleep, we'll sneak out of here."

  "Hmm? Why the sudden departure?" Twist asks.

  "The importance of military-controlled items is undeniable. It's precisely because they're so important that our 'captain' always not showing up is a problem," Aaron explains quickly.

  A Level 2 beast is indeed valuable, but not as valuable as military-controlled items.

  It's understandable to hunt beasts for extra income, but to disappear for two days and leave such important cargo with a group of ordinary people without heavy weaponry is just too bizarre.

  The other side might be temporarily deterred by the mention of military-controlled items, but come daylight, they'll surely cause trouble again. Aaron isn't the type to wait passively for trouble.

  Given the situation, they have two options: launch a surprise attack on Sam's team to eliminate the threat or slip away under the cover of night. The former is out of the question, as these teams, who roam the wilderness, surely have night guards. For their inexperienced group to attack would be like throwing eggs at a rock.

  So, they have to make a run for it while they can.

  "Alright, but what about Lazio and the others?" Twist inquires.

  "We won't inform them. Too many people make too much noise, which could lead to problems. It'll just be the two of us," Aaron replies calmly.

  Although Lazio listens to him, Aaron doesn't owe him anything. He's willing to help when he can, but when his own safety is at risk, he won't let sympathy get in the way.

  "Okay," Twist nods.

  The two of them have been ready to leave at a moment's notice, always carrying backpacks filled with supplies, unlike those two miners who had to search for resources in the vehicles.

  After arranging the night watch, Sam doesn't head back to his tent immediately. Instead, he returns to his vehicle. Before long, another middle-aged man approaches, glancing at his watch.

  "Sam, what are you pondering at one in the morning instead of sleeping?" he asks.

  "Damn, I'm a bit troubled! Did you hear what that kid said earlier?"

  "I did, and it was quite surprising. Military-controlled items handed over to some young kids with little experience for transport—his captain sure is reckless."

  "Besides that, the person in the compartment woke up and was making noise, which those guys heard."

  "Are you worried they might leak information?" the man inquires.

  "Yes, there's always a chance they might mention it to someone. This is a risky business; we can't afford to leave any trace," Sam responds with concern.

  “It shouldn’t be, right! After these people transport the military control items, they will probably be dealt with internally.”

  “What if something goes wrong?”, Sam says with some concern.

  Ethan, the middle-aged man, takes out a cigarette, holding it with the right hand, and taps it against his left palm to pack the tobacco tightly, making it stronger when smoked.

  "It is a problem, but killing this group isn't ideal either. If something goes wrong with the military-controlled items, it'll be trouble."

  From what he knows, high-level force adepts have bizarre tracking abilities, far beyond what he can handle.

  "Let's deal with it tomorrow. Once we reach the hunter's town, we'll meet with the traders and see if they have any solutions. Those folks aren't ordinary," Sam suggests.

  "That's all we can do."

  "Get some sleep, and rest up. We need to be ready to meet them early tomorrow," Ethan advises.

  ……

  Over an hour later, Aaron and Twist quietly unzip their tent, backpacks slung over their shoulders, and leave the camp without a sound.

  Before departing, Aaron pinches his nose and, wearing gloves, sprinkles some powder inside the tent and on the zipper at the entrance.

  The moonlight grows colder, casting a stark glow over the snow, which is piled four to five feet deep, engulfing their lower legs entirely.

  Each step is a struggle as they trudge through the snow, aiming for the nearby snow-covered forest.

  To avoid alerting anyone, they forego using a vehicle, opting to trek on foot. The blizzard has ceased, and their footprints are glaringly obvious against the undulating, smooth snow.

  If Sam decides to pursue them by car, they'd eventually be caught in the open snowfield, so their only hope is to escape into the forest where vehicles can't follow.

  After another hour, they reach the edge of the forest.

  In winter, the trees are bare, their branches stripped of leaves and draped in snow and icicles.

  "We should split up," Aaron suggests calmly, glancing back at their tracks. The likelihood of pursuit is high, and separating increases their chances of survival.

  "Split up... alright," Twist agrees, momentarily lost in thought as he gazes at the bright moon.

  Tonight's moon is even more radiant than the one on the night they were beaten by vagrants and left in the swamp years ago.

  "Enough with the sentimental atmosphere, let's fucking get moving!" Aaron, his face red from the cold, gives Twist a light punch.

  The two have known each other since their days in the orphanage, surviving on the streets together, being trafficked, and finally ending up as mining slaves. They've shared countless hardships over the past decade. In a world where they have no blood relatives, they are each other's only family.

  "Aaron, no matter which one of us makes it, we must see the world for each other," Twist says, his voice trembling as if giving a final farewell.

  "Master Rhine said that when the cherry blossoms bloom on the Third Island Chain, they fill the sky with petals carried by the wind. If I don't make it, go see it for me."

  "See if the Zerg hives are as big as cities! Check if the Holy Mountain in the Wolf Tribe is as tall as the sky! And see what the gods look like for me!"

  Aaron nods, "I know. Let's go! I believe we both can survive!"

  "By the way, do you remember the little girl in the red dress at the orphanage?" Twist asks suddenly.

  "I don't remember," Aaron replies.

  "Not even a bit? The pretty girl in the red dress?"

  "You really need to stop getting sentimental at critical moments!" Aaron tilts his head, looking at Twist. "I honestly don't remember the girl you're talking about."

  "Alright, never mind then."

  "Okay, get moving!" Aaron says, turning decisively towards one side of the dense forest.

  As he watches Aaron's figure disappear, Twist uses his gun barrel to scrawl a few crooked words in the snow in the direction Aaron is escaping: "Come after me, idiot."

  He knows the enemy likely won't fall for such a childish taunt and will probably head in another direction. With that thought, Twist heads off in the opposite direction, hoping to draw pursuit away from Aaron.