Arabella took off her jacket and wrapped it around her waist. After all, she couldn't afford to discard her clothes—who knew, it could be sunny now and snowing heavily the next moment.
Since entering the mountains, Norman had disappeared.
Arabella was indifferent, knowing the man would definitely follow behind, doing his own thing.
Raven's cold demeanor and heart were as steady as ever.
He probably had figured out who Norman really was, but the person had been hiding their true identity and name, clearly unwilling to reveal themselves in front of others.
He glanced at Arabella, and every time he thought he understood her, she would once again leave him perplexed.
Clearly, she had planted many pieces on the board back then, making countless moves in secret, and even he was unaware of them.
Is there anyone in this world who truly believes in Arabella?
Obviously not.
Raven concealed the sharpness in his eyes and followed Arabella closely.
The heat was so intense, it felt as though the world was burning from all sides. Most of them were men, many with their shirts off, carrying rifles, yet they still sweated profusely under the relentless heat.
After traveling for most of the day, Arabella ordered a rest.
They had not yet reached the peak, and the valley still had streams flowing.
The mountain's water sources were plentiful, but the higher one climbed, the colder it became. Prolonged exposure to the freezing temperatures meant that water would freeze, and getting a drink required considerable effort.
Everyone stayed where they were, but Arabella single-handedly climbed up a cliff, reaching halfway before stepping onto a jutting rock, then letting out a cry resembling that of a crow.
Soon, a similar cry echoed from the left side of the valley, responding to Arabella.
Arabella climbed higher to get a better view, using binoculars to check several times. Once she was sure of the direction, she pointed and said, "Head that way."
The Mountain range was treacherous, its terrain steep and rugged, and strangely filled with an eerie magnetic field. Relying on ordinary navigation tools would surely result in losing one's way among the mountains.
That's where Norman came into play.
Taras nudged Bramwell and asked in a low voice, "What exactly is Norman's background?"
Bramwell shook his head, glanced at Arabella above, then looked at Julius who had been waiting at the base of the mountain. After a brief flash of insight, he whispered, "Julius must have guessed it. The two of them definitely know each other. But Norman has never shown his true face."
Taras nodded and continued whispering to Bramwell, "Have you noticed how much Norman resembles someone from that Night Owl ranking?"
Bramwell gave him a glance, thought for a moment, then subtly shook his head. "It's hard to say. If Norman is someone Master Unknown has had placed within AE, wouldn't Nicholas, as AE's helper, have told him?"
"Hmph, they might not be on the same side."
Bramwell agreed with that point.
Although Nicholas wasn't aligned with AE, it didn't mean he would help Arabella either. With the lines between friend and foe so blurred, it was impossible to tell who was good and who was bad.
Especially the Night Owl ranking, which was strange in itself, known as the "Ghost Ranking."
As the name suggested, the five people on the list were all dead.
To be precise, they were people who didn't exist in the world—no affiliations to any organization, no loyalty to any nation, and no identity at all.
Since they were dead, there was no real comparison in terms of combat ability. Yet, because of their identities as the deceased, each possessed unique, almost supernatural skills, making it all sound quite fantastical when put together.
This kind of gimmicky ranking would certainly be useless in the face of absolute power.
But to say these five had no skills would not be entirely true. If Norman was truly one of them, it seemed Arabella really knew how to make use of talent.
To make AE oblivious and place trust in someone like that, was akin to dealing with a ghost.
At this thought, Bramwell casually glanced at Raven, recalling the leader's last words.
Was Raven hiding a completely different face beneath his loyal and devoted exterior?
*
With Norman's guidance, they wouldn't easily lose their way in the mountains.
Arabella and Raven had once climbed the Mountain range, so they were very familiar with the terrain. With their top-tier skills, their movements were swift and powerful. As they led the way, they deliberately slowed their pace to wait for the others, yet still managed to pull far ahead.
Bramwell's skills had always been impressive, and his true abilities were hidden, even though he ranked high on the list. Now, facing the challenge of climbing the mountain, he moved with a mixture of deception and precision, ensuring his safety at the very least.
Taras had grown up in society, honing his skills from a young age. Escaping through mountainous wilderness was something he had done countless times, so it was no challenge for him.
The real hardship was fell on the subordinates, burdened with heavy machine guns, rations, and ammunition. The weight was overwhelming, and even though they were all full of brute strength and skill, their limits were still apparent. They were no match for the four ahead of them, who were climbing the cliffs with ease.
But even if they couldn't climb, they had no choice but to keep going. The howling wind around them was sharp and piercing, sending chills down their spines. They were surrounded by towering mountains and steep cliffs, with no path to retreat. Stopping meant certain death.
They kept their heads down in silence, no longer showing the arrogant demeanor they had displayed the day before when they recklessly took lives.
This was the harsh reality: when one recklessly destroys the lives of others, they too will eventually become the prey of a stronger force, their own lives no more valuable than those they took.
When the constant wails filled their ears, no one would look down at the swirling sea of clouds between the cliffs. They only numbly continued to climb, not thinking about when they might make a wrong step and be shattered to pieces.
The day's journey passed quickly, and by the time the moon was high in the sky, they had only climbed two peaks.
They chose a relatively open and flat area, and Arabella began giving orders to set up camp and rest.
The ground had already grown cold with a layer of frost, and the distant mountains and nearby ridges were shrouded in a hazy veil. Only the jagged rocks on the cliffs stood out, their shadows growing darker and more mysterious.
Soon, several tents were set up. Arabella and Raven shared one, Bramwell and Taras another, and the remaining four or five men squeezed into one tent.
They couldn't build a fire, fearing it might attract wild beasts.
The night watch was divided into two shifts. Four people in each group, sitting in a circle, vigilantly watching all four directions.
There were no people here, but the nocturnal beasts were terrifying. If they were to encounter a pack of them, it would be a fight for survival, with little chance of making it out alive.
Arabella quickly rinsed herself off. Bramwell, being meticulous, had filled a bag with stream water at the base of the mountain and carried it with him, weighed down all the way to the summit.
When he handed it to Arabella, she glanced at the water bag and casually complimented him, "Not bad."
Bramwell was startled and immediately chuckled awkwardly. "Master Unknown, don't think I only know how to race cars. I've been climbing mountains since I was little in Rus. They call me 'Little Gecko.'"
Arabella smiled as she took the water bag, rubbed Bramwell's head, and softly whispered into his ear, "Little Gecko, it's going to get harder from here. Protect yourself, that's the most important."
Just that one sentence sent Bramwell's heart racing, and he hurriedly nodded in agreement.
In the freezing cold, Arabella still splashed her face with cold water. Her wet hair, when shaken out, carried a chill with it.
Raven followed her into the tent and immediately stood rigidly in the corner, not moving.
Arabella had already lain down, but seeing Raven still standing like a pine tree, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing standing there instead of sleeping?"
"I'll guard you, Master Unknown"
Arabella chuckled softly, probably finding Raven's attempt to express loyalty a bit naive.
She didn't need Raven to guard her; she just needed him to be useful when the time came.
"Come on. Sleep beside me." Arabella patted the spot next to her, signaling Raven to come over.
Raven hesitated slightly; he thought too much about Arabella, and a moment of carelessness could lead to losing control.
Remembering Arabella's warning, Raven instead took a step back.
"Master Unknown, I'll sleep in the corner instead."
"Come here. We need to conserve energy for the climb tomorrow."
In the end, Raven obediently lay beside Arabella. His long arms and legs left him with no place to put them.
Arabella stretched out her arm and wrapped it around Raven's waist, nestling into his embrace.
"You're warm, leaning against you feel good."
Raven froze, feeling every drop of his blood surge to one particular place.
Arabella is like fuel—just a spark, and he might combust.
He was strong and healthy, and was in his prime, with a very impressive size below. When it arise, he was like a pillar supporting the house, and it was impossible to hide it.
"You're quick on the uptake, and in good shape. Want to let off some lusts?" Arabella's voice was like music to the ears.
Raven's eyes reddened, as though Arabella had opened his veins, channeling all his energy.
