"What? There’s a native force heading towards our castle?"

Inside the castle,

Waldo was surprised to hear this news.

Having arrived in this world for just two or three days, was he about to encounter the natives so soon?

Then, Waldo immediately sensed that this might be an opportunity!

An opportunity for him to truly step onto the center stage of this world!

To win and gain maximum attention from the rulers, he needed to stand out among the trial participants as soon as possible.

And to expand his influence in this world!

But being unfamiliar with the land, he knew nothing.

He must make use of the natives of this world! "You mean, this group of people is being pursued?"

"Yes, master!"

...

Waldo’s eyes flickered.

He was clearly pondering the situation.

First, he needed to decide whom to cooperate with.

The first choice!

He could directly send people to capture Xiao Chen and his group.

This group only had about thirty people, so the difficulty was relatively small.

By handing over the leader of the Xiao family to the Ye family, could he then gain favor with the Ye family?

And then, with the help of the Ye family, step onto the real stage of this world?

The second choice!

He could help the leader of the Xiao family and confront the pursuers from the Ye family, saving this group.

However, this would mean facing an attack from three thousand pursuers from the Ye family!

Three thousand people...

That’s quite challenging.

And, there might be significant casualties on his side.

But, with such a great favor, the Xiao family would surely offer him greater benefits in return.

...

This was a dilemma.

The easy choice yielded less reward.

The more challenging choice promised greater rewards in the end.

"If we’re going to do it, let’s make it big!"

Waldo gritted his teeth.

He had made his decision.

Save Xiao Chen!

A life-saving favor!

That’s not something easily repaid.

If Xiao Chen has a conscience, he would definitely provide significant help in the process of Waldo’s rise in the future.

"Darell! Immediately lead a team to meet Xiao Chen and explain our intentions! Tell him directly to seek refuge in our Dawn Castle, and I will treat him with great hospitality!"

Waldo issued the order immediately.

Dawn Castle was the name he had given to his own castle.

Darell was one of the few soldiers with natural leadership talents that Waldo had selected from all his strong warriors to lead the troops.

Besides Darell,

There were also Colea, Rowla, and Austina.

"At your command!"

Darell quickly left to carry out his orders.

Moving swiftly, he led a contingent of men away from Dawn Castle.

In the forest, Darell and Xiao Chen’s group encountered each other.

"Halt!"

Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows.

"Who are you? From the Ye family? If not, step aside quickly, or face our blades without mercy!"

A burly man among Xiao Chen’s group spoke in a deep voice.

His eyes, like those of a bull, were fixed on the group of more than fifty men in front of them, filled with wariness.

This suddenly appeared mysterious group, each member full of energy and fierce strength!

Especially among them, there were more than ten exceptionally large barbarian warriors, like human mountains.

From a distance, they imposed an extremely powerful sense of oppression.

This was no ordinary army!

Including Xiao Chen’s group, the mood was heavy.

Under normal circumstances, this troop would not be a big deal for them.

Considering the Xiao family was one of the five great families in Tianzhou, controlling tens of millions of people within their territories and nurturing hundreds of thousands of troops, among them many elite soldiers and even more formidable armies.

But at this moment...

Such a formidable troop was definitely not something they could easily contend with!

...

"By the command of my lord! We invite the lord of the Xiao family for a meeting. My lord assures you that the pursuers from the Ye family need not be feared!"

Darell spoke without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen was visibly taken aback.

His gaze flickered for a moment.

Darell did not rush him, allowing Xiao Chen to think.

"Who is your lord, and why has he appeared in this place?"

"That need not be disclosed!"

"You!"

Xiao Chen reluctantly nodded.

"Fine, then I shall go and see for myself who this person of mystery is!"

Xiao Chen’s curiosity was piqued by this mysterious power.

...

Before long, they finally reached Dawn Castle.

"This..."

Xiao Chen’s pupils narrowed!

Looking up, he saw a castle standing in the forest of the valley basin. Although not massive, it was well-equipped and extremely sturdy.

It might not compare to the size of a city, but without a doubt, it was an impregnable fortress of war.

Once inside, even facing an army ten times their size, as long as they held their ground and had enough food, they could resist and hold out!

What surprised Xiao Chen even more was that

Inside and outside the castle, many soldiers were laboring hard, continuously fortifying the castle and setting traps around the perimeter.

Clearly, they intended to turn this place into an unassailable fortress!

And most strikingly...

Inside the castle, there were exclusively elite soldiers and strong warriors!

Either strong warriors with fierce faces and sharp eyes, wielding large swords,

Or barbarian fighters like small mountains, terrifyingly formidable!

These soldiers, placed among the hundreds of thousands of the Xiao family’s army, would be top-tier elite troops!

Yet, in this obscure forest castle, they were found everywhere?

Although the scale seemed small, it was definitely not to be underestimated.

"This master, it seems, is not a simple character! Wishing to meet me? He must have his designs.

However, as long as the request is not too excessive, it is not unacceptable!"

With these thoughts flickering through his mind, Xiao Chen, led by Darell, entered Waldo’s reception hall.

"Please, this way!"

Darell ushered Xiao Chen in.

Then he withdrew.

...

"I am Xiao Chen, honored to meet the lord of the castle!"

Xiao Chen, seeing the young man in the main seat, couldn’t help but be surprised.

He had imagined that this mysterious lord he was about to meet would either be a general-like figure with high martial prowess, strong and battle-hardened,

Or a strategist-like, refined middle-aged man, adept at planning and decisive from a distance.

But he hadn’t expected.

This mysterious lord, the master of the mysterious castle, to be a young man even younger than himself, with a handsome face, wearing exotic and unusual attire.