It was only two days later at night that Jin found a nice group to infiltrate. He had killed a few more until now and gotten a few more wounds but it was ok for he had finally found a way in.

This group was composed of four men in their twenties. They were mercenaries with cultivation in the body refinement third stage. Weaklings in fact. And once they saw a lone wandering cultivator from their side with a cultivation of the fifth stage, they were more than happy to welcome him.

Right now they were chatting around a camp fire while grilling some meat. Jin had moved his owl mask on the side of his head while he discussed with fake enthusiasm with the group. The team leader was called Tae-Young and easy to talk to. Probably because they were weak mercs and this was their first mission, they were hardly suspicious of Jin which was very good and in line with his goal.

"So, brother Owl, how come you are alone in these woods?"

Brother Owl referred to Jin. Using his own name, Jin, might prove to be dangerous. Who knew if he would meet a fellow from the Twenty-Two Suns Sect that had been made prisoner and would recognize him? He didn't want to take chances. So he gave a fake name. Owl.

"I was on my way back from the other side. I have accumulated quite a few wounds and there were less and less prey to be found so I believed it was time to go back" to which the other guys said things like 'so true' or 'as expected' and so on. They were being very friendly. Jin remained on guard though. He had been ambushed a few times already...

As for the quartet, they really welcomed him. In fact, they were glad that he found them and were more than happy to have a strong cultivator travel with their team. Recruiting him might be impossible but maybe he would recruit them? Wasn't that their opportunity to switch jobs from mercs to wandering cultivators?! The prospect was exciting indeed. And so they whole-heartedly welcomed Jin's appearance.

Jin remained on his toes though, even to the point where he decided to sleep alone in a tree somewhere not far, telling them he would join them back in the morning. The mercs weren't offended. They understood that they had yet to earn the trust of their new friend and were even more determined to earn it from the next day on...

It was that same day, around noon, that the Sarhjin's main army reached the Empire's castle city and slaughtered all those left there before occupying it. Now at the top of the castle itself and overlooking the city, the Prince and leader, Min Seon, was thinking.

He received a startling report a few minutes ago. The Empire's crystal ended up in the Eastern nest. It wasn't bad news per se as he had planned to go loot both nests before fusing the crystals. It was unexpected. That's what was bugging him. It was unlikely that the foolish Prince threw out the crystal over there. He wasn't that smart and too arrogant to give it up.

Which meant that there was likely a third party involved. Maybe someone found the Prince and killed him only to find himself with the crystal... That crystal was not something just anyone could hold onto after all. It did make sense that whoever might have killed the Prince wouldn't have wanted to hold onto it.

However it didn't make sense that such an individual would throw the crystal into the nest. What was the motive behind it? What did he gain from doing this? After all, it was a real risk to move with the crystal on oneself... So why? He kept thinking yet it did not make sense.

That's when his brother entered and asked him: "What's wrong? Didn't we plan to raid the nests anyways?" Min-Seon nodded at his brother, indicating that it was right. But then he asked his brother: "What bugs me is why it ended up there"

At those words, his brother shrugged "Does it even matter?"

True. It didn't matter that much. But he didn't like not being aware of the reasons. He hated variables and a third party was exactly that. Even if there were no risks, he wanted to know. His brother saw him in this state and couldn't help but add, trying to help: "At least, it's not one of ours, they would have brought it back to claim rewards and fame"

Eureka! Min-Seon found the reasons. He finally managed to. It wasn't one of his subjects who did this. Whoever killed the Prince belonged to the Empire! And probably sent the crystal over there to buy time! Still, how would a few weeks help? The issue of this war was set...

No! It wasn't for the war! Both sides were aware that the war was finished. It couldn't be in hope to break through either. Which meant that whoever did this was hoping to switch sides. Min-Seon looked at his little brother with appreciation. He knew what happened now. And it was true that it didn't matter. What would a rat change? There were probably dozens or hundreds who switched sides. It didn't matter.

Quickly leaving that unimportant but now resolved issue aside, he told his brother: "Go set a few killing arrays at their entrance and select a thousand guys to camp here. The rest of us will depart for the eastern nest tomorrow"

It forced him to alter his plans slightly and proceed with the nest raid earlier than he would have wished to but that was fine. Everything was already within his grasp. This area will belong to Sarhjin for a hundred more years and he will be recognized as the one responsible for it.

He would be highly rewarded by the country even after he finished plundering the entire Area. Everything was going according to plan and it felt excellent.