When Angel and Mia passed through the narrow passage and arrived at the cellar door, they immediately saw the woman and the little boy they had previously spotted using the Eye of Investigation.
Now, that woman still appeared as a "young boy," shielding the child behind her in a corner of the wall.
"Who are you, and what do you want to do?" The "young boy" spoke with a remarkably clear voice.
It seems that this woman is not only skilled at disguises, but she can also change her voice, perfecting her facade even further.
"Brother, I’m scared." The little boy dressed as a hero trembled behind the young boy until he leaned against the wall to find some support but continued to shake, especially the hand holding the small wooden sword.
"Don’t be afraid, I’m here, I won’t let them bully you." The young boy was fully into his role, his eyes showing both stubbornness and youthful vigor, mixed with some withdrawal after putting up a brave front.
As the "brothers" spoke back and forth, a lazy voice emerged.
"Young one, stop sliding down the wall, and don’t purposely tremble wanting to touch the mechanism behind the cupboard with your sword. If you’re naughty, you’ll get whipped, you know."
Without a doubt, this frivolous way of speaking must be Dox.
As Dox finished speaking, the young boy and child both changed their expressions quickly. The young boy unhesitatingly said, "Speed up, I will hold them off."
The little boy stopped pretending, squatting down directly, trying to stick the wooden sword into the gap behind the cupboard.
If the cupboard were moved at this moment, the tight line on the wall behind it would be revealed; once the wooden sword cuts it, the line would break. The other end of the connection is an intricate crossbow mechanism.
The line also connects to the gap in the wall, insinuating some secret behind it.
However, just as the little boy tried to insert the wooden sword into the gap to cut the line, he suddenly screamed in terror, sitting down fiercely, wanting to retreat, but being in a corner, he could only hit the wall.
Not quite over his fright, the little boy scrambled up, wanting to escape from there.
The young boy initially posed as if he was ready to sacrifice himself, but upon hearing the little boy’s shriek, immediately turned his head, "Kelo, what’s wrong?"
"There’s, there’s a... ghost, a ghost! Mom, there’s a ghost behind the cupboard. I saw it, hidden eyes in the dark crack, staring at me!"
The little boy Kelo, now unable to mind titles, screamed "Mom," revealing their relationship.
"Ghost?" The young boy had not grasped it at first, but his face changed suddenly, turning to the few relaxed men opposite him, "Was it you? Are you Wizards?"
No one answered her because, at that moment, Angel and Mia had already entered the cellar.
Angel didn’t immediately look at the mother and child opposite but turned to Dox: "Are you influenced by Modia? Always wanting to use a whip."
Dox replied with an unserious face, "It’s normal to whip naughty kids, isn’t it? Preferably with spikes, the kind that draws blood."
Angel: ... He’s crazy to talk normally with Dox.
Angel didn’t care to talk more with Dox, looked at the pair of mother and son opposite: "One is a master of disguise, and the other can act at such a young age. No wonder, talents in disguise run in the family."
Angel’s words made their expressions even uglier.
The child, after all, is a child. His acting was indeed skilled before, but once scared by the "ghost," his courage broke, trembling and holding his mother’s leg.
Feeling her son’s trembles, the "young boy" forced herself to suppress the fear, speaking in a calm tone: "I saw Mia; are you backing the White Crocodile Adventure Group?"
Angel did not answer, but the young boy confirmed her assumption as correct.
"The White Crocodile Adventure Group indeed has a grudge with us, but initially, it was you who acted first and even robbed our spoils."
Mia couldn’t hold back anymore, speaking, "You really are from the Hero Squad! We didn’t initiate contact first; you crossed the line!"
"Again with the reservation talk? Let me ask you, the Black Dragon Adventure Group, Lynx Squad, Guardian of the Ruins Squad, they also often operate in the third district; would you dare provoke them?"
"They... they’re different from you!"
A cold laugh: "What difference is there? Only that they are stronger than you, so you dare not take action."
Mia: "Even so, so what? The survival of the fittest is the rule here."
"This is just a piece of ruins, without any rules, only hearts and limits. The so-called rules are just hidden excuses." The young boy continued with a cold smile, "And your White Crocodile Adventure Group, has no bottom line, using self-imposed rules to deceive and consume countless adventure groups, your comeuppance is deserved."
"Comeuppance?" Dox repeated the word with some amusement: "The White Crocodile Adventure Group’s comeuppance is your Hero Squad?"
"Heroes exist in minds, setting a bottom line for ourselves is our squad’s doctrine. We disdain revenge against them, it’s they who came to us, and in the end, they lost. We did not kill everyone because that’s the hero’s bottom line. In battle, swords and knives don’t see, but once the fight is over, we spare anyone with breath left. Otherwise, do you think Mia still lives?"
Dox: "However, the White Crocodile Adventure Group still ended up annihilated, did they not?"
"Here, those who follow survival of the fittest, once they lose power, are bound to suffer retaliation. It was other adventure groups that finished them off, unrelated to us."
Mia: "Clearly it’s your squad directing them and moreover, you brought Ghosteye Witch to harm me, killing my last two teammates as well!"
As soon as Mia’s words fell, Dox pinched the ridge of his nose helplessly, did this girl forget what she said earlier? She sold out her two teammates, meaning the direct cause of death was your doing!
"We disdain doing things like that, and the Ghosteye Witch you mentioned, well, I don’t even know about it. Believe it or not, up to you!" After speaking, the young boy fell silent, watching the crowd carefully.
Although this person is an adept in disguise and acting, these are only ordinary skills; Angel and other Transcendents need not use Verity, with just sensing emotional fluctuations, they can tell she spoke the truth.
The Hero Squad didn’t act against the White Crocodile Adventure Group; instead, it was the White Crocodile Adventure Group that sought them out, losing without the others executing prisoners, letting the remnants go.
Of course, while Mia lied, much of what she said was correct. Standing in White Crocodile Adventure Group’s position, she took "bullying the weak" and "reservation" for granted. From this position, the Hero Squad moved against their profits, and how could they tolerate it?
However, from an observer’s standpoint, the White Crocodile Adventure Group certainly deserved it.
As for the Hero Squad, it’s hard to say whether they are good or bad. They say everyone has a bottom line, but that line can change, and no one knows if yours has changed. Such idealistic talk is just rhetoric, best left unheard.
"Alright, we more or less understand your situation. We’re not the White Crocodile Adventure Group’s backer; we’re merely using Mia to find you," Angel spoke up at this moment.
Upon hearing that the opposite party, potentially Transcendent, was not the White Crocodile Adventure Group’s backer, the youth’s expression relaxed slightly. Their Hero Squad had some fame in both the second and third districts, with few enemies. The White Crocodile Adventure Group was one of the rare foes, and as long as the others weren’t associated with them, they might still have a chance to survive.
After Angel finished speaking, he looked at Mia: "Now that it’s confirmed she’s a member of the Hero Squad, you can leave. I won’t forget what I promised you: once you step out of the cellar door, the Defense Spell will activate, lasting for six hours. As long as you don’t linger in the ruins, there should be no issue with you leaving safely."