After getting introduced to the Chief by Hazerak, Lei Zhen came to know the name of the Chief was Jaruk.
Jaruk was a level 143 elite-type Lizardark that had evolved and gained intelligence. Through his leadership, he had been leading the Lizardark clan in living at the swamp.
Jaruk was over eight feet tall and had a mass of green color, scaly skin, and sharp, reptilian features. His eyes glowed in bright yellow and seemed to see into the very depths of your soul.
It had long and powerful arms that ended in sharp claws that looked like they could easily rip through steel apart. His legs were thick and muscular and moved with a grace and agility that belied their size.
However, one noticeable thing that was discerned by Lei Zhen was that Jaruk seemed to be injured despite looking calm.
'Seems like my deduction was on the mark again.' Lei Zhen thought to himself. To be able to damage a ferocious creature like Jaruk, there was only one plausible culprit: the black mage.
After all, Jaruk was a monster residing in the swamp that was sealed off and no players would bother searching for him to attack. Therefore, only the black mage with its track discovered recently here is the most likely suspect.
"We'll be honest here, Chief Jaruk. This time, we came to the swamp to capture a heinous criminal that had managed to escape and come hiding here. He's clad in black robes, oozes bad vibes, and usually has two hounds by his side." Lei Zhen said, describing the black mage's appearance to the dot.
Upon hearing the description, Chief Jaruk's body visibly trembled slightly as he became agitated.
It wasn't just Chief Jaruk showing an agitated expression, but every other Lizardark clan folk around the area turned ferocious and screeched some noise.
Seeing their reaction, Lei Zhen was even more positive that they had encountered the black mage and fought before.
"I do indeed recognize the person you have described, Chancellor." Chief Jaruk said.
And he continued, "It was 8 days ago since we fought with that black-robed person. He came out of nowhere and started raiding our home without any warning. We've lost a lot of clan folks and were even forced to temporarily reside in this cave."
'8 days ago?' Lei Zhen was alarmed a bit.
That was around the time that the war was nearly over and the truce meeting was conducted.
If the black mage truly came to the swamp at that time, then it was clear the two princes really aren't affiliated with the black mage.
However, there should still be some sort of connection between the two, just not as intimate as he initially thought it to be.
"Then Chief Jaruk, do you know where this person currently resides? It was kind of our fault in negligence to allow this wicked criminal to escape here and ruin your natural habitat." Lei Zhen asked respectfully.
"Of course, Hazerak here has all the details as our strongest combat Lizardark. He shall give you all the details regarding it." Chief Jaruk readily agreed to assist with Lei Zhen's matter.
After all, they were here to capture the very criminal that had caused them numerous losses.
Not to mention, it was free labor in their mind since someone else was willing to apprehend their enemy.
In other words, this was an equal trade in which Lei Zhen and Griselda would receive valuable information in exchange for eradicating the black mage from their habitat.
Sometime later, Hazerak brought the two of them near the top of a cliff and pointed in a certain direction.
"Over there is where we originally resided, but that person you mentioned was simply too strong. He had an unlimited amount of monsters at his command and we were soon overwhelmed by the wave of monsters." Hazerak said in a hissing tone, clearly furious at recalling the past.
The direction that Hazerak pointed to was filled with algae and covered by a mist, seemingly camouflaged very well in the swamp.
"If it weren't for you pointing it out, I wouldn't have thought that area would have your habitat. It's just filled with mist only." Griselda gasped in surprise.
Since they were standing at a pretty nice height, they could see the scenery from above, but even then, it was hard to detect that there was a habitat built.
"Indeed, that was our strategic home base and we have been living there for a long time. Never did we expect to be invaded by someone, much less be overwhelmed to the point that we needed to retreat."
"Rest assured, Hazerak. Now that we know where he's located, leave the rest to us, though I still need you to do something." Lei Zhen calmly said and whispered something into his ears.
ραпdα nᴏνa| сom Not even Griselda could decipher what was said between them.
Sometime later, after marking the location on their personal map, Lei Zhen and Griselda bid farewell to the Lizardark clan.
Although the relationship could be considered neutral, they were at least on good terms now.
Hence, the Lizardark promised there will be no more ambushes toward them from their clan folk as the misunderstanding previously have been resolved.
They were misunderstood as the ally of the black mage, so Lei Zhen understood their standpoint and didn't mind their previous action.
In fact, he apologized on behalf of the crazy swordsman which resulted in them losing many of their clan folks.
After being escorted out by Hazerak, Lei Zhen and Griselda continued on their journey.
"Phew, at least we got some clues and hints now." Griselda stretched her body and said relaxingly. Being glared at by many Lizardark had made her uncomfortable.
However, she didn't dare to voice her opinion until their presence was gone.
"We should head back now and send some professionals to do the scouting work. Since we know there's a pretty camouflage location ahead, everything would be easier now." Lei Zhen suggested, unwilling to walk further.
