Chapter 429: Heading to the Valley of Ten Thousand Wolves

Ding!

[Welcome back to Dominion, player Stonehaven. Have fun!]

The familiar system chime rang out as Marcus logged in. Dominion had apparently added welcome messages during one of its recent updates. It was a small feature, but it made the game feel a little more polished every time he returned.

"Marcus, hurry up. We’re in the courtyard."

Amber’s voice came through the Monarch Squad channel.

Marcus crossed the mansion and stepped into the courtyard, where Lily, Amber, Jade, Crystal, Ms. Willow, Alana, Anya, and Chloe were already gathered together. The women had clearly gotten comfortable with one another. Anya and Chloe, despite being the newest additions, were chatting naturally with the others as if they’d been part of the group for much longer.

"Marcus, let’s go flying already!"

Jade complained the moment she saw him, bouncing impatiently in her seat. She had been waiting for him to log in so they could take to the skies together.

Marcus chuckled. "Alright, alright. We’ll head out now." Looking at everyone gathered there, he felt a sense of satisfaction. More importantly, seeing Anya and Chloe fitting in so smoothly put his mind at ease.

"Today’s destination is the Valley of Ten Thousand Wolves. We’re looking for clues about the Lost Roaring Tiger Squad," he said, and there was obvious excitement in his voice.

This was a mercenary mission assigned to the Monarch Squad. Since the task involved investigating old traces and gathering information, it was the perfect opportunity for everyone to travel together.

Before setting out, Marcus had officially promoted Lily to vice leader alongside Amber. As for Alana, she still couldn’t join the Monarch Squad and remained bound to the city, meaning she couldn’t accompany them on this trip. It was unfortunate, but there was nothing they could do about it.

The Valley of Ten Thousand Wolves lay west of Ironstone Citadel, the City of Mountains. After leaving the mansion, the group headed straight for the city’s teleportation point. Their plan was simple: teleport to Ironstone Citadel first, then fly the rest of the way to the valley.

Naturally, a group consisting of one man and seven women attracted attention wherever they went. Even though everyone wore masks, concealing their faces, there was no hiding their bearing, figures, or presence. Several of the women carried themselves with the grace of nobles, while others possessed a quiet confidence that stood out just as much. Together, they drew countless glances from nearby players. Groups of beautiful women were rare enough. Seven of them traveling together was impossible to ignore.

"Are they from the Rose Society?" one player voiced the question many others were already thinking.

The Rose Society was currently the eighth-ranked guild in Dominion. It was famous not only for being an all-female guild, but also for having extremely strict recruitment standards. Beauty, skill, and reputation all played a role in joining. Because of that, the guild’s popularity often rivaled, and sometimes even surpassed, that of the game’s top-ranked guilds.

"Of course not. Can’t you see the mercenary emblems on their arms?" a sharp-eyed archer immediately corrected the warrior beside him.

The warrior squinted before finally noticing the insignias.

"Monarch Squad..." the archer read the name aloud, unable to hide the envy in his voice. What really caught his attention, however, wasn’t the women. It was the knight leading them.

The man walked at the front of the group with a calm, confident stride. His build was solid, and the dark armor covering his body looked far more imposing than ordinary equipment. Strange patterns ran across the surface of the armor, giving it an intimidating appearance. Most importantly, the mercenary emblem on his arm clearly identified him as the squad leader. The leader of seven outstanding women.

The warrior stared for several seconds before suddenly inhaling sharply.

"What?" the archer asked.

"Those women..." the warrior struggled to find the right words, "they feel even more impressive than the women from the Rose Society." His tone was filled with genuine amazement.

He had seen Rose Society members before and remembered being stunned by them. At the time, he had thought no other group could compare. But the women walking behind Marcus gave off a completely different impression. Even without seeing their faces, he could tell they were extraordinary. Their confidence, their composure, and the way they carried themselves made them stand out from everyone around them. Compared to them, the Rose Society members he had seen before suddenly seemed much less remarkable. The difference felt obvious.

The archer slowly nodded. "I was thinking the same thing." His gaze remained fixed on the group as they passed. "Honestly, maybe only VioletNova could compare."

The Rose Society’s guild leader had appeared during the guild’s founding ceremony, and the archer had been lucky enough to witness it in person. Even with her face concealed, VioletNova’s presence had left a lasting impression. Yet now he was looking at seven women who seemed no less remarkable. That was what truly shocked him. Finding one woman like that was rare enough. Seeing seven together was unbelievable.

Eventually, his eyes shifted toward Marcus again. "Who is that guy anyway?" he muttered. "Some rich brat? Someone with powerful connections?"

Unfortunately, Marcus wore an ordinary store-bought mask. There was nothing distinctive about it, making it impossible to identify him.

Marcus had expected attention the moment he left the mansion. That was precisely why he had switched to a plain mask before heading out. If players discovered that the Rabbit Knight was traveling around with seven beautiful women, the resulting attention would be endless. For now, keeping a low profile was still the better option.

That said, he no longer intended to hide as carefully as before. Back then, because of Snow, he had avoided unnecessary attention and stayed out of sight whenever possible. He hadn’t wanted to run into his former boss or anyone connected to that part of his life. Things were different now. If he truly intended to win Snow back, avoiding people forever wasn’t realistic. Sooner or later, he would have to face them. There was no reason to keep acting like he needed to hide.

Of course, that didn’t mean he planned to become arrogant or chase fame. He still had no interest in founding a guild or making a name for himself. As far as possible, he would continue keeping his identity and abilities private. All he wanted was to enjoy the game with the people important to him. As for anyone determined to cause trouble for him or those around him, he wouldn’t waste time arguing. He would deal with them directly.

Ignoring the curious and envious looks following them through the city, Marcus led the group to the teleportation point and traveled to Ironstone Citadel, the City of Mountains. After leaving through the western gate, they summoned their Flame Chargers and rode away from the crowded roads until they reached an isolated area. Only then did they dismount and call forth their flying mounts. With preparations complete, the group took to the sky and headed toward their destination.

The Valley of Ten Thousand Wolves awaited.