Chapter 173: A Successful Escape

“A prisoner has escaped! We will enter the Hunting Grounds to pursue the escaped prisoner and their accomplices! Guard Captain, you lead all guards to secure the gate of the Hunting Grounds! Do not allow anyone to pass!”

Inside the high-security prison of the Land of Exile, Dunis stood with his hands behind his back and shouted at a group of his subordinates.

“Everyone? Lord Dunis, do you mean even you cannot pass?” The Guard Captain frowned and asked for confirmation.

“Correct! The escaped prisoner can shapeshift. They might take my form. Even if it looks like me, without presenting the Warden’s badge, no one can pass! So do not concern yourself with anything else. Just lead all the guards, guard the gate, and ensure no one can pass! If anyone attempts to escape or get close, apprehend them and await further orders!” Dunis nodded.

Inside the Bloody Prison Valley, he had already arranged for monitoring magic arrays to be set up. Just two hours ago, he saw that Hunter Adventurer release Aulde and the others from the Bloody Prison.

This time, the evidence was solid. As long as he ensured that Hunter Adventurer did not escape the Hunting Grounds, he could capture him and impose severe punishment to vent his hatred.

Last time, this Hunter had someone transform into Morris to escape. This time, he was prepared. He stationed multiple times the usual guards at the gate, allowing no one to pass!

Aulde went without saying. That group definitely could not break out this time! The same went for that Hunter Adventurer. No matter who came, the gate of the Hunting Grounds would not open this time!

As long as he kept these people trapped inside the Hunting Grounds, he could slowly capture them one by one.

“The Crimson Poison Mist has dissipated! Enter and apprehend the escaped prisoners!”

The time had arrived. Dunis led a group of prison NPCs into the Teleportation Array, which also teleported them into the Hunting Grounds, ready for a hunt for the escapees.

…

“Adventurer Brother, this wall is so high. How can we escape?”

Before the Crimson Poison Mist had dissipated, Chen Mo and Haiweila arrived at the base of a section of the Hunting Grounds wall.

Staring at the tall, ancient wall, Haiweila really wanted to know what was on the other side. But this high wall made her feel a little desperate.

Walking through the Crimson Poison Mist, the path actually didn’t have much on it—just some grassland and forests. But along the way, Haiweila was very excited. Her large, azure eyes curiously looked around from time to time.

Having been trapped in that lake for over ten years and now seeing the splendor of other places, she never wanted to return to that lake.

Now she could live outside the Clamshell. If she were caught and brought back, this time she would probably be imprisoned in an even narrower cell. The space to move and the world she could see would be even less than in the lake.

“Don’t worry, Brother has a way.” Chen Mo comforted her.

“Really? Adventurer Brother, you’re really amazing!” Haiweila said excitedly. If Chen Mo hadn’t told her not to move recklessly before the Crimson Poison Mist faded, she would have jumped up and kissed him.

Over the past few days while Chen Mo was training her, he repeatedly told her that the things he did with her couldn’t be done with others. They could only be done with a non-family male she really liked.

Chen Mo was also worried that after Haiweila returned, she might be corrupted by his teaching and act recklessly everywhere, which would truly embarrass him.

And the person Haiweila liked was clearly only him. Over a few days, Haiweila’s Favorability towards him soared rapidly, already reaching 40 points. Unfortunately, 40 Favorability still couldn’t accomplish much.

The time reached 6 PM. In the blood-red sky, a mass of scorching light appeared, and the Crimson Poison Mist subsequently dissipated.

Chen Mo put away Sesshylow and took out a Potion.

“Come, Haiweila, let Brother carry you on his back!” Chen Mo crouched down.

“Okay.” Without a second thought, Haiweila’s soft body lay forward on Chen Mo’s back, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist.

Once Haiweila was holding on securely, Chen Mo drank the Potion in his hand in one gulp.

Ape Potion!

This monster Potion, which he had brewed back in Shadow City, was finally going to take effect!

When coming to the Land of Exile, Chen Mo knew he couldn’t swagger out through the main gate like last time. La Xia and the other NPCs of the Land of Exile would definitely be guarding against that. If it were other Players, they would have to figure out how to escape again. But Chen Mo was already prepared.

The Ape Potion allowed him to gain climbing ability for three minutes. The wall of the Hunting Grounds was about 50 meters high. Normally, trying to climb onto the top of the wall would be impossible.

But the Ape Potion was a Potion that allowed one to climb even on smooth trees. The Hunting Grounds wall was built from solid blue stones. There would always be some gaps between the stones. After drinking the Ape Potion, climbing was no problem at all.

Haiweila’s body was very light. Chen Mo, carrying Haiweila on his back, began climbing the wall. His speed was only slightly slower than when climbing alone. Three minutes was absolutely enough for Chen Mo to climb onto the top of the wall and then climb down the other side.

Sure enough, in just over a minute, Chen Mo, carrying Haiweila, climbed onto the top of the wall. Before the three minutes ended, he and Haiweila were out of the Hunting Grounds.

Meanwhile, Dunis was leading a group of people, searching near the main gate for Chen Mo and Aulde’s group.

In his view, the only way to leave the Hunting Grounds was through the main gate, so he teleported directly to the area near the gate.

However, just a few minutes later, La Xia walked towards Dunis with a tense expression.

“Lord Dunis, the monitoring personnel report that the Hunter Adventurer has left the area of the Hunting Grounds!”

After Chen Mo and Princess Peraldili successfully escaped last time, the Land of Exile increased surveillance on all prisoners. If anyone left the Hunting Grounds, an alarm would be triggered. This way, the prison authorities could use the Teleportation Array to intercept them early. Even if someone escaped the Hunting Grounds, the possibility of a successful prison break would be greatly reduced.

“Escaped? How did he escape?! What were the guard teams doing?” Dunis was furious. If he had a plate in his hand, he would definitely have smashed it.

“I don’t know, but it probably wasn’t through the main gate. My Lord, we are currently near the main gate. If we pursue now, he won’t get away.” La Xia quickly said cautiously. When she heard that the Hunter Adventurer had escaped, she knew Dunis would be enraged.

After putting in so much effort to catch them in the act, the target quietly broke through the heavy encirclement. Anyone would be angry.

“Let’s go! Immediately go catch that guy and bring him back!” Dunis angrily led his people rushing towards the gate of the Hunting Grounds.

The gate of the Hunting Grounds originally had only about a dozen guards patrolling and defending it. But today, there were sixty or seventy people. Aulde and the others managed to force their way out last time, but if they came again this time, it would mean certain death.

“Guard Captain, open the gate immediately! I need to go out and pursue the escaped prisoners!” Arriving at the gate, Dunis shouted.

“The Warden’s badge!” The Guard Captain glanced at Dunis and spoke expressionlessly.

“I didn’t bring it! Quickly open the gate and let us out!” Dunis said impatiently. The Warden’s badge was a very valuable item. With it, one could almost do as they pleased within the Land of Exile. Dunis always kept it locked in the safest place in the prison; he wouldn’t carry it around.

“He’s a fake! Everyone, attack! Seize him!” The Guard Captain immediately turned stern and shouted loudly.

“What are you doing? I am the Warden! The real Warden!” Dunis hurriedly yelled. La Xia and the others nearby also chimed in to support him.

But unfortunately, the upright Guard Captain faithfully carried out the orders he received, completely ignoring the group’s shouts.

…

Outside the Hunting Grounds, Chen Mo led Haiweila sprinting towards the seaside. Just in case, Sesshylow was also released and followed alongside.

Passing by the secret execution site, Sesshylow looked at the Bloody Crystal Ore, still appearing reluctant to leave. But Chen Mo knew this situation was probably more critical than last time, so he didn’t dare to stop for even a moment. Especially since there was also a Teleportation Array here.

Although he still couldn’t mine any Bloody Crystal Ore this time, as long as he could make more Ape Potions, after some time when things quieted down in the Land of Exile, he could come back openly to secretly mine some.

After Chen Mo had covered most of the escape distance, Dunis, looking disheveled, finally caught up.

But after wasting so much time, trying to chase Chen Mo and Haiweila again was naturally impossible.

Chen Mo and Haiweila successfully escaped to the seaside.

This time, Jumeng wasn’t here, so Chen Mo couldn’t create a wooden raft.

But Chen Mo wasn’t worried. He already had the Advanced Swimming Skill. Sesshylow could transform into a mermaid form. Haiweila herself was a Sea Clan NPC. Any of them could easily cover a great distance to escape.

“Haiweila, can you use this Clamshell to take me away together?” Chen Mo took out the stored Clamshell. He had picked it up earlier wanting to know if Haiweila could still use this thing to move in the water.

“Of course.” Haiweila nodded, pushed the Clamshell into the sea, and then she jumped in first. The Clamshell, which was about to sink, suddenly seemed to come to life after Haiweila entered.

Chen Mo thought to himself that he was truly far-sighted. If not for this, whether he could survive and return to land would be a problem.

Chen Mo jumped into the Clamshell. Haiweila waved her hand, and the Clamshell sank into the seawater, moving swiftly underwater.

When escaping the Land of Exile last time, Chen Mo memorized the route. He pointed Haiweila in a direction, and Haiweila made the Clamshell move in Stealth towards that direction.

“Haiweila, there’s one thing I hope you can agree to.” Knowing that escape wasn’t a problem, Chen Mo got to the main point.

“Adventurer Brother, what is it?” Haiweila curiously walked over and sat down next to Chen Mo, her face full of excitement.

“That necklace around your neck is the Necklace of the Sea God, right? Actually, I accepted a Quest to kill you. After killing you, I was to retrieve the Necklace of the Sea God as proof. If I can’t complete it, my spy identity will be exposed. Of course, if this necklace is too important to you, then forget it.” Chen Mo looked at the Necklace of the Sea God around Haiweila’s neck and spoke in a serious tone.