Chapter 1997: Recognized! Translated by XephiZ Edited by Aelryinth Everyone was filled with fear when they imagined themselves like livestock in a slaughterhouse. Their survival solely depended on who the butchers were going to point at! Did they really have to climb the mountain? It was clearly a path of death! “The Scar of Tianshan Mountain is just ahead. The Rift Valley will bring us straight to it after crossing the ridges. I believe there’s no need for me to explain how much treasure there is in the Scar of Tianshan Mountain.” Yassen was the leader of the temporary alliance between the groups of mercenaries and Hunters. He felt the need to step forward to comfort the Mages. “Yassen, those Frosty Ancient Eagles will eventually be full. Should we wait for another group of demon creatures to rush down the mountain and feed the Frosty Ancient Eagles first? Wouldn’t it be a lot safer for us by then?” Zhao Kang, the leader of the Savage Raptor Hunter Group, asked. Yassen shook his head and said, “From what I know, those Frosty Ancient Eagles are storing food for winter. Even a powerful species like them has to stay in their nest for a long time when the weather is too harsh. It’s important that they stock up enough food to feed themselves.” “The beast hordes might be a problem too when they are charging down the mountains. We can’t possibly make our way up the mountain when the Frosty Ancient Eagles are hunting them,” Kuma added in. “Three days ago, a bunch of seniors shared the same thought. They tried to climb the mountain while the beast hordes were on their way down. They proved to us with their lives that the Frosty Ancient Eagles were more interested in humans because of the energy in our bodies,” Yassen said. “On top of that, the Frosty Ancient Eagles are great in numbers, and their nest is not far away from here. This lake is the perfect feasting ground for them,” a group of explorers from the Sacred Hall of Liberty spoke up. The Sacred Hall of Liberty was the highest Magic Association from the Americas. Its Research Union was intrigued by the mysterious Tianshan Mountain, but their leaders were not willing to risk their lives for it. Therefore, they had hired a group of explorers instead. “When is the right time to make our move?” Xing Hui, a representative of the Mu Clan, spoke up. “When there aren’t many demon creatures left. It should be around ten minutes from now, which means we have ten minutes to decide whether we are going forward or we are retreating,” Yassen said. Many groups fell silent after hearing Yassen’s words. Ten minutes from now, they would share the same fate as the hordes of demon creatures. Those who had arrived at the lake had a certain status in society. They were not just some insignificant Hunters and mercenaries, since luck was not the only reason they were still alive now, considering the insane death rates among the groups. A few groups decided to leave the mountain. They were not going to joke around with their lives. They had suffered great losses and endured a lot of hardship to reach here. They thought they had a bright future from here forward, but they were greeted by the hellish sight of the hunting ground. They would rather choose a safer approach by searching for valuables in the Alpine and Meadows. —— A third of the people that had gathered at the lake left. Mo Fan was quite surprised by the ratio. It was somewhat surprising more than a fifth had stayed after witnessing the terrifying sight! “It seems like those who stayed aren’t necessarily fearless, but they are extremely confident in their strength!” Mo Fan glanced at the groups that had stayed behind. Most of them were members of reputable world-renowned organizations, including the representatives of the Zhao Family and the Mu Clan. It would be strange if the two most renowned clans of the country were not involved after the Rift Valley that served as a ticket straight to the Scar of Tianshan Mountain was discovered. “Yeah, only those who have been through big occasions wouldn’t be scared,” Jiang Yu agreed. “What about the Mailong Private Military Group? Are they still in this?” Jiang Shaoxu asked. “I believe so.” — The groups prepared to move out. A strong smell of blood lingered over the frozen lake. It even condensed into a crimson mist floating above the lake. Yassen glanced at the Mailong Private Military Group. A few people on the ninth team caught his attention. He already noticed them when the Mailong Private Military Group first arrived. He asked with a smile, “Since when did the Mailong Private Military Group recruit the Chinese national team?” “The Chinese national team?” Kuma turned to the ninth team. Kuma knew Ai Jiangtu was a member of the national team. She did not recognize the others. She had always assumed the World College Tournament was like a martial debate between a bunch of kids. The participants were incomparable to those who were constantly risking their lives. She had never treated the World College Tournament seriously. “So they are a group of bright talents favored by the Heavens? They actually have the guts to come here? It looks like there’s a reason why they won the tournament,” Zhao Kang of the Savage Raptor Hunter Group chuckled disdainfully. “We should take care of them since we are their seniors. We can’t let these famous graduates die under our watch. Otherwise, our reputation is done for, HAHAHA,” Bertan, one of the explorers hired by the Sacred Hall of Liberty piped up. The members of the different groups were looking at Mo Fan and his crew while their leaders were discussing them. They did not have friendly faces. “We’ve been recognized,” Guan Yu noticed. “They seriously took their time if they only recognized us just now,” Jiang Shaoxu sniffed. “I don’t agree with you. I’ve noticed how most older Mages don’t treat the World College Tournament seriously after traveling to many countries,” Mo Fan refuted them. Mo Fan was speaking from experience. He rarely put on a disguise, and had always shown his handsome face across the world, yet he rarely received any respects or compliments. Most people who recognized him were assh**** like Lido, the Combat Officer of the Blue Star Knights. “It’s just the way it is. The participants of the World College Tournament are usually supported by formidable factions. In their eyes, we were born with a silver spoon in our mouths, and we don’t really have any experience. They think we are all show instead,” Jiang Yu agreed. Mo Fan recalled how the representatives of the national team were chosen. It was true that the candidates were chosen based on their strength, yet the actual members were decided based on their backgrounds. Now that he thought about it, the others on the team were indeed kids of the rich and the powerful, except for him and Mu Ningxue. In other words, they were the reasons why people were reluctant to accept his well-deserved title of winning the World College Tournament!