Lord Of The Lost

William felt a storm brewing in his chest.

He finally understood the saying, "Once you meet someone, you'll be ruined for life."

Some people just have that kind of power, they can invade your thoughts, keep you up at night, and make you wonder about them constantly.

The sight of that beautiful girl had stirred something deep inside him, pulling at his emotions and heartstrings in ways he couldn't explain.

William picked up a piece of beef, mumbling to himself, "Interesting woman... you've definitely caught my attention."

With a determined bite, he tore into the meat, devouring it with a vengeance. His hunger was insatiable, and he polished off dozens of kilograms in no time, as if trying to distract himself from his thoughts.

Back home, he tried to sleep, but it wouldn't come. No matter how hard he tried, his mind refused to settle.

Normally, after his spirit value had increased, he could fall asleep instantly. He could wake up whenever he wanted, his schedule as precise as an alarm clock. But tonight was different.

This kind of restlessness was rare for him.

Frustrated, he decided to train, practicing his combat skills to burn off the energy and silence the chaos in his mind. But it was no use; he was too distracted by the strange pull she had on him.

He had never felt like this before, and he wasn't sure where to begin.

"If it's a test, then I'll give it a shot…" he thought, his resolve hardening.

This was the first time he'd ever felt like this. There was no way he was letting go. He had to figure out how to win her over.

Time to get serious.

...

Not long after logging in, the Forum Master contacted him.

"Why didn't you log into the forum yesterday?"

William paused, feeling a bit embarrassed. "No reason."

"The captain's been looking for you for ages on the forum," the Forum Master continued, clearly frustrated. "If I wasn't worried about stirring up Qingfeng's jealousy, I would've contacted you through other means."

William shifted uncomfortably. "So, what's going on?"

The Forum Master wasted no time. "While a player was leveling in the wilderness, they came across a monster, one covered in tentacles and eyes. It killed another player."

Tentacles and eyes?

William's heart skipped a beat. He was familiar with Bob the player who had been out of control for a while, attacking anyone and anything that crossed his path.

But William's frown deepened. "How long ago did this happen?"

"Three days ago."

His face turned cold. That was around the same time he and the hunters had been dealing with the werewolves. There had been that elite werewolf, the one that had suddenly appeared and made a run for it...

William's mind raced. The elite werewolf had escaped, but what had Bob been doing during that time?

"Did another player interfere with their fight?" he asked, suddenly on edge.

Neither Little Bob's monstrous form nor the elite werewolf could be dealt with by players at their current level. William had made this clear many times in the forum.

Every player knew that he was tracking the werewolves and hunting parties, and it was no secret that werewolves were a huge challenge. Unlike thieves, who were manageable, each werewolf was essentially a mini boss. A level 10 player, no matter how skilled, would struggle against a werewolf of the same level.

So why would any player want to provoke Little Bob?

"I don't know," the Forum Master said, shaking his head.

William's gaze turned cold. "Why is this just coming to light now? Did the messenger say anything else?"

The Forum Master quickly explained, and William pieced together the story unfolding on the forum.

Yesterday, the captain had posted about recruiting 10 high-level players, offering ten fine-grade items as rewards. The more powerful the player, the better. He was forming a group for a major battle. It was a standard move, the kind of thing that made sense after the players' heavy losses during the battle with the thieves.

As the battle raged on, many players had reached level 8. More were coming, and the market for high-level players was beginning to flood. The captain's offer of high-quality equipment only made the temptation greater. His recruitment was designed to attract the cream of the crop.

If you searched privately, you might find a few lower-level players trying to sneak in for a chance at the rewards, but this public call had drawn only top-tier players.

William had no doubts about the captain's intent. After all, he had done something similar when the alliance was first formed to fight the thieves. At that time, the captain had shamelessly asked for a [Puppet], and William had silently pegged him as "Wallace." To avoid misunderstandings, the Forum Master had kept his distance and placed the recruitment post at the top of the forum.

Meanwhile, players with level 8 and higher were now forming the backbone of the new guild the captain was planning to create.

Then, a player named "Jimmy" had approached the captain. He had also reached level 8, hoping to be recruited, but was rejected because of his lack of experience. Instead of getting upset, "Jimmy" casually mentioned something interesting, he had witnessed something strange involving Little Bob and the elite werewolf.

It wasn't common knowledge, but the two had fought. Little Bob had killed a player and then vanished into the wilderness.

Jimmy hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now, it seemed far more significant.

William was standing firm, sword in hand, facing down the werewolves. The weight of the situation pressed on him, but he also saw an opportunity. If he could defeat them, maybe, just maybe; he could earn a fine-grade item as a reward.

Meanwhile, the captain, unable to make a decision on his own, sought out the Forum Master for help, hoping he could get in touch with William. But William hadn't logged into the forum yet, and the captain was left in the dark.

As a forum moderator, the Forum Master had the power to track down William's real identity. In fact, he'd already done so. It didn't take much, just a quick search and a glance at the location. William was in Binhai, which was easy enough to find.

However, the Forum Master wasn't about to start snooping around recklessly. That would be a quick way to make an enemy of William, and that was the last thing he wanted. There was too much at stake, no one wanted to turn allies into adversaries over something small.

Finally, William logged in, and the Forum Master wasted no time. As soon as William was online, the Forum Master relayed the news about the mysterious player who had interfered with Little Bob's battle against the elite werewolf.

"Master, can you help me find out who interfered in the fight between Little Bob and the Elite Werewolf?" William asked, his voice calm but determined.

The Forum Master didn't hesitate. "I've already looked into it. The player's ID is 'Butcher.'"

He was quick, having already traced the movements and actions of over 900 players. He knew that if "Butcher" had any connections to other players, it would show up in his investigation.

Then, with a sense of urgency, the Forum Master added, "I also found his original village. Butcher disappeared three days ago."

William's expression darkened as he absorbed the information. "No, I'm talking about his real identity. He's the one who caused the Elite Werewolf to lose its target and led to the destruction of all the hunters. He deserves to be punished for that."

The Forum Master raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Is it really necessary to go that far?"

William's gaze was unwavering. "Yes, Forum Master. We need to find out his true identity. He cannot get away with this."

Just then, a new voice broke in, a voice as cold as ice. "Strangle him in the cradle," Metatron said, his tone calm but chilling.

The Forum Master turned to face him, startled. "I understand Wallace's ruthlessness, but what's with you two? You're more bloodthirsty than I am! And I have all the power to banish players if I want to. But... to actually take someone down in real life?"

Before he could process further, another voice called out from the shadows, smooth and confident. "Just tell me the address. I'll take care of it."

William glanced over at Alex, his eyes narrowing. After working with him a few times, William couldn't shake the feeling that Alex wasn't who he seemed. His movements, his presence, it didn't feel like the typical assassin. In fact, William now suspected that Alex might have a job in real life that involved much darker deeds.

The gambler, still lounging with his golden wine glass, grinned. "Metatron, what exactly did this guy do to upset the heavens? You want me to have him killed, too?"

The tension was palpable as the five of them regrouped, their bonds forged in the chaos of Shadow Castle and now leading them to a new, dangerous mission.