Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!

Chapter 175 - 175: Ascending The Snowy Mountain

If the shops in these two cities were to operate successfully, his income would be beyond imagination.

"I'm entrusting all of this to you. Find two trustworthy and reliable individuals to oversee things here," Ethan said, his eyes narrowing into a serious, almost solemn expression. "And don't let your engineering re

A figure emerged from the soft snow, and at the same time, Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. 'There's a rogue here—no, more than one, he thought.'

The person who had stepped out was also a rogue, dressed in a white cloak similar to Ethan's. Hearing the words "claimed this area," Ethan paused. Nocturne Order guild had taken over this spot. Could they have discovered that place?

Still, the guild seemed somewhat reasonable. Despite having multiple rogues in the area, they hadn't ambushed him outright. Instead, they'd issued a warning first. Unlike some of the more tyrannical guilds that would kill anyone on sight without explanation, this guild at least gave him a chance to leave.

"My apologies," Ethan said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "I didn't realize your guild had claimed this area. I'll leave now." With that, he turned to head back down the mountain.

His original plan was to leave their line of sight, stealth his way back up, and see what they were up to. After all, given the current player levels, it didn't make sense for a guild to be grinding in a level 40 zone.

"Hold it!" Another voice called out, this time from further up the mountain.

Ethan stopped and turned to look. A group of about twenty players was descending the slope—a mixed party with various classes.

"What's the Frostbite guild doing here?" the rogue who had first confronted Ethan asked, flipping his dagger from a forward grip to a reverse grip. His expression turned cold as he addressed the newcomers.

The group approached slowly, their leader glaring at the rogue. "Is this how Nocturne Order handles security? If we hadn't noticed, you would've let this guy walk away. Can you afford to let the news leak?"

The rogue frowned slightly, then turned to Ethan. "You'd better leave. This doesn't concern you." He then addressed the leader with a steely tone, "How Nocturne Order operates is none of your business. This is our territory. Get lost!"

The leader of the Frostbite group didn't seem offended by the rogue's harsh words. Instead, he smirked and pointed at Ethan. "Kill this guy. We're not letting this slide—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a massive bear's shadow flashed across the rogue's vision.

Thwack!

The bear's form charged forward, shifting back into human form just as it reached the Paladin. No one saw exactly how it happened, but the next thing they knew, the Paladin was reeling from a loud slap across the face.

"Ah!"

The Paladin, who had been so arrogant moments ago, tumbled down the slope, clutching his cheek. In Ethereal, non-combat actions like slapping didn't count as attacks since they dealt no damage. But the humiliation was undeniable.

The rogue stared in shock, his mouth hanging open. Ethan grinned at him. "Sorry, but I don't like it when people talk down to me from above."

The Paladin, now sitting a dozen meters downhill, screamed in rage, "What the hell are you all standing around for? Kill him!"

Ethan stood at the edge of the mountain path, a sheer cliff behind him and twenty players closing in from the front. His eyes narrowed.

'If they're asking for it, I guess I have no choice but to kill them all.'