Chapter 178 Entering the Mountain

Zayne shot Perry a glare. If Perry went alone, things would definitely go south.

"Can you use your brain for once?" Zayne snapped. "You think we're the only ones who can track down these ShadowCorp people? Others can too."

"Why do you think no one else has taken them out?"

"These people aren't important. ShadowCorp in Starcrest went underground three years ago. I've heard even the higher-ups at ShadowCorp can't mobilize them."

Over the years, ThunderLord Palace had managed to buy off quite a few ShadowCorp members.

ShadowCorp had been infiltrated by ThunderLord Palace, but the Sunrise branch of ShadowCorp remained deeply hidden.

Zayne continued, "If these people are really behind this, which is scarier: a group of people who are already exposed, or those who are still in hiding?"

The answer was obvious.

The exposed ones were being watched. Anything they did would be noticed.

But those in hiding? No one knew where they were or what they were planning. They were definitely more dangerous.

Jeremy was also aware that Sunrise ShadowCorp was lurking in the shadows.

ShadowCorp was founded by StormDragon to enforce the law. Even Avalonia's official agencies were under its supervision. If the Inspectorate made mistakes, ShadowCorp had the authority to act.

But this made ShadowCorp many enemies.

The Inspectorate was an official Avalonia body, while ShadowCorp was solely under StormDragon's control.

ShadowCorp members even held military ranks, issued by WarriorDeity Palace, the highest authority over Avalonia's military, composed of Avalonia's WarriorDeities.

Three years ago, WarriorDeity Palace was under StormDragon's command.

But StormDragon died in the Sunlands battlefield three years ago, and was posthumously accused of treason, taking the blame for the entire war.

Many in ShadowCorp had fought alongside StormDragon, forged in the fires of battle.

Over time, however, some ShadowCorp members became traitors, lured by beauty, money, and power.

StormDragon had high expectations for ShadowCorp and granted them significant authority.

The more enemies ShadowCorp made, the more they feared for their safety, leading many to hide themselves well.

Even ShadowCorp's top brass couldn't mobilize local units without special channels.

ShadowCorp was a group of enforcers hidden in the night. When StormDragon was alive, they were legitimate.

But with StormDragon dead for over three years, ShadowCorp's status had diminished. Their enforcement rights were gone. PhoenixFury, who took over, aimed to preserve ShadowCorp, but its purpose had changed.

Hidden ShadowCorp units weren't limited to Starcrest.

Many ShadowCorp members went into hiding, fearing retribution from those they had wronged, choosing to stay completely underground.

To dismantle the Brooks family's external subordinates, Jeremy had Susan and her team use ShadowCorp's black cards.

This move caused quite a stir in Sunrise, and Jeremy watched from the shadows.

He wanted to see if the hidden Sunrise ShadowCorp members would surface.

ThunderLord Palace quickly captured several ShadowCorp members, but they were only peripheral.

The hidden ShadowCorp members couldn't ignore this!

They emerged!

It wasn't that they were impatient, but they couldn't abandon their comrades.

Jeremy didn't show himself, instead sending Susan and Stan to intercept them. Being ShadowCorp members, communication was easier.

With Stan, a former Azure Dragon Guard, leading, it added credibility.

Jeremy couldn't let these ShadowCorp members die in vain. ShadowCorp had declined over the years.

Take Dreamville's ShadowCorp, for example. The previous leader was Susan's father, only a Half-step Grandmaster.

Starcrest's ShadowCorp didn't have many powerful Martial Artists either. Jeremy knew Sunrise ShadowCorp had only two Half-step Grandmasters, with the rest being Internal Force and Dark Force Martial Artists.

Martial Artists above Grandmaster level were rare, mostly in noble families, major factions, or secluded in the mountains.

Sunrise's top fighters surpassed Dreamville's.

Sunrise had the Brooks family and Marvin, a Half-step Innate Realm Martial Artist, which was why Starcrest's Inspectorate head was Travis, a Late Grandmaster Martial Artist.

Dreamville's previous Inspectorate head, Ralph, was only a Mid Grandmaster, showing Starcrest's importance.

Dreamville was a key city, administratively higher than Starcrest, but it lacked Starcrest's mountainous terrain and complex factions.

Jeremy and Dana set off for Starcrest's mountains.

The Rogers family originated from the mountains, and Wayne grew up there.

Dana was also sent to a mountain organization to train in martial arts as a child, which is why she became a Half-step Grandmaster at a young age.

Jeremy's mountain trip was partly for Dana and partly for the Brooks family.

Lewis was Gordon's son.

He was also sent to a mountain organization for martial arts training as a child.

Dana's organization was close to the Brooks family, and Wayne's birthplace was near Dana's organization.

In Starcrest, these places were called Ancient Villages.

Similar to mysterious organizations, Ancient Villages were Starcrest's version, like VenomTribe, with villages hidden in the mountains.

These Ancient Villages rarely interacted with the outside world, maintaining a semi-secluded state due to their heritage.

Wayne's birthplace was called Hidden Stronghold, rumored to be an ancient military checkpoint.

Jeremy and Dana's first stop was Hidden Stronghold, located in a natural gorge, making it a strategic military site in ancient times.

Without Dana's guidance, Jeremy could have found Hidden Stronghold, but not as easily.

The mountains were inaccessible by car, giving a sense of isolation.

According to Dana, Hidden Stronghold's residents shared Wayne's surname, numbering under five hundred, and were forbidden from marrying outsiders.

Wayne was sent to the military, married outside, and had Dana. If not for Wayne and Kyle sending substantial supplies to Hidden Stronghold annually, Wayne would have been expelled from the family records.

When Victor started his actions, Wayne was sent back to Hidden Stronghold by his Godson Toby and his subordinate John.