This item, though incredibly expensive, could be purchased only in one of the most exclusive shops in Arcadia. Despite its sophistication, it never became a best-seller. The reason? Its effectsted just a few fleeting seconds, after which it becamepletely useless. The exorbitant cost simply didn''t justify its brief utility.


    So, why did team Mozu have these items—several of them, in fact? The answer was simple: their captain had a penchant for collecting unusual items, regardless of their practicality. It just so happened that one of these peculiar acquisitions turned out to be surprisingly useful in today''s match.


    They knew there was a possibility that these puppets might go unnoticed by any member of team Yunyue. First, team Yunyue might not send anyone to interfere with them. Second, even if they did, the puppets might disappear before they were even spotted. Additionally, there was the chance that the first oasis team Yunyue encountered could be the one referenced by the clue, bypassing the decoys entirely.


    Fortunately, everything aligned in their favor, and none of those potential obstacles came to pass. So, they were able to find the clue for the next checkpoint.


    Now, they were on their way to the next checkpoint. At least, three of them were.


    ----------


    Bai Ze exined the situation over the team channel as Rowan flew over the desert. They decided to search for any signs that might reveal team Mozu''s whereabouts. Since team Mozu had just discovered their clue for the next checkpoint, they likely hadn''t left the desert yet.


    At first, he had no idea what Team Mozu''s mode of transportation was. Since teleportation scrolls were prohibited, they had to be moving either by some physical vehicle or perhaps one of them had the ability to transform into something that could fly.


    Then he recalled that their captain was some sort of Eastern dragon—though not a true dragon, more like its darker counterpart. What was it called again? A xie long or something like that? In any case, his beast form resembled an Eastern dragon, but with a more sinister appearance.


    In short, his beast form was likely capable of flight, and it would certainly berge. However, they hadn''t seen any dragon flying around the desert—aside from Rowan, of course. This led him to believe that team Mozu was probably using a stealth item, much like they were.


    It seemed that Luo Jin was also thinking the same thing because he suggested;


    "Let''s look for signs of something big moving through the desert. Even if they''re using a stealth item, their movement could still leave traces—like disrupted sand patterns, unusual air currents, or something."


    After hearing that, Rowan adjusted his flight path, gliding lower to scan the ground more closely. As they moved, they began to look for anything out of the ordinary that might indicate the presence of somethingrge and unseen. Bai Ze and Luo Jin kept their eyes on the shifting sands below, watching for any irregrities.


    After several minutes, Bai Ze spotted a faint but distinct line in the sand, as if something massive had passed through without leaving a clear footprint. It was subtle, but it was the only lead they had.


    "There," he pointed out.


    Rowan followed the trail, which led them to an oasis. Bai Ze and Luo Jin exchanged nces, instantly understanding what the other was thinking without a word. It was to go into the oasis and search for any possible traces that might point them to where team Mozu might have gone next.


    Bai Ze tapped Rowan''s back. "Let''s go down."


    After that, Rowan abruptly transformed back into his humanoid form. If not for Bai Ze and Luo Jin''s quick reflexes, they might have ended up t on the ground. They shot Rowan a re, but he just raised an eyebrow.


    As they ventured deeper into the oasis, they thought back to the clue given to team Mozu. It was, of couse, talking about an oasis. Which oasis and what part of that oasis would the next clue be was the question.


    If their hunch was right and this was indeed the correct oasis, their next step was to find the body of water within it. It didn''t take long before they discovered a spring, its waters gleaming brightly in the dappled light.


    As soon as they walked there, a notification appeared in front of them.


    [Congrattions on finding the checkpoint of team Mozu! Here is the clue for their next checkpoint!]


    [In the depths where sunlight barely whispers through the emerald canopy, lies a forgotten shrine of ancient lore. Bound by the grip of time, stone guardians stand vigil amidst the creeping vines. To find your path, follow the serpent''s trail to the ce where shadows dance and echoes of forgotten rituals linger.]


    Okay... what was this?


    "Wait- is the game telling us that as long as we could go to the checkpoint of the opposing team, we can get the clue for the next checkpoint?" Bai Ze said with a bit of disbelief.


    "That''s exactly what it''s saying," Luo Jin said. "We should tell this immediately to the others."


    Because if they could get the clue for the next checkpoint of the opposing team just by being around the vicinity of the current checkpoint, then team Mozu could also do the same.


    Luo Jin wasn''t sure if he should be d about this or not. In any case, they now needed to solve this clue quickly to track team Mozu. If they didn''t move fast, they''d end up merely trailing behind without actually doing anything to stop the opposing team.


    ----------


    The rest of Team Yunyue had already left the Forest of Darkness and were en route to the next checkpoint when they received the message from Bai Ze and Luo Jin over the team channel.