"Just ahead."
Deke pointed into the distance, his expression grave. "This is the most dangerous and most crucial area of the mission..."
Lin Mo looked ahead. The land before them was black as ink.
In fact, ever since entering Blackwater Marsh, the ground here had been vastly different from the yellowish earth outside.
Back in the Outer Area, it had not been so obvious. The ordinary soil had merely carried a faint tinge of black, but as they ventured deeper, the ground beneath their feet had gradually turned into a desolate grayish-black.
And now, before their eyes, it had become a deep black, like thick ink splashed across the land.
The moment one stepped onto it, an uneasy feeling arose, as if they could fall through at any moment—as though what lay beneath their feet was not muddy ground, but an abyss.
That was precisely how Blackwater Marsh had earned its name.
"Let's go."
After a quick check to confirm that the horses and carriages were in good condition, Deke spoke again, and the convoy drove into the pitch-black land.
The surroundings were utterly silent, making the sound of the carriages especially clear. The air carried an intense chill.
Beyond the road they traveled, patches of swamp could be seen from time to time in the distance. Thick marsh gas drifted through the air, bringing with it the stench of rotten eggs.
"Pop..."
Even the sound of bubbles formed by the marsh gas bursting was especially distinct in the silence.
Miasmic fog filled the air, and visibility grew lower and lower.
Anything even slightly farther ahead was impossible to make out clearly.
The oppressive atmosphere made everyone tense. The newcomers who had never experienced anything like this—more specifically, Ally and Phini—were both wound tight.
Ally was doing somewhat better, but