Fortress

As the team ventured deeper into the Misty Forest, the terrain began to deteriorate. The once wide forest path was gradually blocked by dense bushes and fallen trees, and the snow grew deeper. The team's progress slowed significantly, from covering forty to fifty kilometers a day initially, to a good day now only managing thirty kilometers.

Jialan noticed that as they went deeper into the forest, the surroundings began to look familiar. The Spellcaster's excellent memory allowed him to clearly recall the events of his last expedition.

"Strange..." Jialan muttered to himself. He carefully observed the surrounding trees and terrain, becoming increasingly certain that the team was heading in the direction where he had encountered the White Dragon Horse last time.

"Careful!" a warning suddenly came from the front. A pack of over a dozen wolf-like Magic Beasts burst from the woods, charging directly at the team.

The soldiers quickly formed a defensive formation, aiming their spears and arrows at the attacking Magic Beasts. However, these Magic Beasts seemed to disregard their own safety, frantically charging the defense line.

"Something's wrong..." Jialan frowned. By all logic, such a small group of Magic Beasts wouldn't dare attack a force of hundreds. They should have avoided them from afar, as they usually did.

The battle ended quickly, with all the Magic Beasts eliminated. But Jialan's doubts only deepened. In the following days, similar attacks occurred continuously. Although they were easily dealt with each time, this abnormal phenomenon made the entire team uneasy.

"These Magic Beasts seem to be controlled by something," Anna said to Jialan after one attack, "Their eyes are not right."

Jialan nodded. He had also noticed that the Magic Beasts' eyes were an abnormal red, filled with madness and pain.

Finally, on the evening of the fifth day, the team arrived before a magnificent fortress. Jialan stared in shock at the towering city walls and the massive gate before him, barely believing his eyes.

"When... when was this built?" Jialan muttered to himself. He had been in Mist Town for nearly a year and had never heard of such a fortress deep in the forest. Anna also looked shocked. Albert, on the other hand, looked as if he understood everything. The old Mage stroked his beard and said calmly, "This is a secret project of the military. It has been under construction for three years. Only a few high-ranking officials know of its existence."

Jialan and Anna exchanged glances, seeing surprise and confusion in each other's eyes.

The fortress gate slowly opened, and a troop of fully armed soldiers emerged. Leading them was a burly officer who saluted Captain Kendy, "Welcome to 'Iron Wall' Fortress. We have been waiting for you."

After a strict inspection, the team entered the fortress. Jialan was stunned by the sight before him. The fortress was fully equipped, with not only barracks and warehouses but also a complete magical defense system. He saw several Mage apprentices busy on the city walls, seemingly maintaining some large magic array.

"This place... it's like a small city," Anna exclaimed.

Albert explained, "'Iron Wall' Fortress was built by the military to deal with the threat of the Misty Forest. It is not only a military stronghold but also an important research base."

"Research base?" Jialan asked curiously.

Albert nodded but did not elaborate.

Jialan stood on the fortress's towering city walls, overlooking the behemoth hidden within the Misty Forest. The last rays of the setting sun cast a warm glow on the gray stone walls, adding a touch of warmth to the cold military fortress.

As Spellcasters, Jialan, Albert, and Anna were assigned to an independent building on the east side of the fortress. The environment here was quiet and secluded, far from the soldiers' barracks, clearly prepared specifically for Spellcasters.

After settling in, Jialan decided to explore the fortress. Walking slowly along the stone-paved path, he found the interior even larger than he had imagined, with all sorts of facilities.

"Halt!" a stern voice suddenly rang out. Jialan realized he had unknowingly walked up to a heavily guarded building. Two fully armed soldiers blocked his path.

"Sorry," Jialan raised his hands to show he was harmless, "I'm a new Spellcaster, just wanted to familiarize myself with the surroundings."

The soldiers checked Jialan's identity badge, their tone softening slightly, "This is a restricted area. Entry is forbidden without special permission. Please return."

Jialan nodded and turned to leave. He noticed that there were several similar restricted areas within the fortress. Some buildings had complex magic runes covering their outer walls, clearly indicating some important magical research was underway.

Within the permitted areas, Jialan carefully observed the passing soldiers and facilities. He roughly estimated that the entire fortress had about fifteen hundred soldiers. This number surprised him, as Mist Town's garrison only had a little over a hundred soldiers.

What concerned Jialan even more was the number of Spellcasters. Besides the three newcomers, he saw over a dozen people wearing Mage robes. However, most of them were apprentices, with only a few appearing to be formal Mages.

"I wonder if there are any hidden forces..." Jialan mused. He noticed that some areas required special permission even for high-ranking officers to enter, and it was likely that the fortress's true secrets were hidden there.

Returning to his residence, Jialan found Albert drinking tea in the living room. The old Mage seemed indifferent to Jialan's exploration, merely asking blandly, "How was your walk?"

Jialan sat down and poured himself a cup of tea, "It's huge, and very mysterious. Many places are off-limits."

Albert smiled, "That's natural. 'Iron Wall' Fortress is one of the military's top secrets, and many research projects are highly classified."

"You seem very familiar with this place?" Jialan asked tentatively.

Albert put down his teacup and looked at Jialan meaningfully, "Young man, knowing too much about some things may not be a good thing. Remember, we are here to complete our mission. As for anything else... don't ask too many questions."

That evening, Jialan finished his meditation and was about to rest when a hurried horn blast suddenly pierced the night sky. He sat up abruptly, his heart involuntarily quickening.

"Knock, knock, knock!" Urgent knocking came from outside the door.

Jialan quickly put on his Mage robe and opened the door to see a nervous-looking soldier, "Lord Mage, please assemble in the main hall immediately! There's a large-scale Magic Beast attack!"

Jialan's heart tightened, and he quickly followed the soldier to the main hall. Albert and Anna were already there. He exchanged a glance with Anna, seeing nervousness and worry in each other's eyes.

"What's the situation?" Albert asked in a deep voice.

The soldier quickly reported, "The east city wall is under large-scale Magic Beast attack. The defenders are in position but require Mage support."

Albert nodded and turned to Jialan and Anna, "This is your first time facing a real Magic Beast siege. Remember, on the city walls, obey orders and do not act rashly. I will be by your side to guide you."

The three of them hurried to the east city wall. Along the way, Jialan could hear the roars of Magic Beasts and the shouts of soldiers from a distance. The air was filled with a tense atmosphere that was suffocating.