The Journey of Escape Begins

This wasn't a very deep tunnel. The walls of the tunnel were etched with faint, indistinct magic runes. However, even with the runes' sound-dampening effect, Punk's sensitive ears, inherited from the Primordial Elves, could still faintly hear the screams and shrieks of fleeing refugees being mercilessly cut down through the soil above. These sounds, seemingly filled with endless sorrow and resentment, added a layer of solemnity and unease to the already dark and oppressive tunnel.

Despite their unwillingness to flee so ignominiously and their guilt towards their comrades in Konola City, all the soldiers rationally understood that there was no other choice. As "elites" whose primary duty was to protect the Princess, they could only choose to firmly remember the shame of their defeat, grit their teeth, and vow to return one day to avenge their fallen comrades. Then... they quickened their pace of retreat and continued their escape!

All the soldiers, including the old Mage walking beside Punk, had clenched jaws and faces burning with rage. But Punk remained calm and indifferent as always. His focus was entirely different from these "Princess Guards." As he "strolled" through the long tunnel, Punk ordered the System to meticulously analyze the subtle magic fluctuations attached to the tunnel's rocks. Soon, the analysis results showed that these seemingly plain and simple fluctuations converged to form a "rune line" that appeared chaotic yet coherent and self-contained.

Gently closing his eyes, Punk could faintly sense that the magic fluctuations, battle qi fluctuations, heat, sound, and life-force emanating from the entire team were completely absorbed by this invisible "rune line." Not a single piece of information could reach the outside of the tunnel.

"This combination of linked rune arrangements is so much like a program flowchart from Earth!"

Carefully observing the data analyzed by the System, Punk felt that this "retreat and tunnel-digging" had brought him considerable enlightenment and inspiration. If the rune combinations here shared common principles with computer programming on Earth, did that mean... magic arrays also had the potential for deciphering, or even... intrusion?

It was a shame that his Soul Level was still too low; many inspirations could only be put aside for "future plans" and could not be put into practice or explored.

Time always flew by when lost in thought. Before he knew it, the exit of the cave was already in sight. Seeing the soldiers ahead walk out one by one, Punk had no choice but to set aside his curiosity and research on magic arrays, activating full-scale vigilance to prepare for the "escape" journey!

The tunnel exit was located in a forest, precisely the woodland south of Konola City known to farmers as "Old Muddy Woods." This woodland was called "Old Muddy Woods" for a reason. On one hand, it was indeed ancient; this forest had existed long before the establishment of the Kingdom of Kamos. On the other hand, it was perpetually filled with a large amount of accumulated mud. Due to the widespread distribution of "Sea Guest Trees" in the forest, which could release the water stored in their roots during droughts to nourish the land, the area was practically covered in old, rotten mud. This "Sea Guest Tree" was not a product of natural evolution; it was originally created by some clumsy Druid to serve as an "environmental irrigator." However, because excessive irrigation led to troublesome situations like the muddy ground found in this forest, this once "popular" creation was quickly abandoned by Druids who favored balance. Nevertheless, the Sea Guest Trees, with their strong vitality, still sporadically distributed in some humid regions, and the Old Muddy Woods was a typical example.

Leaving the narrow tunnel, a ground almost entirely composed of moss came into view. This moss covered the pervasive mud, making the forest look like an artificially turfed playground. As far as the eye could see, several trees resembling coconut trees with massive roots swayed on the "grass." Their flexible trunks made one suspect they were made of rubber, bending back and forth at angles completely inconsistent with the "image of a tree." In addition to these, a few "small flowers" emitting pink light dots were quietly "rooted" in the grass. The entire forest exuded a sense of tranquility and warmth...

Of course, this was absolutely not the true face of "Old Muddy Woods"!

Gently stepping onto the muddy ground, the mud, nearly three centimeters deep, rolled out from under Punk's shoes. The mud was mixed with some decaying leaves, looking like it could produce oil in another few decades. However, he still lifted his foot with satisfaction from the smelly, viscous mud. He had to admit that Mainesi had a good eye for choosing this retreat route. This muddy terrain was not a significant obstacle for Professionals, but it was an insurmountable "speed bump" for ordinary soldiers. Ordinary soldiers could not conduct searches here, but if it were just the enemy's few teams of Professionals, they wouldn't be able to search such a vast forest. Therefore, this muddy terrain greatly reduced the possibility of being discovered by the enemy.

However, while it was safe, the environment was indeed somewhat unbearable. As the marching troops churned up the mud, clumps of rottenness, sealed for who knows how many years, all erupted. The stench-filled air made one suspect that the entire forest was shrouded in foul odors. Princess Narsya, who had never endured such harsh environments, repeatedly fanned her delicate white hands in front of her small, exquisite nose to drive away the stench, though it was utterly useless.

Punk, however, didn't find these insignificant smells unbearable. He was repeatedly contemplating whether to leave quickly and make a clean getaway.

He touched his smooth chin, carefully weighing the pros and cons of leaving versus following.

"If I leave the main force now... there's a small chance of running into Prince William's army, who are searching everywhere for the Princess. I had a 'glorious' record on the city walls. Even if ordinary soldiers forget me, those Professionals won't. If I face those troops, who are probably frantic to find the Princess, alone... the danger level is extremely high!" Thinking this, Punk's brow twitched again. He wasn't Lu Bu, who could barely win against three heroes fighting alone. Fighting against a crowd of heroes alone... would be suicidal!

But if he continued to follow this fleeing team until they reached the Kingdom of Dilon... the chance of running into enemy pursuit forces would be greater. However, at least there would be the "loyal" Journeyman-level meat shields of the Princess Guard to absorb damage. He would just need to hide behind them and unleash his full output... the danger would be greatly reduced...

For a moment, even Punk found it difficult to make a decision