The sudden turn of events did not throw everyone into disarray. They each tightened their grips on their weapons, prepared their spells, and withdrew from the already highly suspicious ruin in an orderly yet swift manner. The moment they stepped outside, Hao Ren noticed something strange:
A massive, translucent dome had somehow appeared around the ruin. Its surface rippled with pale magical runes, while the thick fog surrounding the town gathered above it, swirling and compressing into a tangible-looking fluid before being injected into the energy barrier. The thing blocked their escape in every direction. The moment Lily saw this, she drew her Ice and Fire Claws and prepared to claw a hole through it, but Nangong Sanba was quick enough to grab the reckless girl. "Don't act rashly! First figure out what this thing is."
"We're trapped." Heiserana's face looked terrible. "It's a trap!"
Hao Ren was briefly stunned, then began rummaging through his storage space for a tool with a suitable yield. Before he could take anything out, however, the empty ground beyond the barrier suddenly stirred. The thick fog began to churn violently, and a whirlwind wrapped in black smoke rose within it. The smoke rapidly gathered vast amounts of ash from all directions, gradually taking the shape of a human figure—none other than Lord Heimowen, who had dispersed inside the house earlier.
Yet the man looked completely different from his previous hunched, timid self. His back was ramrod straight, and he held a strange-looking short scepter in one hand. With an indifferent, icy expression, he stood outside the transparent barrier as though gazing at a group of experimental subjects. "Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
Nangong Sanba raised his crossbow and aimed it at him. "Heimowen, what does this mean?!"
"I'm merely collecting the